Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Eagles WR Huff getting increased role

When Josh Huff was drafted, the rookie wide receiver looked at the Eagles roster and knew it was going to be difficult to crack the starting lineup. The team had released DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant, but it had also re-signed Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper and drafted Jordan Matthews a round earlier.

Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)Read more

When Josh Huff was drafted, the rookie wide receiver looked at the Eagles roster and knew it was going to be difficult to crack the starting lineup. The team had released DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant, but it had also re-signed Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper and drafted Jordan Matthews a round earlier.

Maclin and Cooper would start on the outside and Matthews would be given every opportunity to replace Avant in the slot. But where did that leave Huff, whose Oregon pedigree was almost as prominent as Matthews' was at Vanderbilt?

"I knew coming in that we had two . . . receivers in front of me and there was a spot in the slot, but I knew coming in that Chip probably didn't want me to play slot," Huff said this week. "I knew that I would have to learn on the outside behind Mac or Coop."

That doesn't mean Huff hasn't been frustrated. He voiced his disappointment with not being active by the fourth game of the season, even though he had a shoulder injury coach Chip Kelly had said wasn't yet healed.

Whether it was a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease or because, as Huff said, he "busted his butt" in practice last week, he was active against the Rams on Sunday. He played only 10 snaps on offense, but with Chris Polk out for Sunday night game's showdown against the New York Giants, Huff is expected to have kick return duties added to his plate.

"Huff [is] a little bit more acclimated back in there," Kelly said. "His role will expand a little bit more from a special teams standpoint. Got his feet wet last week a little bit, but will now kind of pick up the slack in some of those areas."

Kelly was also referring to Huff filling in for receiver Brad Smith on other special teams. Smith had surgery on his groin this week and was listed out on Friday's injury list. Jeff Maehl didn't dress last week when Huff was up, but he'll be active with Smith sidelined.

Huff will likely remain the fourth receiver. It's not a prominent role, but his number was called on a bubble screen against the Rams (it went for 4 yards). He said he wants to be more involved, but he sang a softer tune this week after last week's comments.

"Chip - he knows me very well. He knows that I'm a competitor," Huff said. "But I also know that he wants me to be 100 percent so I can do the things that he wants me to do and the things he envisioned me doing in this offense."

Kelly has often spoken about the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Huff's abilities with the ball in his hands. Huff returned a kick for 102 yards in the preseason opener. The following week, though, he injured his shoulder and was out for the next six weeks and had to bide his time.

"It's tough [waiting], but at the same time he's going to play a big role," said Maclin, who has taken Huff under his wing. "He's a guy that can do things with the ball in his hands. Obviously, we'll find ways to get him involved. When you got established guys out there, you got to kind of get in where you can fit in."

The Eagles offense hasn't been firing on all cylinders, but Maclin and Matthews have met expectations thus far. Cooper was quiet in the first four games, but caught a jump-ball touchdown against the Rams. There is no guarantee Huff will be an upgrade.

Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur had spoken in the preseason about Huff's adjustment because he was learning multiple spots and the playbook was vastly different than it was at Oregon.

Huff said he had some early mistakes, but NFL speed has been the most difficult thing to which he's had to adjust. He said he also knew his transition to the NFL would be under the microscope.

"I know that me being 'Chip's guy'- so everyone would say - I would have to come in and prove to them why they took me in the third round," Huff said. "Unfortunately, I got off to a slow start, but now that I'm more confident, I'm more comfortable within this offense. I know my role. I know what's going on."