What's your opinion of the Steven Jackson situation?

[richtree]

I just ask my self what would the patriots do here.....they would offer their best deal., and if he didn't take it ., trade him.....you can't show weakness....I don't get why it has dragged out this long......

makes me think sjax is wrong...esp after being hurt all hear....he is no eric dickerson....trade him for someone else that does want to be here

[HUbison]

I just ask my self what would the patriots do here.....they would offer their best deal., and if he didn't take it ., trade him.....you can't show weakness....I don't get why it has dragged out this long......

makes me think sjax is wrong...esp after being hurt all hear....he is no eric dickerson....trade him for someone else that does want to be here

With whom have the Patriots done that?

[moloch41]

This is a stupid move by Jackson- he doesn't deserve to be the highest paid running back if that's what he's after. Especially after last year's disappointing season. These things usually don't end well- these guys report late and then come in and get hurt. If they offered him a contract that's up there with the top 5 running backs, then he should take it and move on. His agent apparently has a history of this- what we certainly don't need is a jerkoff in the molds of Drew Rosenhaus or the Poston Bros coming in and giving players bad advice.

[BIG-BLUE]

I just ask my self what would the patriots do here.....they would offer their best deal., and if he didn't take it ., trade him.....you can't show weakness....I don't get why it has dragged out this long......

makes me think sjax is wrong...esp after being hurt all hear....he is no eric dickerson....trade him for someone else that does want to be here

Trade him? Trade him? Why? So we can watch him rack up yards with another team like Bettis did.
Lets just get this guy in camp & signed long term.
I voted mildly concerned. I really want him in camp now so he can be ready for the opener.

[mde8352gorams]

I'm in agreement with most of the posts on this thread...mildly concerned, but Moloch made a good point...these things usually don't end well. SJ will likely report, they will reduce or eliminate the fines and he will be penciled in as the starter against the Eagles. Then he will get hurt in some manner because he hasn't had the reps you get in camp and then what are we left with??

He needs to get into camp, he's made his point and start the negotiations now! Parker's other client Devin Hester got what he wanted so Parker needs to give his client the right advice and not be a jerk about this. He has to now consider that he's lost a year of accrued experience towards becoming a Free Agent, so this has already cost him some money.

Go Rams!

[KoaKoi]

I'm a mix between the first two. I think things will work themselves out and anticipate he will be dressed for the 1st game, but the first option includes "...he'll be ready by week 1." Given his slow start last season with two fumbles in the opener, and the new playbook this year, while I predict he'll be dressed and will play, I'm not fully convinced he'll actually be "ready." So I voted for mildly concerned based upon my belief he'll start slow again and it could cost the Rams an nfc away game.

I see two things that may work against my position though: (a) Bulger and the passing offence could explode which will open up the run game for him and the "lingering" effect would be more difficult to notice, and (b) Saunders may be able to formulate a run game plan that is tailored for him to ease into the adjustment causing the "lingering" effect to be less noticeable.

[NJRamsGuy]

Really, I am glad I'm not dealing with the Favre situation. That situation just sucks for Green Bay. So I had to cast my vote there.

As for Jax, I can't imagine this hold out making it to the season. As for him starting the season in decent form, that's a different story since he's missed plenty-o-camp (all).

[Nick]

If they offered him a contract that's up there with the top 5 running backs, then he should take it and move on.

There's more nuance to contracts than just the amount of total money, though.

[Fortuninerhater]

My opinion is a combo of "mildly concerned" and "annoyed at Jackson". My problem with Jackson rests entirely in the fact that he signed a 5-year contract, 4 years ago. He didn't sign a 4-year contract with a 5th year option. He didn't add a clause saying he has the option to set out the last year if he wants.

He put his name on a piece of paper. By refusing to work, he is not doing his good name any justice. And a good name is a hard thing to come by these days. That needs to mean something.



OTOH, does he deserve a fat new contract? You bet he does. Take his performance as a starter, and pro-rate to a full season, he's averaging 1850 yards from scrimmage, 12 TDs, and 4.3 per carry. He deserves (as much as any professional athlete "deserves" their salary) $20M in guaranteed.

But he has to come to camp, first! Then, get the deal worked out.

I'd be annoyed at Jackson if he made a habit of this kind of thing. But as long as I've been a Ram fan, it's been my experience that the front office has been the bad guys in these situations.

Message to that front office:

The way I see it is, if he deserves the money then give it to him. And stop it with the SLAVE-owner mentality.

If he doesn't, put him on the trading block and see if you can make this one work like the Dickerson one didn't. Either way it's time to move forward.

[moloch41]

There's more nuance to contracts than just the amount of total money, though.

Well, like I said- if they offered him a contract up there with the Top 5 running backs, then he should take it. I wasn't just talking about the total dollars.

[laram0]

My opinion is a combo of "mildly concerned" and "annoyed at Jackson". My problem with Jackson rests entirely in the fact that he signed a 5-year contract, 4 years ago. He didn't sign a 4-year contract with a 5th year option. He didn't add a clause saying he has the option to set out the last year if he wants.

He put his name on a piece of paper. By refusing to work, he is not doing his good name any justice. And a good name is a hard thing to come by these days. That needs to mean something.

This is where I am but leaning more towards annoyed with Jackson.

I hope the RAMS hold strong and don't throw their hand in. Our execs have done alot during the off-season to get this thing turned around. They're sitting back knowing that another dismal season would be very detremental to the Franchise and more importantly the Fan Base. (Based on that I wouldn't be surprised if they buckled knowing that Jackson is a big part of that forcast for success). Again, I hope they don't buckle...there's no I in team and this is a team sport for sure. No one player can carry an NFL team to the promised land for a whole season. Maybe a game here or there but it takes the entire roster gelling and playing together doing their jobs to make this work.

So anyway, I voted...annoyed with Jackson!

[r8rh8rmike]

Well, like I said- if they offered him a contract up there with the Top 5 running backs, then he should take it. I wasn't just talking about the total dollars.

If they would have offered him the going rate for guaranteed money, he most likely would have taken it and he'd be in camp right now. It's not like he's asking for Darren McFadden type guaranteed money.

[ramsanddodgers]

SJ signed a contract.

A man would honor a contract which he signed. Nobody forced SJ to sign a 5 year contract and it must have looked good to him at the time.

Just yet another person playing a game and thinking they are bigger than the game while their team mates are trying to get ready for a new season, learning a new playbook, and getting used to each other's propensities.

[Nick]

I wasn't just talking about the total dollars.

The only part of the Rams' offer we know about is the total value and you said he should accept it based on that, so what else could you have been referring to?

The point is we don't know what else the contract offer said. There could be many reasons why a contract that puts him in the top five for running backs wouldn't be good to accept.

To say he should accept it simply because of where it puts him among other runners ignores all of those potential factors.

[Josh]

Im thinking there was a clause in the contract that required him to play a certain amount of snaps in order to get the money..