The Off-Season of Desean Jackson & Pierre Garcon
All season long, I’ve seen the debates on different blogs and media about the expiring contracts of both Pierre Garcon, and Desean Jackson. It’s an interesting scenario because the team’s two best receivers are in contract years. Both guys will be looking to make big-time money in what could be their last opportunity to get a large NFL contract.
Both guys are 30 years old, and their production has been relatively similar. Garcon, on the season, has 75 catches for 945, while Jackson has 54 catches for 971 yards; making both players on track to hit the 1,000-yard mark for the year. With Garcon and Jackson being the 5th and 6th highest paid players on the team, respectively, it makes it tough to truly differentiate the true value vs. one-another for the Redskins.
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Desean Jackson has been known as a deep threat his whole career, a one-trick pony of sorts; but over the past two games he’s made an impact with his tremendous hands, balance, and route running. He was a bright spot in the Carolina game with 111 yards receiving and a couple of great sideline catches, followed up by a 114 yard performance against Chicago in week 16.
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In 2013, Garcon had a breakout year in his second season with the Redskins, tallying 1,346 yards on 113 catches. In 2014 and 2015, he had a decline in production; the Desean Jackson signing had some impact on that. He has bounced back in 2016, becoming Kirk Cousins’ favorite target with Jordan Reed in and out of the lineup with injuries.
A look into the future, it’s hard to say which guy (if one needs to be chosen) in the best to move forward with. Jamison Crowder has had a breakout season, and has proved to be one of their better scoring threats, leading the team in Receiving touchdowns. First-Round pick Josh Doctson will hopefully see more action next year coming off his injury, as well as a healthy Jordan Reed. Reed is a lot like Garcon as a pass catcher; big, physical, and not afraid to take a shot going across the middle. Jackson seems to prefer stretching the field by running right by defensive backs.
One thing in Garcon’s favor however is his ability to get open in the Red-Zone, the spot that the Redskins offense has struggled the most this season, scoring Touchdowns only 45.76% of the time. This will hopefully improve with a big receiver in Doctson returning to the lineup, but I like the thought of Garcon and Crowder crossing the field while having Jordan Reed as a weapon as well.
This debate will continue into the off-season, and we shall see what the rest of the season holds for Garcon and Jackson. I’d love to see them both in Burgundy & Gold for the next few years, but the money may not add up. Especially with the Kirk Cousins contract negotiations going on through the spring.
Hail to the Redskins!
