The Philadelphia Eagles will conclude the 2023 NFL Preseason with a matchup versus the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday but that didn’t stop the team from making a roster move.
The Eagles signed fourth-year wide receiver Freddie Swain to the roster. The move is perhaps an indication of the team’s lack of wide receiver depth, especially after slot receiver Quez Watkins suffered a hamstring injury.
The Miami Dolphins placed Swain on injured reserve last week due to a hamstring injury but released him a day later.
A former sixth-round pick, Swain has flashed promise in limited playing time. In two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, he caught 38 passes for 502 yards and six touchdowns. He spent last season with the Denver Broncos, appearing in three games and finishing with four catches for 74 yards.
How Can Swain Contribute To The Eagles?
Philadelphia entered training camp with two potential options in the slot: Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus.
Watkins hurt his hamstring during training camp while Zaccheaus is dealing with an injured shoulder after playing in last week’s preseason game versus the Browns, so it’s not hard to see why they brought in Swain.
Swain played on a loaded Seahawks’ roster that included Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf but still found a way to post meaningful contributions in 2020 and 2021.
While he’s coming off of a down year, Swain has experience in the slot and he’s had a penchant for making big plays during his time in the league. With six touchdowns, he has more career scores than Watkins and his four scores in 2021 are the highest mark in any season played by the other potential Eagles’ slot receivers.
Swain can operate as a possession receiver or as a deep threat. He averaged over 13.0 yards per catch during his time in Seattle and 18.5 yards per catch in his brief stint with the Broncos last season.
Will Swain Make The Eagles Roster?
Signed one day before the final preseason game, the Eagles front office won’t have long to decide if they want to keep Swain on the roster.
However, don’t count Swain out just yet.
The former Seahawks’ wide receiver has contributed when given the opportunity and could find more room to work between two great receivers in AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, similar to his time in Seattle.
Don’t be surprised if this turns out to be another underrated acquisition by the Eagles’ front office.
[…] Now that the three-year NFL veteran is wearing an Eagles’ uniform, what exactly does Swain bring to Philadelphia? […]