Eagles HC Chip Kelly threw some cold water on those De'Anthony Thomas and DeSean Jackson comparisons.
"I think [De'Anthony Thomas and DeSean Jackson] are both similar in size and are fast, but DeSean is a wide receiver and De'Anthony is a running back," Kelly said.
"When we got De'Anthony, we looked at some of his traits and thought it was beneficial to get him involved [as a wide receiver] because we had [running backs] LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner [and were asking], how do we get them on the field at the same time."
"DeSean's kind of a wide receiver/running back, but I don't know if he has those qualities of a [running back]. De'Anthony has been a running back his entire life, and my understanding is DeSean has been a receiver his entire life. So they are not similar from that standpoint."
Does that mean Kelly won't use Jackson on an occasional end-around? No. Does it mean Jackson could get 30-40 carries next season? Absolutely not.
In 2012, Jackson had his worst season as a pro, catching just 45 passes for 700 yards and two TDs, and missed five games in the process. He is likely to be used in different ways in Kelly's new offense, but we're not expecting a big jump in carries. Expect a few more end-arounds and more quick-hitting WR screens. QB play is a concern.