DeSean Jackson deserves a proper Philadelphia Eagles send-off

DJax deserves a proper goodbye from the Philadelphia Eagles.

When it was announced that DeSean Jackson would be returning to the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the 2019 season kicking off, fan morale was literally through the roof. Not only was DJax set to instantly be the team’s #1 wide receiver, but it was an opportunity for the organization to “right their wrongs” dating back to when Chip Kelly released Jackson over faulty allegations.

DJax exploded back onto the Philly scene in Week 1, recording 154 yards and two touchdowns. The connection that him and Carson Wentz had on the football field was impossible to ignore, and it genuinely looked like the two were set to run through the league together.

Unfortunately, that’s just not how the story ended up playing out. Jackson battled a core injury for the rest of the 2019 season – essentially missing the entire year. He healed from his surgery over the offseason, but ended up seeing a similar situation here in 2020. He’s played just 4/14 games for the Eagles this year, missing time due to a handful of different injuries.

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Since being re-acquired, Jackson has played just seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has 22 catches on 35 targets, and he has 314 total receiving yards over the last two seasons. It’s been a really tough last two years for the Eagles great – one that’s only been heightened due to the lofty salary that he’s currently on. (Jackson was handed a three-year/$27.9 million extension upon his trade back to Philadelphia, and it’s a contract that’s really hamstrung Howie Roseman from adding more depth to the team’s WR room.)

For the most part, these injuries are out of DJax’s control. We all know he loves Philly to death, and I’m sure he wants nothing more than to be on the field each and every Sunday for his team. Fans have been quick to blame him for missing time, which is completely ridiculous considering the fact that Jackson has repeatedly tried to rush through rehab as a way to get back on the field for his teammates.

With all that said, it looks like Jackson and the Eagles are going to give this thing one final go.

Jackson suffered a high ankle sprain against the Giants back in late October, and many speculated that this would signal the end of his Eagles career altogether. A return to action this season seemed unlikely, and there’s essentially a 0% chance he’ll be kept on the roster for 2021 considering the team’s financial situation.

However, DJax has progressed through his rehab at a surprisingly fast rate, and it looks like he’ll at least be available for the team’s Week 17 matchup against Washington, with this weekend’s game against Dallas not ruled out either.

Ultimately speaking, Jackson’s return is completely pointless. If we’re all being honest it’d be better for the Eagles to lose these last two games, securing a better draft pick. The team should also be getting their rookie WRs as many reps as possible (not a soon-to-be-cut veteran like Jackson).

With that in mind, this has been a pretty freaking miserable season. The team is in shambles, they’ve benched their franchise QB, and controversy after controversy has been spilled out through the media. Forget player development and draft position for a moment, I think we all deserve one last bit of fun to round out the 2020 season, and I think DJax deserves one final shining moment as well.

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Seeing #10 streak down the field for a 50+ yard TD against Dallas, as the franchise turns the page to a new brand of wide receivers, would be pretty sweet. Win or lose, DJax getting the proper send-off he deserves would at least leave everyone feeling a little warmer inside heading into the offseason.

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