Well, we made it. From Orlando Scandrick and Alshon Jeffery, to Greg Ward Jr. and Captain Cre’Von, the road has led us to our top-10 ranked Eagles from last season. If you’ve missed any of the previous editions, fear not.
10 Fletcher Cox
It wasn’t his finest season, but it was a productive one. Fletcher Cox was a little slower coming off of an injury in 2018, but it didn’t stop him from ruining the days of nearly every guard his faced. 3.5 sacks and 40 tackles are disappointing from a statistical standpoint, but with a lack of depth haunting the position again, Cox performed admirably and still proved to be his menacing self despite all the odds being stacked against him.
9 Jason Peters
The bodyguard was as consistent as could be in his final season as an Eagle. He missed a few games with injury, but it’s still almost hard to believe that Peters was 37-years old and moving like a 25-year old. He’ll go down as one of the all-time greats and he went out with one last really strong swing of the sword.
8 Lane Johnson
Johnson was playing at an elite level last year before an ankle injury made for an unfortunate bump in the road. He allowed just one sack all year in 759 snaps, which is beyond impressive. Snubbed from a Pro Bowl, Johnson had the occasional blip, but when 90% of his play is at such a ridiculously high level, blips really don’t matter.
7 Brandon Graham
The Eagles brought back their beloved edge rusher in 2019 and he thanked them by leading the team in sacks with 8.5. BG is showing no signs of slowing down just yet, which is just as well considering how many question marks hover over the position.
6 Malcolm Jenkins
Goodbye is never easy, but losing Malcolm Jenkins remains a tough pill to swallow. He didn’t miss a snap last season and was by far one of the most impactful players on the entire team. His play dropped off a little bit and there were more miscommunications than ideal, but Jenkins was the remote-controlled missile Jim Schwartz ordered and he was once again the glue that held the defense together.
5 Jason Kelce
It’s scary to think that Jason Kelce is 32-years old and is moving around like a 21-year old running back. One of the most athletic centers of all time, Kelce lived up to the hype once again in 2019, paving the way for a dominant run-game with some truly eccentric second-level blocks.
4 Miles Sanders
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the entire season was the breakout of rookie running back Miles Sanders. The Penn State product started his season in the shadow of Jordan Howard, and ended it with everybody wanting to don the number 26. His versatility was exceptional and it’s safe to say that he, along with Carson Wentz were two of the main reasons behind the offense’s late-season resurgence. His development as a ball-carrier and continued growth as a receiver were just a joy to watch.
3 Zach Ertz
Carson’s personal security blanket came on leaps and bounds as a run-blocker this year, which was imperative considering Richard Rodgers went down before the season started again. Ertz had a few wobbly moments along the way, but his YAC ability improved as well. The fact that we’re talking about improvements in a player’s game who we already consider to be elite just speaks volumes. He led the team in receiving (again) and continued to separate himself from the better tight ends in the league, remaining one of the best.
2 Brandon Brooks
1 sack allowed in 1,046 snaps. That’s all I need to say. Oh, no I don’t. Brandon Brooks was expected to miss the opening few weeks of 2019 due to rehabbing a torn Achilles, but instead turned into Superman and returned for week 1 before putting together a truly remarkable season. Brooks got his payday, but I still feel as though he never gets the credit he deserves.
1: Carson Wentz
Was there really going to be any other option at #1? Wentz had the ‘coming of age’ season fans had been waiting to see. He was already a great QB, but to put the entire offense on his back and just drag it through hell and over the finishing line to a playoff berth was really special. 2019 was the season that Wentz absorbed every criticism and turned them into compliments. Simply incredible.
