Getty Eagles WR Mack Hollins is nearing career highs for receptions and yards this seaon.
The Eagles are counting on Mack Hollins to be their fifth playmaker in 2019. It appears the third-year wide receiver is doing the same. Hollins, who is recovering from a mysterious groin injury, posted an Instagram story saying that he outlasted Dallas Goedert in the water pool.
Hollins and Goedert are in Houston running routes and playing table tennis with Carson Wentz as they prepare for Eagles training camp starting on July 24 in South Philadelphia.
Hollins is the front-runner to win the Eagles’ fifth wide receiver job despite a heated competition for the spot with newcomers Charles Johnson, Greg Ward Jr., Marken Michel and Shelton Gibson. It has widely been assumed the job has been Hollins’ to lose, but Eagles head coach Doug Pederson basically confirmed it.
“He’s continuing his rehab. He’s progressing,” Pederson told reporters. “I’m not going to get into a lot of the specifics with him, but he’s doing well. I’m not a doctor and I’m not going to get into all that. I don’t necessarily understand it, but he’s progressing well. I’m optimistic he’ll be here for the start of training camp.”
Gibson, a fifth-round pick in 2017, received reps with the first-team offense in June. Speed is the one thing NFL teams can never have too much of and Gibson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds at the combine. He has three catches for 59 yards in parts of two seasons. Gibson has also been confirmed to be on the playmakers out in Houston this week working with Wentz
.@cj_wentz finds Shelton Gibson for a HUGE gain of 48.
📺: FOX #MINvsPHI t.co/6Paucx5hFI
It was another speedster, Marken Michel — the brother of Patriots running back Sonny Michel — who stole the spotlight at minicamp. He burned guys like Avonte Maddox in 7-on-7 drills while earning Wentz’s trust as a reliable slot receiver. He also adds value as a punt returner with good burst. If the Eagles like Michel enough, they could increase his snaps in the preseason and start grooming him as Nelson Agholor’s replacement.
READ NEXT: Jalen Ramsey, Eric Berry Among NFL Players for Eagles to Target