Do you know what is key to a young quarterback's development? Stability. Just ask all of the Jason Campbells and [insert Cleveland Browns quarterback] of the world if constant change is a good thing for a QB still trying to get his feet wet. Lucky for him, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston will at least have some familiarity at wide receiver in his second season.
Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report (via NFL.com) reports that the Bucs are planning to keep veteran wideout Vincent Jackson despite his $9.77 million base salary and $12.2 million cap hit in 2016. Jackson, 33, has struggled with knee, rib and wrist injuries over the past two seasons. In 2015 he caught just 33 passes for 543 yards and three scores in 10 games. It was the first time he failed to top 1,000 yards and appear in all 16 games since 2010. As a result, it was rumored that he may become a cap casualty this offseason, but that no longer appears to be the case.
Jackson has emerged as a team leader during his time in Tampa Bay, which makes retaining him even more important as Winston enters his sophomore campaign. Jackson is also a solid fit for new head coach Dirk Koetter's offense, a role that would be difficult to replace in a weak year for wide receivers in both free agency and the 2016 NFL draft.
Tampa Bay averaged 22.3 points per game when Jackson was in the starting lineup last season and just 19.6 points per game with fellow wide receiver Mike Evans out of action. Even though his stats may not have represented that type of impact, it's clear that his presence was beneficial to the offense overall.
All-Pro running back Doug Martin is expected to be re-signed in free agency this offseason. If the trio of Martin, Jackson and Evans can remain healthy, the Buccaneers can focus their resources on fixing major areas of need such as the offensive line and slot receiver position. Koetter and general manager Jason Licht have their work cut out for them, but retaining Jackson answers one lingering question. More importantly, it provides Winston with a sense of stability.
