Philadelphia Eagles trade deadline primer: Wideout edition

The Philadelphia Eagles sit in a tie for second place in the NFC East, could the addition of a receiver tighten up the loose ends to make a playoff push?

I’ve covered running backs, I’ve covered the secondary. Those are by far the Philadelphia Eagles two weakest points that could use assistance.

The chances of acquiring lockdown corner Patrick Peterson are now slim to none after Cardinals president Michael Bidwell stated that the team is not going to trade him. A running back is still very much an option but this weekend’s game against Carolina may determine whether they really need to add depth there or not.

Should the front office opt not to make a change in those two areas, there’s another route they could take to boost their production and it includes someone who runs just that. If you aren’t catching my drift, we’re talking routes and I’m talking about a wide receiver. An additional weapon to add to the aerial attack.

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It feels like the Eagles offense is fierce. Sure, there was a slow start with Nick Foles at the helm (though Doug Pederson decided to wait until after Foles returned to the bench to utilize any tight ends), but since Wentz’s return the offense it feels like there has been more production from the passing game.

The truth is they really haven’t improved. They’ve added some weapons with the return of Jordan Matthews and the slight increase of reps for rookie tight end Dallas Goedert, but they remain in the bottom half of the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. In fact, their most impressive offensive showing came with Foles running the offense in Tampa Bay (the defense was just too busy being fooled by all the Fitzmagic tricks).

On paper, this offense should be dominant. Zach Ertz and Goedert have the potential to mirror the days of Gronk and Aaron Hernandez in New England. Nelson Agholor overcame his demons and is now a confident, reliable receiver. Matthews’ return to the nest allows him to fit into a more comfortable position as a role player instead of the main man.

But they’re struggling. I repeat they are struggling. For the longest time, I was in denial. The offensive play calling has me contemplating the commencement of a new game-day tradition in which I sport a helmet identical to one the players wear on the field, so as to not rip every last remaining strand of hair out of my head.

Why they don’t utilize Goedert more efficiently in that tight end duo, I have no idea. I understand he’s a rookie, but all I’ve seen out of him are flashes of greatness and the potential to outperform Ertz over time. In the meantime, he’s holding it down with the stellar pass rush blocking.

I also can’t comprehend the lack of reps from Shelton Gibson, last year’s fifth-round pick out of West Virginia, and DeAndre Carter. Gibson has shown true potential when given the opportunity, they just come few and far between. Carter stepped into the punt return role in Darren Sproles’ absence and is thriving. Why not see if his success transfers over to the offensive side of the ball as third-tier receiver for Wentz to throw to.

Regardless of my distaste for it, creating a game plan and scheming is the coaching staff’s job and the reason they’re paid the big bucks for it is because they’re the best of the best at what they do. Whether they mix it up or not, a more experienced set of hands could certainly add some much-needed air to the Birds deflated passing game.