The Eagles have arguably the NFL's worst receiving corps, with a unit that has chronic drop issues and an extreme inability to create separation and get open. You saw this in abundance this season, as Carson Wentz broke contain, eluded a pass rush, scrambled outside the pocket for a good 5+ seconds and still was unable to find open receivers down field. The Eagles have an obvious and massive need to upgrade the position.
Having blown multiple high-round draft picks on receivers in the last few years, I don't think the NFL Draft is the way to go to address the position. Carson Wentz is the future of the organization. They need him to develop and excel to progress to that Superbowl level. He needs immediate help. You saw this past season when Lane Johnson was suspended that his confidence took a major hit. His accuracy and mechanics suffered, and he didn't trust the offense like he did in the first 4 games of the season. However, aside from losing Lane Johnson, I believe the ineptitude of the receivers around him also hurt his confidence. Wentz is only human, and you'd have to think that after dealing with drop after drop, and the inability to find guys open time and time again, the poor group of receivers also played a role in Wentz's confidence level taking a hit.
So, looking at free agency there are a handful of names to take a look at. Those names are Terrelle Pryor, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Kenny Stills, and Robert Woods. Pryor is likely to be retained by the Browns, as they already re-upped Jamie Collins, and now are free to use their franchise tag on Pryor. Plus, I wouldn't be in favor of pursuing him anyway. He's immensely talented, no question, but he still has very little experience playing the position, and I worry about shelling out substantial money to such an unproven commodity.
Kenny Stills seems to be the hot name among Eagles fans and media types, but I'm not in the camp. I think Kenny Stills is a terrible idea for the Eagles. Sure, he provides a much-needed vertical threat, but Kenny Stills has been a #2 receiver at best for his entire career, and many of that time, has been no better than a #3 caliber receiver. Bringing him to Philly to have him be "the guy" is not a scenario I find promising. In sports, we have all seen what happens when you put a greater burden on an athlete in which their talent level can handle. I also think Stills will get paid significantly more money than a lot of people expect. In comparison, Marvin Jones last season received a 5 year, 40 million dollar contract from the Detroit Lions, with 20 million guaranteed. Marvin Jones is much like Kenny Stills, not in terms of their skill sets, but the general receiver tier they fall in. Jones is a secondary receiver on a good team, and still received a large contract. Stills, with NFL inflation, will likely get an even larger contract on the open market.
Maybe it's just me, but I refuse to overpay for "above average" when addressing needs. That's how you get yourself into trouble. If the Eagles sign Kenny Stills, to say, a 5 year, 42 million dollar contract with 25 million in guarantees, he will be "the man" in Philadelphia. And he is a secondary receiver who will not, under any circumstances, solve their receiver woes, and will most likely barely even make them respectable. So, fast-forward a year to January 2018. Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas are sitting there still having a major need at the position after having given Stills all of that money. So, you essentially compound your financial woes by having to invest even more resources at the position because Stills wasn't good enough on his own.
It's actually smarter, and more cost-effective, to target Alshon Jeffery. Yes, he has some minor injury concerns, and has a PED violation hanging over his head, but he's exactly what the Eagles and Carson Wentz needs. He is one of the best in the NFL at not dropping the football, for a group of WRs who are plagued with the issue. He is a big target for a QB who has issues sailing footballs. He is a WR who doesn't have blazing speed, but consistently gets open, and would provide Wentz that "go-to" receiver and reliable target he so desperately needs to further develop into the QB the Eagles hope he can be. Also, Joe Douglas knows him personally from his time in Chicago, and recently-hired Eagles WRs coach Mike Groh coached him in Chicago.
Jeffery is going to cost a significant sum of money, but with Roseman working his Cap Magic, the Eagles will be able to find a way to afford it. He is apparently asking for Dez Bryant type money, if you believe the reports, but I don't think he will quite reach Dez Bryant money. He is coming off a down season, and a PED suspension. That should drive his price down just a tiny bit to put him in that "sweet spot" where Roseman can land the prized receiver at an amount that doesn't destroy his cap. Then, at only 27 years old(when free agency begins), you can watch the Wentz and Jeffery tandem grow together for the next 5 years, and get this "Wide Receiver Disease" into major remission.
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