Eagles WR DeSean Jackson Says Don't Compare Him To Larry Fitzgerald

Eagles Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson is preparing for the season ahead with his training camp absence behind him. Jackson, who missed 11 days of camp, is hoping for a new contract, but he has pledged to be focused solely on football. On Saturday night, another Pro Bowl wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals received a new contract of his own, reportedly worth $120 million over eight years, making him one of the highest paid players in the league. "Congrats to my Big bro @LarryFitzgerald!! Well deserved.. Wideouts ballin!!," Jackson tweeted. But after Monday's practice, Jackson said his congratulations had little to do with his own contract search. "He got a contract, so of course that's a good friend of mine, I'm going to congratulate him," Jackson said. In Jackson's three seasons, he's averaged 57 catches, 1,041 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and over that same three-year span, Fitzgerald has notched an average of 93 catches for 1,220 yards and just over 10 touchdowns per season. "The things he's done, he's been in the league of course a longer time than me," said Jackson. "It's his third deal. So as far as him being a different player than myself, comparing the type of receivers we are, he's a totally different type of receiver than I am. So we don't compare as far as receiver wise. "He's a good player. He's one of the top receivers in the NFL like myself, so of course when it comes down to that, yeah, but money-wise or stats-wise, I don't compare any of that stuff. I just take care of what I have to take care of." Jackson said "We don't know yet, we'll see," when asked if there has been any progress on a new contract with the Eagles, but emphasized that his focus remains on the field, where he does consider himself to be among the league's elite. "Growing up I kind of looked up to Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin," he said. "But as far as receivers right now in the NFL, I don't really look up to any of them. I respect their game. There are a couple of great receivers out there. I just consider myself to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL."

Source: PhiladelphiaEagles.com

 

I don't know if I would put Jackson in the elite category just yet. He is def. one of the better WR's in the league, but not quite Fitz, Megatron, Johnson range.

 

You can't compare the two IMO. They have two different styles. Both are undoubtedly great though.

 

He's as explosive a player as anyone in the league. Still not quite sure he's in that elite league of WR's though.

 

both are great at what they do, but comparing the two would make whoever is comparing a fool.

 

Did any of you see DeSean Jackson make the New York special teams unit look like children, last year? I think, when Jackson retires, he will be considered better than Larry Fitzgerald. Sure, Fitzgerald is good, when he has a good QB. Does he run returns? Jackson does, and he's damn good at it.

 

Fitz is a good teammate who will take less money to help the team. I doubt Jackson would do that. Plus Fitz is a true #1 who helps the others, Jackson is sometimes.

 

This means nothing. If returns had absolutely anything to do with how good a WR is seen when he retires, Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs would be the greatest recievers of all time.

 

There's going to come a time when Jackson stops returning kicks.

Fitzgerald and Jackson are obviously different types of receivers. Both are good at what they do and they do different things. If I'm starting a team, no offense to Jackson, I'm taking Fitzgerald...lol.

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

He just signed the richest contract for a non-QB ever, no? Lol

 

He signed a huge contract a few years ago and reworked his deal to try to keep Boldin.

Let's face it, Jackson is explosive, but Fitz is a vertical threat too, the big difference is Fitz is a complete WR,

 

Ok......lets be real.......A)Fitz offered to rework (meaning move money arojnd/back not away) to keep Boldin who as we all know they didn't keep anyway. B) Its Djax first contrast extension so he's not had the need/chance to do anything similar. Bringing the contract thing up is as dumb as ever trying to compare the 2 in the 1st place .

 

You think he would rework his deal? Then we are looking at different players.

 

jackson isntr looking to bury the team cap wise, he just knows he's worth well more than $500k.

also, anytime jackson is on the field he helps others.

 

Neither you nor I have a freaking clue what he would do in that situation. Difference is....I admit it.

 

It cracks me up when people act like reworking a deal is such a 'teamwork' thing to do.

Players NEVER accept less money in reworked deals unless they suck and are a threat to be cut. I guarantee you Larry either made more money with the rework or the same amount.

And yeah, Fitz had a lot to gain by keeping an elite WR on the opposite side of the field.

I concur that he appears to be a good teammate, just hate the whole 'reworked his deal so he's a good teammate' comment.

 

See above.

'Reworked deal' does not mean 'took a pay cut for the good of the team'.

Do I think DeSean would rework the deal he is about to get three years from now to help the team with cap space? Of course I do. Would he take a paycut? No. 99% of players would not voluntarily take less money away from their pockets.

 

Those re-worked deals are backloaded aren't they? They help the team's cap in the short run but they make it up at the end. Or is this inaccurate?

 

Most large contracts offer a big butt signing bonus to keep the player happy for the first two years which the team can prorate, small salaries (especially for the first 2-3 years) which increase higher and higher as the contract goes on, and high high salaries the last 2-3 years of the deal that the player 'usually' doesn't see because they either rework their deals before those enormous salaries have to count against the cap or are cut.