The Eagles Must Fix the WR Corps Through the Draft
As the Eagles begin in earnest to prepare for next season, personnel needs surface as one of the critical issues facing the offensive side of the ball.
DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery are two of the game’s most explosive wide receivers-when they’re healthy.
In 2019, the entire Eagles organization looked like a patchwork of injured players, backups and practice squad personnel slapped together to assemble a team offensively and defensively and yet they still were able to win the NFC East (albeit the NFC East truly was the weakest division in the NFL this past season.)
Imagine where the Eagles would have ended up with a team of healthy players-maybe playing Kansas City today in the Super Bowl?
Needless to say, the Eagles must stock up on fast wide receivers to provide multiple targets for Carson Wentz.
Doug Pederson was able to build on some offensive firepower in the passing game but who were the top three receivers for the Eagles this past season?
Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, and Miles Sanders were the top pass catchers that represent two tight ends and one running back. No traditional wide receiver was even in the top three for receptions which shows that the Eagles are desperate for fast, healthy wideouts. As the football saying goes, speed kills and the Eagles are in desperate need of some outside receiver speed.
Options for that speed are still available on the Eagles roster. Greg Ward caught 28 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown this past season and is a bright spot on the Eagles wide receiver corps. Another question that may work itself out is the signing of River Cracraft to the practice squad. Cracraft already has shown while with the Denver Broncos that he can also step in as a punt returner. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was an enigma last season and will have to prove that he belongs on the active roster. Nelson Agholor is now an unrestricted free agent and has been fighting a knee injury which has hindered his playmaking ability.
Other options available to the Eagles include shopping around the free-agent market or look to the upcoming April NFL Draft to start stocking up on receivers.
Denzel Mims // Baylor University
The Eagles no doubt sent scouts to evaluate the incoming pool of WR’s at the Senior Bowl last week and of course, many eyes were on players such as Denzel Mims.
Mims, a product of the Matt Rhule success factory at Baylor, is a large body receiver at 6’3″ and 215 lbs. and in college had 186 catches for a huge 15.7-yard average and 28 touchdowns.
James Proche // SMU
Combined with speed, Mims should be high on the Eagles draft list. Another player that should be on the Eagles radar is James Proche from SMU.
While Proche doesn’t have elite sprinter speed, his college career was all about the production with 301 receptions and 39 touchdowns. Proche has been considered a great route runner and could help Carson Wentz as a reliable passing target.
Van Jefferson // University of Florida
One final Draft prospect that should be on the target list is Van Jefferson out of Florida. The son of former NFL player Shawn Jefferson, Van Jefferson is a versatile receiver who played both slot and outside roles and brings that ability to move around where needed in the Eagles offense.
Again, Jefferson isn’t known for blazing speed but both he and Proche could be great second or third-round draft picks for the Eagles. One of the biggest issues facing the Eagles this offseason is the fact that now is the time to rebuild the wide receiver corps to help Carson Wentz and take some pressure off both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
Missed opportunities to sign or draft more quality receivers in the offseason will mean a tougher time to repeat as NFC East champions next season and stall a drive towards the next Super Bowl.
Featured Image: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports/USA TODAY Sports
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Categorized:Eagles