James Jackson

James Jackson wants a trade. This isn't news -- it's the Browns who really should want a trade, for the right compensation. Only now Jackson has finally pulled a Northcutt and spoken out, or, if you prefer, pulled a KJ and decided to be a problem-child. Anyway, I do doubt that Jackson's rant will have much of an effect on whether the Browns actually do trade him. It's the last year of his contract (he recently signed a one-year extension -- who knows why if he was so unhappy), so wherever he is he's gotta perform for his next deal, which would very likely be his largest and final contract. As I see it, it basically comes does to this: if the Browns think Dee Brown or Nick Maddox can be nearly as effective as Jackson, they should trade him .

As for compensation, a 5th rounder would be enough, and I'd be happy with a 4th. Butch Davis has been angling to net a 3rd but that's just not going to happen because the Browns really don't have much leverage -- there will be a lot of mediocre running backs hitting the market in the next week, and no team will pay such a high price to make a modest upgrade. Now is not the time to get greedy.

One final note -- it's interesting that Jackson and his agent has played this card. Jackson had two options: 1) force a trade to be a starter somewhere. Try and negotiate a new deal with the new team before the season starts, otherwise play the year as a starter. 2) Ride out the year with the Browns as a backup. Continue to perform well in spot duty. Hit the market next offseason. Maybe I am being conservative, but if I were a player I wouldn't percieve #2 as the less option. If anything, it allows Jackson the means of hitting the open market when teams should view him positively having played well for the Browns, and without racking up a lot of mileage either. He would have been able to get a Duce Staley type of deal in 2005. Instead, he went with the first route which means he'll either extend his contract with a new team now at below-market value (for a starter), or he'll be forced to produce on the field and that's not a proprosition without considerable risk -- Jackson is solid but he doesn't have talent to spare, and he has been somewhat injury prone. I think his agent may have done him a disservice.