DeSean Jackson

Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson had a disappointing season last year, and now a reason has emerged to why he underachieved.

Jackson told ESPN’s Lisa Salters that he didn’t play at full effort in order to avoid injury in his contract year. He was deactivated last year in Week 10 vs. the Cardinals and was benched during the Eagles’ 38-20 loss to the Patriots in Week 12.

“I let it get to me, even though I tried not to let it,” Jackson said. “I was trying to protect myself from getting hurt — now I’m just giving it all.”

The 25-year-old accepted the franchise tag earlier this year before signing a five-year, $51 million extension with $15 million guaranteed in March. He held out of the first 11 days of training camp last season while seeking a contract extension.

He had 58 receptions and 961 yards last year, which was his lowest yards total since his 2008 rookie campaign.

Bears QB Jay Cutler will be out for an indefinite period of time with a broken thumb. (AP)

As the Bears prepare for their trip to Oakland to take on the Raiders Sunday, they do so without the leader of the their offense. Quarterback Jay Cutler will need surgery on a broken thumb on his right throwing hand and will be out for an extended period of time, according to coach Lovie Smith.

Cutler suffered the injury trying to make a tackle after an interception in the fourth quarter of Chicago’s 31-20 win over the Chargers on Sunday. He finished the game, as the team did not know the full extent of the injury until after the game.

While the injury is a blow to the Bears (7-3), Smith stressed that Cutler will play again this year.

“Is it a season-ending injury? No,” Smith said. “From what I’ve been told right now, we can expect him back at the end of the regular season.”

Following are more notable injuries from Week 11 of the NFL season.

• Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of Minnesota’s loss to the Raiders on Sunday. Peterson’s status for next week’s game against the Falcons is unknown. He will wear a protective boot and not practice until Friday to determine his availability against Atlanta.

• Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe is expected to play against the Falcons after suffering a mild strain of the hamstring against the Raiders.

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Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY WEDNESDAY:
MLB: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLS: Revolution at Union, 8 p.m. (CSNNE)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Terrell Owens has some advice for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson: Sit out Week 1. Jackson, making $600,000 in the final year of his rookie deal, was late in reporting to Eagles camp because he wants a new deal, but he has been with the team since early August. Said Owens: “I guarantee you, if he goes out and gets hurt, God forbid, he’s not going to get the contract that he probably would have gotten if he held out.”

That said, Owens acknowledged that he might have been too aggressive in seeking more money when he played in Philadelphia. “I probably would have handled it in a more professional way,” Owens said.  “I still stand by the fact that I never tried to do anything out of the norm to tarnish my relationship with the Eagles.  My agent tried to do the necessary things to try and do things behind closed doors to ensure I got a good contract at that time.”

Both players are represented by Drew Rosenhaus. The 36-year-old Owens, who played for the Bengals last season, is unsigned. He said he would welcome a return to the Eagles.

♦ Jaguars linebacker Mike Lockley was fined $20,000 for his hit on Patriots receiver Taylor Price in the teams’ first preseason game. Lockley later was cut, cleared waivers and was signed to the team’s practice squad. He now makes only $5,700 per week, so the league is deducting $2,500 from each paycheck until the penalty is paid. Lockley is appealing the fine.

♦ With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 four days away, former Jets players are recalling with pride how they refused to play the weekend after the tragedy, despite then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue‘s request that they continue the season without interruption. Native New Yorker Vinny Testaverde told teammates at a team meeting that there was no way he was flying to Oakland for a game against the Raiders, and the team backed him up with a unanimous vote against playing.

♦ Alan Moore hopes to become the oldest player in college football history. The 61-year-old who left junior college in 1968 to go to Vietnam is a kicker at NAIA Faulkner University in Alabama. Sporting News columnist David Whitley has Moore’s story.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: Sept. 7, 1950, marked the major league debut of which outfielder who would go on to have a movie made about him?

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DeSean Jackson

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson ended his holdout and reported to training camp in Bethlehem, Pa., on Monday. Jackson had skipped the first 12 days of camp seeking a new contract.

Jackson is slated to make $565,000 this season, which is the last on his four-year rookie deal. Under the new rules with the CBA players are subject to a $30,000 fine for each day of training camp missed due to a holdout.

The two-time Pro Bowler caught 47 passes for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns last season.

DeSean Jackson

Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson is expected to end his holdout and report to training camp this week, a league source told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio Monday. Jackson is in the final year of his four-year rookie deal, making a base salary of $565,000.

Eagles president Joe Banner said Monday he does not know when Jackson will report to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., for camp.

