DeSean Jackson

Extra Points: Packers, Cook, OBJ

The NFL has finished their investigation into the Packers handling of COVID-19 protocols. The organization has been slapped with a $300K fine “for violations of the NFL and NFL Players Association protocols,” per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter). Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wideout Allen Lazard were also fined $14,650.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the two players were fined for attending a maskless Halloween party. The Packers’ organizational fine also stemmed from the party; while the gathering wasn’t organized by the team, the NFL believes the organization should have penalized each player. Otherwise, the NFL determined that the Packers complied to all protocols, with Garafolo noting that there was “no widespread or systemic mask-wearing violations.”

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Packers organization was notified that “future violations could result in escalated discipline,” including the potential loss of draft picks.

The league looked at footage taken at the team’s facility to assure that masks were being worn and protocols were being followed. The NFL also interviewed Packers personnel as part of the process.

More notes from around the NFL:bay

  • A woman filed a lawsuit accusing Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook of assault, battery and false imprisonment, per Schefter. Cook’s attorney said his client was the victim in the incident, adding that the woman also tried to extort millions of dollars from the player. According to the lawsuit, the woman traveled to Minnesota to break up with Cook, and the meeting soon turned violent. Cook is accused of causing a concussion and leaving a scar on the woman’s face. Cook’s side says the woman stole Cook’s garage door opener, broke into the player’s house, and maced him upon entering. Both the Vikings and the NFL acknowledged that they were aware of the lawsuit.
  • New Raiders wideout DeSean Jackson will receive $1MM for the rest of the season, according to Garafolo (via Twitter). If Jackson decides to file for termination pay, he’ll end up earning more than he would have by sticking around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia told reporters that he’s excited to see what Jackson can bring to the squad. “I think we all have a lot of respect for his career and what he’s done, and I can remember him coming out,” Bisaccia said (h/t to Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “So, we are excited about getting another speed element out there to be a complement to what we are trying to do on offense, certainly with the speed that Zay [Jones] has and what Bryan [Edwards] and Hunter [Renfrow] bring to us. It will be good for us to get another speed element going on offense. We are excited about getting him to practice.”
  • Sam Darnold suffered a fractured scapula, and the Panthers QB will “most likely” miss several weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Darnold had one of his worst outings of the season on Sunday against the Patriots, completing only 48 percent of his passes while tossing three interceptions. P.J. Walker will likely get the starting nod with Darnold out of the lineup, although the team did add Matt Barkley earlier today.
  • Odell Beckham Jr. cleared waivers today, and the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. The two sides’ decision to rework the player’s contract ultimately saved the team around $3MM. Meanwhile, Garafolo notes that Beckham is considering both one-year deals and multi-year pacts.

Raiders To Sign DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson has agreed to sign with the Raiders (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but he’ll earn more than the veteran’s minimum, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Raiders Pursued Adrian Peterson]

Jackson, dropped by the Rams last week, reportedly drew interest from seven teams. The Raiders were aggressive from the jump, aiming to sign the 34-year-old in the wake of Henry Ruggsrelease. They got the deal done on Sunday afternoon, providing quarterback Derek Carr with the deep threat he needs.

Plenty of teams wanted Jackson, though no GM was willing to pay the remainder of his $2.75MM base salary. The Raiders got him for less than half of that price and they’ll probably target him a whole lot more than the Rams did. Jackson only played on ~1/3rd of the Rams snaps and didn’t top 25 snaps in any single game. To date, he has just eight catches in 2021. But, in classic DJax fashion, he’s made the most of them with 221 yards and one touchdown.

The Raiders are down to 5-3 after today’s loss to the Giants. Jackson will try and get them back in the win column next Sunday when they host the Chiefs in Las Vegas.

Raiders Still In Play For Odell Beckham; OBJ Prefers Seahawks?

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be available to be claimed on waivers tomorrow. By Tuesday at 4pm ET, we will know whether a team has claimed him or if he will be a free agent.

Because a claiming team would be on the hook for $7.25MM — a sum that most clubs can’t fit onto their books at this point in the season — multiple execs tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that OBJ will likely go unclaimed. And if that happens, Schefter confirms that Beckham wants to sign with a contender.

