DeSean Jackson has continued to come up in trade rumors this week after reports came out that the Philadelphia Eagles would be open to trading the receiver and now the To Oakland Raiders, NY Jets, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers could be in the mix to pull off a deal with Chip Kelly ahead of the NFL draft.
Jackson has been one of the most productive receivers for the Eagles over the past few years, but Kelly reportedly has not been a fan of his "me first" attitude and that is one reason why the team is open to a trade. According to Pro Football Talk, the team is not actively shopping Jackson, but they are listening to offers and while the report says that GM Howie Roseman has not spoken about Jackson at the owners meetings, he did mention how much he likes the receiver class in this draft.
The fact that the draft is deep at the position could be a reason why the Eagles are open to trading Jackson, but it is more likely because of his $10.5 million salary for this season and the $30 million that he is owed over the next three years. On top of that, the Eagles brought back Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper on deals this offseason and traded for Darren Sproles from the Saints and he is one of the best receiving backs in the league. Kelly likely thinks that Jackson's production can get made up for in the offense next season with Sproles coming in and the team also could look to the draft for a receiver, as names like Mike Evans, Marqise Lee, Kelvin Benjamin and Allen Robinson are all coming out.
Jackson had one of his best seasons last year with 82 catches for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns, but his contract is likely the biggest issue and he would save the team nearly $5 million if he gets dealt and the Eagles, according to CSN.com, would like at least a third round pick for the receiver, which would be in line with what other teams have traded for in the past. Jackson is a speedy receiver and an explosive player and he could be an option for the Jets or Raiders, as they have the cap space, while the 49ers have the draft picks that they could afford to deal.
The 49ers are an interesting option as well, as they have a gap behind Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin after losing Mario Manningham and that could be a fit for Jim Harbaugh. Boldin is getting older and while he is productive, he may not be as reliable as in the past, while Crabtree is still a year removed from serious surgery and there is a chance he could get injured again and that would leave a big hole for the Niners. Woody Johnson has made it clear that the Jets are interested in "talent", meaning, they are only interested now that Mark Sanchez is gone, because they did the exact opposite thing for years while he was there. The Jets already signed Eric Decker, meaning they did more for Geno Smith in one offseason than they did for Sanchez in multiple years and now they could also look to add Jackson to the mix.