The Los Angeles Chargers have reportedly released wide receiver Jalen Reagor with an injury settlement. He'll now be searching for his next opportunity upon returning to full strength. How much health factored into the decision is unclear, but Philadelphia Eagles fans would say this move was only a matter of time.
We don't need to open an old wound, though Reagor's name will haunt the Eagles for a long time. Infamously passing up on arguably the best player at his position and a franchise-altering talent, Justin Jefferson, in favor of him will never not sting. No matter how much success they've enjoyed since, the Philadelphia faithful can't shake this feeling of regret.
While members of the Bird Gang are talking from a biased point of view, they're also doing so from firsthand experience. Those who watched the Eagles during Reagor's forgetful two seasons with the club know what he brings to the table (or doesn't). Few are as qualified to speak on him, even if it's with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Chargers release WR Jalen Reagor, come to realization Eagles fans already knew
Reagor, 26, was initially cut by the Chargers at the NFL's 53-man roster deadline and brought back to their practice squad the next day. Alas, he ultimately suffers the same fate roughly two weeks later. Los Angeles was his fourth team in six years, properly encapsulating how steep the 2020 No. 21 overall pick's fall from grace has been.
Availability hasn't necessarily been a problem for Reagor despite it ostensibly leading to his demise in Los Angeles. He just hasn't been able to carve out a meaningful pass-catching role at stop along the way of what's been a disappointing career. For whatever reason(s), the former TCU's highly touted combination of speed, athleticism and route-running hasn't translated to the pros.
Where Reagor has been impactful at times is on special teams, although not consistently enough to merit sticking around for long. He fielded punts and kicks for the Eagles and Chargers, among other squads, returning one of each for a score. Nevertheless, his efforts in this facet of the game can only get him so far.
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Reagor hauled in seven of his 12 targets for 100 scoreless receiving yards with the Chargers in 2024. They've invested significant resources at the wideout spot, spending a second-round pick on one in each of the past two drafts (Ladd McConkey, Tre Harris). Notably, Philly did the same a year after choosing him -- to a greater extent -- selecting DeVonta Smith tenth overall in 2021.