The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released safety Tanard Jackson after a failed physical, the team announced Tuesday.
"I was a little shocked, but the person I am, I accept how it comes," Jackson told the Tampa Bay Times. "I realize it's a business. It's hard to be too upset with the decision because of what I've been through, and I have no hard feelings toward the organization and wish them the best.
"I really don't know, maybe it was because I wasn't doing rehab here in Tampa after surgery but doing it in New Orleans with trainers up there. They just said they were going in a different direction. That's the way it was given to me."
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Just three months removed from shoulder surgery, Jackson's timeline wouldn't have permitted him to be ready to pass a physical at this time, his agent, Peter Schaffer, told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora. Schaffer said Jackson will be 100 percent recovered this offseason and anticipates several teams being interested in the young safety, who has been an impact player when healthy.
Jackson didn't make it to the first week of the Bucs' offseason workouts.
Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said the team wasn't happy with Jackson's growth on and off the field, according to the Times. The GM also reportedly was unaware of a failed drug test or impending sanctions from the NFL.
Jackson was suspended for a year in 2010 for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He started 10 games last season and had 35 tackles and two interceptions.
The Bucs gave Jackson a one-year extension through 2012 last October.
"Man, my shoulder (has) been injured since '09 and something that I put off and I played through a series of injuries," Jackson said. "Not to make excuses for the way I played, but I had a lot of injuries last year, two bad hamstrings and a torn rotator cuff. My body feels good right now. Obviously, there's more work to do, but I'll be ready to play football."
