How Good?

The Eagles spent three picks on receivers, adding Jalen Reagor, John Hightower and Quez Watkins to the WR corps. The goal was to get younger and faster. Done and done.

But relying solely on rookies can be risky. So the Eagles decided to add a veteran to the mix. During the draft, they traded for Marquise Goodwin.

Goodwin has been in the league for seven years. He has starting experience. He has 4.3 speed and can run by NFL corners. This is exactly the kind of a veteran the Eagles were looking for.

Before you get too excited, Goodwin has his share of issues. He will turn 30 in November. He’s been in the league since 2013 and has 140 career catches and 13 TDs. He won’t be going to Canton anytime soon. To put those numbers in perspective, James Thrash had 290 career catches and 22 TDs.

Part of the problem with Goodwin is that injuries have plagued him throughout his career. He has played in 75 of a possible 112 games in his career. That’s not ideal.

This was a low-risk, mystery reward deal by the Eagles. They just gave up draft position to get him, dropping 20 slots in the sixth round. Goodwin took a pay cut so there was limited investment and he’s cheap. Whether it works or not, this was a smart move.

First, Goodwin has to make the team. That means staying healthy and learning the playbook. The Eagles brought in Rich Scangarello to incorporate some of Kyle Shanahan’s playbook. Goodwin spent the past few years in that offense so he will have some familiarity with at least parts of the offense.

If Goodwin can make the team, he’ll have to carve out a role. You can bet the Eagles will want DeSean Jackson on the field a lot. Reagor will be given every chance to earn playing time. Goodwin, a small, speedy receiver, will have to find a way to get on the field.

The Eagles brought him here for a couple of reasons. First, they must think he can be a contributor. As I’ve talked about, no receiver is likely to be catching 80-100 passes. This is going to be WR by committee. Goodwin is talented enough to help with that.

Goodwin also provides insurance in case DeSean gets hurt. They aren’t clones to be sure, but Goodwin has the speed to take on that role. He’s just not nearly as good as DeSean.

It will be interesting to see how Goodwin plays this summer and what he does this fall. He could be an X-factor for the Eagles this year.

*****

I liked the Eagles UDFA class. I wasn’t alone.

https://twitter.com/thorku/status/1261426252075810816

Rotoworld had the Eagles at #5. Unfortunately the Cowboys were #1 and the Saints were #3.

The Eagles graded out well in my system by combining high-quality signings with a bunch of calculated dart-throws, including the signing of former Arizona dual-threat quarterback Khalil Tate to give a receiver transition a spin in camp.

The headliners are Cincy RB Michael Warren, Michigan State DL Raequan Williams, Montana LB Dante Olson and Baylor DB Grayland Arnold, all borderline draftable guys. Warren runs like a sock of rocks but has cement shoes… it’ll be interesting to see if he can carve out a Fat Robb career. I like Raequan’s shot of sticking around. He doesn’t rush the passer, but he’s long, he’s versatile, and he brings his lunch pail against the run. Feels like a long-term swing backup type.

Fat Rob is former Skins RB Robert Kelley. I didn’t remember that nickname. Kelley started 16 games in three years and ran for 906 yards. Warren only does that if the guys in front of him get hurt. I do think he could be a solid role player for the Eagles, but he’ll have to beat out Elijah Holyfield first.

_