13 hours ago, HazletonEagle said:

Dotson is good. Wicks is not. The difference was a QB who will throw the ball. Wicks wont be getting targets here, which will actually be a good thing since he stinks. He better surprise me. It should be easy because my expectations cant get any lower.

This offense is different I think. Lots of stuff on the edge. Both Mundt and Wicks can block so Hurts should have easy dump-off passes if they are in the flat. Nothing fancy but will move the chains and make Hurts' job easier. And allow us to run big packages to wear down the defense.

9 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

It sorta makes sense in this draft with very fee real 1st round talents

I see what they’re doing - where say only 14 guys have bonafide 1st round grades, but it’s kind of underwhelming. Saying Bisontis is a 3rd round guard is hard to put into context if you’ve only watched one or two of these videos as everybody is rated a round lower than where they’ll probably go.

11 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

Not sure why, Dotson blows.

Wicks has one of the worst drop rates in the NFL. Dotson wasn't bad. Much better hands. They only threw to him about twice a game, anyway. But if we need a clutch 3rd down catch, Dotson is much less likely to drop the ball.

Dotson is faster and has better hands than Wicks. Which is irrelevant if a CB can knock you off the line at the LOS regularly and your route running is mediocre.

Wicks has bad hands. He's also cheaper, a better blocker, a better route runner, and won't get pushed around by CBs.

I'm not exactly super high on Wicks but his floor is a better version of Zach Pascal's role in 2022 of dirty work WR. Which IMO is more than we got out of Dotson most of the time outside of a few big catches.

2 minutes ago, JamesK said:

Wicks has one of the worst drop rates in the NFL. Dotson wasn't bad. Much better hands. They only threw to him about twice a game, anyway. But if we need a clutch 3rd down catch, Dotson is much less likely to drop the ball.

A big part of the reason they didn't throw to him is because he was knocked off his route constantly. Dude was soft.

8 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

I don't know man, it kind of looks like that is exactly what is being set up. Smitty, Wicks, Hollywood, and a draft pick, then you also have Cooper who is interesting. Obviously Smitty is better than anyone GB has and will get more targets but it certainly appears their response to losing AJ will be to replace him in the aggregate with Smitty taking on a bigger role and then using a few guys with the ball being spread around more.

While a rotation certainly could and likely would develop this season, I don’t believe Mannion ideally wants a rotation like LaFleur did. He tried to get every active WR snaps to the detriment of the team. Mannion saw that up close.

I think the degree of splitting the snaps up after Smith will come down to who gets drafted. Let’s say it’s Tyson. I think he would be ready to assume a heavier load in two WR sets early on and could quickly relegate Wicks to 3 and Hollywood to 4 in the first half of the season. If we draft a guy like Hurst in round 2, I think Wicks and Hollywood take a majority of the WR 2/3 snaps while Hurst slowly gets sprinkled in because he’s raw and more of a long term play.

3 minutes ago, DEagle7 said:

Dotson is faster and has better hands than Wicks. Which is irrelevant if a CB can knock you off the line at the LOS regularly and your route running is mediocre.

Wicks has bad hands. He's also cheaper, a better blocker, a better route runner, and won't get pushed around by CBs.

I'm not exactly super high on Wicks but his floor is a better version of Zach Pascal's role in 2022 of dirty work WR. Which IMO is more than we got out of Dotson most of the time outside of a few big catches.

Washington had an absolutely pathetic group of WRs behind McLaurin and still traded Dotson (albeit for great value since he’s a bum). They wanted and needed him to be good. He wasn’t. He was a terrible route runner here. Even his Super Bowl near TD was a ridiculously poor route. I can give him some grace for his route running here because he’s human and knew the ball wasn’t coming his way so he half-assed it sometimes. I’m not excusing it, just saying he’s human and it can be tough to do cardio all game.

Dotson also is a finesse WR. Smith tries to block, but he’s a buck-seventy. Hollywood can’t block. Moore can’t block. Cooper can, but he’s not good enough to be running real routes.

Enter Wicks. I see where you’re coming from with the better version of Pascal comp. Wicks will block his butt off, but also has real WR skills. He may never put it together because of poor hands, but if he does, he’s a high-end WR3 who can be a low-end WR2 in a pinch.

20 minutes ago, DEagle7 said:

Dotson is faster and has better hands than Wicks. Which is irrelevant if a CB can knock you off the line at the LOS regularly and your route running is mediocre.

Wicks has bad hands. He's also cheaper, a better blocker, a better route runner, and won't get pushed around by CBs.

