Gabe Jackson spent his entire career with the Raiders, first in Oakland, then in Las Vegas. Throughout his seven years, Jackson has enjoyed just one winning season.
After his trade to the Seattle Seahawks, the 29-year-old guard is ready to start winning regularly with a new organization.
“All I know is I’m excited to join the 12s and meet my other brothers,” Jackson said, via the team’s official website. “(I’m excited about) the team, the players that I know are there, the coaching staff, the fan base, the 12s. I remember playing against them and how loud it gets there. They win. I want to be a part of an organization that’s like that.”
Since Jackson entered the NFL as a third-round pick in 2014, the Seahawks have never won fewer than nine games and only missed the postseason once in that span.
Jackson said joining a new organization for the first time in his career was like getting a fresh start.
“It almost feels like draft day, I feel like I’m a rookie all over again,” he said. “I get to go somewhere and meet new people, and just start over.”
The Seahawks not only traded a fifth-round pick for Jackson, but they also gave the guard a new contract. Jackson signed a three-year, $22.575 million extension, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source, including a $9 million signing bonus and an additional $7.075 million in guarantees.
This offseason, Russell Wilson was vocal about the Seahawks needing to upgrade their blocking. Jackson was one big piece of acquiescing the star quarterback. The guard said Tuesday that blocking for Wilson doesn’t come with any added pressure.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Jackson said, per Pro Football Talk. “I mean, as an offensive lineman or a player in general, I feel like you’re always under a microscope. But the best thing you can do is just be yourself and work hard, take coaching and just do your best, and if you do everything right, you train right, you practice right, and all that, I mean it will pay off on Sundays. Just do the small things.”
Jackson hopes doing those small things will help keep Wilson upright longer, and, in turn, the guard will finally be part of a consistent winner.