“He has not indicated that he intends to be in here imminently, but I would be the last one he’d tell that to because he does not want me to know his plan,” Banner said on WIP Radio in Philadelphia.

Jackson will be fined $30,000 every day he misses training camp starting Thursday.

Jackson has caught over 1,000 yards twice in his first three NFL seasons. A two-time Pro Bowler, he led all receivers with 22.5 yards per catch last season.

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is holding out from Eagles training camp because he is unhappy with his contract, according to Philly.com. A team source confirmed to the website that Jackson was not present at the Eagles first day of training camp Thursday.

Jackson is entering the last year of the four-year deal that he signed as a second-round draft pick in 2008. He will earn $560,000 in base salary this season. The wide receiver will be fined $30,000 for each day of camp this he misses.

The two-time Pro Bowl player had 47 catches for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns last season. In 2009 he caught nine touchdowns.

According to report from CSN Philadelphia, the Eagles have assured DeSean Jackson that he will be rewarded as one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers “when the time is right.” But with the collective bargaining agreement still up in the air and the “30 percent” rule restricting the amount teams can offer in extensions, the time is not now.

Jackson, in the third year of his four-year rookie contract, understands this. “I’m not going to panic,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and be a crybaby about it. I definitely know what I’m worth. It’s unfortunate, but you can’t get frustrated because it’s not going to change until the [NFLPA] makes a deal with the NFL. You just have to deal with it and hopefully something will work out.”

The electric receiver is earning $480,000 in base salary this year and is due $565,000 next year. He received a $1.353 million bonus when he signed in 2008 after the Eagles drafted him in the second round out of Cal. His deal is worth a total of $3,486,365 over four years, or an average of $871,591 per year. He has outplayed that money and draft selection, posting 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns last season and 762 yards and five touchdowns so far this year.

Indianapolis placed former first-round pick Antonio Gonzalez on the injured reserve with another season-ending injury for the wide out. Gonzalez has a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, forcing him to finish the year on injured reserve for the second straight year. Reportedly, the receiver is not expected to need surgery after suffering the injury during Monday’s game against Houston.

The Colts have been especially unlucky with injuries this season, with running backs Joseph Addai and Mike Hart not making the trip to Philadelphia along with the loss of All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark. Donald Brown will start again for the Colts after rushing nine times for 16 yards and catching two balls for 13 yards against Houston last Monday. It seems that Brown will get more opportunities to carry the ball this week, and he will face an Eagles defense that ranks 18^th in the NFL against the run, allowing 109.9 yards per game.

Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick will return to the Eagles today after missing the last three games with a rib injury. Coach Andy Reid announced that Vick will start in place of Kevin Kolb, who started in Vick’s absence. Vick will also be wearing a Kevlar vest that is intended to prevent any further injury to his ribs in Sunday’s game. The Colts have fared well against the pass, allowing only 203.3 yards per game, ranking 7^th in the NFL. However, Vick was on a tear before suffering his rib injury. Vick has thrown 96 passes without an interception, including six touchdowns and a 108.8 passer rating.

Vick will benefit with the return of DeSean Jackson, who will return for the first time since Oct. 24 after suffering a concussion. Jackson has caught 19 passes for 395 yards for three touchdowns and will be a big factor in the deep passing game of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia wide out DeSean Jackson is expected to return to the field this week for the first time since Oct. 17. Jackson sustained a significant concussion when Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson delivered a hard hit that left both players injured. The collision was one of the many that prompted the NFL to raise their awareness of helmet-to-helmet contact.

The speedy Pro Bowl receiver is expected to start against the Colts (5-2) this Sunday. He will bring a new helmet on the field with him, one that designed to prevent concussions. The Oct. 17 hit was the second concussion Jackson suffered in 11 months.

Jackson will also have Michael Vick throwing to him after Vick recovered from suffering damage to his rib cartilage earlier in the season. Vick will be replacing Kevin Kolb, who started in Vick’s absence. Jackson fared better in games started by Vick, compiling 13 receptions for 318 yards and two touchdowns in the first three games of the season. Jackson has 19 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns on the season.

According to Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, one of his favorite targets, DeSean Jackson, returned to practice Monday morning. No official report had been released as of Monday midday, so whether Jackson was limited or a full participant had yet to be determined. Jackson is recovering from a severe concussion after a horrid collision with Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson.

Meanwhile, Vick, who had been recovering from a rib injury, declared himself as “100 percent” following the Eagles’ Week 8 bye. Vick was named the Week 9 starter immediately following Kevin Kolb‘s shaky performance against the Titans last week.