Hot Takes, Predictions for Eagles' Most Impactful Free Agent Signings
The Philadelphia Eagles will head into the 2024 season hoping the several changes they've made will put them atop the NFC again.
The organization made big coaching changes with new coordinators for both sides of the ball. But they also gave those coordinators some fresh talent through free agency and the draft.
In total, the Eagles added 16 external free agents to go with a draft class of nine rookies. While some of those additions will have to fight to make the roster, there are quite a few who are going to be expected to make an early impact.
Let's take a look at the three biggest signings and give some takes and predictions for what kind of impact they will have in 2024.
Saquon Barkley Leads the League in Total Yards
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Saquon Barkley can be an absolute game-changer for the Philadelphia Eagles offense if the stars align and he stays healthy.
The Eagles offensive line has some questions. Lane Johnson is getting older and has to stay healthy, they'll be replacing Jason Kelce and potentially shuffling around the interior. But it will still be the best offensive line that Barkley has run behind in his career.
Last season, D'Andre Swift tallied 1,263 total yards and enjoyed the fourth-highest run-block rating with only 37 stuffed runs all season, according to Player Profiler. Meanwhile, Barkley was ranked 57th in run-blocking rating and had the second-highest number of stuffed runs in the league with 62.
Swift is a good back, but Barkley is a great one when at full strength. After playing in 30 games over the last two seasons it's a little easier to buy that he'll be at full strength.
We could see him return to his rookie form which saw him gain over 2,000 yards from scrimmage with 15 touchdowns.
Pairing him up with a running quarterback like Jalen Hurts should force defenses to account for both runners in the backfield while safeties are going to have to respect the deep threats of DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown.
Everything is in place for Barkley to have a career year.
Bryce Huff Will Have an Even Better Year in 2024
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Bryce Huff enjoyed a breakout year in 2023 with the New York Jets. The 26-year-old has been a small sample size darling since his rookie season for stats like pressure and win rate. In 2023, he proved he could produce in a larger sample size.
Huff came into last season with 7.5 career stats and more than doubled that with 10 as part of the Jets pass-rush rotation in 2023. He also played well over 100 more snaps than he ever had with 480 across 17 regular season games. His previous high was 337.
His rate statistics didn't take a hit. In fact, he posted a career-high 20.3 pressure percentage, per Sports Info Solutions.
Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted that the Eagles plan to play Huff even more after giving him a $51 million contract. Huff detailed his approach to getting ready which hasn't actually changed much from his days as a reserve in New York.
"Just the same way I've always prepared," Huff said of his offseason, per Zangaro. "Just honing in on my conditioning and staying strong. Doing a lot of injury prevention work and just staying dialed in on my details."
Huff has proven that he's more than just a small sample size anomaly. His lightning-quick first step makes him a tough assignment for any tackle and now he gets to be a starter in a Vic Fangio defense.
Huff should have even more production than last season when he posted 10 sacks and 60 pressures, per SIS.
Eagles Will Help Resurrect Career of Mekhi Becton
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The Eagles will be taking on a few free agents who are in dire need of a career resurgence. Devin White is coming to Philly after getting benched by the Bucs last season and Kenny Pickett will sit behind Jalen Hurts after flaming out in PIttsburgh.
But Mekhi Becton is one of the more intriguing redemption stories. The former first-round pick has been repping at guard in OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The new position, combined with the opportunity to work with renowned offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, is enough to believe he'll be useful for the Eagles this season.
He has never played guard before but has noticed the differences quickly.
"It's fun. It's been great," Becton said, per Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. "It's definitely a different adjustment for me. I never played it before, but it's fun. The action is right there than at tackle. Tackle they get a chance to build their speed up and stuff like that, but guard it's all hand work and you have to be ready to fight right then and there."
The Eagles have a competition going at right guard and Becton is in the running with Tyler Steen, Matt Hennessy and Max Scharping.
There's a good chance that Becton can help even if he doesn't win that position battle. Steen was drafted by this regime and should be the favorite to win the job, but injuries are bound to happen in a 17-game season.
Becton's experience at tackle could make him the first lineman off the bench regardless of position.
Either way, there's enough talent there and a great track record of the Eagles developing linemen to believe that Becton's career story isn't over yet.
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