You would have to be living under a rock to not know the animosity that surrounds Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor. The 2020 first round selection has been a lightning rod for naysayers and doubters since he first came in the league a year ago. And he is still causing a stir to this day. Most recently due to cosigning a tweet from teammate Miles Sanders saying fans shouldn’t boo him or any of the players. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with a city that is already displeased with the TCU product. But I ask, has the criticism been too harsh. Do players like Sanders and Reagor have a point? Or is every bit of vitriol warranted? Let’s take a look.
The Evidence Against Him
Let’s face it Reagor has not been the most productive guy when hes been given opportunities. He has had a myriad of crucial drops this season. The most egregious probably being the one against the Giants. Reagor has had 6 games this season where he has caught 50% or less of his targets. And in three games he actually managed to have 0 or negative yards per reception. But his troubles don’t end on offense. He has also been shown to be a detriment on special teams. In the eleven games where he got to return punts, he averaged single digit yards per return in 8 of them. That is simply horrendous. To top things off his social media presence doesn’t do him any favors. On numerous occasions he has rubbed fans the wrong way with his petulant attitude toward being taken to task. But is it all bad?
The Brightside
For all his woes there have been some bright spots this season for number 18. For instance, he has had 6 games this season where he has caught every ball thrown his way. This includes yesterday’s big win against the Washington Football Team. Also, he has scored twice, which is two more times than Eagles starting running back Sanders. He hasn’t been completely absent and when he’s got it going, he’s dependable. So, what is the verdict does he deserve the heat?
The Conclusion
The heat is deserved to an extent, but we should be careful to not be irrational. You shouldn’t be booing a guy before he’s even gotten the chance to mess up. At that point its somewhat cruel and immature. We should get on him when he screws up and only when he screws up. When he has terrible drops like against New York, by all means let him hear it. Booing and taunting him simply because he exists is moronic and screams of entitlement. And we should give him credit when he does produce. I don’t think it’s that difficult to understand. Finally, he has to also show accountability when he costs his team and be mentally tough enough to deal with what comes with it. And that’s that.