Veteran safety Kareem Jackson is returning to the Broncos on a one-year deal, NFL Network's James Palmer reported Monday, per a source.
The 35-year-old will be going into his 14th NFL season, having been drafted No. 20 overall by the Houston Texans in 2010. Jackson's tenure has been defined by his consistency and longevity, rarely missing a start, and he's been able to play postseason football five times.
In 2022, Jackson, who has played the last four seasons with Denver, did not miss a game and finished the year with a career-high 94 tackles, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries, continuing to produce consistently even in Year 13.
But while some players his age are looking toward retirement, Jackson said in March that he still has a few benchmarks he'd like to hit before hanging up the cleats.
Jackson said at the time he would like to make it to at least 15 years in the league, and believes that he's still playing at a high enough level for that to happen. His second aim was to find a team in which he could contribute to a winning culture and ideally win a Super Bowl to cap off his career. And, evidently, after testing out the free-agent market this offseason, he decided that coming back to Denver would give him the best chance to accomplish those goals, sticking with the team he's played for since 2019.
