The Philadelphia Eagles of today are spoiled with talent, and that especially applies to the receiving room. When all is said and done, both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith could be heralded as two of the best receivers in the history of the franchise — they are on the team at the same time.
Just before those two arrived, the Eagles were in a dreadful spot regarding their wide receiver room.
The 2020 Birds were the absolute worst example of this on the talent front, leading to an awful 4-11-1 record.
Let’s take a look at all of its members.
Travis Fulgham // 539 yards
The 2020 season was that one time that Travis Fulgham, a practice squad wideout before starting out, led the Eagles in receiving yards. At 25 years old, he had one of the most unlikely breakout seasons in team history, with 539 yards through the air. He didn’t have a single reception in his NFL career before this.
In Week 5, he had the game of his life. In an eventual 38-29 loss to a Pittsburgh Steelers team that would go on to win their first 11 games, he had 10 catches on 13 targets for 152 yards and a touchdown. From Week 4 through Week 9, he had 435 receiving yards and four touchdowns in just five contests.
After this stretch of excellence for Fulgham, things died down. He is now in the Canadian Football League (CFL). With all due respect to him and his worth, he being the team’s best receiver is exactly why they won four games. It shows just how far the Eagles have come in such a short period of time.
Greg Ward // 419 yards
Greg Ward’s stint with the Eagles was short yet somewhat memorable. Even though he maxed out at just 419 yards through the air with six touchdowns, the college quarterback turned receiver in the NFL had his clutch moments.
Ward’s story is a pretty wholesome one, getting a few looks with the Eagles after once being released by them in 2018. Fun fact: he was actually a member of the practice squad when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII.
Jalen Reagor // 396 yards
Now we get to one of the more scorned players on the list. Third up in yards for the Eagles was Jalen Reagor, who had 396 of them in his rookie season. Infamously drafted in the 2020 first round, the pick before Justin Jefferson, who already has an Offensive Player of the Year title to his name, Reagor didn’t live up to expectations.
For a little while, Reagor showed some flashes. Still, it didn’t take long for the Eagles to realize his upside was essentially zero. He was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
DeSean Jackson // 236 yards
DeSean Jackson’s second stint in Philadelphia could have been something special, but it was absolutely crushed by injury. From 2019 to 2020, he only played in eight games, yet he had a 154-yard game against the Washington Commanders in Week 1 of 2019, ending things off with a single catch that went 81 yards for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in 2020.
Even though he was getting up there in age, Jackson could still play by the time he went to the Eagles the second time around. His lack of health did not do the Eagles any favors, as he probably would’ve been their best receiver by a landslide had he played in all 16 games.
John Hightower // 167 yards
Next up, former fifth-round selection John Hightower finds himself on this list. 2020 was the only time in his career that he caught as much as a pass, appearing in 13 games and having 167 yards along with that. Today, he is in the United Football League (UFL) with the Michigan Panthers.
Alshon Jeffery // 115 yards
For the sheer importance of Alshon Jeffery to the Eagles franchise, it’s a shame he ended his tenure in Philadelphia so poorly. He only played in seven games, scoring a touchdown and gaining 115 yards on 13 targets.
While Jeffery never had a 1,000-yard season with the Eagles, he was essential in their Super Bowl win in 2017. After his notorious drop against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, he was never the same.
Quez Watkins // 106 yards
Of all the players mentioned to this point, Quez Watkins was the only one to last for at least two more seasons in Philadelphia after 2020. He was an Eagle through 2023, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.
He had a peak of 647 yards and a touchdown catch in 2021, so he was one of the few Eagle draft picks here that actually lived up to his potential. Selected in the sixth round, he had a decent tenure in Philadelphia, but of course, that is clouded a bit by one play in particular.
JJ Arcega-Whiteside // 85 yards
JJ Arcega-Whiteside was another one of those patented Howie Roseman draft-day busts that he took in the middle of the Carson Wentz era.
Drafted in the second round in 2019, he simply never lived up to his potential and is now in the CFL.
Deontay Burnett // 19 yards
For the last Eagles wide receiver who caught a pass in 2020, Deontay Burnett finds himself last on the list. He was an undrafted free agent after the 2018 NFL draft, having stints with the Tennesse Titans, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers. He had five catches in Philadelphia for 67 yards during his whole tenure.
If you ever want to complain about the Eagles’ struggles again, just remember how bad they were not too long ago. The lack of talent on the offense was unbearable at times, but they seem to have that under control now.
All we can do in the present is wonder how it got as bad as it did; Fulgham, Ward, and Reagor were their three best wide receivers in terms of yardage.
PHOTO: X/@RoobNBCS
Justin Giampietro
Source link
