Getty Broncos WRs K.J. Hamler and Jerry Jeudy celebrate after a Hamler touchdown.
If the Philadelphia Eagles are plotting one more roster tweak ahead of training camp, then they might want to put a phone call into the franchise that stole Russell Wilson away from them. The Denver Broncos are trying to make the pieces fit while shedding some salary in the process.
The wide receiver depth chart appears to be in good form, headlined by Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and Courtland Sutton. The Broncos may look to move speedster K.J. Hamler in a trade assuming they feel confident in that group. If so, the Eagles could emerge as a possible landing spot for the former second-round pick out of Penn State. It would save Denver roughly $2.27 million in cap space, too.
The Athletic’s Bo Wulf mentioned Hamler as a potential trade target for the Eagles, referring to him as an “undersized lottery ticket” and everyone knows Howie Roseman loves his lottery tickets. Wulf wrote the following:
KJ Hamler has underwhelmed in Denver, with just 12 catches in 10 games over the last two seasons as he struggled to stay healthy. At 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, he’s probably confined to a specialist role, but the Eagles would have evaluated him closely back in 2020 when they ended up drafting Jalen Reagor in their search for speed.
Hamler, who clocked himself at 4.27 seconds in the 40, has been a bust since going 46th overall in the 2020 draft. He went 25 picks after first-round pick Jalen Reagor, but their numbers are frustratingly similar. Hamler has 42 receptions for 620 yards and 3 touchdowns, compared to 72 catches for 799 yards and 4 touchdowns for Reagor. Adding insult to injury, the Broncos passed on Jalen Hurts — the 53rd overall pick that year — to take him.
Change of Scenery for ‘Explosive Slot Target’
Sometimes a change of scenery is all a player needs to recharge and restart. Hamler certainly has drool-worthy speed and drew comparisons to Tavon Austin coming out of college. NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein called him an “explosive slot target” in a scouting report, although Hamler’s issues with drops could be a red flag:
He had an alarming number of drops in 2019 and the routes are ragged, but his athleticism and separation burst on all three levels helps mitigate those concerns. He’s a smallish slot who isn’t built for the tough yardage and could have durability concerns if he’s run into too many collisions. However, speed kills and his game-breaking potential on all three levels will be enticing as a high-risk, high-reward draft pick.
Injuries have been a concern for Hamler over his first three NFL seasons: 23 out of 50 possible games played. The 5-foot-9, 178-pounder could be a great reclamation project for Nick Sirianni. Remember, the Eagles’ head coach carved out a reputation as a bit of a “receiver whisperer” early in his career.
Looking for WR Depth in Philadelphia
Hamler attended nearby Penn State for college and endured a pre-draft visit with the Eagles in 2020. He could be worth a flier for a late-round pick, especially with a lack of serious depth in Philly. Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus will compete for the starting slot job, but it’s crickets behind them: Britain Covey, Devon Allen, Greg Ward — and then a bunch of unknown “lottery tickets.”
Sirianni has expressed satisfaction with his current stable of receivers, including the younger guys in the room. He even name-dropped Covey during his press conference to close out spring OTAs.
“I think we have a really phenomenal room led by A.J. [Brown] and DeVonta [Smith], who have had great springs. I’m excited about Quez [Watkins], I’m excited about OZ [Olamide Zaccheaus],” Sirianni told reporters on June 8. “I’m just excited. Britain Covey has taken another step. We have some young guys in the fold that I really like.”