6 Players Philadelphia Eagles Could Use to Replace DeSean Jackson

Andy Reid is going to shock the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase once again this offseason.

It doesn't matter if you love or loathe the guy—he is always trying to figure out ways to improve the team through creative means.

He's not afraid to trade his franchise quarterback within the division, to sign ex-convicts or to trade out of the first round.

Sometimes his moves are strokes of genius, while others make you wonder if Rich Kotite is the man behind the curtain.

When free agency starts on March 13, we will see how Reid approaches DeSean Jackson's situation.

The two-time Pro Bowler will undoubtedly seek a multi-year deal worth close to $10 million each year. But his request could go for naught if the Eagles slap the old franchise tag on him.

The latter would leave Jackson uncertain about his future and potentially create another distraction in the locker room and on the field. But the tag could also be used for an unlikely sign-and-trade situation.

And of course, there is always a possibility that Reid will let Jackson walk and replace him with one of these high-profile wide receivers.

No. 6: Dwayne Bowe

Dwayne Bowe may actually be the best receiver on this list. Unfortunately, there are other factors that could keep him away from the Eagles next year.

Bowe consistently hauls in 70-plus passes each year and is an explosive threat to find the end zone.

He has been in the NFL for five years, but many still think Bowe has the potential to become one of the game's best receivers. He's been bogged down by shoddy quarterback play and relatively poor stability from the head coach.

The blame, however, cannot be deflected when you look at Bowe's 12 dropped passes, which ranked second worst in the NFL according to the Washington Post.

Andy Reid will have a hard time ignoring that number when he compares it to Bowe's contract requests.

And then there is his diva-like attitude.

Bowe is certainly an upgrade over Jackson. But why pay top dollar for a receiver who will drop passes and cause drama when you can get more reliable production at a cheaper price?

No. 5: Steve Johnson

Over the last two years, Steve Johnson has emerged as a reliable No.1 threat despite hauling in passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick, Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm.

Imagine Johnson playing in a system with Michael Vick and enough talent around him to deflect double coverage.

In 2010 and 2011, Johnson caught a combined 158 passes for 2,077 yards and 17 touchdowns. Those are the kind of numbers DeSean Jackson could only dream of.

The downside to Johnson is obviously his maturity. He has a lot of prima donna in him, which begs the question: Why get rid of one headache and bring in another?

No. 4: Wes Welker

Asante Samuel dropped a pivotal interception the first time New England lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl.

The Patriots parted ways with the cornerback and he eventually landed in Philadelphia.

This time around, Wes Welker dropped a potential game-ending pass. Is it possible he receives the same fate as Samuel?

If he does, Philadelphia would be an incredible fit for one of the most consistent receivers in the NFL. Welker would allow Reid to get back to an offense based more on short and intermediate routes, which would only benefit Michael Vick.

Instead of asking Vick, who is not an accurate quarterback, to complete 15 and 20-yard passes, he would be tossing around five-yard passes. His accuracy would go up and it would help open up the field for Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek.

Welker will rightfully ask for big-time money. He's led the NFL in receptions three of the last five years and has cracked the 1,000-yard barrier in four of the last five years.

No. 3: Brandon Lloyd

If Steve Johnson gets credit for playing with stankness in Buffalo, then Brandon Lloyd deserves all of the praise in the world for playing with Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow, A.J. Feeley and Sam Bradford.

Lloyd will turn 31 before the season starts, but it is obvious he is entering the prime of his career.

Through his first seven seasons, Lloyd's single-season bests were 48 receptions, 733 receiving yards and six touchdowns. In 2010, Lloyd went off 77 receptions for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He went through numerous quarterback changes last year and a trade. He had a down year, yet he still came up with 70 catches for 966 yards and five touchdowns.

Lloyd routinely makes the extraordinary look routine and turns would-be incompletions into first downs. He's nearly the perfect fit for an inconsistent Michael Vick.

No. 2: Pierre Garcon

Pierre Garcon has everything the Eagles will be looking for.

He's young, explosive, relatively cheap and the perfect No. 2 receiver to play opposite Jeremy Maclin.

It may be enough to blind the Eagles from seeing his troubles with dropped passes. It's been something Indianapolis Colts fans continuously talk and worry about each year.

That's not the kind of problem Eagles fans want to deal with next year, but his value may be too much for the Eagles to pass up.

No. 1: Marques Colston

Marques Colston has a major question facing him in the free-agent market: Is he a product of the New Orleans system? Or more accurately stated, is he the product of Drew Brees?

He doesn't have numbers that jump off the stat sheet and make teams want to unload a ton of money. But then again, he's never been the focal point in the passing game due to New Orleans having an abundance of talent.

Perhaps that makes Philadelphia the perfect fit. Colston wouldn't come here expecting to haul in 100-plus passes. He would have a role and more than likely gladly accept it.

The upside to Colston is enormous. His 6'4" frame would give Vick a huge target especially in the red zone.

The Eagles may shy away from Colston because he will be turning 29 before the start of the 2012 season.