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Among other nauseating narratives this year, Jalen Reagor being a boom or bust is a recurring one. It's almost like you can't even say his name without also hearing Justin Jefferson. They certainly had two completely different seasons and the fan sentiment was stronger for Jefferson than Reagor. Naturally, the nagging-sensation to be right and the incessant Philly-bred disappointment keeps this comparison afloat amongst fans and media members.
It's hard to accept this reality, or at least last year's reality. With Nick Sirianni at the helm, a slew of new coaches, and a new starting quarterback in Jalen Hurts, it should be easy to reset your expectations of this wide receiving core for this upcoming year. The Eagles haven't produced a 1,000 yard receiver since Jeremy Maclin in 2014. The bar is extremely low.
You should be excited about Jalen Reagor.
Reason 1: Offensive Complements
I remember watching Reagor's tape in college before the Eagles drafted him. His build and style of play reminded me of a more agile Jeremy Maclin. Jeremy Maclin thrived here at the number two position behind Desean Jackson. With the addition of Devonta Smith, Reagor will also be spending his time with number two corners.
Reason 2: Talent
Reagor is still a gifted athlete. We can argue semantics of where he was drafted, but there's no denying he has game-changing potential, deep speed and explosivity off the catch. If the talent is still there, I'm not worried one bit.
Reason 3: Coaching
Oftentimes last year, it felt Reagor wasn't being used properly. Nick Sirianni is a wide-receiver focused coach. He was a wide receiver and that's where a lot of his experience lies. We can expect this change to lead to a more wide-receiver focused offense. Perhaps this means Sirianni looks at Reagor's body of work and knows exactly where he can be most lethal.
Conclusion:
Reagor has a real chance to silence his critics this year. Will these pieces make a promising difference for the two-year player? I think so. Reagor has been vocal on social media about people putting him down and we've had a glance at how the negative narratives can affect him, mentally. With all the new components this year, he has a chance to reset himself, as with our expectations.
If he comes out on the other side hungrier, we should all be excited.