Philadelphia Eagles: Which players get coal in their stocking?

Which Philadelphia Eagles players deserve coal in their stocking?

Christmas is a time for giving. Many people wake up on Christmas to find dozens of presents under their tree. Others, however, aren’t quite as lucky. If you’re not good during the year, you’re not getting any presents. You’re getting a big, fat lump of coal in your stocking.

This is no different in the NFL, particularly for the Philadelphia Eagles. If a player is good, they are rewarded by a nice new contract. But if they’re bad, they get nothing. Unfortunately, multiple Eagles players were very bad this season and deserve nothing this Christmas.

Nelson Agholor

Drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Agholor was expected to be the Eagles’ next big-time playmaker. He displayed terrific hands and ridiculous route running abilities in college and looked like one of the more pro-ready prospects available in the draft. Unfortunately, those skills just haven’t translated to the pros. Agholor has been nothing short of abysmal in his first two years in the NFL and may have actually worsened as a second-year pro. Agholor singlehandedly cost the Eagles 14 points against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 and has become a negative presence in Philadelphia’s receiving corps. Without a doubt, Agholor deserves a lump of coal in his stocking. Maybe two. Or 10.

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Lane Johnson

There’s no denying Johnson’s abilities on the football field. When he’s playing, his presence on the Eagles’ offensive line is very noticeable. The issue, however, is that Johnson missed the majority of the season while serving his second career suspension for PED violations. With Johnson in the lineup, the Eagles are 4-1 in 2016. Without him, they are 2-8. Because of Johnson, the Philadelphia’s offensive line struggled to find consistency and caused quarterback Carson Wentz to take 31 sacks along with 89 hits as a rookie. Johnson is a good football player, but his absence caused the Eagles to spiral out of control, which warrants a lump of coal in his stocking this Christmas.

Dorial Green-Beckham

The Eagles traded Dennis Kelly for DGB in the preseason hoping that they’d finally found a big bodied receiver who would become their No. 1 red zone threat. Of course, that hasn’t happened. In 14 games this season, DGB has recorded 35 receptions for 377 yards and only a pair of touchdowns. Despite being 6’5″, 237 pounds, throwing to DGB in the red zone is essentially a wasted play. Like most of the receiving corps, DGB has let the Eagles down in a big way this season and deserves a big lump of coal for his inability to make plays and his lack of effort during games.

Leodis McKelvin

McKelvin may have a pair of interceptions (including a pick six) and 16 pass deflections this season, but make no mistake about it. He’s a very bad cornerback and probably won’t return to the Eagles in 2017. McKelvin has given up a big play in just about every game this season, including this 80-yard bomb to DeSean Jackson in Week 14. It’s hard not to feel a little embarrassed for McKelvin here.

Marcus Smith

It’s almost a given for Smith to be on this list. Like Agholor, Smith is another first round draft pick that just hasn’t panned out for the Eagles. Believe it or not, though, Smith has actually recorded a career high with 14 tackles this season and, with a half a sack against the Dallas Cowboys, will have a career high of two sacks in a season. Absolutely pathetic. Smith is one of the worst players ever drafted by the Eagles and he’s done nothing but confirm that even further in his third professional season. Without a doubt, Smith is deserving of some coal in his stocking.