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Vincent Jackson on trade talk: 'I'm happy here in Tampa'

 
Vincent Jackson has a team-high 25 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns this year, but is also paid among the top 10 receivers in the league, with a base salary of $10 million and two years left on his contract. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Vincent Jackson has a team-high 25 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns this year, but is also paid among the top 10 receivers in the league, with a base salary of $10 million and two years left on his contract. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Published Oct. 24, 2014

TAMPA — Bucs WR Vincent Jackson has reportedly drawn interest from other NFL teams before next week's trade deadline, but the 31-year-old said Thursday he wants to help turn around his team in Tampa Bay.

"In this business, those kind of things get talked about quite often. Each and every year, there's going to be guys moved around to different teams," Jackson said. "I'm not surprised by it. Obviously I appreciate teams' interest, but I'm happy here in Tampa. I've heard nothing here that would suggest I'm going anywhere. I'm going to let that pass on and keep doing my job."

NFL Network's Ian Rapaport reported Sunday that the Bucs were getting "tons of calls" about Jackson, who hasn't been to the playoffs since 2006-09 with San Diego. Jackson has a team-high 25 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns this year, but is also paid among the top 10 receivers in the league, with a base salary of $10 million and two years left on his contract.

Familiar foe: Bucs OT Anthony Collins spent his first six years in the NFL in Cincinnati, with Vikings coach Mike Zimmer as the Bengals' defensive coordinator, so there's a familiarity with what he'll line up against Sunday.

"I played against that for six years. I know the ins and outs of that and I'm schooling my soldiers about a Mike Zimmer defense," Collins said. "It's fun this week. We'll be ready to play Sunday."

Collins complimented the Vikings defense, especially DE Eversen Griffin, who is one sack off the NFL lead with seven this season after signing a lucrative extension in free agency.

"Griff stands out. They paid him for a reason," Collins said. "Me and him will have a little fun on Sunday."

New face: The Bucs filled a need in the ailing linebacker corps Thursday, signing Orie Lemon to the active roster from the Chiefs' practice squad.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Lemon starred at Oklahoma State before joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played five games with Dallas in 2012 and has also spent time on practice squads in Dallas, Arizona and Kansas City.

Depth at linebacker is a concern for the Bucs, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said before Lemon's signing was announced. Mason Foster (shoulder) and Jonathan Casillas (hamstring) have been banged up, and coach Lovie Smith said Brandon Magee tweaked his knee during Wednesday's practice.

"It's been a revolving door at some of the positions," Frazier said.

This and that: Practice-squad CB Derrius Brooks was carted off the practice field with an injury to his right leg, though Smith said he should be okay. ... Jackson was back in pads for Thursday's practice after being limited Wednesday. The only change to the practice report was Magee not participating.

Contact Greg Auman at gauman@tampabay.com and (813) 226-3346. Follow @gregauman and @MBakerTBTimes.