Eagles Staying With Committee Approach at WR3; Julio Jones on ‘Pitch Count’?

Julio Jones looks like the Philadelphia Eagles' best receiver after A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith but there are limitations.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles dodged a bullet with star receiver DeVonta Smith.

The third-year player came out of the 35-31 setback to Arizona last Sunday with a walking boot and on crutches after rolling his right ankle while trying to block for Kenny Gainwell on a 3rd and 19 bubble screen late in the game.

By Wednesday, Smith was out of the boot and walking well in the Eagles’ locker room although he was estimated as a non-participant in the team’s walkthrough.

By Thursday, Philadelphia was back on the field for a full-scale practice and Smith was not present, putting his status for Sunday’s regular-season finale at the New York Giants in doubt.

Considering the Wild Card round playoff game on Jan. 13-15 is the far more important end game for the 11-5 Eagles, it’s not hard to imagine Philadelphia being very cautious with one of their top playmakers.

Smith currently has 81 receptions for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns, his second-consecutive season cracking 1K.

He and Pro Bowl selection A.J. Brown provide the Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts with one of the best receiver tandems in the league and neither has missed a game to this point. Philadelphia, however, has had difficulty finding a competent WR3, starting with Quez Watkins, and moving through Olamide Zaccheaus and in-season acquisition Julio Jones.

Once one of the NFL’s best, at 34, Jones seems like the one emerging after a two-TD performance against the Cardinals.

Jones played 20 of the 49 offensive snaps (41 percent) against Arizona, while Zaccheaus played 6 (12 percent) and Watkins didn’t even get in the game despite being active, a second straight week that the original plan at the position was essentially benched after a poor performance at Seattle.

Combined the three have just 24 receptions for 254 yards and five TDs (Jones 9-61-3, Zacchaeus 8-144-2, and Watkins 7-49-0).

Quez Watkins has struggled this season / © Eric Canha, USA TODAY

If Smith is unable to go against the Giants, it should give you a good indication how head coach Nick Sirianni feels about the position,

Right now it’s hard to imagine it’s anyone other than Jones but Sirianni refused to validate that thinking on Wednesday.

Part of that is Jones remains on a pitch count after being brought in on Oct. 17.

“Again, you guys have asked about Julio, and I'm not going to say exactly what his play count is, but we have him on a pitch count of some sorts to make sure he's playing at the level that he's capable of playing,” Sirianni admitted. 

That sentiment leaves the door at least slightly ajar for Watkins and Zaccheaus.

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“Just because Quez hasn't played a lot in these last two games doesn't mean that he's not a factor, as well, with his speed,” the coach said. “It's just the way these last two games have gone.”

Zaccheaus, meanwhile, continues to open eyes with some of the dirty work he does.

“Then OZ, I've told you this before, I've told you that OZ has a role on this team and I'll always have room for a guy like OZ with how hard he plays, how tough he is, and how scrappy he is,” said Sirianni. “He's really special in that aspect.”

In other words, it’s status quo for the Eagles at WR3.

“It's still by committee,” Sirianni admitted. “It's still those guys, all three of those guys working, and I wouldn't say this guy is the No. 3. They're all going to be the No. 3, and we'll see with DeVonta this week. If Devonta can't go then you have to find different ways, whether that's 12-personnel, whether it’s those guys playing a little bit more, we'll see.

“But I am pleased with those guys, and they've each made plays in their own way this season.”