Predicting Eagles' Biggest Regrets from 2023 NFL Offseason
The Philadelphia Eagles have placed a lot of trust in their recent NFL draft picks to take their games to another level.
That is most apparent at linebacker, where Nakobe Dean is projected to run the defense after a disappointing rookie campaign.
The Eagles let their top two tacklers from their Super Bowl run leave in free agency, and they have surrounded the 2022 third-rounder with veteran pieces.
Philadelphia added two more veterans last week in an attempt to provide depth in preseason while Dean heals from an ankle injury.
Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham could provide the depth the Eagles need, or that spot could be become the team's biggest weakness in 2023.
On offense, the Eagles are backing a collection of running backs to fill Miles Sanders' shoes. D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny come with risks, and if they fail, Philadelphia will be forced to put even more pressure on Jalen Hurts than he carried last year.
Too Much Trust in Nakobe Dean
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The Eagles believed they got a steal in last year's draft with Dean.
The second-year player was a dominant force at Georgia, and the Eagles are banking on that version of the linebacker showing up in 2023.
The 22-year-old was mostly anonymous in his rookie season, as he made 13 tackles across 17 games while T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White did most of the work at linebacker.
However, Edwards and White are gone now and the middle linebacker spot now belongs to Dean, although his play at the NFL level is still unknown.
The Eagles brought in some security in the form of Jack and Cunningham, but those moves may not have happened if the former Bulldog was fully healthy.
Opponents will likely go after Dean on the ground and through the air until he proves his worth, and if he fails in the starting role, the Eagles could regret trusting a rising young player over signing another veteran to command the middle.
The Running Back Situation
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Philadelphia's running back quartet of Swift, Penny, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott carries plenty of potential on paper.
Swift could have a bounce-back season for his hometown team, Penny can be a solid contributor when healthy, while Gainwell and Scott can continue their supporting roles in third-down and red-zone situations.
However, the Eagles' plan could also backfire. Swift has not played more than 14 games in a single season, and Penny has not been active for over 10 contests in a year since his rookie season in 2018.
When healthy, though, both running backs can thrive in the Eagles' system alongside Hurts.
Swift had over 100 carries in his first two seasons and owns 18 career touchdowns and 4.6 yards per carry, while Penny had 749 yards and six scores in 10 games in 2021.
The potential is there, but the injury risk that comes with both possible starters has to trouble the Eagles a bit.
The worst-case scenario features Gainwell and Scott taking over the bulk of the carries in a handful of games in 2023 because Swift and Penny are banged up.
Gainwell can handle those responsibilities, as he did in 2022 when Sanders wasn't 100 percent, but a Super Bowl contender can only go so far if a No. 3 running back is in an elevated role for an extended period.
Not Adding Enough Wide Receiver Depth
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The Eagles have some of the best top-end wide receiver depth in the NFL with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
They also have a star tight end in Dallas Goedert, who was the team's third-best pass-catcher in 2022.
After that, Philly does not have much to offer between Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus and others fighting for roster spots.
Watkins only had 354 receiving yards in 2022, and he had plenty of drops in key situations.
Brown, Smith and Goedert were responsible for 3,394 of the team's 4,364 receiving yards last season.
Watkins could improve in 2023 and Zaccheaus could prove to be a decent depth addition, but just one major injury at wide receiver, could leave the team in serious trouble.
The Eagles did not add a strong third receiver, like the Miami Dolphins did with Braxton Berrios, and the lack of consistency further down the depth chart could hurt them down the line.
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