No one would argue the Eagles have a bad wide-receiver room. But amidst looking beyond Brown, Smith, and Watkins, their depth at the receiver position looks barren. Britain Covey, Greg Ward, Devon Allen, and Tyrie Cleveland are the only remaining receivers on the roster. This is a clear indicator to me that the Eagles will spend one of their draft picks on a receiver this year, the question is what round?
If the Eagles were to draft a wide receiver in the first round of this year’s draft, that would mark four straight years they’ve spent a fourth round pick on a wide receiver. This kind of move is a real possibility and for good reason. Last year, Quez Watkins was arguably the worst starter on the roster. His production was low and when the ball came his way in big moments, he struggled. If Philadelphia drafts a wide receiver in the early rounds, it’s likely that player will serve as a WR3 replacement and Watkins will become a depth-piece.
It’s also very possible that the Eagles still draft a wide receiver, but not in the early rounds. By picking another receiver in the later rounds, they could give Quez Watkins competition in camp, while simultaneously improving their depth at the receiver position.
Another aspect that makes me confident the Eagles will select a wide receiver sometime in the 2023 draft is the loss of Zac Pascal. The Eagles love their blocking wide receivers. JJ Artheaga-Whiteside in 2021 and Zac Pascal in 2022 were both significant players in Philadelphia’s offense, thus I expect them to fill in that role again for the 2023 season. It’s also important to remember that down the stretch of 2022, Pascal took on an increased role and was arguably the “true” third wide receiver for this offense. If one of Devonta Smith or AJ Brown were to have gotten injured, there’s no doubt in my mind that Pascal would’ve been the clear replacement on the outside–not Watkins. The Eagles need another receiver like that in their offense.
So what will the Eagles look for in their next wide receiver addition? Philadelphia has repeatedly emphasized the importance of having a group of recovers that compliments each other’s skills. This is no surprise when looking at AJ Brown (physical, true #1), Devonta Smith (route-runner), and Quez Watkins (deep threat). Expect the Eagles to continue to add new skill-sets to their receiving room. As I mentioned earlier, the Eagles might target a blocking receiver to replace the loss of Zac Pascal. They could also build on their receiving core by adding a gadget–player to their offense, who can get the ball on end-arounds and screens in the “Deebo Samuel” role. They could also use a route-running receiver, who can work out of the slot on 100% of Philadelphia’s snaps.
I can’t guarantee the Eagles are going to use a high pick on a receiver, but they’re certainly going to pick at least one WR in this draft, and they’re right to. Britain Covey is not an ideal 4th receiving option and another elite pass catcher can make this offense that much more unstoppable. How would defensive coordinators even begin to plan for AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Godert, and another elite WR through the air, while still having to account for the best offensive line, a solid running back room, and Jalen Hurts on the ground?