Washington Nationals Reportedly Sign RHP Edwin Jackson; John Lannan Trade Rumors Swirl.

• UPDATE - 2:20 pm EST - Making it official: @NationalPR: "#Nationals have agreed to terms with RHP Edwin Jackson on a one-year contract, pending a physical."

What began as a pretty good day for 27-year-old Washington Nationals' lefty John Lannan, (he lost his arbitration case against the Nats but will make $5M this year after earning $2.75M in 2011), took a dramatic turn shortly thereafter as FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi reported this afternoon that the Washington Nationals are "aggressively shopping" Lannan, "... with the goal of signing free-agent right-hander Edwin Jackson to a one-year contract." MLB.com's Bill Ladson (@washingnats) chimed in on the Twitter, writing that, "The #Nats are hoping to trade LHP John Lannan for a position player, maybe a center fielder." After mentioning free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt as a potential target for Washington in the initial reports, FOXSports.com's Mr. Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) followed up on Twitter by writing that sources were telling him the, "... #Nationals' target is E. Jackson, not Oswalt. Move hinges on whether they can trade Lannan."

Whether or not they'll eventually deal Lannan, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) is now reporting that the Nationals and Edwin Jackson are in agreement on a deal pending a physical:

@JonHeymanCBS: "edwin jackson in agreement with #nationals on deal. (he was seen in airport for physical)."

@JonHeymanCBS: "edwin jackson deal is obvs pending physical. since thats what he was in wash for. $ is not known."

Reports so far say that the Nationals and Jackson have agreed a one-year deal. More info when it's available...

Washington Times' writer Amanda Comak (@acomack) wrote after confirming that a deal with Jackson is in place pending a physical that no deal with Lannan is imminent in spite of the speculation.

Lannan, an 11th Round pick out of Siena College in 2005, was (10-13) in 2011, his fifth major league season, posting a career low 3.70 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 76 BB (3.70 BB/9) and 106 K's (5.17 K/9) in 33 starts and 184.2 IP. Lannan's (38-51) with a 4.00 ERA in his career, a 4.61 career FIP, 282 walks (3.38 BB/9) and 393 K's (4.71 K/9) in 128 starts and 751.0 IP since his July 26, 2007 debut.

Jackson, a 28-year-old free agent, hit the pitching market after a (12-9) 2011 season with the Chicago White Sox and World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals in which he had a 3.79 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 62 walks (2.79 BB/9) and 148 K's (6.67 K/9)in 32 G, 31 GS and 199.2 IP. In his career, he's a .500 pitcher at (60-60) in 203 games and 1079.0 IP over which he's walked 439 (3.66 BB/9) and struck out 801 (6.68 K/9).

FOXSports.com's Mr. Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) is now writing that Jackson's deal with the Nats is believed to be for, "One-year deal expected to be in $10 million range."

Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) writes that the Nats will likely head to Spring Training with Lannan and any deal would likely come then...

The Nationals have been tied to Jackson before, with rumors connecting the two when Adam Dunn was being shopped around the league at the 2010 trade deadline. The right-hander was reportedly entertaining several multi-year deals earlier this week, but the idea is that a one-year deal will allow the right-hander who found himself unsigned with ten days before pitchers and catchers report to hit the market again next winter after he's spent the season pitching alongside Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Chien-Ming Wang and Ross Detwiler.

Where will John Lannan get dealt? Will another Nats' starter go instead? Does anyone have more value than Lannan? Is there any way Washington keeps all these arms? Did signing EJax before trading Lannan put the Nationals in a position where they have less leverage over teams interested in Lannan?

More when there is more...