Eagles 2019-2020 Season

[flyers19rw]

The top areas for concern about the Eagles roster are WR and LB. Those can be addressed through the draft and FA.
One thing that is standing out is that the Eagles can and need to run the ball. The run game opens up the passing opportunities. Most of the league goes in the other direction because they can’t run the ball the way that the Eagles can. Run the ball; control the clock; keep the defense off of the field and win the game. It’s worked for the last four games and is the best strategy for the team.

[bkeich]

All of the WRs could be cut next season and it seems that none of them really matter. Keep Ward and let the others walk.

If I remember correctly the hit for cutting Jeffries is actually worse than keeping him. He will be back if he isnt traded I think.

The Eagles made the playoffs because the other teams didn't have a good HC or QB. That is the reason why those 2 jobs are so important in the NFL. The Eagles have good people at both jobs, so they are ahead of everyone in the NFC East.

I agree we are in great shape at both places. Wentz wont get the credit he deserves for this season, he was great. See my post a few up to see my opinion of Pederson, who will not win Coach of the Year but clearly should.

If you think that Pederson and Wentz are franchise employees, then the team won't be in a true rebuild for a decade.

I do think they are, rebuilds in the NFL can be very, very short, but I am concerned that what we have around Wentz and Pederson is terrible. Howie has had great offseasons before, really great, can he do it again. He has a ton of problems to solve this offseason. He can if he has the resources available, but my question is with the salary we have committed to players that are not really all that great can we find enough salary space to get all our needs and can all those new players mesh fast enough. WR, CB are huge problems on this team, and in today's game those are two of the areas that you can't survive poor play.

I am not really sure I agree with your "we played well outside our division" statement. We were 5-1 in division, 4-6 outside it. Beating GB and Buffalo and holding our own against NE and Seattle. We have some ugly loses though outside the division (Atl, Minn, Miami, Detroit). If we took away our 4 patsy games against NY and Washington (all 4 of which were actually not that easy) we are at best an average team.

Next years schedule looks brutal with only a couple "gimme" games outside of NY and Washington. (Bengals, etc.)

All of this is speculation. "In Howie I trust", look at the preseason before the Super Bowl win and he did as good a job as any GM in the last 20 years. That said, he needs to do it again and have a little better luck than he did this year. I am just concerned that we have not gotten "cheap" quality players out of the draft the last few years so we are up against a hard problem.

[nycphils]

I’m with phillychuck - I think the future is ok.

Offense: Wentz, Sanders, Dillard, Ertz, Goedert, Johnson, Seumalo, Brooks and Ward (slot) are here for at least the next 2 probably 3 years. That’s a very good start.

Jeffries and Jackson will both be back next year for cap reasons, as will JJAW to see if he can become worthwhile. All three could be gone by 2021. A couple of WRs are a clear draft need. We have plenty of developmental guards so fine in the middle of the line (Seumalo at C) even if Kelce retires. Boston Scott and a cheap FA are fine as backup RB, Josh Perkins is fine for 3rd TE. Need a swing backup tackle. That’s the whole offense Other than backup QB.

Defense is more difficult. Need a couple CBs clearly to replace Mills and Darby who are both UFA and I’d be surprised if they are back. I think the slot is fine with Maddox and LeBlanc and Jones and Douglas each get one more year at least. The line is OK with Malik Jackson (2021 would be the cut year, too much dead money in 2020 to get rid of) and Cox as starting DTs, and they probably need one in the draft or FA, with Rush etc available as the 4th DT. DE is also ok with Graham and Barnett as the starters, and Sweat, Miller Ostman and maybe even resigning Curry again as backups. Gerry and Bradham likely back at LB, and I’d guess they resign KGH and find on more LB in the draft or FA.

So that means the draft (where we have a fair number of extra picks) will be 1-2 CB, 1-2 WR, a G/T, a LB, a developmental QB and maybe a DT - I’d guess 1 big FA splash (they have $37m in cap space) at either CB, DT or maybe WR although with a very deep WR draft I think that’s less likely.

