Eagles restock at receiver by adding Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith

The Eagles answered the calls of fans frustrated with the team's underachieving wide receivers by signing prized free agent Alshon Jeffery to a one-year deal Thursday and also adding veteran deep threat Torrey Smith.

In an effort to build around blossoming quarterback Carson Wentz, the Eagles were one of the headliners on the first day of free agency by luring Jeffery to Philadelphia. Jeffery's deal will pay him $14 million in 2017, according to reports, and gives the Eagles the 27-year-old, two-time Pro Bowler who fits the profile of the No.1 wide receiver that the team has lacked. He will be joined by Smith, 28, who signed a three-year deal worth a reported $15 million. The Eagles also added offensive lineman Chance Warmack, a 25-year-old former top-10 pick.

The Eagles have made a habit in recent years of opening the new league year with splashy transactions, and Jeffery fits the description. The 6-foot-3, 218-pounder was one of the top free agents at any position and one of the most talented receivers to hit the open market in years. But the reason he became available and signed a one-year deal was, in part, because of a dip in production the last two seasons because of injuries and a suspension.

Jeffery finished with 52 catches for 821 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games last season. He missed four games because of a suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. That followed a 2015 season in which Jeffery played only nine games because of calf, hamstring, and groin injuries, and finished with 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns.

But the Bears still felt compelled to give Jeffery the franchise tag after that injury-shortened 2015 campaign because his talent was evident. In 2013 and 2014, Jeffery averaged 87 catches for 1,277 yards and eight touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl both seasons and was viewed as one of the NFL's top young receivers. His wide receivers coach in those seasons was Mike Groh, whom the Eagles hired for the same position in January.

Wentz will appreciate Jeffery's ability to catch contested passes — he is one of the NFL's most reliable in jump-ball situations. Jeffery is also effective in the red zone, where 14 of his 24 catches have resulted in touchdowns. He has 17 catches of 40-plus yards, too, so he can be a deep threat for the Eagles.

But Jeffery was not the only upgrade at the position. Smith joined the group after two lackluster seasons in San Francisco. In 2015, Smith was a coveted free agent who signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the 49ers. He totaled only 53 catches for 930 yards and seven touchdowns in those seasons, struggling in an offense mired with quarterback problems throughout his tenure.

Smith made a name for himself the previous four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He registered 65 catches for 1,128 yards in 2013, he reached the end zone 11 times in 2014, and his career average of 17 yards per catch ranks second among qualifying active players. Only DeSean Jackson is ahead of him. (Jackson, by the way, signed with Tampa Bay.)

Considering that none of the Eagles' top three wide receivers averaged more than 11 yards per catch last season, Smith's deep speed could be an asset to the offense. The Eagles' front office is also familiar with Smith, who is 6 feet and 205 pounds. Executives Joe Douglas and Andy Weidl were in Baltimore when the Ravens scouted and drafted Smith out of Maryland.

With Jeffery and Smith, the Eagles' receiving corps that ranked among the worst in the NFL is now one of the more formidable in the league. Jordan Matthews, who was miscast as the No. 1 receiver, will benefit from working the slot with Jeffery and Smith on the outside. Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham fall further down the depth chart and could be competing for playing time, but the Eagles' top trio will likely see the bulk of the work and represents a badly needed upgrade.

In Warmack, the Eagles are taking a low-risk chance on a 25-year-old, once-heralded prospect. Warmack went No.10 overall in the 2013 draft — the rare interior lineman to be taken so high. He was a Day 1 starter for the Tennessee Titans and started all 48 games he played, although he never developed into an elite guard worthy of such a high selection. Tennessee did not pick up Warmack's fifth-year option last offseason before a finger injury ended Warmack's 2016 season after two games.

Warmack, who is s 6-foot-2 and 323 pounds, played at Alabama for Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. His role is not yet known, but the signing is similar to the Eagles brining in Stefen Wisniewski last March.

One of the reasons Warmack's role is unclear is because the Eagles could still make more moves. They announced the players who agreed to terms on Thursday, but those players don't count against the salary cap until pen goes to paper on Friday. The Eagles will likely need some salary maneuvering to fit the players under the cap, which means the Eagles' activity might not be finished after a whirlwind on Thursday.