We’re halfway through preseason and the migraines must be starting if you’re a member of the Eagles front office. Roster cuts are rapidly approaching and when it comes to the wide receiver spot, things have suddenly become extremely complicated.
We can already assume Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, DeSean Jackson, and JJ Arcega-Whiteside are locks to make the roster. But do the Eagles bring on another receiver, or maybe two? Well, after last night’s performance, their hand may be forced into keeping an extra pair.
In the space of two weeks, we’ve just about seen flashes from everyone fighting for a spot on the final 53. Greg Ward Jr. snagged a pass out of the air last night for his first touchdown of the preseason, following on from Marken Michel, who caught a 75-yard bomb just one week ago.
Michel had a flash in week 2, but was much quieter as the Eagles tried to utilize him on ‘slot screens’ with little success. It’s clear they view Michel as a slot receiver and that fits his skillset as a player lethal in open space. Unfortunately, there wasn’t very much of it last night!
Elsewhere, Mack Hollins showed signs of life after a rollercoaster 12 months, but one can argue it’s ‘too little, too late’ when just about every other receiver has shown what they can do, without the obvious injury doubts.
Even Charles Johnson, the oldest underdog in the room, overcome a case of the ‘week one dropsies’, catching 3 passes for 23 yards against the Jags. The former AAF standout has enjoyed a strong summer but really hurt his stock last week. A lot of that damage has been reversed, but will it be enough?
We haven’t even mentioned 6’6 Carlton Agudosi, who caught the prettiest pass of the preseason, showcasing some toe-drag swag in the process. He caught 2 passes for 18 yards last night, but you could see Thorson felt comfortable going to the big-bodied receiver, a prototype that seems to be emerging in Philadelphia.
It all comes down to what kind of void the Eagles want to fill.
Do you:
A) Go for the ‘big-slot’ prototype which seems to be all the rage dating back to the pre-draft workout process, where that looked to be an area of priority. JJAW fits the bill, Mack Hollins is built in a similar way and of course if we’re talking red zone, hello Carlton Agudosi.
B) Fill the need for speed behind DeSean Jackson. Look for the more explosive receivers who can take the top off a defense (CC: Mr Michel).
C) Look for players who can be productive in open space and add yards after the catch? (Charles Johnson, Greg Ward Jr.)
Yeah, my head hurts too.
The receivers have another opportunity on the horizon as well, with the Baltimore Ravens coming to town for a series of joint-practices on Monday and Tuesday. Doug Pederson spoke earlier this week on how important that is for the development of his players ahead of a preseason clash against those same players.
“Again, we’ve been banging on each other now for several weeks and you finally get to hit another team and they get to hit another team.” Pederson explained. “That’s a good thing. You kind of break that monotony of camp a little bit. So I think it’s a positive. I’d love to do more if I could. Something to look at in the future. But it’s a good time. Week two, week three, of camp like this, is a good time to go against another opponent for a couple days and see where our guys are.”
All of those wideouts on the bubble will have two intense days of reps against another NFL team to show what they can do. This could be their most important week of Summer to date, but for the front office, trying to narrow down a list of receivers who have all looked really, really good for the most part, is a good problem to have.
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
