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Unless you’ve been in a comma or living under a rock, you’ve heard every last rumor under the sun about what team Vincent Jackson will play for this year or if he’ll play at all, but it appears that things have started to clear up a little bit.

Jackson has the ability to play week 5 as long as he’s traded to another team by this coming Wednesday and recent rumors have reported that one team already has a deal in place, provided the Chargers accept the terms of the trade.

The biggest question marks surrounding Jackson this off-season are what kind of game shape he’s going to be in and if he can absorb a team’s playbook when he arrives.

While most reports have him heading to Minnesota, I’m going to be breaking down how Vincent Jackson will fit into the following three offenses that are looking to acquire the disgruntled pass-catcher via trade and tell you why he would instantly upgrade all three.

Minnesota Vikings – The need at the WR position is blatantly obvious after two terrible offensive performances by Brett Favre to start the year. They do not have a physical receiver that can catch the contested passes and stretch the field deep. Minnesota owner Zigi Wilf has previously stated that “We’re All In” so the sense of urgency is clear for the franchise and veteran Brett Favre who would likely share instant chemistry with a player like Jackson, especially since he has a similar skill set to Sidney Rice.

Jackson would be an instant playmaker in the Vikings offense and he would likely start opposite Percey Harvin w/ Greg Camarillo rotating into 3 WR sets. Bernard Berrian might get into the rotation again provided he relearns how to properly catch a football but if Jackson is in town, we might not see much more of Berrian this season. Look for Jackson to do exactly what he did in San Diego, he’ll catch a lot of jump balls, stretch the field for the running game, and he’s a fine up-field blocker.

Seattle Seahawks – Everybody knows about rookie Golden Tate, the Deion Branch rejuvenation effort, and of course the Mike Williams renaissance project out at Tweet Carroll’s Seahawks frat party in Seattle but none of these guys are a legitimate number one. The Seahawks under Rich Dennison and Pete Carroll have the looks of a passing offense but they need a reliable number one to go to and right now Jackson would be a significant upgrade over any player on the Seahawks’ offense. A veteran like Matt Hasselbeck would probably be chomping at the bit to work with a player the talent of Jackson.

The Seahawks would also be a nice transition for Jackson, as they run a west coats style offense that would utilize him in more of a possession role and move him all around in the lineup. He would still be able to stretch the field but he’s also give Seattle another imposing match-up to go along with John Carlson and Mike Williams. Applying a short possession passing game would also help alleviate the Seahawks offensive line struggles and give Jackson a chance to have a few more receptions per game than he’s been used to in the past.

Washington Redskins – Yet another team with no real identity at the wide receiver position. Santana Moss is one hell of an athlete but he’s more of a glorified deep threat and he’s also getting a little long in the tooth at age 31. The Redskins have gotten absolutely nothing from Malcolm Kelley and they’ve had next to nothing from Devin Thomas, a player they drafted high in the second round ahead of other wide receivers named Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson.

The healing could finally begin if Washington decides to bring Vincent Jackson in and let him work wonders with Donovan McNabb, a veteran QB that loves airing it out deep. Jackson would also be a very good fit in Mike Shanahan’s offense but more importantly, he would enter a group of skill position players that would be a great supporting cast for him. Moss would start opposite Jackson, giving Chris Cooley even more openings against secondaries and the running game might actually have a chance to breathe if the field is a little more open.

Bottom Line – Like I’ve said in this whole off-season, Vincent Jackson is a great player and he’s going to be able to do what he’s done for the Chargers on any team. Regardless of if he’s in tip-top shape or fully digested a playbook, he’s still going to have a two week window before even touches the field again which will give him plenty of time to get ready.

On top of all this, Jackson is a big bodied receiver that thrives in jump ball situations and stretches a defense deep with his imposing size, leaping ability, and speed. He’ll be an instant red-zone threat for any team and whatever passing game he finds himself in, he’ll be heavily involved as the season progresses. I’ve already drafted him late in a few leagues but now is the time to buy low if you still can because there’s a very good chance Jackson will be a WR#1 in fantasy when he’s back on the field.

Height: 6′5″
Weight: 230 lbs
Experience: 6th season
College: Northern Colorado
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to joe@thefantasyexchange.com