Eagles WR Marquise Goodwin to Opt-Out
Eagles wide receiver Marquise Goodwin has told the Eagles he plans to opt-out of the 2020 season, per NFL Media.
The speedy Goodwin, 29, is the first Philadelphia player to opt-out of the upcoming season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He is citing family concerns.
An opt-out that is not determined to be a personal high-risk from a medical condition would mean Goodwin will receive $150,000 and his contract would roll to the 2021 season.
After three miscarriages, Goodwin and his wife had a daughter back in February.
The Eagles acquired the veteran receiver during the draft to add some much-needed speed to the lineup, swapping late-round picks and working out a restructured contract worth $1.35 million.
His absence will increase the chances for later-round rookie receivers like John Hightower and Quez Watkins to make the final 53-man roster and will also bolster the opportunities for holdovers like Deontay Burnett and Rob Davis.
Of all the speed the Eagles assembled in the offseason, the fastest of them all is Goodwin, a former Olympic long jumper.
“Marquise is one of the fastest men in the world," said GM Howie Roseman. "And I mean that when I say that. He's one of the fastest men in the world. He is so fast.”
The trade, in which the Eagles dropped back 20 spots in the sixth round, ultimately getting potential swing tackle option Prince Tega Wanogho, might be the least talked about when it comes to the new additions outside the numbers, a group which includes first-round pick Jalen Reagor as well as Hightower and Watkins.
Goodwin, though, might have been the most likely to contribute right away for two reasons: his prior history with new senior offensive assistant Rich Scangarello and his veteran status in the first virtual offseason.
Roseman confirmed that the Eagles pursued Goodwin on the recommendation of Scangarello, the closest thing Philadelphia has to a traditional offensive coordinator after rebooting the coaching staff after last season.
Before Scangarello was the OC in Denver for one year he was Kyle Shanahan’s quarterback coach with the 49ers where he got to know Goodwin.
“Obviously Rich had the opportunity to be with him, and so he recommended him to (VP of player personnel) Andy (Weidl), coach, and I,” Roseman said.
John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
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