Eagles' Early Report Card for Most Impactful Offseason Decisions

It's been an eventful week for the Philadelphia Eagles. They've re-signed numerous players, brought in several key additions via free agency and lost some others. So, their roster already looks different than it did during Super Bowl LVII in February.

After winning the NFC Championship this past season, the Eagles will be looking to go one step further by capturing a second Lombardi Trophy title in franchise history in the 2023 NFL campaign. And they'll be hoping the moves they make this offseason will put them in a position to do just that.

At this point, Philadelphia appears likely to at least remain a championship contender, because the moves it has made thus far have been solid mostly.

Here are some grades for the most impactful decisions the Eagles have made early this offseason.

CB Corps Solidified with Slay, Bradberry, Williams

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Philadelphia Eagles corner back Darius Slay (2) looks on with corner back James Bradberry (24) during an NFL football workout, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in Philadelphia. The Eagles are scheduled to play the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the NFC championship game.(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

There was the potential for Philadelphia's cornerback corps to undergo a major shakeup this offseason. But that didn't end up happening, and that's a great thing for the team.

James Bradberry, who had a tremendous first season with the Eagles in 2022, became an unrestricted free agent after signing only a one-year, $7.5 million deal last offseason. This time, Philadelphia gave the 29-year-old a three-year, $38 million contract.

There had been rumblings that Darius Slay was looking to get traded, but he instead signed a two-year, $42 million extension that will keep him with the Eagles through the end of the 2025 season. The 32-year-old also stated he plans to retire with the team after that, per Dave Spadaro of the club's official site.

The Eagles' CB unit should be even better than last season, because they also signed Greedy Williams to a one-year deal.

With that trio, Avonte Maddox and other depth players, the Eagles have a strong group of cornerbacks for the 2023 season and beyond.

Grade: A

Penny Set to Replace Sanders in Backfield

Nic Antaya/Getty Images

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 02: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 2, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Rashaad Penny has struggled to stay healthy for much of his five-year NFL career, but the Eagles are hoping the running back can remain on the field moving forward after signing him to a one-year deal for 2023.

When that happened, it made it even more unlikely that Philadelphia would re-sign Miles Sanders. Sure enough, the 25-year-old cashed in on his 2022 breakout season by signing a four-year, $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers.

Penny hasn't played more than 10 games in any of the past four years. Last season, he was limited to five games due to a fractured left tibia. The 27-year-old has been effective when healthy, but that just hasn't been often enough.

With Philadelphia returning Kenneth Gainwell and re-signing Boston Scott, Penny won't need to be an every-down back.

So, there's the potential for this to end up being a great move by the Eagles. But we'll need to see if the San Diego State product can avoid yet another injury before knowing for sure.

Grade: B-

Mariota Taking over as Backup Quarterback

Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 04: Marcus Mariota #1 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Shortly after Gardner Minshew signed with the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles went out and found themselves a new backup quarterback. They signed Marcus Mariota to a one-year, $5 million deal, making him their new No. 2 QB behind starter Jalen Hurts.

This seems like a great fit. The 29-year-old is a mobile signal-caller, so he should be able to operate Philadelphia's offense if anything happens to Hurts over the course of the season. He'll likely be an even better fit in the scheme than Minshew was.

Mariota isn't likely to get many starting jobs again in the NFL after passing for only 2,219 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 starts for the Atlanta Falcons last season. But his experience and athleticism make him a great addition to have as a backup.

It was a smart move by the Eagles to bring in Mariota at an affordable cost. If Hurts gets injured, they'll have a QB who can come in and keep the team afloat.

Grade: A-