Better To Receive Than Give For Eagles

Eagles Workout Two More Wide Receiver

By Lance Epstein

Normally the phrase is "it is better to give than it is to receive." However that expression does not really apply when talking about the Philadelphia Eagles offense considering they throw the ball 67 percent of the time. So clearly it is better to receive than give a handoff to a running back.

And today, the Eagles demonstrated that they really do not listen to the notation behind that phrase as the team attempted to improve its receiving corps. On the Leigh practice field were undrafted rookie free agent Jared Perry and Kelley Washington who were running routes and being scouted by Andy Reid, general manager Howie Roseman, athletic trainer Rick Burkholder and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

Perry (6-1, 180) is a former teammate of Jeremy Maclin at Missouri. At Missouri, he started 27 of 52 games in his career. Furthermore, he recorded 137 receptions for 1,844 yards and 13 touchdowns in four-years. His best year came during his senior campaign as he pulled in 46 balls for 696 yards and six touchdowns.

Still, Perry was not considered “worthy” of being selected in the 2010 NFL draft. Yet, he managed to sign on with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent. Fortunately for the Eagles, the Niners decided to part ways, which makes him available for the Eagles

For Eagles fans, Perry should remind them of former second-round pick Todd Pinkston. Like Pinkston, Perry has a slender frame that is ridiculously undersized for the NFL game, but does has the ability to accelerate past defenders and can adjust to the ball while in full stride. However, he also has a tendency to have alligator arms and is not willing to go over the middle into heavy traffic, which drew the ire of Eagles fans with Pinkston. Additionally, he tends to run sloppy routes and allow defenders to push him off the line of scrimmage.

As for Washington, he is heading into his seventh year as a pro. Although many feel as though he has never reached his full potential. More importantly, it does not look like he will ever meet those expectations since he turns 31 years old in August.

Nevertheless, Washington has experience and a nice pair of hands, which could come in handy for the Eagles. Last season, he started two games (played in 15 games) for the Baltimore Ravens and amassed 34 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns. While those numbers on the surface do not look that impressive, they were the best of his career (107 receptions for 1,327 yards and 11 TDs).

The former Tennessee Volunteer does give the Eagles something they lacked last year, which is a wide receiver with size. Of course the Eagles did signed Hank Baskett in free agency and drafted Riley Cooper to be their big targets in the red zone.

Nonetheless, Cooper does not have NFL experience yet so he is a bit of a question mark. Baskett has never been a great receiver in pulling down the ball on fade routes in the red zone, which is something Mornhinweg and Reid would like to implement with Donovan McNabb out of the picture. For Washington, the fade route is his specialty since he is 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds.

Ultimately it is hard to imagine that either player has a good shot at making the roster if they are signed. The Eagles top three wide receivers are set in stone with DeSean Jackson, Jason Avant and Maclin. Although Washington has the greater chance of the two to make the squad since Baskett is only on a one-year deal and Cooper is a rookie.

However, in Perry's defense, the Eagles could consider him for the practice squad if they truly like him. Needless to say it will be an uphill battle for him since he would have to beat out Blue Cooper, Jordan Norwood, Dobson Collins, Chad Hall and Kevin Jurovich.

If one signs than someone currently on the 80-man roster will need to go and with the plethora of wide receivers in camp, it looks like one of them will be the fall guy.