Jackson: I Work Hard Enough

Tarvaris Jackson's accuracy has been called into question before, and it's hard to find a Vikings fan who hasn't wondered about his readiness to be an NFL starter, but now he's having to defend himself against another even more serious charge -- that he's not a hard enough worker.

Teammate Pat Williams said on Sirius radio this week that Jackson needs to work harder if he expects to develop into a quality NFL quarterback. Williams was pretty blunt about it.

"I talk to Tarvaris all the time and tell him you have to put in the time. This ain't college no more. This is the NFL. You have to put in more time than you are used to putting in. If you are putting in four hours, you have to put in eight. You have to put in more time than what he's doing. I think if he puts the right time in, he will be a great quarterback in the league."

The comments have put Jackson on the defensive, especially since they came from a well-respected teammate. But Jackson seems somewhat baffled about what Williams is talking about.

"My first year, I had to figure it out. Now, I've pretty much figured it out. I'm studying more. I feel like I'm doing what I've got to do and that's pretty much all I've got say. I've put the time in, like he said, maybe I do have to put extra time in. I guess when you're not doing as well you've got to put the extra time in. But I feel like I'm working hard. I've always been a hard worker."

Jackson also said that Williams has not talked to him specifically about what he needs to do differently, although it's worth noting that as a defensive tackle, Williams may not exactly be an expert at proper quarterback preparation.

But Williams' comment may mean something else as well. If the Vikings do sign Brett Favre as is now expected, Jackson would not really have much of a role with the Vikings for the first time since his rookie year. With this being the final year of his rookie contract, Jackson would then likely become trade bait or the team's third-string quarterback heading into the season.

And if that's the case, it really won't matter how hard he works.