Top 5 in 2014: Biggest ‘What Ifs?’ in Philadelphia Sports

3.) What if the Eagles Kept DeSean Jackson?

Sep 29, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly talks to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) during the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

No story of the Eagles offseason dominated the headlines more than the team’s decision to cut ties with leading receiver DeSean Jackson. Coming off a career year in 2013, Jackson figured to continue to blossom in Chip Kelly’s offense with the return of Jeremy Maclin and make up half of a dynamic receiving threat. Instead, things took a sharp turn and, before we knew it, Jackson was gone and hitching his wagon to the Washington Redskins.

When asked for his reasoning behind the move, Chip Kelly leaned on his preference for larger receivers with an ability to block. It’s no secret that Jackson’s size and general approach to the game don’t necessarily lend itself to this mold. Even in Washington, Jackson was criticized for his inability to impact the game when he wasn’t involved in the vertical passing game. That being said, we all knew there was much more to Jackson’s hasty departure from Philadelphia than his slight stature.

Some of the narratives (gang ties, extracurricular activity) painted Jackson out to be a toxic presence during his final season with the Eagles. To his credit, the wide receiver was amicable in his transition to Washington and it was not until the Redskins week 16 victory over the Eagles where Jackson seemed to relish his vengeance on the team that cut him.

Aside from almost single-handedly bringing an end to the Eagles fleeting playoff hopes, Jackson had an indirect impact on the 2014 season. Chip Kelly will never admit it, but his offense missed the space that Jackson freed up in the intermediate levels of the field. With Jackson taking safety cover off the top of opposing defenses, Riley Cooper was able to impact the game as a receiver despite not having top-end speed. In 2014, Cooper was rated the worst wide receiver in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Though Jeremy Maclin was an adequate vertical threat in individual terms, he did not have the same effect on the entire offense that Jackson’s track-level speed did. Though the deep passing game took a major step back when Mark Sanchez took over at quarterback, the offense did not have the same explosiveness with Nick Foles under center as it did in 2013.

Had the Eagles drafted a player besides Josh Huff, the heir apparent to Jackson, in the 3rd round (John Brown, Martavis Bryant, etc.), it’s possible the storyline would not have been as prominent. Huff may still end up being a talented player, but he was not a polished enough product to help the 2014 Eagles get to where they needed to be. Personally, I don’t think Jackson will accomplish the level of success in terms of wins and losses with the Redskins that he would have with the Eagles. From a big picture standpoint, it may have been the right move. However, given what the roster looked like for the 2014 season, there’s no question Jackson’s absence hurt the Eagles more than it helped. Though a Jackson-induced headache would have been a tough distraction to deal with had he remained on the team and started causing problems during the 2014 season, it’s very tough not to think the offense would have been better off with him in the lineup this year than without him.