DeSean Jackson Interested In Eagles Reunion?
The Eagles are expected to pursue DeSean Jackson in free agency this offseason. Apparently, the interest is mutual. A source close to DeSean Jackson believes the wide receiver would be “intrigued” by a possible return to Philadelphia, Tim McManus of ESPN.com writes. 
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As you may recall, Jackson did not have the cleanest breakup with the Eagles in 2013. After catching 82 passes for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns, Chip Kelly unsuccessfully tried to trade Jackson and ultimately released him. This came right around the same time as a story alleging that Jackson had gang ties that the Eagles found to be troubling.
Years later, Kelly is out of the picture and it sounds like top exec Howie Roseman wants to make things right. It also helps that new coach Doug Pederson is a fan of the 30-year-old. A reunion would make a lot of sense for both sides and it is a situation to watch as we look ahead to March.
The Eagles face the Redskins in Philly on Sunday.
NFL Spending By Team Over Last Four Seasons
The NFLPA has released the official data on team spending over the last four seasons. The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team must utilize 89% of the salary cap over two four-year periods, 2013-16 and 2017-20. As previously reported, the Raiders are the only team that has yet to satisfy that requirement for the closing period. The CBA also requires the league, as a whole, to spend 95% of the cap, in cash, for the same period. That requirement has been easily met.
Here is the full rundown of every team’s spending in declining order:
Philadelphia Eagles – $613,928,134
Denver Broncos – $587,712,791
Seattle Seahawks – $584,305,975
Green Bay Packers – $583,138,740
Miami Dolphins – $577,975,260
Kansas City Chiefs – $575,541,332
Buffalo Bills – $573,647,850
Chicago Bears – $568,301,610
Cincinnati Bengals – $567,289,411
Baltimore Ravens – $562,425,698
San Diego Chargers – $562,232,116
Indianapolis Colts – $556,335,689
Atlanta Falcons – $550,614,572
New York Giants – $543,787,033
Arizona Cardinals – $543,327,538
Los Angeles Rams – $541,957,711
New Orleans Saints – $539,836,498
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $539,736,102
Minnesota Vikings – $539,162,454
New York Jets – $533,151,519
Washington Redskins – $532,545,662
Pittsburgh Steelers – $530,698,171
Detroit Lions – $530,210,549
Tennessee Titans – $524,505,256
Dallas Cowboys – $523,033,036
Houston Texans – $517,212,166
Jacksonville Jaguars – $516,908,734
Cleveland Browns – $516,158,864
San Francisco 49ers – $514,488,198
New England Patriots – $500,083,836
Carolina Panthers – $495,149,346
Oakland Raiders – $491,433,408
Eagles To Pursue DeSean Jackson
The Eagles’ wide receiver corps is perhaps their biggest weakness, and there are no indications that any wideout currently on the roster will be a major contributor in the future (outside of Jordan Matthews, that is). As such, Philadelphia will need to address the position in the offseason, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the club is expected to pursue old friend and current division rival DeSean Jackson.
Jackson is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and the diminutive and mercurial wideout could represent the deep threat and speed element that the Eagles presently lack. And although the Redskins will have their own receiver problems to deal with–Pierre Garcon will also be a free agent, and Josh Doctson has missed almost the entire season–their attention will be fixed upon getting a new deal done with Kirk Cousins, and Schefter suggests that the club would rather bring back Garcon anyway.
Of course, Jackson is not the perfect solution for the Eagles, or for any club. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com tweets, Jackson just turned 30, has a game built primarily on speed, and his yards-per-catch average this year (15.4) is the third-lowest of his career. That number has dropped 5.4 yards since 2014, his first season in Washington, which suggests that Jackson’s skills are declining (which is true of many skill position players when they turn 30). And that does not take into account Jackson’s erratic personality and injury history, both of which could deter the Eagles from handing him the type of deal he is likely to score from a similarly needy team on the open market.
This season, D-Jax has posted 38 catches (on 70 targets) for 585 yards and three scores.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/16
Friday’s practice squad changes:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: QB Joe Callahan
- Cut: WR Dez Stewart
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: QB Stephen Morris
- Cut: DT Kelcy Quarles
New England Patriots
- Signed: FB Glenn Gronkowski
- Cut: TE Kennard Backman
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Marcus Johnson
- Cut: TE Anthony Denham
Eagles Notes: Agholor, Barwin, Kendricks
- The Eagles will enter the offseason with just $9.6MM in cap space, meaning that they will have to make some moves in the spring. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com runs down a handful of cap casualty candidates, but says that wide receiver Nelson Agholor is unlikely to get cut. That’s because cutting Agholor would leave $4.6MM in dead money on the cap versus $2.1MM in savings. The Eagles could theoretically trade him and absolve themselves of that dead money, but they’re not likely to find a strong market for him. High-priced players who could go include tackle Jason Peters, defensive lineman Connor Barwin, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks.
