Nobody expected Jalen Reagor to be the first wide receiver the LA Chargers signed this offseason but alas, the Bolts could not wait to re-sign the former first-round pick. While the Chargers ultimately re-signed Mike Williams as well, the Reagor deal being the first was still disappointing.
Reagor has struggled everywhere he has played and is one of the worst first-round picks in recent NFL Draft history. One or two good catches does not change the fact Reagor caught just seven passes for 100 yards and single-handedly lost the Chargers a game last season.
Yet for some reason, the Chargers saw something in Reagor to bring him back. If the plan was for Reagor to just be a camp body that gets cut it would be easier to swallow. However, with a better depth wide receiver now leaving the team, the Reagor deal looks even worse.
The Arizona Cardinals have signed Simi Fehoko to a one-year deal. Fehoko's departure is especially painful considering the Chargers prioritized Reagor over him.
Simi Fehoko's departure makes Chargers' Jalen Reagor signing even worse
On the surface, one may argue Reagor has more upside than Fehoko because he has more athleticism and is a former first-round pick. As great as that sounds as a debate point, it completely ignores the fact Reagor has shown time and time again that potential is no longer there.
At some point, you are who you are in the NFL and Reagor has reached that point. It's not a coincidence the Philadelphia Eagles gave up on him after just two years, or that he was bound to be a practice squad player before the Chargers signed him out of necessity caused by injuries.
Don't get it twisted, Fehoko is no game-breaking wideout, either. His six catches for 106 yards (in the same number of games) isn't all that different from Reagor's production.
Fehoko brings special teams value that Reagor does not bring. Sure, Reagor is an option to return kicks and punts for the Bolts but he is never going to get reps over Derius Davis. Fehoko's overall special teams impact is more beneficial than Reagor's impact as a backup returner.
Fehoko also fits better as a backend wide receiver. He and Justin Herbert have developed a chemistry that simply does not exist with Reagor. Chemistry matters when dealing with players around the roster fringes.
In reality, the Chargers' season won't be decided by who the team signs to be the last wide receiver on the depth chart. That doesn't make it any better that the team showed a fan favorite the door in favor for first-round draft priors.