The Philadelphia Eagles have done a masterful job of tweaking the roster so far in free agency. They have mostly plucked potential starters — low-risk veterans hobbled by injuries and/or unfulfilled expectations — off the league’s scrap heap. Guys with ceilings higher than the Sistine Chapel.
That’s not to say they can’t get better and deeper at several key positions. The Eagles still have holes to plug on what is largely considered to be one of the most complete rosters in football. Safety remains a huge question mark; ditto for linebacker and wide receiver. Let’s quickly run down the depth chart and take a look at some playmakers available via trade or in free agency.
5 targets for the Philadelphia Eagles
DeAndre Hopkins, WR:
The Cardinals have reportedly granted the five-time Pro Bowler permission to seek a trade and the star receiver wasted no time saying which quarterbacks he would prefer to catch passes from in 2023. Jalen Hurts was at the top of his list, prompting immediate speculation that Hopkins was headed to Philly in a trade. Does the move make sense? Kind of.
The Eagles could use a slot receiver to pair with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but Hopkins is better situated for the outside. He would be wasting his talents in a lesser role. Then again, the offense would be unstoppable with another stud playmaker stretching the field. And the Eagles have the assets to trade for Hopkins, including two second-rounders in 2024.
Adrian Amos, S
Howie Roseman already inked two safeties in free agency (Terrell Edmunds, Justin Evans), then drafted rookie Sydney Brown in the third round. They seem content to let them fight it out for the starting spot alongside Reed Blankenship. However, depth could be an issue at the safety spot and Amos is a crafty veteran (albeit a more expensive option) sitting out there in free agency. Remember, the 30-year-old is coming off a career-high 102 tackles in 2022, along with one sack and an interception. He started all 17 regular-season games for the Green Bay Packers.
Kyle Van Noy, LB
What better way to surprise the Patriots in Week 1 than by showing up to Foxboro with a player who won two Super Bowl rings there. Van Noy is a dual-threat playmaker with experience playing as an off-the-ball linebacker and edge rusher. He would be a lethal weapon if unleashed in new defensive coordinator Sean Desai’s aggressive scheme. The 32-year-old has 33.5 career sacks, including at least 5.0 sacks over the past four seasons while earning an 82.1 grade in coverage. He’s also a certified dawg.
Patrick Queen, LB
The idea of adding the former 28th overall pick from the 2020 draft has been debated to exhaustion ever since his infamous “Sheesh” comment. He appears to be on borrowed time in Baltimore. The Eagles would have to give up decent compensation to acquire Queen in a trade — perhaps a Round 2 and Round 4 pick gets it done — but he’s worth it. The 6-foot, 237-pounder has 321 total tackles (28 for loss) in 50 career starts, with 10 sacks, 27 QB hits, 5 fumble recoveries, and 9 pass breakups.
Logan Ryan, CB/S
The Eagles are in the business of bringing hometown talent back to the crib (see: D’Andre Swift and Olamide Zaccheaus), so let’s keep the streak going. Ryan, a free agent who just celebrated his 32nd birthday, hails from Voorhees Township (NJ) and played his college ball at Rutgers. More importantly, the two-time Super Bowl champion fits the mold of the hybrid defensive back long valued by the Eagles. He has seen action at outside corner, slot corner and safety over the years.
Marlon Mack, RB
There is already a log jam at running back after the trade for Swift. It’s a good problem to have, especially factoring in the drool-worthy upside of Rashaad Penny paired alongside Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott. But Mack would be an interesting candidate to enter camp and heat up the competition. He was a favorite player of Nick Sirianni during their time together in Indianapolis where he rushed for 1,091 yards in 2019. He’s more of a power rusher with 21 career touchdowns.
Photo by Nicole Fridling/Icon Sportswire
