FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed restricted free agent DB J.C. Jackson. Terms of the contract were not announced. In addition, the Patriots released OL Dustin Woodard.
Jackson, 25, is a veteran of three seasons with New England after joining the team as a rookie free agent out of Maryland on May 11, 2018. The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder has played in 45 regular season games with 22 starts and has accumulated 100 total tackles, 17 interceptions and 30 passes defensed. In addition, he has played in four postseason contests with two starts and has registered eight tackles and three passes defensed. Since entering the NFL in 2018, his 17 interceptions are the second-most in the NFL. Last season, Jackson played in all 16 games with 11 starts and finished with 40 total tackles, was second in the NFL with nine interceptions and led the NFL with 11 total takeaways, the most in a single season for a Patriots player under Bill Belichick.
Woodard, 23, originally joined the Patriots as a seventh-round draft pick (230th overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Memphis. The 6-foot-2, 291-pounder was placed on the reserve/retired list on Aug. 13, 2020.
