2020 New Years Resolutions for the Philadelphia Eagles

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the new decade is upon us. News feeds will be flooded with “new decade, new me” and other half-hearted mantras, while messages from chatty coworkers, nosy neighbors and self-righteous relatives will soon be filling your inbox prying for your life-altering resolutions. Unfortunately, we here at Philly Sports Network can’t help you turn your life around, but what we can do is help you procrastinate.

We’ve been spending sleepless afternoons and also tireless afternoons thinking long and hard about the future, so that you don’t have to.

Does your secondary keep giving up the big play? Still have that stinger that just won’t go away? Do you have that one friend that keeps skipping out on your team-bonding Waffle House dinners? Then you’re not alone!

We understand that in 2020 you may be looking for answers. So without further ado, here are some New Years Resolutions for your Philadelphia Eagles. If it applies to your life, then go ahead and copy these resolutions to your own dream board . . . just make sure to give us credit.

Howie Roseman: Address the Depth and Look to the Future

Chris Infante: Howie Roseman needs to have 2020 vision when it comes to the roster for 2020 . . . get it? Coming into this year he made all the right moves for star power. He brought in Malik Jackson, brought back DeSean Jackson, made moves for the “now”. However, he didn’t seem to make moves for the future and didn’t account for injury.

Howie needs to overhaul this roster, not from a talent perspective, but from a depth one. He needs to be able to see where players may be older, on the last year of their contract, and/or failing to live up to expectations and fill the roster through those lenses. If he did this last offseason, we might not have had such a steep drop off from the Jackson, Jeffery and Agholor injuries. It wouldn’t have taken until week 14 to realize what kind of talent there was on the practice squad. Maybe, just maybe, this team would’ve gotten another win or two with some depth behind the injuries. Howie is a magician when it comes to the cap. It’s time to extend the magic to the roster.

Doug Pederson: Don’t be afraid to kick it old school

Morgan Burkett: In his time with the Eagles, Doug Pederson has engineered and implemented all manner of innovative ways to manufacture touches for his skill players. Sometimes, however, he’s guilty of getting a little too cute. As exciting as creative formations, smoke screens and deception can be, the Eagles’ offense has been at its best when it’s able to pound the football. With one of the most talented and athletic offensive lines in the business, there aren’t many teams that can physically dominate the Birds at the line of scrimmage. Sometimes, you just gotta let the hogs loose.

That’s why in 2020, Doug Pederson needs to throw it back to the good old days; circa 2017 when they were 3rd in the league in rushing. In the new year, the Eagles have to run the football and do it early and often. Miles Sanders has looked every bit the part and Boston Scott has been a pleasant surprise even to his homers. With so much young promising talent in the backfield, there’s no reason the Eagles shouldn’t lean on the run. Carson Wentz has been noticeably more efficient with a ground game to support him and the Eagles have all the tools to be one of the better rushing attacks in the league. We’re not talking about sweeps and reverses here either. Let’s see those heavy sets, inside zones, lead dives and powers.

Defense: Establish a Plan in the Secondary

Liam Jenkins: The Eagles haven’t had a lockdown corner since Asante Samuel…who played 25 games for the Eagles this decade. We’ve seen the likes of Byron Maxwell and Cary Williams come and go and a worrying amount of assets spent trying to find the pieces that now fit this 4-3 defense. 2020 has to be the year they get it right.

The Eagles’ opponents next season already look to be a terrifying bunch, with plenty of big-name receivers on the look-ahead schedule. However, the team finds itself in a unique spot. Both Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills are pending free agents, giving them the chance to rebuild the position from the ground up if they choose to.

With young talent like Sidney Jones, Avonte Maddox, Rasul Douglas, and Cre’Von LeBlanc all striving to find a long-term home here, the front office will have some tricky decisions to make. Are they ready to go all-in on the young bulls, or is it time to find the 2020 Patrick Robinson?

Either way, the Eagles pass defense has given up big play after big play for four years now and it’s clear that while scheme can take part of the blame, a lack of talent can take the other. This has to change next year.

Front Office: Find a WR #1 in the Draft

Bryan Cameron: 2020 has to be the year of big plans for Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson. My resolution for both will be to finally build this offense around Wentz and his strengths. They’ve done well in putting together the perfect running back group around him with Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Jordan Howard. Now the focus has to be on the receiving core.

This draft has to be the one where they nail the number one option for Wentz. The receiver’s strengths have to be speed and playmaking. It’s the only way that Wentz will continue to grow into an elite status within the NFL. A player like CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III or even Justin Jefferson would be a great fit for the young franchise QB.

With the development of Greg Ward Jr., and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside growing at a fast pace due to the injuries of all the veterans, the missing piece is a solid number one to line up alongside those two for the foreseeable future. Alshon Jeffery is a great receiver, but we’ve seen how confident Wentz has grown without he and Agholor in the lineup. Having a veteran like DeSean Jackson still around is the perfect ingredient needed to bring in the future number one. Focusing on drafting a young guy instead of signing an old veteran will pay dividends for this organization.