By most standards, the Philadelphia Eagles actually had a pretty successful offseason.
General manager Howie Roseman continued to wheel and deal to add to an already stellar defensive unit. Roseman traded for former Detroit Lions lockdown cornerback Darius Slay, and also added former Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave to a stacked front seven.
But while Roseman made some big moves to improve the defense, he came up mostly empty in his mission to get more weapons for quarterback Carson Wentz.
The 27-year-old had a good year in 2019, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Wentz also led four game-winning drives.
However, Wentz also averaged a full yard less in terms of yards gained per pass attempt. He seemed less inclined to take shots deep down the field, in part because the Eagles lacked quality depth at wide receiver.
This year's free agent class was fairly weak at the position, but Roseman still might have pursued the likes of Emmanuel Sanders or Robby Anderson, among others. Instead, the Eagles are banking on internal improvements from the current group of guys on the roster.
The Eagles used their first-round pick to select Jalen Reagor out of TCU, and even that selection garnered a bit of questioning from the fans given Justin Jefferson was still on the board.
In any case, receiver is a clear position of need for the Eagles.
Relying on the vets?
Roseman and the Eagles seem to believe a healthier receiving corps will result in more success.
After all, DeSean Jackson played in just three games, and Alshon Jeffery missed six games himself while still dealing with a Lisfranc injury.
But, given their respective histories, is it wise to place so much faith in the two veterans?
Jackson has been hampered by injuries in each of the last three seasons. He still has plenty of talent and remains as dangerous a downfield threat as there is in the NFL, but asking him to be a potential No. 1 at 33 years old is questionable.
Injuries have also plagued Jeffery's career, not to mention a PED suspension and a slightly concerning case of drops.
Who will step up?
Reagor figures to be a weapon out of the slot. He is very capable as a route-runner and quite explosive after the catch. The Eagles will hope the rookie can make an immediate impact.
Who else will emerge as a potential threat?
The Eagles seem to have a lot of confidence in 2019 second-rounder JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Indeed, Arcega-Whiteside averaged 16.9 yards per reception last year. He also had just 10 receptions despite being on the field for 42 percent of all offensive snaps.
Philly's biggest upside play could have been trading for Marquise Goodwin. The former San Francisco 49ers wideout had nearly 1,000 yards receiving in 2017, but has since succumbed to injuries. If Goodwin is healthy, he gives Wentz another burner capable of making plays downfield.
Still there are a lot of “ifs” when it comes to the Eagles receiving corps.
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