Eagles position battle briefs: Rueben Randle, wide receivers

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For a player who flew under the radar in free agency, Rueben Randle is quickly showing the potential to be a major addition to the Eagles offense.

We're only a couple of days into training camp, and it should be noted Randle is one of several wide receivers seeing reps with the first-team offense. That being said, the fifth-year veteran has been very active thus far, especially during Friday's practice.

Randle made two tough catches in particular, of the variety Eagles wideouts frequently dropped last season.

First, he extended his arms away from his body and plucked a ball out of the air on a well-timed out route, then maintained possession while cornerback Leodis McKelvin swatted at the ball multiple times. A few plays later, Randle hauled in a pass that was thrown a little behind him, with impressive rookie Jalen Mills draped all over his back no less.

The Eagles desperately need reliable receivers to emerge from this camp. While it's only been two practices, Randle is already making a case for nice-sized role in this offense.

Signed to a one-year contract two weeks into free agency, Randle gained a reputation for having a poor demeanor while a member of the New York Giants. The club were unhappy enough to let the former second-round draft pick walk in free agency despite some decent production.

Randle's receptions and yards totals would've been good for second on the Eagles offense each of the past two seasons. Between 2014 and '15, he posted 128 catches for 1,735 yards and 11 touchdowns — granted while lining up opposite All-Pro Odell Beckham Jr. and with two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning throwing him the football.

Regardless, at 6'2", 208 pounds, Randle adds some size to the Eagles receiving corps, and at age 25, his best days could still be ahead of him. With Jordan Matthews still expected to see a lot of work in the slot, Randle appears to be battling 2015 first-round pick Nelson Agholor and third-year veteran Josh Huff for playing time on the outside.

In that mix, people are starting to like Randle's odds to be a regular player in this offense. Head coach Doug Pederson seems to be pleased with the veteran presence the offseason addition brings to the table as well.

Again, we stress that it's very early into camp, and this is no slight against the other receivers on the roster, but Randle's stock has been on the rise seemingly since the day he signed with the Eagles.

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