The Eagles have $21.53 million in cap space (14th in NFL) and are looking to bring a new wide receiver to Philadelphia. They don’t have the cap space to make a big splash and attract an NFL superstar. However, they could sign some players to give the team a lift and fill some positional needs. A short-term fix at receiver like JuJu Smith-Schuster could be the answer needed for 2022.
In 2020, Jalen Reagor came arrived in Philly with big expectations. He was selected 21st overall and, of course, was taken above Justin Jefferson. While Jefferson’s career has taken off and he has become one of the premier wide receivers in the NFL, Reagor is lacking that potential. Reagor has been seen as a disappointment to Eagles fans and his departure from Philadelphia seems imminent.
Last season, the Eagles selected Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and he had a strong rookie season. He wasn’t an overpowering success that can wash away the bad memories of Jalen Reagor’s draft position, but Smith shows a lot of promise. Devonta Smith’s 916 receiving yards set the Eagles’ rookie record for most receiving yards in a single season. He also recorded 64 receptions and five touchdowns.
As preparations for the 2022 season begin, DeVonta Smith will be getting much more attention from opposing cornerbacks. This creates a need for the Eagles to find a receiver to support Smith. Whether it’s the potential avenues through the draft or free agency, the Eagles will consider adding a new receiver to the team.
Both Juju Smith-Schuster and Michael Gallup dealt with injuries in 2021 and are in search of a team. If the Eagles make the right move at the right price, JuJu could turn into a great signing and fill a major hole on the roster.
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Potential Contract: One Year, $9 Million
Juju hasn’t been able to build on his elite performance in 2018 when he had 1,426 receiving yards and was playing across from Antonio Brown. Smith-Schuster was solid in 2019 and 2020 but didn’t assert himself as the better receiver over Diontae Johnson or Chase Claypool. He missed 12 games in 2021 because of his shoulder injury and the Steelers just don’t need him anymore.
Although merely above-average in a lot of areas, Juju Smith-Schuster had a great 3.0% drop percentage. He’s a solid wide receiver who is consistent when an injury isn’t a factor. He would be a temporary fix for the Eagles’ wide receiver situation and help give Jalen Hurts more options. Because of the recent injury, the Eagles could give Juju a one-year contract to minimize that risk, in the area of $9 million.
Michael Gallup’s Cowboys Contract, Adjusted To One-Year: $12.5 Million
Gallup recently signed a contract with Dallas that the Eagles certainly wouldn’t give him. They locked him in for the next five years. Gallup burst into prominence in 2019 by having 1,107 receiving yards. He was a deep ball threat too with 16.8 yards per reception.
Fantasy football players started to learn who the heck Michael Gallup was as he rose through the waiver wire. In 2020 he slowed his progress but still had a great season, as a small regression was expected.
In 2021, injuries led him to be placed on IR for a large part of the season. Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb were the two top receivers in Dallas, as the Cowboys did just fine without Gallup. Even despite the injury, the Cowboys gave Gallup a five-year, $62.5 million extension. That works out to $12.5 million per season.
There’s never a single player that can solve an NFL team’s problems, but considering short-term WR fixes available, JuJu would sure help the Eagles going into 2022.
