Heading into Week 2 of the NFL season, it is not a secret that the Eagles wide receiver unit is leaking oil.
The team is still without number one wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who is rehabbing from torn rotator cuff surgery and last week they put second-year wideout Mack Hollins on injured reserve.
Not having these two guys, in particular, is a huge blow to the Eagles’ wide receiver depth as Nelson Agholor has become the de facto number one option on the outside with veteran Mike Wallace playing on the opposite side.
Despite Agholor having a breakout 2017 season and Wallace still having the ability to blow the top off of the defense, neither player strikes fear into an opposing team’s secondary. With that being said, could some help be on the way?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that the Eagles are working out former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Breshad Perriman. Along with the Eagles, Perriman has already worked out for a host of teams, including the New York Giants, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings.
The Eagles were also going to reportedly work out Corey Coleman, but he signed with the New England Patriots on Tuesday. New England just like Philadelphia is in the same boat when it comes to wide receiver depth.
Perriman was a former first-round pick of the Ravens in the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in Baltimore, before being released on Sept 1. when teams across the league cut down their rosters to 53 players.
The speedster out of the University Central Florida has not lived up to expectations as a dominant deep threat. Perriman dealt with nagging injuries throughout his short time in Baltimore, including missing his entire rookie season in 2015 with a knee injury.
The following season, he had a solid sophomore campaign with 33 receptions (66 targets) got 499 yards and three touchdowns. While the numbers were not eye-popping, Perriman did play in all 16 games, which was a vast improvement.
However, last season he struggled to stay healthy and could not capitalize on what he did in 2016. Perriman had a disappointing 10 receptions (35 targets) for 77 yards.
To say the least, things have not gone according to plan for the 6-foot-2 wideout, who dominated his Pro Day with a ridiculous 4.25 40-yard dash. For a wide receiver, to have his size and that type of speed is a deadly combination.
Unfortunately, that combination has not worked for Perriman, who has had trouble catching the football, along with injuries.
Leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, Perriman’s scouting report on NFL.com pointed out that one of his weaknesses was catching.
“Disappointing hands that might always haunt him. Slow catch readiness, allowing too many throws to beat him up. Too much double catching and his focus drops over the second half of the season were maddening to watch.”
It does not matter how fast you are in the NFL, if you cannot run routes or simply catch the football, you will be looking for a job. This is where Perriman is currently at but coming to the Eagles could resurrect his career.
Remember when Agholor had issues catching the ball in his second season? He looked like a complete train wreck and there were many people wondering if he was going to make the team the following season.
Nevertheless, he showed vast improvement under the direction of former wide receiver coach and current offensive coordinator Mike Groh, becoming an offensive threat that teams had to account for.
The same thing could happen for Perriman if he can stay healthy and work on his craft. If the Eagles decide to sign Perriman, he would not have a big role in the offense.
His job would simply be to run fly and go routes to open up the field for the other players. With his reported 4.25-40 speed, he can easily get behind opposing cornerbacks and maybe create a few big plays.
Perriman would not be the savior to the Eagles’ wide receiver unit, but rather serve as an upgrade over veteran Markus Wheaton. The Eagles have gotten something out of Agholor, Shelton Gibson this summer, and shoot even Bryce Treggs to an extent.
Therefore, the Eagles should take a shot at signing Perriman to a one-year deal and see if they can open that untapped potential.