I'm not exactly super high on Wicks but his floor is a better version of Zach Pascal's role in 2022 of dirty work WR. Which IMO is more than we got out of Dotson most of the time outside of a few big catches.

Exactly. Wicks is inconsistent but there is both a floor with his route running and blocking and some upside as he does have games from time to time where he flashes. Dotson didn't do anything well.

Dotson is a good player. It’s not his fault he averaged 1 target a game

19 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

While a rotation certainly could and likely would develop this season, I don’t believe Mannion ideally wants a rotation like LaFleur did. He tried to get every active WR snaps to the detriment of the team. Mannion saw that up close.

I think the degree of splitting the snaps up after Smith will come down to who gets drafted. Let’s say it’s Tyson. I think he would be ready to assume a heavier load in two WR sets early on and could quickly relegate Wicks to 3 and Hollywood to 4 in the first half of the season. If we draft a guy like Hurst in round 2, I think Wicks and Hollywood take a majority of the WR 2/3 snaps while Hurst slowly gets sprinkled in because he’s raw and more of a long term play.

That's fair. I just think things are setting up for them to consistently use 4 WR's and get them involved each game. The Eagles passing game was different than most in the league as they had two alpha number 1 WR's but pretty much nothing else. I think they want and need to get away from that for a number of reasons.

I guess it really comes down to when they draft a WR and how quickly/how well they pick up the offense. I would agree if it's a Tyson or Boston they will have a legit role but I still think you will see Hollywood and Wicks with roles. Hollywood doesn't need a lot of targets to be a factor as he is best used as a playmaker and someone defenses have to account for over the top and Wicks can be a chain mover on 3rd down and someone who is important as a blocker.

As you said if they wait on WR and it's say a Chris Bell coming back from an injury or Ted Hurst who might be more of a project it might take them longer to really get involved. I also wouldn't completely forget about Darius Cooper. Elijah Moore is probably destined for the PS but could be insurance if Hollywood has injuries which has been a trend throughout his career. I kind of felt like at the time they signed him he was a plan B to Hollywood since they are both best utilized in the slot.

Obviously you will see guys get moved around and I think Smitty in particular will be used much more creatively but this is kind of how I see things:

Z - Smitty

X - Wicks / Rookie or Rookie / Wicks

Slot - Hollywood with Moore as a plan B

6 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Dotson is a good player. It’s not his fault he averaged 1 target a game

Dotson blows. He's soft and gets pushed around all over the field. There is very little he does well that can be pointed to.

8 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Dotson is a good player. It’s not his fault he averaged 1 target a game

It very much is his fault. Bad routes and bullied by DBs. Can't throw to a guy if he can't reliably get to where he's supposed to be.

Now that we have Wicks under team control in 2027, I’m curious how this might change the type of WR we look at in the draft. I thought Bernard would be a potential target as a dirty work slot/Z, but Wicks takes that role.

Does this push us more toward drafting a traditional X? There aren’t many of them in the draft. I’m a big fan of Concepcion but he’s not an X. Tyson could be a WR1 but he’s more of a Z. Boston could be maybe, but he seems like a big slot. Hurst has the profile and size, but he’s raw.

Just now, ManuManu said:

Now that we have Wicks under team control in 2027, I’m curious how this might change the type of WR we look at in the draft. I thought Bernard would be a potential target as a dirty work slot/Z, but Wicks takes that role.

Does this push us more toward drafting a traditional X? There aren’t many of them in the draft. I’m a big fan of Concepcion but he’s not an X. Tyson could be a WR1 but he’s more of a Z. Boston could be maybe, but he seems like a big slot. Hurst has the profile and size, but he’s raw.

@HazletonEagle has feelings on this. I think Lance is one of his Xs. Forget the others.

11 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Dotson is a good player. It’s not his fault he averaged 1 target a game

Dotson is not a good player. That’s why Washington gave up on him while he still was a brand name.

Just now, DEagle7 said:

@HazletonEagle has feelings on this. I think Lance is one of his Xs. Forget the others.

I think Lance is just a go ball specialist at Z.

I think the Eagles strategy will be to take if one falls or try to move up for an OT they consider a premium player. Like Freeling or Proctor if they consider Proctor a premium player. If neither of those things happen then I think the Pivot is to take the best WR available at 23 or if by chance some blue chip Edge falls like Bain or Bailey which I don't think will happen, then possibly move up for one of them too.

But overall, I'd be pretty Fing floored if an OT, WR, or Edge isn't the Eagles first pick in a couple weeks.

