Eagles' Offseason Guide Entering 2021 NFL Season

In just four seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles have gone from Super Bowl champions to last place in the NFC East.

This season, they had their poorest showing of the Doug Pederson era (which began in 2016), when they went 4-11-1 and were the worst of the bunch in a division where all four teams had losing records.

The 2020 campaign was a step back after Philadelphia had three straight winning seasons, a stretch that included a pair of NFC East titles and the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. Now, it enters the offseason looking to make the necessary moves to return to championship contention.

Who will be Philadelphia's head coach and quarterback for 2021 and beyond? What holes do the team have to address so that it can be successful again soon?

Here's a breakdown of those key storylines as Philadelphia heads into the offseason after Doug Pederson's exit on Monday.

Who Will Replace Pederson?

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Pederson made a move during Philadelphia's season finale against Washington that drew a lot of criticism, so many expected his exit to happen this offseason.

Trailing 17-14 in the fourth quarter, he opted to replace Hurts with Nate Sudfeld, whom the coach had said he wanted to get some playing time before the end of the season. But it also came off as a move that didn't put the Eagles in the best position to win.

They didn't win, falling 20-14, and consequently they'll end up with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 draft. (They would have had the No. 9 selection if they had beat Washington.) 

It made sense for the Eagles to make the coaching change while the playoffs are still happening. They have important upcoming decisions to make regarding free agency and the NFL draft and will want to ensure their new head coach has enough time to prepare. 

Although they struggled this past season, Pederson still owned a winning record during his time at the helm, going 42-37-1 over five seasons (and 4-2 in the postseason). The Eagles already have pieces to build a playoff contender for 2021, so they could become one of the most attractive destinations for potential head coaches. Pederson's decision in Week 17 even set up the next head coach in a better position for the draft.

What's the Plan for Hurts and Wentz Moving Forward?

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Carson Wentz was supposed to be the Eagles' quarterback for the foreseeable future. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, he performed well early in his career, which led to him signing a four-year, $128 million extension prior to the 2019 season.

However, the 28-year-old didn't fare well in 2020, passing for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and a career-high 15 interceptions in 12 games. He struggled so much that the Eagles benched him following a Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, opting to start rookie Jalen Hurts for the final four games of the regular season.

Hurts, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, flashed his potential, passing for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions and rushing for 354 and three touchdowns this season. It's possible that showing will be enough for him to continue as Philadelphia's starting quarterback in 2021.

If that's the case, then what will the Eagles do with Wentz? According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, he was planning to ask for a trade during the offseason because his relationship with Pederson was "fractured beyond repair." With Pederson gone, will Wentz have a change of heart and embrace competition with Hurts?

If the North Dakota State product isn't going to be the starter anymore, it would make sense for Philadelphia to move his contract.

It will be interesting to see how this situation develops throughout the offseason and where Wentz will end up.

A switch to the Indianapolis Colts could be a good move. Head coach Frank Reich was the Eagles' offensive coordinator from 2016-17 and had success working with Wentz.

Wide Receiver, Cornerback Remain Positions of Need

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Last offseason, wide receiver and cornerback marked two of the Eagles' biggest needs. And that's still the case this year.

Philadelphia's leading receiver this past season was Travis Fulgham (38 receptions for 539 yards and four touchdowns). He started the season on its practice squad before getting signed to the roster on Oct. 3. And although he impressed at times, he ended the year with only nine catches over his final seven games.

DeSean Jackson couldn't stay healthy and played only five games, while Alshon Jeffery played only seven times. And neither is getting any younger; Jackson is 34 and Jeffery will be 31 next month. Fulgham and Greg Ward will both be free agents this offseason, and rookie Jalen Reagor had only 31 receptions for 396 yards and one touchdown this past season.

It's possible Philadelphia could again use its first-round pick this year on a wide receiver, or perhaps it could consider taking a cornerback. Outside of Darius Slay, the Eagles' group of cornerbacks weren't great in 2020. And it won't help that Nickell Robey-Coleman is set to become a free agent and could be heading elsewhere.

Philadelphia should be adding wide receivers and cornerbacks this offseason to bolster those groups and give help to some of the strong players it already has in place at other positions.