Bucs WR Jackson: I’d like to end up with Rams
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers disgruntled wide receiver DeSean Jackson has revealed that he would like to become a member of the Los Angeles Rams even though he’s under contract with the Bucs for another season.
Appearing with former Philadelphia Eagles teammate Michael Vick on the Simms and Lefkoe Podcast on Tuesday, Jackson, responding to a suggestion that he join the San Francisco 49ers, said, “I don’t know about Frisco, man. State tax is crazy, man. That is home too though. I don’t know. … If anything, I would like to kind of end up in L.A., being a Ram. Sean McVay, you know, we got some connection from when I was in D.C., but we’ll see how it plays out, man. Right now, I got another year in Tampa. So we’ll see how it plays out, man.”
The Bucs’ top WR says a turnaround by the team will have to start with the players, and he’s eager to get everyone working toward the same goal.
Jackson indicated that he wants to play for a coach and with a quarterback who understand the needs of a veteran player. At 32, Jackson is the Bucs’ oldest wide receiver by about seven years, although Vincent Jackson played for former head coach Dirk Koetter and with quarterback Jameis Winston up until age 33 and would occasionally take maintenance days off from practice.
“I think like where I’ve been able to come to in my career, as professional athletes having so much success, and early on in our career[s], being Pro Bowlers and being some of the players that have done some things that no other players have done, you kind of create that model and that mold behind that, like, ‘I know what it takes to get the job done,'” Jackson said.
“But then you have some coaches that have the old-school mentality, where, ‘You gotta go to practice. You gotta do it this way.’ But we’re like, ‘As long as when Sunday comes, in between the white lines we do what it takes, we know what needs to be done.'”
Jackson did not specify which coach his comments were about specifically. A source told ESPN that Koetter got into a verbal altercation with Jackson in practice this season over his perceived lack of effort, telling him if he wasn’t going to run full speed that he needed to leave. Jackson and Winston struggled developing chemistry the past two seasons.
“Not to say anything bad about anybody else, but you have younger guys that need the reps on a Friday where they have to see it, like, ‘I need to see me throwing my hardest.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m in my 11th year. Like, lets calm it down a little bit. Let’s get ready for Sunday so I can be good.’ But having a guy like that, like I feel like in my career right now, that’s where I’m at, I need a guy that understands that, ya know, sometimes every rep in practice you don’t need that, but as long as game time comes, you get that, it’s there.”
Jackson also revealed that he has parted ways with agent Joel Segal, after the podcast hosts suggested he rejoin the Eagles. “I don’t got an agent right now,” Jackson said. “I’m bargaining right now (laughs). … We might be able to talk behind closed doors. There’s too many cameras around.”
Jackson had been with Segal since 2013. Segal also represented Vick and represents Winston, among a number of other top players.
The Rams, or any other NFL team, are not permitted to contact Jackson directly because he’s under contract with the Bucs for 2019 and it would be a violation of tampering rules. Jackson is also not permitted to negotiate with other teams as long as he’s under contract with the Buccaneers. None of Jackson’s $10 million salary is guaranteed, though, so theoretically the Bucs could cut him without financial implications if there isn’t a willing trade partner.