Vincent Jackson's Suspension To Be Shortened If The Chargers Trade Him

On Thursday, the NFL and NFLPA agreed that Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who is currently in the middle of a three-game suspension, can effectively miss only four games rather than six. The catch: the Chargers have to trade him. From Jason Cole at Yahoo Sports:

In effect, Jackson will have to miss the first four games of the season if he is traded by the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is already serving a three-game suspension for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. He was facing the possibility of missing three more games because the Chargers had placed him on the roster exemption list. Jackson will still have to sit three games if he reports to the Chargers.

The 27-year-old Jackson recorded his second consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2009, and there figures to be no shortage of teams interested in Jackson's services in 2010. As Cole notes, though, the Chargers may wait and see whether Jackson's willing to return to the team. Last season, Jackson was a major component in a Chargers passing attack that led the team to a 13-3 record.

For more on Jackson and the Chargers, check out SB Nation's Chargers blog, Bolts from the Blue.