Joe caught up with birthday-boy wide receiver Dexter Jackson for a little one-and-one time on Wednesday. Jackson is glad to have been called out by Raheem The Dream as being a player under a microscope. After being all but evicted by Chucky last season, Joe understands Jackson’s excitement about being relevant again.

Joe:  What’s the biggest difference for you entering this training camp from last year when you were a rookie?

Dexter Jackson: Just having that one year under my belt. Whether or not it was successful or not successful, I still look as having mistakes and building on it is actually a learning lesson. You know, we all make mistakes to learn from and make you stronger.

Joe: What’s your approach now?

Jackson: The approach is to be a team player. That’s what we’re here for, to just all fight for a job and become a team, as well, in the same process. Probably just having a year under my belt and looking at it more of as a pro. Coming in as a rookie you don’t really know what to expect so you kind of like live day to day and just take your meetings and practice as it is. After a year under your belt you know how to approach things better.

Joe:  How tough is it for a wide receiver to make that transition from college to the NFL?

Jackson: You know it’s real tough. The speed of the game and then just the size and volume of the playbook. Just a lot that is expected, whether you’re drafted or not. Whether it’s an opportunity to come in and compete and play, it’s just a lot of pressure.

Joe:  Was it tough to watch Clifton Smith succeed knowing that you could have been that guy?

Jackson: I feel like everything happens for a reason. You know me and Cliff, I have mad respect for him. He’s not only a good teammate, but he’s a good friend of mine. I wish the best for him and everybody else on the team.

Joe:  How do you fit in to Jeff Jagodzinski’s offense?

Jackson: I feel like I fit in real good. It’s something like what I ran back [in college], more spread and run-based-type offense.  Put the speed on the outside, you know, inside and outside routes to exploit my speed.

Joe: Raheem Morris has said you need to have a good training camp and preseason. Do you take that as motiviation? Do you need that extra motivation?

Jackson: I like it, to be in the limelight a little bit. …Because a lot of times if a coach is not saying nothing about you or to you it’s a bad thing.