5 Mistakes the Philadelphia Eagles Can't Afford to Make This Offseason

We tend to think in terms of what the Philadelphia Eagles should do over the offseason. You know, the checklist of needs the team must address, perhaps in some sophisticated order.

Maybe it’s not as much about what the Eagles need to do, as opposed to the mistakes they must avoid. The mistakes that, frankly, the franchise cannot afford.

Nothing sets a team back quite like misappropriated salary-cap space for an aging free agent or a first- or second-round pick wasted on a complete bust. After all, it’s not the good decisions fans tend to remember.

If the Eagles want to move from perennial also-rans to legitimate Super Bowl contenders, I have a feeling it might be less about the specific, high-profile acquisitions they make than the general philosophies the front office employs. Simply put, if a certain criteria isn’t met this offseason, it won’t matter if the organization manages to cultivate one or two more stars.

The bad decisions can weigh a team down.

With that in mind, we examine the five mistakes the Eagles absolutely can’t afford to make this offseason if they’re hoping to jump into the title talk at any point in the next year or two. It’s probably not even being remotely melodramatic to say that any of these aspects could bring the whole program down if not handled just right.

Reach for a Quarterback

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Eagles have a lot of needs. One of them may or may not be at starting quarterback.

A case can be made for or against Nick Foles. He set franchise and NFC records in 2013, not to mention he has posted a 14-4 record as the starter under head coach Chip Kelly. But Foles also struggled mightily with turnovers in 2014, and the concern is the previous year’s historic campaign was a product of the system.

If we’re being fair and balanced, there’s no real way to know for sure which side is right. That being said, in this case, Philadelphia might be better off with the status quo.

That’s because barring an unexpected trip down the board for Heisman Trophy-winning signal-caller Marcus Mariota, the Eagles likely won’t have a shot at a true “quarterback of the future” in this draft.

At one point, Rob Rang for CBSSports.com had gone so far as to mock UCLA’s Brett Hundley to Philly at No. 20 overall. That sounds insane when ESPN Insider’s Scouts Inc. has Hundley ranked as the 83rd-best prospect in the entire draft—or squarely a third-round pick.

But Hundley is arguably a top-three passer in this draft, which is sure to elevate his value in a very thin class for the position. None of which is to say the Eagles shouldn’t select a quarterback if the timing and value are right.

However, given all the other needs this team has, plus the fact that the perfectly good field general may already be on the roster in the form of Foles, there’s absolutely no reason the Birds should blow a high draft pick on a questionable prospect.

Allow Jeremy Maclin to Depart Via Free Agency

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The good news is Jeremy Maclin has expressed every desire to return to the Eagles. The bad news is he doesn’t have a contract extension yet, and free agency opens March 10.

Of course, it’s way too soon to panic. Or is it? In a recent interview on 97.5 The Fanatic, ESPN’s Adam Caplan explained (transcribed by Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation) that Maclin changing his agent might be at least partly to blame for why a new deal isn’t already done, with the reporter going so far as to admit he’s less optimistic it will.

Let’s keep in mind Maclin is the club’s feature receiver, finishing top 10 in the NFL in yards (ninth) and touchdowns (seventh). Let’s not forget the team already released three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson the previous offseason, leaving the appearance that 2014 second-round pick Jordan Matthews would be all that’s left to take over the No. 1 receiver spot if Maclin departed.

Honestly, negotiations really shouldn’t be that difficult. Based on contracts awarded to his peers over the past couple of offseasons, Maclin is no doubt looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $9 million-$10 million per season over around five years.

And if worst comes to worst, the Eagles could always use the franchise tag—an one-year contract at an estimated $12.7 million, per Jason La Canfora for CBSSports.com—to keep Maclin in house while a potential replacement is unearthed.

This really doesn’t have to be that hard, though. Maclin has repeatedly expressed a desire to stay, and he’s currently the franchise’s best wideout. It would be downright foolish to create a need where one doesn’t exist.

