Vincent Jackson - Pro Football Rumors

Buccaneers Place Vincent Jackson On IR

October 23rd, 2016 at 10:11am CST by Connor J. Byrne

SUNDAY, 10:11am: It is still uncertain whether Jackson suffered a complete tear of his ACL, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter). He will have another MRI shortly, and Cecil Shorts will get the nod in Jackson’s absence.

TUESDAY, 4:14pm: In what could be a significant blow to their offense, the Buccaneers have placed wide receiver Vincent Jackson on injured reserve with a knee issue. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times was among those to report that Jackson has a torn ACL, though ESPN’s Ed Werder suggests that it could be an MCL injury (Twitter links).

Jackson played through the injury in the Buccaneers’ Week 5 win over the Panthers and later realized it didn’t feel right, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The 33-year-old hauled in three catches for 36 yards against Carolina, giving him 15 receptions and 173 yards on 31 targets this season.

This could be the second straight year in which a knee ailment has ended Jackson’s season early. He missed six games in 2015 and landed on IR in December with a sprained MCL. Prior to last year, Jackson had gone four straight years without missing a game. The two-time Pro Bowler has been highly productive in his 12 combined seasons with the Chargers and Bucs, but it’s possible he’ll never put on Tampa Bay’s uniform again.

Jackson will be a free agent at season’s end, and even before his injury, second-year receiver Adam Humphries had begun taking targets from him. Still, Jackson had started in each of the Buccaneers’ first five games, and his loss will give quarterback Jameis Winston one fewer viable target. Aside from Humphries and No. 1 option Mike Evans, the Bucs aren’t flush with options at wideout, though Louis Murphy is nearing a return from the torn ACL he suffered last October.

Bucs Wary Of Spending Big In Free Agency

February 12th, 2016 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

Two years ago, during Jason Licht‘s first few months as the Buccaneers’ general manager, the team was one of the league’s top spenders in free agency, signing Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins, Alterraun Verner, Josh McCown, and others to big, multiyear contracts. In 2016 though, Licht and the Bucs plan on taking a more cautious approach to free agency, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details.

“We’ll be selective and strategic,” Licht said on Thursday. “We don’t want to put ourselves into a position where if you take the wrong guy and give him too much money, it can disrupt your team. I’ve said since Day 1, we are going to build through the draft. And from Day 1, the most success we’ve had is with draft picks.

“We still believe the best way for us to go is to draft and develop players. You can’t think you’re going to put yourself over the top by signing these high-dollar guys.”

According to Stroud, the Buccaneers still intend to get involved in free agency to some extent. However, a deal like Johnson’s two years ago, which was worth $43.75MM in total, including $16MM in guaranteed money, seems unlikely. Johnson, of course, was released by Tampa Bay 12 months after signing that five-year contract.

Here’s more from Stroud on the Bucs:

There’s a good chance that Doug Martin will make it to free agency and test the open market, according to Stroud, who says that the running back is “hoping to hit the jackpot” after a 1,400-yard season. The club has had “great discussions” with Martin’s camp, per Licht, and it seems like there’s genuine mutual interest in an extension. But if the Bucs don’t meet Martin’s asking price, the only way to keep him off the open market would be to franchise him, and that would be a pricey solution — the franchise tag for RBs is expected to exceed $11MM.
As we’ve heard before, the Buccaneers are unlikely to trade Mike Glennon. Stroud suggests that an extension for the team’s backup quarterback may actually be more probable than a trade.
The Buccaneers want to keep wide receiver Vincent Jackson and guard Logan Mankins around for 2016, per Stroud. However, Mankins hasn’t yet made a final decision on whether he’ll continue his career, and there’s no guarantee the club wouldn’t want to make some adjustments to Jackson’s and Mankins’ contracts if they return. Verner and linebacker Bruce Carter are also candidates for potential restructures.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Gordon, Megatron, Ravens

February 6th, 2016 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

During his Super Bowl press conference, Roger Goodell acknowledged that he had received Josh Gordon‘s application for reinstatement. The commissioner now has 60 days to determine whether the Browns wideout should be reinstated. Before he makes a decision, Goodell wants to see whether the embattled receiver has changed his ways.

