The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping to bounce back after having a poor 2020 season. They've moved on from Carson Wentz and it seems to be Jalen Hurts' team now. The front office has been busy this offseason, making trades and gathering a ton of prospects through the 2021 NFL Draft. The team selected nine rookies this year, then turned around and signed seven undrafted free agents.
Philadelphia is in a weak NFC East division. It'll be a wide-open race this year, as it was in 2020, so there is a chance the Eagles surprise the league and make the playoffs. For that to happen, the entire roster will need to step up and make an impact from the get-go.
With that amount of young talent on the roster, they're bound to have a couple of hits on the roster. However, two stands out amongst the rest as both of these guys could be productive in the Eagles' offense. With that said, here are two hidden gems on the Eagles roster.
Eagles hidden gems:
Kenneth Gainwell
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Kenneth Gainwell looks to produce almost immediately this year. He was viewed by many as the fourth-best running back prospect but fell to the Eagles in the fifth round. Gainwell had a monster 2019 campaign playing for the Memphis Tigers, finishing that year with 1,459 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Eagles' rookie running back is dangerous in the passing game as well, as he also racked up 51 receptions, 610 receiving yards, and three additional touchdowns in 2019. He's tremendous with the ball in his hands and could force his way into the rotation on third downs in obvious passing situations.
Gainwell has all of the potential in the world to be a great running back in the NFL. Most teams are utilizing more than one running back on their roster, especially now that the season will be 17 games long. Keep an eye on Gainwell throughout training camp, as he could generate a ton of buzz from the coaching staff early on.
Quez Watkins
His rookie year was a tad quiet, but Quez Watkins has a ton of potential to become a solid pass-option in the Eagles offense. DeVonta Smith and Jalen Reagor likely hold the top two spots in the receiving core, but the third option is wide-open for the taking.
Travis Fulgham had a few standout moments last year, but it wasn't enough to make him a lock to be the third receiver on the depth chart. Watkins will have to compete against a plethora of receivers, but he could be the standout guy once training camp gets going.
He's athletic and proved to have nice hands in his small sample size in 2020. With the uncertainty surrounding the Eagles receiving group, Watkins could emerge as the third-best receiver on the team, playing as the fourth pass option behind Smith, Reagor, and Dallas Goedert. Keep a close tab on Quez Watkins, as he'll have to impress the coaching staff to earn an expanded role next year.
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