Philadelphia Eagles should sit DeSean Jackson for Week 5 vs. Jets

The Philadelphia Eagles projected DeSean Jackson would be back for Week 5, but perhaps they should wait until the next game.

Everything hasn’t been perfect for the Philadelphia Eagles through four weeks of football. As a matter of fact, injuries have made it extremely difficult for the Eagles to succeed for the second year in a row — and this time around it is happening fairly quickly.

Multiple positions on the Eagles have taken hits thus far. After weeks two and three, the wide receiver position felt like the most significant loss on the Eagles as they played without Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson for almost two weeks.

During that time they were both out, the Eagles dealt with losses. Of course, those losses were primarily caused by drops from the backup wide receivers the Eagles currently have rostered.

While the Birds did get Jeffery back for Week 4 against the Packers, they are still waiting for the return of DeSean Jackson. With an initial timetable set at two weeks, that marked Jackson’s return for Week 5 against the New York Jets, which takes place at home on Sunday.

What’re the chances Jackson actually plays?

So far, it sounds like Jackson’s on the right track to return this week against the Jets as he spent time away from the team recently and continued to rehab. With no word on whether he will play or not, Jackson’s status remains questionable as of right now.

Regardless of whether he’s cleared to go or not though, the Eagles should consider waiting another week before Jackson’s return. Despite having a short timetable set, Jackson has been clearly rushing to get back to the field. Hence the reason why he opted out of surgery.

While we don’t want the Eagles to take it easy on their opponents, the New York Jets should be a winnable matchup at home this weekend without the veteran speedster. If the Eagles can handle Green Bay on the road without Jackson, they should be able to handle New York without him too.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier after this week’s matchup. With the Vikings, Cowboys, Bills, Bears, Patriots, and Seahawks lined up for the next six weeks; the Eagles are gearing up for their toughest stretch of the year, which can make or break their 2019 season.

Having Jackson back by this week would be a nice luxury, but it may not be a necessity. Any amount of time he’s able to take off should benefit the veteran wideout in the long run. The Eagles need Jackson to be ready for the tough stretch of the schedule. Perhaps, it would be in their best interest to keep Jackson out another week as he continues to heal.