It’s been an interesting two weeks in Philadelphia as various talking heads have debated what to do about Jalen Reagor. Last year’s first-round pick has struggled as a receiver and on special teams.
Reagor accepted blame and promised to improve after dropping two catchable passes in Week 12. The second-year receiver hasn’t shrunk from the criticism. And there are no immediate plans to bench him, according to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.
“I have not thought about that,” Sirianni said, “and not thought through that because I don’t think that’s in the best interest of the team because I think Jalen Reagor gives us the best chance to win.”
But Reagor’s name continues to light up sports talk phone lines in Philly, highlighted by constant comparisons to Nelson Agholor. The not-so-sure-handed wideout who left in free agency following the 2019 season. He’s played well in two other stops, Raiders and Patriots.
Former Eagles coach Doug Pederson recently entered the Reagor debate. Remember, he coached both players and relied on one of them as a key contributor during the 2017 Super Bowl run. He preached patience with Reagor, a guy he scouted and helped draft in 2020.
“He’s another young player that’s got a lot of talent, a lot of ability, that can really help that football team win,” Pederson said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I would recommend that he stay off social media, don’t listen to the news, try to block out as much as you can and just focus on your craft and focus on your skill and continue to work hard every single day.”
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When Agholor was struggling in 2019, Pederson gave him a week off to get his mind right. He put him on scout team and told him to think about every rep. It worked.
“[Agholor] was getting beat up in the media,” Pederson told John Clark. “He was getting booed out of the stadium every time he walked out, and it was unfair to the player, and it really felt at that time for Nelson, I thought the best thing was to take a week or two [off].”
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Former Eagles Players React to Reagor’s Struggles
Former Eagles receiver Jason Avant knows a thing or two about sure hands. His were like Velcro during eight seasons in midnight green as the team’s top slot option.
Avant also served as a coaching intern in 2020 under Pederson and mentored Agholor. He doesn’t agree with the Reagor comparison.
“The Jalen Reagor and Nelson Agholor comparison is not accurate,” Avant told Inside the Birds podcast. “Agholor never had problems getting open. Reagor does. To me, it’s mental.”
Jon Ritchie, another former Eagles player turned analyst, was a little more blunt.
“Jalen Reagor is worse than Nelson Agholor”
#Eagles #FlyEaglesFlyOffensive Coordinator Confident in Reagor
Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, much like Sirianni, remains confident in the young receiver. The team likes using him in 13 personnel – one running back, one wide receiver, three tight ends – due to his speed.
“He’s got really good speed. He’s got really good speed, so a lot of that stuff with him in there,” Steichen said. “Obviously, we ran it pretty good there in those situations, but he’s got speed to take the top off. If we ever want to take shots in those personnel groups, he has the speed to do it.”
We got a game here.
(via @NFL)
Ex-Eagles Debate: Jalen Reagor ‘Worse’ Than Nelson Agholor?