Are Eagles Wrong To Rely On 2 Speedy, Disappointing Vets As 3rd WR? One Last Played In 2021
PHILADELPHIA − The Eagles insist that they take the third wide receiver position seriously behind stars A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
After all, 11-personnel formations (three wide receivers, one tight end, one running back) are the hallmark of every NFL team. And that is especially true with new Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and his pass-heavy offense. And it’s also true should Brown or Smith have to miss games because of injuries.
And yet, this is what the Eagles have behind Brown and Smith as they wrap up their second week of organized team activities on Friday:
- Parris Campbell, a speedy wide receiver who astonishingly averaged only 5.2 yards per catch last season for the Giants, and only once had more than 20 catches and 162 yards in a season since he was the Colts’ second-round pick in 2019.
- John Ross, who set the NFL combine record for the 40-yard dash in 2017 at 4.22 until it was broken this year. Ross, the No. 9 overall pick that year, hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2021 season. He never had more than 28 catches or 506 yards in a season. Ross was signed this week after trying out during the Eagles’ rookie minicamp at the beginning of the month.
- Two late-round draft picks in fifth-rounder Ainias Smith and sixth-rounder Johnny Wilson.
- Britian Covey, the Eagles’ punt returner for the last two seasons, but with only four career catches for 42 yards.
Sure, it’s possible that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman could swing a trade, or sign a veteran free agent who’s more established at some point over the summer or before the NFL trade deadline in early November. Some free agents available are Hunter Renfrow, Courtland Sutton and Randall Cobb.
But the lack of a third wide receiver burned the Eagles last season. Brown and Smith each surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for the second straight season − the only times two Eagles wide receivers have done it in the same season in team history.
The receivers behind them in Quez Watkins, Julio Jones, Olamide Zaccheus and Covey combined for a paltry 40 catches for 422 yards.
Campbell and Ross said they’re confident they can fill that void, despite their disappointing careers so far.
“To be honest with you, my career to this point has been a lot of ups and downs,” said Campbell whom the Eagles signed in March. “I tend to harp on the downs more than the ups, but I know the opportunity is all I need. At the end of the day that’s all I wanted.”
Both Campbell and Ross showed flashes during the Eagles’ practice Thursday. Campbell got open deep, but quarterback Jalen Hurts’ pass was a touch underthrown, enabling Kelee Ringo to break up the pass.
Ross, meanwhile, made a nice catch about 20 yards downfield on a throw from backup QB Kenny Pickett. Then Ross caught a deep curl on the sideline from Pickett.
But Ross has a much more circuitous story to the NovaCare Complex since he last played for the Giants in 2021.
After a litany of injuries, Ross went unsigned in 2022. He then signed a futures contract with the Chiefs in Jan. 2023, a month before the Eagles and Chiefs played in the Super Bowl. Yet by training camp in late July, Ross saw that he was buried on the depth chart and announced his retirement.
“I never wanted to leave football,” Ross said. “I think I was just at a point in my life where I had a lot going on. Literally, the day I retired, I knew it was a mistake.”
Ross said personally, he was at a “low point.” He credited his son Kyrie, now 7 years old, whom he started coaching after retiring, with turning his mentality around. And physically, the time away allowed Ross to heal from the various shoulder and leg injuries that cut short his seasons with the Bengals from 2017-20, followed by the Giants in 2021.
So when Ross flew to Philadelphia four weeks ago to try out for the Eagles, he said his mindset was: “Don’t come home.”
Then Ross divulged something else about his record 40 time that stood until Xavier Worthy, a first-round pick of the Chiefs last month, ran a 4.21 at the combine in March.
“I think I’m faster,” he said. “I know that’s kind of crazy to say, but I’m not feeling the same way before physically (with the injuries), so that’s why I say I’m faster. Don’t get me wrong. I ran a 4.22. I’m not saying I’m 4.15 or anything, but what I’m saying is I just feel better so I think I can consistently be faster.
“That was my biggest thing: Can this guy go every single day and look the same every single day? I feel I’m getting to the point where I feel I can be consistent with my speed, and to me, that’s the biggest blessing I can ask for.”
And if it doesn’t work out for Campbell and/or Ross, then the Eagles might have to find a Plan B. They didn’t have one last season, and it helped sink their season.
Bradberry, DeVonta Smith among OTA absences
The OTAs are voluntary, yet for the second straight practice open to the media last week and this week cornerback James Bradberry, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and right tackle Lane Johnson were absent. On Thursday, cornerback Darius Slay and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson were absent.
The Eagles have a three day mandatory minicamp beginning next Tuesday. Players can be fined for missing those.
Martin Frank
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Are Eagles wrong to rely on 2 speedy, disappointing vets as 3rd WR? One last played in 2021
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