One dozen of the most underappreciated Eagles in franchise history

Honorable mention: Jason Avant, Chad Lewis, Bill Bergey, Jeremiah Trotter, Irving Fryar, Asante Samuel

Merrill Reese once referred to DeSean Jackson, Jason Avant, and Jeremy Maclin as the best Eagles wide receiver trio that he has ever seen. Who are we to argue if that's what Merrill said?
Jason Avant only caught 12 TD passes as an Eagle, but he had some of the softest hands in the game during his era. He also did much of the dirty work that allowed D-Jax and Maclin to shine.

J-Mac, in five seasons, started 73 of his 75 in-game appearances. He notched 4,771 receiving yards and 36 TDs. Add both to a list of honorable mentions that fall outside our top 12. That list includes Chad Lewis, one of the better tight ends we have seen in an Eagles jersey, and Jeremiah Trotter, a fierce tackler and defensive playmaker that could excel in just about any scheme he was featured in.

Our list of honorable mentions also includes Irving Fryar, a shorter-tenured Bird who made the Pro Bowl in two of his three Eagles seasons, and Asante Samuel, a 2009 Second-Team All-Pro who led the NFL in interceptions that season and earned three Pro Bowl trips in four Eagles seasons. And, who could forget about the great Bill Bergey, a cornerstone of those Eagles teams of the late 70s and the early 80s?

Bergey earned four All-Pro nods and four trips to the Pro Bowl roster in his seven years with Philly. Keith Byars also spent seven seasons with the Eagles (1986 - 1992), and he racked up 2,672 rushing yards, 3,532 receiving yards, and 30 touchdowns as one of the most versatile backs in NFL history.

We raise our glass to all of these extraordinary Eagles. Here's a look at 12 more who will forever be franchise legends.