Frustrated Jackson feels demoted by Eagles

His 2009 season ended after 15 games with a knee injury. His 2010 season ended after just one game with a torn tricep. Now Jamaal Jackson is finally healthy, and it looks like his season is about to end early again.Jackson again found himself with the backups at practice Saturday and with each passing day, it looks more and more likely that head coach Andy Reid and new offensive line coach Howard Mudd will go with rookie sixth-round pick Jason Kelce at center when the season begins.Kelce worked with the first offense on and off during training camp, then took over full-time with the first unit last Saturday. He got all the work with the starters in the preseason game against the Browns Thursday night and Jackson was relegated to the second team.And there he remains.With opening day just 15 days away, its hard to imagine that this is still an open competition. Although Reid hasnt come out and said it, everything now points to Kelce starting the opener against the Rams on Sept. 11.I feel like Im healthy enough to compete, Jackson said. I didnt have any setbacks. What can you do. ... Past couple years Ive been injured, cant blame em for that.Jackson has been a steady pro since coming to the Eagles as a rookie undrafted free agent in 2003. He started eight games in 2005, then beat out Hank Fraley for the starting job in the summer of 2006. By the time he got hurt against the Broncos Christmas week in 2009, he had started 76 consecutive games at center.Jackson is the only player left in the organization who was on the roster during the 2004 Super Bowl run, although he didnt play.Jackson said he isnt concerned with what will happen if hes not the starter. Come to work every day, just make my strengths stronger and work on my weaknesses, he said. Thats all I can do.Asked about his competition with Kelce, Jackson said its not a competition.You call it competition if you want, Jackson said. I dont. If he needs help, Ill help him, but competiton? Theres no competition. Theres no competition. Whoevers in there, theyre the starter, point blank. Im just out here working. Whoever the coaches feel as though can get the job done, theyll put that person in there. And right now, thats not me.Jacksons salary isnt prohibitive1.575 million in 2011 with a 1.675 cap figurebut will the Eagles want to keep him around as a 31-year-old backup?Could this mean the end of the line for the popular and classy Jackson after eight years in Philly?It might, he said. Nobody knows the future. Right now, continue to come to work every day. If Kelce and Danny Watkins both start, this will be the first season in 38 years the Eagles have started two rookies offensive linemen. In 1973, Guy Morriss started at center and Jerry Sisemore at right tackle.The only rookies to start all year on the offensive line for the Eagles in the last 20 years are Antone Davis in 1991, Bernard Williams in 1994, Barrett Brooks in 1995, Tra Thomas in 1998 and Doug Brzezinski in 1999.E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com