The Geno Smith conversation is not just being had on talk radio, in bars, and on your favorite blog. Turns out, it has seeped through the NovaCare walls and into the weight room as well.
“I have been hearing about that, honestly, too. Geno Smith was a great player at West Virginia. He has done some great things. He could probably fit right in with this offense,” said DeSean Jackson in an interview with NFL Network.
From DeSean Jackson’s quarterback preference to Chip Kelly’s track record with turnovers to hope for special teams, here are three Eagles numbers that matter.
Here are three Eagles leftovers to chew on. DeSean Jackson talks tempo. Brandon Graham talks sports science. And Jason Peters talks playoffs.
DeSean Jackson and his teammates had grown accustomed to doing things a certain way at the NovaCare Complex.
From 1999 to 2012, it was the Andy Reid way.
But change has now arrived in the form of Chip Kelly. In the coming weeks and months, players will be asked to step out of their comfort zones and embrace change in a variety of football-related areas.
“First day, we had the team meeting, you could kind of sense the urgency,” Jackson said. “This is what it’s going to be, and it’s on you guys to get the information and dissect it and make the change and make the difference. One thing I can say, he’s letting us be professionals. We have to take accountability to do our jobs.”
For DeSean Jackson, change can be good.
The sixth-year wide receiver isn’t sure exactly how Chip Kelly plans on using him offensively, but he’s looking forward to finding out.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Whatever the role is, hopefully being able to play multiple positions, being moved around is something I’m looking forward to as well, so I have a lot on my shoulders. I’ve got to get that playbook down. I’ve got to learn it and am looking forward to it.”
Will the Eagles look to add a wide receiver or tight end in free agency? We address Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and Jared Cook in today’s Wake-Up Call.
How committed is Chip Kelly to improving the Eagles’ special teams? What does Dave Fipp bring to the table? And will DeSean Jackson go back to returning punts? A look at those questions and more in today’s Wake-Up Call.
DeSean Jackson has spoken with Chip Kelly, and believes he has an idea how he will be utilized by his new coach.
“Kind of similar to what DeAnthony Thomas was doing at Oregon. He’s like a little brother to me. I actually talked to him,” Jackson told the Inquirer. “He was passing on information to me, like I’m going to be pumped up and psyched to be in that offense. It just keeps defenses off guard any time you go in motion, fake play-action, go down the field. There’s just so many things you can do.”
Jackson said Kelly told him to be prepared to have the ball in his hands more than usual, but other than that provided little detail.
Kelly has to be excited about working with a burner like Jackson. But can he really use him like he did Thomas?
How will DeSean Jackson’s role change? Does Jeremy Maclin figure into the team’s future plans? Will the Eagles make a splash at wide receiver in free agency? Answering those questions and more in this offseason breakdown of the team’s wide-receiver situation.
DeSean Jackson offered his initial thoughts on Chip Kelly last week, but he was able to expand on them today during an interview in New Orleans with NFL.com.
The Eagles’ speedy wide receiver said he’s familiar with Kelly’s style of play and sounds legitimately excited to be playing for the new head coach.
“Talking to Chip Kelly, he actually said, ‘I was on the opposite side, watching you score touchdowns,’” Jackson said. “So now, it’s actually a good situation because I am very familiar with the play style, his offensive style, and I think in the NFL, he’s going to have defensive coordinators going crazy. I’m just excited, and hopefully he’s able to come in here and just throw that twist to it.”
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Sheil Kapadia has been writing about the Eagles since 2008. His previous Philly.com blog, Moving the Chains, was named one of the best in the state by the Associated Press. Sheil's main joys in life are family, football and finding good parking spots.
Tim McManus is a bulldog reporter with a nose for news and story angles that will get people talking. He'll talk about it himself on 97.5 The Fanatic, where he serves as a host and Eagles beat reporter. Tim, an award-winning journalist, will be with the team around the clock.
