Statistical Nightmare Looms For Vincent Jackson
December 14th, 2015
(Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Doesn’t it suck how the world revolves around money?
Vincent Jackson is a great example.
Jackson is scheduled to earn about $9.8 million next season at 33 years old. That’s a ridiculous sum for a guy past his prime, and a guy coming off an injury plagued season.
Jackson has just 33 catches for 543 yards this year. That puts him on track to end his streak of four consecutive seasons of 1,000+ yards receiving. He injured his knee yesterday, and there’s no word on the extent of the damage.
That written, Jackson remains a good, hard-working football player, a guy who’s a real threat on the field, and a good balance to Edward Lubehands, aka Mike Evans.
Will the Bucs overpay Jackson next year, as they arguably have this year? Joe sure hopes so. It’s not Joe’s money.
December 14th, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Sometimes you simply need to spend the money…….the value of Jackson with these young Bucs goes beyond his production.
If I were GM….I’d make VJax an offer he couldn’t refuse….I would restructure him for $12 million guaranteed two-year deal…..the chances are slim that he would beat that on the open market and it would be enough to save face for Vjax.
I think we still need his leadership and experience.
December 14th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Why not….but I think Kenny Bell needs to be playing the slot every snap they run it….and even throw him on the outside every now and then. AdJ was heavily involves as well
December 14th, 2015 at 12:29 pm
It’s not like we’re in cap trouble. Might as well.
December 14th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Keep him and Martin
December 14th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
keep him. Evans and jameis need him around. Ask him to take a pay cut but keep him AND get a real #3 wr
December 14th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Getting rid of Jackson will destroy our season before it even begins. Surely everyone has noticed how as soon as he is out of the game, our offense becomes hot garbage. He’s one of those guys that can be great without even getting the ball thrown at him. He takes so much pressure off of everyone else. If we get rid of him, there is no doubt in my mind we are either completely incompetent, or simply don’t care about winning.
December 14th, 2015 at 12:45 pm
@mike,
Why should he take a pay cut? The Bucs signed him to that contract, did they not? While he may not (statistically) be worth all that money, he was worth well more than what he earned the first 3 years. I didn’t see the Bucs running to pay him more. I realize that’s not how the NFL works, but if I’m Jackson I wouldn’t take a penny less. He’s been on e of our best free agent pickups of all time. It’s just too bad we haven’t put a decent team around him.
December 14th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Well yeah it does suck how the world revolves around money. A few have too much and the vast majority struggle by day to day.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:05 pm
With the resurgence of Fitz working out of the slot and Jackson showing that he’s willing and able to play the same role, I sure hope they bring him back. With what we think we may have in Bell, I would love to see formations with Jackson working the slot and Bell/Evans on the outside.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
Would rather have VJax being overpaid than giving Doug Martin a big deal.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
@ buckrightoff
Why not have both…..we’ve got the money.
Frankly, I think Doug Martin is the hardest working man on the team…..followed closely by LVD & Ali Marpet.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
I recommend keeping him, if he wants to be kept. His veteran leadership has been top notch, and we’ll probably have need of it next year too.
His stats are suffering because we have a rookie QB.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:26 pm
Not resigning Doug Martin would be a colossal mistake.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Signing Doug Martin to a deal like DeMarco Murray would also be a colossal mistake. Look at the list of RBs from Super Bowl winners the last 15 years. Outside Beast Mode, none of them would be considered top backs. You offer him a lowball offer and hope he accepts, and if he doesn’t you find someone off the street who costs 10% as much but produces at an 85% clip. Of course could have just picked up the 5th year option to begin with….but they want Sims starting next year, no doubt about it. Martin’s days are likely numbered.
December 14th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
I would keep Jackson and then my UFA wish list would be:
WR: Travis Benjamin (25 yrs) – 2nd or 3rd WR with elite speed to stretch the field.
DE: Muhammed Wilkerson (26 yrs) – BEAST!
CB: Janoris Jenkins (27 yrs)
December 14th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
We have to keep him on our team
December 14th, 2015 at 2:04 pm
@bucrightoff,
Generally speaking I agree with you. RB’s are a dime a dozen. However, in our situation I think getting rid of Martin would be a mistake. First of all, we aren’t in cap trouble. We can afford him no problem. We will be well under the cap again next year, so the money is irrelevant. Second, our team isn’t full of talent, so it’s just not smart to get rid of one of our best players, regardless of what position he plays. On a really good team, you can lose other good players and survive. On our team, not so much. Look what happens to our offense when V-Jax is out. I like Sims, but he isn’t an every down back. I’m pretty sure (at least I hope) Lovie knows that as well. Martin really is a pretty special back when healthy, and we wouldn’t be as good as we are without him. Finally, the last thing we need to be doing is taking talent away from Jameis. The better running game he has, the better QB he is going to become. If he can learn the position while having a strong running game, that is going to cut down on his mistakes, as well as cut down on the number of big hits he is going to take. Jameis holds the future of our franchise in his hands, and he shouldn’t get 85% of support (referring to being able to find some to produce at 85%). That would just not be a smart move. That being said, I’m very afraid management is going to agree with you.
