Broncos, Kareem Jackson to reunite on one-year deal

After just a few weeks apart, the Denver Broncos and hard-hitting veteran safety Kareem Jackson are reuniting on a one-year deal.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Broncos stayed in touch with Jackson after declining his option earlier this month and the two sides have a deal to bring him back to Denver.

The #Broncos declined the option for Kareem Jackson, but stayed in contact with him. Now they get him back to help their secondary in a very busy and productive offseason. https://t.co/HKVrUugbZO

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 23, 2021

According to 9News Broncos Insider Mike Klis, Jackson will make $5 million this upcoming season, half of the $10 million he had been slated to make in the final year of his contract in 2021.

Speaking with the media last week, general manager George Paton said Jackson was among a pool of safeties the team would consider in free agency and that his return would still be an option.

“We had great conversations with his agent. We tried to get something done but we couldn’t,” Paton said. “We left the door open for Kareem to come back but we just couldn’t get something worked out”

Jackson, who first joined the Broncos on a three-year deal in 2019, has been among the top-graded safeties in the NFL the past two seasons. Last year, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the sixth-best safety in the league.

Denver declining his option likely had more to do with Jackson’s age than his production on the field, however, as the veteran turns 33 next month.

In his two years in Denver, Jackson only missed a trio of games — two for a suspension stemming from a DUI arrest in September 2019 and another that season to heal an injured hamstring.

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