5 thoughts on the DeSean deal
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5 thoughts on the DeSean deal
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Here are five thoughts on DeSean Jackson's new deal with the Eagles:
1. All along, the best possible outcome for both parties was a long-term deal. After seeing how things played out last year, I had serious doubts that Jackson would be content playing under the franchise tag in 2012. Yes, it would have guaranteed him $9.5M. But now, that number reportedly gets bumped to $15M. And if he plays to his potential, Jackson can earn more than three times that in the next five years. Keep in mind that he will only be 30 years old when this deal runs out.
Last year, Jackson used the excuse that his contract, which paid about $600,000 in 2011, was weighing on his mind and was responsible for his disappointing on-field performance. Some fans empathized with him; others deemed Jackson's attitude inexcusable. But now there are no excuses. Jackson has $15M in guaranteed money coming his way, and he's only 25 years old. It's time to re-establish himself as a reliable offensive weapon and one of the league's most dangerous playmakers.
2. Here's a quick look at Jackson's numbers last year, compared to his first three seasons:
| Catches/g. | Yds./g. | YPC | |
| 2008-10 | 3.8 | 69.7 | 18.2 |
| 2011 | 3.9 | 64.1 | 16.6 |
The point here is that Jackson had a down year, but his on-field production didn't plunge as much as you might think.
He clearly needs to cut down on the drops. Taking a look at Pro Football Focus' numbers from last season, Jackson's drops came in a couple of areas on the field. On those intermediate routes, in between the numbers and within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage, Jackson dropped four balls on 28 targets. Given that he's suffered two concussions and is one of the smallest receivers in the league, I don't think that part of Jackson's game is going to improve.
However, he also dropped four balls on passes that traveled more than 20 yards downfield. Those are the big ones, the potentially game-changing plays. The catches that can turn a 961-yard season into an 1,100-yard season. The key for Jackson is not to diversify his skill set, but to perform at an elite level in the areas that are already his strengths.
3. The greatest concern with Jackson relates to what happened when things didn't go his way last season. When the Eagles needed him on that Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals, he wasn't there because he violated team rules. When they were down to the Patriots in the fourth quarter, Jackson was on the bench, because Andy Reid, who has built a reputation on having his players' backs, benched his speedy wide receiver.
Players generally support one another in contract disputes. And in the past couple days, we've seen Eagles players use social media to congratulate Todd Herremans, Trent Cole and Jackson on their new deals. I think that's real. They've all seen what can happen to guys like Leonard Weaver on a single play. They know how careers can be cut short without warning. But Herremans and Cole turned in strong seasons in 2011. And in Baltimore, Ray Rice, also in the final year of his deal, carried the Ravens' offense, piling up a career-best 2,068 yards from scrimmage. Jackson, meanwhile, let his teammates down on multiple occasions. Now that he has his new deal, those distractions are unacceptable, and he has to make sure his teammates can trust him.
4. On Wednesday morning, I wrote that it'd be perfectly reasonable for Drew Rosenhaus to demand Jackson get paid as much, if not more, than Pierre Garcon. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out, Garcon and Jackson ended up receiving relatively similar deals. The key here is to remember that Garcon had the benefit of testing the market. Had Jackson been able to shop his services around the league, he would have gotten a richer deal than he received from the Eagles. His other option was to play 2012 under the franchise tag, receiving $9.5M in weekly increments starting in the fall. The Eagles would have then had the option of franchising Jackson again at a higher number next season or letting him become a free agent. Instead, Jackson took the long-term deal now and received a signing bonus worth a reported $10M. All last season, we wondered how much money Jackson was costing himself by being a distraction and not maximizing his potential, but the truth is, given the way the market played out, things worked out pretty well for him.
5. Jackson's game has holes. He's never going to be a 100-catch guy. He's never going to make tough catches over the middle and absorb big hits. And he'll likely never be a huge factor in the red zone. But he fits with what the Eagles want to accomplish offensively. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, at the very least, the Eagles are going to return 10 of 11 players on offense next season (using three receivers instead of a fullback for our purposes). If Evan Mathis re-signs, it could be all 11. Take a look at their skill-position players. Jackson is 25 and signed through 2016. LeSean McCoy is 23 and could be next in line for an extension (he's currently signed through 2012). Jeremy Maclin is 23 and signed through 2013. Jason Avant is 28 and signed through 2014. And Brent Celek is 27, signed through 2016.
The offensive line has a chance to be a real strength too.
Guess who I haven't mentioned yet: Michael Vick. As others have noted, this will be his first full offseason as a starting quarterback since 2006. He'll have a young, talented group of playmakers around him. And he'll have a strong offensive line to protect him.
In the first part of this post, I said there will now be no excuses for Jackson in 2012. The same should be said for Vick, too.
