Last season the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history.
Now the question being asked is, do they have enough to repeat?
Throughout the offseason general manager Howie Roseman focused primarily on keeping the core together while maintaining cap space to re-sign their young stars. They managed to sign Linebacker Zack Baun to a 3-year $51 million contract early in the offseason, a key move that was viewed as necessary. Sometime down the road Jalen Carter, Nakobe Dean, Jordan Davis, Reed Blankenship, and more will need contract extensions. To be able to do this, they traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans for salary relief. A move that sparked instant criticism amongst fans as they traded away their defensive leader.
As they move on from veteran leaders like Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson, they will need young players to develop into leadership-type roles. Players like Reed Blankenship and Jalen Carter will be looked to lead this next generation of Eagles to more success.
During the NFL Draft, Roseman was not content sitting at pick 32. After trying to trade up into the early 20s to get LB Jihaad Campbell, he found a trade partner in Brett Veach of the Chiefs. After selecting Campbell at 31, Roseman was praised around the league once again believing they got the steal of the draft.
More recently in the offseason, the Eagles got off the Bryce Huff contract as they dealt him to San Francisco, once again for salary relief. As their EDGE depth looks even thinner after this trade and the Brandon Graham retirement they will once again need improvement from their young players. Players like Jalyx Hunt and free agent signing Azeez Ojulari will be asked to fill in and become big-time contributors on a championship-hopeful team.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles have their core locked up long-term. QB Jalen Hurts continues to grow into a potential Top 10 QB. Pass catchers AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are still at the top of their game showing no signs of slowing down.
Saquon Barkley, coming off the greatest season ever seen from an Eagles RB, will be asked to do great things once again. The only concern with Barkley would be the trend of running backs breaking down with age and usage. As there is nothing to go off with Barkley specifically, there is no reason to panic about the star’s upcoming campaign.
Dallas Goedert, who was rumored to be on the trade market this offseason, was extended on a one-year deal. Locking up the TE was an important move for Howie Roseman to get done, as there was no other reliable tight end on the roster.
The Eagles Offensive Line took a hit, losing starting RG Mekhi Becton to the Chargers. Former third-round pick Tyler Steen has seen the majority of snaps at RG early this camp. Kenyon Green, who was brought over in the Gardner-Johnson trade with Houston will also compete for the spot. The rest of the line remains the same, anchored by all-time great tackle Lane Johnson on the right side.
The defensive line will be anchored by Jalen Carter, with Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo looking to show promise on the interior. The Edge will be interesting after Nolan Smith, with Azeez Ojulari and Jalyx Hunt, needed to become reliable rotation pieces.
Zack Baun will once again be dominating the middle of the field, but who will be next to him? Nakobe Dean was injured in the postseason and there is no guarantee that he will be back in time. Another option would be rookie Jihaad Campbell, but he is also dealing with injuries and who knows when he will be ready to debut. Sophomore player Jeremiah Trotter Jr has been getting first-team reps in camp. If the other two aren’t ready to open the season, expect Trotter Jr to step into a temporary starting role.
Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean will be back in the secondary, but who will be the third corner? Kelee Ringo appears to be the safest bet, although not a guarantee. The Eagles brought in veteran CB Adoree Jackson to compete with Ringo for the position. If Ringo isn’t ready at the beginning of the year, It shouldn’t come as a surprise if he becomes a starter later in the season. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio deployed this strategy last season with Mitchell and Dejean.
The Eagles drafted Andrew Mukuba in the second round of the draft, and he is expected to compete for a starting job opposite Reed Blankenship. His competition will be high-energy special teamer Sydney Brown looking to finally make a push for a prominent role in the secondary.
The Eagles remain a major threat to any team in the NFL despite moving on from key contributors from last year’s championship team. They will heavily rely on the progression of their young stars and role players. Potential breakout players to look out for like Moro Ojomo, Jalyx Hunt, and Kelee Ringo are extremely intriguing. Showing flashes of high-level ability in previous seasons, can they fill the role of the veterans who departed? If they can, there is no reason to believe they can’t hoist the Lombardi trophy for the second consecutive season.
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