Eye to the Future

Regardless of what happens on Sunday, you should feel good about the Eagles.

Yes, 2019 has been a disappointing season. Injuries were a huge issue. Some veterans struggled even when healthy. There are a lot of frustrating moments from this year.

But there is also something to be excited about…the future.

After the Super Bowl, Doug Pederson talked about that being “the new norm”. The Eagles clawed their way to 9-7 last year and are hoping to repeat that this season. They did win a playoff game last year, but beating Mitch Trubisky isn’t the same as beating Tom Brady.

What happened to the new norm?

Any time you talk about sustained success, you need a really strong core of key players that can grow together. The 90’s Cowboys had Aikman, Irvin, Smith, Novacek, Erik Williams, Leon Lett, Darren Woodson and others. The 90’s Packers had Favre, Levens, Freeman, Timmerman, Chmura, Reggie, Leroy Butler, Gilbert Brown and others. Earlier this decade, Seattle had Russell Wilson, Beastmode, the Legion of Boom, Doug Baldwin, Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett and others.

In retrospect, the 2017 Eagles were more of a one-year anomaly. We knew there were multiple special players (Wentz, Ertz, Cox, Kelce, Johnson), but I don’t know if we realized just how many guys peaked that year. To be fair, it is hard to know when guys are peaking.

We expected Nelson Agholor to build off his breakout season. He flat-lined in 2018 and regressed this year. Corey Clement looked like a revelation in the Super Bowl. He’s struggled to stay healthy since then. Mack Hollins was a promising rookie and didn’t develop at all. Alshon Jeffery hasn’t played as well since 2017.

Nigel Bradham hasn’t been as much of a playmaker since that year. The Eagles haven’t had a good third safety since 2017. Tim Jernigan hasn’t been nearly as productive since the championship season. And on and on.

That was a special team, but the magic really was limited to that year.

I’m excited for the future because I see so many key pieces that can grow together.

Carson Wentz is showing just how special a QB he can be.

Miles Sanders is making a case for offensive rookie of the year. He’s carried the Eagles offense at times and is still just scratching the surface of his potential. Boston Scott looks like he could be a terrific role player.

Dallas Goedert is one of the best two-way TEs in the league and is showing playmaking potential.

Greg Ward looks exactly like what you want in a slot receiver. He can get open and has sure hands. He’s athletic and tough. And he’s not afraid of big moments. Ward is clutch.

I’m less sure about J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Robert Davis. JJ has flashed this year and certainly was great in the preseason, but we don’t want to bank too much on him since that was part of the post-2017 issue. Davis is big and fast, but we need to see a lot more from him before thinking of him as part of the future.

Andre Dillard looked outstanding at LT and has a bright future. He and Isaac Seumalo can be a good left side of the line for years to come.

I’m not leaving out Ertz, Brooks, Johnson, Kelce, DeSean and guys like that for any talent issues. They are just older. Those guys could play two years or five years. You just can’t tell anymore.

That’s a really good offensive core for the Eagles to build around.

Things are less exciting on defense and that is something that has to be addressed. I do see good young talent in Derek Barnett, Avonte Maddox, T.J. Edwards, Nate Gerry and Jalen Mills.

Rasul Douglas, Josh Sweat, Genard Avery, Shareef Miller, Sidney Jones, Marcus Epps, Craig James, Anthony Rush are all young and talented, but I’m still not sure what to make of them. And you have Joe Ostman and Hassan Ridgeway on IR.

You know it is killing me to leave Daeshon Hall out of this, but the coaches just won’t play him.

The defense lacks young impact players like Wentz and Sanders, but there is a lot of youth on that side of the ball.

If the Eagles play this offseason right, they can have more of a young, hungry and aggressive team in 2020. Build around Wentz with guys that can be here for several years and maybe we can actually get back to “the new norm”.

Some of you might think I’m being overly optimistic, but the development of Miles Sanders is really important to me. When you can pair a young RB and QB together, that gives you a chance to compete each year. Just look at McNabb and Westbrook.

Let’s add a stud WR to the mix and see this offense go to the next level.

Just find one that doesn’t like to do sit-ups in his driveway.

*****

Bunch of Eagles moves:

– Waived RB Jay Ajayi
– CB Ronald Darby to IR
– Signed TE Richard Rodgers
– Promoted WR Deontae Burnett from the practice squad to the active roster

— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 24, 2019

I like it. Rodgers is a solid backup TE. He can catch and block. He offers depth in case Ertz can’t go.

Burnett played for the Jets in 2018 and started a game. He was 10-143 for the year.

The Eagles needed another body at WR. Burnett shows good hands, something the Eagles can certainly use.

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