Eagles WR Nelson Agholor focused on improving in second half of season

IT SEEMS LIKE forever ago now, but back in the preseason, there was talk of Nelson Agholor becoming an offensive rookie of the year candidate.

Agholor, a wide receiver from USC drafted by the Eagles in the first round, 20th overall, showed up ready to work. He impressed everyone with his hustle, maturity and polish. Agholor's first preseason touch was a short catch he turned into a touchdown.

Agholor was a big part of the plan to replace Jeremy Maclin, who was deemed too expensive in free agency last spring. So far, he has eight catches for 105 yards and has yet to score a touchdown. Agholor suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Oct. 11 win over the Saints and returned to practice only this week. He was listed as a full participant Wednesday and plans to return to the lineup Sunday night against the Cowboys.

"At the end of the day, I've got to work harder," Agholor said Wednesday in assessing his slow start, particularly his inability to get open consistently. "That's all it comes out to. No matter how hard I think I'm working, I gotta push a little bit more, because it's in my power. Especially if it's man-to-man, I gotta find a way to create separation."

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur noted that last year, second-round rookie receiver Jordan Matthews struggled a bit early, then produced his best work in the second half of the season, when he amassed his four best games in terms of receiving yards, five of his best six.

"I don't pay attention to first half/second half," Agholor said. "Every day, I'm trying to get better than I was the day before . . . If this second half is going to be favorable to me, then I'll be happy, but tomorrow has to be better than today was."

Agholor also has dropped some throws, like just about every Eagles receiver this season.

"I gotta help Sam (Bradford) out. I gotta be his best matchup, and I gotta create separation," Agholor said. "If I'm not doing that, he can't feel comfortable going to me."

Agholor is still only three weeks removed from suffering the high-ankle sprain. That's an injury that can limit a receiver for considerably longer.

"Right now, it's better than it was when it first happened," Agholor said. "I'm a competitor. I just want to play football."

He said Eagles doctors "feel like I should be able to go, and I feel like I want to go, so that's all I know."

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur told reporters Wednesday that right tackle Lane Johnson takes some snaps at left tackle every week, just in case something happens to Jason Peters. Later, after practice, Matt Tobin told CSNPhilly.com that Johnson will start at left tackle against Dallas if Peters can't play.

Peters, who left the Carolina game with back spasms, did not practice again Wednesday. Shurmur, speaking before practice, said he and the other coaches "anticipate he'll be out here today," but were "waiting to see what comes through the door, a little bit."

If Peters doesn't practice Thursday, he is unlikely to play in Dallas. The practice o-line Wednesday, Tobin said, was Johnson, Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce, Tobin, and then Dennis Kelly in Johnson's normal spot. When Peters left the Carolina game, Tobin moved to left tackle and Kelly came in at right guard. Both struggled.

Johnson was a left tackle at Oklahoma, but has played right tackle exclusively for the Eagles since being drafted in the first round, fourth overall, in 2013.

Sam Bradford was asked to respond to Howard Eskin's report of a four-year, $72 million contract offer from the Eagles before the season. Eskin did not report the amount of guaranteed money, which would determine the viability of the offer. Bradford said that he had no knowledge of such an offer, that it "must have gotten lost in the mail" . . . Linebacker Bryan Braman (shoulder) and running back Ryan Mathews (groin) were listed as partial participants in practice . . . Pat Shurmur raised eyebrows when he said DeMarco Murray "is much healthier than he was earlier in the season," such as in the first meeting with Dallas, Sept. 20. Murray missed the Jets game Sept. 27 with a hamstring problem that supposedly came up in a Wednesday practice and wasn't a big deal, then he returned the next week. Murray is scheduled to speak with reporters Thursday . . . Defensive coordinator Bill Davis said he expects "to get a big dose of a healthy Dez Bryant," in the Dallas receiver's second game back after he suffered a foot injury in the season opener.

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