The Los Angeles Chargers' mission in the 2026 NFL Draft was clear— fill positions of need, and add depth along the offensive line.
They accomplished both those goals directly. They added Akheem Mesidor and Jake Slaughter with their first two picks, successfully acquiring both a league-ready edge rusher to complement Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu and a starting-caliber interior offensive lineman to compete with Trevor Penning at left guard. They then added a speedy offensive weapon in Brenen Thompson before adding Nick Barrett for depth at defensive tackle, Genesis Smith for depth at safety, and Travis Burke, Logan Taylor, and Alex Harkey for depth along the offensive line.
It might not be the highest-upside draft class, but it certainly accomplished everything the Chargers needed it to.
Yet as they head into the second wave of free agency, they still have a clear defensive need to fill. With the departure of Benjamin St-Juste to the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles is still in need of another cornerback to fill out their secondary.
The good news is that they can easily address this with one of the free agents who remain on the market. Adoree' Jackson, who spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, could be their perfect, low-cost reclamation project.
Adoree' Jackson seemed like a strong target earlier in the offseason, and his fit makes even more sense now
As enticing as it would have been to add a young cornerback through the draft to develop behind Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, and Cam Hart, it evidently wasn't in the cards for the Chargers. Perhaps they didn't like what they saw on the board once they got to Day 3.
Nevertheless, even with extensions for Tuli Tuipulotu and Derwin James looming, they have more than enough cap space to bring in a veteran corner on a limited deal.
They evidently believe in their ability to elevate the play of any defensive back they bring onto the roster, and they have more than enough evidence to back that up.
Take St-Juste, for example. After a rough season with the Washington Commanders, St-Juste signed with the Chargers on a one-year, $2.5 million 'prove-it' deal. He didn't play a ton, but he made impressive advancements in his tackling and coverage abilities, ultimately earning a two-year, $10 million deal with Green Bay (and aiding Los Angeles in its pursuit of a compensatory pick in next year's Draft).
Jackson is also coming off a rough season with the Eagles. After earning a starting spot in camp, Jackson struggled to find his footing in Philadelphia's scheme, posting just a 54.1 coverage grade and missing 12 tackles on the season, per Pro Football Focus.
According to Spotrac, his next deal should fall somewhere around a $1.8 million AAV.
If Los Angeles needed a starting corner, they should avoid Jackson at all costs. But they simply need someone to take over for St-Juste, who played just 37% of the defensive snaps across the 16 games he was active.
The door remains open, therefore, for Jackson to be the ideal depth signing for the Chargers.
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