DeSean Jackson is at the doorstep of NFL history and could join an elite club on Sunday. So Joe dove into Jackson’s impact on the game and his teammates.

Talk to DeSean Jackson 1-on-1 about his football goals and he’ll say he wants to “leave a legacy.”

Perhaps he already has.

Jackson can make it official with 89 receiving yards on Sunday, which would place him in the elite club of 46 other NFL pass catchers with 10,000+ yards.

Joe talked to many Bucs about Jackson approaching history and about his impact. Jackson and Dirk Koetter weighed in, too.

It’s rare for Joe to write a piece like this, but it’s also rare to have a Buccaneer in his prime about to breathe such glorified air reserved for great receivers of the game, and those who are darn close to that level.

By the time he turns 32 in December, Jackson easily could pass former Bucs stud Keyshawn Johnson (10,571 yards, 39th all-time) and approach ex-Buc Joey Galloway (10,950 yards, 35th all-time).

Jackson remains in his prime, which makes his entering the 10,000-yard club that much more special.

“I try to stay as consistent as possible and just leave a legacy, you know, when I’m all said and done with this career,” Jackson said. “I try not to really think much about [the stats].

“The biggest thing is going out there and working my profession, doing what I’m able to do to create explosive plays.

Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio last night, host Alex Marvez advised Dirk Koetter of Jackson approaching the 10,000 club and asked the head coach what sets Jackson apart and what’s he’s learned about him since the Bucs signed him.

“He tracks the deep ball as well as anybody I’ve ever been around,” says Dirk Koetter

Koetter reiterated a theme he talked about through last winter: Jackson gets open consistently and is elite when tracking deep throws.

“What I didn’t know about him is DeSean has — he’s a really good run after the catch guy, and obviously his return ability shows that — but DeSean knows how to run routes,” Koetter said.

“He’s seen it all in his time in the league. He knows how people are going to play him and he’s been around enough coaches and just run enough routes. And through his own personal experience, he knows how to run routes at the speed he runs his routes … faster than most guys.

“He gets football. I mean, DeSean understands football; he understands how to get open. Another thing that I didn’t know about him, there are a lot of fast guys, some of them are track guys that converted to football; that’s not what DeSean is. He tracks the deep ball as well as anybody I’ve ever been around.”

Role Model

Bucs defensive end Vinny Curry is just a year younger than Jackson, but when Curry was a rookie on the 2012 Eagles, Jackson was in his fifth season and was a larger than life figure in the locker room.

That hasn’t changed.

“He had all the respect, of everyone,” Curry said. “And he was a real role model for all the young players, showing us how to work.  It’s the same way now here [in Tampa]. He’s a presence.”

Curry said it’s no surprise Jackson is on the cusp of 10,000 yards and showing no signs of slowing down.

“It’s so much more about the work with DeSean than really I can even explain,” Curry said. “Man, I remember watching his film early on and all the double teams he’d get every week and it didn’t affect what he could do.”

Mike Evans was enamored with Jackson when he was a high school kid.

Mike Evans was arguing for Jackson as a kid

For Evans, though, it was about Jackson’s swagger and explosiveness, and insisting to friends that Jackson was the No. 1 choice at receiver when playing Madden.

“I used to always argue who was the fastest player in the NFL,” Evans said. “And guys would always say Chris Johnson. Randy Moss was fast, but he was a little bit older at the time when D-Jack was coming in. I used to argue D-Jack was the fastest. His stride is so long for a guy who’s kind of short; he’s like 5-10 but has a really long stride and he just moves faster than everybody else. I used to always play him on Madden because speed kills on Madden.”

Evans didn’t realize how few are in the NFL’s 10,000 club. He paused to consider the numbers and the magnitude of the honor.

Watching Jackson work over the last two seasons has left him knowing he can reach a higher level — and one that’s sustainable. Evans plans to work with a track coach next offseason for the first time, inspired by Jackson’s renowned private regimen.

Many Bucs revere Jackson for his extreme “swag.” He’s just a higher level of cool.

“The swagger, all the time, in practice, how he carries himself,” Evans said. “He prides himself on that. I don’t think you can match that.”

“We Know”

Unlike Evans, the man expecting to throw Jackson the pass that will push him over the 10,000-yard mark was well aware of Jackson’s status, just 89 yards away.

Jameis says he won’t force it

“We know,” Jameis Winston said at his locker this week. It was a reference to the two of them, not the team. He said Jackson prefers to keep personal goals quiet.

Jameis added that he won’t force any throws to Jackson like he did last year to Evans in the season finale. Entering that game, Evans needed 54 yards to hit 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season. He finished with 55.

The goal for Jackson is winning a ring, which will add to the legacy he aspires to leave. He has no plan to retire.

Super Bowl or not, though, he’s made lasting memories on a generation of players.

Jackson’s first-play touchdown on Monday Night Football is a play seared in the brain of Bucs rookie receiver Justin Watson. Mike Vick rolling left and letting it rip 64 yards in the air with Jackson tracking and accelerating to the ball. Watson talked about it as if he had just seen the play live — even though it came eight years ago.

Canton will be Jackson’s final stop, says Watson.

“He can end up with all kinds of records. The fact that he’s tied now with Jerry Rice, one away from the single record-holder for most 60-plus-yard touchdowns is incredible,” Watson said, referring to Jackson’s 23 career TDs in that category.

“The fact we’re witnessing a future Hall of Famer is incredible. I’m glad to get to see him work and learn from him in Tampa.”