Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Matthews makes sense, but won’t fix receiver issues

Jordan Matthews signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday while placing Mike Wallace on IR.

Carson Wentz is returning to the field this Sunday for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Indianapolis Colts. When he steps onto the field for the first time since Week 14 of last season, Wentz will have his best friend by his side.

Before the start of the Eagles Super Bowl season, the team traded Jordan Matthews and its 2018 third-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby. At the time, the Eagles traded away its most productive receiver and Wentz’s best friend in Matthews.

Now in his return, Matthews will be on his fourth roster in 13 months, as he was just recently cut by the New England Patriots after signing a one-year contract with the team four months before.

Although Matthews may not be close to the near 1,000-yard receiver he was in his first go-around with the Eagles, he fills a desperate need for a roster that is thin at the receiver position.

But even for a roster that is thin at receiver, Matthews doesn’t solve any problems that arose for the Eagles after Mike Wallace‘s injury.

In his last full season in Philadelphia, Matthews averaged 11.01 yards-per-reception, placing him 88th in the NFL. For the Eagles, Matthews value came as a reliable third-down target. That role as now be taken by tight end Zach Ertz, who has done it better than Matthews ever did.

So what value does Matthews have? I have no answer for that.

He’s a fourth receiver by default because the Eagles only have three active receivers on the roster currently. If there are any expectations above being a fourth receiver on this roster, you’re fooling yourself.

Also, adding him to the roster still leaves a question in regards to who stretches out the defense.

Ertz, Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Kamar Aiken, and Josh Perkins do not pose as any deep threat for the Eagles. Sadly, the only receiver that has the potential for a deep ball is Shelton Gibson, but the second year receiver’s longest reception is six yards.

While Matthews does not solve anything for the Eagles, it may tell us one thing in regards to how Dallas Goedert may not be ready.

The second-round pick from San Diego State came into the season with high expectations and a prominent role to start the season.

With little receiver depth to start the season, it was expected that the Eagles would run plenty of two tight-end sets with Ertz and Goedert. But in Goedert’s first two NFL regular season games, he has one reception for four yards.

Of course, Matthews is listed as a receiver, but he is slow and can only play the slot. His specialty is short-yard receptions. That’s the type of role the Eagles thought they could put Goedert into, and so far it hasn’t panned out.

Will Matthews provide any kind of production for the Eagles? Not likely. But at least for Wentz, the quarterback gets to reunite with his best buddy.