Here's why Eagles rookie wide receivers didn't live up to expectations, but there's hope

The Eagles' problems this season are epitomized by the struggles of the rookie wide receivers.

That's not to say that the young receivers, led by first-round pick Jalen Reagor, have been disappointments.

It's just that their adjustment to the NFL was made more difficult by the coronavirus pandemic that eliminated spring practices, delayed the start of training camp and caused the cancellation of the four preseason games.

Sure, that was the case for every team, and several rookies have thrived this season.

After all, Justin Jefferson, taken one pick after Reagor went 21st, is 47 yards away from setting the Vikings' all-time rookie receiving record previously held by Hall of Famer Randy Moss. 

Jefferson has 1,267 yards receiving this season, which ranks eighth in the NFL. Moss had 1,313 yards as a rookie in 1998.

In addition, Cincinnati's Tee Higgins (908 yards) and Dallas' CeeDee Lamb also have a good chance for 1,000 yards receiving this season.

Reagor, meanwhile, has 381 receiving yards on 30 receptions heading into the Eagles' season finale Sunday night against Washington. Reagor ranks 10th among NFL rookies in receiving yards.

Reagor bristled at comparisons to Jefferson last month, while saying that he expects to be just as good in time.

"He hasn’t had any injuries. I have," Reagor said in November. "I can’t watch another man’s journey. I just have to be ready to conquer mine when the time comes."

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Reagor and the other rookies did have other extenuating circumstances.

For one, the plan was for them to work in gradually while learning from veterans DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery and Marquise Goodwin. But Jackson and Jeffery have each missed at least eight games this season, and for the most part, haven't played well when healthy.

Goodwin, meanwhile, opted out of the season during the summer.

Secondly, Reagor hurt his shoulder two weeks before the season started and didn't practice again until a few days before the opener. Then in Week 2, he tore a ligament in his thumb, had surgery and missed five games.

"Obviously, Jalen’s a talented guy," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. "Shoot, what was it, Week 2 against the Rams when he got hurt? And now he misses six weeks ... That growth process, you’re starting to see glimpses of it now toward the end of the season with him that we were hoping for in weeks 3 and 4 in the regular season."

Still, there have been some mistakes there, too. Reagor has had just 10 catches for 125 yards in his last three games.

The Eagles also drafted John Hightower in the fifth round and Quez Watkins in the sixth round. They, too, have had their challenges.

Hightower played often early in the season. Until Jackson's 81-yard TD reception against Dallas this past Sunday, he had two of the three longest catches of the season, with a 59-yarder and a 50-yarder.

But Hightower has been a healthy scratch in each of the last three games, and has just one catch for one yard since Oct. 22. In all, he has 10 catches for 167 yards.

Watkins, meanwhile, dealt with a hamstring injury in August and was on injured reserve for the first four games. In all, he missed 10 of the first 12 games.

Watkins has played in the last three games, and has 6 catches for 100 yards. That includes his first NFL touchdown, a 32-yard catch and run against Arizona on Dec. 20.

"It’s completely different," fellow receiver Greg Ward said about their progress from the beginning of the season. "The younger guys are definitely stepping up. The main things you ask for with them is being engaged, and continuing to be a sponge, and that’s what they’re doing. The guys are definitely stepping up and playing big roles. That’s all you can ask for, really."

Another factor slowing their development could be seen throughout the pandemic, when in-person meetings were eliminated, as was simply hanging around the locker room, weight room and training room where they could learn from and watch the veterans.

Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said all of that makes a difference in setting the culture that young players are expected to follow. 

"A lot of guys come in and they don’t know the real experience of just seeing (the media) every day in the locker room, seeing how we do things," Graham said. "Then, when we’re just walking around the building, how we treat other people in the building because there’s nobody here – other than the chefs, and you gotta be nice to the people serving their food because they don’t want nothing bad to happen on that part.

"But you can’t really see the everyday of what some of the guys that you respect do … You only see (that) on the playing field, but not off the field." 

So for the young receivers like Reagor, Hightower and Watkins, the last game of the season isn't meaningless for them.

Pederson, for one, would like to see their growth continue against Washington. That would at least send them into the offseason with a positive feeling.

"I think you’re seeing the fruits of their labor," Pederson said. "I think you’re seeing the hard work pay off ... It’s guys understanding how to play this game, and how to play it the right way."

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.