ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson, usually the guy who prefers to run silent and run deep, thinks it is time to make some noise about his quarterback, Robert Griffin III.

As the Redskins prepare for Sunday’s visit by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the usually media-shy Jackson took it upon himself on to defend Griffin’s leadership and role in the locker room. That leadership was criticized in an ESPN report Sunday morning before the Reskins lost to the Minnesota Vikings 29-26.

“I just felt it was needed,” Jackson said. “Silence is sometimes a good thing, but if you have a vocal opinion on a certain topic or certain situation, it needs to be spoken.

“As players, we have to understand the importance of supporting each other. We’re in this locker room together. We work so hard. We compete and do all (those) great things. But if everyone’s not on one page, it’s hard to get the benefit of the doubt.”

Griffin appreciated Jackson going public with his support

“That’s what teammates do,” Griffin said. “That’s what a family is. I think we’re getting closer as a family on this team.”

As to the reports that he is not liked by some of his teammates, Griffin seemed almost casual as he discussed it with the media Wednesday.

“You like everybody you work with?” he said to the assemebled press. “It’s really not even about that.

“What we’re focusing on and what DJack did stress, and what (safety) Ryan Clark has stressed and other guys, other leaders have stressed — (defensive linemen) Jason Hatcher), (Stephen) Bowen, (Barry) Cofield — is that we can’t let anybody try to tear us apart from the outside in. It’s been pushed and pushed and pushed and everybody thinks it’s coming from the inside-out, but we’re strong in that locker room. And we feel like we can’t let any of these reports or anything divide us.”

Jackson, whose moodiness played a large part in his surprising release by Philadelphia in March after a Pro Bowl season in 2013, said he told the 24-year-old Griffin not to try to take all of the Redskins’ struggles on his shoulders.

Jackson said he told Griffin, “‘Can’t have the world on your shoulder. You have players around you, people around you to help you and make it easier on yourself. That’s why you have receivers … like me, (Pierre) Garcon, and the rest of the players on the offense. Depend on everybody else. Don’t feel like you have to put everything on your own shoulders.'”

Coach Jay Gruden was happy that Jackson defended the quarterback, whom the first-year coach said was “thick-skinned” after receiving so much criticism during the last two seasons.

“DeSean doesn’t say a whole lot,” Gruden said. “He usually sits there with his hood on. It’s good. He’s starting to open up a little bit, and people have a lot of respect for him as a football player, obviously, for what he does when the lights are on. But now that he’s starting to be a little more vocal behind the scenes, it’s good to see.”

NOTES: NT Barry Cofield was activated Tuesday and practiced Wednesday for the first time since he went on injured reserve with ankle and groin ailments. … TE Logan Paulsen (foot) was limited in practice Wednesday.