Getty Eagles receivers DeVonta Smith and Jalen Reagor walk off the field in disgust after losing in the 2021 NFL playoffs.
It’s been a wild offseason for Jalen Reagor who has been the subject of too many trade rumors to mention. The former first-round pick has kept quiet amid the craziness, choosing true professionalism over unnecessary drama.
There is still a feeling that Reagor could get traded before Week 1, but the third-year receiver can’t control what happens. No, he’s focused on competing at training camp and winning a job. He shared his thoughts on what to expect in an Instagram message on July 27: “Year 3, let’s elevate and take this shit to another level!”
The only time Reagor had opened up in previous months was in regard to the tragic death of his close friend Jeff Gladney, the 25-year-old cornerback who died in a tragic car accident in late May. Thoughts and prayers for everyone involved. Reagor appears to be using Gladney’s untimely passing as extra motivation for the 2022 campaign.
Head coach Nick Sirianni was brutally honest when discussing what he told Reagor to work on this offseason. He started seeing progress from the talented 23-year-old during OTAs.
“One of the things that we talked about was well, okay, you’re not at TCU where you get 11 balls thrown to you a game,” Sirianni told reporters on June 8. “You might get three or you might get two; take advantage of the ones that you get and just be consistent with it. And that’s what we’re working on right now, because there’s no doubt that he has talent, and we are excited to work with him again.”
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Reagor Impresses on Day 1 of Camp
It’s a small sample size – and Reagor was mostly running with the second-team offense – but the speedy receiver looked good. He didn’t make any mistakes and caught a pair of touchdowns, including one on a shovel pass from Gardner Minshew. He wasn’t made available to the media after practice. Bleeding Green Nation wrote this about Reagor’s day:
It was a decent practice for Jalen Reagor. Of course, he was going up against 2s and 3s. Nothing overly impressive but it was a solid showing. No big mistakes. The Eagles utilized him on a shovel pass play with Gardner Minshew flicking it to him for the touchdown.
Jalen Reagor, running with the 2’s, caught a couple TD passes at practice this morning.
Normally, I wouldn’t even mention something like that, but considering the way last year went, it’s significant.
He looked confident & comfortable and caught the ball and that’s a positive.
Heavy was not present for Day 1 of camp, but several reporters on the scene walked away impressed with Reagor. NBC Sports’ Reuben Frank said he looked “confident and comfortable” while NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said he “arrived in great shape and had a really nice day.”
Predicting WR Roles Moving Forward
The arrival of Lance Lenoir mucked up the receiver battle a bit, even if he’s just another camp body. His presence alone cuts into everyone’s reps, including Reagor’s opportunities to flash.
Jalen Hurts 🎯 A.J. Brown
Gardner Minshew 🎯 Jalen Reagor
But Reagor should get a fair shake at a meaningful role based on his draft standing. If he continues to catch touchdowns – and not drop passes – the Eagles will likely let him run around with the first team. There’s an outside chance he could push Zach Pascal or Greg Ward on the depth chart. Quez Watkins appears destined to be the starting slot receiver at this point.