“The process is we will go back and look at how he’s conducted himself over the last several months, what he’s done to make sure it’s consistent with the terms of his suspension, and at some stage we’ll have a report on that, and I will engage with our people to understand where he is, where he’s been, but most importantly, where he’s going,” Goodell said (via Tony Grossi ESPN.com).

“When these things happen, it’s about trying to avoid them in the future. Our No. 1 issue here is to prevent these things from happening.

“I’m hopeful that Josh understands that he’s going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL and to be representing the Cleveland Browns — or any team in the NFL. So, our job is to try to get people to understand that, try to make sure that they live by the policies that we have, and ensure that this is what all of us want and also what the fans want. Our fans want everybody playing by the same rules.”

The Browns wideout was suspended indefinitely last February, and the 24-year-old didn’t play a single game this past season.According to the report, Gordon’s party “is confident he has met terms of his indefinite suspension to merit reinstatement.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

Jets wideout Brandon Marshall respects Calvin Johnson‘s decision to potentially walk away from the game. “Awesome. I think that he’s strong,” Marshall told Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. “I think it takes a lot of strength and courage to walk away from the game. I think all of us face that time when we question ourselves or question our passion and love for the game, and if we want to move forward. I think most of us stick around a year or two or three too long.”
The Ravens have traditionally avoided big-name free agents, but ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley believes if the team were to spend this offseason, they’d pursue a wide receiver. According to the writer, potential options include DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz and Roddy White.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is the “overwhelming favorite” to receive the team’s franchise tag, writes Hensley.

Bucs Rumors: Glennon, Martin, Jackson

January 29th, 2016 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Mike Glennon, the subject of trade rumors and speculation nearly every offseason, is expected to be retained by the Buccaneers for the 2016 season, according to general manager Jason Licht. Licht tells Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com that he intends for Glennon to enter the ’16 season as Jameis Winston‘s backup.

“Mike Glennon is just so valuable to us right now while we have him, while he’s under contract, I feel like we have two starting quarterbacks with him and Jameis,” Licht said. “If you just go out and get a mid-round pick for him, the chances of the mid-round pick working out or drafting a quarterback and that pick working out, the odds aren’t in your favor. Unless there’s [an offer] that blows us away, I think you lean towards keeping him and having him on your roster.”

As Reynolds explains, the Buccaneers view the idea of keeping Glennon as a win-win proposition. Either he eventually extends his contract with Tampa Bay and the team continues to have a very solid backup behind Winston, or he eventually leaves in free agency and earns the Bucs a compensatory draft pick.

According to Reynolds, the club may showcase Glennon this summer in the preseason, but it would be more about improving his stock for free agency – and therefore improving the Bucs’ comp pick – rather than showcasing him as a trade chip.

Here are a couple more items of interest out of Tampa Bay, via Reynolds:

The Buccaneers met with agent David Dunn at the Senior Bowl this week to begin preliminary contract talks for running back Doug Martin, according to Reynolds. Tampa Bay does not intend to use its franchise tag on Martin, since the one-year price tag would be exorbitant for a running back, but the two sides are hopeful that they can work something out before free agency begins on March 9.
The Buccaneers plan to bring back veteran receiver Vincent Jackson for the 2016 season without adjusting his salary or his cap hit, reports Reynolds. Jackson’s $12.21MM cap hit is sizable, but the Bucs have plenty of cap room and don’t view the free agent market or draft class this year as particularly strong for wideouts.
Tampa Bay will likely add at least one receiver in free agency or the draft for depth purposes, but the team likes its current group, according to Reynolds.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Buccaneers Place Vincent Jackson On IR

December 30th, 2015 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have announced multiple changes to their 53-man roster, and the most notable move will see wide receiver Vincent Jackson land on the injured reserve list, ending his season. In addition to placing Jackson on IR, the Bucs promoted safety Kimario McFadden to the active roster, and confirmed two previously-reported moves, elevating tight end Tevin Westbrook from the practice squad and sending safety Major Wright to IR.

