Predicting Eagles' Biggest Regrets from 2024 NFL Offseason
The Philadelphia Eagles may look back on the 2024 NFL offseason and regret they did not more at certain positions.
Nick Sirianni's team needs a bit more help at the offensive skill positions where depth is scarce and star players are abundant.
The defensive issues that plagued the Eagles at the back end of the 2023 season might be solved a bit by new cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but there is still a hole at linebacker.
The Eagles have not valued the linebacker position as much as the defensive line and secondary in recent years and that may come back to bite them.
Not Enough Wide Receiver Depth
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The Eagles do not require a ton of production out of the No. 3-5 wide receiver spots on their roster because A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith exist.
However, it would be nice for the Eagles to have some better options for Jalen Hurts to connect with if Brown and/or Smith are locked in coverage in certain games.
Parris Campbell, who worked with Sirianni previously in Indianapolis, is the front-runner, if you want to call it that, to be the No. 3 wide receiver.
Rookie Johnny Wilson appears to have a big opportunity in front of him, but the Eagles should not be relying on a late-round draft pick to fit in a big role this early.
The Eagles made a miscalculation with their wide receiver depth, and while the problem can still be rectified, they currently have one of the worst sets of depth pass-catchers in the NFL.
Lack of Linebacker Additions
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The Eagles are relying on their linebackers taking a step up in play in 2024.
That's a big ask for someone like Nakobe Dean who has underperformed and been hurt by injuries so far in his NFL career.
Dean and Nolan Smith each need to take a big step up in order for the Eagles to have a reliable set of linebackers.
They took a chance on Zack Baun and Devin White to provide veteran experience in the middle of defense. Baun is a reliable tackler, but not a star at the position, and White had better years with Tampa Bay before 2023.
The Eagles took a major risk on their linebacker unit for the 2024 season, and if things do not go well for their homegrown players, there will be a lot of questions asked about why the Eagles did not do more to fill the hole on defense when they had the chance in the offseason.
Adding Just Saquon Barkley at Running Back
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Saquon Barkley was the Eagles' biggest addition in the offseason.
Barkley gives the Eagles a running back who can take pressure off Jalen Hurts in the ground game, but just like at wide receiver, the team has little depth behind their star.
Kenneth Gainwell has always been a No. 2 or No. 3-caliber player, but he only has one season over 300 rushing yards in his three-year NFL career.
Gainwell could be a solid third-down and red-zone running back, but that's about it right now.
The Eagles have Will Shipley and Lew Nichols getting most of the work in preseason, and there's always a chance one of them emerges as a key piece of the offense.
Barkley will carry the load at running back, but the Eagles should have added more insurance behind him since the former Giants running back has dealt with injuries in the past.
The Eagles are one injury away on offense from having a potential crisis unfold in terms of star production.
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