The Eagles' options to upgrade wide receiver are depressing

The uncertainty of the Riley Cooper situation will not be going away anytime soon and Jeremy Maclin isn't running through the tunnels of Lincoln Financial Field in the near future. The Eagles find themselves in a very uncomfortable position at wide receiver with DeSean Jackson being the only clear starter. Jason Avant is a nice slot guy but is not an ideal option on the outside, Arrelious Benn has struggled to stay healthy, Damaris Johnson is 5-foot-7 and can't be considered a good option for the snaps that a starter will endure throughout a season. Youngsters like Russell Shepard and Ifeanyi Momah are in need of more seasoning and putting them at starter makes little sense, if the Eagles truly are looking to make the postseason in Chip Kelly's first season.

While Cooper is not a surefire NFL starter, he has shown the potential to start. Taking away the former Gator means the Eagles don't have an option they can trust opposite Jackson. The team could look to add a wide receiver through a trade or Howie Roseman can pickup a guy off the street. The options are not appealing in either outlet.

On the free agent market, "big names" like Brandon Lloyd and Randy Moss have out-worn their welcome with the league. Laurent Robinson has had more concussions than good seasons and Jabar Gaffney is the definition of a JAG (just another guy). The rest of the free agent group is just a mix of awful, bland and old. The only appealing guy may be Donald Jones, who played a lot for the Bills. Jones would most likely be a depth move instead of a starter.

As far as trades go, there are few teams that seem deep enough to trade a starting-caliber player. The Titans' Nate Washington and Chargers' Robert Meachem are likely trade block guys, but they are nothing special. However, they both have started in the NFL and have solid speed. Outside of that pair, Roseman may have his work cut out for him.

The Eagles could wait out the preseason and make a move later, but Cooper's future will dictate the wide receiver position and its depth. The Eagles clearly felt comfortable with Cooper as a starter, but without him the cupboard is left pretty bare. It is now up to Roseman and Kelly to figure out what to do about the mess at a position that was considered a strength just a month ago.