If a non-contender should claim the enigmatic wideout — the 1-6 Jaguars and 2-6 Washington Football Team are two outfits that currently possess the cap space to add Beckham without dropping or restructuring another player — Schefter hears that there will be “issues.” He does not specify what those issues might be, but it presumably means OBJ would consider sitting out (though since he is now eligible for free agency after the season, it would seem that Beckham would want to produce as much good tape as possible and to prove that he is not a distraction, regardless of who he plays for).

Interestingly, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has heard that Beckham prefers the Seahawks of the three teams — the Saints, 49ers, and Seahawks — that have been definitively linked to him. The 3-5 ‘Hawks have the worst record of those clubs, but they also have easily the best QB situation once Russell Wilson returns to the field. Obviously, any team that acquires Beckham would have exclusive negotiating rights with him until free agency opens in March, so perhaps he views Seattle as the best long-term fit despite the current sub-.500 record.

Florio says that the Raiders are also still in play. After parting ways with Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas has been connected to Beckham but reportedly prefers DeSean Jackson, who is already a free agent and whose abilities as a speed merchant may be a better replacement for Ruggs’ skill-set.

However, according to Florio, the Raiders are waiting to see what happens with Beckham before deciding how to proceed with Jackson. That suggests that Vegas is preparing to either submit a waiver claim — the club would need to create cap room to do so — or to make a push to sign Beckham if he clears waivers. The 5-2 Raiders are in first place in the AFC West and have a good QB in Derek Carr, so they would seem to meet Beckham’s criteria.

DeSean Jackson On Raiders’ Radar

Interest has emerged for DeSean Jackson, who is taking virtual meetings. Roughly seven teams have shown interest, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (video link). One of those appears to be the Raiders.

The Raiders went through a Zoom meeting with the free agent wide receiver Saturday, veteran NFL reporter Michael Silver tweets. Given Las Vegas’ current situation, it is certainly not surprising the team is considering Jackson.

Jettisoned by the Rams this week, after they could not find a trade partner, Jackson cleared waivers. The 34-year-old deep threat wants to land with a contender, Garafolo adds. Other likely playoff teams are among those interested, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets. Retirement is not on Jackson’s radar. The 14th-year veteran and his agent are set to go through phone calls and Zoom meetings over the next few days.

Odell Beckham Jr. has emerged as part of the Jackson equation, with Garafolo adding the teams interested in Jackson will likely be in the mix for Beckham — should the soon-to-be ex-Cleveland Brown clear waivers. The Raiders appear to prefer Jackson to Beckham, according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter). While OBJ’s potential free agency run could delay Jackson’s process, he should land elsewhere soon.

Although Jackson saw Van Jefferson eat into his role in L.A., he has stayed healthy for a change and showed the speed that made him one of this era’s best deep targets remains. Buoyed by a three-catch, 120-yard day against the Buccaneers, Jackson has averaged 27.6 yards per catch — albeit on just eight grabs — this season.

Following the tragic car accident that left a woman dead, the Raiders cut ties with Henry Ruggs, who has been charged with multiple felonies and faces decades in prison. Ruggs was the Raiders’ leading receiver, having caught 24 passes for 469 yards and two touchdowns this year.

WR DeSean Jackson Clears Waivers

DeSean Jackson is officially a free man. The veteran wideout cleared waivers today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Jackson is now free to sign with any team.

The Rams were unable to find a taker for Jackson prior to the trade deadline, so the team made the expected move and cut the player on Tuesday. The lack of trade (and waiver) interest doesn’t necessarily mean Jackson won’t have any suitors; rather, teams were anticipating his release and were willing to take their chances in free agency.

Since Jackson went unclaimed, the Rams will be left with the balance of Jackson’s $2.75MM base salary on the books. The receiver joined the Rams on a one-year, $4.5MM deal this past offseason.

