Draft and the Depth Chart: Wide Receiver
Second in a series looking at how the guys the Eagles drafted affect the depth chart at each position.
Part 1: Cornerback
- DeSean Jackson -- After a breakout and unexpectedly productive freshman campaign, DeSean starts 2009 as the man in this offense, Donovan McNabb's number one target. With a glut of other return men selected/traded for, it is likely that DeSean, like Westbrook before him, will be weaned off of return duties to protect his slight frame (maybe 5'10" 180 lbs. with rocks in his pants). Hopefully Mr. Jackson has learned from his previous mistakes (which honestly still make me nervous about his future) and is ready to step up as a responsible star in this system. He certainly has the talent and speed to be special here for a long time if he can keep improving.
- Kevin Curtis -- Curtis missed the first half of the season last year, and never reached the level of production he played at in 2007. Still, he should rebound this year after an off-season to fully recooperate. If he returns to form, he can be a fantastic #2 receiver in Philly for the next few years. Long term, Andy may see him more as a slot receiver who complements the Mac-Jack attack.
- Jeremy Maclin -- As soon as he steps on the field, Maclin will be the most talented receiver in this lineup. He's got DeSean-caliber speed but has a stronger, taller body (6'0", 200 lbs. isn't huge, but its legit). He's only 20 years old, but if you've seen his interviews, its clear he's a very bright, responsible, and humble guy. If DeSean can make an impact in his rookie season, no reason to think that Maclin can't replicate that success. Look for the Eagles to get him on the field wherever they can, especially punt returns.
- Jason Avant -- Given the opportunity to contribute in this offense last year, Avant showed that he can be a productive slot receiver, unafraid to catch balls over the middle. He caught about half of his balls on 3rd down, the highest percentage of any Eagles receiver. Still, Avant has little upside at this point so he'll have to find a way to become more effective. His contract runs out this year, but he will be a restricted free agent if they want to retain him.
- Hank Baskett -- We have all drooled over his potential as a huge target, but the numbers simply haven't shown a lot of improvement over the last 3 years. Last year he started 6 games, but didn't have much to show for it (other than one nice play and one nice girl). Truth is that he will likely never be a starter here, just like Avant. And he's in the same contract situation as Avant as well. If he can't step it up, there's little reason for the Eagles to extend his contract long term - let alone keep him ahead of someone with more upside.
- Reggie Brown -- How he's fallen. Signed a contract extension just 2 years ago to keep him through 2014. That's the untold other side of the Sheldon Brown story. I'm sure they would love to trade him, but at this point they can't give him away. (I imagine this conversation went on at some point in the draft "Brad Childress, c'mon buddy, you want him? He'd be great. Please?") And they don't want to cut him because of a $5 million cap hit they'd take. Andy's probably hoping he'll return to form as a contributor, because he has more talent than Avant or Baskett, but if he doesn't play well than he won't suit up because he can't play special teams. Definitely a make or break training camp for Reggie.
- Brandon Gibson -- The Eagles's 6th round pick is on the bigger side and Andy called him "one of the best route runners" in the draft, making him a possible steal as a bigger version of Jason Avant. Still, there's a reason he dropped so far. Gibson doesn't have great speed or quickness and had a subpar season last year after a great junior season. Honestly it is unlikely that he makes the team unless he really impresses, more than one of the three players above him, catching the ball and in special teams. Also could "get hurt" right before cuts if he looks promising.
- Danny Amendola -- All you closet Hard Knocks fans can go away. He's not going to make this team. He'll certainly get rave reviews without pads, but there's no real place for him, unless the Eagles really shake up the WR corps.
- Shaheer McBride -- Big body. Practice squad last year. Not going to make the team, no matter (as I said before) how much Spadaro gushes.
- Brandon Robinson -- Undrafted rookie out of BC. Camp body, for sure.
What do you think?
