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The decision to sign Olamide Zaccheaus set off immediate red flags about the future of Quez Watkins. It sure seemed like he was brought in to replace the fading fourth-year burner out of Southern Miss who let his frustrations fly on social media.
Watkins’ blunt message went viral and surely reached the ears of Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni. The top decision-makers in the Philadelphia Eagles’ organization were forced to address the situation during their pre-draft media availability on April 20. To their credit, they didn’t skirt the issue. Instead, Roseman and Sirianni tackled it head-on by throwing their full support behind Watkins.
“We’ve just added depth to the group. We have a lot of confidence in Quez, and I know he’s going to come back,” Sirianni told reporters. “I know he’s hungry. He’s determined. He feels like he didn’t have his best season. But Quez is our No. 3 receiver.”
Roseman added: “Nobody is down on Quez Watkins in this building. We’re excited about him and the skill set that he has.”
Further, Roseman hinted that the team might be interested in moving Watkins from the slot to the outside. The 24-year-old receiver was originally deployed as a streaker on go routes, thanks in large part to his blazing speed (4.35 seconds in the 40), until Sirianni decided to cross-train him in the slot. It appears all options are on the table as the Eagles get ready for training camp.
“A lot of the guys that we have, and you’ve talked about this with our staff when we’re talking about it, guys can multi-align,” Roseman said. “Guys can play inside and out. I think that’s one of the benefits of the group that we have.”
Eagles Officially Announce Olamide Zaccheaus Move
The Eagles officially announced the Olamide Zaccheaus signing on April 20. It is a one-year deal but the exact financials weren’t immediately disclosed. The 25-year-old earned $2.4 million last season as a member of the Atlanta Falcons and posted career highs in receptions (40) and receiving yards (533) while hauling in 3 touchdowns. He lined up in the slot on 60.9% of his snaps.
“There will be competition for it just like there was when Zach [Pascal] was here for different roles within that,” Sirianni said of adding Zaccheaus. “But we’re excited about Quez. I’m really excited with our new addition [Olamide Zaccheaus].”
Zaccheaus ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds at Virginia’s pro day in 2019. The 5-foot-8, 188-pound target went undrafted out of college due to concerns about his “poor hands.” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein wrote: “Teams are going to be turned off by his unnatural hands, but his explosiveness out of breaks and short area burst with the ball in his hands need to be accounted for. The scope of his usage could be a little limited, but there is talent to work with in the right scheme.”
Howie Roseman Downplays Draft Rumors
The mock drafts are all over the place when it comes to what the Eagles might do. They are rumored to be looking at trading up. They are rumored to be looking at trading down. They might take Bijan Robinson at pick No. 10. They might take Jalen Carter there. No one seems to have any clue what Howie Roseman is going to do, and that is exactly the way the savvy general manager likes it.
“You know, I would say this: Nobody has any idea what we’re going to do. I know that,” Roseman told reporters. “And so, for me to think that there’s actually people in this league talking to people and saying, hey, I’m going to draft this guy at 10, but don’t tell anyone, this is a huge game of poker, and all you want to affect is the outcome of your desired results.”
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