Philadelphia Eagles' Top Candidates for Breakout Season in 2017
The Philadelphia Eagles employ a healthy mix of proven veterans and potential-laden young players heading into the 2017 season, and any such situation provides opportunities for players to break out.
There aren't many areas on the roster where a heavy stable of veterans is keeping unheralded guys from earning playing time, and that leaves the door open for them to make an impact. That would be a well-received development at a number of positions that are hurting for depth.
While the Eagles aren't short on big-money impact players who are expected to carry the load, Philadelphia is still in the midst of a quasi-rebuild. That leaves the team needing some lesser-known names to step up to provide options next offseason, when general manager Howie Roseman and the front office will need to make more salary-cap adjustments.
Some are being expected to step up, while others will need to earn their way into the fold, but the Eagles have plenty of young players capable of breaking out. Let's take a look at them.
RB Wendell Smallwood
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Wendell Smallwood doesn't look like the feature back of the future for the Eagles, but it's no secret the offense is ready to put a bigger workload on the second-year back's shoulders going into 2017.
Sure, Ryan Mathews is still on the roster, but the feeling is the Eagles are simply waiting on him to be able to pass a physical before either releasing or trading him. The 29-year-old has proved his inability to stay healthy and carry the load, a realization the Eagles probably made before selecting Smallwood in the 2016 draft.
The former West Virginia back impressed with limited touches as a rookie, averaging 4.1 yards per carry but reaching pay dirt just once in his 77 attempts. Smallwood only reached double-digit carries in three of his 13 games played.
Kenjon Barner has gone, meaning Smallwood and Darren Sproles appear to be the only backs on the roster who will be suiting up in gang green in 2017. While he's impressively physical for his 5'10" frame, Smallwood could benefit by being paired with a bruiser in the backfield.
That said, his elusive skills match up well with the West Coast offense being employed by head coach Doug Pederson, and a bigger presence in 2017 would be a huge help to quarterback Carson Wentz.
OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai
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The Eagles don't have much opportunity for reserve offensive tackles to shine going into 2017, with Jason Peters and Lane Johnson making up one of the more formidable pairings in the game. That said, it's no secret the future is murky, with Peters turning 36 right after the 2017 regular season concludes.
Philly did need a young tackle to step up in 2016, when Johnson got hit with a 10-game suspension. Halapoulivaati Vaitai got an opportunity to do so and started six games, showcasing plenty of potential along with the expected growing pains of thrusting a tackle who wasn't ready into a starting spot.
It wasn't the best thing for the Eagles in the moment, with a young quarterback needing supreme protection, but it was the best thing for Vaitai's development. He has the knowledge now of what's expected, and he can build on that throughout the offseason into training camp before showing in the preseason that he's capable of taking the next step.
In a perfect world, the Eagles won't need much from Vaitai. But their bookend left tackle is reaching the twilight of his career, and that will have Philly exploring its options. Vaitai won't get a ton of playing time, but expect him to make the most of what he does get.
CB Jalen Mills
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The Eagles probably didn't expect a whole lot from Jalen Mills when they selected him with one of the final picks of the 2016 draft, but he exceeded those expectations by playing confidently and instinctively in the Eagles secondary.
The former LSU standout got most of his burn as a rookie in the slot, where he appears to be a more natural fit as opposed to the perimeter cornerback slots where the Eagles are truly hurting from a personnel standpoint. The slot is probably where his future lies, but Philly will need him to step up on the outside.
While Mills' somewhat slender frame and weaknesses in technique make him a better fit as a slot corner, he's still a 6'0" corner with the speed and confidence to play as a No. 1 or 2 corner. Unless the Eagles make two big splashes in the draft, he should be needed at one of those spots and has the best chance to be a game-changer out there.
If Mills gets the right coaching and dedicates himself, he can certainly help to fill the void at cornerback. It's no secret that the Eagles could use him breaking out in 2017.
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WR Nelson Agholor
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There's no beating around the bush here. As a former first-round pick, Nelson Agholor should have broken out by now, and with every opportunity to do so in 2016 as a second-year wideout assuming a starting role, he vanished.
Developing from a potential-filled young receiver into a true threat is as cruel and difficult a process as there is in the NFL. But nothing helps that process more than having a veteran leader at the position who can not only take pressure off in games but also teach the youngster during camp and in practices.
Agholor's struggles in 2016 were undoubtedly mental. But his talent supersedes the problems he's had between the ears, and playing below established wideouts like Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith will be the best thing that could happen to Agholor as he receives less attention from defenses and more space in the middle of the field to make plays.
The Eagles are no longer heavily reliant on Agholor to produce, and he faces the growing reality of losing his spot on the team if he doesn't bring it. That should only help him to tap into his potential and prove he's not quite the bust Eagles fans are making him out to be.
LB Najee Goode
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Linebacker Najee Goode has made a name for himself on the Eagles, but not at his natural position. Instead, he's proved to be a reliable special-teams presence and a willing rotational piece in the 4-3 when called upon.
But you don't re-sign a player off his entry-level contract because he can play special teams. The Eagles obviously see more impact from Goode at linebacker in the future, and he'll make good on that opportunity in 2017.
Injuries have derailed Goode's ability to truly break out, but he's come off a couple of healthy seasons and is ready to prove his worth. Philadelphia is set up well at linebacker, with Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks as every-down players, but Mychal Kendricks is a square peg in a round hole at the weak-side linebacker spot, and that will provoke the Eagles to explore other options.
Goode should be one of the first guys they call upon to show what he can do in 2017. A rangy, all-around linebacker who can cover the perimeter and plug holes, Goode should excel and prove he was worth re-signing.
TE Trey Burton
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There's not a whole lot that a third tight end on a roster can do to truly break out, and that's the position that Trey Burton finds himself in entering 2017. But his talent and potential jump off the page, and a West Coast offense can never have too many weapons.
Burton is the type of weapon who should intrigue Pederson, as he brings an ultra-versatile skill set to the table. The former Florida Gator has primarily stood out on special teams but has also showcased strong pass-catching and play-making acumen when he's featured in the offense.
Zach Ertz is obviously the primary tight end from a production standpoint, but Brent Celek has been relegated to being pretty much a sixth offensive lineman when he's in the game. Look for Pederson to find ways to get Burton in the game on offense and utilize his combination of ball-carrying and pass-catching to help take Philadelphia's offense to the next level.
CB Patrick Robinson
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Patrick Robinson is a bit of a wild card. It's not fair to label a 29-year-old corner as a potential breakout player, but he finds himself at a stage of his career when breaking out will be necessary if he wants to be anything other than a minimum-contract guy.
The Eagles signed Robinson in late March to a one-year, show-me deal, and given the team's desperate need at cornerback, showing the Eagles he's worthy of starting reps would be the most welcomed development of the offseason. As things stand, Robinson is a shoo-in starter at cornerback considering there are no other guys on the roster who have a track record at the position.
Robinson was a first-round pick in 2010 and never proved himself worthy of that selection with the New Orleans Saints. He found himself struggling in the Indianapolis Colts secondary in 2016 before his season ended abruptly because of a hernia injury. He doesn't have to play like a first-round pick to give the Eagles considerable help at cornerback, but if he proves he can cover physical wideouts on the edge, he'll be a huge addition.
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