ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that to ensure he is a free agent in the future, San Diego Chargers holdout receiver Vincent Jackson will end his holdout and report to the Chargers by Oct. 31.
He will be doing so begrudgingly. There is no love lost between Jackson and the Chargers' brass.
When a trade window closed last month without Jackson being dealt elsewhere despite him having a new deal with another team, Jackson’s side was furious. His agents blasted San Diego general manager A.J. Smith. There were no intentions by Jackson’s side that he’d report at any time this season.
It will be interesting to see how much Jackson plays down the stretch. He certainly would be a great late-season addition for San Diego as it heads for the stretch run. The Chargers already have the No. 1-ranked offense in the NFL without Jackson.
Jackson may not have intentions of staying in San Diego, but he does like his teammates and coaches there. As long as he is in uniform, expect him to play well and further make his case for a big contract in free agency. The Chargers certainly wouldn’t complain about having a Pro Bowl receiver on their side as they make a playoff push. I’m sure San Diego coach Norv Turner wouldn’t hesitate to mix Jackson into his offense, even if it were for just six games. It’s like Philip Rivers always said: The Chargers are fine now on offense, but they would be better with Jackson.
