Eagles Need To Be More Open-Minded With WR Depth

Terrace Marshall Jr. and Danny Gray should be given real opportunities to compete this summer.

Terrace Marshall Jr. (88) after making a catch in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles are extremely top-heavy at wide receiver with three-time All-Pro A.J. Brown leading the position role and complemented by perhaps the best WR2 in the NFL, the dynamic DeVonta Smith.

Jahan Dotson, although never living up to the billing as the No. 16 overall pick by Washington in 2022, is by far the best WR3 in the Nick Sirianni era, flashing his playmaking skills in the postseason by taking advantage of his limited opportunities against Green Bay on Wild Card Weekend, and in  Super LIX against Kansas City.

From there, things drop off a table with Philadelphia defaulting to two 2024 Day 3 picks for much of last season when it came to the 53-man roster, sixth-rounder Johnny Wilson and slow-starting fifth-rounder Ainias Smith.

There were hints earlier in the season that Britain Covey might break out with a bigger role on the offense before a nasty shoulder injury derailed his final season in Philadelphia.

These are first-world problems, but the depth needs to be better, and the Eagles should open their eyes to other alternatives moving forward.

The lesser-known names begin with prove-it free-agent signing Terrace Marshall Jr., the 59th overall pick in the 2021 draft, who never developed in Carolina. 

The Eagles were interested in Marshall coming out of LSU that year and feel he’s still got the traits in his body to tap into some of the potential. 

At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and 4.40 speed, Marshall is an outside-the-numbers backup the Eagles have been looking for. Last year, it’s often forgotten that Howie Roseman had signed proven veteran DeVante Parker in March to potentially handle that role when the former 1,000-yard receiver reversed course and retired in May,

The other name to keep an eye on is practice squad standout Danny Gray, a 2020 third-round pick by San Francisco.

Gray was often lauded by his teammates last season for giving great looks while often replicating the looks the opponent’s top receiver would be giving. Gray has enough skill and blazing 4.33 speed to offer.

Others on hand include king-sized futures signing Elijah Cooper, and undrafted free agents Darius Cooper, Giles Jackson, and Taylor Morin.

In Year 2 for Wilson and Smith, it’s time to shift from defaulting to draft picks into a meritocracy. The result might still be Wilson and Smith, and the former has a unique blocking trait suited to a run-first team at 6-6 and 228 pounds.

Making them earn it, however, is never a poor plan.

MORE NFL: Time To Shine For Eagles' Talented Young CB