What is Greg Ward’s fit with the Eagles in 2020?

[UK_EaglesFan89]

What is Greg Ward’s fit with the Eagles in 2020?

 First, let’s start off with what

 Greg Ward is not.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ second-year wide receiver is not a No. 1 wideout, nor is he a No. 2. He’s not tall and he’s not super-fast. He doesn’t do any of the things that light up YouTube, he doesn’t leave opposing cornerbacks in the dust, and he doesn’t leave defenders hugging air as they try to tackle him in the open field.

Now, let’s talk about what Greg Ward does do.

Greg Ward gets open and Greg Ward catches the football.

That’s a quaint skillset that not many Eagles wide receivers could lay claim to in 2019, and it’s one of the reasons why he emerged from the practice squad to be one of the most important members of Doug Pederson’s offense down the stretch last year. Without Greg Ward, the Eagles don’t win the NFC East and they don’t make the playoffs. He caught 28 balls for 257 yards last season, only one of them for a touchdown, but it was a pretty big one.

In the second of their four-game, NFC East-only blitz in the final month of the season, the Birds were in danger of watching their postseason dreams crushed by lowly Washington. But, down 27-24 in the final minutes, Ward came up with four catches for 40 yards, one of them that game-winning touchdown, and hauled in 7 for 61 overall as the Eagles pulled out the win, 31-27.

Ward came up big the following week in the Week 16 do-or-die match-up against the Cowboys, bringing in four catches for 71 yards before adding an additional six catches for 63 yards in the season finale against the Giants. He had a knack for converting third downs into first downs as the team’s slot receiver over the final six weeks of the season and had everyone in the city wondering why he was languishing on the practice squad while Nelson Agholor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside dropped passes as if the ball were made out of COVID-19.

The former Houston college star gave Wentz a security blanket at the wide receiver position that he hadn’t had all year, but what kind of role should there be for him in 2020? DeSean Jackson, if healthy, is clearly going to be one of the team’s two outside receivers (although Pederson will take advantage of DeSean’s abilities in the slot as well), Jalen Reagor was selected in the first round to make an impact in his rookie season, Alshon Jeffery is still on the team and, when healthy, will almost certainly see the field a good deal, and it’s hard to see the Birds totally giving up on JJAW after just one season, albeit a really, really bad one.

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The Eagles also went out and traded for former 49ers speedster Marquise Goodwin. Clearly there is something there that intrigues GM Howie Roseman, and the team also drafted two additional speed wideouts in 5th-rounder John Hightower and 6th-rounder Quez Watkins. Both those players likely won’t make the roster, but one might.

Does Ward hold onto his spot in the slot or does he get shoved down the depth chart as the team’s No. 4 or even No. 5 wide receiver? It’s clear he’s not going to be a practice squadder this year, although it’s also easy to see a scenario in which he doesn’t get nearly as much playing time as last season. And if Jeffery doesn’t come back or can’t get healthy, and/or Arcega-Whiteside looks the same as last year, and/or Jackson gets hurt again, Ward certainly could be the No. 3/slot wide receiver all season long.

Philadelphia went out of their way to get more athletic, to get faster this off-season. That’s a very good thing. Ward is not one of those players, but he showed an ability to not only find holes in the secondary, but to actually catch the football when it was thrown to him. Sometimes, that’s more valuable than speed.

The Eagles wide receiver battle will be one of the most closely watched in training camp this summer, and Greg Ward’s place on the team predicts to be one of the more fascinating aspects of that battle.

https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2020/7/15/21323862/greg-ward-eagles-2020-fit-wide-receiver-philadelphia-fantasy-football-offense-houston-slot-starter

I think there's a chance Ward doesn't make the roster but that should absolutely not be the case. Ward played really well last year and he has a rapport with Wentz. That's going to be more important than ever going in to this year. 

The team brought in a number of new faces at WR this off season and it gave them more options and speed. But Ward just has that knack of getting himself some space. He runs good routes, he knows what his QB needs him to do and he is a solid catcher. 

[time2rock]

What is Ward's fit?  I'd say "competing for the slot WR role" ... nothing more, nothing less.

He probably has a leg up on the others in the competition only because he knows the offense (since he has been learning it for the past 3 years ... mostly as a member of the PS but still ...).  But I don't think that makes him a lock to win the position - you never know when one of these youngsters comes in and surprises everyone.  

[nipples]

The slot job is his to lose. Don’t hand it to him by any means, but the other competition has to outplay him to take that spot. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

9 hours ago, nipples said:

The slot job is his to lose. Don’t hand it to him by any means, but the other competition has to outplay him to take that spot. 

I think that's fair. Right now if the season were to start today then he should be the starting slot receiver. It's up to others to beat him out for that spot. I don't think there's anyone within the organisation that can though. None of the other receivers are really slot receivers. They can play there in small doses in favourable match ups but they aren't slot receivers. 

[nipples]

5 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I think that's fair. Right now if the season were to start today then he should be the starting slot receiver. It's up to others to beat him out for that spot. I don't think there's anyone within the organisation that can though. None of the other receivers are really slot receivers. They can play there in small doses in favourable match ups but they aren't slot receivers. 

And I’m fine with that. Yes a dynamic slot receiver is nice, but there’s something to be said about just having a reliable, move the chains pass catcher there. Similar to the role Jason Avant played in the slot. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, nipples said:

And I’m fine with that. Yes a dynamic slot receiver is nice, but there’s something to be said about just having a reliable, move the chains pass catcher there. Similar to the role Jason Avant played in the slot. 

You and me both bud! Good, steady and reliable play is what you really need from the slot receiver. Make the plays that are there to be made.

[Portyansky]

Ward was really a breath of fresh air. I hate hate hate using NE as an example, but a guy like Ward is what their SB teams were made of. None flashy guys, but created separation and caught the damn ball. He took his opportunity and didn't disappoint. I agree, the slot is his to lose. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

7 hours ago, Portyansky said:

Ward was really a breath of fresh air. I hate hate hate using NE as an example, but a guy like Ward is what their SB teams were made of. None flashy guys, but created separation and caught the damn ball. He took his opportunity and didn't disappoint. I agree, the slot is his to lose. 

Couldn't agree more. He makes the plays you expect him to make. He gets open for his QB and he's a good steady reliable player. That's what you need to go on deep play off runs as it means you have players you can turn to in the big moments.