From Tom Carpenter:
Steven Jackson hasn't made a lot of noise for fantasy teams, but he has continued to be a workhorse in 2012. He just topped the 10,000-yard mark for his career and has 1,189 combined yards this season. Whether Jackson returns to the St. Louis Rams next season likely will be a hot topic during the offseason, because he holds a $7 million contract option.
Considering that he will turn 30 in July, odds are that he will pass on that option and look to sign a longer-term deal as his career winds down. Surely he will draw a lot of interest on the free-agent market, but you may be hard-pressed to find a more logical fit than the Green Bay Packers, who desperately need a legit workhorse back and would give Jackson an annual shot at playing in the Super Bowl.
Could that move come to fruition? ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter thinks finances could keep it from happening:
"Green Bay makes as much sense as any potential destination ... Of course the question will be: What team is willing to pay an aging running back, albeit a highly productive and aging one? The Packers have always been interested in Jackson and now that his contract is up, it would make some sense for Green Bay to take a look. But the Packers won't have a lot of money to spend. They need to redo deals for Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and others. So if there's a team out there willing to pay Jackson the top dollar he will be seeking, it's hard to imagine it will be in Green Bay. But if his demands are reasonable, and the market for his services isn't robust, Green Bay could come into play."
"Our strategy as an organization will always be to draft and develop."
-- Mike McCarthy
Original Post
