Steven Jackson: Released By Falcons

Jackson was released by the Falcons on Thursday.

Analysis:

There was never any chance Jackson would be retained under the same contract, which called for a base salary of $3.75 million in 2015. It's possible the two sides will look to work out a less costly agreement, but it probably makes more sense for Jackson to move on. While far from the dominant force we saw in St. Louis, Jackson still offers a respectable combination of power running, pass blocking, and receiving skills. He'd profile well as a backup for a contending team, if he wants to continue playing and thinks he can stay healthy. As for the Falcons, the in-house options at running back are led by 2014 fourth-round selection Devonta Freeman, with both Jacquizz Rodgers and Antone Smith slated to become unrestricted free agents.