The Philadelphia Eagles (11-2) pushed their winning streak to nine games on Sunday, but no one was in a celebratory mood after the offense managed 83 net passing yards against the lowly Carolina Panthers at home.
The Eagles still managed to come out on top, relying on their dominant defense and run game to grind out a 22-16 win. But with tight end Dallas Goedert out with a knee injury, the Eagles struggled to get the passing game going with zero downfield threats outside of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
GM Howie Roseman drafted a pair of Day 3 wide receivers last April and traded for Jahan Dotson in late August, but Philly’s passing game has plummeted to the bottom of the league in 2024, and some NFL analysts believe No. 3 wide receiver remains the team’s biggest weakness entering Week 15.
MORE: NFL power rankings Week 15: Experts rethink Eagles standing after shaky win over Panthers
Matt Holder of Bleacher Report is in that camp, and he recently projected a solution for the Eagles in the middle rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In his NFC scouting reports for Week 15, Holder predicted the Eagles will land star Oregon playmaker Tez Johnson this April. Here was his take on the potential fit:
“While Tez Johnson might get tabbed with the ‘slot-only’ label during the pre-draft process, he could be an intriguing mid-round option for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Johnson’s ability to sell vertical routes with urgency, speed, and attacking leverages puts defenders in conflict, opening access points to shallow routes,” B/R’s offensive skill positions scout Damian Parson said via the Oregon product’s scouting report. He plays with optimal snap and hip sinkage at the breaking point to generate ample separation against man coverage. Johnson is the ideal pre-snap motion receiver, whether on jet or orbit motions, putting him on the move is a good way to give him free releases and advantageous angles against defenders.”
Johnson enters the College Football Playoff as No. 1 Oregon’s most productive receiver, racking up 73 catches for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those watching the Big 10 Championship on Saturday saw Johnson go off for 11 catches, 181 yards and a TD on his way to game MVP honors.
While Smith has mixed in plenty as Kellen Moore’s slot receiver this season, lining up there on 53.6% of his snaps, adding a true slot receiver like Johnson could help open things up, add more deceptive pre-snap motion, and take Philly’s passing game to the next level.
Johnson’s stock figures to be on the rise, especially if the senior continues to dominate during the CFP. Despite the public outcry, Philly will have far bigger needs than wide receiver entering 2025, so landing an elite playmaker of Johnson’s caliber on the second or third day of the draft represents an ideal situation for Roseman and Co.
