The Philadelphia Eagles will return to NovaCare Complex on July 24 for the start of training camp.
While the Eagles have one of the deeper rosters in the league, the bottom of the depth chart has yet to be settled. There will be several roster battles that take place during training camp, and with limited jobs available, the competition will be intense.
In the days leading up to training camp, NJ Advance Media will take a close look at each position group to break down the locks, the likely keepers and the long shots on the offseason roster.
Our series continues with the wide receiver position.
Previous Breakdowns: QB / RB / TE
The Locks: Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Nelson Agholor
Jackson’s return has greatly improved the Eagles’ speed at wide receiver. While Jeffery and Agholor have been reliable targets during the past two seasons, the team clearly lacked a deep-threat weapon at the position. Both Jeffery and Agholor should benefit from Jackson’s presence, as the speedster will command safety help in the secondary. With Jeffery and Agholor receiving one-on-one matchups on underneath routes, the pair will have more opportunities to gain yards after the catch.
The Eagles selected Arcega-Whiteside in the second round of April’s draft. During the offseason program, Arcega-Whiteside dominated red-zone drills, showing off his reliable hands and leaping ability. He has impressed without pads, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can excel once the practices get a bit more physical.
On The Bubble: Mack Hollins, Shelton Gibson, Marken Michel, Charles Johnson, DeAndre Thompkins
While Hollins missed nearly an entire year of practice due to a mysterious groin injury, he is still looked at as a valuable asset heading into his third training camp. Hollins played well on offense and special teams as a rookie and the Eagles still value his upside. He will need to have a strong training camp to fend off other challengers but he seems like the likeliest candidate for the Eagles’ fifth wide receiver job.
Michel, Johnson and Gibson seem to be Hollins’ most legitimate rivals in the competition. Michel earned first-team slot reps with Agholor sitting out of mandatory minicamp with a lower leg injury. The former CFL standout took advantage of the extra reps, making several highlight plays during team drills.
Johnson also earned first-team reps during the offseason program. While his starter snaps quickly evaporated down the stretch of the program, Johnson positioned himself nicely heading into training camp. He displayed some chemistry with quarterback Carson Wentz, which will only help him moving forward.
Gibson is very much on the bubble but still seems to have a shot at a spot. While Johnson and Michel earned reps ahead of him, Gibson is a former draft pick. He has been around the team for three years and been productive as a gunner on special teams.
Thompkins has a legitimate shot at a roster spot through special teams. He needs to prove that he can return punts for big plays during training camp and the preseason. The Eagles need a punt returner and Thompkins was a pretty successful returner at Penn State.
The Eagles will keep five or six wide receivers, so these five players are realistically competing for one or two jobs.
The Long Shots: Braxton Miller, Carlton Agudosi, Greg Ward Jr.
Of this group, Miller and Ward have the best shots at sneaking onto the roster or practice squad. Miller is a practice squad holdover who had his moments during the offseason program. Ward has been here the last three offseasons and received first-team reps in the slot during mandatory minicamp.
Agudosi is probably battling for practice squad work at this point. While Agudosi (6-6, 220 lbs.) has a unique body type, he has yet to really make his mark in practice.
Biggest Question Entering Camp: How involved will J.J. Arcega-Whiteside be as a rookie in the Eagles’ offense?
The second-round rookie made a major case for playing time during the offseason program. He bullied defensive backs, at times, with his leaping ability. He is a clear size-strength mismatch in practice.
Arcega-Whiteside’s biggest challenge will be replicating his dominance in pads. While the rookie had his way with his defensive back teammates in limited-contact drills, he will now face more intense competition. He may also have to deal with the return of Ronald Darby, who serves as the team’s top cornerback.
If Arcega-Whiteside can continue to dominate during training camp and the preseason, the Eagles will need to get him on the field right away. While he has been pegged as a major red-zone weapon, his route-running ability and reliable hands may help him carve out an even bigger role behind Jeffery, Agholor and Jackson.
A Quote to Remember:
“He’s awesome. He’s, so far, been a great teammate. He comes in, works hard, he’s pretty fast, he’s a smooth runner. People might say he’s getting up there in age but he can still go. I’m excited to keep building that chemistry with him both on the field and off the field. I think we’re going to do something special with him.” - Wentz discusses his relationship with Jackson.
Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye. Find NJ.com on Facebook.