Bills’ Jackson plays well no matter how much he plays

By Anthony Bialy  |   Friday, May 15, 2009  |  Comments( 200 )

Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills are set while Marshawn Lynch sits. Fred Jackson signed a deal which keeps him aboard through the 2012 season, which is promising news whether or not their top rusher has been put in time out. The NFL's best backup runner will be back to provide as many touches as his team needs during any week.

He doesn’t seem like the type who will turn complacent now that he’s got his lengthy deal; after all, it took years for Jackson to become instantly successful. His inauspicious NFL debut came when he took a single carry for a single yard on Oct. 28, 2007, against the New York Jets. And didn’t break through until his 16-carry, 82-yard performance against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 2 of that year. It was quite awhile after his 2003 graduation from Coe College that he was able to prove himself. But Jackson eventually made himself quickly indispensable.

That’s true over time: Jackson is already a historically prolific member of the franchise. His 4.6 yards per attempt is a higher rate than depth chart-topper Lynch’s, who is at 4.1 yards a try; Jackson is also ahead of players such as Thurman Thomas, Wray Carlton, Joe Cribbs, Travis Henry and Willis McGahee in terms of productivity per carry as a Bill.

More good news? He gets better with more work. Jackson has managed 5.1 yards per carry over the seven contests where he’s had at least 10 attempts. That culminated with Buffalo’s last game, a 13-0 loss to New England that saw Jackson pick up a superlative 136 yards on 27 attempts.

That’s a promising trend for a player who’s starting this season’s first three games because of Lynch's suspension. Thanks to Jackson, the offense won’t be reduced to a single dimension until Week 4 despite commissioner Benito Goodell punishing Lynch for the transgression of not hurting anyone with his gun. Even if Lynch’s suspension appeal results in a reduction of missed games, it just means Jackson can go back to his complementary role sooner.

Jackson also holds the potential to remain productive for a while. He’ll be 31 after the four-year deal expires; unlike many rushers, Jackson may even conceivably be up for another extension at this time in 2013.

Turning 30 is usually an occasion for running backs to start circulating résumés; their capacity for coping with the brutish collisions they both administer and receive usually begins eroding after that birthday. But late bloomer Jackson only has 188 NFL rushing attempts, meaning he’s not on the verge of the typical physical breakdown.

His youthfulness for his age is only one reason why the Bills couldn’t afford to risk having Jackson be grumpy all season. They wisely offered him more than a relatively crummy single-season exclusive-rights free agent deal.

Giving Jackson extra money is to their profit, anyway. He’s a robust player who’s suitably fast; more importantly, he plays well no matter his workload. Thanks to a judicious signing by management, Jackson will be around for a while to always do his job.
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