Rely on Mid-Level Moves to Shore Up Secondary

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Is it any wonder Philadelphia’s pass defense has ranked 32nd and 31st the past two seasons? Just look at the acquisitions the club has made since Kelly’s arrival.

Bradley Fletcher. Cary Williams. Patrick Chung. Roc Carmichael. Re-signing Nate Allen. Drafting Earl Wolff, Jaylen Watkins and Ed Reynolds, none earlier than the fourth round. Malcolm Jenkins has been the only respectable addition, and even he’s nothing special.

The fact of the matter is if the Eagles have any prayer of fixing this secondary, it won’t happen signing a bunch of mid-level free agents or waiting until Day 3 of the draft. Simply put, the team must invest both money and draft picks into the defensive backfield, or it will continue to be one of the laughingstocks of the NFL.

None of which is to say the Eagles should go out and sign every top available veteran or spend all of its early selections on covermen. If the past two seasons have taught us anything, though, surely it’s that a defense requires some semblance of talent in the secondary.

You think the Eagles need a quarterback? Until they can keep the great ones from torching their own defense, it doesn’t matter who’s under center in Philadelphia. Time to spend some money and invest some early draft picks at cornerback and safety.

Ignore the Offensive Line

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

At least four of five starters along Philadelphia’s offensive line have missed extensive game action in two of the past three seasons. Is it any coincidence that three of the starters are in their 30s?

Perhaps, but it’s no new theory that aging players are more likely to get hurt. And not surprisingly, all three 30-year-olds—left tackle Jason Peters, left guard Evan Mathis and right guard Todd Herremans—have been among the linemen to go on the shelf due to injuries.

Injuries to Mathis and Herremans, as well as center Jason Kelce, in addition to right tackle Lane Johnson's four-game suspension, left the Eagles O-line in a precarious state for much of 2015. Is it any wonder LeSean McCoy went from the NFL’s leading rusher to averaging 4.2 yards per carry? Is it any surprise Foles looked uncomfortable in the pocket as opposed to the smooth operator he was in 2013?

Of course, all five starters could wind up staying healthy for all 16 games in 2015—you never know. But Peters, Mathis and Herremans are all on the back ends of their careers. Any of their declines could come swiftly, as could their departures.

The Eagles should consider improving their depth along the offensive line because starters get hurt. Then again, they should also consider cultivating some long-term replacements for several players. Kelce and Johnson are still young. The rest of the unit is practically decrepit. Whether through free agency or the draft, youth and depth must be added.

Mortgage the Future for Marcus Mariota

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Depending on where you’re from, you may or may not be aware of the fantasy Eagles fans have of the Eagles trading into one of the top two draft picks for Marcus Mariota. Take my word for it, this is a thing in a Philadelphia.

I assume anyone outside the City of Brotherly Love and the frequent callers of its two dedicated sports-talk radio stations already understands just how implausible it is to move up from No. 20 to Nos. 1 or 2 overall. I’d go so far as to describe it as being barely short of impossible myself.

Let’s just say Mariota falls out of one of the top spots or the chance to select the Oregon product is up for grabs and the Eagles are somehow one of the primary suitors. I don’t think anybody is opposed to the idea—only what it might cost to make the jump.

Look at what Washington traded to the St. Louis Rams for the right to draft Robert Griffin III in 2012. Washington went from No. 6 to No. 2 for the price of three first-round picks and a second.

Now look at where the franchise is—and that was to move four spots.

If Mariota does somehow slide and the Eagles have an opportunity to strike, nobody would blame them. This is Kelly’s so-called handpicked quarterback in the draft, the organization has made the head coach the top decision-maker, and if this is what it takes to win a Super Bowl, so be it.

But the moment the franchise has to start selling off multiple first- and second-round picks for this kid is when it quickly and clearly is no longer worth it. The Eagles have way more needs than under center, and while Mariota may turn out to be an excellent NFL quarterback, without the draft picks to improve the other underprivileged aspects of the roster, the team as a whole will never improve.

If it works out and Mariota falls in Philly’s lap, so be it. The worst thing the team could do, though, is force such a situation to occur.