DeSean Jackson

Extra Points: Jackson, Jets, Gilbert, Thomas

March 29th, 2014 at 10:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

While the Chiefs were originally thought to be potential suitors for DeSean Jackson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the team has withdrawn their interest (via Twitter). Kansas City looked into the circumstances surrounding the wide receiver’s recent release, and decided to pull out of the running. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News added to Rapoport’s report, noting that the Chiefs lacked sufficient cap space to compete for Jackson’s services (via Twitter).

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

DeAngelo Hall is excited at the prospect of Jackson joining the Redskins, reports Tarik El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. “Huge, huge, man,” said Hall. “If we could add a piece like that … he’s a threat whenever the ball is in hands.” Hall added that he would be willing to serve as a mentor for his former rival. “If he’s able to come here, man, I’m going to take him under my wing and just try to put him on the right path.”
Jets‘ owner Woody Johnson spoke about the team’s recent approach to the offseason, saying, “I’m not going to use the word ‘patient’ anymore. We want to do it now,” as writes Mehta (via Twitter).
The top projected cornerback in the upcoming draft, Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert, is scheduled to visit with the Jets, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
Versatile running back DeAnthony Thomas out of Oregon has scheduled a private visit with the Falcons, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The 5’9″, 170 pound back had over 5,000 all purpose yards at Oregon, known as a dangerous receiver and returner as well as a runner.

DeSean Jackson Free Agency Rumors

March 29th, 2014 at 6:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

Rumors have been flying since DeSean Jackson‘s release earlier this week, with as many as ten teams potentially interested in acquiring the recently embattled wide receiver on the open market. The first team that will get a crack at Jackson (unless he makes a surprise visit on Sunday) will be the Redskins, with whom Jackson will visit on Monday, according to Diana Marie Russini of NBC News 4 in Washington D.C. (via Twitter).

Here are some other notes from teams connected to Jackson:

Raider Nation has been making a push for Jackson, as the fans have taken to Twitter to persuade the organization to sign the play making wide receiver. The hashtag #DJaxToOakland is trending, with seemingly endless pleas to bring in Jackson.
NFL cap, contract, and analytics specialist Brian McIntyre reported that with $18.3MM in cap space, the Raiders have the edge on getting Jackson if they are willing to spend to acquire his services (via Twitter).
The Jets were thought to be linked to Jackson, due to his history with quarterback Michael Vick and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhingweg. However, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports that the team still hasn’t contacted Jackson to express interest. Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News confirms that general manager John Idzik has not reached out to the wide receiver, and Samuel’s colleague Gary Myers writes that the team is better off not pursuing Jackson in free agency.
While the Bills are thought to be serious in their interest, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reports that the team has a predetermined price and will not get into a bidding war (via Twitter).
It should be noted that according to David Gambacorta of Philly.com, LAPD Homicide Detective Chris Barling told the Daily News that Jackson is not involved with any gang-related crime.

More DeSean Jackson Rumors: Saturday

March 29th, 2014 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 11:27am: Add the Redskins and Bills to the teams with interest in Jackson, per Rapoport (via Twitter).

10:30am: Schefter tweets that nine teams have now inquired on Jackson.

10:27am: At least seven teams expressed interest in Jackson’s services on Friday, Pro Football Talk reports (via Twitter). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that Jets GM John Idzik did not. The Raiders have been researching Jackson for weeks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and the team isn’t in a hurry to make a rash decision.

FRIDAY, 7:23pm: The Eagles officially informed DeSean Jackson of his release on Friday, and we’ve already rounded up one set of links dealing with the aftermath of that decision. Of course, with one of the league’s most explosive wide receivers now on the open market, plenty more rumors have followed, so let’s dive and check out the latest….

Unsurprisingly, the Bears won’t be among the teams pursuing Jackson, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune confirms.
As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeted earlier this afternoon, six teams called to inquire on Jackson shortly after news broke that the Eagles were cutting him, and that number could increase.
Danny Parkins of AM 610 in Kansas City (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Chiefs were one of those teams that reached out to Jackson’s reps.
There are definitely people within the Jets‘ organization that have interest in Jackson, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. However, Mehta adds that it’s not clear how interested owner Woody Johnson and GM John Idzik are.
In addition to the Chiefs and Jets, the Raiders are in the mix, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports.
A source connected to a team with interest in Jackson tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that “the gang stuff [reported by NJ.com] is totally overblown,” but that there are legitimate concerns about potential attitude issues.
The Cardinals have zero interest in Jackson, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter), and the same can be said about the Buccaneers, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Despite Ron Rivera‘s comments to USA Today earlier in the day, the Panthers also aren’t interested in signing Jackson, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Person, who says the team made the decision before the receiver was even released, tweets that Rivera wasn’t trying to “play games” — he just made what he believed were innocuous comments, not realizing the impact.
The entire ESPN.com team of beat writers has assessed the likelihood of Jackson landing with their respective clubs.