However, the 34-year-old struggled to carve out a definitive role during his short stint in Los Angeles, seeing the field for about one-third of L.A.’s snaps. Jackson didn’t top 25 snaps in any of his games this year, and his playtime continued to dwindle, leading to a four-snap appearance against the Lions in Week 7. After that, the Rams held him out of action against the Texans to avoid a trade-scuttling injury.

Even at the age of 34, Jackson has torched the opposition for 27.6 yards per catch (albeit on only eight receptions), so a receiver-needy team will certainly appreciate his big-play ability. For his career, Jackson has 620 catches for 10,877 yards and 57 touchdowns.

Rams To Cut WR DeSean Jackson

The Rams will release DeSean Jackson this week (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This was the expected move after the Rams were unable to find a trade for the veteran wide receiver. As a post-deadline drop, Jackson will be subject to the waiver wire for 24 hours after his release. If no one claims him, he’ll be free to sign with any club.

While Jackson drew interest on the market, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore (on Twitter), teams were anticipating a release and did not want to surrender any assets. That is somewhat interesting given Jackson’s post-deadline departure, which will not allow him to control his destination — at least, not initially.

Jackson joined the Rams on a one-year, $4.5MM deal this year with the expectation that he’d be a focal point of the offense. Instead, he’s only been on the field for about one-third of L.A.’s snaps. That didn’t sit well with Jackson, who requested a change of scenery earlier this month.

If DJax goes unclaimed, the Rams will be left with the balance of Jackson’s $2.75MM base salary on the books. Either way, they’ll be without one of the game’s most prolific deep threats. Even at the age of 34, Jackson has torched the opposition for 27.6 yards per catch. Granted, the sample size is limited with just eight receptions, but there’s no question that DJax still has top-end speed.

Jackson has yet to top 25 snaps in any of his games this year. His playtime only dwindled from there, with four snaps against the Lions in Week 7. After that, the Rams held him out of action against the Texans to avoid a trade-scuttling injury.

For his career, Jackson has 620 catches for 10,877 yards and 57 touchdowns. Now, after parting ways with his fourth pro team, he’ll look to add to those totals elsewhere.

Latest On Rams WR DeSean Jackson

It sounds like DeSean Jackson‘s stint in Los Angeles has come to an end, even if the Rams are unable to find a taker via trade. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that if Jackson isn’t traded, it’s expected that the veteran wideout will be released (via Ian Rapoport on Twitter).

Jackson inked a one-year, $4.5MM deal with the Rams this past offseason. That deal included a $2.75MM base salary, and a release would mean the Rams would be left with a prorated part of that guarantee on their cap sheet.

The 34-year-old didn’t see more than 32 percent of his team’s offensive snaps through the first seven weeks of the season, culminating in only four offensive snaps during his team’s Week 7 win. The Rams recently gave Jackson permission to seek a trade elsewhere, and he was inactive during yesterday’s win over the Texans.

Jackson was limited to only eight games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and he’s hauled in only eight catches this year. However, considering the veteran’s track record, there’s a good chance Jackson will find a landing spot. However, it remains to be seen if a suitor will be willing to give up any assets to the Rams before tomorrow’s deadline.

Rams Shopping DeSean Jackson

The Rams and DeSean Jackson have mutually agreed to seek a trade, according to sources who spoke with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (Twitter link). The wide receiver should hold appeal to other teams, but they’ll only have a few days to complete a deal.

Any team trading for Jackson will be responsible for the balance of his one-year, $4.5MM deal. The Rams could cover part of the tab, however, and potentially increase their haul.

Jackson, 34, has averaged 27.6 yards per catch through seven games this year. Of course, that also comes in a limited sample size — 8 catches for 221 yards. Much of that production came in Week 3 against the Buccaneers when he notched three receptions for 120 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown.

Rams head coach Sean McVay has confirmed the report, saying that the team will try and find “opportunities he’s deserving of” elsewhere (Twitter link via Garafolo). In the meantime, Jackson will not suit up for Sunday’s game against the Texans.

Barring a return to one of his old employers, Jackson will move on to the fifth team of his pro career. The three-time Pro Bowler led the league in 2018 with 18.9 yards per reception and could still be a serious deep threat, despite his age.

