Veteran safety Kareem Jackson, 34, is entering his fourth season with the Denver Broncos after nine seasons with the Houston Texans, the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft as a cornerback.
Now operating as a strong safety that can play in the box alongside free safety Justin Simmons that can man the Ed Reed “center fielder” position, Jackson, while focused on a Super Bowl run, is embracing the grizzly old vet leadership role.
“I definitely embrace that. I’ve seen a lot and played a lot of ball. It’s a privilege to come out here every day,” Jackson said Tuesday. “I don’t have to be out here, but I enjoy being out here. It’s still fun for me.
“Whatever I can do to get the younger guys going — bringing the energy and the intensity every day and setting the tone — I’m definitely going to do that, whether it’s on the field or in the locker room.”
The leadership is huge for the Broncos’ young players, most notably fellow safety Caden Sterns. The Texas product totaled two interceptions, five pass breakups, two sacks and 28 total tackles in a promising rookie season. But Jackson can still play at a high level as well. “Let’s not be mistaken: He can still run,” Broncos DC Ejiro Evero said Tuesday about Jackson. “There’s still a lot of juice there and still a lot of playmaking ability there.”
The Broncos still may add a cornerback to the secondary in the NFL draft as well. The team has nine picks, including five in the first four rounds.
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