Oakland Raiders not so sure they want to sign DeSean Jackson
By Josh Hill
The Oakland Raiders were linked to DeSean Jackson even before he was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles and ever since he’s hit the open market the team has been mentioned on a daily basis in connection to wanting Jackson. But while they’ve been looking into him and conducting background checks in what seems to be preparations towards signing him, general manager Reggie McKenzie isn’t so sure he wants to invest.
According to Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk.com, McKenzie is apparently ‘leery’ about signing Jackson because of not his off-field behavior but because of his unpredictable nature on it.
"As one league source explained it to PFT, G.M. Reggie McKenzie is leery about Jackson. Not because of the trumped-up gang ties (the more we read the supposedly groundbreaking NJ.com article about suspected gang ties, the less hard news we actually see in it), but because of Jackson’s reputation as a me-first player who can’t be controlled."
This isn’t a surprising hangup as it’s generally the biggest reason Jackson is being overlooked by those uninterested in signing him. It may not be a total deal breaker for the Raiders but it’s clear that Jackson’s reputation as a me-first player is as troubling, if not more troubling, than the alleged gang relations he has.