Philadelphia Eagles: 3 players who desperately need to have a good year
By David Esser
JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR
The former second-round pick out of Stanford University, wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside had about as bad of a rookie season as you could have asked for. He recorded just 10 receptions on 22 targets, barely saw the field for about half the season, and dropped a crucial game-winning touchdown against the Lions in week three.
Just a year into his NFL career and most Eagles fans have all but written him off.
The Eagles completely overhauled their wide receiver room this offseason, selecting Jalen Reagor with their first-round pick, and snagging speedsters John Hightower and Quez Watkins late. They had initially added veteran Marquise Goodwin as well, but he opted out due to COVID-19 related concerns.
Adding that many young pass-catchers all at once undoubtedly puts the pressure on JJAW, and the leash will likely be pretty short with his development if other receivers in the room start to perform. It was also reported that Greg Ward Jr. was seeing some starting snaps in the slot, so that’s yet another person Arcega-Whiteside is going to have to battle with on the depth chart.
Arcega-Whiteside is your stereotypical “X” receiver, a big-bodied possession guy who can win contested balls. While this role has primarily been saved for Alshon Jeffery in recent years, it does appear like the Eagles could be phasing out of this type of wideout altogether. Carson Wentz and Jeffery have had their differences in the past, and JJAW seriously struggled to create any sort of separation last year.
If Ward looks decent in the slot, and all the rookies are able to contribute as deep threats, JJAW could be on the outside looking in. If he doesn’t do something to seriously cement his role in 2020, he might not even be on the roster come next season.