Tanard Jackson

Tanard Jackson Suspended Indefinitely

10:26am: Jackson did appeal his suspension, but that appeal was denied, a fact the safety didn’t find out before yesterday, says Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter links).

THURSDAY, 8:08am: It’s not clear what Jackson is referring to when he talks about appealing, according to John Keim of ESPN.com, who tweets the process has already been completed. “There are no more appeals,” says Keim. “Period.”

WEDNESDAY, 9:33pm: Jackson tells ESPN 980 (on Twitter) that he and his agent are planning to appeal and swears that “this is not a repeat of the past, [it’s] totally different.”

3:51pm: Redskins safety Tanard Jackson has been suspended indefinitely without pay once again for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, the team announced today (Twitter link). For Jackson, it’s his second indefinite suspension and fourth overall suspension for the same offense. He was reinstated by the NFL from his last ban just over two months ago.

Considering Jackson’s previous suspension cost him two NFL seasons, it seems unlikely that he’ll return from this one and play in the NFL again. While Washington was prepared to give him a chance to earn a roster spot in 2014, Jackson was on a minimum salary contract and was no lock to make the team.

A former fourth-round pick, Jackson spent five seasons with the Buccaneers from 2007 to 2011, starting all 56 games he played for the team during that stint. During those five years, the Syracuse product, who will turn 29 later this month, accumulated 239 tackles, 10 interceptions, and five forced fumbles.

NFC Links: Davis, Bryant, Graham

The 49ers have a lot of players looking for new contracts in the coming years, including Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Colin Kaepernick, Mike Iupati, and Alex Boone. The team has been preparing for life without some of those players, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

Here are some other links from around the NFC:

  • When it comes to Davis, Maiocco believes the 49ers will not budge on his contract. He is the third-highest paid player in the league at his position, and is on the wrong side of 30 years old. With extensions for other players coming, Davis may have to play his current contract out.
  • Cowboys‘ Vice President Stephen Jones said an extension for star wide receiver Dez Bryant could come before the season starts, writes Lorenzo Reyes of USAToday.com“As far as from the receiver standpoint, of course I feel like I’m one of the better receivers in this league,” said Bryant. “But like I said, when it comes to that contract, I’m going to sit back and I’m going to wait and see what happens.”
  • Jimmy Graham has yet to sign a long-term deal, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com does not expect this to drag on through training camp. July 15 is the last day to negotiate a deal for franchised players, and Triplett expects Graham to sign a deal that pays him between $10.5MM and $11MM per year.
  • Robert Meachem returned to the Saints, and maybe more importantly, his old quarterback Drew Brees, writes Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. Meachem has a one-year deal, but says the offseason has kept him focused and more comfortable, being back in New Orleans.
  • Tanard Jackson has gotten another chance in the NFL with the Redskins, but he might not stick on the roster, writes J.P. Finlay of CSNWashington.com. The team might not have a spot for him at safety, and his minimum salary deal could be easy to release.

Redskins Re-Sign Tanard Jackson

Well, that didn’t last long. The Redskins have re-signed Tanard Jackson, a team source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington (on Twitter) first reported that Jackson was headed back to D.C.

The decision to cut ties with the defensive back on Tuesday only to re-sign him today appears to be a financial one. Terms of the new deal aren’t known, but the Redskins saved a few bucks by bouncing Jackson and asking him to sign a new contract after he was reinstated from league suspension.

Jackson, 28, was effective early in his career in Tampa Bay after being selected by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2007 draft but hasn’t appeared in a regular-season NFL game since 2011. Jackson has tested positive for banned substances in the past and there have been question marks about his conditioning following his absence. While he might have some rust to shake off, we know that Jackson passed his physical without any trouble yesterday.

Redskins Cut Tanard Jackson

4:51pm: Jackson passed his physical today, so his release appears to be contract-related rather than health-related, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Meanwhile, a person familiar with the situation tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) not to rule out a potential return to Washington for Jackson, though nothing is set in stone yet.

3:44pm: Shortly after he was reinstated following an indefinite suspension by the NFL, Tanard Jackson will hit the free agent market. The Redskins have terminated Jackson’s minimum-salary contract, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).

Jackson, 28, was effective early in his career in Tampa Bay after being selected by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. He hasn’t appeared in a regular-season NFL game since 2011, however. Given his past violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, and question marks about his conditioning following his absence, it could be an uphill battle for him to earn an NFL roster spot this year.

Still, the timing of the move comes as a bit of a surprise, since Redskins general manager Bruce Allen indicated earlier today that the team may give Jackson a chance this summer. The safety had been expected to take a physical this afternoon, so perhaps the club was unimpressed with the results of that exam.

Redskins GM Talks Draft, Jackson, Cousins

Redskins general manager Bruce Allen spoke to reporters today, including Mike Jones of the Washington Post, John Keim of ESPN.com, and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. The Washington GM fielded questions about his offseason to date, his draft plans, and recently reinstated safety Tanard Jackson. Here are a few of the highlights, courtesy of Jones, Keim, and El-Bashir (all Twitter links):

  • After what Allen called an “active” free agent period, the team doesn’t feel as if there are any gaping holes on the roster. Of course, he added that the Redskins are always looking to add young talent.
  • If there’s a trade out there that makes sense, Allen would like to make a move to acquire more draft picks. On the other hand, as one of teams currently without a first-round pick, Washington is unlikely to jump back into the first via trade.
  • Jackson, who had been suspended indefinitely in 2012 for violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, will take a physical today, and assuming he meets all of the NFL’s conditions, the Redskins might give him a chance to earn a roster spot, according to Allen.
  • Allen has had no discussions with other teams about a trade involving No. 2 quarterback Kirk Cousins.
  • Not having a first-round pick, and the added financial flexibility that comes along with that, didn’t play a factor in Washington’s pursuit of DeSean Jackson, says Allen.
  • The Redskins aren’t targeting a specific position in the draft, and will stick to their draft board and opt for the best player available. Allen also mentioned multiple times that Washington will have its 2015 and 2016 rosters in mind when drafting, rather than looking for any short-term solutions.

Minor Moves: Villanueva, Tanard Jackson

This time of year, NFL teams are engaged in a flurry of transactions, signing and releasing players with little or no game experience. We’ll keep track of said minor moves in this post, and any updates will be added to the top of the list:

  • The NFL has reinstated Redskins safety Tanard Jackson, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Jackson was suspended indefinitely in 2012 for violations of the league’s substance abuse program, and hasn’t seen game action since 2011.
  • The Eagles announced they have signed defensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva to a rookie free agent contract. Villanueva is a veteran of the the U.S. Army who has risen to the rank of captain, and has served three tours in Afghanistan. He last played football as a receiver for Army in 2009. The Eagles watched the 6’9″, 277 pound Villanueva work out at the Super Regional Combine in April.