Jackson will have to report in August in order to qualify for unrestricted free agency after his contract expires. Players need four years of service in the NFL to be unrestricted, and Jackson is entering his fourth season, the final year of his rookie deal.
Under the NFL's original time line, players had to show up by Aug. 9 to accrue credit, but that date may move back because the new collective bargaining agreement is not official yet. A league spokesman said the date is being "clarified."
The 24-year-old Jackson has long wanted a new contract. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined to comment.
Weaver released
The Eagles released powerful and popular fullback Leonard Weaver after he failed his physical.
Weaver suffered a gruesome knee injury in last year's season opener. He was due $2.5 million this year. The Eagles will have to pay him $1 million of guaranteed money, according to his agent, Harold Lewis.
Weaver would not have been able to play this year. He is still six to eight months away from having full range of motion in his foot, which was also damaged, Lewis said. But he said Weaver hopes to get back to the NFL and possibly return to the Eagles.
"By next year, he should be fine," Lewis said.
"Now I have mixed feeling[s] . . . because I gave everything I had to the organization, and I would think that they would at least call," Weaver said on Twitter.
The team also released defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who suffered a severe knee injury in his only NFL game; wide receiver Jeremy Williams; cornerback Gerard Lawson; and defensive tackle Jeremy Clark. Owens and Williams failed their physicals.
Akers joining 49ers
Kicker David Akers agreed to a three-year contract with San Francisco on Thursday. He cannot officially sign until Friday.
