Vincent Jackson’s 2016 campaign may be over as well as his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers announced on Tuesday that Jackson has been placed on injured reserve after hurting his knee in a Week 5 victory over the Carolina Panthers. A subsequent MRI revealed an ACL injury for the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.
“This is obviously very disappointing for me personally,” Jackson said in a statement. “I had high hopes for this season because I know what we are capable of accomplishing as a team. My top priority going into every season is being out there with my teammates and helping my team any way possible. While I may not be on the field for the foreseeable future, I will be focused on beginning my rehab as soon as possible and finding ways to support my teammates in whatever way I can.”
The 33-year-old Jackson, who will become a free agent after the season, had logged 15 receptions for 173 yards in five games last season. After four straight years of appearing in all 16 games and logging 1000-plus receiving yards dating back to his time with the San Diego Chargers, Jackson has had a hard time staying healthy since, having been hobbled by an MCL sprain in 2015.
The Buccaneers, who already placed Charles Sims on injured reserve last week and have also had to deal with the multi-week absence of Doug Martin, may now be forced to give a colossal number of targets of Mike Evans in the passing game. Meanwhile, Jackson could be a candidate for retirement in the wake of this devastating presumptive ending to his 12th season in the league.
