The Eagles are expected to put the franchise tag on wide receiver DeSean Jackson on Frebruary 20th when the league allows teams to begin placing their franchise tags on players. It is not surprising the Eagles are not just going to let Jackson walk away without getting compensation. The Eagles have three options if they franchise Jackson: franchise him and sign him long term, franchise him and let him play next year under the one year contract worth about $9.5 million, or franchise him then trade him. ESPN.com NFC East blogger Dan Graziano thinks that the third option would be the best option for both the Eagles and Jackson.
“Jackson is a sublime talent. He just turned 25 years old and has, over the course of his first four years in the NFL, flashed the speed and shiftiness to score from anywhere on the field once the ball is in his hands. There are teams out there who haven't experienced the headaches and are surely drooling over the ability -- who believe, maybe correctly, that he'd be reborn in their system with a new deal and a fresh start. But if you're the Eagles, you have to be wondering why you need to pay No. 1 receiver money for a guy who just finished 47th in the league in catches and 23rd in receiving yards and really didn't help on punt returns the way he used to either…. But for the Eagles and for Jackson, a trade is the way to go.”
The Eagles currently have the 15th, 46th, and 51st overall picks in the first two rounds in the draft. It is not out of the question that the Eagles could take a wide receiver with one of these three picks. It is early to speculate but three names have been tossed around and linked to the Eagles: MLB Luke Kuechly from Boston College, DT Devon Still from Penn State, and WR Alshon Jeffrey from South Carolina. Could Jeffrey be the player who replaces Jackson?
-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports
Dolan@WhizWitSports.com
“Jackson is a sublime talent. He just turned 25 years old and has, over the course of his first four years in the NFL, flashed the speed and shiftiness to score from anywhere on the field once the ball is in his hands. There are teams out there who haven't experienced the headaches and are surely drooling over the ability -- who believe, maybe correctly, that he'd be reborn in their system with a new deal and a fresh start. But if you're the Eagles, you have to be wondering why you need to pay No. 1 receiver money for a guy who just finished 47th in the league in catches and 23rd in receiving yards and really didn't help on punt returns the way he used to either…. But for the Eagles and for Jackson, a trade is the way to go.”
The Eagles currently have the 15th, 46th, and 51st overall picks in the first two rounds in the draft. It is not out of the question that the Eagles could take a wide receiver with one of these three picks. It is early to speculate but three names have been tossed around and linked to the Eagles: MLB Luke Kuechly from Boston College, DT Devon Still from Penn State, and WR Alshon Jeffrey from South Carolina. Could Jeffrey be the player who replaces Jackson?
-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports
Dolan@WhizWitSports.com
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