Vincent Jackson on Washington Redskins' Radar

Not that I want to serve as a rumor mill, but the fact that coach Mike Shanahan has not denied interest in the acquiring of wide receiver Vincent Jackson is something that perhaps we shouldn’t keep quiet.

Vincent Jackson, the disgruntled San Diego Chargers receiver, was deemed eligible to play in the fifth game of this season rather than the originally declared seventh game of the season (here’s why he was suspended). With that announcement from the NFL, the chances of a team trading for V-Jax are greatly increased.

Two weeks ago, the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks were granted permission to talk to Jackson’s representatives and it was even rumored that the Minnesota Vikings already have a deal in place that would pay Jackson $6 million for one year.

Enter the Washington Redskins.

Although just one week into the season, the Redskins appear to have a weakness at the wide receiver position. Santana Moss played well against Dallas last week and is clearly the favorite target for quarterback Donovan McNabb. But other than Moss and tight end Chris Cooley, the pass-catchers of this team leave you with nothing more than a head scratch.

Before considering what Jackson is actually worth in regards to a trade, think of what his size and ability would bring to the Redskins’ offense. At 6’5", 230 pounds, Jackson is the sizeable target that the Redskins have lacked for quite some time.

The Redskins spent a second-round draft pick on Malcolm Kelly (6’5") in 2008 with hopes of him becoming the team’s sizeable target. Unfortunately for both parties, Kelly has yet to prove anything thus far and currently finds himself lucky to be on the injured-reserve list for 2010.

With a guy like Jackson as your No. 1, the Redskins would have the advantage of making Santana Moss their No. 2 receiver (better suited that way) and possibly sliding him into the role at slot receiver.

As for what exactly the Redskins would/could offer up in exchange for Jackson is hard to determine. Under the old regime, Vinny Cerrato would likely throw out anything and everything for the 27-year-old receiver from Northern Colorado.

But this season is a new regime, and a smart regime at that. I don’t think there’s any question that Shanahan would like Jackson’s talents on the field, but it’s whether he and Bruce Allen think there is real value in a potential deal.

Jackson obviously has some off-the-field issues and perhaps an attitude problem, two things that absolutely will not work with a team that’s coached by the stern and stubborn Mike Shanahan. You then have to question the value of a trade for a guy that cannot play until Week 5, which would make him eligible for the Green Bay game in the case of him becoming a Redskin.

Taking into account that Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was traded for a fifth-rounder and Brandon Marshall was traded for two second-rounders; how does Jackson compare? (Remember, the Redskins have already given up 2011 draft picks in the deals for McNabb and right tackle Jammal Brown.)

Despite Jackson’s easy transition  and immediate impact on this Redskins’ offense, it’s more of a question of how the acquisition/deal gets done. Jackson must be traded between now and 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 22nd, in order to play in Week 5 and I would assume that Shanahan and the Redskins are well-aware of this fact.