Winners and Losers of Philadelphia Eagles' Offseason so Far

The Philadelphia Eagles have created more winners than losers across their organization and roster throughout a productive offseason, but the future isn't more promising for all parties involved.

While there are players and coaches who should benefit greatly from a number of offseason moves spanning free agency, contract discussions, the draft and more, there remain others who will see playing time diminish or will have to fight for their roster spot altogether.

Of course, so much is yet to be decided with training camp and the preseason still in the distance. Players on the outs will play themselves into depth-chart discussions, and once-thought impact players could struggle under pressure.

But the Eagles have a much clearer plan for the future after another offseason, and it doesn't benefit everybody.

Let's take a look into some of the winners and losers from the Eagles' offseason.

Winners: Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson

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Both head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz had to know the organization would commit to finding more offensive weaponry for the 2017 season, but they couldn't have expected such a haul.

The front office made an ultra-aggressive push to improve the receivers' room by navigating the signing of prized wideout Alshon Jeffery on a one-year deal, which not only landed the best receiver in the free-agent class but offers insurance in case the marriage doesn't thrive.

They also added more much-needed veteran talent by signing deep-threat Torrey Smith to a three-year contract.

The Eagles also chose not to gamble on an underachieving young core of receivers, drafting North Carolina's Mack Hollins and West Virginia's Shelton Gibson to push competition. One or two notable names could inevitably hit the chopping block, but it'll allow the cream to rise to the top.

Pederson's flashy West Coast offense needs a savvy quarterback first and foremost, but just as critical is the arsenal of talent he has to work with. Now, Wentz is much more assured that the group he's working with can contend for championships.

Losers: Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham

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With the drafting of Hollins and Gibson, the young duo of Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham have effectively been put on notice.

While the Jeffery and Smith signings showed the organization isn't willing to drain another season on the potential of either receiver, that type of development seemed obvious from the end of 2016.

Their roster spots weren't really in question until the draft unfolded. Now, Hollins appears to offer the same skill set as DGB, while Gibson's versatility could allow him to outshine Agholor in training camp.

Each entering their third year, it makes sense for the Eagles to at least hold on to both Agholor and Green-Beckham from a financial standpoint and give them another opportunity. But there are only so many roster spots.

Should Hollins and Gibson overtake the two third-year wideouts on the depth chart, they would be the sixth- and seventh-listed receivers behind Jeffery, Smith, Jordan Matthews and the two rookies.

At the moment, it appears likely that Green-Beckham has an uphill battle to take a spot on the 53-man roster, while Agholor better show his drops and extreme inconsistency that plagued his 2016 campaign are in the rearview mirror.

Winner: Brandon Graham

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The best help a great pass-rusher can receive is the arrival of another great pass-rusher in order to divert some of the offensive line's attention. In that case, Brandon Graham struck gold over the Eagles' offseason.

That moment came when the Eagles made Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett their first selection in their hometown draft, taking him with the 14th overall pick. In the selection, the Eagles landed the most disruptive edge-rusher in the class outside of Myles Garrett and a player who will compete with Garrett for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Graham gave the Eagles some of their only pocket pressure throughout the 2016 season while Connor Barwin and Vinny Curry regressed, but only produced 5.5 sacks.

With Barnett consistently pushing tackles back on the opposing side and requiring extra attention, Graham will see considerably less double-teams and be able to feast on one-on-one matchups.

Loser: Mychal Kendricks

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There are positives for Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks to take from the offseason, such as the fact that the Eagles haven't exactly found his replacement at weak-side linebacker.

But, the reality is that Kendricks would be best suited for a change of scenery and he's appearing less and less likely to get it this offseason.

It's not just the fact that Kendricks is not a fit for the 4-3 scheme of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, although that's the root of the problem itself. The Eagles' reluctance to give him a shot in the system last year, playing in less than 27 percent of the defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, gave every indication that he's just not a part of the plans moving forward.

The Eagles haven't spoken publicly on why his replacement hasn't been found, but it's easy to assume that the necessity at receiver, cornerback and defensive end combined with little cap room prevented the team from making a worthwhile move.

