By Ben Sullivan
When the Eagles swung the trade to acquire wideout Golden Tate from the Detroit Lions, the news was met with celebration in Philly.
Now?
Not so much.
What’s the deal with why Tate has been a disappointment?
In three games with the 5-6 Birds, Tate has just 11 catches on 20 targets, netting 97 total yards.
He has yet to score for the Eagles, and the team is 1-2 in games Tate has played in.
Tate averaged 6.3 catches for 73.9 yards per game in his seven games with the Lions this year.
His catch rate was more than 10 points higher while working with Matthew Stafford than it’s been with Carson Wentz.
Changing offenses midseason is no easy task.
Tate’s struggles show the problem of expecting a major impact from a newcomer, even one as skilled as Tate.
The Lions own Philadelphia’s third-round pick in 2019 as compensation for Tate, who will be a free agent after the season ends.
