Fred Jackson says he’s ready for increased role in Seahawks’ backfield if needed

After spending his first eight seasons in Buffalo, it looks like Seahawks running back Fred Jackson might finally play on a playoff team. And, after Thomas Rawls’ season-ending injury, he might be thrust into an even bigger role than earlier this season.

The Seahawks re-signed Bryce Brown Monday and Jackson is expected to remain as their third-down back, but he told “Bob, Groz and Tom” he’s ready for more.

“I’ve always been a guy that’s wanted to be out there as much as possible, getting the ball as much as possible. We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “I don’t know what my role is going to be just yet, but I know that I’ll be ready for whatever role it is that they ask me to take… If that’s me carrying the ball 30 times, you know I’m up for that. If that’s me carrying it two or three times, that’s what they’re asking me to do, I’ll get that done, too.”

With their backfield in flux, the Seahawks’ improving offensive line becomes even more important. The 34-year-old Jackson said he can feel the confidence in the offensive line growing.

“They’re understanding how to play off of each other,” he said. “It was something that they had to begin to jell at the beginning of the year and Tom Cable is doing a tremendous job of getting those guys ready week-in and week-out, and as long as the coaching staff is doing that for them and what the abilities that all of those guys have up front, it’s really coming to fruition what we wanted those guys to be for us coming into the season.”

With the Bills riding a nearly 16-year playoff drought, the longest in the NFL, Jackson acknowledges it’s a different kind of ride in Seattle.

“It means something,” he said. “When you get into December and you control your own destiny, so to speak, it’s a lot of fun to be apart of and that’s something that I haven’t had the opportunity to do. So to have that opportunity for the first time is something that I’m really relishing in the moment and doing everything that I can to make sure that I’m ready to go out there and contribute and do whatever it is I can to make sure that we get back into the playoffs and get a chance to make a run at another Super Bowl.”