Vincent Jackson signed his $11 million franchise tender with the Chargers on Friday afternoon. Jackson missed last year's training camp and most of the season because of a salary dispute. However, he said there isn't bad blood between him and the team. "When I came in this afternoon, it was like a reunion with your family," Jackson said in his first public comments since January. "Guys welcomed me with open arms." During the lockout, Jackson was one of 10 named plaintiffs in the antitrust lawsuit filed against team owners. He said it was "kind of a shock" to learn of media accounts that depicted him as a lead plaintiff who could hold up the next labor pact. "I'm not sure where that came from," Jackson said. "There was just a group of plaintiffs in the lawsuit, and I was one of many plaintiffs, and we were all in the pursuit of the same thing."

The Chargers and safety Eric Weddle have agreed to terms on a five-year, $40 million deal, according to sources. The agreement includes $19 million in guaranteed money. The deal is the largest ever given to a safety.

Takeo Spikes, the productive veteran linebacker who served as the 49ers' union representative during the labor negotiations, agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the Chargers on Tuesday. Spikes will be reunited with Greg Manusky, the former 49ers defensive coordinator who now serves in that role for the Chargers. The contract agreement was first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson will sign his tender with the team, according to a league source. Jackson, 28, who had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2008 and 2009, received San Diego's non-exclusive franchise tag in February, but did not sign the tag before owners initiated the lockout.

Vincent Jackson's future with the Chargers remains uncertain even though the NFL lockout has ended. "Vincent is a great player for us and we drafted him with high expectations," San Diego general manager A.J. Smith said. "As you know, we have decided to move slowly toward any long-term commitment at this time. But if he and his agents' five-year, $50 million position remains steadfast, the odds are extremely high that he will be headed elsewhere. We have so many players to consider -- both short-term and long-term over the next two years." The Chargers, like the other 31 NFL clubs, have a short period of time to hammer out their priorities before shaping their 2011 roster in a hectic and lockout-shortened offseason. "It's much too early to be lining up a priority list right now," Smith added. "But I strongly believe to maintain a winning program that is consistently competitive and player caliber every year, you just cannot pay all your great players maximum contracts. Hard decisions must be made all the time in the NFL. We make them here. The potential of Vincent's situation being a very difficult decision for us is real, for sure."

Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson won't be an added issue in the NFL's labor talks. ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reports that Jackson has finally decided to give up on his claim to money or franchise tag considerations in exchange for being a plaintiff in the Brady antitrust case.

While there is a chance that Vincent Jackson could play elsewhere this fall, the belief is that the wide receiver will remain with the Chargers. San Diego placed their franchise tag on Jackson, which would pay him a handsome sum of money for 2011. Jackson wants to remain in San Diego, but he believes he has played long enough and well enough to have earned a multi-year deal.

The agents for Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson and Patriots guard Logan Mankins are demanding that their clients either become unrestricted free agents or receive $10 million as part of a settlement of the NFL antitrust case. Jackson and Mankins are among the 10 plaintiffs in the suit and have been designated franchise players by their respective teams. Both opted to sit out much of the 2010 season after failing to reach long-term agreements with their respective teams. Jackson skipped the first 10 games of the season, returning in Week 12. Mankins held out for the Patriots' first seven games and was selected to the Pro Bowl for his performance in the remaining nine.

Steve Smith has long been reported to want out of Carolina and the Panthers quietly shopped him prior to the beginning of the NFL lockout. The Charlotte Observer writes that Smith's preferred destinations would be Baltimore or San Diego because he wants to play for a contender.

The Dolphins are expected to rebuild their backfield and a running back for third down situations will be vital. Pat Kirwan of NFL.com writes that San Diego's Darren Sproles or Atlanta's Jason Snelling could be good fits for Miami.