Despite DeSean Jackson’s great play in his first two seasons in the NFL, his gaudy numbers are not quite in the realm of elite yet. With this in mind, one has to wonder why the All-Pro wide receiver is not showing his face in the voluntary OTAs this week. According to the Inquirer, he’s in Atlanta and then will spend the rest of the week in his home of Los Angeles.
All players, no matter their skill level, should be putting in the extra time. It’s doesn’t matter if you’re a recently drafted rookie like Brandon Graham, or a skilled veteran like Brent Celek. Everyone could use some sharpening, and more importantly, the vets lead by example. If DeSean is in camp putting in his reps, then a new draftee like Riley Cooper knows what’s expected of him.
Looking at DeSean’s numbers over his first two seasons, they are no doubt impressive. During his rookie season, #10 showed everyone that he was capable of achieving at a very high level, pulling down 62 passes for 912 yards. It put him at an average of 14.7 yards per catch with a long of 60 yards – fitting in nicely with Andy Reid’s pass-happy offense. He became a favorite target of quarterback Donovan McNabb who loved to throw deep.
Last year was an improvement for sure, but not what should have expected out of him. Granted he missed a game due to a head injury and opposing secondaries got much better at neutralizing him, but the latter was very much a call to action rather an excuse. Us fans can be happy that DeSean grabbed 63 passes for 1167 yards – upping his yards per reception average to 18.5, but as the season wore on, he didn’t rise to the challenge like an elite receiver in the league needs to do.
Like many wide receivers, DeSean can sometimes talk the talk more than he walks the walk, which was no more apparent than in the season closing fiasco at Dallas. His promise that the Eagles would “sting they ass,” in reference to the Cowboys, proved to be a hollow one. He grabbed three balls for 47 yards at a clip of 15.7 yards per reception. The Wild Card matchup in Dallas the following week was even worse as he was a total non-factor, taking just 14 yards on 3 receptions.
Taking this into account with his public exchange with the departed Donovan McNabb and his brewing unhappiness over his contract, it’s high time that DeSean put his nose down and start working towards becoming that elite receiver we all know he can be. The man loves to talk, and he’s backed it up plenty of times on the field, but until he’s consistently beating the league’s best secondaries, he needs to do his talking on the field.
Diva-like tendencies don’t go over well in Philly (see Owens, Terrell) and fans would rather see ESPN talking about another big touchdown at the Linc rather than another receiver running his mouth. His absence in OTAs may not be a red flag, but it’s something the team needs to keep in the back of their mind as training camp approaches.
