3 Realistic expectations for Eagles WR DeSean Jackson in 2020

Jackson must be put on a pitch count. 15 to 20 snaps a game should do the trick.

If you haven’t noticed, a shift in the way the game is played has resulted in teams putting less effort into investing a ton of resources into the running back position. It isn’t dead like the fullback position per se, but teams are shying away from going with running backs early in the draft unless they’re totally convinced they someone’s a once in a lifetime type of talent, Saquon Barkley for instance.

Why? It’s simple. Running backs remain the most punished of every position on the NFL’s gridiron. For that reason, these days, teams normally rely on a committee system. Bigger bruising backs aren’t as common as teams tend to prefer smaller, shifty guys who can contribute in the passing game and make plays in space.

The drawback is you lose the ability to keep those small guys on the field, and failure to comply with that plan could result in shorter seasons for important players or a faster deterioration of the game’s stars at the position. See Todd Gurley or Ezekiel Elliott for evidence.

What does this have to do with Jackson and the Eagles wide receiver corps you ask? It’s simple. The goal with guys like Corey Clement and Darren Sproles was to use them as utility backs on passing and third-down situations and use the committee approach to lengthen careers. Maybe that’s the best course of action with Jackson going forward. How about 15 to 20 plays per game?

As stated, “10” hasn’t played a full 16-game slate since the last time that he was in Philadelphia (2013). There’s no reason to believe that, in year 13, he’s suddenly going to channel his inner-Malcolm Jenkins. That means Philly needs to limit his snap count and Jackson needs to accept a situational role to ensure that he’s available for an entire season and a possible playoff run.

The question is will Philly comply?