Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy took notice when the team released wide receiver DeSean Jackson this offseason and he revealed that Chip Kelly's message of buy in or get out has come through to him loud and clear.
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The Eagles stated that Jackson was released based on a football decision and not a result of off-field issues even after he posted a career year in his first season under Kelly, where he had career-highs with 82 catches, 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns.
After his release in March, Jackson signed with the rival Washington Redskins. McCoy said that the release of Jackson was eye-opening for him and his Eagles teammates.
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"The whole DeSean Jackson thing, that helped out, to be honest, in making all the other guys aware," McCoy told NFL.com. "It's all possible. They'll cut one of your best guys if [he's] not buying in."
McCoy said that the team needs to follow certain guidelines and that perhaps Jackson's lack of ability to do that led to his departure.
"On any team -- any team -- you look at that, and as a player, you can look at it from so many different sides, but no matter how good you are, you gotta follow these guidelines," he said. "And if you don't, you could be gone. ... You gotta buy in."
With Jackson gone, Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin have emerged as the top receivers on the team, though Maclin is returning from a torn ACL. The Eagles also acquired Darren Sproles from the New Orleans Saints in an offseason trade in hopes to spark its offense.
Philadelphia is coming off of a first place finish in the NFC East in 2013 where it went 10-6 before falling to the Saints in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
For the team to succeed the message from Kelly is clear, they have to buy in.
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