This may sound crazy, but to me, it doesn't. Steven Jackson, undoubtedly the team's best player, has been their most consistent player since arriving in St. Louis in 2004. Although he has had his fair share of injuries over the past few seasons, he is still a top-ten running back in the NFL and the Rams are lucky to have him. Jackson, a first-round draft choice out of Oregon State in 2004, hasn't been apart of a playoff team since his rookie season and it doesn't look like he'll be going back any time soon.
The Rams haven't finished better 8-8 since that season when Jackson served as the team's back-up to Marshall Faulk. But since taking the reins in 2005, Jackson has become an NFL star and has developed into one of the best running backs in the league, surpassing the 1,000-yard plateau in every season since.
With the Rams struggling this season, there is no doubt that they will have a top-five draft selection in the 2012 draft and it will probably stay that way for a few more seasons.
So, it has become transparently and abundantly clear that the Jackson-Rams relationship needs to conclude quickly.
It may sound like something that shouldn't be done, as Jackson is practically their only building block to a better future instead of succumbing to years of mediocrity once again. As of right now, the Rams aren't going anywhere -- especially with one of the most unproven receiving corps in the league, along with a suspect offensive line that can't protect the broad side of a barn and a defense that has regressed over the season, especially when a 37-year old Al Harris has been their best cornerback for much of the season.
So to say the least, the Rams have copious amounts of problems and they will have a hard time addressing them all over the next couple of seasons, especially in the draft process.
From the Rams' prospective, why not trade Jackson to a team that is in desperate need of a running back, in hopes of landing a quality running back along with a few draft selections and possibly another player or two that fills some of their needs? There is bound to be at least one team out there that should want Jackson, who is on the verge of successfully completing his seventh-straight 1,000-yard season (currently just 34 yards shy of that mark).
St. Louis' front office should take advantage of the opportunity to deal Jackson because they aren't going to winning a Super Bowl anytime soon and it would be in Jackson's best interest to leave the only professional team he's ever known. I'd go as far to say that the Rams are by far the worst team in their division, especially with the 49ers appearing to be a juggernaut over the next few years, along with the Seahawks and Cardinals on the rise, while the Rams are progressively getting worse.If the team can get an exceptional deal right now for Jackson, they need to take it because it will benefit the team in the future.
Jackson is just 28 years old and will turn 29 next July, so one can assume that he is still in the prime of his career and has a few more years left in the tank, so he could help a team succeed -- if he has quality pieces around him, of course.
If the Rams were to sever ties with Jackson, there should be quite a few teams interested, even though he will be making approximately $9.6 million in 2012 and will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2013 season. But when a team looks at his stat sheet, one can't help but want him on their team, if they are in need of a running back.
Around the NFL, there are many teams that are in need of a running back and one or some of those teams should take a peek at Jackson, including Washington, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Green Bay.
Washington Redskins: Although Jackson would likely see a steep decrease in his carries in Washington, he would still become a much better option than Tim Hightower, Roy Helu and Ryan Torain. As we have seen in the past with Mike Shanahan's offenses, he likes to use a multitude of running backs instead of just one player getting the high majority of carries.
But still, if the Redskins could somehow acquire Jackson, along with drafting a quarterback in the first round of next year's draft, they would definitely be on the right track to stardom once again. The Redskins practically have the worst owner in professional sports -- also known as Dan Snyder -- and that has not helped them become a winning team as of late.
But if any coach is going to turn around a franchise, it will be Shanahan who has won two Super Bowls over his coaching career. And if the Redskins want to win, they will eventually acquire a running back that is considered to be one of the top 15 players at that position. However, if the 'Skins were somehow able to acquire Jackson, they would likely have to give up multiple draft choices along with a player or two. But it would be worth it, as he would likely become the team's best running back since the days of John Riggins -- and if you consider that a stretch, we'll just go with Stephen Davis.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts, who have been one of the league's worst running teams in the last five or six years, haven't been able to carry the ball since the Edgerrin James era. Joseph Addai has gotten the bulk of the carries since James' departure and he hasn't been spectacular to say the least.
However, the Colts aren't one of those teams that would go out and make a major trade or sign a marquee free agent -- their best acquisition in the last decade has perhaps been Adam Vinatieri, albeit one of the best kickers in NFL history. They particularly use the draft to build their team and even that has been shaky as of late -- Anthony Gonzalez, Tony Ugoh, Jerry Hughes, among others. So it is unclear as to who the Colts would give up to acquire Jackson, unless they can strike a deal with St. Louis for the No. 1 overall pick if the Colts do, in fact, end up with the league's worst record this season.
Of course, this is perhaps the unlikeliest scenario of them all, but you can never rule it out, as the Colts are almost in the rebuilding phase for the first time since Peyton Manning was selected with the No. 1 selection in 1998. But if the Colts could somehow land Jackson, they would not regret it as it would finally give them a formidable running attack for the first time since the mid-2000's.
Cleveland Browns: It appears clearer and clearer every day that the Browns are not likely to have Peyton Hillis as their starting running back in 2012. After missing multiple games this season because of questionable injuries and circumstances, Hillis is likely to find another home next year, whether it be through a trade or a release.
Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbannaya are the other running backs on the roster and they certainly aren't starting material, especially with Hardesty's history of injuries. And although Ogbonnaya has been a surprise this season, he is not a week-to-week starting running back.
