Eagles wide receivers seeking 3rd degree of separation…

Two words: Anquan Boldin.

Explain to me how a guy with 4.7 speed consistently gets open, holds on to the ball thrown in traffic, and racks up 5 to 15 yards after the catch?

It’s the secret ingredient currently missing in the Eagles passing attack.

We have talented wide receivers if you go by pedigree. But putting it all together like Anquan has done and still does is another story.

Our wide receivers group is still learning what Anquan Boldin learned long ago—there are three degrees of separation in football pass-catching.

The first degree is learned in high school football—you are outrunning or out-cutting your defensive cover guys by three yards…

The second degree is learned in college football—you are working harder now to achieve a 3-foot separation from your defender on every pass play…

Finally, you’re competing at the pro level—and it turns out you have to struggle just to get a 12-inch advantage in separation from your defender. That’s the holy grail of wide receiving—the third degree.

Such is the reality of the cream rising to the top of a balanced talent pool.

The reality of the Philadelphia Eagles receiving corps as it stands now is that most of our guys are really good at the second degree of separation, but not yet proven at the third degree.

We have natural athletes capable of achieving the third degree of reception skills…but the obstacles of getting pressed off the line of scrimmage, and limited time to get open on a route due to unpredictable pass protection for the quarterback, have been issues. But truth be told, our guys need to become more physical in getting off jams, and more quick in their downfield cuts, and more sure-handed in their actual pass-catching techniques.

To that end (no pun intended), here is your scorecard for the upcoming Eagles training camp roster for wide receivers. The format and stats are courtesy of PE.com.

Alex Smith comments from PE.com: “Now with Matthews and Huff going into their third seasons and Agholor back for Year Two, it’s time to see if the trio is ready to evolve into the dynamic group that many fans expect.

“Despite his slow start, Matthews came within three yards of 1,000 for the season, and he was five catches away from becoming the first receiver in franchise history with 90 catches in a year (running back Brian Westbrook is the only player to accomplish that). He also led the team with eight receiving touchdowns.

“Meanwhile, Huff and Agholor combined for just 595 receiving yards, though they did show that explosive side of their game, scoring a combined four touchdowns on 44 total receptions. There’s no questioning Huff or Agholor’s talent levels. Both players possess through-the-roof athleticism and could be on the cusp of that breakout season.

“What can veterans Rueben Randle, Chris Givens and T.J. Graham bring to the table?

“How will the wide receivers be used in Doug Pederson’s offense?

“The final big question left unanswered with the wide receivers doesn’t necessarily relate to any of the players personally, but to how they’ll be used within Doug Pederson and Frank Reich’s offense. History suggests that those two coaches will find the best ways possible to get the receivers involved. Fans may remember that in 2014, with Pederson as the offensive coordinator, the Chiefs wide receivers group failed to find the end zone throughout the season. However, once Jeremy Maclin joined Kansas City in 2015, Pederson maximized Maclin’s ability to the tune of 1,088 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Meanwhile in San Diego, Reich helped Keenan Allen progress into a prolific receiving threat. ”