Eagles' Biggest Questions to Answer in 2023 NFL Preseason
The Philadelphia Eagles are primed to make another run at the Super Bowl, but in order to do so, they have to answer some questions at roster spots where they lost key contributors in the offseason.
The expectation at linebacker is for Nakobe Dean to take charge in the middle and return to the form he had at Georgia after a lackluster rookie season.
Dean's is replacing T.J. Edwards in the middle of a defense that also lost Javon Hargrave and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson's loss could be the biggest one felt by the Eagles if their replacements do not perform right away. Terrell Edmunds and Reed Blankenship will be tasked with taking over for the turnover machine at safety.
The Eagles have fewer questions on offense, but there is one key concern at running back, where they are taking a chance with their platoon replacing Miles Sanders.
Can Nakobe Dean Make Giant Step Forward?
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Dean has arguably the most pressure on him to succeed within the Eagles defense.
The Eagles lost Edwards and Kyzir White, their two players with over 100 tackles last season, and that allowed Dean to assume the starting role in the middle.
The reigning NFC champion has two veterans around Dean at linebacker in Nicholas Morrow and Haason Reddick, but it needs Dean to take a massive step forward in his sophomore season.
The addition of more Georgia defense should help Dean's comfortability on and off the field. He, Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are the future of the Eagles interior.
Dean has to do the most with his preseason snaps in order to inject more confidence into the coaching staff that he can return to the dominant form he showed during Georgia's national championship run two years ago.
Will Drop off Happen at Safety?
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Gardner-Johnson was a vital piece of the Eagles defense in 2022.
The current Detroit Lions safety led the team with six interceptions and was tied for third with eight passes defended.
The Eagles are expected to drop off a bit at the position with Edmunds and Blankenship in the starting roles.
Edmunds brings a veteran presence to the secondary alongside Darius Slay and James Bradberry at corner. Blankenship had some good moments last season, but he needs to get better to fill the hole left by Gardner-Johnson.
The Eagles probably will not get the same interception returns from the safety spot in 2023, but if they can at least get elite coverage and a few big plays out of the duo, they should be just fine.
An unsuccessful preseason for the safeties could put the Eagles in a tough spot because they do not have much depth. 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown and career backup K'Von Wallace are the only internal options behind Edmunds and Blankenship.
How Does Running Back Depth Chart Sort Itself out?
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The Eagles built a fascinating running back depth chart in the offseason.
D'Andre Swift has never had more than 650 rushing yards in a single season, Rashaad Penny dealt with plenty of injuries in his career and the duo of Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott were part of the platoon behind Miles Sanders in 2022.
Swift and Penny have the potential to be one of the better running back tandems in the NFL if they stay healthy, but that is the biggest concern since neither player has been active for a full NFL regular season.
Swift should have the inside track to the starting job, but Penny could steal some carries away from the former Lions running back with a strong preseason.
Gainwell and Scott have the advantage of being in the Eagles system already, and both players could be vital assets in the passing game to alleviate the stress on Swift and Penny.
A solid preseason out of all four players would at least give the Eagles more confidence that they made the right decision instead of paying Sanders in free agency.
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