Jackson, whose knee injury has kept him out of the Buccaneers’ last two games, was limited to 10 contests in total this season. After racking up at least 70 receptions and 1,000 yards during each of his first three seasons in Tampa Bay, Jackson saw his production slip this year as he struggled to stay healthy and establish a rapport with first overall pick Jameis Winston. In total, he grabbed 33 balls for 543 yards and three touchdowns.

It’ll be worth keeping an eye on Jackson’s situation this offseason, since he’s due a $9.778MM base salary, with a $12.21MM cap charge, for 2016. Those figures are identical to his 2015 salary and cap hit, but coming off an injury-plagued season, with just one year left on his deal, Jackon’s hold on a roster spot looks much shakier this time around.

Buccaneers’ Vincent Jackson Sprains MCL, Out Several Games

December 14th, 2015 at 5:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Buccaneers receiver Vincent Jackson missed most of the team’s 24-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday after leaving in the first half with a knee injury. It turns out his season could be over, as he suffered an MCL sprain and will miss several games, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With just three games left, it stands to reason Jackson’s season is done if the 6-7 Bucs don’t rally and make the playoffs. If they do grab one of the NFC’s two wild-card spots, the three-time Pro Bowler could return, Rapoport notes.

Jackson, an 11th-year man, entered 2015 coming off three straight seasons of 70-plus catches and four in a row of 1,000-plus yards. He wasn’t as productive this season, however. Prior to leaving the Saints game, the 32-year-old added a single catch for 5 yards, giving him 33 receptions for 543 yards in parts of 10 contests. He’s currently third on the Bucs in receptions (33), second in yardage (543), first in YPC (16.5) and tied for first in touchdowns (three).

NFC Notes: Ratliff, V-Jax, Boldin, Lions

October 28th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

When the Bears released veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff last week, details began to trickle out about an eruption from Ratliff that led to the move — and led to the Bears temporarily increasing the security at their team facility. Although that incident led to Ratliff’s release, it wasn’t his first such outburst, as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report details.

According to Freeman, in the last week of the 2014 season, Ratliff showed up at a Bears practice and behaved “belligerently” toward players and coaches, leading to him being asked to leave practice multiple times. The incident sounds awfully similar to what happened at Halas Hall last week, but in 2014, head coach Marc Trestman not only didn’t discipline Ratliff — he named the defensive lineman a team captain for the coming week.

Per Freeman, the decision to reward Ratliff for the outburst may have cost Trestman the locker room, and it wasn’t long until the head coach was replaced. Under new coach John Fox, the Bears didn’t tolerate a similar display from Ratliff this season.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the NFC….

Encouraging Ratliff’s so-called “passion” last year didn’t work out well for Trestman — will taking a similar approach to Greg Hardy play out any better for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones? David Fleming of ESPN is skeptical, calling Jones’ support of Hardy the latest sign of dysfunction in Dallas.
Vincent Jackson‘s knee injury is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, Rapoport adds that the injury won’t be a season-ender for the Buccaneers receiver.
With the 49ers rapidly falling out of contention, and next Tuesday’s trade deadline looming, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if San Francisco would consider trading Anquan Boldin, and whether or not Boldin would welcome a trade to a contender. I wouldn’t expect the Niners to make a move involving the veteran wideout, but if they do, the Panthers would be one destination that makes some sense, as Florio observes.
While general manager Martin Mayhew has been aggressive in the past, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (video link) doesn’t expect the Lions to acquire any veterans before this year’s trade deadline. If Mayhew and the Lions make any deals, they’ll probably be for draft picks, says Rothstein.

Vincent Jackson To Remain In Tampa Bay

March 1st, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Rory Parks

In spite of recent rumors that the Buccaneers would ask him to restructure his deal or even trade him, Vincent Jackson will remain in Tampa Bay on his current contract, writes Dan Hanzus of NFL.com. There are a number of teams with needs at wide receiver who would have doubtlessly been intrigued by the 32-year-old Jackson if he had become available, but now those teams will apparently need to look elsewhere.

Jackson carries a 2015 cap hit of $12.2MM, one of the largest for a wideout, but he and second-year receiver Mike Evans together should combine to form one of the most dynamic receiving duos in the league, and if the Buccaneers draft Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as many anticipate, Winston will find himself with some talented weapons at his disposal.

With Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant expected to get the franchise tag, Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin, and Torrey Smith make up the top receivers who are set to become free agents if they are not tagged or do not sign new deals before March 10. But Cobb and Maclin would be very expensive, and Smith is a cut below talent-wise. Outside of those names, Andre Johnson, Mike Wallace, and Brandon Marshall are players who are currently under contract but who could become available via release or trade.

NFC Links: Willis, Bowman, Johnson, Cobb

February 28th, 2015 at 1:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers have a pair of decisions to make on their All-Pro inside linebackers, who are scheduled to make nearly $14MM in 2015. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman both missed significant time with injuries last year, but replacements Chris Borland and Michael Wilhoite filled in admirably. However, general manager Trent Baalke is confident both Willis and Bowman will be back next season, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I think if you look into those numbers, they’re not as daunting as you might think,” Baalke said.

Here are some more links from around the NFC:

The 49ers also have a decision to make on veteran receiver Stevie Johnson. There is much debate over whether the team will release him or ask him to take a pay cut to stay with the team, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio adds that the club is unlikely to release him without first trying to negotiate a new contract number.
The Packers have a huge question mark on offense as the team has not made progress in extension talks with Randall Cobb, but the team is still focused on re-signing the star slot receiver, writes Rob Demovsky in his mailbag for ESPN.
There has also been rumors that the Buccaneers have asked star wide receiver Vincent Jackson to take a pay cut, but that is not true according to Florio. He writes that the team could ask him to do so down the line, but more than likely won’t since they believe he is an important part of the team and that his contract reflects the current market for wide receivers.

WR Rumors: Marshall, V-Jax, Wallace, Harvin

February 27th, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

With Reggie Wayne‘s NFL future still up in the air, the Colts have explored the possibility of bringing in a veteran wide receiver to start opposite T.Y. Hilton, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, the team has internally discussed players like Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson, Mike Wallace, and Vincent Jackson as potential targets. Not all of those players will become available in the next few weeks, but one or more could be traded or released, and if the Colts had their pick, Marshall may be their top choice, per Cole.

While we wait to see if any opportunities open up for the Colts, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has a few more tidbits for us on the wide receiver market. Let’s dive in….

Cole noted in the above video that Jackson likely isn’t going anywhere, and La Canfora agrees that it looks like he’ll be back with the Buccaneers. However, it doesn’t seem as if Jackson will be willing to take a pay cut, sources tell La Canfora.
La Canfora also touches on the Marshall situation, noting that if a team were to call asking about a possible trade, “it’s not like [the Bears] wouldn’t pick up the phone.”
According to multiple general managers, Wallace is the only wideout being “actively shopped” at the moment. The Dolphins continue to explore a deal, and La Canfora suggests Wallace himself would be interested in returning to the Steelers, though it’s not clear if that interest is mutual. $3MM of Wallace’s base salary for 2015 becomes guaranteed on March 13, so that may act as a deadline of sorts for Miami.
Percy Harvin won’t accept a pay cut to stick with the Jets, and trading him would likely be impossible, so he looks like a good bet to be cut. If that happens, many teams would want to pick him up on a short-term deal, says La Canfora.
We can expect the Dwayne Bowe situation to come to a head soon — paying him $11MM with a $14MM cap hit is a luxury the Chiefs can’t afford, so Bowe may be willing to accept a pay cut, knowing he won’t make close to that amount on the open market.
With cap numbers for Anquan Boldin and Stevie Johnson on the rise, and Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd eligible for free agency, La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if only one of those four players returns to the 49ers for next season — if that.
Johnson and the Texans had a bit of a stand-off a year ago, and with the veteran wideout carrying a $16MM into the 2015 season, the two sides may be headed for another interesting summer. La Canfora isn’t convinced Johnson will remain in Houston long-term, but says “time will tell.”
Two Dolphins wideouts have already been released today, and according to Armando Salguero the Miami Herald (Twitter links), Rishard Matthews asked the team to be cut or traded as well. However, Miami has denied that request for now, says Salguero.