As the NFL Trade Deadline approaches its home stretch, the organization that should receive the most attention is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While almost the entire league consists of ‘buyers’ or having ‘no parts to sell’, Tampa Bay finds itself in a class of its own. Not only should they be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by Thanksgiving, but they hold two desired trade chips: Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson.
Doug Martin’s trade value has already been documented, as the 25-year-old running back is the definition of boom-or-bust in this market and any evaluation of a trade will likely be tied more to his purchase price than performance.
This is not true for Vincent Jackson.
The talented wide receiver has many positives that his teammate does not. Jackson is a highly paid veteran — therefore, a moveable commodity with a consistent output. In his past six seasons, he has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards five times. Teams know that adding Vincent Jackson is a surefire boost to any receiving corps, but such a guarantee comes at a price.
Jackson has been linked to a number of teams including the Eagles, Seahawks and Patriots.
Again, it is worth noting the differences between Jackson and Doug Martin. Vincent Jackson is the prototypical home run hitter, both in his ability to strike for big plays — ranked third-highest among active wide receivers in yards per reception — and his resemblance to they type of player normally acquired around Major League Baseball’s trade deadline — highly paid and towards the back-end of his career. Moving Jackson would free up some much-needed money for the rebuilding Buccaneers while also not saddling his buyer with any long-term commitments. Jackson’s contract includes no guaranteed money in the next two seasons.
There are too many moving parts to place Jackson on any team other than the Buccaneers right now, as Tampa Bay appears to be dangling the wide receiver in front of tempted eyes to see if anyone takes a bite. The likeliest scenario is that Tampa Bay overshoots the market and holds onto Jackson, but the Buccaneers have placed a high price tag on Jackson in an effort to maximize their return if a team does, in fact, meet the requirements.
Unless a bidding war occurs where one team drives the price up for another, it seems clear that Vincent Jackson will remain with the Buccaneers when the NFL Trade Deadline passes.
