2023 Overview

Posted: May 1st, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on 2023 Overview

Free agency is largely over. The draft has come and gone. There are still roster moves to be made, but we now have a good idea of what the roster will look like this season.

QB

Jalen Hurts is coming off a great year. He’s healthy, signed long term and ready to go.

Marcus Mariota was signed to be the primary backup. He has experience and skill set to be an excellent fit on the Eagles. Ian Book and rookie Tanner McKee will battle for the third roster spot. Book is the better athlete and has a bit of NFL experience. McKee has more overall talent.

RB

Miles Sanders was the workhorse last year, but he’s gone. D’Andre Swift averaged 5.5 ypc for the Lions last year and could thrive in this offense. Rashad Penny averaged 6.1 ypc for Seattle last year. They form a potent 1-2 punch. Kenny Gainwell finished 2022 in strong fashion and will battle for touches. Boston Scott will be ready for the two games against the Giants.

This group will be more RB by committee than last year, but that’s not a bad thing. All of the runners have talent. All of them have the big play ability that Nick Sirianni wants in his runners.

WR

AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are as good a WR tandem as there is in the league. Quez Watkins will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing season. Olamide Zaccheaus comes over from Atlanta to add depth. Britain Covey was purely a RS last year. Devon Allen will push for a roster spot. UDFA Joseph Ngata brings size to the mix. He’s 6-3, 217. He has legit NFL potential.

If Brown and Smith stay healthy, the Eagles are set. It would be nice to have another talented veteran to add to the mix, just in case. A bounce-back year from Watkins would be great, but you can’t count on that. Expect Howie to watch the waiver wire and see if any good fits become available. The Eagles aren’t looking for a star, just a dependable veteran.

TE

Dallas Goedert is one of the best TEs in the league. Things open up after that. Jack Stoll is a solid blocker and effective receiver. He has limited upside. Grant Calcaterra only caught 5 passes as a rookie, but showed really good athleticism. He’s got to show that he can be an effective blocker to play on a regular basis. Tyree Jackson showed real promise in the past, but this could be his final chance. He needs to stay healthy and play well.

Depending on how the young guys look, the Eagles could have interest in adding a veteran here. If Calcaterra takes a step forward, the Eagles will probably be in good shape.

OL

Four starters return. Cam Jurgens will take over at RG. Some wonder if rookie Tyler Steen will get that role. The Eagles love Jurgens and want him on the field. He practiced at G and C last year so he should be ready for RG.

I’ll be interested to see what the plan for Steen is. He could be the backup at LT and LG. Or the team could want him to battle Jurgens for the RG spot. Jack Driscoll is back to be a key backup. I suppose he could get a chance at RG as well. Sua Opeta will be in the mix. Brett Toth has been a backup at several spots.

The OL should once again be one of the best groups in the league. They have good starters and depth and are mixing in more youth.

Edge

Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat are outstanding edge rushers. They are backed up by Brandon Graham and rookie Nolan Smith. That’s incredible talent and depth. And you still have Derek Barnett, Patrick Johnson, Kyron Johnson and Tarron Jackson battling for spots.

DL

Lots of changes in this group. Jordan Davis will take over as the NT. He’ll be backed up by Marlon Tuipulotu and Noah Elliss. Tui showed some flashes last year. Ellis is huge at 6-4, 346 and has potential. He was hurt last year. If he’s healthy, he could be someone to keep an eye on.

Fletcher Cox is back at DT. Milton Williams will have a chance to start, but rookie Jalen Carter will have a chance as well. The Eagles know how talented he is and want him on the field, if he’s ready. Carter won’t have to start, but they will need him to be part of the rotation. FA Kentavius Street will give the team an interior pass rusher off the bench. Rookie Moro Ojomo has a good chance to earn a roster spot and could be part of the rotation. He’s got the length and strength for the role.

This group has tremendous potential. Davis could develop into a force in the middle. Williams played his best football in the second half of last year. Carter could make an impact as a starter or backup. There are no guarantees everyone will pan out. It will be interesting to see how things shake out this season.

LB

Nakobe Dean looked good in his limited playing time last year. The Eagles are excited to get him on the field. Nick Morrow will likely be the guy starting beside him. Morrow struggled at MLB for the Bears last year, but played better when he moved to WLB. We’ll have to wait and see how the Eagles use them.

I thought Christian Elliss looked good in a couple of games where he got LB snaps. Maybe he’ll push for time. Davion Taylor has all the athleticism in the world, but has to show that he can play LB. Shaun Bradley is a good STer. He’s not shown much at LB. UDFA Ben VanSumeren is a great athlete who is still learning to play LB. He’s tailor-made for the practice squad.

The Eagles will be looking around the league. There are a lot of questions here. It’s possible the coaches will want to see this group in camp before pushing for help. This is the weakest position on the team.

SAF

Reed Blankenship showed enough last year that I want him to start. Terrell Edmunds has 75 career starts and could be adding to that total. Rookie Sydney Brown is a player the Eagles were very high on so he could get a chance to play right away.

Justin Evans will battle for a roster spot. He has talent and experience, but more than a few question marks as well. K’Von Wallace is coming off his best season and will push for a roster spot, possibly playing time.

Blankenship and Brown could give the Eagles a pair of young, explosive safeties. Edmunds isn’t an ideal fit, but his experience gives him an edge. This looks like a weak position for now, but teh B ‘n B boys could change that in a hurry.

CB

Big Play Slay and James Bradberry are studs. Avonte Maddox is terrific in the slot. Now you have Greedy Williams battling for a role. Josh Jobe was a key STer last year. Zech McPhearson is in his third season. Josiah Scott could be the backup nickel or McPhearson could take that role. Add in rookie Kelee Ringo and you have another talented piece. He’ll need time to be ready for the NFL.

UDFAs Eli Ricks and Mekhi Garner both have NFL talent and give the Eagles a lot of young players to try and develop.

ST

Jake Elliott and Rick Lovato are both outstanding.

Punter is wide open. Arryn Siposs has a chance to keep his job, but will need to perform at a high level. UDFA Ty Zentner has a big leg and lots of potential. Go here to read Jimmy Bama’s thoughts on  him.

*****

The Eagles have another loaded roster. If some young players step up, this team will once again be competing for the Super Bowl.

I have to give Howie Roseman a lot of credit. He’s not loaded up on older players and solely focused on 2023. The Eagles have some good young players they’ll be developing for the future.

Howie still has cap room to work with and plenty of future picks to deal if he wants to add more to this roster. For now, they’ll focus on coaching and developing the players already on the roster.

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