With the benching of Carson Wentz, anticipation for Eagles' rookies is at an all-time high. Most of the focus is rightfully zeroed in on Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia's controversial second-round pick. However, there is another rookie Jalen that also deserves some attention. - Jalen Reagor.
The Eagles' first-round pick has had a tumultuous season. Working through injury and a stagnant offense, Jalen Reagor hasn't had the opportunity to show more than glimpses of the receiver he could be for Philadelphia.
Let's take a look at why that is, and how it could change in the final weeks of the season.
Diversified Route Tree
So far this season we have seen one of the most vanilla iterations of the Eagles offense in recent memory. Routes have been hampered by vertical thinking and combinations have been uninspired. This has affected the entire receiving core, and the offense as a whole -- but perhaps Reagor the most.
Jalen wasn't pegged as an incredibly polished route runner coming into the NFL, but his sheer athleticism should be translating fairly seamlessly to growth in that area. The key to any rookie's season is development. Trial by error is essential for growth in the NFL. In Reagor's case, the coaching staff hasn't taken the reigns off to really see what the kid can do. It's obvious when looking at his routes ran from this season.
(Pictures from NFL Next Gen Stats)
The first issue I see is that -- understanding that one of the major points of drafting Reagor over Jefferson is his ability as an outside receiver -- the two charts below show an awful lot of slot work. Now, to be fair, a lot of these plays are from bunch formations, which Pederson loves for whatever reason. Still, these plays don't lend themselves to a player who excels in space. Perhaps the thinking is that it bodes well for his development, being a position-less receiver. However, we've seen the Eagles' coaching staff fail to deliver on that promise time and time again. At the end of the day, if that is the goal, there need to be more plays in the playbook that are simply designed to get the ball in Reagor's hands.
That brings us to the second issue. Aside from the odd screen or reverse, we haven't seen many attempts from Doug Pederson to capitalize on what Reagor does well. Sure he's speedy, but he's not simply a burner. He's excellent with the ball in his hands and can rack up yards after the catch. This is a game of attrition. Four receptions a game give very low odds that Jalen can break one for a touchdown. For reference, Reagor has averaged 4.8 targets a game.
Give the man the ball. The one play that springs to mind is a screen on a critical fourth down and guess what -- Reagor converted.
If you think it hasn't been as bad as it seems . . . let's compare Reagor's route tree to that of his fellow rookies. In comparison, it's pretty atrocious.
Below are two examples of Justin Jefferson's route trees. He has been targeted an average of 7 times per game, and 10 times on average over the last four weeks. Also, keep in mind the Eagles throw the ball 37.7 times per game to Minnesota's 30.2.
And here are two examples of Brandon Aiyuk's routes ran. Again, he has been targeted 7.2 times per game and 10 times on average over the last four weeks. Again, they trail Philadelphia in pass attempts per game.
Simply put, they're both all over the field and getting peppered with opportunity. This is what Jalen Reagor needs for his development. Philadelphia doesn't really have an excuse for why this hasn't been the case. Sure, there have been some questions of Jalen's ability to separate after a slow start to the season marred by injury. Honestly, after the punt return touchdown, all of the questions about his speed should have been put to bed. If there still are concerns, then give him the ball early.
Continued on the page below.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
There's good news for Jalen Reagor
Doug Pederson admitted this week that with Jalen Hurts starting, they would need to lead on their playmakers. That means getting the run game going, including more screens and getting the ball out of Hurts' hands. This must have come as music to Reagor's ears -- although most of us question why this couldn't have happened with Carson under center.
Doug has always loved a good screen, but we've seen more of an adherence to RB or TE screens than screens to wideouts. That may change, but what is more likely is that Greg Ward and Jalen Reagor become bigger features in the quick passing game.
If you want an idea of what that will look like, think DeSean Jackson against Washington last season.
Sure, the short passes may not be exciting unless Jalen can break one for a big game, however, what is does do, in conjunction with a stronger showing from the run game and some sporadic screens, is keep the defensive line guessing, the linebackers close to the line of scrimmage and cornerbacks on their heels looking to jump into the action.
All these parts working together should open up some deep routes over top. We saw some of that on a deep completion from Jalen to Jalen against a fairly lax Green Bay defense.
One thing that can be said about the switch from Wentz to Hurts is that the rookie has a much quicker release. That minor mechanical difference could show up in a major way for an offense that has seemingly been out of sync all season.
Another factor that may play a role in the offense, is that with Doug Pederson feeling the heat after an incredibly disappointing season, he may be forced to get creative to remain current. Whether fighting for his job in Philadelphia or elsewhere, front offices will want to see that he is still a sharp offensive mind.
Creativity will be the best friend of Jalen Reagor
The first issue at hand pertains more to play calling and the offensive coaching staff than to the quarterback switch. However, Hurts himself may be able to bring a spark to the offense and particularly a jolt to Reagor's play.
There have been a lot of frustrating aspects to Carson Wentz' 2020 decline. What has been most disappointing is watching his creativity and improvisation seemingly disappear. Granted, a dissipated offensive line and blasé play design did him no favors. Still, it is clear that some of the creative juices that helped us fall in love with Carson's play have evaporated this season.
Enter Jalen Hurts. Until watching him against the Packers, I didn't truly realize how much faster he is than Wentz. It's tangible. He isn't afraid to make plays outside the pocket and looked very comfortable escaping pressure. He also is more of a threat to run the football than Wentz at this stage in his career.
The added threat of Hurts on the run can also compensate for the truly uninspired play calling. If Doug Pederson sticks to his word and simplifies the playbook, or scramble will be the epilogue of every play design. The Eagles' offensive line is young and inexperienced, but the one thing they are not is un-athletic. Hopefully, Pederson does what he refused to do with Wentz and moves the pocket for Hurts. If not, I'm sure the rookie will find ways to do it on his own.
Jalen Reagor has a unique opportunity to take advantage of this. He's an incredibly fast straight-line runner, but where he truly separates himself is with his quickness and change of direction. This lends itself beautifully to the inevitable scramble drills Hurts will create over the coming weeks. We saw Greg Ward capitalize against the Packers. As long as Hurts and Reagor are on the same page, there will be plenty of opportunities.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
