Though he wasn't practicing Wednesday, the news was still good for Fred Jackson's ailing thumb and wrist. X-rays taken on the joint were negative, and there's a chance the running back could even practice on Thursday.
"I feel good," said Jackson. "It was a little scary yesterday when I first did it, but I feel fine right now. That's always a good thing when the x-rays come back negative. So I'm enthusiastic about that and hopefully I can get back as soon as possible."
Head coach Dick Jauron was also breathing a sigh of relief knowing Jackson is his starting running back for the first three games of the season while Marshawn Lynch serves his league-imposed suspension.
"It was pretty sore, but we're really happy with the outcome," said Jauron. "It's a sprained wrist, and it was just too sore to practice (Wednesday). I don't know about tomorrow, but we'll see. But it was good news."
Jackson said his wrist and thumb had been bothering him for about a week leading up to Tuesday's practice when he aggravated it further on a run play when he and Donte Whitner collided.
"It was just a little bothersome before that," he said. "But I'm excited about getting the x-rays back and they're all being negative. I'm going to try to get back as soon as I can because we've still got work to do and I still need to be out there with those guys."
Jackson expects to be 100 percent for the season opener, and is not even going to rule out Saturday night's preseason game at Pittsburgh.
"We'll see," said Jackson when asked about Saturday's game. "I'm coming out here (Thursday). We'll see how much I do tomorrow and how things go and I think that will tell me what Saturday holds for me."
