5 Reasons Green Bay Packers Should Be Steven Jackson's Next Team

When now-former St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson voided the last year of his contract, there was immediate speculation of who would win his services. 

Out of all of his potential suitors, there are plenty that would make sense, but perhaps none as much as the Green Bay Packers. 

The Packers have expressed interest in Jackson before, and certainly make the most sense out of any other team. 

There is mutual need and interest from both parties, and it is very likely we will see Jackson in the green and yellow next season.

5. Cheap Pickup

While Stephen Jackson is still one of the better running backs in the league today, he has certainly seen better days. 

His numbers have steadily declined since his 1,416-yard campaign in 2009. 

Despite being on the tail end of his career, Jackson still performed at a rather high level for the Rams last season. He ran for 1,042 yards and had four touchdowns. 

Jackson can still be effective in the right system; he still has plenty of gas in the tank for a few more seasons. 

He will be available for a much lower price than many would expect, but will also likely have the best bang-for-your-buck in free agency. 

With Jackson, you are still getting a lot of production from a relatively young player. He will be 30 years old by the start of the season and certainly has a few more solid years in him. Jackson has also stayed in remarkable shape, and surely has much more football in him. 

He would be a plug-and-play type of guy right away and will be a great veteran leader for pretty cheap, too. 

4. Fits into System

Green Bay's style of offense is a wide-open, West Coast system. 

They treasure the deep ball and have one of the best passing offenses in the league. The Packers have made due with several lackluster runners over the past few years, but adding Jackson to the mix would be the best fit for sure. 

Jackson is reaching the point in his career where he will slowly be losing more and more ability, but it could be sustained in Green Bay’s pass heavy offense. He would be relied upon less than he was in St. Louis and would be able to stay relatively fresh throughout each game. 

Packers’ offensive coordinator Tom Clements’ playbook is traditionally based off of the pass, but could shift slightly to a more integrated offensive attack.

If they did in fact sign Jackson, Clements would be able to take some pressure off of the passing game, and would also be able to utilize Jackson’s skills as a pass catcher. 

In 2012 he caught 38 passes for 324 yards. His best receiving season statistically was in 2006 where he caught 90 balls for 806 yards and three touchdowns. 

Jackson will be able to perform at the same level he’s used to while still keeping his legs fresh. 

3. Would Help out Already Potent Passing Game

The Packers have had a top-10 passing offense since 2008, but could possibly open up even more with the addition of Steven Jackson. 

They have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ryan Grant in 2009, a year when they were the seventh-best passing offense in the league. 

By adding in the threat of a solid running game, the Packers offense could become even more explosive than they already are. Jackson would be the best running back Aaron Rodgers has ever played with.

2. Packers Need Reliability in the Backfield

Piggybacking off of the last slide, the Packers are desperate for consistent help at running back. 

Following their Super Bowl run in 2011, Green Bay made the playoffs this past season. 

Despite falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of this past season’s playoffs, the Packers had as good a shot as anyone to make it to the Super Bowl. Perhaps what would have helped push them over the edge is a dependable running game. 

It would have taken some pressure off of Rodgers and would allow them to grind down the clock when they needed too, as well as be a more unpredictable team. 

While DuJuan Harris did perform well down the stretch for Green Bay, it is obvious he isn’t a top-tier talent and Jackson would be an obvious upgrade.

1. Jackson Needs a Winning Team

It is clear that Jackson is nearing the end of his career. 

While he has been one of the most productive players in the NFL since being drafted, he has never been on a winning team. Similar to Tony Gonzalez’s situation a few years ago, it is likely Jackson’s only way of being on a winning team will be leaving the team that he has played his entire career with. 

The Packers are a perennial playoff team, and are always a favorite to some to win the Super Bowl. By going to a team like Green Bay he would be joining a proven a winner, a team that could take him to football immortality with a Super Bowl win. 

While it is no guarantee they will even make the playoffs, the Packers pose the most favorable situation for the veteran runner. 

Jackson has been one of the classiest players in the league over the past eight years, and is one of those guys you’d love to see win a championship. 

He is certainly in danger of having a career like NFL legends Barry Sanders and Dan Marino; fantastic stats, but no championships. 

For Jackson, a stint with the Packers could be his last chance at winning a Super Bowl.