Giants roster moves: CB Isaac Yiadom traded to the Green Bay Packers for CB Josh Jackson

The New York Giants are trading cornerback Isaac Yiadom to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for fellow cornerback Josh Jackson.

Yiadom started 10 games for the Giants in 2020. While he played hard across from James Bradberry, his limitations forced the team to play more zone coverages (and fewer man coverages) than they probably would have liked.

Jackson was originally drafted out of Iowa by the Packers in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. He started 10 of 16 games in his rookie season with 10 passes defensed, but only started 5 games with 2 passes defensed in 26 games in the 2019 and 2020 seasons (he has yet to record an interception). Jackson struggled in the Packers’ first preseason game and it was widely speculated that he could be one of the first players cut to get the Packers down to a 85-man roster.

Woof. When Tyrod Taylor, Mills and Chris Conley are picking you apart, it’s not a great sign. Since the Packers selected him in the second round of the 2018 draft, Jackson has yet to do anything that should make the Packers want to give him a roster spot. His saving grace might be that Green Bay needs outside cornerback depth, given King’s injury history, but even then, why not opt for someone with upside like Ento when you essentially know what Jackson is capable of?

- Matt Scheidman (The Athletic)

Jackson is a good-sized and athletic (though he ran a relatively slow 4.56 second 40 yard dash) former receiver, and could have upside with the Giants.

Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company had this to say about Jackson.

Packers DB coach Jerry Gray talked about putting him in better positions this year. He’s a zone corner and did that well at Iowa, but the Packers have been a man team as of late. I think he has a chance to stick as a safety, if he ever converted. Former WR with ball skills.

For what it’s worth, this evaluation tracks with my evaluation of Jackson as a prospect coming out of Iowa.

For some teams, Jackson could be the top cornerback on the board, while other might view him as a mid-rounder or even a candidate to convert to safety.

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If Jackson remains at corner, he could be prized by teams that run a Cover 3 or Cover 4 (quarters) defense. Those were the two coverage schemes Iowa ran the most (almost exclusively in the games I watched), and Jackson excelled in them.

Jackson’s fit with the Giants is more at safety.

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Because Jackson just isn’t used to playing press coverage and doesn’t have the speed to hang with many receivers in tight coverage, the Giants might look at him as a Day 2 selection and potential free safety, where his instincts and ball skills would still fit.

This is the second trade involving a cornerback the Giants have executed in the last 24 hours, with the previous trade bringing in special teamer Keion Crossen.

The Giants have been busy today, and we could see more moves made before the team departs for joint practices with the Cleveland Browns in advance of this weekend’s game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the team bring in an offensive lineman after losing three over the last week. Joe Judge said Tuesday afternoon he “wouldn’t rule that out.”

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