I know there’s been some chatter on here about the Pittsburgh Steelers possibly signing a wide receiver following Martavis Bryant’s trade. One name floated out has been removed from the list. Markus Wheaton is expected to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, per this report by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Zach Berman.
The Eagles are signing veteran WR Markus Wheaton, according to a league source.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) May 2, 2018
Wheaton, a third round pick by the Steelers in 2013, never panned out. The talent was there and he flashed big-play potential but injuries and a seemingly inability to get on the same page as Ben Roethlisberger doomed his career in the Steel City.
Over four seasons, he caught 187 passes for 1508 yards and eight touchdowns. He also saw work as the team’s kick returner, most extensively in 2014 where he averaged a healthy 24.7 yards per try.
The Chicago Bears signed him last offseason to a deal that was proven to be far more expensive than what they got out of him. Again, derailed by injuries, he caught a lousy three passes on 17 targets. Released by Chicago on March 14th, Wheaton visited Seattle before latching onto Philly. I don’t have an in-depth knowledge of their receiving depth chart but it’s fair to assume he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot.
