DeSean being patient about getting new deal

DeSean Jackson reiterated yesterday that he knows the rule limiting salary increases to 30 percent per year in contract extensions, which came into effect with the expiring collective bargaining agreement, is a big obstacle to his desire to make money commensurate with his status.

Jackson, who has 2 years left on his second-round rookie deal, said he is willing to be patient.

"It's unfortunate, but I can't get frustrated,'' Jackson said. "It's not going to change until the CBA . . . You just have to deal with it and hope something will work out.''

Jackson did not wish to discuss whether last week's 1-year Kevin Kolb extension affects his situation; he deferred to agent Drew Rosenhaus. But there is a difference in that Kolb's rookie deal was to expire after the coming season. The Eagles, who plan to sit down with Kolb again in a year if there is a new CBA, basically are paying him a $10 million-plus signing bonus for this season, as a way to get around the rule. If they extended Jackson now, even with a large signing bonus, he would have at least 3 contract years ahead before getting an appropriate base salary unless the team was willing to rework the deal twice with multiple years remaining both times. That would be really unusual. *

-Les Bowen