Pulse Of Philly: Eagles Should Consider Going Wide Receiver In Round One
94WIP's Andrew Porter and his buddy Scott Kret host a weekly podcast, called the Pulse Of Philly. You can download/subscribe for free on iTunes. Go to CBSPhilly.com/pop for the archived episodes.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- As sexy as Marcus Mariota in midnight green might be, let's assume Nick Foles is going to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles next season, a very fair assumption. How can the Eagles get over the hump and become a Super Bowl contender?
Instantly your mind shifts to the secondary, which is clearly the Eagles' biggest deficiency heading into the off-season. However, in terms of the draft, don't sleep on the wide receiver position.
"I think if you add a big time---and I know they've been drafting receivers a lot, Jordan Matthews last year and I know they need cornerbacks, they need safeties, they need secondary help," Andrew Porter said on the Pulse Of Philly podcast. "But offensively, if you can add a big time receiver---and it's been done before---you see guys like Odell Beckham Jr., his rookie year. You see Jordan Matthews, you see these rookies. Mike Evans, and Sammy Watkins, and Kelvin Benjamin. All these rookies---Brandin Cooks---coming in at the receiver position. It's really, that position, it's easy to hit on. I mean, last year's draft was ridiculous receiver wise, but if you could hit on a rookie receiver who can make an impact right away---a big, physical guy alongside [Jeremy] Maclin.
Listen to Andrew Porter and Scott Kret on the Pulse of Philly podcast:
"And then you have Maclin, this big-time receiver possibly a rookie, and then Matthews in the slot, [Zach] Ertz at tight end, [LeSean] McCoy in the backfield, [Darren] Sproles in the backfield," Porter continued. "Now, it makes the offense much more well-rounded. [Riley] Cooper moves to your fourth receiver now and the whole outlook of your offense kind of changes with another big-time receiver to play alongside with Maclin."
So is drafting a receiver in round one a real possibility for the Eagles?
"That's something that's been kind of on my radar as something that makes sense, a receiver in round one because I think they can get two corners in free agency this off-season. You're not getting that receiver in free-agency," co-host Scott Kret said.
One of the moves Chip Kelly has been criticized most for during his tenure with the Eagles (which by the way started exactly two years ago today), was releasing DeSean Jackson. With Jackson, the Eagles wouldn't have needed an outside receiver to compliment Maclin.
"This kind of circles us back to the DeSean Jackson thing, where people are up-in-arms and you could say we should have DeSean Jackson as that number two. He should be that guy," Porter said. "And I say, maybe, but DeSean Jackson was making a lot of money. I think it was $8 million to $10 million on the cap, he was obviously a problem in the clubhouse and he didn't get along with the coaching staff and some of the players. He was really a one-trick pony who could only go deep.
"It could all circle back where you can draft another big-time---you already drafted Jordan Matthews---if you could draft another big-time receiver, maybe he's essentially better than DeSean Jackson," Porter continued. "He's definitely going to be cheaper. Maybe you could draft a more well-rounded, younger, cheaper DeSean Jackson and now it kind of all comes together if you re-sign Maclin, you have McCoy---you restructure McCoy---you have Sproles now, you have a fourth-year Nick Foles, and you have a healthy offensive line, it kind of all comes full circle next season. I think, really, receiver is the only weakness. One receiver is what they need on offense."
According to CBSSports.com, there are four receivers projected to be definite first-rounders: Amari Cooper (5th), DeVante Parker (11th), Kevin White (16th), and Dorial Green-Beckham (22nd). Cooper, the No. 1 ranked receiver, is the smallest of the bunch at 6'1", 210-pounds.
