Rams made offer to Vincent Jackson By Jim Thomas

[eldfan]

BY JIM THOMAS | Posted: Thursday, September 23, 2010 12:15 am | (6) Comments

How involved were the St. Louis Rams with Vincent Jackson?

Two league sources told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday that the Rams made a contract offer to the San Diego Chargers' wide receiver.

One of the sources also said that the hangup in Jackson going to the Rams was the trade terms with the Chargers.

In any event, it became apparent Tuesday that the Rams had decided to pass on Jackson.

A Wednesday deadline passed without Jackson landing with a new club.

That means he will not be eligible to play until Game 7 of this season.

[C-Mob 71]

So who is ready to see V-Jax in Horns come 2011?

[DPskywalker]

At least we tried. I read that we pulled out because Braylon Edwards got a DUI. If that's the case, I'm going to barf.

[xkidflowx]

im glad we didnt get him now... the chargers rejected the vikings deal that included a 2nd round and another pick.. no way am i giving up a 2nd round for a receiver who will make our rep horrible. 2nd round we will pick up a great speedy running back or a defensive player .

[PeoriaRam]

At least we tried. I read that we pulled out because Braylon Edwards got a DUI. If that's the case, I'm going to barf.

If Jackson gets another DUI, he is done for a season. After that little reminder, I don't blame Kroenke for having second thoughts.

[Nick]

Two interesting reads regarding how the situation may have gone down and why a deal did not get done with any party, including the Rams...

Why Vincent Jackson deal didn't happen
September, 22, 2010
By John Clayton

The reason Vincent Jackson wasn’t traded by the Chargers on Wednesday came down to two issues: No team met the trade demands of the Chargers and the bad timing of Braylon Edwards’ DUI arrest early Tuesday morning, according to a source.

The NFL and the NFL Players' Association had agreed to a 4 p.m. ET deadline for San Diego to trade Jackson, which would have allowed him to be active by the fifth week of the regular season; Jackson is under a three-game suspension for past DUI offenses. When he did not sign his restricted free-agent tender, the Chargers placed Jackson on an exempt list, which prohibited him from playing for three more weeks.

Now, Jackson won’t be eligible to play until after Week 6, and the likelihood a trade is remote because of the limited amount of time he would be available the rest of the season.

Here are the details of what didn’t come together in the final 48 hours, according to the source:

During the offseason and his restricted free-agency period, the source said the Chargers didn’t receive any phone calls on Jackson, who was available to teams for first-and third-round compensation. As the regular season approached and Jackson stayed out through training camp without signing his tender, trade interest started.

Initially, four teams expressed interest -- the St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. The Lions, according to the source, dismissed the notion of a trade quickly. The source judged the interest of the Rams and Redskins as only an outside chance of happening.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, who stopped talking about the Jackson situation July 30 and made sure everyone in the organization was quiet on the subject starting then, wasn’t specific with teams about what he wanted. According to the source, he wanted two second-round picks, the price tag the Broncos acquired in trading wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins.

Once the regular season began, the Minnesota Vikings entered the mix. The Vikings had lost Sidney Rice to a hip injury for half the season and had migraine headache concerns with Percy Harvin.

The Vikings, according to the source, kept calling every three days or so and their interest increased over time. In trade conversations, Smith expressed a willingness to consider offers of a second- and a third-round choice or possibly a second- and a fourth-round choice, knowing Jackson would be available for a maximum of 12 games and could face a lengthy suspension if he had another DUI.

The Vikings kept increasing their offer, but it never reached Smith’s demands.

The Edwards DUI arrest also had an impact on the trade discussions. According to the source, the Rams and Seahawks -- under orders from their owners -- pulled out of the discussions after the Jets receiver’s arrest became public.

That left the Vikings as the only serious bidder, and it came down to the Chargers seeing if they could get the Vikings to reach their draft choice target level.

Smith, according to a source, was willing to make a trade if the Vikings signed Jackson to a one-year contract at $6 million and he received at least a No. 2 and a No. 4. That draft choice cost was too dear to the Vikings.

The fact that Smith hasn’t come off his demands for either two No. 2s, a No. 2 and a No. 3 or a No. 2 and No. 4 probably means Jackson will sit out the season.

Smith is willing to let Jackson hit free agency next year with the hopes he signs with a team and the Chargers could receive a third-round compensatory pick in 2012. But with no CBA after the season, there is no guarantee there will be compensatory picks.

The next opportunity for the Chargers to trade Jackson would be right before the Oct. 19 trade deadline.

******

Chargers GM fought misguided war of wills
By Michael Silver, Yahoo! Sports

So A.J. Smith made it official Wednesday: He won’t back down to Vincent Jackson(notes), and he won’t back off from his ambitious trade demands. The San Diego Chargers’ strong-willed general manager stared down an unhappy wide receiver and several potential suitors, most notably the wideout-needy Minnesota Vikings, and won.

If GMs got game balls, Smith undoubtedly would present himself with one, then open a nice bottle of cabernet and treat himself to a steak dinner.