- Eagles coach Doug Pederson says there is a good chance Agholor is active this week, Shorr-Parks of NJ.com tweets. Agholor was a healthy scratch against Green Bay on Monday and Pederson has declined to give specifics on that decision. In other Agholor news, he remains under NFL investigation for his involvement in an alleged rape over the summer.
Eagles’ Agholor Still Under NFL Investigaton
Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor was not charged in connection with a rape accusation that was made against him this summer, but he is not out of the woods in terms of potential league discipline. The NFL’s investigation is still ongoing, according to Mark Eckel of NJ.com. 
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A source close to the situation says the recently league sent its Director of Investigations, Kia Roberts, to the gentleman’s club where the alleged incident transpired. Roberts went fact finding there last week, at the same time Eagles head coach Doug Pederson decided to bench Agholor against the Packers. When asked about the reason for benching Agholor today, Pederson offered little in the way answers. He did imply that the decision was football-based, however (link):
“I just think he … the biggest thing is just, seeing the way the offense kind of works. Seeing how the game kind of unfolds. How guys react in certain situations. And I wanted him to put himself in the game situations and see how he would react, see how he would play, see how he would run that route. And its a lot easier to do that from a removed position where you can kind of see it from a big picture with calmer eyes where the pressure and stress isn’t on you to perform. That is what I am hoping he takes away from this, and learns from this down the road.”
Agholor recently admitted he’s fighting a “mental battle” on the field and he has been seeing a sports psychologist as of late. The potential for a significant suspension could also be weighing on Agholor, who hasn’t really looked the part of a former first-round pick.
Brandon Brooks Released From Hospital
- The Eagles announced that right guard Brandon Brooks has been released from the hospital. Brooks was placed in the hospital before last night’s game against the Packers and ended up missing the contest with a mystery ailment. As such, his availability for Week 13 against Cincinnati is unclear.
NFL Teams Showing Interest In Rugby Stars
Last year, rugby star Jarryd Hayne signed with the 49ers and tried his hand at the NFL. His stay in the league was short, but there are now a pair of rugby standouts that are hoping to follow his footsteps. Australian Rugby League players Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumalolo tried out for teams on Saturday, as Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com tweets.
The Bills, Bears, Browns, Packers, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs, Rams, Jets, Eagles, Chargers, Seahawks, Cardinals, and the 49ers were all in attendance for the workout (Twitter link). Taumalolo, 23, and Holmes, 21, ran passing routes, underwent speed and agility tests, and ran the 40-yard dash, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Taumalolo hears that he could project to fullback, tight end, or linebacker while Holmes was pegged as a wide receiver or safety.
At least four NFL teams expressed interest in taking a second look at the duo, the Australian Associated Press reports. Scouts from the Packers, Eagles, Jets, Chiefs and Cardinals appeared to be the most interested. The AAP writes that both players intend on fulfilling their NRL contracts for 2017, but one has to imagine that they could change their minds if presented with an NFL offer.
Brandon Brooks Hospitalized, To Miss Game
Brandon Brooks has enjoyed a bounce-back season for the Eagles, but the guard won’t have a chance to play in a nationally televised spot for his team tonight.
The mammoth lineman was hospitalized with an illness earlier today and will be out, leaving Philadelphia shorthanded up front.
Rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 overall guard, Brooks has been one of the team’s best players this season after signing a lucrative free agent deal to come over from the Texans. The 343-pound right guard started all 10 of the Eagles’ games this season and has suited up for at least 14 contests during his time as a starter, which has consisted of the past three campaigns.
Philadelphia is already down Lane Johnson and replacement Halapoulivaati Vaitai, so the Eagles will go with a makeshift offensive line against the Packers. Stefen Wisniewski will start at left guard, Isaac Seumalo will go to right guard, per Tim McManus of ESPN.com (on Twitter) and Allen Barbre will play right tackle for Philly tonight.
Josh Andrews will be active for the first time this season, serving as the backup guard, with Matt Tobin suiting up as the backup tackle after being a healthy scratch last week, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
The Eagles are already without starting running back Ryan Mathews, so this rearranged blocking quintet will likely make ground advancement more difficult on the fourth-place team fighting to remain in the wild-card race.
Ryan Mathews Out Against Packers
Thanks to Kelly’s “life-changing” investment in Maxwell during the coach’s one year of NFL personnel control, the sixth-year corner is in Year 2 of a six-year, $63MM deal as his former coach’s team comes to Miami. Maxwell does not doubt Kelly’s football acumen like some of the jettisoned Eagles have, but Kelly’s obviously ventured back into embattled territory thanks to the 49ers’ nine-game losing streak.
- Ryan Mathews won’t suit up for the Eagles on Monday night, Tim McManus of ESPN.com reports. Mathews left last weekend’s Eagles-Seahawks game due to what turned out to be an MCL sprain. This will give the running back at least one missed game in six of his seven NFL seasons. Philadelphia’s starter missed three games last season and 10 in 2014. Darren Sproles will play, however, for an Eagles team trying to stay in wild-card contention.