NFL Free-Agent Signings: Why Buccaneers Will Regret Vincent Jackson

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had too many needs to spend this much money on Vincent Jackson. V-Jax is a quality receiver, but he isn't elite, yet the Bucs' are set to pay him as if he is.

In seven years, Jackson has had three 1000 yard receiving seasons, but he has never had a year with more than 68 receptions. 

At $11 million per year for five years, with a silly amount guaranteed, Jackson is going to be paid more than the following receivers:

• Roddy White $6.5 million - 29 years old - 100 catches, 1296 yards, eight TD
• Dwayne Bowe - $9.5 million (franchise tag) 27 years old - 81 catches, 1159 yards, five TD
• Brandon Marshall - $10.6 million - 27 years old - 81 catches, 1214 yards, six TD
• Marques Colston - $8 million - 28 years old - 80 catches, 1143 yards, eight TD

Each of these players had more catches and yards than Jackson did last season. All but one is younger, and they all would fit the description of big play receiver.

Yet only Marshall is even close in per year salary.

Why did the Bucs make Jackson one of the top two highest paid receivers in the NFL?

To make a splash.

This was a bad move, especially considering all the holes this team has on defense. It's true, they did not have a ton of weapons on offense, but I argue that Jackson isn't a significant enough of a player to splurge on, and neglect the defense.

The Bucs gave up a league high 2497 yards on the ground in 2011. Where will the team hope to address this deficiency?

A combination of free agent DT Broderick Bunkley and LB Curtis Lofton would have been money well spent.

I understand Lofton is still a possibility, per Alex Marvez of Fox Sports:

But the defense was so poor in 2011, maybe defense should have been the first priority. It would be crazy to neglect that side of the ball after last year.

The Bucs continued to sink inordinate amounts of cash into players on the offensive side of the ball as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported:

The Bucs will regret spending this wildly on Jackson, and the offense in general without addressing the defense.

Defense still does win championships, despite the success of pass happy teams. As good as Eli Manning was for the Giants' in the postseason, they didn't win without their defense.

The Bucs will find that out in 2012.