Eagles Super Bowl hopes for next half-decade hinge on Jalen Reagor

Jalen Reagor has to become the focal point of the Philadelphia offense.

Doug Pederson and the Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t take one more season of Carson Wentz throwing to receivers fresh off the taxi squad.

In light of this, they chose TCU speed demon Jalen Reagor with their first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The decision unofficially makes him as the team’s marquee receiver for the next half-decade, at least in theory.

Reagor signed his rookie contract with the Eagles today, officially kick-starting the career of a receiver that might eventually determine how high the ceiling is for this Philly offense.

Jalen Reagor should be expected to hit the ground running in the pros.

Every rarely is a 4.47 40-yard dash considered extremely disappointing, but Reagor’s combine performance belies his true speed, as he was clocked at as low as 4.22 at his pro day, per the Houston Chronicle. TCU’s awful quarterback play in college allowed him to only net 611 yards receiving, but his game-breaking speed, elusiveness, and route-running could help him become the featured receiver in Philly’s offense.

No one is doubting how awesome Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are, but those two tight ends can’t carry the weight of an entire passing game on their backs, especially when the Eagles are gunning for another championship.

Alshon Jeffery has never topped 850 yards in a season with the Eagles, and he is proveably the best receiver Wentz has ever thrown to. For a multitude of reasons, DeSean Jackson might not have long left in Philadelphia. The team appears to have all but given up on 2019 second-rounder J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who caught just 10 passes as a rookie, following the Marquise Goodwin trade and the selection of three receivers, Reagor included, in the draft.

If Reagor breaks out, we might finally get to see Pederson’s offense in full bloom now that he has a No. 1 receiver with the speed to slice defenses open deep down the field.

Reagor might take a year to get up to speed in the pros, but his potential is as high as any receiver in this class. In order to prevent Wentz from alternating between six-yard curls to Ertz and quick slants to practice squad receivers again, Reagor needs to emerge as a legit No. 1 receiver, giving Wentz a young, reliable target outside for the first time in his career.