The Philadelphia Eagles made a notable effort to add speed to the wide receiver position during the 2020 NFL Draft. The team added quite a few players capable of taking the top off a defense, the most notable being Marquise Goodwin and first-round pick Jalen Reagor. Reagor is far more than just a one-trick pony and has the potential to grow into a complete all-around receiver. Goodwin, meanwhile, is basically only good as a deep threat and is somewhat redundant with DeSean Jackson on the team. Both players will probably make the roster, but which player is going to see a larger role in the offense?
Philadelphia Eagles Roster Battles: DeSean Jackson vs Marquise Goodwin
DeSean Jackson – Pros and Cons
When on the field, DeSean Jackson has already established a fairly solid rapport with quarterback Carson Wentz. Jackson only saw meaningful action in the 2019 opener but proved to be the downfield threat this offense needs. The past and present Eagle recorded eight receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns, effectively taking the top off the defense and opening the field for the underneath passing game. If Jackson and Wentz can pick up where they left off, then this offense has the potential to be one of the most dangerous attacks in the league.
Jackson is something of a one-trick pony, but he does that trick exceptionally well. At the peak of his powers, Jackson is one of the best pure deep threats in the league. He led the NFL in yards per reception on four separate occasions, including the 2018 season. Even though he is getting up there in age, Jackson appears to still have the necessary speed to blow past defenders and make plays down the field.
Of course, Jackson comes with his fair share of risks. The former second-round pick isn’t exactly the picture of health, as he hasn’t played a full 16-game season since 2013. Receivers don’t tend to get healthier as they get older, so he’ll probably miss some time in 2020.
Additionally, he is entering his age-34 season, which is bad news for a guy that relies on speed. As previously mentioned, Jackson hasn’t lost his speed as of yet. However, it’s going to happen sooner or later, and nobody knows whether or not he can still be productive if he can’t win with speed alone.
Marquise Goodwin – Pros and Cons
Marquise Goodwin is essentially a safer version of DeSean Jackson with a lower ceiling. On the bright side, the former San Francisco 49er is younger than Jackson, entering his age-30 season. He should still have enough left in his tank to play Jackson’s role should the veteran suffer another injury or succumb to age.
While he saw a smaller role in San Francisco’s offense, some of that could have been due to the quarterback play. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the most aggressive quarterback in the league and didn’t attack defenses deep on a consistent basis. Additionally, the 49ers typically had the lead in most of their games, so Garoppolo and company rarely had to push the ball downfield to erase a deficit. Despite the limited role, Goodwin still managed to average 15.5 yards per reception, which shows he can still be a deep threat.
Of course, Goodwin has his own shortcomings. While Jackson has the potential to be an elite deep threat, Goodwin is best served as a complementary piece. Throughout the course of his career, Goodwin only has one season where he eclipsed 450 receiving yards. Additionally, Goodwin also struggles to stay on the field. He only played in nine games last year and only has one 16-game season to his name.
Ultimately, the best course of action is for the Eagles to roll into the season with Jackson as their top perimeter speed threat. In a perfect world, Jackson can pick up where he left off in the 2019 opener. However, if Jackson isn’t up for the task, Marquise Goodwin is a great insurance policy.
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