Key Vincent Jackson Contract Details
December 17th, 2015
During Joe’s appearance with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, last night, Joe teased details on Vincent Jackson’s contract. But time ran out and Joe couldn’t get to them.
So here they are.
Joe has learned that Jackson has no significant triggers or clauses or guarantees in his contract. So that means the Bucs only owe Jackson his nearly $10 million for next year if he makes the 53-man roster in September.
Bucs fans should open their minds to the significant issues facing the Tampa Bay receiving game”
1) Top receiver Mike Evans has massive catching issues and on-field maturity challenges.
2) Jackson turns 33 in January and is coming off a two-knee-injury season.
3) Louis Murphy had ACL surgery in November.
4) Russell Shepard, Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries are great stories for three undrafted players, but they are who they are — borderline NFL receivers.
Joe believes the Bucs must address the wide receiver position in free agency, and possibly again in the draft. Joe will scream all summer long if Tampa Bay dares to shortchange America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. That should not be allowed to happen.
As for V-Jax, his contract status means the Bucs are under no pressure. They could create competition at the position and see how it all plays out in the summer.
December 17th, 2015 at 9:46 am
I think VJax likes in Tampa and I think likes playing with Jameis. If I’m right the Bucs should be able to get him to restructure to 2 years around 6 mil a year. Face it Vjax doesn’t have any guarantees left, and at his age coming off knee injuries he isn’t getting a better deal somewhere else. For the Bucs, it is a noticible difference when he is not there. He is a reliable pro and a great locker room guy. That said, his replacement should be drafted or signed in FA this year. If depth provides VJax has proven to be very effective in the slot.
December 17th, 2015 at 9:46 am
There are a bunch of 2/3 types that are available kind of in the louis murphy mold, we should keep VJax another year because evans needs to grow up and catch the ball….or as someone stated on another thread trade evans to cleveleand for a #1 so he can be with his bf
December 17th, 2015 at 9:55 am
We’ll also have Kenny Bell but he’s also coming off a leg injury. I would have to agree with this.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:00 am
I agree entirely and have been calling for the 2 year restructure with guarantees…..we need to keep Vjax as long as we can…..I think he is very important to this team.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:25 am
Evans will be fine. We need to resign VJAX and maybe look for another future #1 or #2 in the draft. Murphy will be back next year plus Humphries & we can hopefully find out if Bell is for real. Personally I would love to see Hall get another look.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:29 am
Let’s not forget that we have bell on IR. He showed some promise before he was injured. I do think we need to keep VJ around and upgrade our depth via FA.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:31 am
I am all in on a WR. Two things work this year, protecting Winston and giving him playmakers. Since we only have 6 draft picks this year, I hope we can find some FA help at WR and DB. We can focus on a pass rush with our day one and two draft picks.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:31 am
Draft a receiver as this front office and loser Lovie suck at free agency
December 17th, 2015 at 10:34 am
Licht is not going to string VJax along and then threaten to cut him once training camp starts. Vjax deserves better and Licht will respect that. There will be an understanding that VJax’s contract will need to be restructured before the season starts, if not before pre-season starts.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:40 am
I read TBBF’s opinion the other day and I agree. For all the reasons already given, we should offer V-JAX a “retire as a Buc” restructured contract that respects his value as a Buc and accommodates his business and military interests in the area.
WR Alshon Jeffery should hold out and go to FA. If he does we should send the plane and make him a Buc for sure.
I’m torn in the draft because we have so many needs on defense, But WR Corey Coleman/Baylor could be our Joey Galloway on the offense – the piece that I think is missing.
I think the first question in FA and the Draft ought to be “How does this transaction help #3”!
December 17th, 2015 at 10:42 am
VJax has been a great WR for this team and I would keep him for as long as he remains productive. The Bucs definitely need to look at free agency and the Draft to upgrade this position too. Now that we have a good young QB, we need to get him some weapons to work with.
December 17th, 2015 at 10:48 am
5) VJ is great in the community and is up for NFL man of the year for all the things he does for the military and out vets.
