Las Vegas Raiders may now have a chance to land J.C. Jackson

The Las Vegas Raiders may now have an opportunity to pursue J.C. Jackson following recent news that he will avoid the franchise tag.

After the Silver and Black introduced Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler as the new head coach and general manager duo, many fans wondered if they’d siphon some talent from the New England Patriots. Among those players was Jackson.

Much to the surprise of some, the Patriots will allow Jackson to test free agency as they will not be using the franchise tag on the Pro Bowl cornerback. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport broke the news earlier that one of the best NFL corners would soon become a free agent.

Earlier this year, I took a look at what it could potentially take to bring in Jackson. Given how much premier cornerbacks have been getting paid this year, the Raiders were going to have to drop some significant cash.

It was Jackson himself who spoke on his status for this offseason and was clear that it was his time to cash in, “I love the game if they tag me, I’m gonna go out there and play. Whatever happens, happens. I’m taking it day by day. But it’s time for me to get paid. It’s time to get Mr. INT paid.”

Should the Raiders attack Jackson in free agency?

In all seriousness, we’re talking about a contract worth nearly $100 million. This notion stems from comparing the current deals with Jackson’s contemporaries at cornerback. Players such as Marshon Lattimore and Marlon Humphrey make more than $19 million a year, so the Raiders will likely have to offer something in that ballpark.

As far as the Raiders are concerned, it will come down to financials and whether spending that type of capital on one defensive player will net that much of a difference. Yes, there’s definitely some history between Jackson and the Raiders’ brain trust, but will that matter if Jackson’s looking to sign for the highest bidder? As he said, it’s time for him to get paid.