Over the next week or so, we are taking a look back at some of the best Eagles of the 2010s by position. First up we ranked the top 10 quarterbacks of the past decade, and next was the top 10 running backs. Today we are looking at the guys who were catching most the passes from the quarterbacks -- the wide receivers and the tight ends. Almost every one of these guys contributed to the major success the Eagles had in the decade in one form or another. Here's how we see the top 10 receivers between 2010-2019:
10) Trey Burton
Burton spent his entire tenure in Philadelphia as the 3rd tight end behind Bren Celek and Zach Ertz. But when his number was called he always delivered. He caught 63 passes for 629 yards and six touchdowns in 61 regular season games for the Birds. He'll always be remembered for his clutch throw as part of the Philly Special, placing a beautifully placed ball right into the waiting hands of Nick Foles to help the Eagles win Super Bowl LII.
9) Jason Avant
If you needed to move the chains on third down, whoever was at quarterback just needed to find Jason Avant and he would move them for you. He caught 297 passes in Philadelphia, and more than half of the (183) resulted in first downs. His 297 receptions are the 14th-most in Eagles history, and his 3,646 receiving yards are the 15th-most in the team's history. Of course he will always be remembered for pulling off an Odell Beckham-like catch before Odell was even in the league.
8) Dallas Goedert
When Brent Celek was cut/retired and Trey Burton moved to Chicago, the Eagles needed to find a backup for Zach Ertz, and they found a great one in Dallas Goedert. He has become a reliable target for Carson Wentz, catching 91 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns in just 31 career games. He also is proving he can become reliable in the playoffs, catching nine passes in 93 yards and a touchdown in three career postseason games.
7) Jordan Matthews
The Eagles couldn't quit themselves of Matthews in the 2010s, as he made and then subsequently was released three different times between 2014-2019. His first stint was his best stint though, as he was essentially the team's #1 receiver in 2015 and 2016.
In 62 career games with the Birds, Matthews has 249 receptions (21st-most in team history), 3,006 receiving yards (21st-most in team history) and 21 touchdown receptions (20th-most in team history). He was never flashy, but he was above average long enough to be considered one of the better receivers of the decade for the Eagles.
6) Nelson Agholor
2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019 were years to forget for Nelson Agholor as an Eagle, but his juggernaut 2017 season should be remembered by fans for the rest of their lives. He was a reliable threat on the field both in the regular season and in the playoffs. His nine receptions in Super Bowl LII are the 2nd-most by an Eagle in a postseason game in franchise history. Agholor had multiple catches on the team's final touchdown drive in the Super Bowl that helped move the ball downfield to help the team retake the lead and secure their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
It's a shame that Agholor's mental mistakes will likely overshadow what he did in 2017, but his four other rough seasons are hard to overlook. Still, Agholor ends the 2010s with 224 receptions (26th-most in team history), 2,515 receiving yards (29th-most in team history) and 18 touchdown receptions (T-28th-most in team history).
5) Brent Celek
Celek is the definition of a Philadelphia Eagle. His hard-nosed style of play and no complaints attitude was embraced by all fans, and he slowly became an Eagles legend over the course of 11 seasons. In those 11 seasons, he only missed one game due to injury (and that was because he couldn't pass concussion protocol on a Thursday Night Game, if the game was on a Sunday that week he would have been cleared).
His 175 games played are the 4th-most in team history, and he also ranks pretty high among franchise receiving leaders. He finished his career with 398 receptions (5th-most in team history), 4,998 receiving yards (9th-most in team history) and 31 touchdown receptions (T-12th-most in team history). Most importantly, in his last season he was able to win a much-deserved Super Bowl ring.
4) Jeremy Maclin
The Eagles needed another stud receiver to pair with DeSean Jackson, and Maclin certainly filled that role well. A 2nd-round pick in 2009, Maclin produced right from his rookie season. He spent five years in Philadelphia, before ultimately deciding to sign with his hometown Kansas City Chiefs rather than re-sign with the Birds.
He played in 75 games with the Eagles, catching 343 passes (10th-most in team history), earning 4,771 receiving yards (10th-most in team history and on the receiving end of 36 touchdowns (7th-most in team history).
3) Alshon Jeffery
With a franchise quarterback secured, the Eagles wanted to surround Carson Wentz with talent heading into 2017, so the team went out and grabbed one of the best wide receivers available in free agency -- Alshon Jeffery. Even though he never exploded with production, he played well in the regular season. In the 2017 postseason, he exploded into a superstar by catching 12 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns. His three receiving touchdowns are already tied for the 2nd-most by a player in franchise postseason history. 364 career postseason yards with the team are also the 4th-most in franchise history.
In his three years as an Eagle in the decade, Jeffery totaled 165 receptions, 2,122 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. Even though his future with the team seems shaky, he should always be remembered for his utter dominance in the 2017 postseason, and how he helped the Eagle twin their first Super Bowl ever.
2) DeSean Jackson
The Eagles receiving corps in the 2000s were probably the worst in the entire league, and is a big reason why Andy Reid's Eagles teams never won a Super Bowl. Reid tried to bolster his receiving options for Donovan McNabb when he drafted DeSean Jackson in 2008, and that was the best decision Reid could have made that season. Jackson became a bonafide NFL speedster right away. By the time the 2010s started, Jackson was recognized as one of the best receivers in all of football regardless of speed. His stellar play allowed him to be selected to two Pro Bowls in the 2010s (three total in his career), and he quickly climbed the ranks as one of the best receivers in Eagles history.
He has 365 catches with the franchise (8th-most in team history), 6,276 receiving yards (4th-most in team history) and 34 touchdowns (T-9th-most in team history). If Chip Kelly hadn't released him after the 2014 season, Jackson would have likely already set team records in at least two of the three major receiving categories.
1) Zach Ertz
Back in 2013 the Eagles were set at tight end with Brent Celek. The team still selected Zach Ertz in the 2nd-round of that draft because he was the best player available, and I am sure all Eagles fans are now happy that that decision was made. Ertz was hyped up by media and analysts right away, but those high expectations weren't met early on, so fans were disappointed. He broke out in 2017, and has been arguably one of the top-three tight ends in the league ever since. He caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII, which Eagles fans will never allow themselves to forget. He followed up that memorable year by setting the NFL record for most receptions (116) in a season in 2018.
With the 2010s over, he's already among the greatest tight ends to ever put on an Eagles uniform. He has two of the top three reception seasons and has the top two most-reception games in Eagles history. For his great efforts, he has been named to the Pro Bowl three times.
As of now, Ertz has 525 receptions (2nd-most in team history), 5,743 receiving yards (5th-most in team history) and 35 touchdowns (8th-most in team history). Still in the prime of his career, Ertz will likely break a few more Eagles records in the next decade, but it is clear that Zach Ertz was the best Eagles receiver of the 2010s.
