Breaking Down Philadelphia Eagles' Deepest, Thinnest Roster Spots
The Philadelphia Eagles entered the offseason with a bevy of depleted positions, but things look markedly different on the heels of free agency and the draft as the 2017 season looms.
For a team that finished 7-9 last season with a rookie quarterback, the Eagles struggled to mask a lot of their personnel deficiencies down the stretch of a season that evolved from promising to painful. A 3-0 start made way for a late-season stretch in which the Eagles lost seven of eight, making it clear where reinforcements would be needed over the offseason.
Alas, general manager Howie Roseman and his front office did a masterful job of addressing needs despite having one of the lowest salary-cap numbers in the league. The Eagles are in a much better place in terms of playoff contention than they were months ago, but that doesn't mean the roster is ideal at every turn.
As the Eagles continue to distance themselves from the Chip Kelly disaster and put a contender around head coach Doug Pederson, let's look at where they can find both depth and a lack of it across various spots of the roster.
Deep: Running Back
1 of 8
It's funny how much things can change in a matter of weeks during the NFL's offseason.
Any analysis on the Eagles' running back situation before the draft wouldn't have been positive, as there seemed to be little indication on how the organization wanted to move forward. Since then, Philadelphia has drafted a versatile back in the fourth round and fortified the unit with the signing of LeGarrette Blount.
The main back over the past few seasons, Ryan Mathews, is likely to be released. That will leave the Eagles using a by-committee approach that now boasts plenty of options. Second-year back Wendell Smallwood should get the most carries, but rookie Donnel Pumphrey will get plenty of chances while Blount fills a big need with short-yardage situations.
With two speedy and elusive young backs to pair with the reliable Blount and undrafted rookie Corey Clement sure to compete for a roster spot in training camp, the future looks bright in the Philadelphia backfield.
Thin: Linebacker
2 of 8
It's not often that a team has two studs at linebacker yet the position is considered thin, but that's the situation in which the Eagles find themselves.
Sure, middle linebacker Jordan Hicks and strong-side backer Nigel Bradham have formed a dominating duo as their playing style blends perfectly to take care of the responsibilities defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz bestowed on them. Beyond them, however, the position has little to offer.
Mychal Kendricks started a majority of 2016 at weak-side linebacker, but only by definition. He appeared in under 27 percent of defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, which is an eye-popping number for someone considered to be a starter.
Kendricks simply isn't a fit in Schwartz's scheme, and the Eagles have had no luck finding an effective replacement. Pederson even told Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com he expects Kendricks to be on the roster in 2017.
Beyond the starters, there's little to no depth, with Najee Goode, Kamu Grugier-Hill and rookie Nate Gerry combining for little NFL experience. If there's one position that can't take an injury hit, it's linebacker.
Deep: Wide Receiver
3 of 8
See the earlier point regarding running backs about how quickly a position can turn from one of serious need into a strength.
Wide receiver appeared to be the Eagles' most pressing need entering the offseason, which is saying something considering the amount of needs they had. Philly wasted no time addressing it, landing big-time wideout Alshon Jeffery on a wise one-year deal and also inking veteran Torrey Smith to a three-year deal with a team option after Year 1.
The Eagles' young core of wideouts weren't cutting it, and now they have proven veteran firepower for quarterback Carson Wentz to depend on. That could end up being the best possible development for Nelson Agholor, who needs a fire lit under him in the worst way to erase memories of a woeful first two years in the NFL.
Jordan Matthews will have considerably less pressure on him and can continue growing in a slot role, while the Eagles drafted Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson to force other youngsters like Dorial Green-Beckham to step their games up if they want to make the roster.
Competition breeds greatness, and the Eagles are utilizing that method in their receiving corps entering 2017.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Thin: Cornerback
4 of 8
Let's preface this by acknowledging the Eagles did incredibly well to fortify their cornerback unit in the draft and give themselves a long-term duo to count on. That doesn't mean the position is set to have a good year in 2017.
