Tampa Bay Buccaneers Silent on Tanard Jackson's Future with Team

"It's a league matter."

That is how Raheem Morris described the Tanard Jackson situation.

That's all he's saying. That's all anyone's saying over there at One Buccaneer Place regarding the suspended safety, who is now eligible to apply for reinstatement to the National Football League.

Therein lies the heart of the matter.

Eligible to apply is one thing; getting through the process, going face-to-face with the Commish is another.

The old saying tells us it's always wrong to assume anything when it comes to things like this, but what Jackson now faces is a process carefully mapped out by the league.

Let's assume that since he's eligible, Jackson has applied for reinstatement, which he could have done Wednesday. He now has to wade through the murky waters of the NFL drug policy and the stringent requirements for reinstatement.

Jackson will probably need a small army of rehab specialists and those who conducted his actual rehab process to file detailed reports and recommendations for him. Then who knows how long those reports and recommendations sit on whose desk up there at NFL headquarters in New York.

If and when Jackson clears the various hoops and hurdles, the final stage may be that tete-a-tete with Jolly Roger.

Then, at some point, the ball will be in the court of the Buccaneers. Once the league has rubber-stamped Jackson's reinstatement, then Mark Dominik and Morris will have a decision to make.

Do they want Tanard Jackson back? One more strike and he's gone—for good.

Those of you clamoring for his instant return should first wonder what kind of shape he's in. How long would it take to actually bring him up to speed and ready to play full-contact football on a high level?

There are so many question marks here, it's impossible to put any sort of timeline on the return of Jackson, if there is indeed to be one.

Like Morris says, and he's right: right now, it's a league matter.