Extra Points: Jackson, Fans, Colts, Shaw

DeSean Jackson just signed a one-year deal with the Rams, and before that we hadn’t heard of much known interest in the speedster. That doesn’t mean that interest didn’t exist however. Speaking to the media after signing in Los Angeles, Jackson revealed he had other suitors. “There were other options out there,” Jackson said, via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com.

Jackson also explained his thought process in signing with the Rams, and it turns out their head coach was a big factor. “I could have went to other teams, other places. But my focus was really reuniting with Sean McVay. Talking to McVay once I was a free agent and really kind of having those open conversations, talking about the possibilities, it was something that was intriguing for me. So, I think that outweighs everything.” McVay coached Jackson during their time in Washington together, and it was reported at the time of signing that he played a role in recruiting Jackson to LA.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • We’ve only got a little over five months until the start of the 2021 regular season, and it sounds like the league is planning on having things back to normal by then. Commissioner Roger Goodell told the media on Tuesday that the NFL is planning on having all stadiums with full fan capacity for the 2021 season, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Obviously we’ve got a long way to go before the season actually starts and anything can happen, but it’s great to hear the league striking such an optimistic tone nonetheless. Here’s to hoping everything goes smoothly.
  • Frank Reich loves to feature tight ends heavily in his offense, so it might not surprise you to learn the Colts are covering all their bases at the position. Indy had free agent Jeremy Sprinkle in for a workout on Monday, Pelissero tweets. A fifth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2017, Sprinkle made a bit of noise with Washington in 2019 when he had 26 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown. This past season he appeared in all 16 games and played on over 20 percent of the snaps, but was mostly used as a blocker and only caught one pass.
  • The last time you heard about Josh Shaw, he was getting suspended for allegedly betting on Cardinals games while he was on the team’s injured reserve list in November of 2019. The defensive back was suspended for the entire 2020 season, but after serving his ban has now been reinstated by the NFL, the league office announced last week. Shaw started 12 games for the Bengals in 2016, but never made too big of an impact outside of that. He only just turned 29, but teams aren’t exactly going to be beating down his door to sign him now that he’s available.

Rams To Sign DeSean Jackson

Mar. 25: Financial details are in. Per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (via Twitter), Jackson’s one-year deal will include a $2.75MM base salary. D-Jax also has significant playing-time incentives, as he will earn $103K for each game that he is on the active gameday roster and an additional $1.25MM if he plays at least 50% of the Rams’ offensive snaps and the team “improves” (presumably, that means that LA wins more than the 10 games it won in 2020).

There are also $1MM in playoff incentives, so Jackson’s deal will max out at roughly $6.75MM. His cap number, though, checks in at $3.26MM.

Mar. 21: Sean McVay’s offense is adding another big name. The Rams are signing free agent receiver DeSean Jackson, a source told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal.

McVay personally reached out to help recruit Jackson, Garafolo notes in a follow-up tweet. Financial terms weren’t immediately available, and they’ll be interesting to see considering Jackson is now 34 and has only played eight total games over the last two years. As many were quick to point out, this fills a big need for Los Angeles as they had been lacking a speed receiver since trading away Brandin Cooks.

Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are both very quality options, but neither of them are deep threat field-stretchers. Jackson’s presence, assuming he’s able to stay healthy, should now open up a lot of things underneath for everybody else. Matthew Stafford is going to have a very solid group of receivers to throw to in his first year with the Rams.

Jackson started his career with the Eagles in 2008, then had stops in Washington and Tampa Bay before heading back to Philly for the past two years. The three-time Pro Bowler could be a big addition if he’s got anything left in the tank, and as recently as 2018 with the Bucs he still led the league in yards per reception at 18.9.

The Eagles released him in a cost-saving move last month, and we hadn’t heard of any known interest in Jackson since then. He had 14 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown in five games last year.

The Cal product is certainly nearing the end of his career, but hopefully he can still make a few of his patented splash plays in 2021. With the moves he’s made this offseason, McVay’s offense is trending toward looking more like the exciting and electrifying units we saw in his first couple of years as coach.