Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson has now made it official, putting in a trade or release request. It’s a huge turnaround given the ineffectiveness that has pervaded his short NFL career thus far. Jackson, a third-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft, is creating quite a buzz. He has become the third defensive player to request a trade, exposing the growing rift on the Bengals’ roster.
Jackson’s struggles this season have been evident, as he has been a healthy scratch for six of the team’s first eight games. He only appeared in action in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions. In fact, he only played six defensive snaps throughout that game. His lack of involvement is a far cry compared to his rookie campaign. In those days, he was rolling through 13 games and even getting 1 start.
The timing of the defensive tackle’s plea comes after a rough stretch for the Bengals. Last year, he started out on IR with a knee injury he suffered in camp. Having recovered, there were high hopes for Jackson to have a major impact this season. After falling out of the rotation, Matthews has been motivated to find himself an opportunity elsewhere.
Last week, Ben Baby, who covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN, said it’s clear Jackson’s talent remains. “He’s got power, he’s got knee bend, he’s got strength,” said Al Golden, the Bengals’ defensive line coach. Golden sounded positive on Jackson’s future progress. What we can build on. “I would like for that progress to translate into results for us and get him going. And so definitely he’s on that path right now and he’s aware of what he has to do.
A native of Grapevine, Texas, she graduated from the University of North Texas with a BS in journalism. His strong academic foundation should help as he transitions into a full-time NFL career.
As the Bengals evaluate their roster and Jackson’s request, it will be interesting to see how this situation plays out. This isn’t to diminish the incredible challenge their team has had to overcome this season. Now, Jackson’s request has thrown even more confusion into their plans looking ahead.
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