Identifying Philadelphia Eagles' Biggest Strengths, Weaknesses After Draft
Chip Kelly's first offseason and draft with final say over personnel decisions has concluded, so are the Philadelphia Eagles better or worse off than before? They're certainly different, but like any NFL roster, there are some strengths, and there are some weaknesses.
The head coach made massive overhauls to a roster that helped him win 10 games in each of the past two seasons. Some changes were for the better; others perhaps not. All of that remains to be seen, but it's clear on paper at least which areas are improved and which ones still require work.
Ahead, we examine which positions are in the best shape after Kelly's dramatic offseason, and what may still hold Philadelphia back from earning its first playoff win since 2008. While the Eagles now appear to be a lot deeper in most areas, there are still a few spots that could conspire to hold the club back.
Strength: Cornerback
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In one offseason, the Eagles managed to turn perhaps their biggest weakness into quite possibly one of their greatest strengths. Signing Byron Maxwell during free agency went a long way toward accomplishing that goal, but taking three cornerbacks over draft weekend solidified an area that faced tough questions in 2015 and beyond.
First of all, it was unclear who would start opposite Maxwell. An opening that would have come down to either unreliable Walter Thurmond or mediocre Nolan Carroll could now be filled by promising Eric Rowe, second-round pick out of Utah. Rowe may also wind up playing safety, but Kelly gushed about the young man’s ability as a press corner, per Geoff Mosher for CSNPhilly.com.
Even had Thurmond or Carroll worked out, the other issue for Philadelphia was, besides Maxwell, not a single cornerback on the roster was under contract beyond this season. With Rowe and sixth-round selections JaCorey Shepherd out of Kansas and Randall Evans out of Kansas State joining the mix, at worst they ensure there will be some warm bodies around in 2016.
Whether Rowe, Shepherd or Evans can actually play remains to be seen, which will go a long way toward determining just how much of a strength cornerback really is. Yet the Eagles added competition for a starting job and depth at a key position, so as of right now, they appear to have improved there to say the least.
Weakness: Safety
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Granted, Rowe and Evans to a lesser degree have experience playing safety. 2014 fourth-round cornerback Jaylen Watkins may or may not be switching to safety, but tells Tim McManus for Philadelphia Magazine that he is.
Regardless, there simply is too much ambiguity at safety right now to feel comfortable about the situation. Malcolm Jenkins has one job nailed down, but who will start alongside him remains a mystery.
Earl Wolff was the front-runner. The 2013 fifth-round pick started six games as a rookie and seemed competent, but he was limited by a knee injury last season and eventually required surgery. Who knows how far along he is in his progression.
Watkins was expected to compete with Wolff, but little is known about the second-year player. His only action in ’14 came in Week 17 at cornerback, which is hardly enough to draw any conclusions from.
Even if Rowe were to play safety—which didn’t sound like the plan, but Kelly left open as a possibility— the Eagles would be starting a rookie at one of the most cerebral positions on the field. That’s dangerous.
The good news is the Eagles have plenty of options. Ed Reynolds, Jerome Couplin, E.J. Biggers and Chris Maragos are all on the roster as well, among others. That being said, there’s not one clear-cut answer out of the bunch, and that’s scary.
Strength: Wide Receiver
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Philadelphia was never quite as weak at wide receiver as it appeared. Jeremy Maclin’s unexpected departure during free agency was a blow, but the Eagles weren’t wholly unprepared, using second- and third-round picks on Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff in 2014.
But after using the 20th-overall selection in 2015 on Nelson Agholor out of USC, the future is looking brighter than ever. Agholor was one of the most productive receivers in college football last season, finishing seventh in the nation with 104 receptions, ninth with 1,313 yards and tied for seventh with 12 touchdowns.
There are still some concerns, of course. Matthews enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign, yet lined up almost exclusively in the slot, so whether he can be as effective on the outside is unknown. Huff flashed explosive potential, but only caught eight passes total, making his development difficult to project. And Agholor just arrived in the NFL, which means we can only assume he’ll contribute.
Fortunately, they’re not alone. Miles Austin was signed as a reasonable insurance policy, and should he make the team, he could take the pressure off one of these young wideouts to become the primary target. Riley Cooper is still around as a replacement-level No. 2 as well.
Whether any of these players can replace Maclin’s Pro Bowl production remains to be seen. Together, however, they potentially form a deep group that doesn’t rely on any one person to step up.
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Weakness: Offensive Line
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When everybody is healthy, Philadelphia has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The problem is the unit hasn’t been able to stay intact for two of the past three seasons, and with so many aging players, there’s reason to expect more breakdowns. Meanwhile, the depth has struggled to pick up the slack.
Yet for the second year in a row, the Eagles failed to address the offensive line in the draft. In fact, they haven’t invested a single pick into the position since taking right tackle Lane Johnson fourth overall in 2013.
