Somewhat buried at the end of a Tuesday blog post by ESPN’s Bill Williamson is some juicy information on Mike Shanahan’s background with Vincent Jackson, for whom Shanahan’s Redskins are rumored to be contemplating a trade.
According to Williamson, Shanahan has been “a big fan” of Jackson dating back to the 2005 NFL Draft, when Shanahan’s Broncos reportedly considered selecting the eventual Pro Bowl receiver. Williamson was covering the Broncos for the Denver Post at the time, so he’s a credible source.
Williamson says Jackson was next on Shanahan’s draft board when the Broncos selected the late Darrent Williams with the 56th overall pick. Jackson, who played at Northern Colorado, was drafted 61st overall by San Diego, “and the Broncos were not happy about it.”
Jackson was relatively slow to develop in San Diego, but went on to post games of 95, 73, and 77 yards against Shanahan’s Denver teams during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Interestingly, Williamson also “heard” that left tackle Marcus McNeill “may not be as dead set as Jackson on holding out for the long haul.” Both players have threatened to sit out through Week Ten of the regular season.