We Need a New Kick / Punt Returner

[Cochis_Calhoun]

Reagor is horrible at it, his judgement of which to field and which to leave is godawful, it's so bad that as more than a couple of people pointed out Yesterday, the Saint's appeared to making a point of kicking it to him rather than out the back of the endzone by mid game, I just don't see how you can retain the job if you're so halfassed about it the opponent is actively aiming to make you do it, it's absurd. 

Almost worse than his judgement of flight is that he's a **** when he does try and return one, constantly shying from contact rather than get a couple of extra yards, there was one in the second half Yesterday where he had a huge lane right up the middle of the field in front of him to about the 40 if he'd just run at it but instead he wussed and turned away from it. I can't remember a time when a Kick returner has annoyed the crap out of me as much as Reagor does.

Reagor is just a bust, he's a non factor in the passing game, he represents one of the most egregious failures of scouting judgment in Eagles history,  it's not just Jefferson, there are 4 or 5 other guys at receiver that should have been above this guy on the draft board in a competent scouting set up.  Smith has shown that a good receiver will get yards even in a low volume passing game, Reagor just doesn't have it, he never did. 

Ward isn't a great kick returner either but he's better than Reagor, put him back there.

[Infam]

I really wanted Reagor, think he has a lot of talent, still have a glimmer of hope he might turn it around...

But facts are facts, so far Reagor is a total bust. Watching him play is annoying at best. It is what it is. We need an upgrade.

[EazyEaglez]

Reagor isn’t a smart football player and decisions he made as a punt returner and Kick returner this past game cost the team and pinned them back and hurt the team. The first punt by the Saints if Reagor just let it go instead of running back to retrieve it obviously would have just rolled into the end zone. So to compensate for that screwup he stopped trying to field them and the Saints kept downing them inside the 5. Then they obviously sent kickoffs to him, because they clearly wanted him to return the ball knowing he was screwing up. Watching him stop running on return plays or step out of bounds rather than try to attack was just crazy. I don’t know what these guys are being taught though, cause Hightower basically did the same stupid stuff the week before too. Reagor is a starting receiver and basically a non-factor on offense. The Eagles only try to give him the ball on screens and reverses. You know it’s bad when people had more praise for JJAW this week than they had for Reagor and JJAW had one catch. At this point let Boston Scott become the return man. He wasn’t good at it either, but he at least doesn’t run backwards or step out of bounds. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, Infam said:

I really wanted Reagor, think he has a lot of talent, still have a glimmer of hope he might turn it around...

But facts are facts, so far Reagor is a total bust. Watching him play is annoying at best. It is what it is. We need an upgrade.

So I'm with you here. I wanted Reagor as I wanted that speed and I really thought he was going to be a fantastic addition to this team. But it hasn't worked out and it isn't going to.

He was awful last year, he's been as bad if not worse this year. Worse in a team that is playing better, where the offense is now playing better, where the QB play (despite his obvious flaws) is playing better than last year.

He looks slow, he looks like he's lost out there to tell the truth. He's hesitant when he gets the ball on a kick return. He goes backwards, he doesn't seem to have any faith in his ability to beat guys. And it was so daming that the Saints were kicking short to force him to run it back. 

[Infam]

Just now, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

So I'm with you here. I wanted Reagor as I wanted that speed and I really thought he was going to be a fantastic addition to this team. But it hasn't worked out and it isn't going to.

He was awful last year, he's been as bad if not worse this year. Worse in a team that is playing better, where the offense is now playing better, where the QB play (despite his obvious flaws) is playing better than last year.

He looks slow, he looks like he's lost out there to tell the truth. He's hesitant when he gets the ball on a kick return. He goes backwards, he doesn't seem to have any faith in his ability to beat guys. And it was so daming that the Saints were kicking short to force him to run it back. 

The worst thing is.. he looks lazy. If at least you'd see him trying as hard as he can. But he looks like he just doesn't care.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Just now, Infam said:

The worst thing is.. he looks lazy. If at least you'd see him trying as hard as he can. But he looks like he just doesn't care.

Yeah it's just all around bad. It was a bad pick, it didn't work out last year and he's not doing it this year either. He's going to be a bust in the NFL I can't see him turning things around now. 

[time2rock]

2 hours ago, Cochis_Calhoun said:

Reagor is horrible at it, his judgement of which to field and which to leave is godawful, it's so bad that as more than a couple of people pointed out Yesterday, the Saint's appeared to making a point of kicking it to him rather than out the back of the endzone by mid game, I just don't see how you can retain the job if you're so halfassed about it the opponent is actively aiming to make you do it, it's absurd. 

Almost worse than his judgement of flight is that he's a **** when he does try and return one, constantly shying from contact rather than get a couple of extra yards, there was one in the second half Yesterday where he had a huge lane right up the middle of the field in front of him to about the 40 if he'd just run at it but instead he wussed and turned away from it. I can't remember a time when a Kick returner has annoyed the crap out of me as much as Reagor does.

