Welcome back to team previews for the 2022-23 NFL season! If you missed the last preview, go check it out here! Let's preview The Philadelphia Eagles!
Key: *=Rookie
Eagles 2021-22 Season:
Record: 9-8 (2nd in NFC East): Eliminated in 1st round of playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rivals: 1-1 Against Giants, 2-0 Against Commanders, 0-2 Against Cowboys.
Big Wins: Week 8- Lions (Blowout), Week 11- Saints, Week 15 + 17- Commanders.
Big Losses (Games that team should have won): Week 2- 49ers, Week 9- Chargers, Week 12- Giants.
Off Season:
Key Returners: DT- Fletcher Cox, DE- Derek Barnett, FS- Anthony Harris, C- Jason Kelce
Key Additions: WR- A.J. Brown, CB- James Bradberry, Edge- Haason Reddick, LB- Kyzir White, WR- Zach Pascal, DT- *Jordan Davis, C- *Cameron Jurgens, LB- *Nakobe Dean
Key Departures: S- Rodney McLeod, CB- Steven Nelson, DL- Hassan Ridgeway, LB- Alex Singleton
Best Move: Adding A.J. Brown and Zach Pascal to the wide receiver room |
The Eagles' best offseason move was acquiring A.J. Brown on draft night in exchange for pick #18 and a third-rounder. Brown is an elite wide receiver who received a four-year, $100 million extension with the Eagles. Despite Brown's down 2021 season, in which he battled a chest injury, this move gives the Eagles a true WR #1 and will help young stud Devonta Smith's development tremendously. As a bonus, Zach Pascal is a very respected wide receiver #3 or #4 option and will add much-needed depth to the wideout core.
Worst Move: Losing Rodney McLeod to free agency (1-year deal with the Colts) |
It is challenging to harp on any of the Eagles' departures since they added so much talent to their roster this offseason, but McLeod stings a little bit. McLeod has been an excellent starter in his six seasons with the Eagles, and regardless of new additions, his leadership and familiarity with the team will be missed next season.
2022-23 Depth Chart:
2022-23 Schedule:
Week 1- At Detroit Lions
Week 2- Vs Minnesota Vikings
Week 3- At Washington Commanders
Week 4- Vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 5- At Arizona Cardinals
Week 6- Vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 7- BYE
Week 8- Vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 9- At Houston Texans
Week 10- Vs Washington Commanders
Week 11- At Indianapolis Colts
Week 12- Vs Green Bay Packers
Week 13- Vs Tennessee Titans
Week 14- At New York Giants
Week 15- At Chicago Bears
Week 16- At Dallas Cowboys
Week 17- Vs New Orleans Saints
Week 18- Vs New York Giants
Schedule Thoughts: Schedule ranks 2ND easiest in the NFL (based on Power Rankings).
Week 1- Week 4: Philly should be favored in each matchup, with maybe an exception of Minnesota in Week 2. Detroit has gotten a lot better since last season and fights very hard, so although the Eagles are significantly better, this could also be a challenging Week 1 matchup. I think that the Eagles could be heading into Week 5 with a 3-1 record.
Week 8 + Week 9: These matchups are solid for the Eagles, especially Houston in week 9. Pittsburgh always has a relevant team and knows how to play, but with their roster uncertainty at the QB position, this could be the desired mid-season matchup.
Week 14- Week 18: The ending of the 2022-23 season should be good for the Eagles. The team should be at its peak and could likely defeat the Cowboys in Week 16 to get the momentum flowing into the postseason. I doubt the Eagles are concerned about the Saints or the Giants, but a lot can change from now until then.
Team Outlook:
Jalen Hurts:
Questions about Jalen Hurts and his future as the "franchise QB" in Philadelphia will likely be answered after this season. The front office has done nearly everything possible to help their 23-year-old quarterback thrive. As mentioned earlier, they have acquired many notable weapons on the offensive side of the ball, so their success will depend on Hurt's performance and his ability to get the ball downfield to his talented wide receivers and Dallas Goedert. Hurts could very well be in the hot seat if he cannot thrive this season.
Using Miles Sanders:
Miles Sanders was drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft and was expected to be a fantastic player for the Eagles, but has fallen short of expectations. Last season, Sanders recorded just 754 rushing yards on just 137 rushing attempts. In five out of the six games last season where Sanders saw north of 11 carries, he rushed for 50+ yards. The talent is there, but the team has yet to find the most effective and efficient way to utilize the 25-year-old back heading into his fourth season. More opportunities for Sanders could tremendously benefit offensive production.
A.J. Brown + Devonta Smith:
Will the blockbuster acquisition of A.J. Brown serve the franchise well? I think so. Despite a loaded receiver draft class, the Eagles gave up capital to acquire an already proven stud wideout. Despite a down season with injuries, A.J. Brown is looking to bounce back and prove he is as valuable as his contract indicates. Devonta Smith has already proven that he has a very bright future and could compliment Brown, Dallas Goedert, and Quez Watkins to provide the most offensive threats that the Eagles have had since 2018. Both receivers' ceilings depend tremendously on Hurts getting the ball to the right weapons and letting them work their magic.
Jordan Davis + Haason Reddick:
Are these offseason additions to the defensive line good enough to help fix pass rush issues? For Haason Reddick, most definitely. As for the rookie first-rounder from Georgia, the impact is a bit more uncertain. Don't get me wrong, Davis is an absolute force to be reckoned with, but pass rush is not necessarily a strength for the 6'6 340, pound defensive tackle. Reddick was an excellent sign for the defensive line and will likely fix many pass rush issues from last season, but he can't do it alone. Maybe Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat will take a giant leap this year and help compliment Davis, Fletcher Cox, and Reddick in disturbing opposing backfields.
James Bradberry + Secondary:
Like poor pash rush, another weakness in the Eagles' defense last season was poor secondary play. It appears that it all ties together, as the more time an opposing QB has in the pocket, the more likely a receiver will get open. Bradberry was a massive sign for the Eagles and was the icing on the cake to building a good and competitive roster this offseason. The team still has weaknesses at the safety position but could be significantly better than last season, with Darius Slay and Bradberry on both sides of the ball. Anthony Harris will need to step up in place of Rodney McLeod and use his experience to lead the secondary to the highest potential.
Ethan's Prediction:
Final Record: 11-6
My prediction is relatively generous; however, I think the Eagles have all of the pieces to be a legit NFC contender next season. This offseason has been extremely impressive for Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia franchise. They addressed many needs and added talent to all of their weaknesses from last season. If this team clicks, the ceiling is very high, and they could be crowned champions of the NFC East and maybe even make a playoff run. My only uncertainty about this team falls under Jalen Hurts and his ability to step up his game and be the guy. I have always been a big fan of Hurt's and think he could be a candidate for a breakout season! Additionally, I believe that Nakobe Dean will shine in this defense, and the Eagles have a bright future for years to come, regardless of their performance this season, with or without Hurts running the offense.
Next up: The Dallas Cowboys. Stay tuned for more to come! Thank you to my readers and hope you all have a great week!