Washington Commanders fans were hoping to see something from defensive end Drake Jackson after the team opened his 21-day return window recently. But time is rapidly running out for the pass-rusher to convince the coaching staff he is healthy enough to participate.
The Commanders believed Jackson could still have something to offer. General manager Adam Peters knows the player well from their time together with the San Francisco 49ers. Still, the injury problem that's kept him out for the best part of two years tempered expectations considerably.
Jackson was immediately stashed on injured reserve to continue his recovery. The Commanders have taken their time with the player to avoid any unnecessary complications. Even so, the fact that he was ruled out for the second week since being activated doesn't exactly paint the most encouraging picture.
Commanders remain cautious with Drake Jackson, which speaks volumes
The former USC standout's redemption mission is turning into a depressingly familiar scenario. And the next few days will be telling.
Washington doesn't have much more time before deciding whether to activate Jackson onto their 53-man roster. If not, then the 2022 second-round pick will remain on the fringes, all but ending his time with the club almost before it began.
That is how high the stakes are for the player. Jackson hasn't shown enough for the Commanders to give him the green light yet. If the same trend continues in the coming days, he might not even get to play a competitive snap for Washington.
Massive changes are coming to the playing personnel this offseason. Peters needs another roster overhaul that starts by getting younger with more explosive, dependable acquisitions. While Jackson wouldn't be classed as a seasoned vet by any stretch of the imagination, the reliability factor could become his undoing when push comes to shove.
If Jackson cannot get back, one has to wonder if this will be the end of his NFL journey. Teams will be all too aware that he's missed almost two seasons. And if he still can't reach the required fitness levels after the Commanders gave him so much time to accomplish this feat, that is a massive problem.
Nothing has been confirmed one way or another. Jackson has a little more time to get the all-clear, but not much. And there is an opportunity to generate some reps on the defensive rotation, given Washington's complete lack of consistent pass-rushers.
Time will tell on that, but it's not looking great for Jackson right now.