When word broke that the Rams will allow running back Steven Jackson to void the final year of his contract to become a free agent after this season, it was widely assumed the writing was on the wall for Jackson’s departure from St. Louis.
If that turns out to be the case, this Sunday would be his final home game as a member of the team. That assumption might have been incorrect, though. Jackson can remain in St. Louis for the final year of his deal, which is set to pay him $7 million, and he doesn’t sound like a man itching to ply his trade elsewhere. While he’s thought about the fact that this could be his last home game, Jackson says he expects to be with the Rams in 2013.
“It’ll be something that I look forward to dealing with and handling at the end of the year,” Jackson said, via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “I’m very optimistic that I’ll finish my career as a Ram.”
It’s less clear whether or not the Rams want to continue the relationship and an extension that lowers Jackson’s cap hit next year could be a possibility. If Sunday does turn out to be Jackson’s final home game, he has a chance to go out with a bang.
Jackson needs 71 yards to reach 10,000 for his career. He’d be the 27th man in history to reach that milestone and the 15th to get all of the yards with the same team.