Last Year:

Record: 7-9

Offense: 22.9 (16th)

Defense: 20.7 (12th)

Offseason: 

Key Acquisitions: RB. Legarrette Blount, WR. Alshon Jeffery, WR. Torrey Smith, DE. Chris Long, DT. Timmy Jernigan, CB. Patrick Robinson

Key Losses: DE. Connor Barwin, DT. Bennie Logan, CB. Nolan Carroll, CB. Leodis McKelvin

 Breakdown

Offense:

The Eagles offense is going to look a lot different in 2017. The team finally has a quality receiving corps with two new free agent signings in Jeffery and Smith. Jeffery is one of the best receivers in the NFL when healthy and will be the Eagles number one option. Smith’s play fell off significantly with the 49ers but the Eagles are banking on that being more of a product of a bad team with dysfunction at the QB position more so than loss of ability as they hope the former deep threat still has something left in the tank. Matthews has been the best receiver on the team in recent memory and now figures to get the majority of the snaps in the slot.  He will be the team’s second option which is a better fit for his skill level.  Ertz has been a solid TE for the Eagles since they drafted him and should be a reliable target in the middle of the field. There will also be a new starting RB as the team picked up Super Bowl champion Blount from the Pats in free agency. The big bruising power back led the NFL in rushing TDs in 2016 and will be a nice security blanket in the red zone and short yardage situations. Darren Sproles figures to maintain his 3rd down/spell back role where the team will utilize his talents as both a runner and receiver. The Eagles had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in 2016 and with all five guys returning figure to maintain that level of success this year up front. Lane Johnson was their best overall guy last year and I believe this season with no pending suspension he will firmly establish himself as an elite tackle in the NFL. At the other tackle spot is Peters who has been one of the best at the position for years but he is 35 and one has to wonder just when father time will strike with him. They also have one of the best guard duos in the league in Brooks, who was a top five guard last season, and Barbre, who had a nice bounce back year after a down year in 2015. Center Travis Kelce was actually the weak link of the group. He was not awful but his play paled in comparison to his four counterparts and was a far cry from what we have seen from him in past years. If everyone else can play at the level they did a year ago and Kelce can bounce back the Eagles could have a better line than even the Cowboys. Good receiving corps check, good running backs check, great offensive line check, QB….? Just how good can Carson Wentz be? That is the big question mark for the Eagles this season. By rookie standards Wents had a good season but progress must be made if the Eagles are to compete with the very talented Cowboys and Giants. Wentz was by far the worst of the four NFC East QBs last year and now that he enters year two the rookie handicap is over. The Eagles need him to be just as good or close to Dak Prescott, Eli Manning, and Kirk Cousins. Some might say that is crazy but if 4th round rookie can be the best QB in the division last year then why can’t he this season? He has a lot more arm talent than Dak does, just as good of offensive line and now just as good of a receiving corps. The running game may not quite be as good but Wentz has plenty to work with and needs to have a big year as the Eagles have everything else in place to be one of the better offenses in the league.

Defense:

As exciting as the Eagles offense could be I am more enamored with the Philly front 7 which has a chance to be the best in football. They should have one of the best 4 man D-lines and linebacker trios in the league. Lets start up front. The Eagles are loaded after a few new additions in the offseason. In the interior Fletcher Cox leads the way as one of the top DTs in the league and will now be joined by Timmy Jernigan who will come over from the Ravens via a draft day trade. Jernigan is not much of a pass rusher but he is a very good run defender. On the edge is where things get exciting for the Eagles. Thanks to free agency and the draft they now have four guys who can all get after the QB. Brandon Graham led all defensive ends in pressures last season and has the RE spot locked up. As far as the other end spot it figures to be a three horse race. Vinny Curry was a rotational guy a year ago. He has yet to perform up to the flashes of brilliance he showed when he racked up nine sacks back in 2014 but he was decent rushing last season despite low sack numbers and at only 28 it is possible he can still regain that 2014 form. Then you have Chris Long who is another guy the Eagles picked up in free agency from the Patriots. Long’s pass rush skills are not what they use to be but he is still a very solid defender vs the run and could earn the starting spot with his play in that area. The favorite however is the 14th overall pick Derek Barnett who is a very decorated pass rusher from the SEC who many believe can come in and have an immediate impact. If nothing else the Eagles have the best coverage linebacking corps in the league. All three of their starting backers are quick athletic guys that can cover in space. Hicks and Bradham were two of the top ranked coverage linebackers in the NFL in 2016 and when Kendricks is healthy he is on that level as well. Unfortunately Kendricks has not been healthy since his breakout 2014 season and has been playing through various injuries the past two seasons. If he can get fully healthy they can have three really good linebackers. The secondary is the only thing holding the Eagles back from being an elite defense, more specifically the cornerback position. The Eagles invested heavy in this position in the draft selecting corners back to back in the second and third rounds. Unfortunately Sidney Jones, their second round pick, ruptured his Achilles at his pro day and will not be ready for the start of the season but the Eagles are holding out hope he could make an appearance near the middle to end of the year. They will need him because the rest of the group is shaky. So shaky that Rasul Douglas, their third round pick, may be the best of the group. Patrick Robinson was awful last year for the Colts and yet he was signed to presumably be the top corner. Incumbents Jalen Mills and Ron Brooks were even worse for the Eagles last year and will be relied on to play in the slot. Things could get ugly with this group. At least the secondary is not a complete disaster as the Eagles do have a really good safety duo. Jenkins and McLeod are back and will have a lot on their plate trying to help this inexperienced lackluster group of cornerbacks they play with. McLeod came over from the Rams and played well in his first season with the Eagles. He may not be much of a factor in the run game but McLeod was solid in coverage the majority of the year for the Eagles. The best overall defensive back last season for Philly was Jenkins. He did not play as well as he did in 2015 but he was still effective both vs the run and in coverage. With the cornerback situation they will need the coverage of their safeties to be even better in 2017. Overall the Eagles have a lot of talent on defense but corner back is not a position you want to be weak at in today’s game. QBs and receivers are better than ever and the rules are completely in their favor. I think the Eagles will do some things well on defense but ultimately unless their corners do a complete 180 from the way they played last season and they get stellar play from their rookies I just cannot see the Eagles being a top defense.