TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 11: George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers stands on the sidelines during the national anthem prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Parris Campbell In Lead For Eagles’ No. 3 WR Role?
Parris Campbell‘s Giants tenure ended with a run of healthy scratches. Despite the struggling team not exactly sporting a deep receiving corps, Brian Daboll and Co. deemed the former second-round pick unworthy of a gameday gig in the final five games of the 2023 campaign.
That did not lead to extensive interest during Campbell’s second free agency foray. The former Colts draftee, however, has stayed healthy over the past two seasons — after a litany of injuries hounded him for most of his Indianapolis tenure — and has a history with his new coach. The Colts drafted Campbell during Nick Sirianni‘s time as OC, and the two overlapped for two years in Indy. Campbell, 26, now appears to have a real shot at going from Giants scratch to Eagles regular.
Unable to rely on their slot position for a bit now, the Eagles took a flier on Campbell (one year, $1.29MM). Philly’s offseason program has wrapped, but after this week’s minicamp, Campbell appears to be in the lead to play alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The veteran slot receiver received the bulk of the first-team reps in the WR3 role this week, per 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, who called this competition — ahead of training camp, at least — Campbell’s to lose.
The Eagles helped set the receiver market this offseason, authorizing extensions for Smith and Brown in April. With wideouts tied to $32MM- and $25MM-per-year deals and several big payments in place on offense, money is obviously limited elsewhere at wide receiver. The Eagles did use fifth- and sixth-round draft choices on wideouts (Johnny Wilson, Ainias Smith) this year, and they offered an offseason roster spot to former top-10 pick John Ross, who has unretired to join the team. Campbell’s profile features inconsistency, but he brings more experience as a regular than anyone else vying for the Brown-Smith sidekick role.
The former Ohio State standout flashed for the Colts during Sirianni’s time in Indianapolis, but he also missed 25 games due to various injuries from 2019-21. During a chaotic 2022 Colts season, Campbell quietly stayed healthy and totaled 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. This came for a 4-13 team that started three quarterbacks and used two play-callers. The Giants did not see much from Campbell, though they also slogged through a three-QB season. Campbell caught just 20 passes for 104 yards, underwhelming on a one-year, $4.7MM deal.
Before the 6-foot-1 target’s Giants season ended, he understandably expressed a desire for a fresh start. The Eagles, who bring more QB stability than Campbell has seen over the course of his career, are providing it.
Working with Andrew Luck only during the offseason before the standout passer’s abrupt retirement, Campbell has never played with the same starting QB in consecutive seasons. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles see enough from him this season to consider a longer-term role for him in their Jalen Hurts-led offense. Quez Watkins‘ production trended downward after a 647-yard 2021, and the team’s Julio Jones and Olamide Zaccheaus contracts last year did not lead to much of consequence from the WR3 spot.
Ross also saw extensive time during Philly’s minicamp, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg, while return man Britain Covey remains in the picture. Ross, 27, has not seen any game action since 2021. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder (4.22 seconds) seizing a roster spot would surprise, given his NFL offerings, but his preseason work will be worth monitoring as the Eagles attempt to improve in a passing attack that will still run through Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert.
