It certainly has been an active week for running back Fred Jackson.
The veteran has gone from being cut by the Buffalo Bills to landing with the Seattle Seahawks, and his new team claims he could have substantial role in Week 1 against the St. Louis Rams.
Bob Condotta of the The Seattle Times reported that head coach Pete Carroll was “amazed” with Jackson’s quick ability to learn the team’s playbook. The veteran must have made a smashing first impression, because Carroll had nothing but high praise to share.
“He ran the whole offense today,” Carroll said of Jackson, per the newspaper. “I don’t know how he got it all done, but he got it done in a day.”
Carroll also said that Jackson would “play a lot” in Sunday’s season opener against the Rams.
“He’s going to give us some real secure play right now coming out of the backfield and doing some things for us that we need some help on.”
Jackson will be Marshawn Lynch’s main backup and is in line to catch passes and block for quarterback Russell Wilson on the third downs, according to Carroll. This is something that the Seahawks never had with the Robert Turbin, who was released, or Christine Michael, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
As for Jackson’s feelings about his new home and being reunited with Lynch, he couldn’t appear to be more overjoyed.
“I couldn’t have picked a better place to come to,” Jackson said. “This is the best thing that could have happened to me.”
Jackson, who never made it to the playoffs while with Bills, certainly has a much better chance for that dream to come true with Seattle, which he claimed was “the No. 1 motivating factor” in making the move.