Did the Eagles Err in Cutting DeSean Jackson?

DeSean Jackson was supposedly replaceable.

Why else would the Philadelphia Eagles release a Pro Bowl receiver in his prime? Regardless of the rationale for that move, which took place as the 28-year-old was embroiled in off-the-field controversy back in March, it wouldn't have been made if head coach Chip Kelly and his cohorts felt it could hurt them on the field. 

However, in their first year sans Jackson, the Philadelphia offense has been considerably worse than it was in 2013. And partly as a result of that, the Eagles' season will come to an end Sunday when they play a meaningless game against the New York Giants.

Here is what the numbers say entering Week 17:

Category	2013	2014*
Points/game	26.8	24.7
Yards/game	417.3	394.8
Yards/play	6.3	5.6
20-yard plays	99	72
40-yard plays	23	15

Of course, that doesn't mean we can simply pin this all on Jackson.

Kelly and Co. were gambling that wide receivers Jeremy Maclin, Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff and catch-happy running back Darren Sproles, all of whom weren't on the roster last year, could come together to make up for the catches, yards and touchdowns Jackson accumulated in 2013.

Not a crazy bet to make, and all four of those guys have produced to a satisfactory level this season, while second-year tight end Zach Ertz has also stepped it up. 

Receiver(s)	REC	REC%	YDS	TD	Deep REC
DeSean Jackson, 2013	82	65	1332	9	16
Jeremy Maclin, 2014*	82	62	1269	10	9

But you must consider that Philly's top-flight offensive line benefited from a lot more continuity last season, when all five starters were in the lineup for all 16 games. This year, they've lost right tackle Lane Johnson for four games (suspension), center Jason Kelce for four games (groin injury), left guard Evan Mathis for seven games (sprained MCL) and right guard Todd Herremans for seven games and counting (torn biceps). 

With the line in shambles, quarterback Nick Foles struggled early before suffering a broken clavicle, which has also left the Eagles with backup quarterback Mark Sanchez in a starting role for the entire second half of the season. 

Find me a team that can avoid taking a step backward in a situation like that? 

Still, it also has to be noted that Jackson led the NFL with 16 deep receptions last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). 

Jackson caught 48.5 percent of the 20-plus-yard throws that came his way last season, which was the second-highest rate in the league. This year, Maclin and Riley Cooper have pulled in only 25.0 percent of their deep balls. If they were one receiver, they'd rank 61st among 73 qualifying players in that category. 

"As a team they have only 10 completions of 50 yards or more," wrote NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks. "Jackson alone has recorded eight catches at least that long in his first season with the Redskins."

But as the broad numbers above indicate, it's not as though the Philly offense fell off a cliff this season despite the loss of Jackson, who was due to make $30.5 million over the final three years of his contract. Considering the money and potential headaches being saved, I'm not sure it'd be fair to conclude that Kelly is being dishonest when he says he doesn't regret cutting Jackson loose. 

Jackson was pretty good in Washington this year, averaging an insane 20.1 yards per catch and going over 1,000 yards, but there already have been questions about his durability, and he struggled to produce consistently while being hampered by a leg injury for much of the second half of the season. 

So while it's natural for Eagles fans to wonder what could have been with Jackson, especially after he torched his former team for 126 yards while helping the Redskins eliminate Philly from playoff contention in Week 16, we should probably wait to see how a healthier Eagles team fares in 2015 before drawing any grand conclusions regarding the front office's controversial decision to release him. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon