If you are down and need something to lighten the mood, check out the latest column by Eagles' propaganda spreader, Joseph Goebbels...er, I mean Dave Spadaro on PE.com. What is this guy smoking? This guy really is in denial. Once again, Dave shows why he is the Philadelphia version of the old Iraqi Minister of Information.
Judging by the latest media reports, I'm not getting the warm and fuzzies over this group of wide receivers. So, I'm not about to put any credence in this article. Anyhow, here's the column, enjoy:
Everybody watches and everybody has an opinion. The wide receivers are the object of so much attention, so much discussion.
Are they good enough? Can the Eagles win the Super Bowl with what they have? Will they look to add to the mix?
These are questions to which I do not have answers. Time comes into play here.
What I know is what I observe and, having seen this group since May, I have some thoughts of my own on the current state of the Eagles' wide receivers ...
First of all, there are no slouches in this group. There were times when, just for giggles, Donovan McNabb would wind up and chuck a fastball at an unsuspecting receiver and see if the youngster could get his hands up quickly enough to prevent a football from wedging into his facemask.
Reggie Brown is working on the little things that add up to big things on the field
This group has represented itself well. Top to bottom, it's a hard-working, professional group. So, kudos to the kids.
Along those same lines, it may be the most promising group I've seen in terms of the ceiling of some of the young players. Reggie Brown, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett are three kids who have a chance to play and play very, very well in this league.
Brown is the headline guy, of course. He missed a day with a hamstring tweak, but he was out there on Monday sizzling again. Brown has prepared himself superbly for the opportunity, and he is unfazed by the pressure that comes with being deemed the go-to receiver in the offense.
"I'm just out there trying to get better every day. I'm working on everything. I think I need to improve every phase of my game," he said. "I have all the confidence in myself. That's never been a problem. Even before last year, I knew what kind of player I could be.
"If you just go out there and work as hard as you can every day, good things are going to happen. I see the hard work paying off."
Baskett, the revelation of training camp in the first week, is a big, strong kid who has caught just about everything thrown his way in camp. He's quick in and out of his cuts and he uses his body very nicely.
I will be interested to see how Baskett reacts now that fans are actually coming out to see what he's all about. There are expectations now for Baskett, who is battling the inevitable rookie wall, the heat, and first-team cornerbacks who are savvy enough to take away his strengths.
Avant joined the party on Monday morning and he was tremendous. I saw him all through the spring and noticed how well he uses his body, how strong he is with his hands and ability to separate using his muscle. Avant is quick in and out of his cuts. He may not run a great 40-yard dash time, but he plays fast.
So it was great to see Avant on the field on Monday. He was immediately part of the offense and McNabb went to him with regularity. It's early on Avant, but the spring practices and Monday -- the times when he wasn't injured -- are really promising.
There are other kids who have caught my eye. Bill Sampy, J.J. Outlaw and Michael Gasperson have had their moments. Gasperson is more polished than the others, having been around for part of last season. I like Outlaw's toughness and his quickness, and we shall see in the preseason games how much he is able to step up and be physical against bigger cornerbacks. Sampy has a chance. He's a good player with good feet. I like the way he runs routes.
So, rounding it up, the future of the wide receivers is exciting. Brown can be a top-shelf receiver. It's hard not to be excited about Baskett and Avant, both from watching them play and from talking to those who really know.
The next question on the docket is this: Do the Eagles have enough among their veterans at this position? I think so, but there are some caveats.
Todd Pinkston has been on and off the practice field nursing his Achilles tendon injury and, well, the goal is to have him ready for September, not necessarily August. Is there concern? I don't know that. I know that it would be encouraging to see him on the field every day working out the soreness, and that every practice he misses increases the anxiety level of Eagles fans.
Jabar Gaffney has largely had a solid camp. I like the way he gets open. He has only missed a throw or two in this camp -- one on which he was wide open Monday morning on a crossing route -- and I think Gaffney's shiftiness is intriguing.
There is every reason to believe that Gaffney can be a first-down-maker in this offense. We'll know a little bit more in the next 10 days, after games against Oakland and Cleveland.
Greg Lewis, to me, is a fine fit as a reserve wide receiver. He's going to get open. He's going to get good matchups. He is going to move the chains. I like him where he is as a third or fourth receiver here.
WR Darnerien McCants has made plays, so is he ready for prime-time duty?
Darnerien McCants is an interesting guy to watch. He has made a bunch of plays in this camp -- including a 95-yard catch and run on Sunday -- and he has that big body and soft hands that make you think he can be big time.
So why isn't he big time?
I don't know.
I need to see McCants more in game situations when he goes against defensive backs who haven't seen him every day in pratice for the last three months.
Justin Jenkins has been as reliable as anybody, but he has to prove he can get to a top-end speed sufficient enough to play well in this league. Carl Ford makes me notice him almost every day. He has quickness and good hands and, well, a good preseason could vault his stok.
A couple of other kids -- Derrick Fenner and Jermaine Jamison -- are just too new to make much of a legitimate opinion on. Jeremy Bloom? He needs to get on the field.
The third question is this: Will the Eagles make a move to improve their wide receivers? That remains to be seen. I've heard all the rumors. I've listened to a thousand fans wonder what happens next.
My stance is that the Eagles will move forward with what they have. There is plenty to work with here. There are also some question marks, which is why everyone watches, sees, talks.
The wide receivers are a work in progress, no doubt about that. There are injuries and inexperience to work through. There is plenty of talent here -- I just think it's going to be so interesting in two years to see where Brown, Avant and Baskett rate --- to develop and grow.
But, hey, don't let me stop you from chattering. The focus is on the wide receivers, and a single preseason won't change that.
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