How is the WR room going to shake out?

[QBhunter58]

With training camp canceled/TBD i find it hard to believe any of the late round guys will supplant a guy like Greg Ward or JJAW (boy he better show up). I really like all the speed we added, but we have so many options now and only 5-6 spots?

Do we just part ways with Alshon and take the hit, I would trade him for a 5 or 6 right now, but i dont see anyone trading right now (maybe closer to the season)?

Will we stash Quez and Hightower on the pracice squad?

Do veterans like Djack and Goodwin have guaranteed spots?

Lots of questions, and I dont entirely know what to think. I feel like there is only one roster lock (Jalen Reagor). Other borderline locks are Goodwin and maybe JJAW (because of the resources invested). I also find it hard to believe the birds would part with Jackson, but that feels like a shot in the dark. At least we know we have some actual players now, and it should interesting to see how this all plays out (shame we may miss the camp battles).

[Outlaw]

Goodwin is not a lock. I see it working out this way:

Alshon-IR or traded or cut

Locks- DJax Reagor JJaw

Competition for 3 spots- Hightower, Watkins, Ward, Goodwin (1 gets cut/sent to PS)

[QBhunter58]

1 minute ago, Outlaw said:

Goodwin is not a lock. I see it working out this way:

Alshon-IR or traded or cut

Locks- DJax Reagor JJaw

Competition for 3 spots- Hightower, Watkins, Ward, Goodwin (1 gets cut/sent to PS)

yeah they did restructure Goodwins contract which is why I am hesitant as well. Plus he only has one good year

[Outlaw]

7 minutes ago, QBhunter58 said:

yeah they did restructure Goodwins contract which is why I am hesitant as well. Plus he only has one good year

Goodwin to me is a known commodity. And we know...he’s not very good, and is injury prone. I’d much rather go through the growing pains of two homegrown guys in Hightower and Watkins over Goodwin. So my WR corps would be:

Reagor DJax JJaw Ward Hightower Watkins 

The speed and versatility there is going to be great in conjunction with the size and experience of Ertz and Goedert. Throw Sanders and Scott in there and our passing game could be really fun to watch. 

[toolg]

I feel DJax and Reagor are the only virtual locks. I don't think Alshon will get cut - They will seek a trade,  and if one doesn't pan out he could be on IR when he gets a hangnail. JJAW needs to show up and be the outside possession/red zone/move the chains guy. I would like to see Ward make the roster. He's a good backup WR as he can play different spots. Goodwin is a veteran camp tryout. Watkins and Hightower could be PS stashes.

It looks like the Eagles got fast all of a sudden at WR when they were such a relatively slow offense last season.

[T-1000]

31 minutes ago, Outlaw said:

Goodwin is not a lock. I see it working out this way:

Alshon-IR or traded or cut

Locks- DJax Reagor JJaw

Competition for 3 spots- Hightower, Watkins, Ward, Goodwin (1 gets cut/sent to PS)

Agreed

[jsb235]

I don't think you can discuss the receiver position this year without looking at next year. The Eagles are projected to be $30+ million over the cap. While that will be mitigated somewhat by money that will carry over from this year, they will still need to cut some salaries/restructure.

The guys who most likely won't be here are Goodwin, Jeffery and DJax. That means you need at least 5 wrs who are somewhat competent. The best solution to me is keeping at least five other guys from this year who show ability. I don't know who those five are, but the most likely ones are Reagor, JJ, Ward, Hightower and Watkins.

Reagor is self explanatory. JJ had a bad first season, but if you watch film on him you can see him getting open. For some reason Carson never seemed to look his way. Maybe that will change as they spend more time together. He excelled in the preseason, so the talent is there.

Ward to me is the ideal slot receiver, much like a Cole Beasley. The kind of receiver who comes up with key catches when you really need them.

Hightower and Watkins both seem like the perfect fits for the team's offense, as Wentz loves to throw bombs. If you don't keep Goodwin and DJax, you need to have some speed that Ward and JJ lack. Many people have said that these guys fell in the draft only because there was so much other talent at wr available, and they certainly both have the physical traits to be pretty good.

So I think they should keep seven younger guys, because it is almost a certainty that they are going to lose three veterans next year. And the team won't have any flexibility in free agency due to the salary cap constraints, and they need their draft picks to load up on the defensive line/secondary, where they have to replace some guys who are getting older. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

What I'd do? I'd go with 7 on the roster. With Desean always missing some time, with JJAW being a non factor last year and Reagor being a rookie I'd personally just like to see us load up at the position. 

In reality? That's not going to happen, they'll go with 6 I'm sure and they'll have a battle.

I'd guess DeSean, Reagor and JJAW are locks. Alshon is a bit of an X factor. Given what we did in the draft I'd like to think he'll sit on IR or just not be here. If he is then there's really only a battle between 4 players for 2 spots.

We aren't likely to contend for the SB this year so I'd much rather they stick with the younger guys and give them every chance. Though I do what what Goodwin can potentially do and so I'm hopeful he makes the roster over Alshon. 

[Outlaw]

13 minutes ago, toolg said:

I feel DJax and Reagor are the only virtual locks. I don't think Alshon will get cut - They will seek a trade,  and if one doesn't pan out he could be on IR when he gets a hangnail. JJAW needs to show up and be the outside possession/red zone/move the chains guy. I would like to see Ward make the roster. He's a good backup WR as he can play different spots. Goodwin is a veteran camp tryout. Watkins and Hightower could be PS stashes.

It looks like the Eagles got fast all of a sudden at WR when they were such a relatively slow offense last season.

I think Alshon is already destined for IR with his lisfranc injury.  No way he's ready before November/December.

[thedanone82]

I honestly feel like no one should be a lock besides Reagor.