5 recs |
71 comments
Comments
Sounds right
I’d be hesitant to put Brown at #6. I honestly think he’s not viewed that negatively by the Eagles coaching staff, I’d say if they had a depth chart he’d probably be #4 or #5. All that really means, though, is that he would play outside — whenever our outside WRs (Jackson/Curtis this year, probably) need a break, Brown is much more likely to go in there (Baskett too), whereas when our #3 needs a break, Avant will go in. Hopefully Brown gets on the field more.
by Alon on Apr 27, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
possibly
there certainly are differences between the wr positions that i didn’t take into account
by bsencore on Apr 27, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
With good reason
THanks for doin these man, they’re great
by Alon on Apr 27, 2009 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So we keep 6
who gets cut, traded, or practice squad?
by sports00fan00 on Apr 27, 2009 6:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Reggie Brown
“Andy’s probably hoping he’ll return to form as a contributor, because he has more talent than Avant or Baskett, but if he doesn’t play well than he won’t suit up because he can’t play special teams.”
Reggie Brown played special teams all through 2005. He didn’t play special teams last year because he had been projected as a starter before being injured. Since special teams were working fine when he returned, there was no point inserting him into any unit. And since he had not been practicing as a slot receiver, there was little point using him in that way.
Reggie Brown and Jeremy Maclin are the natural split ends on the team (the X receiver). Desean Jackson and Kevin Curtis, with their short height and slight builds are more natural flankers (the Z receiver). Avant and Baskett, with their utter lack of starting ability and speed, are the natural slot receivers (the Y receiver).
by Andrew B on Apr 27, 2009 9:01 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
i dont know
baskett rarely played in the slot last year. and kevin curtis would be great there, like wes welker.
by bsencore on Apr 27, 2009 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
problem is, atleast in my opinion.
Baskett doesn’t get enough opportunities. I see him block more than going out for catches. Atleast that is what I feel. I never really sat down and watched for him so I may be wrong. But honestly I feel like we don’t use him as much as we should.
by soman319 on Apr 27, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Curtis and Welker?
Why would Curtis be great in the slot like Welker?
Because he is also white?
Seriously, what similarly do you see in them other than their skin color in a position where most roster spots are held by black people?
Kevin Curtis as a starter has a been a 13-15 yards per reception type of guy. Wes Welker has spent his entire career under 11 yards per reception.
Their only similarity as players is that they are white. That’s it.
by Andrew B on Apr 30, 2009 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
at the risk of utilizing one of the most overused words in football
quickness
by bsencore on Apr 30, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually
curtis was a slot receiver in st louis and did very well there
by jack is better than asante on Apr 30, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Curtis in the Slot
Curtis had his most productive games as Isaac Bruce’s replacement on the outside.
If Curtis was so effective in the slot, don’t you think the Eagles would play him there?
by Andrew B on Apr 30, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But...
Obviously there is more passes coming his way with Bruce out…
by PoppiDamus on May 1, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but he also stepped up when given the chance, he could have done nothing with the extra attempts.
The point is Curtis’s 2 most successful seasons 1 with the Rams and the other with us he played the outside, if that isn’t evidence of his ability I don’t know what is.
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on May 1, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Desean Jackson and Kevin Curtis, with their short height and slight builds are more natural flankers
My only argument is Kevin Curtis is 6’ 190lbs and Jeremy Maclin 6’ 198 lbs and Reggie Brown 6’1" 197 lbs. I don’t think 1 inch or 8-15 pounds is the difference between X and Y Kevin Curtis is more than capable of playing any receiver slot.
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on Apr 28, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yea I don't see size as the decisive factor either...
I think Reggie Brown is more of an X because of his skill set…I don’t see Curtis as an X because he struggles getting off jams…Maclin didn’t play against much press coverage so I don’t know about him…
Skillset wise, I see Curtis and Jackson as a Y or a Z, I see avant pretty much only in the slot, but don’t agree with Baskett in the slot at all, he is another X receiver…
by PoppiDamus on Apr 29, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lets at least use consistent numbers.
profootballtalk.com
Baskett 6-2, 220
Avant 6-0, 210
Brown 6-1, 197
Curtis 5-11, 186
Jackson 6-0, 178
Baskett 6-4, 220
Avant 6-0, 212
Maclin 6-0, 198
Brown 6-1, 197
Curtis 6-0, 186
Jackson 5-10, 175
Baskett 6-4, 220
Avant 6-0, 212
Maclin 6-0, 198
Brown 6-1, 197
Curtis 6-0, 186
Jackson 5-9, 169
Given how small and short football players inflate their heights and weights, I’m inclined to believe Curtis is no more than 5-11 and 186, which is giving up at least 2" and 11 pounds on Brown. I think that’s a pretty significant amount by itself, but its also pretty likely that his actual height and weight are more along the lines of 5-10 or 5-10 1/2 and 180.