Reagor is just a bust, he's a non factor in the passing game, he represents one of the most egregious failures of scouting judgment in Eagles history,  it's not just Jefferson, there are 4 or 5 other guys at receiver that should have been above this guy on the draft board in a competent scouting set up.  Smith has shown that a good receiver will get yards even in a low volume passing game, Reagor just doesn't have it, he never did. 

Ward isn't a great kick returner either but he's better than Reagor, put him back there.

I cannot disagree that Reagor is a bust.  There were rumors circulating after the pick was made that the scouting department had Jefferson as the pick to take but Howie went rogue and took Reagor instead.  I don't know if that is true but I also have no reason to believe there isn't any truth to that.  

[Infam]

1 minute ago, time2rock said:

I don't know if that is true but I also have no reason to believe there isn't any truth to that.  

Sometimes I hate the times we live in.  

[brkmsn]

2 hours ago, Cochis_Calhoun said:

  Smith has shown that a good receiver will get yards even in a low volume passing game, Reagor just doesn't have it, he never did. 

Ward isn't a great kick returner either but he's better than Reagor, put him back there.

In a low volume passing game where 2 players (Goedert and Smith) get 2/3 of the targets, there's no reason to expect much from anybody else. It's just a product of the system. When they do scheme to get Reagor the ball on offense, the plays seem poorly designed and executed (by Reagor and the schemed blocking).

As for Ward, he did a lot of the things you're griping about with Reagor. He mostly fair caught punts rather than taking chances. He would often just let some go allowing for an additional 10-20 yards of roll. Yesterday, I felt Reagor made the right decisions to not field the punts inside the 10, but he hasn't learned the art of drawing the coverage guys away. There were some good punts that the saints covered well. 

1 hour ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

He goes backwards, he doesn't seem to have any faith in his ability to beat guys. 

He wasn't really doing that yesterday. I thought he improved in that area by just going forward. The part that irked me was just the desire to run out of bounds. 

59 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

 He's going to be a bust in the NFL I can't see him turning things around now. 

While that's always a possibility with a player that hasn't done anything of note early in his career, I think you're just being premature with the negative prognostication.

 

In summary, he hasn't done anything this so far year to change the minds of the critics. He needs to start making plays soon if he doesn't want to read/hear the fans turning on him. It seems like every effort to get him touches this year has been forced and things just haven't worked out. I'm hopeful this team can take advantage of the run-game success and try to balance the runs/passes better. Then we should have more natural opportunities to get some more players involved on offense. 

[GeorgeM37]

3 hours ago, Cochis_Calhoun said:

Reagor is horrible at it, his judgement of which to field and which to leave is godawful, it's so bad that as more than a couple of people pointed out Yesterday, the Saint's appeared to making a point of kicking it to him rather than out the back of the endzone by mid game, I just don't see how you can retain the job if you're so halfassed about it the opponent is actively aiming to make you do it, it's absurd. 

Almost worse than his judgement of flight is that he's a **** when he does try and return one, constantly shying from contact rather than get a couple of extra yards, there was one in the second half Yesterday where he had a huge lane right up the middle of the field in front of him to about the 40 if he'd just run at it but instead he wussed and turned away from it. I can't remember a time when a Kick returner has annoyed the crap out of me as much as Reagor does.

Reagor is just a bust, he's a non factor in the passing game, he represents one of the most egregious failures of scouting judgment in Eagles history,  it's not just Jefferson, there are 4 or 5 other guys at receiver that should have been above this guy on the draft board in a competent scouting set up.  Smith has shown that a good receiver will get yards even in a low volume passing game, Reagor just doesn't have it, he never did. 

Ward isn't a great kick returner either but he's better than Reagor, put him back there.

But Reno Mahe comes to mind definitely when comparing awful punt returners.....

[Traveler Vic]

In the absence of one....Hurts would be great at returning punts..Smart, fast...but he is our Starting QB. At this point..I would go with Scott. At least he is not afraid of contact. Next years draft..we are getting one.

[Random Reglar]

Britain Covey - Utah Utes.

https://utahutes.com/sports/football/roster/britain-covey/12681

2 punt return TDs this year.   4 total.
Generally the leading WR.
Passing - 3/3 71 yards with 2 TDs.  513 passer rating.   Rushing - averages over 8 yards a carry.

High School

2,602 passing yards (30 TD) with 1,640 rushing yards (26 TD) as a senior, recording eight 100-yard rushing games.

1,890 passing yards (26 TD) with 1,264 rushing yards (18 TD) his junior season

Led Timpview to back-to-back 4A state championships, winning 26-straight games at quarterback.


He gets awards at the NCAA level at punt returning and also as a WR.   Was throwing and running in high school,  winning the championship twice as QB.  

He's short and light. 

Four All-Pac-12 selections, three as a returner (first-team in 2018, 2020).

small speedy versatile weapon,  with a lot of success in college as punt returner.  Day 3 or udfa.