DeSean Jackson released because of Chip Kelly, no trade offers
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) catches a pass against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings win 48-30. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
There has been much speculation regarding the circumstances of DeSean Jackson’s release from the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday, especially since his release came shortly after a report alleging gang ties to the Los Angeles Crips. Whether or not that’s true, the report will most likely hurt his value on the open market, but he will still look for a long-term deal and has significant interest.
An incredibly interesting and informative piece published yesterday by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane shed some light on exactly why the Eagles released Jackson, and McLane did a great job of helping separate fact from fiction. Per McLane, the Eagles released Jackson because Chip Kelly simply didn’t want him around and didn’t have as much “tolerance” for his attitude as Andy Reid, who could reunite with Jackson on the WR-needy Kansas City Chiefs.
“Multiple NFL sources” also told McLane that the Eagles never received any trade offers, and that doesn’t come as a surprise at all and refutes a rumor that floated around yesterday. No team was willing to pay $30 million over the next three seasons for a guy who was aggressively placed on the trade block after a career year, and that was a red flag enough for teams unwilling to part with a high draft pick. Jackson has plenty of interest on the free agent market, but his lack of interest on the trade market makes plenty of sense.
The Eagles feel confident with their weapons around Nick Foles, as they have Riley Cooper, Jeremy Maclin, Darren Sproles, LeSean McCoy, and a host of quality tight ends. That said, the Eagles could use another wide receiver in this deep draft class, and sleeper options like Jared Abbrederis and Josh Huff are worth looking at closely. The Eagles know that Jackson is a talented player, but they seem confident enough in their other weapons and clearly viewed their former WR1 as an unnecessary distraction; only time will tell if they made the correct move.