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This is another one of those no win contracts the Eagles' brass likes to sign. If Jackson plays well, he is going to be underpaid and disappointed. Banner doesn't realize you have to go all in with your players if you want them to go all in on the field. It's the Eagles MO going back more than 10 years- use their leverage to sign guys to contracts that are only good for the player if he fails to perform (Reggie Brown). If the guy actually comes through (Sheldon Brown, Terrell Owens, Brian Dawkins...)he is going to feel slighted because he is earning less than his peers. That's no way to build a winning clubhouse, but it does save a few $$$ and lets the players know who is boss.— jtj06- dexter:
You're right about Desean being more of a long threat on most of the field. However, Vincent plays inside the red zone where Desean either disappears or sits, so it balances out.— banned - Vincent Jackson indeed maybe can be compared to Desean, but having Vincent Jackson changes this offense from top to bottom. Maclin can do what Vincent Jackson does. Vincent Jackson isn't going to command the same defensive alignments that Desean does there by canceling out Shady because the safety isn't going to cheat over the top.
Vincent Jackson in place of DeSean in the Eagles offense is a Defensive Coordinator's dream. Most defensive backs and safeties are fast but track Speed like Desean has kills in the NFL.
Check the Stats for Shady in Games that DeSean had not played in last year and the year before.
Without DeSean Jackson the Eagles Offense amounts to watching Mud Hens wrestle on a farm.
But Philly Fans didn't appreciate Christ Carter when he played in Philadelphia, it is only expected like Terrell Owens, that DeSean isn't appreciated for what he brings to Philadelphia.
Not many Fans in Phila recognized talent. Reggie White walking away to Green Bay proves that.
— Dexter - Mathis going to meet with Ravens today...— shagsrc
- Read here first: For another $4M they could have signed the better Jackson, Vincent. Going in to the third year of this contract, DeSean will hold out and demand his deal be restructured because he has "outplayed" it. This coming season he will again drop more touchdown passes then he catches. Either this season or next, he will take a shot over the middle, possibly get concussed, and never run a crossing route again.
Congratulations Eagles, you've just p!$$ed away $50+M and the next three seasons.
You read it here first. Book it!— amg - Vick was as much of DJax problem as anything. With that being said, Djax has played scared since the concussions. As to saying that DJax got a pretty good deal...well, if you say so. On the open market he gets a deal a lot closer to Vjackson.— UncleStosh
- @dsg00: Exactly. This team has gone to one Super Bowl since Andy Reid has been the coach. Under Reid, the Eagles have consistently fielded the weakest set of linebackers I've ever seen a supposed contender put on the field. They will draft a 27-year-old guard before they spend a pick on first-round talent at linebacker. Then they wonder how the better teams in the league march down the field on them in crunch time in big games. I'll admit that Andy Reid is a guy who can win you 10-12 games if you leave him alone if anybody and everybody else will admit that doing it his way means that you will not beat three good-to-great teams in the playoffs to win a Super Bowl. Which is a) the only thing that matters, and b) makes you no more or no less than Marty Schottenheimer.— FlyerBacker88
- Great Post Mike P !!!!. You could not be more correct.— Elguapo50
- He quit on his team, so they gave him a raise. Only in America!— Bigkahuna3131
- Glad to see the Eagles found a way to deal with Ratboy. Mathis would be a good resign but Herremanns may have been rewarded in part for being a good soldier. They may ask him to move again. Would like to know if Eric Winston is a Mudder or not. Can't see them adding another rookie to the OL at that position...or to play MLB either.— tpizza
Comment removed.- Doesn't matter if you put up 40 if you give back 41. The defense in the middle is second tier talent at best— dsg00
- On Mathis the Eagles may be looking long term. Play a younger guy or draft a really good one. It would fit with back to the long view on Nova Care Way. We cannot turn the ball over. Teams already will do things to limit our possessions and try to get Vick to press and try to do too much, creating yet more turn overs.— oldBird
- Avant needs to be replaced, Eagles can do better than him.— phillyceltic
- YeaaaH now sign Mathis, Plax and Lofton and give McCoy a new conteract.— urbnasty
- Comment removed.
- Les is reporting a strong chance that Lofton comes to the birds. If we get him and Mathis leaves via free agency, how good would DeCastro look in midnight green?— dragoon6
- Lock McCoy and Mathis up, learn not to turn the ball over and this offense will be fun to watch. I still wouldn't mind seeing them sign Plax for, 3rd downs, Red Zone and injury sub. That should give him enough snaps to be satisfied.— borntosuffer
- All Jackson has is speed, which is not an inconsiderable thing in his case. He's useless in the red zone, and his hands as you note are just average.
He only has about 2, at the most 3 years of that speed level before it's gone and he's out of the league. He will not be in the NFL at 30, you can bet on that.
The Eagles should play the heck out of him for the next 2 years, especially on returns, and get what they can, while they can out of him.
(Incidentally, since Vick will be gone after this year, they better not get a short armed replacement QB, because Jackson would be a 100% waste with a QB who can't throw the long ball.)— banned - Not sure why the Philadelphia press obsessively focus on the negative. No, Jackson will never be a guy who makes tough catches over the middle that requires him to take a big hit. And all of those receivers who can will never have Jackson's speed or big play ability. They will never stretch the field like Jackson does. And, the Eagles have players to make the tough catch over the middle. As far as Jackson never being a 100 pass player goes, that depends on the other receivers and Vick. With the way Jackson attracts attention, the other receivers need to take advantage and burn the other team. If the other receivers make opponents pay for focusing on Jackson, they'll adjust and Jackson's catches will increase BECAUSE HE'LL BE OPEN! With Jackson, Avant and Celek should be having huge games.— MikeP
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