Except I believe Smith, like Jackson and the Vikings and football fans who like watching the best players take the field on Sundays, was a loser, too, in this nuclear winter of a contract dispute. In showing Jackson who’s boss – and demonstrating his unyielding nature to numerous other NFL franchises – Smith negatively impacted his football team in ways both obvious and intangible.

A deadline passed Wednesday that makes it highly unlikely Jackson will play football in 2010, a situation exacerbated by Smith’s decision to take full advantage of an arcane set of rules pertaining to the uncapped year (and triggered by the owners’ decision to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement). I won’t bore you with the details, other than to say that the earliest Jackson will now be allowed to play is Week 7.

Most likely, he’ll play in Week Never. That’s partly because he wanted more money than the Chargers wanted to pay, but mostly because Smith was trying to prove a point, even if it costs his team points on the football field.

If Smith were, say, Bill Belichick, I’d be more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt. If you’ve won multiple Super Bowls, you can afford to drive a hard bargain, consequences be damned. No one can question your commitment to competing for a championship; people like Belichick, Bill Polian and Bill Parcells have earned the right to flex.

Smith has never won a title, which makes the stinging nickname “Lord of No Rings” so apropos. Created by North County (Calif.) Times columnist Jay Paris and cited Wednesday in public comments by Jackson’s agents, the derisive moniker speaks to a belief that Smith values his own power more than giving his team the best chance to win.

That sounds harsh, and I tried to give Smith the benefit of the doubt back in July when he explained his philosophy to me while discussing his conviction that Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill(notes) – a pair of Pro Bowl players and restricted free agents rebuffed in their efforts to obtain long-term deals – would not play again for the team.

“We’re losing a left tackle and a wide receiver,” Smith said. “I want our team to know they’re gone.”

The Chargers know that neither player is on the roster or is likely to return this season, if ever. And now Chargers fans know that Smith would rather stick it to Jackson than take a second-round draft pick – and probably a fourth- or fifth-rounder as well – from a team willing to satisfy the receiver financially.

According to reports by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole and others, Smith remained obstinate in trade discussions with teams interested in dealing for Jackson right up to Wednesday afternoon’s deadline, insisting upon second- and third-round draft picks. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, as I suggested he do several weeks ago, made a push to acquire Jackson. Minnesota worked out contract terms with Jackson’s agents on a one-year deal worth roughly $6 million, with an option for a second year at approximately $10 million that the club could have chosen to exercise in December.

The Vikings gradually increased their offer to a second-round pick and a conditional pick believed to be as high as a fifth-rounder but were unwilling to meet Smith’s price. According to reports, numerous other teams, including the St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks, also conducted trade talks with the Chargers. One team, after talking money with Jackson’s agents, decided not to contact San Diego because of an unwillingness to deal with Smith.

“Multiple teams have told me that they can’t get a deal done with A.J. and some of the teams have referred to A.J. as ‘The Lord of No Rings,’” Schwartz told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Smith is a smart, accomplished talent evaluator who likely has a strong enough sense of self to laugh off such digs, and I don’t question his conviction. But I don’t think, in this case, that playing hardball was the smoothest move.

Yes, he has sent a signal to players and their agents that he’s no pushover – that if you mess with him, you’ll lose.

Similarly, he has successfully convinced many of his peers that he can’t be bullied in trade discussions. In this case, Smith did not negotiate so much as set a price and give teams the option of meeting it.

If the object is to win tests of will, Smith is a smashing success.

If the object is to win championships, now and in the future, he’s doing his franchise a disservice. The Vikings, to their credit, proved to their fans they were going after a ring in 2010 – within reason – by trying to get a deal done with the best wideout on the market. The Chargers went looking for a sucker willing to do things on Smith’s terms – either Jackson taking a below-market, one-year deal or a team giving up two picks in the first three rounds for a player San Diego clearly doesn’t value at that level – and shrugged their shoulders when no one bit.

To be sure, the rules were in Smith’s favor this time, and he milked them for all they were worth. The Lord of No Rings lorded it over Jackson and McNeill and their agents, and that was his prerogative.

But there will come a time when other players, and perhaps other teams, have the leverage in their favor and can put the squeeze on Smith. When that happens, be it a player under contract maneuvering for a new deal in a way that negatively impacts the franchise or a fellow GM who refuses to do business with the Chargers because he finds Smith’s tactics so distasteful, I don’t want to hear any whining from him or his supporters.

For example, sources say Jackson’s agents will attempt to get back at Smith by making sure their receiver, once he ends up with a new team next spring (or later, depending upon the uncertain labor landscape), has an inordinately low base salary for 2011 – which would likely reduce the compensatory pick the Chargers would receive for losing Jackson from a potential third-rounder to a sixth- or seventh-round selection.

That’s what happens when a war turns nuclear – the bombs keep coming, and everybody loses. It’s a shame, and if Smith is looking for someone to blame, he should take a long look in the mirror.

[Bosna-Ram]

Billy told Espn radio today that he never made an offer to Jackson.

