Many fans will be in agreement when we say Riley Cooper was hugely underwhelming last season. He received for 238 yards less than what he caught the season before and only scored three touchdowns. The Eagles have plenty of up and coming receivers just waiting for a breakout season but cutting the sixth season Eagle would be more expensive than keeping him for one more year. So the question is, is it worth cutting Cooper, and who would take his spot on the roster?
Despite the controversy and the fact that he was probably one of the worst receivers in the NFL last season, Cooper took reps all spring long with the first team wide receivers. Kelly by the looks of things, seems to show faith in Cooper. It’s already an improvement over this time last year, where Cooper missed most of the Summer due to an injury. But does this cement his place in the lineup?
Cooper played in over 80% of the teams snaps last year, but there wasn’t really anyone threatening to take those snaps away from him. This season however, the game has changed. Jordan Matthews is expected to have a huge year whilst Nelson Agholor remains a huge talking point amongst fans and journalists. Miles Austin is waiting in the wings on a comfy deal and Josh Huff is heading into his second season. Rasheed Bailey was picked up in the off-season as well and will head into training camp focusing on nothing but breaking into the roster. The competition at the position is not only the fiercest it has been in years down at the Novacare Complex, but perhaps the toughest to acquire and retain in the league. Riley has coasted until now, things simply have to change.
What may keep Cooper on the roster are his blocking skills. You’re probably as tired of hearing about them as we are but with the Eagles really looking to focus on re-establishing a running game this season, this could be his saving grace.
The Eagles are brimming with rookies just waiting for their shot at the big time. If Rasheed Bailey has a great training camp then who knows what Chip might do?! Bailey has the ability to bring balls in when coverage is extremely tight, something Nick Foles would have liked to see last season. Bleeding Green Nation have even compared the previous undrafted free agent to Hakeem Nicks!
However, it’s still probable that Cooper will retain his spot on the roster purely for financial reasons. That and the simple fact of knowing the product. Cooper isn’t an unknown, they no how he fairs in games and who he matches well against. There are some backs in the league who may not be as physical as Cooper but as fast as Matthews. That’s where the advantage of someone of Cooper’s build comes in. But we may not be saying that next year. If he has another disappointing season, there are no second chances now. Just a simple replacement. With 3-4 guys, all waiting to get out onto the field, the pressure is greater than ever for Riley Cooper to perform. The problem is, he doesn’t have the speed of Agholor, the balance of Matthews or the skill of Josh Huff. He’s just solid.
Financially, it makes sense to keep him for one more season. If after that he still shows no sign of improvement, then he will be replaced faster than Agholor runs the 40 yard dash. Cooper may well fair better in a rotational system and could bounce back with a good season. But 6 touchdowns and 700 yards would not be enough to retain a spot. It’s not that the season would have been poor, but the numbers posted by the likes of Matthews and Agholor will dictate his future. He’s going to see less reps, that’s almost certain. If the other receivers on the team have huge season, Cooper’s numbers will have seen belittled. If he can post solid numbers, emerge as a solid target to whomever the starting Quarterback is, then he may just survive another season.
