By Paul Macrie, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
Nelson Agholor's NFL career has been a roller-coaster ride. The 2015 first-round pick was expected to fill the void left behind by Jeremy Maclin, who departed Philadelphia for Kansas City as a free agent during the 2014-2015 offseason.
Agholor's struggles have been well-document, especially throughout this season, as he has regressed after his Week 1 touchdown.
Following two big gaffes against Seattle last week, head coach Doug Pederson hinted at giving Agholor a mental break, which suggests he may not play on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers. Pederson and the coaching staff appear to have given the much-maligned receiver plenty of support. He has had a long leash since entering the league last season. His numbers (50 catches, 547 yards , 2 touchdowns) are horrific for a player that has 23 career games under his belt.
Agholor's postgame comments against the Seahawks were subdued. He is a player that is clearly struggling with confidence, and it has taken a mental and emotional toll on him. Maybe Pederson's new approach to handling Agholor's delicate situation will work, but it might also be another failed attempt.
As the bust label echoes intensify by the days and weeks, the former first-round pick could just be a lost cause.
As the drops and mental miscues persist, Agholor is becoming one of the most disappointing figures in Philadelphia sports history. The apparent talent he had at the collegiate level isn't panning out in the NFL. It cost the Eagles a 20th overall pick. He might not have much more time to sell to the organization that he is worth keeping, though 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith managed to stick around, so anything is possible.
In hindsight, Agholor's potential "break" should have happened sooner. This is a player that has struggled for quite some time. Other than his Week 1 touchdown against the lowly Browns, he has been an inconsistent mess all season. If it weren't for the lack of quality receivers on the team, a benching or inactive label would have occurred sooner. Now, the Eagles seemed to have had enough, even though they are commenting on the struggles as if it is a time to be even more supportive of him. They shouldn't be coddling him for much longer.
The organization clearly has no plans to fully give up on Agholor and release him. It will be a bitter pill to swallow when that day comes, which could occur as soon as after this season. Committing first-round picks on "busts" sets franchises back. Three of the last six first-round picks can be labeled as disappointments, including Danny Watkins – no longer in the league — and Marcus Smith — who is relegated to a situational defensive end role. Also, 2013 first-round pick Lane Johnson has now been suspended twice for PED use.
As the Eagles get set to play a crucial make-or-break game on the Monday Night Football stage, they have decided to promote Paul Turner from the practice squad, essentially making it a very good possibility he will play against the Packers. There would be no reason to promote Turner to the active roster if there wasn't any intent to have him play. That means Agholor's chances of suiting are murky at best.
Agholor's struggles have reached a breaking point. The organization has decided to handle this in a more delicate manner by giving him a rest period, which could last a few days of practice or even a few games. Those specifics of how long this rest will last are not known.
Though releasing Agholor was never the ideal scenario, the Eagles haven't handled this unique circumstance in the best of ways. Taking action sooner would have been a better course of action. For a player that has to "get out of his own head," this seems to be more than just a lack of talent and physical ability.
The voices outside the locker room have affected the receiver's ability to perform. His confidence is shot. If this doesn't turn around soon, it will be another failed pick for the Eagles' organization and a mental battle that Agholor eventually lost.
The pressure is mounting. Pederson and the coaching staff finally realized that, but is it too little, too late? Time will tell.
