According to ESPN’s Turron Davenport, former Eagles wideout Jordan Matthews intends to switch positions this season. After putting on about 30 pounds, Matthews will attempt to play tight end this year.
It’s always interesting whenever a player switches positions in the NFL, and this instance is no different.
During his time with the Eagles, Matthews was a very serviceable wideout. In his first three NFL seasons, Matthews averaged about 74 receptions, 891 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns per season. Once he was traded to the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby in 2017, his career took a steep downward turn and he’s never recovered.
In 2020, he only played 14 snaps for the San Francisco 49ers and is now a free agent.
Versatile tight ends are all the craze in the NFL right now. Nearly every top offense in the league features a great receiving threat at the tight end position. We already know Matthews has the receiving acumen to make an impact, but can he actually succeed as a full-blown tight end?
It may be unlikely, but if a team utilizes him as a receiving threat exclusively, he could cause matchup problems for opposing defenses. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at approximately 245 pounds now, he is a bit undersized for a tight end by today’s standards. But that ultimately wouldn’t matter all that much if he still has his speed and quickness that he did when he was 30 pounds lighter.
In regards to the Eagles potentially giving him a look, we already know Matthews has a long history with Philly. Whenever they’re desperate for help at wideout, Matthews seems to be the first person they ring.
Unless Zach Ertz is gone by the start of training camp, I don’t see the need to take a chance on Matthews. The team just signed Richard Rodgers and already has a borderline elite tight end in Dallas Goedert.
It’ll be a fun story to see unfold, but not one I want to see take place in Philly.