by Andrew B on Apr 30, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
desean
how does desean go from 5’9 to 6’0 .. hes not 6’0 lol n thats a big differnce
by jack is better than asante on Apr 30, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m looking at nfldraftscout. I’m pretty sure they have the combine measurements so they should be accurate. They are listed as 4 digit numbers. I know its one digit feet, than two digit inches. The last number I’m assuming is tenths of an inch but I’m not positive.
Baskett- 6027
Avant- 6004
Maclin- 6001
Brown- 6015
Curtis- 5111
Jackson- 5096
by FredEx on Apr 30, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s probably 8ths, makes more sense with inches and i looked through several players and didn’t see any 8 or 9’s
by FredEx on Apr 30, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Curtis vs. Brown
5-11-1/8 vs. 6-1-5/8 means Curtis is giving up 2 1/2" to Brown.
by Andrew B on Apr 30, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And 11 lbs is 5.9% more weight
Seems fairly significant to me. They definitely aren’t sharing clothes.
by Andrew B on Apr 30, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Being 2 1/2 inches taller he should weigh more.
by FredEx on Apr 30, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hard Knocks
HBO Sports is awesome. While they no longer have inside the NFL they put out a lot of really excellent programming with productions like 24/7, Real Sports (sometimes), Thrilla in Manilla, The Rivalry and Hard Knocks
With that being said they made a valiant effort to hide Amendola’s deficiencies as a football player on Hard Knocks. He’s garbage.
by andyreidswaistline on Apr 27, 2009 9:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
in my book
any show that partners with jerry jones can shove it
by bsencore on Apr 27, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're mistaken about Danny-he's not garbage and will end up on some team be it the Eagles or a different one. There is a place in the NFL for a player like Danny-just like Wes Welker-hard worker, small, can run routes. Garbage? So harsh!
by dannyamendolaisnotgarbageyoujackass on Apr 28, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wes Welker has hands though, which in this game called football, is pretty important.
by andyreidswaistline on Apr 29, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
brown
i think brown is 2 or 3 on that list .. you guys hate him .. the eagles know hes good .. he might even start over desean and have desean in the slot .. the eagles are not down on reggie brown .. only you guys are ..
by jack is better than asante on Apr 28, 2009 12:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
stop saying "you guys"
it’s really not you against the world on this, i like brown as our 3rd or 4th best receiver, which is a small discrepancy from you, and the impression I get is that there are other people out there who like him as much as you and I do too
by Alon on Apr 28, 2009 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he's a decent player, but
at best, next year brown will be playing the same role that hank baskett played in the past year. the offense has passed him by, and considering that baskett is a pretty solid player in his own right (not to mention the fact that the 2nd string TE is gonna be used more split out wide as a receiver than on the end of the line), reggie brown is more valuable to about 25 other NFL teams than he is to the eagles.
brian mccann: derek lowe's got the best slider i've ever seen
john smoltz: yeah? and josh bard's the best catcher i've ever thrown to.
by variablesdont on Apr 28, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ok alon
your right .. but there are 100 people saying he gets cut .. i think he has a good chance to start .. u see the big differnce here ..
by jack is better than asante on Apr 28, 2009 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alon's right ...
… a lot of people have been saying Reggie Brown has a chance to bounce back, that he was hurt at the start of last season and never really got into the flow of things. I know I’ve said several times that he’s better than he was last season and I would not be surprised if he had a good year, what with all the people fighting for his job.
I’m also on record saying let’s not expect too much from Maclin just yet, outside of special teams. I realize he’s an elite talent, but a rookie coming in and mastering the Eagles’ offense like D-Jax is the exception, not the rule.
