NFL Report: Cleveland Browns Agree to Deal with Running Back Brandon Jackson

The Cleveland Browns have officially come to terms with free agent running back Brandon Jackson.

Jackson has been a member of the Green Bay Packers for the last three seasons and was a crucial piece in helping the Packers win last year's Super Bowl.

Jackson comes to the Browns simply as an insurance policy, as Cleveland will look to push forward with Peyton Hillis as the starter and Montario Hardesty as a third option.

Jackson fits the description of a perfect West Coast player with his great pass-catching ability and willingness to fight for the extra yards in third-down situations.

Last season, Jackson was thrown to the fire as the Packers suffered several injuries at the running back position. Jackson rushed for 710 yards during Green Bay's Super Bowl journey and also caught 43 passes out of the backfield.

Jackson has the opportunity to a significant factor in Cleveland's rebuilding offense for the next few seasons. With Hillis likely getting a large workload this year, Jackson will be only one play away from carrying the weight of the franchise and the entire city.

Many early reports indicate that Hardesty and Jackson will be in an open competition for the second position on the Browns' depth chart. However, Hardesty has struggled with injuries for several seasons and Jackson has had plenty of success at the NFL level.

The deal the Browns offered Jackson was reportedly worth $4.5 million and will run throughout the 2012-13 season.

Source: Browns Ink Jackson