By Patrick Del Gaone, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
As No. 1 receiver Jordan Matthews recovers from a left knee strain, Eagles receivers competing to lock down available roster spots have received an abundance of reps both in practice and in the first preseason game against Tampa Bay this past Thursday.
Much of the personnel decisions will depend on whether head coach Doug Pederson elects to carry five or six wide receivers on the 53-man roster. The wide receiver unit will need to improve dramatically for the Eagles to contend in 2016. Last season, Philadelphia receivers dropped 7.9 percent of quarterback Sam Bradford’s passes, the highest percentage in the NFL.
Starters
Wideouts Matthews, Nelson Agholor and Rueben Randle are expected to start for Pederson’s offense when they host Cleveland in Week 1 of the regular season. While Matthews and Agholor have shown flashes of progress this summer, it’s Randle who has emerged as the most exceptional receiver during training camp.
The former New York Giant has made a habit of soaring above Eagles defensive backs to haul in passes at the apex of his leap. For Randle, it’s the mental aspects of his position which he’ll need to enhance if he wants to be a preeminent receiver for the Eagles, a problem he also struggled with in New York. If Randle can clean up the miscommunications with his quarterbacks, the veteran receiver could be the versatile contributor that Philadelphia sorely missed in 2015. Although Randle is listed as the No. 1 slot receiver on the initial depth chart released by the team, Matthews, Agholor and Randle are expected to be practically interchangeable in order to keep defensive coordinators guessing in 2016.
Contributors
Entering 2016, Chris Givens and Sam Bradford look to revive their solid rapport built as teammates on the St. Louis Rams. In 2012, Givens had the best season of his career receiving passes from Bradford, hauling in 42 catches for nearly 700 yards and three touchdowns.
The speedy 26-year-old receiver was brought in to be a deep threat for the Eagles, and has consistently shown the ability to create separation and get behind the defense throughout training camp. Givens has struggled a bit with drops in the first two weeks of training camp, but nevertheless is likely to be the fourth wide receiver for Philadelphia in 2016.
Despite a pedestrian 35 receptions in 27 career games, Josh Huff is the favorite to win the fifth wideout job for the Eagles. The third-year receiver was given a nod of confidence in the first preseason game when he was named starter in place of injured Jordan Matthews.
Huff has been underwhelming in his first two seasons as an Eagle, and the erratic play continued against Tampa Bay on Thursday night when the former Oregon Duck was stripped of the ball after catching a pass over the middle. Huff’s hands have been a major factor in his lack of production since coming into the league. Last season, he dropped 7.5 percent of catchable passes in his direction.
With six catches for 34 yards, Paul Turner led the Eagles in receiving against the Buccaneers. The Louisiana Tech product has been among the most reliable receivers in camp, running precise routes and seldom dropping on target passes. Turner, a 5'10" undrafted rookie, is the leading contender to make the 53-man roster if Pederson decides to keep six receivers, while T.J. Graham and Marcus Johnson are on the outside looking in through two weeks at the NovaCare Complex.
