DeSean Jackson no longer has interest from Kansas City Chiefs
DeSean Jackson (10) carries the ball during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 48-30. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
It looked like signing DeSean Jackson would make too much sense for the Kansas City Chiefs, because head coach Andy Reid seemed more than willing to put up with Jackson’s concerns while with the Philadelphia Eagles due to his talent and playmaking ability. Chip Kelly didn’t feel the same way and wanted to release Jackson after his career year due to his status as a distraction in the locker room, and the move on Friday has set a chain of reports regarding interested teams.
The Chiefs were once viewed as the front-runners because of the Reid connection and their big need for a WR1 with playmaking ability. However, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last night that the Chiefs are no longer interested in Jackson after doing some more research on him, and this is interesting and concerning news. If Reid and the Chiefs are no longer interested, then I’d imagine that other teams could be more inclined to pull out of the race, since this could be perceived as a strong red flag.
FOX 29 Philadelphia’s Howard Eskin tweeted in response to Rapoport’s report that the Chiefs “were never” interested in Jackson after he was released, and he adds that Reid even told the Eagles organization “weeks ago” that the Chiefs didn’t have any interest. This refutes a few reports and common perception, but it isn’t far-fetched and is worth at least keeping in mind.
I’m sure there are several Chiefs fans who are incredibly disappointed by this news, and the Chiefs will most likely address the position in the draft with a high pick. It will be interesting to see if they go for an offensive lineman or a wide receiver first, but there’s no doubt that WR is a big need for them. Although not getting an impact wideout like Jackson is disappointing, there are plenty of talented WRs in this class who are more cost-effective options, even if we don’t know how effective they’ll be in the NFL.
It looks like the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders are the two most likely landing spots right now.