Steven Jackson: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent RB

Steven Jackson was one of the NFL's most consistently productive running backs for nearly a decade. His numbers faded during a two-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons, however, leaving questions about what type of deal he could command as a free agent.  

Continue for updates.

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Jackson Hopes to Land With Contender 

Thursday, May 14

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported that Jackson still hopes to latch on with a contender this offseason:

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But it's a lack of team success -- Jackson has been to the postseason just once -- that has the free-agent running back looking for an opportunity to keep playing.

"That's the thing," Jackson told ESPN.com. "I have all the things I've accomplished personally, but I've still never been on a team that won more than eight games. That would be definitely one of the things that I'm looking for is that opportunity in my next chapter."

[...]

"I don't want to go to a team that is rebuilding and needs me to come on and teach guys how to be professional," Jackson said. "I've done that. I've been more than vocal about wanting to help young guys, but at some point I have to be a little selfish. I want to be part of a winning team because when I do hang up my cleats, I can see a lot of people holding that over my head when a lot of it was out of my control."

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Jackson rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight straight seasons for the St. Louis Rams. Only once during that span was his per-carry average below four yards. It failed to reach that mark in either of his campaigns with the Falcons.

The Oregon State product was never the quickest or most elusive back. He's always relied on his power to wear down defenses. The concern is that at age 31, he may no longer be capable of handling the workload necessary for that type of ground-and-pound mentality to pay off.

His opportunities certainly dropped off during his time in Atlanta. He received over 18 carries per game with the Rams. That number fell under 13 across two seasons with the Falcons.

Jackson believes he can still succeed if given more chances. After being released, he posted a message on his official site and discussed his future:

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A lot has been written lately about my future. There are questions about my age, and what I have left in the tank. Of that, I will simply say this. For the first nine years of my career, I was used like a battering ram, punishing opposing defenses over four quarters of a game. Maybe you stopped me the first five times I got the ball, but by the 15th or 20th time I got it, late in a game—let's just say you were really feeling me at that point.

Make no mistake: I can still punish a defense. I still have a warrior's heart. There are 1,000-yard seasons left in these legs. I know what I am still capable of, and I have every intention of proving it.

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While Jackson, who has also long been an asset in the passing game, is confident in himself, it's unclear whether he'll find a team willing to lean that heavily on him. It's not just his age or the number of miles on his legs; the league as a whole has moved more toward a committee approach in the backfield.

He seems best served being paired with a big-play running back to create the prototypical thunder-and-lightning situation. Under that scenario, he would get most of his work on the early downs and around the goal line.

Jackson may not prefer that type of arrangement, but it's one he may very well have to accept in order to continue his NFL career. He's still capable of making an impact—just not the type he made during his peak years with the Rams.

It will be interesting to see how the market develops for him.