I think we look ok for the future.

[phillychuck]

I agree entirely with this well-thought-out summary.

Backup QB is interesting. They reportedly like Sudfeld a LOT, but he still needs to develop to be valuable to this team (thus McCown). If Sudfeld gets too expensive to keep as a back-up QB, he is a trade possibility, and I'd expect a day-two draft pick return. Might be very good for Sudfeld, too.

[zambonir]

it wouldn't surprise me if Garrett ends up dangling for some time while Jones tries to make up his mind, kind of like Kapler with Middleton

Boy, you were right about that. As with Kapler, the longer it goes on the more you have to think they might actually bring Garrett back (or maybe move him to the front office). But of course that's not how it went down in Philly (and unlike Kapler, Garrett isn't even under contract for another season).

[gmwannabe]

i smell a greg ward pass off an end around this weekend but who's fast enough to go get it?
gm

[bkeich]

I think we can count on the fact that Pederson has some tricks in his bag this week. He needs to do something to compensate for his low-talent pass catchers.

I am actually getting more optimistic about this game as the week goes, Seattle may be the only team we have a chance against, they have a very questionable run defense and maybe we can just plow through them (loosing Brooks will hurt).

If we can control the clock and get running Wentz will carve them up if he gets time. Even our questionable WR crew can make plays if the defense is trying to stop the run.

[Lawman]

He needs to do something to compensate for his low-talent pass catchers.

Scary part is that, given the drops of Agholor and the age and seeming dropoff of Jeffrey, the current receiving corp may be better then what we started the season with.

[Philsmania]

it wouldn't surprise me if Garrett ends up dangling for some time while Jones tries to make up his mind, kind of like Kapler with Middleton

Boy, you were right about that. As with Kapler, the longer it goes on the more you have to think they might actually bring Garrett back (or maybe move him to the front office). But of course that's not how it went down in Philly (and unlike Kapler, Garrett isn't even under contract for another season).

One writer's take on what may be going on with the Cowboys.

Analysis | What on Earth are the Cowboys doing with Jason Garrett?

[zambonir]

Meeting was cancelled, he won't be back (ESPN's Ed Werder had it first).

[Purduke]

Well we still have a chance to re-host the Vikings in the NFC Championship game in the Linc.

[Patchmk88]

Never seen a team with more significant injuries in my life. Really unlucky year.

[flyers19rw]

Seattle found the key to winning games in the NFL-spear the opponent’s QB in the back of the head when he’s down. Works wonders. No penalty; no problem. If that doesn’t work, push away your opponent to catch the winning TD in the end zone like the Viking receiver did today against the Saints. No penalty or problem there either.

[zambonir]

I was a skeptic (and would have still be happy to tank) but gotta like what this team accomplished this year. Very unfortunate/infuriating about Wentz.

Gotta believe McCown and Peterson could have actually worked a little magic together if they'd had a few weeks; the lack of practice/timing was pretty obvious even as they managed/called a very good game.

Of course in the end Seattle still had the best player or we might have held them under 9 points.

[Squire]

21st pick in the draft

[zambonir]

Yeah, 17th (the 8-8 Cowboys spot) to 21st not that bad. The 7-9 teams pick 11th-16th, not sure how the tiebreakers would have shaken out for Eagles there.

[flyers19rw]

Best WR available.

[el-pietro]

Or Corner?

[phillychuck]

Best player available in a position of need...WR, DB, or Edge with DT, LB, and OL being slightly less need. If you don't draft a WR in round 1, good WRs are available in rounds 2 or 3, especially in this draft which is supposed to be flush with good WR. Also, this team seems better at identifying talent in the lines than it is elsewhere (DB, WR). Maybe they should sign WRs and DBs as FAs, and concentrate on the lines.

[Florida_Sunshine]

I would like our first pick to be either a DB or LB that will knock the snot out of opposing receivers or running backs. Next pick, WR.