The Philadelphia Eagles signed both Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin to new contracts last week. Could the team's aggressiveness in locking up those wide receivers say something about DeSean Jackson's future?
Philly.com's Jimmy Kempski offered an intriguing look at the situation, reporting Sunday that there's an opinion held by some in the Eagles' building that Jackson's personality is "not a great fit" for the culture coach Chip Kelly is attempting to cultivate.
That belief, according to Kempski, creates the possibility that the Eagles might trade the playmaker.
From a pure production perspective, Jackson demonstrated himself to be a perfect fit for Kelly last season. The wide receiver finished with 82 receptions for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns, using his lightning speed and quickness to inflict damage all over the field.
But there could be more at play here. Only three teams in the league have more cap space invested in offense than the Eagles, an especially surprising figure when you factor in the team has just $1.8 million tied to the quarterback position. According to Kempski, the Eagles' $26.4 million investment in wide receivers is the second highest in football.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Eagles are wary of over-investing in one position at the expense of others. Add to that the upcoming NFL draft, said to be the deepest in years in terms of wide receiver talent, according to NFL Media's Mike Mayock.
Jackson's temperament could be enough to scare off teams, but his age (still just 27) and recent performance would certainly make him attractive on the trade market. The question is whether the Eagles actually have any intention of putting him there.
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