The Eagles group of receivers might be the most interesting room on the team.
There is no denying the group has potential. It should after spending their last two first-round picks on receivers. Outside of just that, however, some of the standout stars of camp have also come from the receiver room.
But while there is potential, there is also a lot of unknown — both with what the different receivers will give the team this season and who will even be on the team.
Here is a look at where things seem to stand with the nine receivers currently on the roster, ranked in the order of how I see them on the depth chart:
LOCKS:
DeVonta Smith: Smith is having an interesting camp. He started on fire, catching three touchdowns in four practices and look every bit the part of a high-volume, No. 1 receiver. Since then, however, he missed most of training camp with a knee injury and hasn’t been very involved since he came back. He did have four targets in the team’s last preseason game, which was the most of any receiver on the roster and a sign he will be team’s top receiver. With training camp basically over, however, it wasn’t exactly a breakout camp for the team’s 2021 first-round pick.
Jalen Reagor: There have been some indications that Reagor might not be the team’s No. 2 receiver. He has been on the field the majority of the reps with the starters, but that is when the team goes into three-receiver sets. When they have been in just two-receiver sets the wideouts have been Smith and Quez Watkins. It could be the team just likes the speed of Watkins more when two tight ends are on the field, but either way, the gap between Reagor and Watkins seems to be very small — and Reagor very well could be behind Watkins. He does, however, have the most targets of all receivers in camp, a sign they are finding ways to get him the ball, something they aren’t doing as much for Watkins.
Quez Watkins: Watkins had the best camp of all the receivers and made the biggest jump up the depth chart, going from being on the roster bubble to a starter. Watkins is going to get a ton of snaps with the starting offense and will be a receiver the offensive coaches make sure to get involved. Whether he gets more snaps than Reagor remains to be seen, but he is definitely making this roster.
BUBBLE:
Greg Ward: Ward is very, very close to a lock. He is dependable and the one receiver on the roster with a ton of experience in the slot. What he isn’t, however, is super fast. Or super elusive. Or super tall. The lack of an elite physical trait could hurt Ward if the Eagles feel they can’t cut the other receivers he is battling for a spot with. The only way Ward wouldn’t make the team is if the Eagles decide they like Arcega-Whiteside in the slot better while also not wanting to give up on the potential of Fulgham and the speed of Hightower. Still, Ward should make the team.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: Arcega-Whiteside is having a good training camp. He has caught 17 of the 20 targets thrown his way, bringing in two touchdowns and not dropping a single pass in team drills. He has played on the outside, but helping his case to make the roster is the considerable amount of time he is getting the slot. Fulgham being able to line up on the outside and in the slot is going to give him an advantage over Fulgham, who hasn’t been spending as much time inside and hasn’t had a great camp. The Eagles (Howie Roseman especially) don’t want to cut Arcega-Whiteside. He is doing just enough to make it so they can not only justify keeping him, but playing him in limited snaps in Week 1.
Travis Fulgham: No receiver on the roster has hurt their stock more than Fulgham. In fact, you could argue he is the only receiver that has had a bad camp. While the rest of the receivers have all improved under Sirianni, Fulgham has struggled, consistently dropping passes and not making the most of the targets he is getting. Fulgham began camp as one of the starting receivers, but now he is mostly getting work with the second-team offense, and played into the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s nights preseason game. Fulgham had an outstanding four-game stretch last season, so it is possible that alone keeps him on the roster. It could also cause him to be picked up on waivers, something the Eagles will consider before they release him. A roster spot that one seemed locked up, however, is now very much in danger.
John Hightower: Hightower hasn’t done much during camp in terms of consistent production. He has missed time with injury and gone long stretches without flashing during camp. Despite that the coaches seem to be extremely invested in Hightower, with Sirianni paying extra attention to the receiver on a daily basis. It is clear the coaches see something in Hightower, and it is likely his speed, as Sirianni has mentioned how impressed he is with the quickness of the receiving core. He isn’t talking about Fulgham, Arcega-Whiteside or Ward when he makes that comment. Hightower might make it through waivers, but there is a chance he doesn’t, and the team might feel too invested in Hightower to cut him loose.
LONG SHOTS:
Andre Patton: Patton almost certainly won’t be making the roster, but he has done everything he could to give himself a chance. He has made the most of all his targets and has looked like a player that could contribute. He is a strong special teams player, which is important for a receiver at the bottom of the roster. He also, perhaps most importantly, has a history with Sirianni and the coaching staff.
Patton will likely be back on the practice squad, and it wouldn’t be surprising if at one point he is on the active roster this season.
Marken Michel: Michel has done well in the limited snaps he has gotten since joining, but he is buried down the depth chart and is only working with the third-string offense. He could perhaps be on the practice squad or brought back later in the season, but he won’t be making the roster.
Prediction:
Makes the team: Smith, Reagor, Watkins, Ward, Arcega-Whiteside, Fulgham
Cut: Hightower, Patton, Markel
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!