Agents: Chargers limit Jackson's trade options

San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson(notes) was denied permission by the Chargers to talk to other teams besides the Seattle Seahawks about a trade, says Jackson's agents.

That has left agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod to conclude that the Chargers have no interest in trading Jackson, who is unwilling to play under the one-year tender the team extended to him as a restricted free agent.

Vincent Jackson goes up for a catch against the Jets' Darrelle Revis.
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Close company?

Vincent Jackson wants a salary comparable to that of Lee Evans, Roddy White, Roy Williams and Brandon Marshall. A look at their stats over the past three seasons:

"I asked the Chargers if we could talk to the rest of the teams in the NFL," Schwartz said. "They said there were certain teams they didn't want to trade him to, and I said, 'Fine, tell me those teams and we can exclude them.' Even after that, they said no, so the only conclusion I can come to is they don't want to trade him."

Schwartz and Feinsod said approximately a half-dozen teams have expressed interest in Jackson, but were directed to speak with the Chargers. Seattle is the only team to have received written permission from San Diego to talk to Jackson, even though opening the market to other teams would seem to be a logical next move if the Chargers want to trade him.

In addition, Schwartz said he asked the Chargers what the team would want in exchange for Jackson, but were rebuffed on that front as well.

"We are trying to actively help [the Chargers] facilitate a trade so it can be a win for us and a win for the Chargers," Schwartz said. "This way, Vincent can move on with another team and the Chargers can get something for him.

"We never asked for a trade until [Tuesday]. Prior to that, the Chargers gave Seattle permission to talk to us. After that became public last week, four or five teams called us to ask about a trade, and we instructed them to talk to the Chargers because we didn't have permission to speak with any other team."

The Chargers' Vincent Jackson (83) battles the Titans' Michael Griffin on Dec. 25, 2009.
(Rex Brown/Getty Images)

Both Schwartz and Feinsod said they have had no recent conversation with either the Chargers or Seahawks about a long-term contract for Jackson. In fact, both said that the subject of a long-term deal has not been broached with the Chargers in the past 12 months.

"Vincent would love to continue playing for Chargers, but not under the present terms," Feinsod said.

The Chargers initially tendered Jackson a one-year deal worth $3.268 million as a restricted free agent. When Jackson did not sign the deal by June 15, the team reduced the tender to $583,000.

Schwartz and Feinsod say the amount of money Jackson could earn this season without a long-term deal is not worth the risk of playing because of the potential to get hurt. Both have cited the injury suffered by running back Leon Washington(notes) last year with the New York Jets as an example.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith declined to discuss the subject. The Chargers have not publicly discussed Jackson or left tackle Marcus McNeill's(notes) contract situation since the beginning of training camp. McNeill also has not reported.

Schwartz and Feinsod have compared Jackson with the likes of fellow wide receivers Brandon Marshall(notes), Lee Evans(notes), Roy Williams and Roddy White(notes) when talking about where they'd like Jackson's contract to fall. (Schwartz and Feinsod also represent White.)

All four of those other wide receivers, whose stats are comparable to Jackson's at the point where they got a new contract, received deals that included at least $27 million in the first three years. Marshall, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins this past offseason, received the most recent and most lucrative deal among that quartet with $28.5 million.

The comparison to Marshall also is important because Marshall has a long history of off-field problems. Jackson has been suspended for the first three games of this season after pleading guilty to a second charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Prior to getting a new contract, Marshall was suspended earlier in his career, and has had at least four run-ins with the law. Among those are a domestic violence charge and a DUI charge.

After playing a limited role in each of his first two seasons, Jackson has 198 receptions, 3,400 yards receiving and 25 touchdown catches for his career. Jackson's 17.8 yards per catch average over the past two seasons leads the NFL among receivers with at least 100 receptions. His 17.2 yards per catch career average is the highest among the five players.

The two sides have become increasingly entrenched in their positions as Jackson has stayed away from the team. Last week, the Chargers put Jackson on the roster exempt list, meaning he could miss between three and six additional weeks if he reports to the team.

It's unclear if Jackson will report at all this season. He needs to play in only six games to earn another accrued season toward free agency. Jackson is a five-year veteran, and it takes six years to become an unrestricted free agent under the current collective bargaining agreement. However, if the CBA is renegotiated before next season, it's expected that the time will be reduced to four years to unrestricted free agency.

When asked if Jackson will show up at some point this season, Schwartz said: "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."