Adoree’ Jackson insists his mind is not on Tuesday’s trade deadline.
“I feel good. I’m not even worried about it. If something [does] happen, at the end of the day, it’s out of my control. I just control what I can control. That’s my attitude when I come into work,” he said Friday after practice. “So, for me, obviously, I want to be here. … Made a lot of memories with these guys. A great bond. So, [I] know we [are] always going to be in contact, but I want to be here.”
The cornerback is in a contract year after signing a three-year deal in 2021, which was reconstructed in 2022 to create cap space with an $11 million base salary and $4.5 million in signing bonus.
Unlike Saquon Barkley, who has been told he will not be traded, Jackson has not heard anything about trade intentions either way from general manager Joe Schoen nor head coach Brian Daboll.
“Oh, I don’t talk to nobody about that,” he said. “I don’t even want to be talking about that. If it comes to me, it comes to me. It’s like anything in life. When it gets presented to me, it gets presented to me.”
If Jackson is traded, the opposing team will have to pay the eighth-year veteran $5.5 million for the remainder of the season.
“A lot of unfinished business,” Jackson said. “I like being here. I like the organization. I like the culture that’s been built. Obviously, I want us to be winning like we were last year.”
Jackson is one of the possible players the Giants will turn to as a solution to their second straight season of punt return trouble. Other candidates are Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard and Gunner Olszewski, who the Giants recently added to their practice squad from the Steelers.
Giants cornerbacks coach Jerome Henderson didn’t confirm if Jackson will take on the role against the Jets on Sunday.
“If they asked him to go back there, he’s going to go back there with a great attitude and go catch the ball and try to return it if that’s what he’s asked,” Henderson said. “If he’s asked to return kicks, he’ll do that. … He’s such a good person and such a good teammate.
“Adoree’ is that guy in our room who is the veteran of that corner group, talks to those guys, helps those young players,” he added. “He does a great job with that, being a big brother and helping [Deonte Banks] and Tre [Hawkins] play and even [Cor’Dale] Flott, and being a mentor.
“He’s been awesome all year for us that way.”
OL Andrew Thomas (hamstring) is listed as doubtful for Sunday.
“He’s doing different things. He’s getting better,” Daboll said. “So, we’ll see how it goes.”
RB Gary Brightwell (hamstring) was ruled out. Jackson (neck), OL Evan Neal (ankle), OL John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee) and TE Darren Waller (hamstring) were listed as questionable.