Steven Jackson made the expected official Thursday, when he voided his contract with the St. Louis Rams.
Jackson now gets a five-day head-start on other free-agent running backs still tied to their current teams. Jackson has made it clear he'd like to play for a contender, which gives credence to the speculation connecting him to the Atlanta Falcons.
But it remains unclear if Jackson values playing time above all else. Jackson wants to contend for a Super Bowl, sure, but he also believes he can be a every-down back.
"For where I'm at, going into Year 10, I'm not ready to step back and just become a primary backup or a reduced role guy to be part of a running back by committee," Jackson said Thursday on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "I still have a lot left in my tank. I still have a lot left to offer to a team. We're not talking about someone that's in Year 12 or 13."
Would Jackson accept a part-time role with a contender?
"Well, that's where a very open dialogue has to take place," he said. "I have opted out of my position of being with the team and being comfortable because I want to continue to still be the bell cow. So that's how I want teams to look at me, that's how I'm going to shop myself, and we'll cross that bridge when we get there if that's not the feedback we're receiving."
From where we stand, Jackson sure sounds like a guy who still believes he can carry the ball 300 times and get it done. Is there a team that will promise that role to him? It would be surprising but not impossible.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
