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Where are they now: every Eagles WR Carson Wentz has played with

By Victor Williams
October 3, 2020
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The lack of help at the wide receiver position for the Eagles has been well documented for years. Since entering the league in 2016, not many QBs have been asked to do more with less than Carson Wentz.

From throwing to the likes of Bryce Treggs his rookie season to dragging Deontay Burnett to the playoffs last year, Carson Wentz has had to play nearly flawless football to make these players serviceable. Here is the breakdown of every receiver Carson Wentz has played with to this point in his career:

Nelson Agholor, 2015 First-Round Pick

Agholor drew comparisons to the beloved Jeremy Maclin upon entering the league but became more known for lining up incorrectly and being the subject of jokes. The USC product underachieved for most of his 5-year tenure in Philadelphia, Super Bowl run aside.

He caught 39 passes for 363 yards last season, averaging a career-low 9.3 yards per catch. After counting for $9.4 million against the cap last season, the Eagles & Agholor rightfully parted ways. Agholor signed a one-year deal with the Raiders worth just over $1M during the offseason.

Josh Huff, 2014 3rd-Round Pick

Huff recorded 13 catches for 72 yards during Carson’s rookie season. He was cut before the season’s end and spent some time playing for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.

Bryce Treggs, Undrafted Free Agent

Treggs caught 3 passes for 80 yards in 9 games with the Eagles in 2016. Treggs hasn’t played in the NFL since 2017.

Jordan Matthews, 2014 2nd-Round Pick

Matthews donned Eagles green on three different occasions. During Carson’s rookie year, Matthews was his #1 WR target. He caught 73 passes for 804 yards and 3 TDs in 2016 before being traded to Buffalo. Matthews suffered from injuries and struggled to find a home until the Eagles called him in 2018.

After losing multiple receivers to injuries of their own, the Eagles needed a familiar face to step in. He caught just 20 passes that year and was cut again. Matthews returned for the 3rd time in 2019 but was cut 2 weeks into the season.

Dorial Green-Beckham, Trade

The trade was widely viewed as a good one for the Eagles when they swapped underperforming OL Dennis Kelly for the next Megatron (so we all thought) in Dorial Green-Beckham. DGB had all the physical tools to be a great NFL receiver if he could just keep his head on straight. He was no better in Philadelphia, catching just 36 passes for 392 yards and looking flat-out uninterested at times.

DGB has been out of the league for 3 years. To make matters worse, the Titans just gave Dennis Kelly a 3-year, $21M contract as he’s become a capable starter in the NFL.

Paul Turner, Undrafted Free Agent

Turner will forever go down as one of the preseason MVPs that showed heart, doing everything he can to solidify his spot on the team. He got his chance in 2016, recording 9 catches for 126 yards in 4 games. Turner hasn’t been able to find a team since that year.

Kamar Aiken, Undrafted Free Agent

Aiken played his last year of football with the Eagles in 2018, catching 6 passes for 53 yards in 5 games.

Mike Wallace, Free Agent Signing

Wallace signed a one-year, $2.5M deal with the Eagles to be Carson’s primary speed option in 2018. That never came to fruition, however, as Wallace sustained a leg injury early and never caught a pass for the team.

Torrey Smith, Free Agent Signing

Smith played an integral part in the 2017 Super Bowl run. He kept defenses honest as a true deep-threat, catching 36 passes for 460 yards and appearing in all 16 games. The Eagles didn’t bring him back and he signed with Carolina, where he played his final season before retiring.

Alshon Jeffery, Free Agent Signing

The prized free agent WR signed a one-year, $14M “prove it” deal in 2017 after having injuries in back-to-back seasons. Jeffery proved to be worth the risk appearing in all 16 games for just the second time in his career and securing the city a Super Bowl with a torn rotator cuff.

The Eagles rewarded him with a contract extension through 2021 and a lot has happened since then. Off the field drama aside, Alshon provided Carson Wentz with a true WR1. It’ll be interesting to see what Jeffery has left when he returns from his Lisfranc injury.

Mack Hollins, 2017 4th-Round Pick

Hollins showed flashes of being a reliable receiver during his rookie year, but could never quite put it all together. He was downright terrible last season, stating he preferred to play special teams, catching just 10 passes all year and dropping crucial passes in key moments.

To summarize his Eagles tenure, he contributed more penalty yardage than receiving yards at one point last season. Hollins was cut before the season ended and is now playing 3 snaps a game for the Miami Dolphins.

Marcus Johnson, Undrafted Free Agent

Johnson caught 5 passes for 45 yards with the Eagles in 2017. He is currently with the Colts on their practice squad.

Shelton Gibson, 2017 5th-Round Pick

Gibson was an intriguing prospect coming out of the draft. He possessed 4.39 speed and the Eagles were willing to take a chance on a potential playmaker. Gibson dropped too many in training camp, however, and was cut after the 2018 season.

He returned to the team when the Eagles brought him back prior to their playoff run last season. Gibson was cut prior to the start of the 2020 season.