[makersncoke]

Whether or not the Rams made an offer or not the Jackson is now water under the bridge, I'm happy they didn't give up a 2nd and 3rd for this guy. Not because of any character issues but for the simple fact that we are not just 1 wr away from making some noise in the playoffs. It's like puting Goodyear race tires on a 72 Nova and expecting it will make you win the Indy 500.

[RamFan876]

""We never got really deep into it," Devaney told the San Diego Union Tribune. "But I thought if you're willing to pay the money for the guy, the draft picks the Chargers were talking about were not unreasonable."

Hmmm….this is a disappointing quote to read as a season-ticket holder. What are they saving their money for? I suppose they're planning for next year's number one pick.

Jackson may have not gotten the Rams to the playoffs. However, he sure would've made a lot of games more exciting toward the end of the year. Instead of looking forward to games later this year, I'm preparing for 2011. If you don't actually go to games, you just don't understand what kind of excitement that move could have provided.

[swatter555]

Whether or not the Rams made an offer or not the Jackson is now water under the bridge, I'm happy they didn't give up a 2nd and 3rd for this guy. Not because of any character issues but for the simple fact that we are not just 1 wr away from making some noise in the playoffs. It's like puting Goodyear race tires on a 72 Nova and expecting it will make you win the Indy 500.

I would not be interested in picking up Jackson for one season via trade, because it is true that we are more than a #1 reciever from playoff contention.

On the other hand, if the Rams could have worked out a deal with Jackson to keep him here multiple seasons, that is a deal we have to make. Jackson is a known quantity and any draft pick is a gamble. Jackson is an elite reciever and we know that from on-field performance. Even a 1st round pick doesn't bring that level of certainty. If Jackson could have been locked up multiple years, then hell ya he was worth the asking price of a 2nd and 3rd/4th.

[swatter555]

The NFL contract and salary cap process is tough enough to accurately grasp in a normal year, let alone a year without a CBA. My thinking on the issue is a little unclear, so I would appreciate some clarification from some people who understand the process well.

If the FOs of both SD and STL agreed to terms, could we have signed VJ to a multi-year deal? Or was him becoming a FA next year a forgone conclusion?

To me that is the only question that matters. Trading for VJ truly only makes sense in the context of a multi-year deal. If VJ wasn't interested or we could lockdown such a deal, then I can hold the front office blameless for their lack of interest.

On the other hand, if VJ was willing and able to sign a multi-year deal; that is a deal we needed to make, off-field issues considered. I just can't see passing up on such a high caliber reciever, issues and all.

[BEER]

Hmmm….this is a disappointing quote to read as a season-ticket holder. What are they saving their money for? I suppose they're planning for next year's number one pick.

Jackson may have not gotten the Rams to the playoffs. However, he sure would've made a lot of games more exciting toward the end of the year. Instead of looking forward to games later this year, I'm preparing for 2011. If you don't actually go to games, you just don't understand what kind of excitement that move could have provided.

Great point. I dont live in Snt lui, but if i did i would be excited to see jackson.

[makersncoke]

I would not be interested in picking up Jackson for one season via trade, because it is true that we are more than a #1 reciever from playoff contention.

On the other hand, if the Rams could have worked out a deal with Jackson to keep him here multiple seasons, that is a deal we have to make. Jackson is a known quantity and any draft pick is a gamble. Jackson is an elite reciever and we know that from on-field performance. Even a 1st round pick doesn't bring that level of certainty. If Jackson could have been locked up multiple years, then hell ya he was worth the asking price of a 2nd and 3rd/4th.

I fully understand your point of view here but this is where the character issue comes into play, this guy is one boo-boo away from a season long suspension from the commish. Now you've signed a guy to a lets say 5 year deal, given up 2 high draft picks and he screws up along with a potential work stoppage next year. You've paid a pretty high price for 3 years worth of service. Devaney strikes me as a look before you leap kind of guy so I'd be willing to bet that he's far more comfortable with getting a reciever with our first round pick, since I'm thinking it will prob be within the first 5 picks this year.

Now I know this does nothing to help us this year by drafting a reciever next year but I think this regime is all about building this team through the draft and although I've been critical of some of the coaching decisions and the lack of FA signings maybe if we're patient we may have a pretty good team in a couple of years................or maybe not, we'll just have to wait and see.

[PeoriaRam]

Minor point of order. If the league loses ALL of 2011 to a work stoppage, my recollection of the NHL's example is that a year is not burned on the contracts. If Player Strawman was signed to a 4 year contract right before the work stoppage, the Rams would still have him for 4 seasons if all of 2011 was lost.*

*Assuming, of course, that something doesn't happen that causes the league's entire contractual system to radically alter in the labor settlement.

[berg8309]

Minor point of order. If the league loses ALL of 2011 to a work stoppage, my recollection of the NHL's example is that a year is not burned on the contracts. If Player Strawman was signed to a 4 year contract right before the work stoppage, the Rams would still have him for 4 seasons if all of 2011 was lost.*

*Assuming, of course, that something doesn't happen that causes the league's entire contractual system to radically alter in the labor settlement.

such as de-certifying the union? Which I believe the Saints and Colts players unanimously approved.