The Pittsburgh Steelers were a bit more active during the 2022 trade deadline than the organization has been in years past. The most notable move was trading away Wide Receiver, Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a 2023 second-round pick. The transaction is already shaping out to be a win for Pittsburgh as the pass catcher has battled some injuries and has not played well when on the field as he prepares to enter the final year of his rookie contract. The other deal that took place was acquiring Cornerback, William Jackson III from the Washington Commanders and a seventh-round conditional pick for a sixth-round conditional pick.
Steelers cornerback, William Jackson III, speaks with the media on Thursday, January 5th about his potential availability in Week 18 for a crucial matchup against the Cleveland Browns. | Photo Credit: Steelers YouTube Page
Jackson III signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with Washington during the 2021 off-season. As a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2016, he played well enough to earn a lucrative deal from a different franchise. He played in almost every game throughout his first four seasons but has only competed in 16 games total since the beginning of the 2021 season with Washington.
Steelers fans have been concerned about his lack of availability, although they essentially got him for nothing because he hasn't played for the black and gold yet this year due to a back injury that has held him out. He has a massive cap hit in 2023 of $12.75 million and the one way he stays in Pittsburgh is if he takes a significant pay cut. When asked about next season, he said he is not even worried despite not being anywhere close to worth the cap casualty he would be on his current deal.
"Not even on my radar," Jackson III told the media Thursday. "I'm just trying to get healthy and then finish this season out strong. That's the only thing I care about. The future I can't control."
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 02: William Jackson III #3 of the Washington Commanders gets set against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 2, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Despite not being able to display his talents on the Steelers' practice field until this past week, he believes that Head Coach Mike Tomlin knows enough about him and his play to want him back next season. He sounds like a guy trying to convince himself that he will be back without adjustments being made to his expensive contract that wasn't even structured by Pittsburgh's front office in 2021.
"I played Mike T twice a year for five years. I think he knows who I am and what I'm about. I think he's a guy that knows me very well. During the draft process, he was one of the guys that came down and met with me so he knows exactly who I am and the player I can be."
Jackson III also said that he does want an opportunity to prove himself. He hasn't been much of an asset at all since coming to town but is thankful that the organization and coaching staff has given him time to get his back issue sorted out.
"I'm happy they've been patient with me and I'll try to give them everything I got. I'm just waiting for my number to be called and then I'm gonna go out there, healthy or not."
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 09: William Jackson III #3 of the Washington Commanders looks on against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of the game at FedExField on October 9, 2022, in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The cap hit for Jackson III is simply too high for 2023. The team needs to decide on his fate prior to when his $2.5 million roster bonus is due on March 19th. Time will tell, but unless he is willing to adjust his pay, it's hard to imagine him being back in Pittsburgh. The cornerback position is definitely a concern, however, so it will be interesting to see how the franchise goes about trying to retain him if they're interested at all.
Do you think the Steelers will try to bring Jackson III back in order to boost the secondary in 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
