Breaking Down Philadelphia Eagles' Roster After the 2015 NFL Draft
Although they didn't land a massive draft-day trade to acquire former Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Eagles turned in a solid draft, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
With today marking the exact halfway point between the final game of the 2014 season and the first game of the 2015 season for the Eagles, this feels like a solid time to properly assess the roster breakdown for the upcoming season. Expectations heading into year three of the Chip Kelly era will absolutely need to come with a playoff victory. No longer can the Eagles get away with winning 10 games and failing to qualify for the postseason or even losing in the wild-card round. It's time for results now. The pressure is on for Chip Kelly and Sam Bradford.
Each position will be broken down for the Eagles, including a prediction of which players will end up making the final 53-man roster for the 2015 Eagles.
Quarterback
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The Eagles have had their starting quarterback play in all 16 games exactly one time in the last 11 seasons, and that was Donovan McNabb in 2008. The Eagles will be counting on former No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford to break that streak.
Bradford, as we all know, is recovering from consecutive ACL tears. He hasn't thrown a pass in an NFL game since October 2013. When he did play, he also wasn't very effective. He did win the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, but he's really never built off that initial success, and it's scary to think that the season rests on his twice surgically-repaired left knee.
Count me as one of the few who thinks Mark Sanchez is a terrific backup quarterback. He played just over half the season and threw 14 touchdown passes with an 88.4 passer rating. He certainly wasn't spectacular, but he led the Eagles to more than 27 points of offense per game. That's all you can ask out of a backup quarterback, and if Bradford isn't healthy for the start of the season, Sanchez could be the Week 1 starter.
Tim Tebow, the prized free-agent signing, will compete with the disappointing fourth-round pick Matt Barkley for the No. 3 quarterback spot. G.J. Kinne, the jack of all trades who will play quarterback, wide receiver and special teams during training camp, has a chance to earn a spot on the practice squad.
Roster prediction: Bradford, Sanchez and Tebow
Running Back
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It's still hard to believe that LeSean McCoy is with the Buffalo Bills, and he's been replaced by DeMarco Murray. With one rushing champion out and another rushing champion in, the Eagles have put a tremendous amount of faith in a player who touched the ball almost 500 times during the 2014 season.
If Murray, who turned 27 this offseason, goes down for an extended period of time, the Eagles have one of the league's better backup running backs in former first-round pick Ryan Mathews. They also have veteran Darren Sproles, who can carry a couple of times per game, catch passes out of the backfield and return punts.
It's possible but unlikely that a player like Kenjon Barner, Matthew Tucker or Raheem Mostert finds his way onto the team.
Roster prediction: Murray, Mathews and Sproles
Wide Receiver
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A month ago, the wide receiver position was one of the prominent weaknesses on the team. It certainly wouldn't be described as a strength right now, but in a couple of seasons, the team's young trio could be one of the best corps in the National Football League.
Jordan Matthews, who recorded 876 yards and scored eight touchdowns as a rookie, will be the No. 1 receiver, where the hope is that he can fulfill the role Jeremy Maclin did in 2014. Rookie first-round receiver Nelson Agholor figures to be the other starter on the outside, while former Oregon star Josh Huff will look to build off a disappointing rookie season. He'll probably be the slot target.
Veteran Riley Cooper still has a chance of getting cut with a post-June 1 designation, but he and Miles Austin will likely be the fourth and fifth receivers. Undrafted free agent Devante Davis could be one of the steals of the undrafted free-agent class. Veteran special teamer Seyi Ajirotutu has a chance to earn a roster spot.
Expectations are minimal, if existent at all, for players like Quron Pratt, Jeff Maehl, John Harris, Rasheed Bailey and, of course, Oregon practice squad player Will Murphy.
Roster prediction: Matthews, Agholor, Huff, Cooper, Austin and Davis
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Tight End
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Heading into his ninth season with the Eagles, the longest-tenured member of the offense is still a starter, even as he's entered into his age-30 season. Brent Celek is still one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL, and even though his numbers have dipped considerably as a blocker, he's still a worthy starter.
Former second-round pick Zach Ertz didn't produce the breakout season fans hoped for in 2014, although he still managed to catch 58 passes for 702 yards and three touchdowns. Just 24 years old in 2015, Ertz is easily in line for his best season yet.
Former undrafted free agent Trey Burton played a minimal role in 2014, but as the team's third tight end in 2015, he should definitely experience increased playing time.
Roster prediction: Celek, Ertz and Burton
Offensive Line
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The Eagles made a mistake by not drafting an offensive lineman for the second straight season, but if everybody stays healthy, they'll still have one of the best groups in the National Football League. It was injuries to the offensive line that directly affected to the early-season struggles of young quarterback Nick Foles and running back LeSean McCoy.
Left tackle Jason Peters, left guard Evan Mathis, center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson are all among the best in the game at their position. The problem is what to do if veterans like Peters and Mathis miss more time in the 2015 season.
