NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles have arguably one of the best receiver tandems in the NFL with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. Couple that with TE Dallas Godert and Jalen Hurts has an abundance of offensive weapons to throw to. But how will they fare in 2024 with new OC Kellen Moore?
Last season, the offense was just too predictable. No real motion at the line of scrimmage. Receives and QB were out of sync. Needless to say, no one had faith in the offensive coordinator or scheme. Changes needed to be made. While they have receivers on standby, we’re just going to focus on the main 3.
AJ Brown
Since coming to the Philadelphia Eagles in a Draft Day trade in 2022, Brown has cemented his name as one of the top receivers in the league with 194 receptions for 2952 yards and 18 TDs. He and Hurts have an undeniable chemistry but the problem is, defenses know that as well. If you can disrupt his route, Brown tends to get frustrated and takes himself out of the game mentally. This was much of the case in 2023 despite another stellar year statistically.
Now it’s time to get back to enjoying the game and this has been the mood since Moore has come in. Last season, Brown caught 106 passes for 1456 yards and 7 TDs with an average of 13.7 Yards Per Catch. With Saquon Barkley now in the backfield, defenses will have to pick their poison which could have Brown one-on-one with a CB. That spells trouble for any defense.
DeVonta Smith
Smith has more than lived up to his Heisman and high draft pick. Opposite of Brown, Smith has taken advantage of single coverage with his hands and speed. Often viewed as too small, Smith is by far one of the toughest receivers in the game. It doesn’t matter where he lines up. With Moore at the helm now, hopefully, Eagles fans get to see more of his speed with Smith doing Go Routes.
For the 2023 season, Smith caught 81 passes for 1066 yards and 7 TDs. But much like the issue with Brown, the offense was just too predictable. If Moore can find a way to get Smith downfield, the Philadelphia Eagles’ aerial attack could rival those of the Miami Dolphins with Tyreek Hill and his old Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle. The chemistry between Smith and Hurts cannot go unmentioned.
Parris Campbell
Despite great numbers from ther receivers, the Eagles have been in search of a true No. 3 at the wideout for a few years. This coming season, they’re hoping Parris Campbell can fill that void. In his 4 years with the Indianapolis Colts, Campbell caught 97 passes for 983 yards and 5 TDs. In 2023, he played in 12 games for the New York Giants where his production was less than stellar. He managed just 20 receptions for 104 yards and 0 TDs. Joining this offense and with the team expected to challenge for a championship, Campbell has to step up.
While the Philadelphia Eagles have not been known to look the way of a 3rd receiver on most occasions, things may change under the leadership of Moore. But which version of Parris Campbell are the Eagles getting, the one who can’t manage to shake coverage or the one who in 16 starts in 2022 had 63 receptions for 623 yards?
