Philadelphia Eagles: Ranking Remaining Offseason Priorities
The offseason may be over, but the Philadelphia Eagles still have plenty of work to do. No, they're probably not going to go out and add any more players that would push the team over the top, but with the roster mostly set, it's time to start readying this group for the regular season.
We could look at just about every position, perhaps even every individual, and ask what the Eagles need to do to be best prepared to make a playoff run in 2015. However, today we are simply asking: Which are the club's biggest remaining priorities this offseason, what needs to happen and why?
The order is based on which issues are most pertinent to Philly's success. Naturally, that means we'll start with quarterback, the most important position on the field, and work our way through the areas the Eagles should resolve before football kicks off in September.
1. Prepare Sam Bradford for Opening Day
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The good news is Sam Bradford's health shouldn't prevent him from being under center for Philadelphia on opening day. Week 1 is roughly 13 months from when Bradford last suffered a torn ACL, which should be more than enough time for recovery.
That being said, the idea that Bradford will automatically be the best option to start for the Eagles come September may be misguided. Recovery aside, it will have been nearly two years since Bradford played in a meaningful NFL game, which means he may be rusty. Not only that, but he must learn a new offense along the way.
It's certainly plausible that Mark Sanchez comes out of training camp looking like the better option. Of course, that would likely turn out badly for the Eagles, as we saw what Sanchez has to offer last season, and while that might get the team by for a few games, he's not a permanent solution.
If success in the NFL comes down to the quarterback position, Bradford is Philly's best hope of reaching the playoffs and competing for the Super Bowl in 2015. First, he'll need to prove he's ready to play at a high level.
2. Identify Starter at Safety
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While the Eagles did a nice job of overhauling the leaky secondary this offseason, there's one key area that may have gone overlooked. Who exactly is supposed to start at safety alongside Malcolm Jenkins?
One thing is for sure: There is no shortage of options. However, are any of them any good? And furthermore, when will we know who it's going to be?
As of now, the front-runner appears to be third-year player Earl Wolff, although he's coming off of knee surgery that limited him all of last season. He's set to battle Jaylen Watkins, the 2014 fourth-round pick who's making the switch from cornerback to safety. Neither player is very experienced.
Other names that might be in the mix include Ed Reynolds, Jerome Couplin, E.J. Biggers and Chris Maragos.
As for when, obviously we won't learn much until training camp is under way, and the competition could last all the way up until a week before the regular season begins. For as much of a priority as this is, it will likely wind up being one of the last situations addressed.
3. Establish Rotation at Wide Receiver
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Fortunately, there is shortage of talent at wide receiver in Philadelphia after the club used its first-round draft pick on Nelson Agholor out of USC. He joins 2014 selections Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff, along with veterans Riley Cooper and Miles Austin, in what suddenly might be a crowded receiving corps.
The Eagles are going to have to figure out ways to get everybody on the field this season, assuming Cooper and Austin are still on the team.
Despite being a rookie, Agholor figures to be out there a lot. The same goes for Matthews, the leading receiver in the clubhouse from last season in the wake of Jeremy Maclin's departure. That being said, Matthews lined up almost exclusively out of the slot in '14, so it will be interesting to see if he's used similarly moving forward.
The biggest decision could come down to how to get all of Huff, Cooper and Austin in the mix. Huff only had eight receptions as a rookie, but as bad as Cooper was last year, it's hard to believe the second-year receiver couldn't beat him out for the No. 2 receiver job. And, again, will Cooper and Austin both be here?
Time will tell, but figuring out exactly how to get everybody involved in the passing attack is something the Eagles will want to establish as quickly as possible.
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4. Solidify Backup Plan for Offensive Line
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When all five members are healthy, Philadelphia's offensive line is one of the best in the NFL. Unfortunately, that seldom seems to be the case.
It's getting difficult to trust the Eagles offensive line will not succumb to injuries. After all, that's been the case in two of the past three seasons, so it's not like there isn't a history of devastation up front. Not only that, but with three of the projected starters well into their 30s, injury and general decline become increasingly likely.
The issue is the Eagles never seem to have much of a backup plan here, and after going a second consecutive year without adding talent in the draft, it seems like it will be more of the same. Granted, depth can be difficult to build along the offensive line, but given the age of their players, the Birds should really have done more to get out in front of this.
Philadelphia must establish a plan in the event that starters start dropping like flies again. Injuries up front nearly derailed the club's season in 2014, and they destroyed the campaign in 2012. Will the nightmare repeat in '15?
5. Shop Impending Free Agents
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You can see the writing on the wall for several key players. Do the Eagles intend to re-sign the likes of Mychal Kendricks of Brandon Boykin when their rookie contracts expire at the end of this season? All signs point to no, so why keep either of them around when they might fetch something in a trade?
It helps that Kendricks and Boykin play at two of the most stacked positions coming off of a busy offseason.
The Eagles haven't offered Kendricks a contract, but they extended DeMeco Ryans, traded for Kiko Alonso, signed Brad Jones, drafted Jordan Hicks, not to mention return Najee Goode from injured reserve and Emmanuel Acho. That's more than enough interior linebackers, and all the additions are a sign that Kendricks will not be retained in 2016.
At cornerback, Boykin was always a long shot to re-sign due to the club's unwillingness to play him anywhere but in the slot. However, since signing free agents Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, and drafting corners Eric Rowe out of Utah, JaCorey Shepherd out of Kansas and Randall Evans out of Kansas State, Boykin seems more of an afterthought than ever.
Defensive end Vinny Curry is another impressive, young player unlikely to re-sign with the Eagles next offseason. He simply can't get the playing time in Philly's defense, while another team will offer him a ton of cash if he has another strong campaign like last year, when he recorded 9.0 sacks.
Nobody is suggesting the Eagles give these players away, but as injuries happen around the league, offers might increase for these very good players. The Eagles might as well listen, because they have plenty of depth at these positions as it is, and these guys probably aren't coming back.
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