December 14th, 2015 at 2:04 pm
The Bucs have zero depth at this position and can’t subtract any weapons for Jameis. Pay the man.
December 14th, 2015 at 3:21 pm
What Tampa tony said. I’d rather pay him 10, than McCoy 20
December 14th, 2015 at 3:21 pm
He definitely doesn’t deserve MORE money next year, that is ridiculous… He is already pegged to earn almost $10 mil… You want to give him $12? Huh?!?!
If you want to keep VJ a Buc I’m fine with that but giving the guy a raise makes absolutely zero sense to me…
December 14th, 2015 at 3:28 pm
12 million was for a 2 year deal.
December 14th, 2015 at 4:51 pm
I don’t understand the readers on this site. The Bucs need young / better talent at WR. Have you noticed that the Bucs have been abysmal since Vjax joined the team? by no means do I blame him for that – not at all – but he certainly isn’t the type of difference maker that elevates a team either. You cannot pay 10 million dollars for a guy who MIGHT give us 60 catches if he stays healthy. go out and sign the next Emmanuel Sanders or Brandon Marshall who might hit free agency and pay them that money.
Now, if the Bucs can work in an extension for Vjax that would give him say a guaranteed 15 million over 3 years -then I think he’s an awesome keeper for the team.
But fans need to realize, our WR corp is a a weakness right now, not a strength – and that includes and is because of Evans and Vjax.
December 14th, 2015 at 5:03 pm
@natetweetz..I agree with your FA’s…that would be great..plus benjiman can be used in the return game…I also like what @tampabaybucfan said regarding restructuring vjaxs contract…but at the end of the day we have to keep him, martin and moore…GO BUCS!!!!
December 14th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Even Vjax knows he’s not getting $10 million next year. The Bucs aren’t dumb and paying him out sets bad precedent. He’s been paid a lot already, Bucs owe him nothing. With that said, he’s a great asset to have, Bucs have nothing after Evans. Restructure.
December 14th, 2015 at 5:38 pm
@theodore,
So in your mind paying your team captain what he was signed for sets a bad precedent? Huh? Did the Bucs not sign him to that contract? The Bucs owe him nothing? Wow, the guy has been a beast on the field, played with a broken wrist all of last year (even though the season was a tank job), he is our Walter Payton Man of the Year player, and you don’t think the Bucs owe him anything? For the life of me I can’t understand how some people can think.
December 14th, 2015 at 7:31 pm
Bucs won’t pay him 9mil, and neither will anyone else in the league. I think Vjax is happy here with Jameis and would ve willing to restructure his contract for more years at less money, but that’s my guess, just have to wait and see.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:19 pm
Feb 25, 2009
Derrick Brooks, one of the top players in Tampa Bay history; was cut.
The releases save more than $10 million in salary cap space.
After the initial shock of being released -Derrick Brooks was quoted
<strong"I understand, that it was Nothing Personal; Just Business".
December 14th, 2015 at 10:32 pm
Derrick Brooks
(High School)
• USA Today High School All-American (1990)
(College Awards and honors)
• 3× First-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (1992, 1993, 1994)
• ACC Defensive Player of the Year (1993)
• 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1993, 1994)
• 2× Vince Lombardi Award finalist (1993, 1994)
• Bowl Coalition National Championship (1993)
(NFL Career Highlights and Awards)
• 11× Pro Bowl (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008)
• 9× All-Pro (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)
• Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (2000)
• AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2002)
• NFL Alumni Linebacker of the Year (2002)
• “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year Award (2003)
• Pro Bowl MVP (2005)
• NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
Derrick Brooks is the founder of the Brooks Bunch charity and youth scholarship foundation in the Tampa Bay area. He has taken local youngsters across the nation and South Africa with the objective of presenting a first hand experience, or a “mobile classroom.”
December 15th, 2015 at 1:03 am
1. Bucs will have plenty to spend next season.
2. Bucs very thin at receiver.
3. Bucs other than Jackson lack a MATURE, quality receiver
4. Bucs need to go heavy on defense in draft and or FA.
Just pay the man! If Mr ADD, OPI waiting to happen is smart, VJax is the best mentor he could have! Question is NOT can Bucs afford him, it is can the Bucs afford NOT to have him!?
December 15th, 2015 at 11:01 am
Vincent Jackson is a CLASS act, both on and off the field!! He is also quietly coaching these young players. If Koetter has half the brains I think he has, he will be riding Lovie’s butt to keep the offensive core he’s building together. Bucs have plenty of coin, no problem there. L and L need to focus on defense, period! Go Bucs-2016 Division/Playoff Champs!!