Five Reasons The Eagles Should Not Give DeSean Jackson a Big Contract
DeSean Jackson dropped in the 2008 draft because of who he was as a person, not because of his value as a football player.
It lead to Donnie Avery, Devin Thomas, Jordy Nelson, James Hardy, Eddie Royal and Jerome Simpson being selected before the California standout.
Since then he has outplayed all of those players, but he is only due $565,000 next season.
It's a great deal for the Eagles while Jackson, who after three years as a pro already has two Pro Bowls, feels slighted and wants a contract worthy of a No. 1 receiver.
The biggest problem for Jackson and his agent Drew Rosenhaus is they are up against one of the smartest teams in the NFL when it comes to financial decisions.
Once the Eagles weigh in all of the factors, it would be foolish to think they are going to cough up a lot of dough to make Jackson happy.
The following five reasons will ultimately cost Jackson his big pay day.
Injury Concerns
1 of 5
No one is going to question Jackson's toughness.
He has played through injuries, bounced back from concussions and still played at a high level.
The one thing fans can question is his durability.
At some point Jackson's small frame and threshold for pain will only be able to tolerate so much. To pay someone top dollar, you need to believe he won't miss extended amounts of time.
In his three-year career, Jackson has played in 16, 15, and now 14 games. At what point do you start to wonder if he will miss more games?
Distractions
2 of 5
Okay. The Eagles give in, pay Jackson the big bucks and then what?
Will Jackson's already swollen ego, enlarge to epic proportions and cause discontent in the locker room?
Is this going to cause other players to publicly cry for more money?
Michael Vick may see a contract extension as a slap in the face. Jeremy Maclin may see this as an opportunity to have significant leverage when he wants to re-up his deal.
Yes, Jackson may cause a bigger distraction if he doesn't get paid, but that will quickly go away once he realizes the Eagles can move on without him. That leads us to the next point.
Depth at Receiver
3 of 5
In 1999, Andy Reid's first year as head coach, the Eagles top five receivers were Torrance Small (49), Duce Staley (41), Charles Johnson (34), Luther Broughton (26), and Na Brown (18).
Fast forward to 2011 and the Eagles will actually have depth at a position they once undervalued thanks to receivers Jackson, Maclin, Jason Avant, Chad Hall and Riley Cooper.
Eventually parting ways with Jackson would leave a noticeable void at the position, but the Eagles could certainly overcome it.
Last season Maclin began to produce like a first-round draft pick capable of being a team's No. 1 target.
The second-year pro hauled in 70 catches and scored 10 touchdowns. Without Jackson around the receptions would rise considerably while the touchdowns would probably hover around double digits.
The biggest concern would then shift to who would replace Maclin as the team's No. 2 receiver.
It would require someone like Cooper, who only caught seven passes, to pick up a lot of the slack. The offense may struggle at times, but as you will read the offense is not what the Eagles need to worry about.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Spend The Money on Bigger Needs
4 of 5
The Eagles need offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers, cornerbacks and a safety.
Showering Jackson with money is the last thing President Joe Banner and General Manager Howie Rosemen should think about.
Offensviely the Eagles are good enough to win a Super Bowl. Defensively they aren't good enough to make the playoffs.
Pay Jackson the $565,000 he is due next season and break the bank on shutdown corner Nnmadi Asomugha.
Focus on being able to stop somebody instead of trying to outscore the opposition.
Take a shot at defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, or linebacker Chad Greenway if and when they hit the free agent market.
Those are the players who can take the Eagles from first-round playoff exits to legitmate Super Bowl contenders.
Where's The Value?
5 of 5
DeSean Jackson wants and expects the Eagles to rework his current contract and pay him like a No. 1 receiver.
His numbers and game don't suggest he is worthy of being paid as a top-notch wideout. In three seasons with the Eagles Jackson has hauled in 62, 63 and 47 passes while only finding the endzone two, nine and six times.
To put his career 172 receptions and 17 touchdowns in perspective take a look at Roddy White's 2010 season. In one year White racked up 115 receptions and found paydirt 10 times.
Do you really feel like Jackson is the type of receiver who can go over the middle on a consistent basis or does he appear to be a receiver who runs a go-route more often than not?
Running downfield patterns is great for highlights and fantasy football points.
It's also the best way to get shut down in big games.
In five career playoff games Jackson has 16 receptions, two touchdowns, and never eclipsed the 100 receiving yards.
Those aren't the numbers you expect from a true No. 1 receivers and those are the reasons Jackson shouldn't get a big raise from the Eagles.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")