ROOKIE LT Andre Dillard was drafted knowing that he was taking a spot from a Hall of Fame caliber player. As a rookie, DE Derek Barnett split time with veteran DE Vinny Curry. QB Carson Wentz was expected to be our savior, and started Week 1 in 2016. in 2019 RB Miles Sanders was given heavy duty well before he was ready. CB Sidney Jones spent his rookie year hurt, but as soon as he was healthy he was expected to take a spot.
Imagine if JJ Arcega-Whiteside and another rookie WR were told on the first day of camp “Only one of you has a chance to make this team. We will keep the best one. The other one will likely never play another down.” After that, make the survivor wait until Week 4 or 5 to see a single down in the second quarter. That’s how you makes downs and targets count to him.
Instead, JJAW played Week 1. Week 2 he made 1 catch for 4 yards out of 4 targets. Week 3 he started and made 1 catch for 10 yards on 3 targets. You see the wasted opportunities? That’s heavy action in the first three weeks. That’s 7 targets, 2 catches and 14 yards.
Eagles coaches have a tendency to do this with draft picks. The coaches give them time on the field, instead of making them fight for it. That needs to change. There needs to be a dogfigh-
Sorry Mike. Young players should be made to compete for their opportunities. We need to pit the rookies against each other to make ‘em mean! Feed downs and starts to the winners, and as for the losers…
Because God made us MEN, that’s why
Honestly, I can’t tell you the last time the Eagles had a rookie that made me say “DAMN! That fucker is hungry!” Honestly, when was the last time you said that, or something similar about an Eagles rookie? Not “He’s talented”, but “He’s hungry”. That a guy was making the most of every snap that he got.
If you don’t work, you don’t eat. That needs to be our credo. We need to start raising our rookies that way.
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