Panthers' Mike Jackson makes it clear how he felt about being traded by the Seahawks

No other executive around the NFL has glown up his team the last couple years more than Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider.

Blowing up the core of a winning team by swapping ut the head coach, starting quarterback and No. 1 wide receiver was an extremely risky series of moves, but they have all paid off and now Seattle is a strong Super Bowl contender for the first time in 10 years.

This week’s opponent is lower on that list of teams that are on their way up, but the Carolina Panthers are definitely building something nearly a decade removed since the last time they were a potential playoff team.

Another sharp under-the-radar move that Morgan made was trading for ex-Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson just before the 2024 season started.

Panthers GM Dan Morgan put together a stellar 2025 draft class and has made some sharp moves in free agency the last two years, as well – dramatically improving their offensive line with Robert Hunt and former Seahawk Damien Lewis at guard, and finding a diamond in the rough with Rico Dowdle.

Mike Jackson

November 24, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

In case you’ve forgotten, Seattle sent Jackson over to Carolina in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick, linebacker Michael Barrett – who played for head coach Mike Macdonald at Michigan.

Barrett wound up not even making the roster, though. Meanwhile, Jackson has grown into a respectable full-time starter for a Panthers defense that arguably improved more than any other unit from last season to this one.

In 32 games since the trade, Jackson has totaled five interceptions and 34 pass breakups (including leaue-high 17 this season. In coverage he’s allowed just a 54.4% completion rate in 2025 and a 78.9 passer rating. Along the way, Jackson earned himself a two-year, $10 million contract that vastly outweighs what he earned during his time in Seattle.

As for Jackson, he clearly feels that the Seahawks undervalued him when the deal went down. Here’s what he said about it earlier this week.

Mike Jackson on Seahawks-Panthers trade

Corner Mike Jackson said the Seahawks traded him to the Panthers for a ‘’bag of chips.’’ pic.twitter.com/E5x1GNmT1z

— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) December 23, 2025

Jackson has it exactly right. Clearly the Panthers have gotten the better of this trade – which seemed ill-conceived at the start. In the modern NFL when you have the luxury of more cornerback depth than you think you need, you keep it that way.

The Seahawks seem fine at cornerback right now – but that can change quickly. This is one deal that Schneider may live to regret.

Panthers’ Mike Jackson makes it clear how he felt about being traded by the Seahawks

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