Eagles 2024 Training Camp Preview: The Wide Receivers

PHILADELPHIA - Aaron Moorehead’s wide receiver room is the most top-heavy group in Philadelphia.

The Eagles have perhaps the best duo in the NFL with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith before things drop off a table to a pair of veteran reclamation projects (Parris Campbell and John Ross), two 2024 Day 3 draft picks (Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson), a star punt returner whose size limits his projection at WR (Britain Covey), and a host king-sized developmental hopefuls (Joseph Ngata, Jacob Harris, Shaq Davis and Austin Watson).

More so, the Eagles seem to be limited from a roster-building perspective when earmarking 53-man spots for Covey and the two rookies, who are unlikely to help all that much in the short run. 

Add in the winner of Campbell vs. Ross with the former the somewhat significant favorite heading to training camp and you have a full allotment of six WRs.

If Brown, the best pure football player on the Eagles, and Smith, in the conversation for being the best WR2 in the NFL, stay healthy there’s not much to worry about.

The depth should be a legitimate concern, however.

Brown and Smith are not only very good, but they are very versatile, and each can handle work at all three positions (X, Z, and flex), giving offensive coordinator Kellen Moore the ability to manipulate formations and the bunch sets he likes to utilize.

Campbell, a six-year pro out of Ohio State who the Eagles had significant interest in back in the second round of the 2019 draft, has had one somewhat successful season as a pro thus far (2022, his walk year in Indianapolis) so expecting a 180 in Philadelphia is a big ask.

Ross has an even more impressive pedigree than Campbell as the No. 9 overall pick in 2017 but hasn’t played since 2021 and managed just 62 career receptions over five NFL seasons. In the spring Ross flashed that he still has the high-level trait in his body so perhaps maturity and experience provides a worthy lottery ticket.

Ainias Smith looked lost in spring work while on the way back from a stress fracture discovered at the combine. The rookie was pressing and had a big drop problem as both a receiver and returner, something that should settle down over the summer.

Wilson is probably the most intriguing backup at 6-foot-6 and 228 pounds with the athleticism to stay outside the numbers from the Eagles’ perspective but the hope there is more about 2025 and 2026.

Of the down-roster receivers, the most impressive in the spring was 6-5 speedster Jacob Harris but he was shut down early in offseason work with a leg injury.

Ngata has been unable to generate consistent separation again after a year on the practice squad and neither Davis nor Watkins made much noise in the spring.

Covey is able to generate pretty consistent separation against the backup defensive backs but his size (5-8. 173) limits him to slot work and the Eagles seem to have pigeonholed him despite being the best route runner of any of the slot candidates.

Depth Chart: 

X - A.J. Brown; Joseph Ngata; Johnny Wilson; Shaq Davis

Z - DeVonta Smith; John Ross; Jacob Harris; Austin Watkins

Slot - Parris Campbell; Ainias Smith; Britain Covey

WHAT’S CHANGED: The Eagles made some significant changes from last season’s backup group. Gone are veterans Quez Watkins (signed with Pittsburgh), Olamide Zaccheaus (signed with Washington), and Julio Jones (likely headed to retirement), as well as practice-squaders Devon Allen (back in the track world), Greg Ward, and Griffin Hebert,

The team got younger and more athletic but not necessarily better from the underwhelming production Watkins, Zaccheaus and Jones provided in support of Brown and Smith.

COACHING: Moorehead is a holdover from the Doug Pederson era and thought he was out the door when Nick Sirianni was hired. Sirianni ultimately decided to keep Moorehead and he’s now one of the cornerstones of the staff, heading into his fifth season in Philadelphia.

A big receiver himself during his playing days with the Colts, Moorehead speaks the same language as the bigger-bodied guys and he’s worked tirelessly to figure out the techniques that help the smaller wideouts survive in the league. 

THE CEILING: Brown and Smith stay healthy and rarely leave the field while Campbell is helped by their presence and shows the ability to make plays when they come to him.

THE LONGSHOT: Harris is a ridiculous combination of size (6-5, 211 pounds) and athleticism (he ran a 4.39 and had a vertical leap of 40.5 inches out of Central Florida in 2021). The Eagles need a backup outside the numbers after DeVante Parker’s surprise retirement and Harris could add special teams value on top of his receiving skills.

WHO STAYS/GOES: Brown, DeVonta Smith, Ainias Smith, Wilson, and Covey seem like the locks with Campbell trying to hold off the Ross reclamation tour or a potential down the roster eye-opener like Harris.

MORE NFL: Eagles 2024 Training Camp Preview: The Tight Ends