Eagles pass catchers separate themselves as one of NFL's elite groups

A forgotten aspect of the Philadelphia Eagles is how good their passing game is. Over the last three seasons, attention has been paid to the rushing attack as the Eagles have consistently been in the top three in rushing yards each year

Their offense has taken a step back on the passing game, especially last season, as they were ranked 29th in passing yards per game with 187.9.

That didn't stop Philadelphia from winning the Super Bowl last year after they averaged an impressive 36.3 points per game in the postseason. Running back Saquon Barkley's record-breaking season on the ground got all the attention, but the pass catchers on the team are still as elite as they come.

Where do the Eagles' pass catchers rank against the rest of the NFL?

NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks shared his top eight pass-catching groups in the league. Philadelphia fell just one spot short of first as they were behind the Cincinnati Bengals. Brooks couldn't find any issues in the Eagles' pass catchers, as they have a nice balance of deep ball threats and short-yard pass catchers.

"It's hard to find a glaring hole on the defending champions’ roster thanks to the Eagles’ superb scouting and development process. Philadelphia has utilized every acquisition method (draft, trade and free agency) to stockpile blue-chip playmakers. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith share duties as co-WR1s in an offense that utilizes a potent running game, led by Saquon Barkley, to set up opportunities through the air. WR Jahan Dotson and TE Dallas Goedert excel at working the underneath areas to punish opponents utilizing two-deep coverage and split-safety looks designed to limit throws over the top. Despite their best efforts, few defenses have been able to neutralize the Eagles’ aerial attack with Jalen Hurts tossing the ball all over the yard to a collection of sticky-fingered pass catchers with slick route-running skills and big-play potential on the perimeter."

The Eagles' pass catchers are efficient and don't drop the ball often. The team had just seven drops during the regular season. Brown led the team in receiving yards for the third consecutive year with 1,079 yards. Nine out of the 15 players who recorded catches on the Eagles in 2024 had a catch percentage of 70% or more, according to Fox Sports.

Questions have been raised about the No. 3 wide receiver role, as Dotson did not perform to the standards the team needed after trading for him before the 2024 season. Goedert's restructured contract at least gave the Eagles insurance for a number-three pass catcher if he can stay healthy.

Brown and Smith are enough to put the Eagles in the conversation with the Bengals as the best wide receiver duo in the league. The running game and enough pass-catching options give this Philadelphia more than offense enough to be dangerous again in 2025.