Depth at receiver made Matthews expendable
Wentz confident in group Birds have in flock
On its surface, then, Carson Wentz likely could understand the deal. It’s just that from an immediate emotional standpoint ... it hurt. Even on this second day, he seemed to be finding it difficult to absorb.
His autographs and mandatory selfie shots politely dispensed with, Carson Wentz set about Tuesday stepping back into his first real controversy of the new Eagles season.
Yeah, this is about as controversial as it gets for the bearded beaming one.
He’d spoken only honestly; briefly remarking Saturday how stunned he was by the trade the previous day of veteran receiver and one of his “best friends” Jordan Matthews to the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby.
A guy that instantly and easily became the Eagles’ best cornerback.
Now, two days later, came another Carson mandatory monologue inside the Eagles’ dripping wet interview tent at their Backyard Fair of a training camp “complex.”
Time for Wentz to walk it back a bit.
First he was asked to address the “adjustment” that had to be made without Matthews being around. As if that was an unusual thing?
“It was like that during OTAs, when he was out and everything,” Wentz said. “Obviously we’ve been shuffling guys all over the place, but at the same time it’s been good.”
Matthews missed the spring activities with knee issues, and he also missed a couple of games last season. When healthy in 2016, he turned in a 73-catch campaign and continued to be one of league’s most consistent slot receivers.
But Matthews was in a contract year, and with the apparent progress of receiver Nelson Agholor, was deemed to be expendable for an Eagles defense that could fairly be judged as anywhere from vulnerable to vacant at the corners.
On its surface, then, Wentz likely could understand the deal. It’s just that from an immediate emotional standpoint ... it hurt. Even on this second day, he seemed to be finding it difficult to absorb.
Not that he was eager to dwell on it.
“Um ... it’s one of those things,” Wentz said. “Just like anything in life, I’m very optimistic and I’m always just kind of pressing forward. But I really don’t want to talk too much about that. I feel we addressed that earlier in the week. I’m just trying to be optimistic and just keep going.”
Matthews, who was driven to the airport by Wentz after the trade, was less than 15 minutes into his first practice with the Bills Monday when he suffered an injury later determined to be a chip fracture in his chest area. He’s week to week but his status is essentially undetermined for the Bills, who are suddenly very short at receiver since they dealt top passcatcher Sammy Watkins to the Rams.
Not so for the Eagles, Agholor says.
“I’m out there with other pass-catchers and guys that are going to help me out and I have to help those guys out,” Agholor said. “This is a team game, it’s 11 guys on offense. As a unit we all have to do our job so that we can have success. So it really doesn’t matter if I mess up or somebody else messes up ... or if I do well and somebody else messes up. We all have to click on all cylinders.”
Agholor had said largely the same thing in an interview a week ago, when he was still said to be locked in a bit of a battle with Matthews for the starting slot spot.
The Eagles are said to be interested in splitting the role somewhat, with perhaps backup tight end Trey Burton being lined up there on more than rare occasion. Either way, Agholor still seems ready for a challenge.
“Competition makes you better man. It’s still that way. At the end of the day we still have a lot of great receivers on this team and guys that are plenty capable of making plays in this league. So every day you just fight, get better and help each other as time goes on.”
Agholor says he’s aware that a major part of a slot receiver’s job requirements is blocking.
“That’s been my No. 1 thing; I want to be a guy you can count on for all four downs,” Agholor said. “I don’t want to be a onetrick pony. I’m continuing to work on all aspects of my game.”
If that’s a change in mindset or work ethic for the young receiver, it’s been noticed.
“I feel like he’s in a good place,” Wentz said of Agholor. “In talking to him after last season, seeing where his head was at ... I feel like there were some lessons that we all learned and that he learned. I don’t want to say I see a new guy, but I do see a more confident guy. He’s just out there playing and having fun and competing; doing what he loves.”
In working through soggy drills and post-workout fan duties, Wentz was back Tuesday to the smiling, confident guy he’s seemed to be all training camp. Before his buddy was sent to Buffalo, and then got hurt.
“Yeah, it’s interesting how it all works out,” Wentz said. “For (Matthews) it’s really unfortunate. But yeah, we talked yesterday about it, and I just told him I’ve been praying for him a lot. It’s a tough trade and then getting injured and everything. He knows the Lord has a plan and we talked about that.”