For now, they may just be hoping that a reserve player steps up and allows the Eagles to use Kendricks in rare packages.

And for a talented pass-rushing linebacker who could make an every-down impact in a 3-4 scheme, that's not an ideal situation.

Winner: Wendell Smallwood

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Wendell Smallwood, the backfield is yours.

The Eagles obviously made moves at running back this offseason to put together a dynamic three-headed attack, but it's appearing clearer that Smallwood is the No. 1 guy.

Philly passed on a bevy of top-flight backs in the draft, many of whom garnered tons of interest from fans, and overlooked top backs in free agency before signing complementary back LeGarrette Blount and drafting Donnel Pumphrey.

While Blount's role is limited to short-yardage situations and Pumphrey should offer depth and dynamic play, Smallwood is best suited for the first-down looks and the highest percentage of carries.

It's likely that the Eagles passed on elite running back talent with the hope that Smallwood is becoming elite, and after notching less than 80 carries as a rookie, he should get much more of an opportunity to show he's on an upward trend.

Loser: Ryan Mathews

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The moves for Blount and Pumphrey made clear what was already written on the wall for the Eagles backfield regarding Ryan Mathews, the team's No. 1 back for the last two seasons.

A herniated disk injury in Mathews' neck not only cut short his 2016 season but complicated the Eagles' efforts to either find him a new team or allow him to find his own by releasing him.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Blount signing probably wound up "sealing the deal" on Mathews' future being outside of Philly. 

Mathews likely has assumed the end of his Eagles career is coming, but he's been cheated the opportunity to find a new fit due to the team being unable to release him until he passes a physical.

A vast majority of teams needing running back help (and there were many) have filled the gaps, and that will leave a small market bidding for Mathews' services when he does become available.

Not only has Mathews seen his spot in Philly's backfield evaporate but he's seeing future opportunities vanish with every day he remains a lame duck on the Eagles' roster.

Winner: The Realistic Eagles Fan

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Philadelphia entered the offseason with the tall task of implementing a number of key improvements to the roster without further muddying the salary-cap situation, and the front office delivered on almost every front.

Offensive help for Wentz? Check. He now has a star-studded core of receivers led by Jeffery with versatile weapons like Smith, Matthews, a number of young potential-laden wideouts and a versatile backfield that will take some load of the quarterback's shoulders.

A youthful injection at key defensive spots? Check. There's a clear and promising blueprint for the future at cornerback, while the additions of Barnett and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan will elevate an already boisterous defensive line.

It's likely that the Eagles will need another year or so to piece together a Super Bowl contender, but the rebuild is firing on all cylinders, and the front office has done a masterful job expediting what's been a painful process.

Loser: The Impatient Eagles Fan

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The NFL is a win-now business, and patience is rarely a quality for a fanbase such as the Eagles' with a rich tradition and decades of contention that demand high expectations year in, year out.

Despite the improvements made by Philly over the offseason that push the team considerably closer to being a contender in the NFC East, the biggest thing Eagles fans should look for is consistent improvement rather than expecting immediate results.

The fact is, the most critical position to improve this offseason hailed at cornerback and only one of the two Eagles' early-round picks at that position will be ready to start 2017. Rookie Sidney Jones won't be able to fully untap his massive potential until 2018, while WVU's Rasul Douglas will inevitably undergo growing pains.

The holes have been shored up for the most part on defense, but many of them were filled by rookies. To expect them to immediately perform like veterans would be naive. 

Jeffery will make a big difference immediately, but new No. 1 receivers rarely gel off the bat. He'll need time to adjust as well as help from his other receivers to avoid constant double-teams.

While Wentz appears to be ahead of his years in development and the team has made improvements all around, it's unrealistic to expect immediate success. Patience is a virtue throughout a rebuilding process, and the Eagles are on the cusp of completing theirs.

So take a deep breath, Eagles fans. Long playoff runs are ahead, but they won't come as soon as you may hope.