A Brief History of Bad Eagles Wide Receivers

Safe to say, wide receiver has been the most talked about and scrutinized position on the Eagles in recent years. Terrell Owens and Freddie Mitchell grabbed most of the headlines, but of interest to me are the lesser names who contributed little to no production during their time in midnight green.

Since the current corps of pass catchers is finally loaded, I thought I’d reminisce about the dark days, when the cupboard was pathetically bare. I go all the way back to the ’80s, so a couple of these losers players might be unfamiliar to the youngsters. Strap in fans, it’s time for a wide receiver rewind.

Gregg Garrity (1984-1989)

Run, Gregg, run!

In six seasons as a Bird, Garrity became a fan favorite as a reserve and punt returner. He was undersized at 5’10″, 171 pounds, but gained a reputation as being a gritty, gutty, blue collar guy. Perfect for Philadelphia. However, he averaged a paltry 10 catches per season during his career (61/1028/5). His biggest claim to fame was his Burt Reynolds style mustache.

Victor Bailey (1993-1994)

At least he knows how to dress.

Let’s hope Jeremy Maclin represents Missouri better than Vic did in his short stint with the Iggles. He started 10 games as a rookie and registered 41 grabs for 545 yards and a score. Not bad. His numbers and play fell off dramatically during his second year. After that, he was gone. He ended his career with the Chiefs in 1996.

Chris T. Jones (1995-1997)

The Jones family and some creepy lady.

Jones didn’t show much as a rookie in ’95, but broke out playing opposite Irving Fryar during the ’96 season. He caught 70 balls for 859 yards and 5 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he would suffer a catastrophic knee injury early in the ’97 campaign which forced him into early retirement. He attempted a comeback with the Raiders in 1999, but never saw the field.

Na Brown (1999-2001)

Portrait of a bust.

I recall him being nicknamed something like “Mr. Hands.” He was a training camp darling every summer, but injuries and an inability to live up to his moniker in actual games relegated him to limited duty. Jason Avant is what Na was supposed to be. Brown ended his underwhelming career with 34 receptions for 363 yards and two touchdowns.

Torrance Small (1999-2000)

He wasn't "small" on this play.

Along with Charles Johnson, Small was brought aboard by then rookie head coach Andy Reid to cleanse the palate of the Ray Rhodes era. To be honest, Small wasn’t awful. He was a number three receiver forced to play in the two spot. In a pair of seasons, he caught 89 passes for 1224 yards and 7 scores. Ironically, the drafting of Freddie Mitchell in 2001 led to Small’s exit.

Billy McMullen (2003-2005)

Nobody cheers like McSucken.

I remember a friend of mine who covered the ACC during Billy’s time at Virginia telling me he was a steal in the third round. I and the rest of the NFL are still waiting for him to do something besides stink. Reid shrewdly traded McSucken to the Vikings for Hank Baskett. I’d day the Eagles got the better end of that deal.

Talk to me Eagles Nation. Hit me up in the comments with the best bozo receiver to pass through Philly. There are plenty to choose from.

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