Jackassante portrays everything as him against the world because it gets people to pay attention to his posts. Could you imagine if he was just posting and not making a fuss over how much he disagrees with the guy who posted before him? My God! -GASP- His posts would have to survive on their merits.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Apr 29, 2009 2:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you guys might be right about reggie
however, i can’t stop thinking that his career so far has been very similar to a certain todd pinkston. no, they aren’t exactly the same type of receivers, but both performed very well in their second and third years and were rewarded with long term contracts. however, both had 4th years that showed diminished production. that’s where brown’s story stops for now but pinkston never rebounded in the next year and then blew out his knee.
i’m not saying that exact thing will happen to reggie, but he has gotten passed on the depth chart and will have to fight to show he’s still got it. yeah he was injured last year, but curtis was hurt too, then came back to produce. reggie lost his job and will have to prove he can reclaim it.
by bsencore on Apr 29, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As far as the order ...
… I guess I agree with it, though you could very easily slot Reggie Brown ahead of Hank Baskett even after an off year, and I could definitely see Brown rising as high as 3 by the end of training camp.
I don’t know yet if Maclin is a lock for the 3 spot. I’d probably make Avant the 3 right now. But it probably says a lot that they’re all almost interchangable, not in their skill sets, but in their value to the team.
I do hope all 6 make the final cut, with Gibson and maybe one other on the PS.
I think for that to happen though, guys are going to have to show their value on special teams, and that probably means more than just returning kicks. Baskett et. al. are going to have to find roles as the gunners on punt teams and such to make themselves as useful as possible.
I definitely don’t think we should give any of them away for nothing.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Apr 29, 2009 2:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
CURTUS, JACKSON MACLIN ALL HAVE A THOUSAND YARD SEASONS.
by STRAIGHTOYOURFACE on Apr 29, 2009 9:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
THAT WENT STRAIGHT TO MY FACE
http://www.libertyballers.com/
by Remis on Apr 29, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
straight to yo face!
this has to be my favorite name on here.
by snowhill82 on May 1, 2009 2:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that order
no way maclin is 3 .. hes arookie .. rookie wrs take three years to blossom .. desean had to play cuz reggie got hurt .. he dropped some balls and is still not polished as a wr .. he just showed flashes .. brown will be in the top 3 .. most likely the top 2. . and hes better than baskett and avant .. you people (those saying maclin) need to realize maclin is not ready to step in and start
by jack is better than asante on Apr 29, 2009 12:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Jack i gotta agree……….. of the subject… did you see Jack he’s a beast. i think he’ll be 100% this season.
I so wish Hakkem Nicks wasn't a GIANT!!!!!!!
by Ewizzy21 on Apr 29, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
haha yea man
he is a beast
by jack is better than asante on Apr 29, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A lot like Jackson wasn't ready to start
Now, Jackson was more pro-ready, I grant this – but Maclin is a top-10 talent and a top-5 athlete from the draft. Maclin might not start initially, and might be used to create crazy fast packages the first half of the year, but I definitely see him in the starting rotation by December.
by cwel87 on May 1, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of "Hard Knocks..."
Anyone know what team it is this year?
by Bye, Dawk :( on Apr 29, 2009 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
haaha
is it really? thats funny
by jack is better than asante on Apr 29, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
BENGALS?!?!
I guess we’ll watch Dhani Jones on yet another TV show!
Honestly, WTF is with the media’s love of that guy?
"When Dawk hits you, you stay hit."
-Troy Vincent
by cybourgeoisie on May 1, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
J Mac
Maclin @ 4. He’ll need time to grow….35-40 catches
by DeSmac on Apr 29, 2009 1:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Mackattack?
Jeremy Maclin — As soon as he steps on the field, Maclin will be the most talented receiver in this lineup.
He might be in a couple years but don’t think that as soon as Mack gets on the field he’s gonna be the best of the bunch. He has a lot to work on. Running routes is a big one especially if he’s gonna be in the slot or a stud receiver. He has to learn to read defenses…. he’s pretty good off the jam but how about zone defenses???? I agree he will be good but not next season……. As returning punts i think he’ll be a stud!!!!!! +1 on that one.
I so wish Hakkem Nicks wasn't a GIANT!!!!!!!
by Ewizzy21 on Apr 29, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
To be fair ...
… he said “most talented,” not “best of the bunch.”
