Time To Put To Rest The Idea That The Eagles Need Another WR

After watching the Philadelphia Eagles this spring, at least the scant three practices open to reporters, it’s time to halt the narrative that the Eagles need more depth at the wide receiver position.

Arguably, Philadelphia has the best tandem in the NFL with second-team All-Pro A.J. Brown and perhaps the top WR2 in football with DeVonta Smith. 

Because that duo is so good, the drop-off is always going to be steep. However, the talent in Aaron Moorehead’s room is the deepest it has been in the Nick Sirianni era.

That starts with Jahan Dotson, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, acquired from Washington on Aug. 22 of last year. Because Dotson arrived so late in the summer, it took some time to develop some chemistry with quarterback Jalen Hurts.

That line was broached by the postseason, and with Dotson going through a full offseason with the Eagles for the first time, the comfort level is only going to improve.

The WR3 position is never going to be a high-volume position for the Eagles in what will remain a run-first offense with perhaps the NFL’s best running back and offensive line, as well as Brown, Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert. But, Dotson has cleared the Sirianni bar of 'make the play when the football comes to you.' Meanwhile, just from a talent perspective, Dotson is nearly always going to have a traits advantage against the CB3s in the NFL.

From four through the 12 on the offseason 90-man roster, it’s also never been better.

Free-agent pickup Terrace Marshall, a 2021 second-round pick, had an excellent spring and seems anxious to reboot his career in a better environment. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Marshall also adds the outside-the-numbers size with the athleticism the Eagles have been looking for in a backup.

It's fair to say Danny Gray, a 2022 third-round pick, needs to catch the football more consistently, but the SMU product has elite speed and obvious playmaking abilities. 

Moorehead even has situational options in the big-bodied Johnny Wilson as a blocker and the manufactured-touch abilities of Ainias Smith and Avery Williams.

The practice squad candidates are led by the 6-4 Elijah Cooks, who missed the spring with an injury, and undrafted rookies Darius Cooper, Taylor Morin, and Giles Jackson, who can all offer some kick return versatility.

Nationally, the idea that the Eagles “need” to add another WR is rooted in recent history, not what’s in the room currently.