Getty ImagesAt first blush, some will say that running back Steven Jackson erred when he chose to walk away from one year and $7 million in St. Louis to make, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, $12 million over three years in Atlanta.
Of the amount, $4 million is guaranteed.
But if Jackson hadn’t opted to void the final season of his Rams contract, the Rams surely would have done it for him. With the Rams, per Jackson himself, not wanting him to be the lead dog any longer, the duties wouldn’t have justified the dollars.
Jackson’s duties in Atlanta remain less clear. Earlier this year, Falcons coach Mike Smith said Jacquizz Rodgers can play all three downs. But Jackson surely wouldn’t have chosen the Falcons to be a backup or a short-yardage option.
Look for Jackson get every chance to win the starting job, with Rodgers making regular appearances in order to keep Jackson fresh. After all, the nine-year veteran has more than 2,800 career touches — which translates to more than 300 total touches per year.
If Jackson wants to finish all three years of his new contract, he’ll need to be willing to dial back on the contact.
Meanwhile, Jackson’s $4 million annual average matches the deal signed Wednesday by Reggie Bush in Detroit, which puts them at the top of the veteran tailback market.
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Same price but Reggie works better for Detroit and Steven Jackson works better for the Falcons.
Between Jacquizz and Aaron, I’m starting to think “Rodgers” is the preferred spelling.
Good look for SJax, And Atlanta. That offense will be deadly for years to come
Hillis please! didnt really want jackson. weneed jennings back!hillis would be a nice fit.
The Falcons may be lucky to get maybe one good year out of Jackson. There is a reason the Rams lost interest. What is their fascination with aging backs on their last leg?
Rams suck
It’s funny how most of my comments get deleted, but “logical voice” makes ridiculous redskin comments on every single story and they get to stay. Just watch, this isn’t even relevant to them and he’ll have something stupid to say.
This will be forgotten soon enough, but for all those packer fans who say, “in Ted Thompson we trust”…….this was a major screw up by TT. The Pack hasn’t had a running game for years and SJax would’ve been a huge signing for peanuts.
Maybe the Packers weren’t so stupid for not signing him after all.
Welcome to Atlanta Mr. Jackson….I am for REEEEAL!
SJ is way better back the reggie. The lions overpayed.
Curious… do they really have that little faith in Jacquizz Rodgers?
Maybe we should be talking about some of these players who are content with what they have financially and are chasing something else they don’t have in their careers. I’m rooting for ATL to take the next step now that Jackson is with one of my other favorite players chasing a ring, Tony G.
“…he’ll need to be willing to dial back on the contact.”
Facing CAR, TB, NO instead of SF, SEA & ARZ may not dial back the number of contacts, but they sure don’t hit as hard.
So pissed at my team right now.
Predator looking backfield…
….Predator looking Receivers now that I think of it.
Matt Ryan should get Dreadlocks….
Just think, we are paying BenJarvis Green Ellis about the same amount of money to be our starting RB. Thats disappointing.
Well good luck ATL fans! Your going to be pissed when SJ39 gets stopped behind the line dancing around. On 1st an 10′he gets. 6 yards. On 4th and inches he will have negative yards. Hope he knows how to moonwalk! HEE HEEE!
I was hoping the Packers would sign him. Nuts.
Mike Smith lied and said rodgers is a 3 down back…this signing confirms SJAX will be starting tailback and everyone knows rodgers is not a 3 down back…Good luck with this signing Falcon fans!
I have nothing against Reggie Bush, but I think Jackson is worth a good bit more than he is. Good signing at a good price in my opinion.
Im happy for Jackson although I dont see them winning the superbowl in the next 2 years.
Too much for Ted “coupon clipper” Thompson. If the falcons offered 45 cents, dime store Ted would offer 42. I bet he goes to Denny’s and orders a water and asks for leftovers off other people’s plates. I’m sure somebody has a broken old center that can’t block that the packers can get.
And that’s why the packers didn’t sign him, too much $$ for a 30 year old
ummmm… Steven Jackson has a “chance” to win the starting job? Hope that was some dry Florio humor.
A winner that wants to win, and deserves it.
If the rest of Micheal Turner was built like his gluteus maximus, he would be Steven Jackson.
This makes all the sense in the world, and not just because ATL is buying another free agent former Pro Bowler whose Pro Bowl days are definitely but not devastatingly behind them.
Jaquizz Rogers is solid, but his committee will always need a co-chair. He’s a surprisingly good back for being the approximately the size of my girlfriend, but for an NFL feature back he’s adistinctly average.
David and Goliath is the new Thunder and Lightning.
WORTH EVERY DIME !
Maybe it’s not just about the money for him. After all those years on losing teams in St. Louis, he may have just wanted to win for a change.
So Jonathan Casillas, a career special teams backup linebacker with questionable instincts and a complete inability to stay healthy gets 3 million a year.
And Steven Jackson, who has been one of the very best lead backs in the NFL for 8 years and has never fallen short of the 1,000 yard mark in that time, gets $4 million a year.
Ooooo-kay.
lol, keep getting younger, Atlanta.
49ers fan here. Steven Jackson is one of the classiest players in the league. No matter how poor his team was playing, he never complained and always gave every ounce of energy he had. He has been the heart and soul of the Rams during the last 9 years and he deserves to experience the playoffs.
Another great steal by the falcons.
Greenbay let him walk for that…..lol. Rise up atl, our offense is sick!!!!
Hate losing him butI’m glad he went to a team I like and that will probably get the best use out of him. Did not want to see him sign with the Pack.
Hope the Falcons have an O-line to block for all these weapons, If not then another underachieved season in the books!
As a Falcons fan, I would rather we drafted a RB (Eddie Lacy) and used the $ on a free agent DE to replace Abraham. 3 years for a RB hitting 30 is just crazy.
Good for him getting a decent deal at the end of his career. If the Pats don’t make the Superbowl, I’ll be rooting for the Falcons so Jackson and Gonzalez can get their rings. Two of the classiest people in the NFL.
I can live with 4 mil guaranteed to a 30 year old rb. RISE UP!
So Green Bay is willing to pay a receiver we don’t really need 10 mil a year, but not pay Steven Jackson at least 4 mil a year, that makes a lot of sense…