Allen Barbre, the likely starter at right guard for Todd Herremans, played in just one game in 2014 before missing the remainder of the year with an ankle injury. The current depth will consist of Matt Tobin, Andrew Gardner and David Molk, who were all depth players in 2014 as well.
Players like Brett Boyko, Malcolm Bunche, Mike Coccia, Kevin Graf, Dennis Kelly, Cole Manhart and Julian Vandervelde all have a long shot to make the team.
Roster prediction: Peters, Mathis, Kelce, Barbre, Johnson, Tobin, Gardner and Molk
Defensive Line
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With no chance of Fletcher Cox leaving in a potential trade for Marcus Mariota, the Eagles will boast one of the best defensive lines in the league for the second straight season.
Cox, already one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the game, is the focal point of the entire defense, and it's his presence that makes players like nose tackle Bennie Logan and run-stopper Cedric Thornton even better. The three will be the starters on the defensive line, perhaps the most underrated unit on the team, for the third straight season.
Vinny Curry is one of the best pass-rushers in the league, even as a role player, while last year's seventh-round pick Beau Allen is a solid backup nose tackle. Brandon Bair played well last season even at age 30, blocking two kicks and tipping a third, and last year's fifth-round pick Taylor Hart needs to step up after playing in zero snaps in 2014. Former undrafted free-agent defensive lineman Travis Raciti has a chance to earn a roster spot with a strong training camp.
Still on the roster but long shots to make the team are Wade Keliikipi, B.J. McBride and seventh-round defensive end Brian Mihalik, who stands at 6'9". Mihalik, who weighs 300 pounds and runs a 4.88 in the 40-yard dash, is an incredible athlete who feels like a great developmental player and a likely candidate for the practice squad.
Roster prediction: Cox, Logan, Thornton, Curry, Allen, Hart, Bair and Raciti
Linebacker
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Unlike the Andy Reid era, the Eagles are absolutely loaded at linebacker. Acquired in the trade for LeSean McCoy, Kiko Alonso was one of the best linebackers in the NFL in 2013, even as a rookie, before suffering a torn ACL in 2014. Connor Barwin recorded 14.5 sacks in 2014 and was easily the team's best pass-rusher, while former first-round pick Brandon Graham will finally get his chance to start at outside linebacker.
Veteran DeMeco Ryans looks to heal from his Achilles injury, where, even at the age of 31, he's considered one of the most valuable players on Billy Davis' defense. Despite a great year in 2014, former second-round pick Mychal Kendricks could actually enter 2015 as a backup.
Last year's first-round pick Marcus Smith showed absolutely nothing as a rookie, while third-round pick Jordan Hicks could be a future starter for Kendricks. Bryan Braman is a terrific special teams player, while Najee Goode and Brad Jones figure to be solid depth players.
Long shots to make the team are players like Emmanuel Acho, Brandon Hepburn, Travis Long and Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo.
Roster prediction: Barwin, Alonso, Ryans, Graham, Kendricks, Hicks, Smith, Braman, Goode and Jones
Secondary
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The big free-agent signing of the offseason came at the cornerback position where Kelly inked former Legion of Boom member Byron Maxwell to a six-year deal worth $63 million, including more than $25 million guaranteed. Although he has only 17 career starts, Maxwell is expected to take on the role of No. 1 cornerback in 2015.
Rookie second-round pick Eric Rowe could play corner or safety, but the guess here is that he plays corner, with Brandon Boykin getting traded and Walter Thurmond taking over the nickel corner position. Sixth-round corner JaCorey Shepherd has terrific cover skills and has a chance to be the team's fourth corner. This leaves veteran Nolan Carroll as the odd man out.
At safety, veteran Malcolm Jenkins will obviously be the top safety, as last year's free agent played very well in Billy Davis' scheme last season. The competition for the other starting safety spot will be between a pair of fifth-round picks in Earl Wolff and Ed Reynolds, as well as last year's fourth-round corner Jaylen Watkins, assuming he moves to safety. Sixth-round pick Randall Evans could also move to safety if needed, as he has the size and speed to play both positions in the secondary. And special teamer Chris Maragos is a lock to make the team, as he's the leader of the team's great defensive return units.
Among defensive backs with a slim chance to make the squad are veteran E.J. Biggers, signed from the Washington Redskins, special teams standout Chris Prosinski and undrafted free-agent corner Denzel Rice.
Roster prediction: Maxwell, Rowe, Jenkins, Watkins, Thurmond, Shepherd, Wolff, Evans and Maragos
Special Teams
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There won't be any surprises on special teams. Last year's rookie kicker Cody Parkey emerged as a very pleasant surprise, missing on just four field goals all season and earning a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Veteran Donnie Jones has quickly become one of the most efficient punters in NFL history, and long snapper Jon Dorenbos has been flawless since the day he signed with the team back in 2006. This is one area where there will be no surprises in 2015, even for Chip Kelly.
Roster prediction: Parkey, Jones and Dorenbos
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