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Does Howie Roseman Need to Get Rishard Matthews on the Phone?
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Well this is something I didn’t expect to see this week:
WR Rishard Matthews told A to Z Sports that he asked the Titans for his release and he is planning on moving on.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 27, 2018
Matthews apparently wants out because he isn’t getting enough targets. This is only five weeks after he signed a one-year contract extension that takes him through the 2019 season. He posted on Instagram that was home with his family and sitting on the couch and texted the following to AtoZSports Nashville:
“EVERYTHING IS GOOD! JUST WASN’T HAPPY WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON BARELY GETTING ANY PLAYING TIME. IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON.”
That’s a big blow to Tennessee, who are already missing veteran tight end Delanie Walker via injury. Matthews and Walker were two of Marcus Mariota’s favorite targets last season.
The thing with the Titans this year is that nobody in that receiving corps is getting a lot of targets because they run the ball so much more than the majority of other NFL teams. Corey Davis leads the team with 24 targets and Taywan Taylor, the third wide receiver on the depth chart, has 10. Running back Dion Lewis has 12 targets and Matthews just six.
Tennessee has run the ball 98 times this year and only thrown it 81 times, as you can see after the jump:
Matthews has three catches for 11 yards. Last season that number was 53 for 795 yards and four touchdowns. It probably doesn’t help that Blaine Gabbert has played about as many snaps as Mariota so far this season.
So the obvious question is should the Eagles go after him if he’s granted a release?
Yes. Why not?
He’s 28 years old, a wide out with a good track record. He’s averaged 800 yards and 53 catches over the past three seasons and can score on deep balls. He had a 75 yard grab and a 55 yard grab last season to go along with a 60 yard and 50 yard reception in 2016.
It’s something to consider. I don’t know if the addition of Jordan Matthews renders this idea pointless, but Rishard can play. He’s a good receiver.
If nothing else, get him on the phone and ask him to spill the Titans’ playbook ahead of Sunday’s game.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com