The Eagles are heading into the 2022 NFL offseason with some offensive continuity and a need for an upgrade at the outside wide receiver position.
DeVonta Smith established himself as a true No. 1 wide receiver, while Quez Watkins showed that he can be a valuable complementary piece as a sixth-round pick in 2020. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (2019) and Jalen Reagor (2020) have left a lot to be desired and Philadelphia now has the conundrum of needing to add another playmaker to the position.
If Howie Roseman prefers to not spend a first-round pick on the position for a third straight year, we’ve highlighted 12 veteran wide receivers that the Eagles could pair with DeVonta Smith to really take Jalen Hurts to the next level as a passer.
1. Calvin Ridley -- Falcons
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A star who made it easy for the Falcons to move on from Julio Jones, Ridley played just five games this season before leaving the team for personal reasons.
This move would have to be made via trade as well.
Ridley’s exit actually happened days after Lane Johnson excused himself from the Eagles for the same personal reason. A 1,300-yard receiver when available, Ridley and Smith would transform the Philadelphia passing game.
2. Michael Thomas -- Saints
Thomas has quietly watched his status among the elite of the game dwindle and with the Saints in salary cap hell, Philadelphia parting ways with a mid-round pick makes a ton of sense for a big-bodied receiver looking to reinvent himself.
3. Mike Williams -- Chargers
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A talented route runner with the size that the Eagles desperately desire, Williams has moments of inconsistency but would take Jalen Hurts to an elite level in the red zone.
4. Allen Robinson -- Bears
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A player in that same mode as Mike Williams, Robinson would be an instant red zone upgrade and he’s for a fresh start after floundering Chicago.
5. Chris Godwin -- Bucs
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NFL GMs shouldn’t just write a blank check, but Howie Roseman should give Chris Godwin whatever he wants to leave Tampa Bay and help bring some moxie to the Eagles wide receiver corps.
Godwin’s 2021 season came to an end in Week 15 due to a torn ACL and MCL, and he is expected to make a full recovery.
A complementary piece with Mike Evans, Godwin, and DeVonta Smith would cause problems for defensive coordinators, without either player having to be at an elite level.
6. Juju Smith-Schuster -- Steelers
A sure-handed slot receiver who Jalen Hurts would be able to rely on in critical situations, Smith-Schuster ranks top-15 in third-down receptions by a wide receiver since he was drafted in 2017 (85).
He’d give Jalen Hurts life while opening things up for everyone else.
7. Cedrick Wilson -- Cowboys
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Fans usually prefer to stay far away from signing former Cowboys, but Wilson would bring moxie to the position while freeing up DeVonta Smith to do his thing.
A sixth-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2018, Wilson has good size at 6-2 and 200 pounds and finished 2021 with 602 yards and six touchdowns.
8. Michael Gallup -- Cowboys
(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
See No. 7
An intriguing player who has had some really big games against elite cornerbacks, Gallup has an injury history and we’ll be coming off a torn ACL. As a player and a prototype, Gallup is what Philadelphia needs.
9. Christian Kirk -- Cardinals
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A more productive receiver when working out of the slot, Kirk would complement Smith and free up the second-year star for more one-on-one opportunities on the outside.
Kirk is everything you’d want Jalen Reagor to be, with the build of a third-down running back, and he just set career highs for receptions (77) and receiving yards (982) in 2021.
10. Davante Adams -- Packers
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Teams can dream, but it’s unlikely Philadelphia would be in on free agent negotiations involving the best route-runner in the NFL.
11. Jamison Crowder -- Jets
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Crowder has improved each season in the league and he’s only dropped just four passes on 154 targets the past two seasons.
During his time in New York, Crowder logged 187 receptions for 1,963 yards and 14 touchdowns in 39 games with the Jets.
12. D.J. Chark -- Jaguars
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The 6-foot-4 Chark ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he’d complement DeVonta Smith while opening up the middle for Dallas Goedert.