(I think that is a consideration)
December 17th, 2015 at 10:55 am
i think the bucs need to be in the market for a complementary receiver – preferably with speed – but it’s worth noting that every FA WR i can think of (mike wallace, torrey smith, andre johnson, stevie johnson, eddie royal, etc) was an unmitigated bust. we’ve gotta hope kenny bell is the man and louis murphy comes back healthy along with striking gold in the draft. regardless, cutting VJax despite all of our cap room would be folly because we have no depth or comparable talent that we can feel confident about. Mike Evans, even with his drops resolved, cannot replace an entire WR corps, and without VJax we are one lingering hamstring injury from Dontea Dye be our featured WR
December 17th, 2015 at 10:59 am
I love VJAX. He’s one of the really good guys in the game, and a damn good player too.
That said, his age is what it is. He’s to old and the team will part ways with him at that salary. Perhaps he takes a big pay cut ad sticks around?
Evans is here to stay.
They need a 2nd or 3rd pick invested in another receiver, for sure. That or sign a free agent that’s had a pretty good history in the league. The Bucs will have north of 50 million in salary cap space this off season – they need to spend it.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:00 am
We have possibly the best offense in the history of our franchise. When have we not looked good offensively? When Jackson has been out. Why in the hell would you want to take away a key piece? I know money is the answer, but that’s just not a good enough answer for me.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:01 am
just looked up a few more Free Agents from last year. i guess Crabtree and Maclin have been pretty good for their teams. but that success rate tells you that the overwhelming majority of GMs who went to free agency to solve their WR problems look like “idiots that should be fired”, as bucs fans like to see when our perennial forays into free agency for important pieces predictably fail.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:01 am
We should use Vjax and ASJ (aka paper doll) in the slots on 2 TE sets to work the seems and inside routes. Use ME (aka butter fingers even with sticky gloves) on the outside with a WR to be named later. Preferably someone with some hops and jiggle.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:06 am
Kenny Bell….a key question mark for Bucs……much will depend on what they really think of him.
If we pick up someone like Alshon Jeffery in FA….our WR problems are solved and we can concentrate on D in the draft…..I would use the first three rounds on a CB, DE, S…..the order of selection would depend on the player available.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:12 am
his salary is completely irrelevant when we have $50 mil to spend with everyone not named doug martin under contract and before we cut a single player. we have seen how badly it goes (schiano’s first year and lovie’s first year) when we spend on FAs just to get to the cap minimum. i can almost guarantee that if we recover 10 million from cutting VJax, we will regret how we spent (or didn’t spend that money). on paper, cutting revis for m johnson & verner along with some cap room looked brilliant. in practice both guys were overpaid busts and his cap figure wouldn’t have prevented us from doing a single other thing we wanted to, even if he wasn’t playing like the highest paid CB in the game.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:27 am
We need to have V Jax next year. Restructure his contract if possible or pay the man. Free agency is an option. We struck gold with him so why not try it again. ALL draft picks need to be defence unless some stud is available at a great draft position. We can’t keep drafting strictly offence and field a patchwork secondary and shoddy d line play ( except G Mac) and expect to win. As for Evans… I remember when V Jax first came here several on this site including myself nicknamed him V Drops. Evans will be fine if he and get out of his own head.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:27 am
Top WRs go in Round 1 or 2 of the draft, although every once in awhile a diamond in the rough comes along in the later rounds (Marques Colston with the Saints?). Bucs have too many critical needs on defense over next 2 years to use their top picks on a WR.
Bucs need VJax’s experience and reliability on the field and in the WR room. WRs who can make the catch and move the chains on 3rd down are worth their weight in gold. They won’t screw with his $10 mil 2016 salary, and will probably end up signing him for 1-2 more years after that, as long as he’s healthy. Hopefully Louis Murphy gets healthy too, ’cause he’s another 3rd down performer.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:33 am
Resign Doug, renegotiate VJax’s contract and give me Alshon Jeffrey and cornerback Josh Norman from the Panthers and I’ll be a happy man when the Bucs win the Super Bowl.
