Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has full faith in former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor despite his “King of Drops” moniker.
For two years, the Eagles have been racking their brains for ways they could bring out the best in Jalen Reagor.
There’s good reason Reagor was selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft: he was the go-to receiver for the TCU Horned Frogs, recording over 1,000 yards and a seven-game streak of receiving touchdowns during his 2017 season.
But as soon as he set foot on the Eagles squad, he soon became known as “The Kings of Drops.”
“Reagor is the Eagles’ new King of Drops,” The Defector’s Dan McQuade declared last November.
“There’s another new thing for Eagles fans, too,” McQuade continued. “As you may have heard, the Eagles took Reagor over Justin Jefferson. Previously, the player fans whined about the Eagles passing on was Ed Reed. Honestly, it’s kind of nice to have someone new.”
The Eagles haven’t been fully reimbursed for the sunken cost of drafting Reagor — all they got in return for trading him to the Minnesota Vikings was a 2023 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick — but they have at least passed on Reagor’s possession problems to another franchise.
Funnily enough, Reagor is now paired alongside the wide receiver Eagles fans wish they drafted instead: Justin Jefferson.
With both of these receivers at his disposal, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is determined to “activate” Jalen Reagor’s full potential.
O’Connell believes his offense offers Reagor a “real platform” for success, stressing that he pressured Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to make the trade happen.
Kevin O’Connell believes he can reform “Drop King” Jalen Reagor on Vikings offense
O’Connell’s hopes for the 23-year-old receiver aren’t unfounded: the NFL showcases countless examples of players who unlocked their full potential on their second and third teams. In fact, the Vikings are hoping to get even more out of Za’Darius Smith in the Twin Cities, signing the longtime Green Bay Packers linebacker to a three-year, $42 million deal.
Of course, Smith has already demonstrated his greatness (hence the hefty contract), while Reagor still has much to prove.
Stephen A. Smith even said as much, as Reagor’s unfavorable reputation on the Eagles offense seems to have followed him to Minnesota.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are still regretting ever drafting Reagor in the first place.
On a positive note, at least Reagor is now in an organization that wants to activate his potential.