3 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

Dotson blows. He's soft and gets pushed around all over the field. There is very little he does well that can be pointed to.

2 minutes ago, DEagle7 said:

It very much is his fault. Bad routes and bullied by DBs. Can't throw to a guy if he can't reliably get to where he's supposed to be.

Oh please he was in a run first offense with two pro bowlers who were also at WR. One of those WRs cried if he got less than 6 targets in a game. Dotson is solid as a low #2/3 option at WR.

Just now, EaglePhan1986 said:

Oh please he was in a run first offense with two pro bowlers who were also at WR. One of those WRs cried if he got less than 6 targets in a game. Dotson is solid as a low #2/3 option at WR.

If Dotson is your WR2 your offense is in trouble. Sure his ceiling was capped in Patullo's garbage ass system. But I don't care what kind of offense you're in, if you can't run a route (whether it's because your routes are sloppy or DBs are reliably knocking you off them at the LOS) you're not getting a lot of targets. Go back and watch the games. He gets absolutely bullied by DBs. He's a finesse receiver who doesn't run great routes.

9 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

Now that we have Wicks under team control in 2027, I’m curious how this might change the type of WR we look at in the draft. I thought Bernard would be a potential target as a dirty work slot/Z, but Wicks takes that role.

Does this push us more toward drafting a traditional X? There aren’t many of them in the draft. I’m a big fan of Concepcion but he’s not an X. Tyson could be a WR1 but he’s more of a Z. Boston could be maybe, but he seems like a big slot. Hurst has the profile and size, but he’s raw.

I think looking for a "type" is what got them into trouble in the past and got them a guy like Reagor. Just take the best WR. In my opinion Tyson is the best of all the non Tate WRs. And I keep reading he could fall to the end of round 1 because of some medical concerns. I think he's a stud though. Not quite blue chip maybe, but right on the border.

If you want an AJ Brown type, Chris Bell in the 2nd or 3rd would be perfect. He'd have done much higher if not for the injury so Howie could capitalize like he's done in the past with guys falling for various circumstances.

Obviously this trade was at the behest of Manion. He knows Wicks better than any of us. The opinions thrown around here are absurd, good or bad.

4 minutes ago, just relax said:

Obviously this trade was at the behest of Manion. He knows Wicks better than any of us. The opinions thrown around here are absurd, good or bad.

Huh?

7 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

I think looking for a "type" is what got them into trouble in the past and got them a guy like Reagor. Just take the best WR. In my opinion Tyson is the best of all the non Tate WRs. And I keep reading he could fall to the end of round 1 because of some medical concerns. I think he's a stud though. Not quite blue chip maybe, but right on the border.

If you want an AJ Brown type, Chris Bell in the 2nd or 3rd would be perfect. He'd have done much higher if not for the injury so Howie could capitalize like he's done in the past with guys falling for various circumstances.

I get that, but McVay and LaFleur value an X receiver that can win on the boundary against isolation and press coverage. We can say draft the best player, but these guys have to play roles, and that’s pretty much how all teams draft.

2 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

I get that, but McVay and LaFleur value an X receiver that can win on the boundary against isolation and press coverage. We can say draft the best player, but these guys have to play roles, and that’s pretty much how all teams draft.

Tyson seems pretty McVayish. Quick twitch, gets a lot of separation, can work the middle of the field but also get deep if needed.

Lemon also seems like he could fit in a Shanahan/McVay style scheme but I wonder if Wicks lessens those chances given Wicks is more of a possession type with no YAC and Lemon is also a guy who isn't very explosive and he's more find gaps in a defense. Might be redundant with Wicks. I hope they don't have interest in Boston, I'm not a fan.

3 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

Tyson seems pretty McVayish. Quick twitch, gets a lot of separation, can work the middle of the field but also get deep if needed.

Lemon also seems like he could fit in a Shanahan/McVay style scheme but I wonder if Wicks lessens those chances given Wicks is more of a possession type with no YAC and Lemon is also a guy who isn't very explosive and he's more find gaps in a defense. Might be redundant with Wicks. I hope they don't have interest in Boston, I'm not a fan.

I think Tyson could be an X theoretically, but apparently has been fairly rough against press coverage and plays finesse football. I haven’t really considered Lemon because he absolutely works best as a slot who could probably play Z. I think he needs to be in a place that features three-WR and/or condensed splits.

Omar Cooper hasn’t been mentioned today, but he looks like a rich man’s Wicks. I’m not sure he can be an X, but he can be a very productive slot receiver and Z.