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The Philadelphia Eagles are re-signing free agent wide receiver Jordan Matthews, according to a report from Jordan Schultz. Adam Schefter is also confirming the move. The Eagles’ 2014 second-round pick is back in Philly.
Matthews was spotted at the Eagles’ facility on Tuesday. The Eagles were likely putting the 26-year-old through a workout to check up on his health status. Matthews has dealt with a number of injury issues over the past few years. His most recent ailment was a hamstring injury that ultimately caused him to be waived by the Patriots with an injury settlement back in August.
The Eagles desperately needed help at wide receiver considering Nelson Agholor, Kamar Aiken, and Shelton Gibson were their only healthy wideouts for this week’s game. Matthews offers the ability to make an immediate impact due to his knowledge of the offense and his relationship with Carson Wentz. As a rookie in 2016, Wentz targeted JMatt 117 time for 73 receptions, 804 yards, and three touchdowns. It also doesn’t hurt that Matthews is a hard-working guy who’s well-liked in the locker room.
While Matthews makes some sense as a short-term option, it’s hard to be overly thrilled about his return. JMatt is purely a possession receiver who’s limited to playing in the slot. This means that Nelson Agholor, who really excelled while replacing Matthews’ old role in 2017, will now be forced to play more on the outside. Agholor is capable of playing out on the boundary but it’s not the spot where he’s maximized.
Some may cite Matthews’ production from 2014 through 2016 as reason to be excited about his return. The problem with using those stats to defend Matthews, however, is that they don’t account for context. I’ve previously laid out how those numbers were inflated and not truly representative of Matthews’ talent. Click here for another good breakdown on Matthews’ limitations and strengths.
Whether you like the signing or not, the reality is that Matthews is back now. He’ll give the Eagles another receiving option against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
UPDATE: It’s official. Eagles placed Mike Wallace on injured reserve to free up a roster spot for JMatt.
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed WR Jordan Matthews and placed WR Mike Wallace on Injured Reserve.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 19, 2018
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