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Eagles' Jason Kelce: 'We Can Win This Division. I Have No Doubt About It'
May 19, 2021
Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is aiming high for 2021 in head coach Nick Sirianni's first season.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Kelce praised Sirianni's energy behind the scenes and said the Eagles can be a playoff team.
"We can win this division," he told reporters. "I have no doubt about it. I’m excited to be a part of that."
Kelce might be overly optimistic after Philadelphia's 4-11-1 season. The Eagles sat 28th in Bleacher Report's May 4 consensus NFL power rankings.
Some improvement could be on the horizon. The roster was hammered by injuries, and Carson Wentz was one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks.
Still, the front office didn't dramatically overhaul the roster since it had little money to spend in free agency.
Darius Slay didn't quite play up to expectations after signing his three-year, $50 million extension, and the secondary lost Jalen Mills to the New England Patriots. DeVonta Smith might be the No. 1 wide receiver the team has sorely needed, but he doesn't single-handedly address all of the Eagles' problems.
Ultimately, so much remains up in the air because Jalen Hurts is a wild card.
The 2020 second-round pick showed flashes as a rookie but didn't have an exceptional season. He competed 52 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran for 354 yards and three touchdowns.
Perhaps Hurts blossoms in his first full season as a starting quarterback, and if that happens, then Philadelphia could be a playoff team.
More likely, the organization will have to endure some short-term pain as it lays the groundwork for the future.
The Miami Dolphins went from rebuild to the postseason in the space of two years, but the improvement came after a significant outlay in free agents. The Eagles are probably at least a season away before they can enjoy a similar bump.