Predicting Philadelphia Eagles' Top Position Battles This Offseason

Now that the Philadelphia Eagles have hit the home stretch of piecing together the roster for the 2017 season, let the position battles begin. 

There are sections of the Eagles' roster that appear set in stone entering training camp, but plenty of intriguing spots on the depth chart can be considered wide open on the heels of the 2017 draft that Philly hosted.

The Eagles did well to address their neediest positions with the draft, but that doesn't mean at all that rookie starters are set in stone.

It rarely, if ever, works out the way teams anticipate immediately following the draft, and the Eagles have plenty of veteran players at weak positions who could contend for starting spots early on at the expense of rookies. 

Without further ado, let's dive right into six positions that will be competed vigorously for as training camp looms.

6. Wide Receiver

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The signing of Alshon Jeffery solidified the No. 1 receiver spot in Philly, but beyond that, it could be anyone's guess as to exactly how the wide receiver unit will shake out.

The Eagles seem committed to taking pressure off their young core by not only signing Jeffery but also veteran Torrey Smith. After an underwhelming spell in San Francisco, Smith appears to be the leader for the second starting spot and a consistent deep-ball threat.

Despite the signings, it's not unrealistic to assume the Eagles will do as much as they can to nurture young receivers like Jordan Matthews and even Nelson Agholor. Philly shook up the receiving room further by adding Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson with fourth- and fifth-round picks, respectively, leaving a few more receivers on the current roster than will make the 53-man unit.

Expect the four aforementioned young wideouts to compete with Dorial Green-Beckham for roster spots, with at least one or two getting the axe during the preseason.

5. Center

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One of the more intriguing position battles on the Eagles is one that's being overlooked over the offseason.

Of course, that's in part because long-time center Jason Kelce is still on the team. But with Kelce being floated constantly in trade rumors, including his recent link with the New Orleans Saints that could yield running back Mark Ingram, per NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks, it's not hard to see how the position could open up before the season.

In theory, the Eagles prepared themselves for a Kelce exit over the offseason when they re-signed Stefen Wisniewski to a multi-year extension that resembles starter's money.

Wisniewski may be an immediate step down from Kelce but would take up significantly less salary-cap space for a team hurting for cap room.

4. Running Back

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Running back is among the positions that the Eagles need to still make some roster moves to work out, led by the burning question surrounding Ryan Mathews.

It's unclear whether Mathews is still on the roster because he's likely unable to pass a physical due to the neck injury he suffered last season, or because there may still be hope for his future. That question may have been answered during the draft, with the Eagles' selection of Donnel Pumphrey.

The former San Diego State back is unconventionally small and shifty as a runner, collaborating oddly with similarly sized backs Wendell Smallwood and Darren Sproles. Certainly the trio would make for a versatile stable, but conventional wisdom suggests they need a bigger bruising back.

Whether they add a bigger back to the fold, questions remain as to exactly how the coaching staff will divvy up the carries between three smaller backs.

3. Linebacker

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The likelihood of the Eagles fielding a new starting weak-side linebacker to start 2017 has dwindled from incredibly high down to quite doubtful as the offseason marches forward.

Inevitably a bad fit in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's 4-3 system, linebacker Mychal Kendricks continued to start in the 2016 season but saw his playing time reduced significantly to the point that he was a mere afterthought. A big blitzing presence by trade, Kendricks can't adequately fulfill the WLB duties in the 4-3 scheme.

With that said, head coach Doug Pederson conceded in late March that he expected Kendricks to be on the team in September, per Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com. 

There's also little in the form of competition for him, unless Nebraska safety-linebacker hybrid Nate Gerry is expected to get bigger and develop incredibly quick.

Perhaps the Eagles can take a flier on a veteran like DeAndre Levy, who has played for Schwartz in the past and could be an immediate starter.

2. Defensive End

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Easily the second-biggest problem area for the Eagles all but vanished in the span of one pick in the opening night of the draft, when they selected Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett.

One of the hardest-working and most productive ends to come out of the draft in years, Barnett figures to make a big immediate impact. Now that he's in the fold, the rest of the unit is starting to look pretty solid.

In a perfect world, Barnett could line up opposite Brandon Graham and right alongside Fletcher Cox to make up a dynamic defensive line. In an imperfect world where Barnett isn't a world-beater from Week 1, the Eagles can depend on the depth of Chris Long and Vinny Curry.

If Barnett arrives as advertised, he should have no issue locking down a starting spot as a rookie, but there's decent competition behind him who will be hungry to prove themselves.

1. Cornerback

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The Eagles significantly fortified their cornerback unit for the long term in the draft, but the position battle for the 2017 season is only beginning to take shape.

On one hand, Philly should be able to identify Day 2 draft picks Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas as its starting corners of the future. On the other, it's quite possible that neither can start Week 1.

While Jones is much more NFL-ready and lauded as one of the steals of the draft, he's still recovering from Achilles surgery after his unfortunate injury during Washington's pro day.

Douglas is a big-bodied corner who will fit in well in the NFC East, but he may need to improve his technique before being on the field for a vast majority of snaps.

Beyond the two rookies, the Eagles are looking at veterans Patrick Robinson and Ron Brooks along with second-year corner Jalen Mills to compete for starting spots early on. At least one, and maybe two, of the three less heralded names will find their way into a starting spot for Week 1.