The NFL trade deadline is nine days away and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have received "tons of calls" from teams interested in acquiring wide receiver Vincent Jackson, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Buccaneers have received trade interest for Vincent Jackson, according to report
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reportedly received “tons of calls” from teams interested in Vincent Jackson.
Justin K. Aller
Jackson, 31, signed a five-year deal with the Buccaneers worth $55.6 million that is set to pay the receiver just under $10 million in 2015 and 2016 before expiring in the 2017 offseason. In his first two seasons with the Buccaneers, Jackson tallied 150 receptions, 2,608 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He has 25 receptions for 344 yards and two touchdowns in 2014.
Why it makes sense: The Buccaneers have a 1-5 record and the NFL’s worst defense. They’re clearly not Super Bowl contenders this season and it would take quite the leap for them to compete in that regard next year too. So what’s the point of clinging on to a receiver over 30 who will make nearly $10 million in each of the next couple years?
Just shipping off the contract to another team that isn’t as desperately in need of young talent to build around would be compensation enough, and any draft capital Tampa Bay could get would just be a cherry on top.
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Why it doesn't make sense: The Tampa Bay offense has picked up a lot since inserting Mike Glennon in the starting lineup ahead of Josh McCown. If the team intends to groom Glennon as its quarterback of the future, its probably best that the Buccaneers don't ship off the best and most reliable weapon that he is.
Also, on a team not hurting for cap room, keeping Jackson around is nothing but advantageous for the development of wide receiver Mike Evans, the team's first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Likelihood: I’ll go 4/10. Rapoport says that the Buccaneers really like Jackson, but are in a position that the team will listen to all offers. Still, it would likely take a decent amount of compensation to pry the three-time Pro Bowl receiver away and I’m not sure any team will be willing to offer that for a 31-year-old receiver with a big contract. I’m not ruling it out, though.
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