The Philadelphia Eagles boast one of the premier wide receiver duos in the sport, but offer plenty of competition for quality snaps and roster spots behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
If Jahan Dotson isn’t able to show during training camp that he’s ready to take the next step, the Eagles could always look to Tyler Boyd as a potential free agent signing to round out what has the potential to be a top receiving trio for quarterback Jalen Hurts, but a budding playmaker who is already on the roster could be about to emerge.
According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, wide receiver Danny Gray was among the Eagles’ most pleasant surprises during this spring’s OTA and minicamp practices.
“The 26-year-old wideout made an impression,” McManus writes of Gray’s spring. “During the OTA and minicamp practices open to reporters, using his 4.33 speed to stretch the field and accelerate past defenders on catches over the middle. Gray was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. He dealt with some injuries and tallied just one reception during his time in San Francisco.
“He was waived by the Niners in August and signed with the Eagles’ practice squad days later. Philadelphia has one of the top receiving duos in the league in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but there are some roster spots up for grabs lower on the depth chart. Gray will be competing with players like Ainias Smith, Avery Williams and Terrace Marshall during training camp.”
At six feet and 200 pounds, Gray appeared in 13 games for the 49ers as a rookie, catching one pass for 10 yards, and is obviously hoping to play his way into a bigger role this season.
Despite limited production, Gray’s speed is going to keep him in the mix to win a job, and perhaps even earn targets on big-play opportunities from Hurts.
Likewise, if Gray is able to show he’s capable of big plays in the return game, a special teams spot could be there for the taking for the former SMU star.
Gray is going to face competition for a roster spot from Marshall, who by all accounts is also coming off a dominant spring, which could set the stage for a fierce training camp and preseason battle later this summer.
Jalen Hurts Praised for His Maturity
Michael Reaves | GettyPhiladelphia Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson is a big believer in quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Regardless of who winds up winning the Eagles’ final roster spots at wide receiver, or climbs the depth chart at the position, quarterback Jalen Hurts has plenty of firepower at his disposal.
As the defending Super Bowl MVP continues preparations for the upcoming season, Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson believes Hurts’ maturity is critical to his and Philadelphia’s success.
“I think his personality and how he handles just the brashness of how Philadelphia can be,” Johnson said, during an appearance on Fox Sports’ The Facility. “I think he’s the perfect even-keeled temperament that we all need, in the locker room, coaches, I think he does a good job of handling every situation. He’s always been the same guy, from when he was a rookie, to where he is now.
“I Have the most respect for him because I’ve seen how he works every day. People see soundbites, and clips from interviews, but they don’t see what a guy’s doing at practice, the work his putting in before practice, the day-to-day stuff … He’s one of those guys, so, I respect him.”
It has been a whirlwind offseason for Hurts, who married his long-time girlfriend, Bryonna “Bry” Burrows on June 14, and has sought Michael Jordan’s advice on how to deliver sustained success on the field.
A year removed from passing for 2,903 yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions, Hurts is aiming to deliver back-to-back championships while appearing in a third Super Bowl in the past four seasons.
Johnson believes Hurts is built for what is ahead for the Eagles this fall.
“There’s a lot of depth to Jalen,” Johnson said.
Dallas Goedert Reveals Why he Re-Signed with Eagles
Jamie Squire | GettyPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert has a simple reason he chose to re-sign this offseason.
Few Eagles players were more frequently mentioned in potential trade talks throughout the NFL offseason than tight end Dallas Goedert.
Ahead of a strong tight end class in the 2025 NFL Draft, Goedert’s name was frequently floated in speculation that he could be elsewhere this season, in part because he had just one year remaining on his contract and was set to count upwards of $11 million.
However, general manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles were able to strike a deal to rework Goedert’s contract to keep the 30-year-old in Philadelphia for the 2025 season, albeit at a hometown discount.
Accordig to Goedert, there was a key reason behind his decision to take the paycut and remain in an Eagles uniform for at least one more season.
“When I got drafted a year after they won the Super Bowl, I was able to experience the fun parts of a Super Bowl the year after winning the Super Bowl,” Goedert said on ESPN’s “NFL Live,” as transcribed by NFL.com’s Nick Shook. “After we won and the opportunity to run it back again to see the banner drop, it just wouldn’t have felt — it would have felt I was missing on a lot not being there to see all that stuff.
After the Eagles passed on taking a tight end during the draft, Philadelphia lacks a true developmental prospect behind Goedert, which could leave the door open to both sides working towards a longer-term contract at some point over the next year.
Though his production dipped last season, catching just 42 passes for 496 yards and two touchdowns while dealing with hamstring and knee injuries, Goedert remains one of Hurts’ top targets.
In an offense that features the likes of Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, Goedert remains a key piece of the puzzle towards the Eagles unfurling a third banner inside Lincoln Financial Field.