NFC Notes: Clark, Seahawks, Culliver

March 29th, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Peter Sowards

Could Ryan Clark be the newest member of the “Legion of Boom”? The former Steelers safety recently visited the Seahawks, a league source told National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson, then tweeted how impressed he was with the city and the organization. Clark, who played the last eight of 12 seasons with the Steelers, has also received interest from the Redskins, Ravens and Jets. Seattle Times beat writer Bob Condotta chimed in on the report, saying that the Seahawks need a backup free safety with Chris Maragos departing for the Eagles. Jeron Johnson, who signed a second-round tender earlier this offseason, is better suited at strong safety, Condotta notes.

Other news and notes from the NFC this Saturday morning…

49ers cornerback Chris Culliver is out of jail following his arrest last night for felony hit-and-run and weapons possession, KTVU.com reports. The team released a subsequent statement indicating its awareness of the incident: “The 49ers organization is aware of the recent matter involving Chris Culliver. We will remain in contact with Chris and the local authorities as we continue to gather the facts regarding this situation. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will reserve further comment at this time.” Culliver was last in hot water during the run up to Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013, when he said he wouldn’t welcome a gay player in the locker room.
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht and coach Lovie Smith weighed in on recently released receiver DeSean Jackson, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “He’d have to be the right fit on and off the field,” Licht said. “I don’t want to dismiss him right away but we’re looking at a bunch of other players, too.” Smith was more complimentary of the three-time Pro Bowler, calling him a great football player and saying the team will look at everyone they think can help them win.
Further down in Stroud’s piece, Smith says the team “might move up” from the No. 7 pick, and that he and Licht have talked about that possibility, as well as the possibility of moving back.

Fallout From DeSean Jackson’s Release

March 28th, 2014 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

After weeks of trade rumors, the Eagles officially parted ways with DeSean Jackson today, releasing him after they couldn’t find a satisfactory deal. In the wake of the move and a report from NJ.com that suggested the team was concerned about the receiver’s possible gang ties, Jackson has issued a statement, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter details. It reads, in part:

“I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang. I am not a gang member and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible.”

As Jackson works to clear his name and assuage the concerns of potential suitors, here’s a round-up of several links related to his release:

At least four teams reached out to agent Joel Segal within a half-hour of Jackson being released, according to Schefter (via Twitter), who says talks are ongoing. Schefter added in a later tweet that the number of clubs inquiring on Jackson is now up to six and counting.
It’s not entirely clear yet which teams are in the mix for Jackson, but several writers expressed a belief that the Seahawks will be in the mix (all Twitter links).
Based on a conversation he had recently with a Redskins source, John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link) would be “shocked” if Washington pursued Jackson.
Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer says not to expect the Panthers to pursue Jackson, but head coach Ron Rivera tells Jim Corbett of USA Today that his team might have some interest. “He’s an intriguing player and we’ll take a look at him,” Rivera said.
The Chiefs don’t appear to be a serious contender for Jackson, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
Given their track record of giving players second chances, the Bills could emerge as a candidate for Jackson, suggests Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.
According to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), the Eagles didn’t previously know about the contents of NJ.com’s report until this week. Albert Breer of the NFL Network and Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News both suggest (Twitter links) the NJ.com story didn’t make the Eagles decide to release Jackson, but it certainly accelerated the process.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the move from a financial perspective, estimating what sort of salary Jackson might be looking at on a new deal.
A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the Eagles didn’t designate Jackson as a post-June 1 cut, so it’ll be a $6MM cap hit for the team this year.
Florio also notes that wide receiver Mike Evans said today that he’ll be visiting the Eagles soon. Evans isn’t likely to be on the board at No. 22 for Philadelphia, but the Eagles’ apparent interest shows they’ll consider drafting a receiver.

Eagles Release DeSean Jackson

March 28th, 2014 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have officially informed DeSean Jackson of his release, according to the team (Twitter link). In announcing the move, the Eagles said they carefully considered the situation before deciding to part ways with the standout receiver.

