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PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles will evaluate more than catches and individual practice performances when determining how their wide receiver room fits together. First-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion wants players who can line up at multiple positions and complement their teammates' strengths. Philadelphia’s receiving corps gives him several different skill sets to incorporate into the offense.
DeVonta Smith enters the season as Philadelphia’s established No. 1 receiver and one of the league’s most polished route runners. The competition behind him includes Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, rookie Makai Lemon and second-year receiver Darius Cooper. Each player offers something different. Brown can threaten defenses vertically, Wicks provides size and contested-catch ability, and Moore brings quickness and experience working from different alignments. Lemon is learning multiple responsibilities, while Cooper has looked comfortable and made several notable catches during the opening practices.
Mannion does not want those players restricted to one position. Moving receivers across formations can help Philadelphia identify favorable matchups, disguise intentions and prevent defenses from assigning the same coverage plan to each player.
Versatility will also influence roster decisions. A receiver competing for one of the final spots improves his chances by showing he can handle multiple alignments and contribute on special teams. The Eagles must determine which combination works best around Smith rather than simply ranking receivers by statistics accumulated during camp. A balanced group could give Jalen Hurts answers against different defensive styles.
Mannion believes Philadelphia has enough variety to build those answers. The next step is determining which receivers can consistently execute while moving throughout the formation.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Sean Mannion values versatility in Eagles wide receiver competition
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DeVonta Smith enters the season as Philadelphia’s established No. 1 receiver and one of the league’s most polished route runners. The competition behind him includes Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, rookie Makai Lemon and second-year receiver Darius Cooper. Each player offers something different. Brown can threaten defenses vertically, Wicks provides size and contested-catch ability, and Moore brings quickness and experience working from different alignments. Lemon is learning multiple responsibilities, while Cooper has looked comfortable and made several notable catches during the opening practices.
Mannion does not want those players restricted to one position. Moving receivers across formations can help Philadelphia identify favorable matchups, disguise intentions and prevent defenses from assigning the same coverage plan to each player.
Versatility will also influence roster decisions. A receiver competing for one of the final spots improves his chances by showing he can handle multiple alignments and contribute on special teams. The Eagles must determine which combination works best around Smith rather than simply ranking receivers by statistics accumulated during camp. A balanced group could give Jalen Hurts answers against different defensive styles.
Mannion believes Philadelphia has enough variety to build those answers. The next step is determining which receivers can consistently execute while moving throughout the formation.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Sean Mannion values versatility in Eagles wide receiver competition
Continue reading...
