Offense
Quarterbacks
The Eagles’ quarterback room lost the man who led them to the Super Bowl in Nick Foles. But they are returning the 2017 MVP front runner in Carson Wentz, who has looked tremendous during OTA’s so far. He’s not wearing a brace and his mobility looks to be in 2017 form. This is huge for a guy who was lost to IR last season for the second straight season. Take a look at his footwork during drills last week:
Wentz looks as strong and mobile as he ever has been, and this means trouble for opposing defenses. Plus he has a brand new deal to be excited about, revenge season is upon us.
It was all but assured that Nate Sudfeld was going to be the backup to Wentz once Foles left for Jacksonville. However, since Foles left and Sudfeld signed his restricted free agent tender, the Eagles signed (and waivered) former AAF quarterback Luis Perez, signed Cody Kessler, and drafted Clayton Thorson. That’s a pretty deep quarterback room.
After Thorson was drafted, head coach Doug Pederson expressed confidence in Sudfeld but expressed the desire for competition for the backup spot:
“As I mentioned before I’m really excited about Nate and the quarterback position is certainly not exempt from competition. This will be another big spring for Nate, another giant step in his progression and I’m encouraged where he was at at the end of the year and where he can go this season.”
247 Sports
I’ll be honest with you, I never thought I’d ever be writing something positive about Cody Kessler, but here we are. Last season Kessler was 72.3% accurate on throws 0-9 yards, fifth best in the league. However, his signing doesn’t spell doom for either Sudfeld or Thorson. Expect the depth to be:
Wentz, Sudfeld, Thorson, Kessler
Verdict: Strong
Running Backs
This group has gone a complete 180-degree flip from last season, hasn’t it? The running backs who gained carries in the final game of the year, the playoff game versus the Saints, were Wendell Smallwood and Darren Sproles. Going into next season the top two backs will be Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders.
Howard is enjoying his time with the Eagles so far and looks forward to how the team will be using him in 2019:
I feel like they’re allowing me to do more, show my game off more instead of just being one-dimensional like Chicago had me
PhillyVoice
Corey Clement and Boston Scott, who has been a pleasant surprise this offseason, will round out the next two spots on the depth chart, with Wendall Smallwood going from a playoff game starter to a fifth string player. This group has gone a huge change over last season, but it remains to be seen how big of an improvement it will be.
Howard, Sanders, Clement, Scott
Verdict: Above average
Wide Receivers
Alshon Jeffery caught five passes in that playoff game versus the Saints, the only other receiver with more than one catch was Golden Tate. Now, Tate has moved on to the enemy, Giants, and the Eagles have brought back a familiar face to replace him in DeSean Jackson.
Jackson, Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, and draft pick JJ Arcega-Whiteside look to improve the production the Eagles got from their receivers. The Eagles were seventh in the league in passing offense with 4,275 yards, but only 2,279 of those yards came from receivers.
Jackson proved in 2018 that he’s still the deep threat he was when he was first with the team, averaging a league-best 18.9 yards per reception. He already has formed a strong connection with Carson Wentz during OTAs:
Arcega-Whiteside has also come along nicely during the Spring practices. He has impressed Coach Pederson:
With Jeffery and Agholor coming back to a group including Jackson and Arcega-Whiteside, look for the receivers to have an extremely productive year. I also expect Braxton Miller to beat out Mack Hollins for that fifth spot on the depth chart, as Hollins has yet to recover from a groin injury that cost him all of 2018.
Outside 1: Jeffery, Miller
Outside 2: Jackson, Arcega-Whiteside
Slot: Agholor, with Arcega-Whiteside also coming in the slot at times
Verdict: Strong
Tight Ends
It’s hard not to call the group led by the single-season receptions by a tight end record holder a strong one. Zach Ertz, the Eagles’ reception and receiving yards leader, comes back to join second-year player Dallas Goedert to form an extremely formidable duo.
Goedert has been turning heads this Spring, with NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt being impressed with the development:
As our own Bryan Cameron puts it, the Eagles have an elite tight end duo forming.
Richard Rodgers only played in seven games last season, catching one pass, but he’ll line up as the third tight end over Josh Perkins and Will Tye. If he fails to make the team, maybe he can try out for the Phillies:
Ertz, Goedert, Rodgers
Verdict: Elite
Offensive Line
The Eagles offensive line brings back the league’s highest ranked center, per ProFootballFocus:
Two other linemen rank in the top 25 in PFF’s offensive linemen rankings, Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks. A lot of arguments can be made about how Johnson is the best right tackle in the league, and Brooks is a top five guard in the league, however, he will be returning from an Achilles injury.
Brooks has been ramping up his activity and it’s safe to assume we’ll see him back in October. Until then, Stefen Wisniewski and Matt Pryor will fill in his place. Isaac Seumalo will hold down the other guard position. The Eagles drafted Jason Peters’ heir apparent in Andre Dillard, but the “Bodyguard” is back to continue to protect Wentz’ blindside. If Peters goes down this year, Dillard has all the tools to step in and do the job admirably.
2017 seventh round pick Jordan Mailata seems to be without a position with the drafting of Dillard, but Doug Pederson will be cross-training both Mailata and Halapoulivaati Vaitai at both tackle spots and probably guard as well.
This is as healthy as the line has been in a very long time, outside of Brooks. This offensive line can be the best in the NFL, if it’s not already.
Left Tackle: Peters, Dillard
Left Guard: Pryor, Wisniewski
Center: Kelce, Pryor
Right Guard: Seumalo, Wisniewski (Brooks)
Right Tackle: Johnson, Mailata, Vaitai
Verdict:Elite
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