Golden Tate, Trade

The Eagles parted ways with a 3rd-round pick midway through the season in 2018 in exchange for the services of Golden Tate. The YAC leader in an offense predicated on screen passes sounded like a perfect fit. Apparently, Mike Groh found it too difficult to create plays for him, as he only caught 30 passes for 278 yards down the stretch.

Tate did catch a crucial touchdown pass in the Wildcard game that season, so I guess it wasn’t a complete waste. The Eagles let him walk at the end of the year to sign with the Giants, where he became an instant impact on offense.

DeAndre Carter, Undrafted Free Agent

Carter spent half the season with the Eagles in 2018 as a return specialist. He caught 2 passes for 21 yards from Carson Wentz during his time in Philadelphia. Carter is currently returning kicks for the Texans.

DeSean Jackson, Free Agent Signing

At long last, DeSean Jackson was back in Philadelphia. The Eagles inked DeSean to a 3-year, $27M deal prior to the 2019 season to be that dynamic weapon that Wentz has never had. For just one week, Wentz & DeSean put on a show for 154 yards & 2 TDs. Jackson sustained a core muscle injury the next week, ending his season.

Jackson returned to full health (so we think) in 2020 but has been a nonfactor thus far. The Eagles have been load managing Jackson this year to try and preserve him, yet he somehow got injured anyway. Jackson has just 10 catches for 121 yards on the year.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside, 2019 2nd-Round Pick

JJAW was presumed to be the Eagles’ shiny new red zone threat coming out of the draft. After his crucial drop against Detroit in Week 3, we didn’t see much of him. JJAW struggled to get separation and looked straight up confused at times.

Reports stated that Arcega-Whiteside looked like a different player in training camp this past offseason, instilling some faith in fans that he could become a productive receiver. New tattoo sleeve and all, JJAW has been targeted exactly twice this season for 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs, and 0 hope.

Deontay Burnett, Undrafted Free Agent

The Eagles added Burnett down the stretch last season when they were decimated with injuries. Burnett caught two passes for 48 yards for the Eagles. He only had 10 career catches prior to the signing.

After an impressive training camp, Burnett was brought back by the Eagles on their practice squad. After yet another decimation to the roster due to injuries, Burnett was called up to the active roster. He has 3 catches for 19 yards on the season.

Robert Davis, 2017 6th-Round Pick

Davis, originally drafted by the Redskins, caught one pass for the Eagles at the end of the year for 6 yards. He has 2 total receptions for his career.

Greg Ward, Undrafted Free Agent

Ward is the ultimate feel-good story in the NFL. Former college QB converted WR, cut multiple times in the NFL, played in the AAF before it’s demise. The former San Antonio Commander finally got to showcase would he could do when his number was called. He caught 21 passes for 209 yards and game-winning touchdown during the last 4 games of the year, helping Carson Wentz and the Eagles secure a playoff berth.

Ward was signed to the his first 53-man roster of his career when the Eagles brought him back last offseason. Being Carson’s most trusted WR at this point, Ward has caught 14 passes for 108 yards and a TD this year.

Jalen Reagor, 2020 First-Round Pick

The Eagles needed to come out of the draft with a playmaker, and the got one with Jalen Reagor. The TCU product showcased his speed early, before tearing a UCL in his thumb. Reagor had 5 catches for 96 yards before being placed on IR. If the Eagles can ever build a competent, young roster, he’ll be a headache for opposing defenses for a long time.

John Hightower, 2020 5th-Round Pick

Hightower was drafted in an attempt to surround Carson Wentz with more speed. As of now, it looks like he’s going to be the ONLY speed for awhile.

If you’ve lost count, that’s 22 Eagles WRs that Carson Wentz has played with since being drafted. Seven of them went undrafted and ten of them are no longer in the league. Wentz has certainly struggled this season, and a lot of the blame should rightfully be put on his shoulders.

The Eagles, however, have failed to build around Carson Wentz to this point. They better rectify their talent evaluation process soon if they hope to get the most out of their franchise QB.

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Mandatory Credit: Associated Press
TagsAlshon Jefferyblog-feedBryce TreggsCarson WentzDeAndre CarterDeontay BurnettDeSean JacksonDorial Green-BeckhamEaglesEagles NewsfeaturedGolden TateGreg WardJJ Arcega-WhitesideJordan MatthewsJosh HuffKamar AikenLibertyMack HollinsMarcus JohnsonMike WallaceNelson AgholorNFLPaul TurnerPhiladelphiaPhilly SportsPhilly Sports NewsPhilly Sports PodcastRobert DavisShelton GibsonTorrey Smith
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Victor Williams

Victor Williams is the host and producer of The Philly Pod and one of the co-founders of The Liberty Line. Well known for his social media presence and unique takes on the landscape of Philadelphia sports, Victor takes pride in engaging with the fanbase in ways not too often seen from today's sports personalities. He also provides Eagles coverage for Fox Sports Radio: The Gambler 102.5 FM.

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