Philadelphia made a genius move in the second round by drafting Washington's Sidney Jones, but his recovery from an offseason Achilles injury means he won't be a factor until possibly midseason. Their third-round pick, West Virginia's Rasul Douglas, makes sense in the NFC East because of his size but will inevitably face some rookie struggles.
Last year's starters, Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll, are no longer on the roster, much to the relief of some Eagles fans. But that still means two starting spots need to be filled, and the Eagles will be counting on the likes of Jalen Mills, Patrick Robinson and the aforementioned rookie duo to step up.
Philadelphia's cornerback unit is flooded with potential and promise for the future, but the immediate future is still murky, as they are set to rely on unproven corners to become shut-down weapons.
Deep: Defensive End
5 of 8
Going into the offseason, the Eagles desperately needed to find defensive end Brandon Graham some help on the edge to bolster one of the league's most disappointing pass-rush units.
They probably couldn't have imagined a better scenario than what unfolded in the draft, when Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett fell out of the top 10 and into the Eagles' laps at No. 14 overall. Barnett has the motor and skills to become the best pass-rusher from this draft class, which is saying something since Myles Garrett went No. 1 overall.
Barnett will contribute a lot of sacks right away, playing next to a dominant interior of Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan. And there's plenty of depth behind Graham and Barnett, with new signing Chris Long joining Vinny Curry on the second unit. Marcus Smith is still around as he tries to prove he's not a complete bust, but there's no pressure on him to perform with at least four bodies ahead of him.
It would be premature to say the Eagles pass rush will become one of the league's best in 2017, but they've taken incredible strides from last season in terms of personnel, and that should show.
Thin: Offensive Tackle
6 of 8
Much like the linebacker spot, the Eagles have a star-studded duo manning the edges of the offensive line but a lack of depth that will come back to bite them sooner or later.
Jason Peters has been one of the league's best left tackles for years, but he's 35 and is sure to begin his decline over the next year or two. Lane Johnson has been dominating on the right and is set to take over for Peters when the time comes, but there's little indication as to who will take his place.
The Eagles enjoyed a decent rookie season from Halapoulivaati Vaitai when he got thrust into six starts after Johnson's suspension, but he only appeared in one other game. Dillon Gordon is the only other depth tackle on the roster. He has potential but has shown little of it since Philadelphia signed him as an undrafted free agent last offseason.
At any rate, it looks increasingly likely that the Eagles plan on replacing Peters with someone who's not on the roster, and that should be a worrying sign for the future.
Deep: Safety
7 of 8
For all the issues the Eagles have had at cornerback, they were mitigated somewhat by the team's construction of one of the best safety partnerships in football last season.
Malcolm Jenkins has been a star since his arrival in Philly, but he didn't have an ideal partner in the deep secondary until Rodney McLeod signed before the 2016 season. McLeod fit right in and provided the structure at the back to allow Jenkins to attack the line of scrimmage and dominate the game at every level of the defense.
Most units with such a reliable set of starters don't have ideal depth, but the Eagles' safeties are well-suited in case of emergency. Reserve safety Jaylen Watkins appears more than capable of filling the void as he grows into the NFL level, and Chris Maragos also provides strong veteran depth to ensure an injury to Jenkins or McLeod won't doom the defense.
Thin: Kick Returner
8 of 8
Granted, this isn't a position Eagles fans will be losing any sleep over, but that doesn't change the fact the jury is still out on which player will be assuming the kick-return duties in 2017.
Darren Sproles still has the punts locked down, but the Eagles are down both of their regular kick returners from last season. Josh Huff and Kenjon Barner were both released. No one yet knows who will be the first Eagles player to touch the ball on a kickoff return when the season begins.
The easy option is Gibson, the former West Virginia receiver who was likely drafted in part because of his return acumen. Gibson spent two seasons returning kicks for the Mountaineers, and the now-loaded receiving corps will likely force Gibson into getting more touches on kickoffs than on receptions.
If Gibson doesn't thrive in the role, don't be surprised if the Eagles trot out Pumphrey for some chances or simply rely on the sure-handed Sproles.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
