The Eagles have been one-dimensional on offense throughout the course of the year.
The Birds have hardly utilized their receivers this season as they have accounted for only 43% of the team’s receptions. During their 2017 Championship season, the Eagles’ receivers were responsible for 52% of the team’s receptions.
These struggles are nothing new. The Eagles have been historically bad at drafting wide receivers. Since drafting WR Jeremy Maclin in the first round of the 2009 draft, the Birds have drafted many duds at the position.
2019 – J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Round Two)
2017 – Mack Hollins (Round Four)
2017 – Shelton Gibson (Round Five)
2015 – Nelson Agholor (Round One)
2014 – Jordan Matthews (Round Two)
2014 – Josh Huff (Round Three)
2012 – Marvin McNutt (Round Six)
2010 – Riley Cooper (Round Five)
The team has not been able to successfully add playmakers on the outside through the draft nor through free agency. Aside from adding Alshon Jefferey in 2017 through free agency, the Eagles have primarily stuck with their home-grown talent.
The question then becomes: how can the Eagles fix this problem? How can they find stability at the receiver position for years to come? If the team is going to commit $128-million to Carson Wentz, it’s time to allow the signal-caller to reach his full potential by surrounding him with talent.
The Eagles will have many options this offseason to address the receiver position, including through the 2020 NFL Draft. While Philadelphia has had its share of troubles through the NFL Draft, this class of wide receivers is hard to miss on.
“The wide receiver class is particularly deep, in fact it could be one of the best wideout classes ever”
-Ryan Phillips, TheBigLead.com
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report’s lead NFL Draft writer, has even made the claim that the 2020 receiver class could surpass the talent from the receiver class in 2014; a class that highlighted Odell Beckham Jr, Mike Evans, Davante Adams, Brandin Cooks, Jarvis Landry, Allen Robinson, and Sammy Watkins.
The Eagles currently sit at 5-7. If the team misses the postseason, they should be primed to draft a top-tier wide receiver such as Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma WR Ceedee Lamb, or Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III.
If Howie Roseman and the Eagles’ front office decide to lean towards free agency, there is a handful of talent that could benefit the Eagles and their passing game in 2020.
At the moment, receivers such as Amari Cooper, DaVante Parker, Devin Funchess, Robby Anderson, AJ Green, Randall Cobb, Josh Gordon, Rashard Higgins, and Emmanuel Sanders will be available come free agency.
The Birds already have found stability at tight end with the duo of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. Miles Sanders is only 22 and the Eagles will likely bring back Jordan Howard. The Eagles just solidified their offensive line by extending two All-Pros in Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson.
Now the Eagles must address one of their biggest flaws in the past decade; wide receiver.
2020 is a prime year to need a receiver, and the Eagles cannot mess this one up.
Featured Image: PhillyVoice All Statistics via ProFootballReference.com unless stated otherwise noted.
