Problems continued after Jackson suffered a right knee injury on Oct. 2, 2005, against Washington. Jackson had bruised the knee earlier in the season and he suffered cartilage damage against the Redskins, raising questions in his mind about whether he should have been on the field.
The cartilage damage did not show up on initial tests, and the team recommended rest. The team ruled out Jackson for the next game. Jackson, acting on the advice of his agents, sought a second opinion and later underwent surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee.
That led Jackson to wonder whether the Seahawks had rushed him back. He missed the next nine games, returning in time for the playoffs. He caught 20 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games and then underwent a second procedure after the season. He missed minicamps and training camp, maintaining he would be ready for the opener, which he was.
By then the Seahawks had shipped a 2006 third-round pick to Minnesota after signing Nate Burleson, a restricted free agent, and a 2007 first-round choice to New England for Deion Branch. When D.J. Hackett also flashed potential, setting career highs with 45 catches for 610 yards and four touchdowns, it made Jackson expendable. He has three years remaining on a six-year, $25 million deal, with salaries of $3.25 million, $4 million, and $4.75 million, a good value for a team without a top receiver.
