What I'm Watching Closest During Eagles Training Camp (And Why You Should Too)

Wide receiver is the most intriguing position on the Philadelphia Eagles this summer.

Forget the starting safety battle or the competition for the No. 3 guard spot, the wide reciever position was revamped this offseason. A.J. Brown was traded, Dontayvion Wicks was acquired, Hollywood Brown was signed, and Makai Lemon was drafted in the first round.

That's a significant amount of change for one position. The Eagles added more depth, but a lot of uncertainty at a position that was one of the strongest on the roster.

Plenty of questions remain at wide receiver, with positions and spots on the depth chart up for grabs in training camp. This is why the wide receiver position is the one to focus on this summer, from DeVonta Smith to Britain Covey.

The new WR1

Trading a top-5 receiver is always a risk, especially when that wideout is A.J. Brown. All Brown did for the Eagles has have four 1,000-yard seasons and become the first player in franchise history to have 5,000 recieving yards in a four-season span.

The Eagles are replacing Brown with a wide reciever that has played like a WR1 in Brown's shadow for a few years. DeVonta Smith was always a 1A, but will get the opportunity to leave his own mark as the primary option in the passing game.

Expect Smith to have a dominant camp, showcasing why he's one of the best recievers in the NFL in his own right. The Eagles are banking on Smith to have a strong season as the WR1, carrying the passing game and having the impact Jaxon Smith-Njigba had with Seattle last year.

Smith appears primed to have a huge year as the WR1. This is what makes it easier for the Eagles with Brown no longer on the roster.

The WR2 battle

The uncertainly behind Smith is what makes the wide receiver battle intriguing. The Eagles don't have a problem replacing Brown, but Smith as the WR2.

Dontayvion Wicks is the front runner to win the job, but he has struggled to catch the football consistently even though he's a good route runner. Doesn't hurt he's familiar with Eagles' offensive coordinator Sean Mannion as teh two were togetehr the past two years in Green Bay.

Makai Lemon says he's 100% recovered froma hamstring injury suffered in minicamp, but still has to play catch up in order to win the WR2 job. The spring was Lemon's chance to build some chemistry with Jalen Hurts, but Lemon missed a few weeks of practice -- which means valuable reps with Hurts.

If Lemon has a good camp, he can win the WR2 job. There is a lot of pressure on him to immediately contribute, given the state of the wide reciever position.

Don't cunt Hollywood Brown out of the mix. Brown had the best minicamp out of the three competing for the WR2 job, showcasing his speed and ability to track the deep ball. He's a dark hourse to win the job, but adds depth at a position that was top heavy the past four years.

The final roster spot -- or two

Behind the top four, there's a battle brewing for the final roster spot. That's if the Eagles keep five receivers.

They could roll with six if a wideout impresses. The battle for the WR5 spot is interesting between Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, and Britain Covey.

Covey is in this mix because he can return punts, and may be a last-chance option if the other three don't pan out. Moore has had success in this league and is a good route runner. Wilson has a favorite of Jalen Hurts and is a good blocker, while showcasing he can catch passes over the middle this spring.

Cooper was an undrafted free agent that made the 53-man roster last year, and the Eagles like developing young players. If Cooper has a good summer again, do the Eagles risk losing him to waivers?

Wilson appears to be the front runner here, but this battle is going to change by the day. There are so many opportunities for the wideouts on this roster to make an impression this summer.

Overall, wide reciever is weaker than last year. It remains to be seen if the collective talent on this team is any good.

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