Roster Breakdown: Wide Receivers

The Eagles will go into training camp with 11 receivers on the roster despite the collapse of NFL Europe this past year.

Huh? What’s one got to do with the other you ask me as I see the confusion on your face through my computer screen.

Allow me to elaborate on that: with the NFL Europe shut down, each team lost the right to carry eight players in that league, then the right to bring them over for training camp, meaning instead of going to camp on day one with 88 players, per league rules, they could only carry 80 players in instead. I guess I am still surprised that 11 out of 80 spots on the roster are devoted to receivers, that is all.

With that aside, let’s run down all of Donny Mac’s potential route runners, starting at the top with Kevin Curtis. One year into the 5-year deal he signed after departing from St. Louis, Curtis became our first legitimate #1 receiver since Terrell Owens left town, with numbers similar to TO’s except for touchdowns wise. Curtis has a great burst and tempered his route running ability while serving as the slot receiver and 2nd man due to Isaac Bruce injury in the “Greatest Show On Turf” during his tenure with the Rams. Curtis did well for us last year, and should get better when a true #2 man is found.

Which of course is where Reggie Brown comes in to play at. Our 2A pick in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft, Brown has shown flash in the pan potential to close out the 2006 and 2007 season but he must put it together for 16 games and he will become a very capable 2nd receiver across from Curtis when he does. Big things are expected from Brown not only from others but from himself and as well as they should be.

The prominent slot receiver role is wide open this year, and one of the biggest (no pun intended) guys there in Hank Baskett would be perfect for the role. After a rookie year which saw him post up two 85+ yard touchdowns en route to a 24-catch season after being traded from Minnesota to Philly for Billy McMullen, people dashed him for having a less effective second season but when you look at the injuries at tight end, you notice that Baskett lined up as a second tight end a lot which severely limited his effectiveness. With four willing and able tight ends on the team this year, that should be no problem for Baskett.

Another candidate for the role would be Jason Avant, another third year pro like Baskett. Avant got off to a hot start in 2007 with nine receptions in two games (he had seven his whole rookie year, in contrast) but ended the year with only 16 catches. Avant is not the loftiest receiver and he will not win many foot races, but his route running and possession skills will keep him in the hunt for the slot role.

But who can forget about the loveable Gregory Lewis? Lewis, who has made a killing as a 3rd down target the past two years, is alongside Jamaal Jackson the last two longest running un-drafted players we have left and for good reason. Lewis has been capable of doing what the Eagles asked him to do (from starting as the 2nd receiver in 2005 to being the slot, 4th, or 5th receiver) and this is a reason why he is still here, along with his world class work ethic.

And then of course there is DeSean Jackson, the man who has created a huge buzz in Philly with his all-around world class speed and athleticism. It remains unknown as to where Jackson, our 2B pick in the 2nd round of this year’s draft, will fall in the receiver depth chart, but without a doubt, his name is going to be at the top of the depth chart for punt returns and will also be featured in the top-3 for kicks too.

It seems every year that Michael Gasperson tries to make the team, and it seems every year he cannot either due to injury or the numbers game. And now with Jackson on the team, Gasperson really is at a further strain to make the team, but still, I have to give it to him for trying out once more instead of leaving and trying another team like Bill Sampy did.

Coming in from the New Orleans Saints, Jamal Jones will also look to compete for a roster spot. The fact that he comes from such a prolific offense is appealing, but one must also remember that he was never prominently featured, so he remains not only an unproven commodity, but also a camp body as well.

Coming in from the New England Patriots, Bam Childress spent a year on their practice squad and will try to avoid the same fate in Philly. Still, Childress, at 5’9” and 180 LBS, might be a bit undersized in the battle for a roster spot and comes off as, again, another camp body.

Our first un-drafted rookie camp body comes from local Delaware State in Shaheer McBride, a true feel good story but appears to be nothing more then camp bait and perhaps practice squad material due to his size (6’2” 205).

Our second un-drafted rookie camp body comes from Nebraska in Frantz Hardy, someone who appears to be a first wave cut IMO.

What I think happens: Past Curtis, Brown, and also Jackson (for return reasons) no one is an assured lock. Avant, Baskett, and Lewis will all have to prove their worth, and one of them will be left as the odd man in the equation, and I am really looking at Avant for some weird reason UNLESS we keep six receivers opening day, but I have not remembered us doing that. It will then look like Curtis, Brown, Baskett, Jackson, and Lewis while the other receivers you can just forget about them.