Eagles reportedly concerned with DeSean Jackson’s gang connections
By Mike Dyce
The Philadelphia Eagles have just announced that they’re releasing wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and it comes on the heels of report from Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez at NJ.com that suggests the team was concerned about Jackson’s off-field behavior. The decision to release Jackson was not in part because of the report, but it provides insight into the thinking of the organization.
The report also includes an interesting fact, that the Eagles front office were concerned with Jackson’s gang connections.
From Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez at NJ.com:
"Rather, sources close to Jackson and within the Eagles’ organization say, it’s Jackson’s off-field behavior that concerns the front office. A bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, missed meetings and a lack of chemistry with head coach Chip Kelly are the reasons, sources told NJ.com. And when the Eagles looked more deeply into why Jackson was missing meetings, they found that his friends were becoming a more powerful — and negative — influence in his life.Now the Eagles have even more serious concerns — Jackson’s continued association with reputed Los Angeles street gang members who have been connected to two homicides since 2010."
Either way, that is no longer the Eagles’ problem, at least in their locker room. Financially, it will still be a burden for the the Eagles. Albert Breer reports that the team “will carry $6 million in dead money after releasing DeSean Jackson. Saves them $6.75 million in cap space for 2014.”