The emergence of Mike Jackson Sr. has helped turn the Carolina Panthers' secondary into one of the most dangerous units in football.
Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn led all NFL corners with five interceptions. His running mate, Jackson, bested the league with 19 pass breakups. Veteran safety Tre'von Moehrig ranked 11th league-wide with 11 tackles for loss.
Yes, the entire NFL. Linebackers and defensive linemen included.
And yet, despite all that production, the middle of the field remained vulnerable in pass coverage. Improved linebacker play would certainly help, but there’s an underrated move that could take this secondary from great to flat-out elite: upgrading the nickel/free safety spot.