We’re getting close to Eagles training camp 2024 so we’re taking a look at some notable camp competitions.
This year, we’ll start off with the third wide receiver position.
The Eagles have one of the best pairs of starting receivers in the NFL with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They have each had 1,000+ yards in back-to-back seasons and both got big extensions this offseason.
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But after those two? That’s a bit of a problem. Last year, the Eagles rotated three players at the WR3 position: Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus and Julio Jones. None of them ever really took ownership of that job and now all three are gone.
Not only will the third receiver play quite a bit this season but if either of the starters has to miss some time, the third guy would become a starter in their place. So while it might seem like a rich man problem, the WR3 position is pretty important.
Here are the candidates:
Parris Campbell
Age: 26
Experience: Year 6
Size: 6-1, 205
NFL
The Colts took Campbell in the second round of the 2019 draft at No. 59, just a couple picks after the Eagles selected J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. The Eagles' pick came down to those two, who have both had disappointing careers. Campbell’s career has been plagued by injuries, although he has had a much better NFL career than JJAW. Campbell’s best NFL season came in 2022, when he caught 63 passes for 623 yards and 3 touchdowns. That kind of production sounds intriguing but in his other four years combined, Campbell has just 54 catches for 464 yards and 2 touchdowns. And last year with the Giants, a team that needed help on offense, Campbell had just 20/104/0 and ended up as a healthy scratch late in the season. During spring practices, Campbell was the top guy of this bunch and he looked good. But given his injury history, if he ends up in this position, there will be some skepticism that he’ll stay healthy.
John Ross
Age: 28
Experience: Year 6
Size: 5-11, 190
The former first-round pick hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2021 but after officially retiring last year, Ross decided to attempt a comeback. He joined the Eagles on a tryout at rookie camp and ended up earning a roster spot. Ross is many years removed from running a 4.22 at the 2017 NFL Combine but he still has speed. During the spring, he said he feels like these days he’s figured out how to be more consistent with his speed. The problem is that it’s just never really shown up on the field. Ross, who was taken at No. 9 overall by the Bengals, has under 1,000 receiving yards in his entire career. His best season came in 2019 when he caught 28 passes for 506 yards and 3 touchdowns. In his last NFL season with the Giants, Ross had 11/224/1.
Britain Covey
Age: 27
Experience: Year 3
Size: 5-8, 173
The Eagles signed Covey as a UDFA out of Utah back in 2022 and he’s spent the last two seasons as the Eagles’ primary punt returner. He has 62 returns over the last two years with an overall average of 11.7 and averaged 14.4 in 2023. But he hasn’t played much on offense. He has played a total of 77 offensive snaps and has just 4 catches for 42 yards. Because of his size, Covey is a slot-only option.
Ainias Smith
Age: 23
Experience: Rookie
Size: 5-9, 176
The rookie fifth-round pick from Texas A&M missed the beginning of the spring with a stress fracture in his shin and looked a little rusty upon his return. Like Covey, Smith’s size makes you think he’s a slot-only option. In college, Smith showed some ability out of the slot and has some quick twitch to his game. His best season came in 2023, when he caught 53 passes for 795 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Johnny Wilson
Age: 23
Experience: Rookie
Size: 6-6, 228
The rookie sixth-round pick from Florida State is intriguing because of his unique size and wingspan. He even made a nice grab over Isaiah Rodgers during spring practices. In his two seasons at FSU, Wilson caught 84 passes for 1,514 yards and 7 touchdowns. But because of his size, Wilson doesn’t appear to be much of an option inside.
Joseph Ngata
Age: 23
Experience: Year 1
Size: 6-3, 217
The Eagles liked Ngata enough last year to sign him as a UDFA and keep him on their practice squad all of last season. And in the spring, Ngata got some first-team reps when the top two were missing. At Clemson, his best season came in 2022 with 41/526/2. The Eagles have a bunch of big-bodied guys on futures deals but Ngata is probably ahead of most of them.
Outlook
Of the guys on the roster, the favorite to win this gig is clearly Campbell. But given his career arc and injury history, that’s a little concerning. The Eagles signed DeVante Parker this offseason but then he decided to retire. Had Parker stuck around, there’s a very good chance he’d be in that spot. This is a position where the Eagles could continue to look for additions.
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