Quez Watkins is Just Fine as the Eagles' No. 3 WR
Zach Pascal skated in free agency, taking a two-year deal from the Arizona Cardinals, and Quez Watkins struggled enough to lead some fans to take to social media calling for the Eagles to make an upgrade in the draft.
While it’s true that the Eagles’ receiver cupboard could use some restocking, we’re talking about the third receiver here.
Not exactly a necessity in Nick Sirianni’s offense.
All last season, the Eagles coach said the offense runs through his Big 3 - A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert.
Sirianni said it again at the owners’ meetings this week in Phoenix, though this time he threw Watkins’ name in there.
Watkins went into the offseason venting frustration of not stepping up like he had wanted to do, and talked about a lingering Garde-2 shoulder strain in mid-November against the Titans.
Sirianni understands.
“Sometimes, what happens is when there’s a play with everything on the line, you’re throwing it to A.J., you throw it to Dallas, you throw it to DeVonta,” said the coach. “That’s not an indication that we don’t trust Quez. It’s just an indication that our pass game runs through those three guys.
“I know Quez wanted to make some of the plays that he felt like he didn’t. I think also, what he’s saying there, is he’s taking ownership and accountability in him getting better, and not looking at anybody else. And that’s what you want from your team, for everybody to look in the mirror and say, ‘How do I get better? How do I help this team win that last game?”
Ah, the last game – Super Bowl LVII.
Everyone saw Watkins fail to pull in a deep throw from Jalen Hurts that could have been the difference in a three-point loss to the Chiefs.
That’s what has gotten under the skin of some and has them wanting an upgrade.
Watkins probably isn’t going anywhere, though.
He’s relatively inexpensive and what's wrong with 113 catches, 1,001 yards, and four touchdowns over the past two years?
Nothing. Nothing at all should be the answer.
But there’s more.
“Quez did a lot of things that really affected the game that don’t show up in the stat sheet,” said Sirianni. “How he stretches the field. A lot of the balls that A.J. caught over the middle, if you look at the tape, you see Quez running through the middle of the field and pull a safety out of there, and really stretch the field to make sure that the window is open.
“The difference (in 2022) and (2021) was opportunity. He didn’t have as many opportunities. We tried to be upfront about that as much as we can … and Quez, you’re going to have to make plays when it’s time to make plays. And what I think he was frustrated with was he didn’t make the amount of plays that he did (in 2021).”
It’s not like the Eagles won’t draft one, though. They have only six picks as of now, but a pass-catcher in the later rounds could be on the team’s draft board.
In addition to Brown, Smith, and Watkins, the Eagles have Britain Covey and some others that include Devon Allen, who spent last year learning how to play the game again, and do it at the highest level available, after not having played the game since 2016 while he focused on his hurdling career that led him to the Olympics.
After that, there is Greg Ward and Tyrie Cleveland.
Another one or two will be added at some point.
Maybe even late in the draft, but definitely not in the first round.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