Meanwhile, future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters is 33. All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis turns 34 this year. Journeyman Allen Barbre, who’s projected to replace Todd Herremans (released) at right guard, will be 31. Even Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce is going to be 28, which is still well within a lineman’s prime, but it further illustrates these guys are all getting old.
Peters and Mathis can still go, but at their age, decline can be sudden and unexpected. Plus, all four of the aforementioned players have missed no fewer than eight games over the past three seasons due to injury.
Technically, if everybody manages to avoid the trainer’s room and their ability doesn’t fall off a cliff, the Eagles’ O-line can be a strength this season. Then again, that might be assuming a lot, and it doesn’t even begin to speak to beyond 2015.
Strength: Interior Linebacker
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As long as Mychal Kendricks doesn’t get traded between now and the midseason trade deadline, interior linebacker looks like the Eagles’ strongest position. Sure, there are concerns about the health of several players here, but the group is so deep, it may not matter.
Kendricks is one of only three NFL linebackers with at least 8.0 sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, Kiko Alonso was voted the PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. DeMeco Ryans may be getting a little long in the tooth, but he’s the quarterback of Philly’s defense. Somehow, the Eagles must find a way to get all three on the field.
Then there are the backups. Najee Goode was headed for a larger role in the defense before landing on injured reserve last season. Brad Jones was picked up off the scrapheap to add depth and play special teams. Then the club goes ahead and drafts Jordan Hicks out of Texas in the third round for good measure.
There’s so much talent at the position that Emmanuel Acho has almost not shot at making the roster after appearing in 14 games in 2014. Something tells me Kendricks could still wind up being moved—he’s a free agent next season and isn’t likely to re-sign with this logjam, so the Eagles should at least explore a trade. As of now, however, there’s an unbelievable collection of talent here.
Weakness: Outside Linebacker
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For my money, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham may be one of the best outside linebacker tandems in the league. It doesn’t get much stronger than that.
The problem is what happens if Brawin or Graham are out for an extended period of time or even just need a blow? There is nothing in the way of established depth behind them.
2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith could barely get on the field as a rookie. Bryan Braman is purely a special teams contributor. Travis Long spent last year on injured reserve and has yet to play a down in the NFL.
Unfortunately, the Eagles didn’t address this not-so-minor issue during the draft, so barring the development of Smith and/or Long, the potential exists for this to turn into a crisis.
It’s been suggested that some of the interior linebackers could line up outside, and maybe that is something that would work situationally. However, the idea of 240-pound pass-rushers working against 300-plus-pound offensive tackles on a regular basis does not sound like a viable solution.
As long as Barwin and Graham stay healthy, this is one weakness where Philadelphia may not get exposed. And to be fair, Smith or Long could turn out to be quality players. That being said, it’s certainly concerning.
Strength: Running Back
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The Eagles didn’t address the running back position at all during the draft. Of course, they didn’t need to, either. Philadelphia’s fleet of backs is already one of, if not, the deepest group in the NFL.
When you invest huge sums of free-agent dollars into DeMarco Murray—the NFL’s reigning rushing champion—and Ryan Mathews, with Darren Sproles already on the roster, your backfield is pretty much set.
And while Chris Polk was understandably frustrated with his opportunity, and the restricted free agent was allowed to depart, practice squaders Matthew Tucker or Kenjon Barner are more than capable of taking his place, if the Eagles even carry four ball-carriers.
Weakness: Quarterback
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Once again, we have an area that may not prove to be a weakness after everything is said and done. If Sam Bradford is healthy, he could excel in Kelly’s high-powered offense, with better weapons and protection than the former No. 1 overall draft pick ever enjoyed as a member of the St. Louis Rams.
Then again, it’s difficult to depend on Bradford’s renaissance. First of all, he’s played in just seven games over the past two seasons after suffering back-to-back torn ACLs. Furthermore, while some of Bradford’s inability to live up to his pedigree can be blamed on the lack of surround talent, there’s no telling anymore what the 27-year-old’s ceiling actually is.
That being said, the real issue here is Philadelphia lacks any fallback option. 2015 was a weak draft class for quarterbacks, but the fact that the Eagles didn’t even take a flier on a mid-round prospect means if Bradford doesn’t pan out, they lack serious alternatives.
Mark Sanchez is under contract through next season, but he’s a backup at best. Neither Matt Barkley nor Tim Tebow is likely to garner much consideration for the starting job, now or in the future.
If Bradford is healthy and performs up to his potential, this is all a moot point. The Eagles can simply extend him, and the quarterback position is finally settled.
Yet that may not be the likeliest of scenarios. Bradford hasn’t been the answer through the first five years of his NFL career, and he may never be. If he’s not, the Eagles are going to be in trouble, both in the seasons ahead and quite possibly for a long time to come.
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