Three years ago, the San Francisco 49ers made the move many Green Bay Packers fans expected their team to make, selecting edge defender Drake Jackson late in the second round. At that time, the Packers used their two late second-rounders to move up and take wide receiver Christian Watson.
Now, the Packers have the opportunity to get Drake Jackson after all. On Friday, the defensive end was waived by the 49ers with an injury designation. He suffered a patellar tendon injury back in 2023 and hasn't played since, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that he is expected to be healthy by training camp.
Either way, the 49ers decided to part ways with him after prioritizing the defensive front in this year's draft.
Because Jackson has only three accrued NFL seasons, he is not a vested veteran yet. This means he will go through the waiver process. The Packers have the 23rd priority, and could send a claim request. If nobody claims Jackson, he would become a free agent.
If the Packers claim Jackson, his salary would be $1.428 million for the final year of his rookie deal. If the player goes unclaimed, he would be available to sign a completely new deal—including a team-friendlier one, depending on his market.
Why it didn't work in SF
Drake Jackson was drafted by the Niners as a developmental player—just like the Packers tend to do, an athletic, but raw player. The starters were Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam, with Arik Armstead moving around the defensive line.
He became a starter in 2023 and generated 14 pressures and three sacks in eight games before getting hurt. He missed the second half of that season and the entire year in 2024. Now, the 49ers overinvested in the defensive line in the draft, making Jackson expendable.
Why it could make sense for GB
While Drake Jackson hasn't materialized as expected in San Francisco, he is still extremely young at 24. He is two months younger than Anthony Belton, for example, a player whom the Packers selected in this year's second round.
Moreover, Jackson fits the profile of what the Packers tend to like in prospects. He is big at 6-4, 273 pounds, which allows him to even move inside in passing downs.
This year, the Packers only drafted Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round—and Collin Oliver, who's an edge/off-ball linebacker hybrid, in the fifth. With new defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington focused on development of young pieces, Jackson would be another option.
More importantly, there would be no risk. Drake Jackson has no guarantees on his contract, so if he fails to adapt, doesn't fully recover from his injury, or gets behind the pieces the Packers already have, he could simply be cut without consequences.
It would make even more sense considering the similarities between what the 49ers schematically do and what defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley brought to Green Bay. It's a low-risk, high-reward move at a premium position.
