Jalen Reagor pick gives Eagles freedom to cut DeSean Jackson after reprehensible comments
By Mike Luciano
DeSean Jackson has been saying some terrible things on Instagram and having Jalen Reagor means the Eagles could get rid of him.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson might have accelerated the end of his NFL career, as his latest Instagram story contained what he believed to a quote from Adolf Hitler that was blatantly anti-Semitic. Jackson also posted several pictures and videos on his account sharing quotes from Louis Farrakhan, who has taken heat for years for homophobic and anti-Semitic statements.
Jackson apologized for sharing the quote, but the damage has still been done.
Jackson might be in the second year of his three-year contract, and he will hamper the Eagles with $12.5 million in dead cap if he is cut, but Howie Roseman has to at least consider the possibility of axing the former Pro Bowl deep threat. Luckily, the Eagles have a perfect replacement in former TCU star and 2020 first-rounder Jalen Reagor.
Jalen Reagor’s style of play is almost identical to that of DeSean Jackson.
Reagor’s game revolves around taking the top off of the defense, much like Jackson’s has during his pro career. While he ran a pedestrian 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, he was reported to have run an unofficial 4.22 40 during his pro day. At the very least, that speed should help Reagor get on the field whenever the Eagles need to strike quickly, which could eventually end up eating into Jackson’s playing time.
Where Reagor actually improves upon Jackson as a receiver is his ability with the ball in his hands. TCU’s painfully limited passing game, orchestrated ineffectively by the likes of Max Duggan and Alex Delton, led to more quick hitters in order to get the ball into Reagor’s hands. The speed, vision, and big-play potential he exhibited in Fort Worth last year should serve him well in the pros considering what Doug Pederson likes to do on offense.
https://twitter.com/thomasrp93/status/1275114449800761345
The Eagles might have planned a slow, gradual transition from Jackson to Reagor, but the former’s social media activity might have sped up that whole process. Even if Jackson gets cut, which would be entirely justified given the stunningly offensive nature of his posts, Reagor should be able to slide right in and produce as a rookie.