The announcement comes only about an hour after the publication of a piece by Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez of NJ.com, which attempted to ascertain why trade rumors had surrounded Jackson throughout the offseason. According to the NJ.com duo, the receiver’s “bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, missed meetings and a lack of chemistry with head coach Chip Kelly” are all reasons why the team wanted to part ways with him. Additionally, the Eagles were concerned about Jackson’s “continued association with reputed Los Angeles street gang members,” according to Shorr-Parks and Perez. The entire NJ.com piece is worth reading, and likely helps explain why the Eagles apparently had no luck finding a team willing to part with even a mid-round pick for the 27-year-old.

Jackson’s release also comes on the heels of his best season on the field. Catching passes from Nick Foles and playing in Kelly’s offense, Jackson hauled in 82 balls for 1,332 yards and nine receiving touchdowns — all three marks represent career highs. The former second-round pick is still in the prime of his career and his upside will tantalize plenty of teams, as will the fact that he’s no longer connected to a $10.5MM base salary. As Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com suggests (via Twitter), the lack of trade partners may have been more a result of that price tag than Jackson’s off-field question marks.

Still, taking into account today’s NJ.com report and the fact that the Eagles were concerned enough to release Jackson outright, teams will likely approach a potential signing with extreme caution. Although the 49ers, Seahawks, Jets, Raiders, Panthers, and Patriots were among the clubs identified as potential fits for the receiver over the past few weeks, many of those possible suitors sounded hesitant about acquiring Jackson even prior to this latest report.

Jackson had three years remaining on his contract, so his remaining bonus money will accelerate onto this year’s cap number for the Eagles, resulting in $6MM in dead money. The club creates $6.75MM in cap savings with the move.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Rumors: Mathis, Jackson, QBs, Draft

March 26th, 2014 at 7:36am CST by Luke Adams

DeSean Jackson has been the subject of trade rumors for several weeks now, but he’ll have some company going forward. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this morning (via Twitter) that the Eagles have “made it known” All Pro guard Evan Mathis is available via trade. According to Rapoport (via Twitter) and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), Mathis would like a new contract after a breakout year, and the Eagles aren’t inclined to give the 32-year-old a raise on his $5.15MM salary ($6.15MM cap number).

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly spoke to reporters this morning in Orlando and was asked about Mathis, Jackson, and several other topics related to the team. Here are a few highlights from the conversation (all links go to Twitter):

Kelly confirmed that he has spoken to Jackson and said it was a good conversation, but added that the Eagles will “always do what’s best for the organization,” according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Kelly didn’t say at any point that the standout wide receiver wouldn’t be traded, though he did say Jackson hasn’t asked for a new contract, according to Bowen.
Asked why it took so long for him to talk to Jackson, Kelly said he hadn’t been following all the trade rumors and reports, says Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com notes, that explanation doesn’t really add up, but after being pressed on the issue, Kelly simply said, “I don’t have an answer for you.”
“I don’t think our offense has ever been predicated on one player,” Kelly said, when asked about how the offense could possibly be better off without Jackson.
Kelly hasn’t spoken to Mathis about the possibility of a new deal, but is very skeptical that the veteran guard would cause any problems for the team, says Mosher.
After losing Michael Vick in free agency, backup quarterback is a “position of need” for the Eagles, according to Kelly. Asked about Mark Sanchez, the head coach didn’t confirm the team’s interest, but said the ex-Jet is a “very good athlete” and has plenty of experience. As for starter Nick Foles, Kelly was adamant that Foles is Philadelphia’s franchise quarterback.
The Eagles will focus on taking the best player available in the draft, with Kelly stressing today that he doesn’t think the roster is necessarily set at any position.

Michael Vick On Jets, Smith, Jackson

March 25th, 2014 at 8:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have never been shy when it comes to media attention and they’ve already ensured that they’ll be dominating the back pages of the New York tabloids for the next several months. Last week, the Jets signed Michael Vick to a one-year, $5MM deal, putting him in direct competition with rising sophomore Geno Smith. The former Falcons and Eagles signal caller spoke with SNY’s Daily News Live earlier tonight and Manish Mehta of the Daily News has the goods. Let’s take a look at the highlights..

