Full Philadelphia Eagles Midseason Awards

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming out of the bye week and heading right into midseason. With only seven games under their belt, they're not quite halfway there, but with the break, it seems as good a time as any to evaluate the team and hand out some individual awards.

Despite the Eagles' 3-4 record, we'll stay mostly positive and hand out traditional awards, such as Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive Player and MVP. However, a team can't underperform the way this group has without recognizing at least one goat, so we also named the most disappointing Eagle in the first half of 2015.

Any guesses as to whom that could be? Read through our midseason awards to find out!

Most Improved: Nolan Carroll

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There were few suitors for Nolan Carroll when he hit the free-agent market in 2014, so the Eagles signed the cornerback on the cheap and created a role for him in their dime package. One year later, Carroll is not only a starter, but he's arguably the best corner on the team so far.

In fact, Carroll is already well on his way to a career year with 41 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions, including a pick-six. According to Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks are posting a 76.8 passer rating against the sixth-year veteran—good for 21st out of 76 qualifying cornerbacks.

Carroll went from being buried beneath Bradley Fletcher on the depth chart, to a training-camp battle with Eric Rowe, to being entrenched in a starting job. And when free agency rolls around in 2016, you can rest assured Carroll will be fielding plenty of phone calls.

Best Rookie: Jordan Hicks

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If you had to guess which Eagles rookie was most likely to make an impact in 2015, Jordan Hicks would've been at the bottom of most lists—just like Hicks was at the bottom of the depth chart at interior linebacker when this season began.

But when Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks were both down with injuries in Week 2, the Eagles pressed Hicks into action. Then something amazing happened: The third-round draft pick out of Texas turned into the defense's best playmaker.

Hicks is tied for the team lead with 43 tackles to go along with one sack, two pass breakups, one interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. For a rookie, he has an uncanny knack of always being around the ball—instinct and athleticism that simply can't be taught.

Considering wide receiver Nelson Agholor has just eight catches and Rowe is relegated to a backup roll, this award was a no-brainer.

Best Free-Agent Addition: Walter Thurmond

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When the Eagles signed Walter Thurmond this offseason, there was some question as to how he would fit. There was a logjam at cornerback at the time, and Thurmond's injury history lent the appearance he was unreliable at best.

When the sixth-year veteran cornerback volunteered to try out at safety following the draft, that instantly brought clarity to the picture. Nobody knew for sure how the experiment would turn out, but as much as the Eagles deploy their safeties in man-to-man coverage, it wasn't a reach at all. Given the talent disparity at safety, Thurmond became the front-runner right away—and never ceased control of the job.

Thurmond was an instant success at training camp, then the momentum carried over into the regular season. His three interceptions lead the team.

Thurmond occasionally takes some bad angles and misses tackles, but that's normal considering he transitioned to a new position. Plus, he's been a huge upgrade over what the Eagles had. This couldn't have worked out better given the circumstances.

Best Offensive Player: Ryan Mathews

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The Eagles' best offensive player through the first half of 2015 has been their backup running back. It would be humorous if it wasn't a little sad.

That's not a knock on Ryan Mathews, who wouldn't be a backup on a lot of NFL teams. At least he wasn't for five seasons with the San Diego Chargers, when the former first-round pick twice eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing and was once invited to the Pro Bowl.

Mathews is now in Philadelphia, where he's stuck behind DeMarco Murray despite outproducing the NFL's reigning rushing champion by far. Murray has 307 yards on 88 carries—a 3.5 average. Mathews has 342 yards on 56 attempts—a 6.1 average. Not even close.

If Mathews isn't the best offensive player for the Eagles thus far, the award would almost have to go to right tackle Lane Johnson, the club's most consistent offensive lineman thus far.

Best Defensive Player: Malcolm Jenkins

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Unlike the offense, there are a number of different directions we could go here. However, Malcolm Jenkins' versatility is what makes him the best all-around defender for the Eagles thus far.

Jenkins may be a safety in name, but he's all over the field. He lines up as the slot cornerback in nickel packages this season, and he is even making plays up at the line of scrimmage.

According to ESPN.com, Jenkins already set a new career high with seven run stuffs for a loss of 24 yards. That goes hand-in-hand with an already-strong season in coverage and as a playmaker, racking up 43 total tackles—tied for the team high—four pass breakups, an interception and three forced fumbles.

Jenkins has quietly become one of the best safeties in the NFL since joining the Eagles last season. His presence has been vital.

Most Valuable Player: Fletcher Cox

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Fletcher Cox easily could've been named the club's best defensive player, and if we were basing that on entire body of work rather than seven games, there's no question he is. The 12th overall draft pick of 2012 has blossomed into one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the NFL.

But while Jenkins is having a slightly better season, Cox is the one who almost single-handedly won the Eagles a game this season. Do they beat the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 without the defensive end's three sacks and two forced fumbles, one of which he recovered on his own? Maybe, but it was a close game until Cox took over.

Cox also had a sack and a forced fumble in the Eagles' Week 6 win over the New York Giants, another hard-fought defensive battle. That's two of the team's three wins where he's made a major impact. It doesn't get a whole lot more valuable than that.

Most Disappointing: Chip Kelly

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We would've given this to the entire offense if we could, but since the awards are meant for individuals, the architect and designer will be the recipient instead.

Chip Kelly traded quarterback Nick Foles and running back LeSean McCoy, allowed wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to slip away as a free agent and released offensive linemen Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans. Say what you want about any of those decisions—some more justifiable than others—but the fact of the matter is his offense has taken a huge step back this season.

Sam Bradford is still getting comfortable under center. Murray was an unnecessary financial investment at running back. Jordan Matthews' production has declined without a receiver who threatens defenses over the top. The offensive line is struggling with reserves in starting spots and a lack of continuity.

Ultimately, the finger points back to Kelly. He assembled this team, he's drawing up the game plans and calling the plays. The offense is a mess, and it's killing the Eagles' shot at reaching the playoffs.