So that leaves the Browns with a giant question mark, as Hillis is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and Mike Holmgren and Co. are probably not going to give him a contract extension. Jackson seems like an ideal fit for the Browns, but it is doubtful that he would go from one consistent losing team to another.
Also, the Browns really don't have the players to give up for Jackson, although they will have two first-round picks for the 2012 NFL Draft, along with multiple other selections from Atlanta because of the Julio Jones trade in last year's draft.
Cincinnati Bengals: A very likely scenario, Jackson would be a great fit in Cincinnati, especially with a young offense that consists of Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham. These three players are likely to form a great offense over the next few seasons and a veteran like Steven Jackson could make them contenders in the AFC North that already features the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Prior to the start of this season, running back Cedric Benson signed a one-year, $5 million extension with Cincinnati and is set to become a free agent when the season concludes after the Super Bowl. That leaves a gigantic gap at the running back position with Bernard Scott becoming the only viable option if they do not retain Benson.Like Cleveland, the Bengals also hold two first-round picks, so it is always likely that they take a running back with one of those selections. However, the team can pull off something like a sign-and-trade deal that would send Benson and one of the first-round selections to St. Louis for Jackson.
If the Bengals were to somehow land Jackson in a trade, it would immediately make them contenders in the AFC with one of the most potent offenses in the conference, maybe the entire league. Cincinnati already has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and with Jackson in the backfield, it is plausible that he could cross the 1,300-yard plateau, along with 10+ touchdowns.
Detroit Lions: The Lions, one of the best up-and-coming teams in the NFL, are bound to make their first playoff appearance since 1999 when Charlie Batch, Johnnie Morton, Germane Crowell and Herman Moore were roaming the field.
With one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, the Lions have been quite a surprise this season with quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson. However, the running game has been somewhat of an issue this season, as second-round draft choice Mikel LeShoure suffered a season-ending injury before opening day -- and not to mention, Jahvid Best, who was expected to carry the bulk of the load, also suffered a season-ending injury after the Lions' loss to the 49ers on Oct. 16.
This left the Lions' front office scouring for a running back that could help for the rest of the season, which eventually led to the addition of Kevin Smith, who has been a nice surprise this season. Maurice Morris also helped with the load, but has showed that he is not a week-to-week starter in the NFL.
So with Best's future in Detroit doubtful, it just leaves LeShoure, Smith and Morris at the running back position and none of them seem to be starters for an entire season. So that's where Jackson comes in.
Jackson would be a great fit for the :Lions and would immediately form one of the best offensive attacks in the NFL, along with Stafford, Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew. If they were to acquire the former Oregon State star, the Lions would likely have to make a deal that would include Best, Corey Williams, and perhaps a draft pick or two. This would probably be the best option for Jackson and the Rams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Although it seems like a doubtful scenario, it could still happen nonetheless. Personally, I believe that the Bucs need Jackson to help their running game because their current starter, LeGarrette Blount, is not an every-down back. Blount is a solid player and contributor, but he is not one of those players that should get every single snap -- and not to mention, the Buccaneers should enter their re-building phase next season, as they have been one of the most disappointing teams this season after going 10-6 last year, whilst being on the verge of making the playoffs.
Like the Rams, Tampa Bay has a myriad of needs that they need to fix and it will take time for them to fix them all before they can become a Super Bowl-contending team.
The Buccaneers have a multitude of young players that includes quarterback Josh Freeman, tight end Kellen Winslow and wide receiver Mike Williams, but those three players -- along with Blount -- aren't going to win games by themselves. The team needs help in many different areas and if they were to reach a deal with the Rams, they would likely have to give up Blount, multiple picks and possibly one of their young wide receivers and defensive lineman.
So in other words, it doesn't look too good for Jackson ending up in Florida.
Green Bay Packers: If Jackson somehow ended up in Green Bay, it'd be one of the most unfair turn of events in the NFL. The Packers are currently the best team in the NFL, albeit a mediocre running game, so adding one of the best running backs in the NFL would be amazing for the Packers, easily making them the best team in the league on paper.
With once-reliable running back Ryan Grant set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season expires, the Packers would only be able to list last year's playoff hero James Starks on the depth chart, along with rookies Alex Green and Brandon Saine. So it appears that there would be an opening at the running back position, unless the coaching staff thinks that Starks is an every-down back in the league.
Starks has been a viable option this season, but I don't believe he's a week-to-week starter and would be more suited as the team's third-down back and a receiver out of the backfield. With Grant possibly gone, the Packers should look at adding Jackson, as they have a number of assets to acquire the Pro Bowler.
And they should definitely go for it, as they would have the most potent offense in the NFL.
Other Trade Scenarios:
* St. Louis trades RB Steven Jackson to Carolina for RB DeAngelo Williams and a 2012 3rd-round selection
* St. Louis trades RB Steven Jackson and WR Danny Amendola to the New York Jets for RB Shonn Greene, a 2012 5th-round selection and a 2012 6th-round selection
* St. Louis trades RB Steven Jackson, WR Brandon Gibson and a 2012 5th-round selection to Miami for DE Phillip Merling and a 2012 2nd-round selection
* St. Louis trades RB Steven Jackson, CB Ronald Bartell and a 2012 5th-round selection to Arizona for RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, OT Levi Brown and a 2012 3rd-round selection
