In their final press conferences of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offseason program, quarterback Jalen Hurts said he’s “excited to see the show that (Quez Watkins) puts on this year” while coach Nick Siranni singled out the wide receiver for his work this spring.

Those sentiments might be at odds with the feelings of Philadelphia fans after the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12.

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On a second-and-9 snap from the Kansas City 42, Hurts threw a long pass that Watkins failed to come down with at the Chiefs 10-yard line. Philadelphia got a field goal on the series to take a 27-21 lead with 1:45 left in the third quarter.

That was Watkins’ final opportunity of the 2022 season. In 17 regular-season games, Watkins had 33 receptions for 354 yards and three touchdowns and caught one pass for 8 yards in three playoff games. In 2021, Watkins had 43 receptions for 647 yards and one touchdown in 17 regular-season games and caught two passes for 35 yards in one playoff game.

Part of the downturn in production for the former Athens High School standout could be attributed to the acquisition of wide receiver A.J. Brown in a trade during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Brown had 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season with the Eagles while Watkins played 90 fewer offensive snaps and had 10 fewer targets than in 2021.

But Watkins said after the season: “I didn’t play my best football all year.”

Sirianni and Hurts are expecting to get Watkins’ “best football” in 2023.

“I have no problem singling one guy out that I think’s just done a phenomenal job this offseason is Quez Watkins,” Sirianni said. “I love his attitude of – and I’ve said this to him, and I have no problem saying it here – ‘Oh, some people around here’ – and it’s not in this building; we got a ton of confidence in Quez Watkins – but I kind of sense from him — he’s never said this –but I kind of sense it from him: ‘Oh, some people think I stink. Wait.’ And that’s how he’s attacked every day. That’s how he’s attacked practices, and I really think he looks really good.

“We know he’s got a lot of talent. I’m excited about that, and I really like the way he’s went about his business because he can’t control anything but what he can control, and he can’t control what other people think about him. He can’t control anything like that. He can’t control things that may have happened to him last year, the opportunities that he got last year or did not get. All he can control is how he works, and I’ve really been excited about how he’s went about his business.”

Hurts and Watkins came to Philadelphia in the 2020 NFL Draft – Hurts in the second round and Watkins in the sixth.

Hurts had thrown 15 passes in his rookie season when he became the Eagles’ starting quarterback with four games remaining in the 2020 campaign.

In those four games, Watkins had all his production for his rookie season – seven receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown.

“Quez has been doing a really good job,” Hurts said during the final week of Philadelphia’s offseason program. “He’s been playing a number of different positions, and he’s been doing a really good job at them.

“Quez is a guy I came in with. I worked out with him before we both got drafted here. We tore it up on the scout team our rookie year, and I have all the trust in him. He’s hungry, and he’s used everything as fuel, and I’m glad he’s taking that approach, and I’m excited to see the show he puts on this year.”

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The Eagles are on their summer break, with the players scheduled to report for training camp on July 25.

Watkins was Philadelphia’s No. 3 wide receiver last season behind Brown and former Alabama All-American DeVonta Smith, who both return for the 2023 season.

During the offseason, the Eagles signed wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency. For the Atlanta Falcons last season, Zaccheaus had 40 receptions for 533 yards and three touchdowns, and he’s expected to vie with Watkins for the No. 3 spot in Philadelphia’s pecking order at wide receiver.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1