The Eagles have been on a tear over the last week or so, restructuring contracts, extending key players and of course, signing some exciting free agents. But with so much movement with regards to the roster, what has this done to the team’s draft needs?
Draft stock down:
Defensive line:
Re-signing Brandon Graham was one thing, but signing Malik Jackson is another entirely. The 29-year old defensive tackle has the versatility to play both inside and outside and has been responsible for expediting some key breakouts in a ruthless Jags front four.
The Eagles do still need to add some bulk, but this all goes back to Howie Roseman stating that this draft is ‘historically deep’ when it comes to the interior defensive line. The Birds won’t have to reach in the first round and could maybe even get away with spending a mid-late round pick on a talent and letting him marinate behind Cox and Jackson.
After all, rotation is the name of the game and we’ve already seen that this line was at its best when Beau Allen and Destiny Vaeao supported Jernigan and Cox admirably. Neither player was drafted high, but both had key roles to play.
Wide receiver:
Of course, the signing of DeSean Jackson somewhat calms the wide receiver storm. Coming off of a 774 yard season where he averaged over 18 yards per reception, the 32-year old has proven he still has the afterburners that made him a treasure among Philadelphia fans.
The big question here is whether or not Nelson Agholor returns on his $9M cap hit. If the Eagles can’t work out a cheaper asking price and instead decide to part ways, there will be a need for a slot wideout.
Will that be filled by a familiar friend in Jordan Matthews, or perhaps a mid-round talent like Andy Isabella? Either way, they almost certainly won’t be taking a wideout early this year, as things stand.
Offensive line:
The Eagles now have all five of their offensive line starters from last year returning to the fray, which is crazy to think of considering how much uncertainty was clouding the group at the end of the season.
The re-structure of Jason Peters and the extension of Isaac Seumalo and Jason Kelce buy the Eagles time to either draft and develop the heirs to the throne, or grow them from within. It’s easy to forget names like Matt Pryor and Jordan Mailata, perhaps these moves were made to give the Eagles flexibility in helping these players blossom.
Sure, there’s the possibility that the team draft a tackle like Tytus Howard, or an interior guard, but the need is not what it was.
Draft stock up
Linebacker:
Losing Jordan Hicks to the Arizona Cardinals really stings. The Birds are lucky that they re-signed Paul Worrilow, who despite coming off an ACL tear, at least gives somewhat of an insurance policy.
Depth at linebacker is scarce and it has been for quite some time. The appeal of Devin Bush Jr. in the first round is all too enticing, but there are plenty of other linebacker prospects later in the draft (where the Eagles usually take them) who could fill that void. There are also some potential free agent fits, but it all depends on how the Birds view the position.
Linebacker was a need anyway, but now seeing Hicks say goodbye and all the other draft needs get ticked off to an extent, has only seen the priority at linebacker rise.
Running back:
There’s no word on Jay Ajayi yet, but we can all assume that it’s a payday that he’s after, given that he recently signed with the notorious Drew Rosenhaus. The idea of a LeSean McCoy reunion has only been accelerated thanks to the return of DeSean Jackson and if the Bills are truly all-in on Le’Veon Bell, there’s a potential for a band comeback tour after all.
However, there are a plethora of talented running backs littered throughout the draft. From Josh Jacobs in the first, to players like Damien Harris and Devin Singletary who will be on the board later.
The Eagles do need to revamp the position…and it’s likely this is the offseason they do so.
Safety:
The one position that has seen next to no attention thus far has been Safety. The Eagles desperately need a third Safety to hold the fort with McLeod while Jenkins cleans up in the box and it’s unlikely McLeod will be around forever after taking such a monumental cap hit. The chances of taking Nasir Adderley in round one have only exploded into plausibility after a series of roster moves have pushed Safety right to the top of the team’s needs.
Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
