TT - Eagles WRs no longer Small or Fred-Ex busts

[HapHaszard]

http://www.nj.com/columns/times/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1275198329176210.xml&coll=5

Beginning today, this space will take a look at a different position on the Eagles every week until the start of training camp.

Considered a major weakness through the days of Torrance Small through Freddie Mitchell, wide receiver has instead become one of the strengths of the 2010 Eagles.

"I like their wide receivers,'' a scout for another NFC team said, "a lot.''

There is a lot to like about the Eagles top three wideouts -- third-year man DeSean Jackson, second-year man Jeremy Maclin and newly-resigned veteran Jason Avant.

Jackson has the star potential of the three and made it to his first Pro Bowl last season as both a receiver and a returnman after he caught 62 passes for 1,156 yards and nine touchdowns and averaged 15.2 yards on punt returns.

"He's better than I thought he would be,'' another personnel man said.

"He still has some of that hot dog stuff in him, that turned a lot of people off, but he makes play. And when you're making plays, you can get away with more.''

Jackson, who fell to the Eagles in the second round of the 2008 draft, has emerged as a legitimate No. 1 threat. The best they have had since Terrell Owens' one season of brilliance in 2004.

"He's a good one,'' the scout said. "I still worry about how long he's going to last. I mean, he's just not very big.

click on the link above for the rest of the article

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Now, if only the Eagles hadn't off-loaded the best QB they've had since the last one they off-loaded to the 'Skins, they'd be set.

With Kolb charged with getting the wide-outs the ball, not so much.

Hail.

[Conn]

Now, if only the Eagles hadn't off-loaded the best QB they've had since the last one they off-loaded to the 'Skins, they'd be set.

With Kolb charged with getting the wide-outs the ball, not so much.

Hail.

My exact first thoughts. Will Jackson be looking so good without the QB who threw the MOST 40+ YARD PASSES in the league throwing him the ball? No. McNabb has proven that he can work without elite WR talent. Has Jackson proven he can't work without an elite QB? Not at all.

[paloosa]

Good WR but I agree McNabb made him look good and Kolb hasn't proved that he can be the guy to do the same. Playing in 2 or 3 games while McNabb was hurt doesn't make you the heir-apparent. The Eagles have a lot of talent but it will be up to Kolb, as the full time starter, that makes or breaks their season.

[GreenRiggins]

I still think that McNabb is damaged goods and no longer elite....Prove me wrong McNabb, please.

[Maximus71]

I still think that McNabb is damaged goods and no longer elite....Prove me wrong McNabb, please.

This is based on what? How did he do last year? What about the year before? He is now coming to play for a team that is commited to runing the ball.

[SWFLSkins]

I still think that McNabb is damaged goods and no longer elite....Prove me wrong McNabb, please.

According to this article, QB was not even a factor in how the WR's look, have looked or will look like. Obviously McNabb had something to do with the WR production there in Philly and considering the depth they had, McNabb made them look better than they were. Is that still there, considering how McNabb was playing there at the end, I would say if upright he will indeed prove you wrong.

[pjfootballer]

I still think they need a WR with a little size. I'm not talking height, but muscle. They need a guy who can work underneath to get the 7 and 8 yard gains on 3rd and 6 or 7.

[Conn]

McNabb (2009):

20+ passes- 55

40+ passes- 17 (league leader)

TD%- 5.0

Yeah, the Eagles, and Desean Jackson, aren't going to miss ^^this^^ production at all :doh:

The Kolb article in the Stadium saying he'll be a better fit than McNabb even goes out of its way to mention that he'll be asked to do more short passes, and won't be able to throw the deep ball like McNabb. As if that's not what has made their offense explosive in the past. Now Kolb is going to come in and piss off his WR's because he can't hit them deep, and its going to be a good thing? That offense is only going to get less productive, especially if Reid really never commits to the run. And with his current RB corps, he'd better not this season.

Bottom line:

Kolb did nothing at all against the Panthers, completing 7 passes for a 2.1 avg, while also fumbling twice :doh:

Kolb completed 60% of his passes and threw 3 INT against the only challenging defense he played, and only racked up so many yards because he played Reid-ball: He threw the ball 51 times, for just a 7.7 avg.

Kolb played well against a horrendous KC defense, completing 70% of his passes for 2 TD's and a 9.6 avg, as well as rushing for a TD. This is the only game in his career where he's posted stats that a good NFL QB would post.

Kolb has proven nothing, other than that Reid loves him. Great. It'll be fun to watch Reid try to throw the ball 40+ times a game with a guy who doesn't have a good deep ball. Defenses will love that.

[dockeryfan]

I still think they need a WR with a little size. I'm not talking height, but muscle. They need a guy who can work underneath to get the 7 and 8 yard gains on 3rd and 6 or 7.

That's exactly who Avant is.