There’s a difference.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Apr 29, 2009 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
see
you guys always defend each other .. u cant just say ewizzy was right
by jack is better than asante on Apr 29, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno
I think that’s a fair distinction, partially cause you use it yourself — ya say Jack has more talent than Asante, even if he’s not better. I think of talent as potential to do great things on the field, and skill as being consistent in that production / actually producing on the field.
So Curtis & Jackson & Avant & Brown probably all have more skill than Maclin right now, because they know nuances of being an NFL WR. They’ll produce on the field. But Maclin’s “measurables” and potential — his actual talent — are better than any of those receivers. Why? He’s got Jackson speed, Avant hands, and great physicality. He’ll be a great NFL WR once he learns the nuances he needs to learn in order to put all those measurables together.
by Alon on Apr 30, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
alon
i toally agree .. talent wise maclin is the most talented wr on the team .. but he isnt ready to play yet
by jack is better than asante on Apr 30, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd agree with that
I’m not expecting too much out of him in the reception dept. this year. Should be good on returns, and hopefully a big play here and there.
Last year, we gave Jackson a lot of out-routes to get him acclimated to NFL pace, because an out-route is easier than going over the middle. Maybe we do the same with Maclin, and it speeds his learning curve.
by Alon on Apr 30, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
alon
i like alon .. hes pretty smart .. but yea cwell is biased .. hes all about eagles eagles .. he doesnt face reality .. he thinks orpako is a bust but if we had him he would be the one praising him .. i hate that .. i make opinions and keep them .. maclin is not nfl ready .. he will be playing by dec .. not starting .. he wont even play in the begining of the year
by jack is better than asante on May 1, 2009 1:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
hahaha
thanks, i appreciate the compliment
i’m glad cwell’s biased, Eagles need fans like that. Besides, with out team, if you’re biased and say we’ll go 16-0 every year and bet on the Eagles every game, you’d win a lot more gambles than you’d lose.
by Alon on May 1, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldnt downplay Maclin's potential
Sure he is a rookie, but there are always a handful of rookies that just come into the league and do great right off the bat, or at least a few games in. Judging by the all important 30 second interview I saw of him, he seems like he is going to work hard and be calm and listen to coaches and teammates and all of that. Same with McCoy also actually, and Ingram. I wouldnt say that any of them are going to come in and make a big splash, but one of them may come in and do some pretty good stuff. You never really know.
by Whack8888 on May 3, 2009 7:47 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Nice thoughts on Gibson.
I was looking for some insight on him.
by N4S on May 4, 2009 9:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
there arnt many
there arnt a lot of rookies who make a huge impact .. prob less than 10 in the last decade .. washington drafted two high last year .. and they havent done anything yet .. but devin thomas is a good wr .. but u cant expect a lot till late year two at the minimum
by jack is better than asante on May 4, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
fuck maclin theres no denyin his talent and he will make an impact his rookie year and do nothing but improve but i believe desean is the next steve smith he jus has to pick up the toughness and become more physical. Also curtis will be the number 2 reciever but he is prolly gonna work the slot while brown is on the outside of him.
McCoy and ingram are already more important than maclin at this moment but wait til the butterfly comes out of its cacune
by birdsflyinhigh2590 on May 4, 2009 1:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just so I know....
What exactly is a “cacune”????
by Iggles Fan 4 Life on May 4, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he meant Cancun … Maclin must like to party.
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on May 4, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does he wear one of those tuxedo t-shirts???
by Iggles Fan 4 Life on May 4, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
that post was garbage
desean is never gonne be steve smith .. issac bruce tops .. but ill take it
by jack is better than asante on May 5, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Baskett as TE?
Wasn’t there rumors or talk of making Baskett a TE before?
He does stay in to block quite a bit on passing downs and he’s got the height. All he would need would be to put on more weight and practice playing with his hand on the ground. I’d much rather have Celek, Ingram and Baskett as our 3 TE’s instead of keeping Schoebel as #3.
That would allow us to keep just 5 WR’s too.
Anyway, it was just something I was thinking about when I read this article.
by slackerjoe on May 6, 2009 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
not gonna happen
his big, but he’s wayyyy too skinny to be a tight end
by bsencore on May 6, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah and Mrs. Baskett probably would not want to see her husband add 30 lb.
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
by IronHank on May 10, 2009 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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