Five Receivers the Eagles Should Target in Free Agency
While NFL Free agency doesn't start until March 15th, it's never to early to take a look at some of the pieces that might help the Eagles out - especially at wide receiver. In 2015 the Eagles receivers dropped 7.9% of passes thrown their way, making them on of the least productive units in the NFL.
With Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor, the Eagles have two young wide outs that should get better and could be better fits in Doug Pederson's west coast system than they were in Chip Kelly's spread offense. Matthews was a slot-only receiver for Kelly, but could move to the outside in Pederson's scheme.
While Matthews and Agholor have talent, neither is a clear-cut No. 1 target. Josh Huff and Riley Cooper are bottom-tier talents that the Eagles should look to improve on this off season. With a weak free agent class at receiver, the Eagles might have to overpay to get one of the better wide outs in this years class.
Here are five unrestricted free agent wide receivers the Eagles should target this off season:
1. Travis Benjamin, Cleveland Browns - Benjamin excelled in Cleveland under offensive coordinator John DeFillipo, who is now in Philly as Doug Pederson's quarterbacks coach. Benjamin’s five touchdowns matched his career total entering the season, and he easily crushed his career totals in targets (125), receptions (68) and receiving yards (966).
2. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears - Jeffery would be that No. 1 wide out the Eagles are missing, he can be one of the game's most dominant receivers when healthy. He was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, ending his season, after playing in just nine games this season. In 2013 and 2104 he combined for 17 touchdowns and 174 caches.
3. Jermaine Kearse - Seattle Seahawks - Kearse posted career highs in catches (49), yards (685) and touchdowns (5) while starting all 16 games this season. Kearse caught 11 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the Seahawks' Divisional Round loss to the Panthers, which could have some teams willing to over pay for his services.
4. Rishard Matthews, Miami Dolphins - Matthews was having a solid season before multiple cracked ribs ended his season in Week 12. Matthews finished the year with 43 catches, 662 yards and four touchdowns on 59 targets.
5. Marvin Jones, Cincinnati Bengals - Jones ended the regular season, with 65 catches, 816 yards and four touchdowns while playing the No. 2 role to A.J. Green. Jones missed all of 2014, but scored 10 touchdowns in 2013.
Here is the full list of free agent wide outs, which receivers do you think the Eagles should target?