Eagles' DeSean Jackson enjoying Pro Bowl week, looking forward to big raise

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - With his new, high-powered agent strutting around the Pro Bowl practice site yesterday and mugging for the television cameras, DeSean Jackson didn't seem to have a care in the world.

The second-year wide receiver and kick returner for the Eagles already has made his strongest statements on the field, and he is content with letting Drew Rosenhaus take care of making him a richer man.

Jackson has 2 years remaining on the 4-year, $3.47 million contract he signed in 2008 after the Eagles made him a second-round draft pick. After leading the team in receptions as a rookie and following that up by being named a starter for the NFC in Sunday's Pro Bowl, Jackson feels deserving of a new deal. He did receive a $1.35 million signing bonus, but made only $385,000 in base salary this past season, is scheduled to earn $470,000 next year and $555,000 in 2011, which is far below value for a player of his credentials.

So jettisoning his old agent, Adam Heller of DeBartolo Sports Inc., in favor of Rosenhaus was a sign that Jackson wanted to get serious with the Eagles. Now that the offseason has arrived, negotiations can officially begin as per the collective bargaining agreement, which says you have to be in your third NFL season to rework your contract.

The normally verbose Rosenhaus had nothing to say when asked about Jackson, responding with a simple, "I'm not talking about that."

A team source said Rosenhaus has not yet approached the Eagles.

Asked yesterday during an interview on 97.5 The Fanatic if he would have a new contract for next season, Jackson said, "Hopefully, it would be nice." As to whether he would command big money, Jackson replied, "I'm shooting for the top."

"I let Drew be the aggressive one and I just sit back and handle what I need to do," Jackson said. "That's all I can do."

However, a new deal for Jackson might not be among the Eagles' top priorities, with 11 players entering the final year of their contracts, plus their 14 soon-to-be free agents. For Jackson, blending in with the other star players in uniform and preparing for Sunday's game at Sun Life Stadium is all that he can focus on right now. Eight of his Eagles teammates are in South Florida with him, including quarterback Donovan McNabb. Yesterday during practice, McNabb handed off to Jackson on an end-around option pass and watched the youngster show off his passing skills.

"It felt good to get that out of there and let it go a little bit," said Jackson, who caught 63 passes for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns in 2009.

In addition to McNabb and Jackson, Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver, kicker David Akers, cornerback Asante Samuel, left tackle Jason Peters, defensive end Trent Cole, safety Quintin Mikell and long snapper Jon Dorenbos are playing for the NFC. Akers, McNabb, Samuel, Cole and Peters have been to the Pro Bowl before and are helping show the others the ropes.

McNabb will be sharing the quarterback duties with Dallas' Tony Romo and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, with Rodgers designated as the starter.

"We've got some good quarterbacks out here to get me the ball, so we're going to have a good time and enjoy it," Jackson said. "I just want to come into the game and try to spark something with a couple of big plays and hopefully get a couple of touchdowns. Hopefully, I'll be on the winning team. But winning or losing, we're just going to go out there and have a good time and have fun."

McNabb cited the strong chemistry he felt developing on the Eagles' offense among himself, Jackson and running backs Weaver, LeSean McCoy and Brian Westbrook as one of the primary reasons he believes the team is close to contending for another Super Bowl berth. Of course, McNabb has his own future to be concerned with. After Wednesday's first practice, he wasn't too worried about that, but he'd also like to make sure Jackson and his other teammates are happy.

The way he has taken Jackson under his wing this week and kept the huddle light is one way McNabb is succeeding in keeping Jackson's mind off the contract issues he has entrusted to Rosenhaus.

"Donovan's a funny guy and you know he's always joking around, so Don's just having a great time," Jackson said. "Don's being Don and everybody's just enjoying the experience, especially for someone like myself with this being my first time in the Pro Bowl. With it being in Miami, the weather's beautiful and everything, so we're just going to have a good time." *

Daily News sports writer Les Bowen contributed to this report.