USA today rookie ratings

[Zanshin]

If Moats OR Westbrook were going to be used for kick/punt returns then I could see justification in having both. As it stands, there is no point in having two undersized speed backs who play all or nothing football. Might as well punt on third and 1.

Moats should get a crack at it for sure.

[rjs246]

I think that Moats could get the team a little bit in a trade. Not a lot, mind you, but something and there's no chance that he'll be used well on the Eagles so the team may as well get something for him now while he's showing this home-run ability.

[Zanshin]

It would be pointless to trade him for anything less than a second....and even then, eh.

[rjs246]

It would be pointless to trade him for anything less than a second....and even then, eh.

When did the Eagles grab him? 3rd? 4th? I guess a 2nd would be the only reasonable thing to get for him. Ugh. Ridiculous. No Mahe and Moats returning kicks is the only possible happy ending I can see here.

[Zanshin]

3rd.

[RezRob]

Noone is gonna bite on a second rd pick for a player who shows promise in only a few games....Oh wait is Miami interested?

[fansince61]

I think that Moats could get the team a little bit in a trade. Not a lot, mind you, but something and there's no chance that he'll be used well on the Eagles so the team may as well get something for him now while he's showing this home-run ability.

Not sure but can players be traded after only one year   Thought labor agreement prevented it

[SunMo]

Rookie WR catches on fast

By REUBEN FRANK
phillyBurbs.com

Reggie Brown knew all about the Eagles rookie receiver jinx, and he was determined not to let it affect him.

He knew how none of the six other wide receivers Andy Reid has drafted in the first five rounds had more than 21 receptions or 188 yards as a rookie.

So what happens?

This year, everybody but Brown was jinxed.

The Eagles are sputtering to the end of their first non-playoff season in six years, virtually the entire starting offense has been hurt (or suspended), the replacement quarterback has been ineffective, the defense is struggling, and Brown is having one of the best seasons by a rookie wide out in franchise history.

"A lot of things have been going on around me and it takes a toll on you," Brown said yesterday. "I just try to focus on what I need to do and not worry about who's here, who's not here, who's hurt, or whatever else is going on.

"Just try to stay focused, prepare, get better, and learn the offense and let everything that's out of my hands work itself out. You can't worry about things you can't control. It's hard to do that sometimes, but as a rookie in this league there's enough to worry about that you can control that you can't afford to get caught up in everything else."

That philosophy has served Brown well. Despite playing half the season with an ineffective Mike McMahon at quarterback, Brown goes into the Eagles' season-ending game Sunday against the taterskins with 36 receptions for 494 yards and two touchdowns.

He leads all NFC rookies in receiving yards and is just 18 yards behind Braylon Edwards of the Browns — the third pick overall — for the rookie yardage lead.

Brown's 36 catches lead all NFL rookie wide outs and rank second among all rookies, four behind Buccaneers tight end Alex Smith, a third-round pick, and tied with Steelers tight end Heath Miller and Ravens receiver Mark Clayton, both first-round picks.

"I look at my year and I feel disappointed with the numbers because I know I could have been a lot better," Brown said. "I know what happened with the other rookies at that position, but I have high expectations of myself."

Nonetheless, Brown has a chance to break two franchise records for rookie receivers, both set by Victor Bailey 12 years ago.

He needs six receptions for 42 and he needs 52 yards for 546. Bailey caught 41 passes for 545 yards as a rookie in 1993.

Brown trails tight ends Keith Jackson (88 in 1988) and Charle Young (55 in 1973), running back Lee Bouggess (50 in 1970), Bailey, running back Junior Tautalatasi (41 in 1986) and Calvin Williams (37 in 1990) on the Eagles' all-time single-season rookie receiving list.

Brown set a career high with six catches Saturday in the Eagles' loss to the Cards. After catching 13 balls in his first six starts, he's caught 16 in his last four.

Thanks to Todd Pinkston's season-ending injury and Terrell Owens' suspension, Brown has become the Eagles' primary outside target. That means he's drawing the opposing team's best cornerback most of the time.

"I look at that as a positive," he said. "You can't help get better playing against good players. They might get me one play, but when you make a play on a veteran cornerback, it gives you confidence and you feed off that."

Whatever happens Sunday, Brown will be back next summer one year smarter, one year savvier, one year more experienced.

Reid has said he thinks Brown's progress these past few months reduces the likelihood that the Eagles will go out and sign or draft a receiver this offseason. So it's likely Brown will begin next year as the No. 1 guy.

"It's nice to know they have that kind of confidence in me," he said. "It makes you want to keep working hard."

Brown, a second-round pick out of Georgia, said he needs some time off to recharge but is already looking forward to next year and playing a full season with a healthy Donovan McNabb.

"It's been a long year," he said. "I've basically been training hard since the start of last year, through the offseason, and all this year. I need a vacation. But I know after a month or so, I'll be ready to get back to work again and get ready to take my game to the next level."

that's good for Reggie, but it shows how inept the Eagles have been at picking a WR.

and if they go into next year with Reggie Brown as the #1, they are in trouble.  next year and every year until Donovan retires, it's about winning the Super Bowl.  If Reggie Brown is the #1, that means Pinkston is the #2, Greg Lewis is the #3, and McMullen is the #4.  That group may be good enough to win regular season games, but they won't get it done in the playoffs.  They need to sign a better WR bump everybody back a spot.

[hunt]

to all the people who were ripping me in the giants' game thread for pointing out aikman's comments about reid saying brown could be a #1 so he won't bring in a wr......hah!
you know who you are.

and so do i...http://www.concretefield.com/forum/index.php?topic=17387.120

[ice grillin you]

thats disgusting if it ends up happening

[Beermonkey]

to all the people who were ripping me in the giants' game thread for pointing out aikman's comments about reid saying brown could be a #1 so he won't bring in a wr......hah!
you know who you are.

Having another writer paraphrase the same comment doesn't vindicate anything. 

I don't think there is anyone out there next year who's going to be the "#1 WR" anyway, so whether Reid will or won't sign one is moot. I would be surprised if he didn't get some help at WR though.

[hunt]

this comment took things a step further than the aikman comments...just admit you were wrong now & get it over with.

[ice grillin you]

one day everyone will realize hunt is never wrong...and the world will be a better place for it

[hunt]

one day everyone will realize hunt is never wrong...and the world will be a better place for it

we can only hope.

[rjs246]

The problem is less with Brown being next year's number 1 and more with the fact that there are no legit number 1s available in free agency and this year's WR draft class is weak. I'd like to see Randal El b/c he can help as a reciever and a kick returner, but he's not a #1. Wayne isn't a #1. Moulds is old, but would be an upgrade and is probably the closest thing to a #1 available.

Bottom line is that Brown being the #1 may be by necessity rather than by choice.