Vick on where he is at this point in his career:

“I feel like I’m a legitimate starting quarterback in this league,” Vick said. “I feel like I can compete with the best of them. I feel like I can win football games. Yes, I’m not saying it out of arrogance, just with some mojo. I’m confident in my abilities and I could lead a football team.”

Are you concerned about a quarterback controversy with Smith?

“I don’t think I should try to prevent that situation from happening because there’s going to be bigger situations in Geno’s career that’s going to have to manifest,” Vick said. “Being in a quarterback competition with a guy that as he said ‘looked up to’ and would enjoy competing with every day, it’s not a pressure situation. The pressure comes when you have to go out there and win football games.”

Vick on former Eagles teammate DeSean Jackson, who has been subject to recent trade talk:

“I think sometimes it takes a change in your life to understand really what needs to happen, and the course that needs to be set,” Vick said. “Maybe it’s time for a change for DeSean to help him understand the maturation process of his young NFL life and his personal life. Whatever happens, I will continue to be a great friend to him and try to help him as much as I can mentor-wise so he doesn’t have to go through any situations that may be detrimental to his life.”

DeSean Jackson Rumors: Tuesday

March 25th, 2014 at 5:34pm CST by Luke Adams

There were plenty of DeSean Jackson rumors swirling yesterday as another busy NFL week kicked off, but we didn’t exactly move any closer to a resolution of the situation. As we wait to see whether the Eagles decide to trade, release, or keep their standout receiver, we’ll monitor today’s Jackson updates right here, with the newest items added to the top of the page throughout the day:

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie had no interest in discussing Jackson in a press conference with reporters today, writes Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine.
Late last night, Jackson posted an old photo of himself and Chip Kelly on Instagram, accompanied by the following caption: “Good to Talk to Big Chip today !! Say or hear what ya want !! The Picture speaks for itself !!”
While Jackson’s post hints that Kelly reassured the receiver that he wasn’t going anywhere, that’s not quite the case, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. A source close to Jackson tells Bowen that Kelly’s message was “don’t worry about anything and keep working hard and be ready for camp.”
Early this morning, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a piece suggesting Jackson’s days in Philadelphia are “all but over,” pointing to GM Howie Roseman‘s non-denials yesterday as the latest hint. However, McLane has since heard from a source close to the situation that Jackson, following his conversation with Kelly, has called a few teammates to tell them he’s staying.

DeSean Jackson Rumors: Monday

March 24th, 2014 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up a week’s worth of DeSean Jackson rumors on Saturday night, we passed along a couple more stories on the standout trade candidate yesterday. Jackson figures to be a popular topic at this week’s NFL meetings in Orlando, so it’s no surprise that there are already a few more updates and notes on the Eagles receiver to recap. We’ll track today’s Jackson news and rumors right here, adding the latest items to the top of the page throughout the day:

A source close to the team confirms to Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com confirms that the Eagles made the decision to try to move on from Jackson at least a month ago, rather than in the last couple weeks.

Earlier updates:

Although he cautions that there are mixed reports galore on the Jackson front, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the latest buzz he’s heard in Orlando suggests the 49ers have interest – despite an on-the-record denial – and that the Seahawks would have interest at a significantly lower cost than Jackson’s current salary.
Jeff McLane (Twitter link) spoke to one NFL coach who has no interest in Jackson, since the coach believes the Eagles‘ apparent willingness to move the receiver means there “has to be something there we don’t know.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson confirmed yesterday that his team has interest in Jackson, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) notes Johnson also said that a trade’s “not our primary operating motif.”
Examining Johnson’s comments, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News have each published new stories on the Jackson situation. McLane writes that the team has been “actively shopping” the star receiver since at least last week, while Bowen hears from a front office source on a rival team that the Eagles “wanted a lot” for Jackson when they discussed him last month. At that point, Philadelphia was allegedly seeking more than a second-round pick, but another NFL source who spoke to Bowen now wonders if the Eagles can land more than a fifth- or sixth-rounder.
The Raiders have interest in Jackson, but may not be inclined to part with a 2014 draft pick for him, tweets Rapoport.
Among the teams not in the mix for Jackson: The Seahawks and Panthers. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears from a source that Seattle has “no interest at all” in the 27-year-old, while David Newton of ESPN.com reiterates that Jackson isn’t a fit in Carolina, despite the team’s thin receiving corps.
Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News recognizes why a Jackson trade could make sense for the Eagles, but doesn’t see the logic in releasing him unless there’s a serious non-football issue we haven’t heard about.

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