The Philadelphia Eagles aren't buying the notion that wide receiver DeSean Jackson had a few bad games because of concerns about his contract, a team source said Wednesday.
Sources close to the receiver told the *Philadelphia Inquirer* that Jackson's worries over an extension have become a distraction and played a role in the incident that led to Eagles coach Andy Reid dressing down the third-year pro after Sunday's road loss to the Chicago Bears.
Jackson said Tuesday that his contract "has nothing to do with anything." The team source said the Eagles believe the receiver's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is spinning the situation.
Rosenhaus has informed Jackson that he should pad his statistics for use in contract negotiations, one of the sources told the Inquirer. Jackson has 35 receptions for 678 yards and five touchdowns this season, but he hasn't topped 100 yards in the three games before Thursday night's meeting with the Houston Texans.
Jackson made two receptions for 26 yards last weekend, but he dropped a pass at the Bears' 10-yard line. There also was an incompletion at the goal line that coaches believed Jackson should have caught. He failed to make a touchdown grab against the New York Giants one week earlier.
Jackson made his first Pro Bowl last season, when he caught 63 passes for 1,167 yards and nine TDs.
Jason Rosenhaus, the agent's brother and business partner, told the Inquirer that neither he nor Drew would comment. The Eagles declined comment through a team spokesman.
Jackson, who's in the third year of a four-year, $3.46 million contract that he signed as a rookie, has wanted a new deal since August, but he knows he won't receive one during the season. The Eagles would point out that no one from the 2008 draft class has been given a big extension yet, but Jackson eventually will be paid.
Reid lashed out at Jackson following the 31-26 loss to the Bears, sources told *The Wilmington (Del.) News Journal*, partly because of the receiver's overly casual attitude during pregame drills. The Inquirer reported that Jackson refused to field practice punts before the game.
The Inquirer sources said Jackson has become disinterested in fielding punts, and he previously said it tires him. His yards-per-return average has dropped from 15.2 to 9.3 this season. He returned two punts against the Bears, one for a season-best 35 yards.
Media reports had Reid criticizing the entire team in his postgame tirade, and he apparently singled out Jackson, the Inquirer reported, because the receiver wasn't making eye contact, leading the coach to believe he wasn't paying attention.
Jackson said Tuesday he had no problem with Reid, his teammates nor with his role in the Eagles' offense.
Reid on Tuesday called Jackson "one of the elite players" in the NFL and said he loved that "he wants (the ball) in crunch time. ... I'll take everything else. I love that part of it."
Notes:Eagles CB Asante Samuel (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday, and WR Riley Cooper (knee) and DE Juqua Parker (hip) didn't participate. Cooper and Samuel are listed as questionable for Thursday night's game, but Parker is out. ... Texans LB Xavier Adibi and TE Owen Daniels (both hamstrings), who are out Thursday, and DE Jesse Nading (knee), who is questionable, didn't participate in practice Wednesday. WR David Anderson (hamstring), LB Brian Cushing (knee), WR Kevin Walter (calf) and DE Mario Williams (groin) were limited. Anderson and Walter are questionable for the game. Cushing and Williams are probable.
