The Eagles made an interesting move on Saturday afternoon regarding their wide receiver crops. Greg Ward Jr. was promoted from the practice squad, while Safety Rudy Ford was placed on IR in a corresponding move.
This likely means that one (if not both) of Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor will be sidelined for tomorrow’s matchup in Seattle. Agholor has been battling a knee injury sustained last week, while Jeffery was absent last week with an ankle injury.
In a worst-case scenario, the WR group would look like this:
WR1: JJ Arcega-Whiteside
WR2: Jordan Matthews
WR3: Mack Hollins
Hollins appears to have been bumped inside a little more frequently as of late and if there is ever a time for the Eagles to use JJAW in the role they drafted him to one day take over, it’s now. This does mean depth is extraordinarily thin, however.
Enter Greg Ward Jr.
Over three preseasons with the Eagles, Ward has caught 19 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown proving himself at 5’11, 190 lbs, to play physically, snatching balls out of the air with an impressive catch radius and developing as a route runner.
Between narrowly missing out on making the final roster last year and earning a place on the practice squad in his third attempt at doing so, he participated in the AAF.
He didn’t necessarily blow the league up during his time with the San Antonio Commanders, but he recorded 22 receptions for 214 yards and more importantly, showcased an ability as a returner, bringing back nine punts for 135 yards, leading the league with an average of 15 yards per return.
Ward will know the offense like the back of his hand by now and at Age-23, the upside is still extremely high. Whether or not he sees the field right away remains to be seen, but this is a move worth noting given how dreadful the position has looked over the last few weeks. Any spark of offense would work wonders right now and it may come from an unlikely place.
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