If Jackson gets injured or looks slow and younger guys look legit he should go. If JJAW doesn't look improved then he gets canned.

Go with the best WRs while leaning towards youth. 

[eagle45]

Alshon needs to just stay on IR all year.

Ward is the tricky one.  He's probably better, as is, and certainly more of a safety valve than nearly anyone else on the roster.  But he has zero upside beyond that.  Watkins, Goodwin, and Hightower are all more explosive talents.  In an offense that needs speed, I'd like to see all 3 make the team.  

Everyone reduces it into 2 out of Watkins/Goodwin/Hightower make the time.  I'd rather it be one of JJAW/Ward make the team.

Riskier?  Yes.  But keep the talent.

[Aerolithe_Lion]

One of the huge benefits of Goodwin is we’re Not going to ask him to take the snaps SF ever did. If he does have a glowing training camp, he’ll be our 4 or 5 and have an impact without the volume of stress that’d lead to reinjury.

[20dawk4life]

Locks- Desean, Reagor

Most Likely- JJAW

Id guess- Ward, Hightower, watkins, Goodwin

IR/PUP- Alshon

[Outlaw]

31 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Alshon needs to just stay on IR all year.

Ward is the tricky one.  He's probably better, as is, and certainly more of a safety valve than nearly anyone else on the roster.  But he has zero upside beyond that.  Watkins, Goodwin, and Hightower are all more explosive talents.  In an offense that needs speed, I'd like to see all 3 make the team.  

Everyone reduces it into 2 out of Watkins/Goodwin/Hightower make the time.  I'd rather it be one of JJAW/Ward make the team.

Riskier?  Yes.  But keep the talent.

Ward is a good clutch slot guy. Not as explosive as the other 3 for sure but I think he still has a good shot to make the squad. 

[time2rock]

They'll have some form of TC ... if not I highly doubt they'll have a season.  So likely a pretty safe assumption they'll let the TC practices settle the roster/DC. 

[toolg]

3 hours ago, Outlaw said:

I think Alshon is already destined for IR with his lisfranc injury.  No way he's ready before November/December.

Yeah, you're probably right. I figured typical recovery would put him back to action by preseason games. Then he can show teams he's healthy. But they could just put him on IR to start and keep him there. Depending how the season goes they could give him some late season action, or not. Either way, he can't be traded until he's better and passes a physical. Anybody know for sure how rehab is going for Jeffery?

 

[weko]

Howie will not cut both 5th & 6th round WRs.  He'll probably keep both

[Outlaw]

The only way I see this not happening:

DJax/Reagor/JJaw/Ward/Hightower/Watkins

is if one of the following happens:

1. Alshon is healthier faster than expected, AND they decide not to move on or there are no takers.

2. Goodwin simply blows them away over the summer.  I feel he was insurance if they didn't get the late round guys they wanted.

3. A good veteran X with size/speed becomes unexpectedly available over the next few months.

I'm picturing all kinds of crazy formations with the speed at WR and size at TE we have.  Not to mention two very good pass-catching RBs.

[Abracadabra]

I doubt Watkins and Hightower will be able to get up to speed with only training camp reps. That's true for any rookie. 

The NFL should make some exception for this year. Expand the roster or create a designation for certain # of players beyond the practice squad.

The shortened calendar will force teams to lean on vets

[PoconoDon]

Fast I'd guess.

[T-1000]

7 hours ago, weko said:

Howie will not cut both 5th & 6th round WRs.  He'll probably keep both

He will find a way to keep both. This wasn't a normal WR draft class. Most years these guys don't make it out of round 4. Teams always lean towards giving their draft picks too much opportunity to make it if anything. Whether they both make the roster, or one does and the other all of a sudden gets ''injured'' right before final rosters need to be submitted they will both be here. I suppose they could elect to ty to sneak the lesser of the two in their mind after camp onto the PS but that would be risky. I think it's highly unlikely that JJAW gets cut, and unlikely that Ward does as well. That being said, there is going to be a lot of competition in camp and other than Jackson and Reagor I don't think anyone is totally safe.

[NOTW]

Realistic: Jeffrey (IR), 1 Jackson, 2 Reagor, 3 JJAW, 4 Hightower, 5 Watkins, 6 Goodwin, 7 Ward

They can allot 1 or 2 on special teams as returners.  Or stash 1 on practice squad. 

They know Jackson and Goodwin also have injury histories and they'll keep extra WRs for insurance. 

[T-1000]

Not that Caplan's word is gospel, but he said if Goodwin is healthy he's a lock to make the team. 

Says the current depth chart is..

....Desean, Reagor/Goodwin, Ward in the slot, JJAW/Hightower/Watkins competing for the last two spots. Seems to think Watkins is a good PS candidate. Says he really needs to get bigger and stronger.

Personally I don't agree with any of this. I think Desean and Reagor are locks and beyond that you have a lot of guys competing against one another for a few spots.

[Saltpeter]

I see Hightower and Watkins flaming out. Every report I've read on Hightower says he can't track or catch the ball effectively. No thanks. Watkins seems like a practice squad guy (so he'll be starting by week 10).

DeSean, Reagor, Goodwin (his experience is vital considering a shortened offseason), Ward, JJAW. Alshon on the PUP.

[NOTW]

37 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

Not that Caplan's word is gospel, but he said if Goodwin is healthy he's a lock to make the team. 

Says the current depth chart is..

....Desean, Reagor/Goodwin, Ward in the slot, JJAW/Hightower/Watkins competing for the last two spots. Seems to think Watkins is a good PS candidate. Says he really needs to get bigger and stronger.

Personally I don't agree with any of this. I think Desean and Reagor are locks and beyond that you have a lot of guys competing against one another for a few spots.

Caplan has no idea what the Eagles coaches think, and they will make decisions after seeing them in camp and preseason.