ARLINGTON, Texas -- A funny thing happened after the Eagles win over the Cowboys Saturday.
DeSean Jackson began talking about next year.
Next year?
Our future is going to be bright, Jackson said at his locker after the Eagles won their third straight game, 20-7, over the Cowboys (see story). This is really our first year playing together with the new additions, and its a year under our belt, so next year we can come back and keep doing what were doing.
Next year is something Jackson hasnt talked about at all this year, especially in terms of spending it with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jackson has just one more game under his original rookie contract, which pays him the NFL fourth-year minimum wage of 600,000 this year. After the Eagles finish the season with the Redskins Sunday at the Linc, Jackson goes into limbo.
Will the Eagles franchise him? Will they sign him to a long-term deal? Will they let him go?
NFL
Nobody knows. The Eagles and Jacksons agent are nowhere near each other in their thoughts of Jacksons value, so his future is certainly up in the air.
But Saturday evening in Dallas, Jackson made it clear he wants to be back.
Hopefully, I will be, he said. I consider Philadelphia a home, and the fans have embraced me and things like that. But its out of my control. I dont know (whats going to happen). But I definitely want to (be back).
Its been a difficult year for Jackson, a Pro Bowl pick in 2009 and 2010. He was suspended for a game after missing a mandatory meeting, dropped five touchdown passes, didnt turn in any of the long touchdowns he recorded at a record-setting pace his first three seasons, and he struggled on punt returns.
But hes still managed to catch 54 passes for a team-high 875 yards with three touchdowns. He had five catches for 90 yards Saturday, when the Eagles beat the Cowboys.
On Sunday, Jackson increased his career receiving total to 4,010 yards -- sixth-most in Eagles history in just four seasons.
If I had the power to do anything, maybe something would have been different, Jackson said. I had a job to do, and that was play out my contract and whether its one game or whatever the case may be, God still has a plan for me, so well see where it goes.
This is the first year Jackson wont go to the playoffs. Last time the Eagles missed the postseason was 2007, his last year at Cal.
The Eagles (7-8) finish the season next Sunday against the Redskins at the Linc.
Its an unfamiliar feeling, an unfamiliar sight, Jackson said. Ive never really experienced this in my four years here. Its a reality check. Everybody has to check themselves, and hopefully we finish strong and come back next year and were all back together and limit the mistakes, the turnovers, the miscues. But were at a point where we got all that out of the way and were ready to move on.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com