HBO's Bomani Jones remarked last fall that "DeSean Jackson will be 50 years old and I'll still think he could run past NFL defensive backs."
As true as that may be, it sounds as though Jackson is seriously considering calling it a career.
"I'm not really sure if I'm going to play next year or not," Jackson told Sports Illustrated's Ashley Nicole Moss. "I know I announced and said I was going to play. It's just really at this point where I'm at in my life, it's gotta be the right fit.
"My career's been one helluva ride."
What type of opportunity would it take for Jackson -- who will turn 36 in December -- to play in 2022?
"Chiefs may be one," said Jackson, when talking about the type of team he would be intrigued by the chance to play for. "The Browns ... Russell Wilson in Denver ... Green Bay. You on the right track, so we'll see for sure."
The common thread among the four teams mentioned by Jackson? Four top-tier quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. It's unclear whether Jackson's interest in Cleveland would subside if Watson ultimately faces a suspension for a significant chunk of the 2022 season.
Kansas City would provide a unique opportunity for Jackson to reunite with Andy Reid, who drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft when he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Of course, we don't know if any of these teams would provide a large enough role to appease Jackson. He spent the first seven games of the 2022 season with the eventual Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams, but ultimately asked for and was granted his release to seek out an opportunity with a larger role. He got that with the Las Vegas Raiders. In total, Jackson had 20 catches for 454 yards in 2022, averaging 22.7 yards per reception.
If Jackson's career is over, he'll be remembered as one of the greatest deep threats in the history of the NFL. A three-time Pro Bowler, Jackson has 632 catches for 11,110 yards and 62 total touchdowns across 14 seasons.
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