December 17th, 2015 at 11:53 am
We need speed on the outside to stretch the defense. Love VJax but if he can’t stay on the field we can’t afford him.
December 17th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
I want WR in the first.
December 17th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Sign Travis Benjamin. Guy is a burner and would be great for punt return and WR
December 17th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Details? There are no details! Lol if he is on the team he gets paid, if he isn’t he doesn’t. Doesn’t get any simpler than that.
December 17th, 2015 at 12:58 pm
*Repost (Dec.5th)
Pick up a – FEW – serviceable free agents
(Receivers)
• Travis Benjamin
• Mohamed Sanu
• Anquan Boldin
(Tightend)
• Benjamin Watson
• Dwayne Allen
December 17th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
(2016 Receiver Projections)
• Mike Evans | *Mohamed Sanu
• Vincent Jackson | *Anquan Boldin
*Travis Benjamin | Kenny Bell
(2016 Tight End Projections)
• Austin Jenkins | *Benjamin Watson | Cameron Brate | *Dwayne Allen
December 17th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
We all know what Anquan Boldin & Benjamin Watson bring to the table.
But here’s a look at few young guns we can add.
Mohamed Sanu
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 215 | lbs. Age: 26
• Receptions: 146
• Yards: 1750
• Y/R: 12.0
• TD’s: 11
Travis Benjamin
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 172 lbs. | Age 25
• Receptions: 99
• Yards: 1584
• Y/R: 16.0
• TD’s: 10
Dwayne Allen
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 255 lbs. | Age 25
• Receptions: 90
• Yards: 1040
• Y/R: 11.6
• TD’s: 13
December 17th, 2015 at 1:58 pm
VJAX and Louis Murphy are solid vets. They are not the straw that turns the drink. On this team that will be Mike Evans and ASJ! But VJAX and Murphy can be excellent 3rd and 4th targets. Then when you add in depth from Brate, Bell and Humphies WR just doesn’t seem that pressing, although I like TBBF’s idea of a solid FA for depth.
I’d like to start drafting the corps of our new defense!!! I’d like to see at least two if not three new starters on defense next year.
December 17th, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Im pretty sure Crabtree got extension contract
December 17th, 2015 at 2:38 pm
I like drafting defense. The Bucs defense has always been their strong side. If the Bucs are known for anything, decent defense is the glory from the past.
December 17th, 2015 at 3:49 pm
I say keep Vjax, sign a fa and hope bell can play. 2016: Evans Vjax Murphy fa (sanu) humphries bell. Draft all defense and o-line. Mostly defense. Give lovie some talent he might craft a good defense.
December 17th, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Definitely keep VJax. Pay him what his contract reads if necessary. If he is willing to restructure for some guarantees and a 2nd year – then by all means work it out Jason.
I think $14.2M for 2 years ($7M per) with $5M Guaranteed this year would get-r-done. We need him at least 1 more year and 2 would be great. The importance of VJax’s presence in the locker room and on the field cannot be underestimated.
And he takes good care of himself – will be playing for sure somewhere in 2017 I bet.
I’d do the same with Mankins for many of the same reasons. Getting old? Yes – but still pretty productive and every player on the team looks up to and learns from both these guys – for good reason. Consummate Pros they are.
Either just pay Mankins the $7M for the final year of his contract – or offer an extension with some guarantees. 2 Years for $11M with $4M guaranteed for next year.
We have PLENTY of $ for 2016 and both these guys deserve some $ respect for what they have done and what they will do – on the field and in helping to get this franchise turned into a winner.
If both were willing to restructure in the range I have suggested in order to be guaranteed a few $M no matter what – – it would add about $4.5M to our pile of cash for spending next year and and also give the Bucs an “option” (but with no obligation) to keep either or both in 2017.
December 17th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Keep him, he’ll be healthy and ready to go next season, he can still be a beast.