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2016-2017 Philadelphia Eagles Team Preview
Key Additions: WR Reuben Randle, WR Chris Givens, QB Chase Daniel, QB Carson Wentz, S Rodney McLeod
Key Subtractions: RB DeMarco Murray, QB Mark Sanchez, ILB Kiko Alonso, CB Byron Maxwell, S Walter Thurmond
Strengths
The same could be said about their defense, which has a couple of solid safeties in Malcolm Jenkins and recently-acquired Rodney McLeod (Rams), but is devoid of any dependable corners in the secondary. Philly’s front seven appears to be in sound shape as well with standout defensive end Fletcher Cox manning the trenches along with run-stuffer Benny Logan, but then their corps of linebackers has holes in it too.
Even Philadelphia’s special teams feels half-baked despite having one of the most promising kickers in the league in 25-year-old Cody Parkey. Parkey made 35 of his 40 field-goal attempts in the NFL – he also went perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the 50-yard line during his rookie year in 2014 – but only played three games last season due to a season-ending groin injury.
Weaknesses
Purging all of Chip Kelly’s maddening roster work from the previous season has suddenly sent Philadelphia into rebuild mode. Yet strangely enough, quarterback Sam Bradford (a personal pick-up by Kelly himself) was not a casualty of the mass exodus. Heck, he was even granted a new two-year, $36 million contract in the offseason even though the team spent a ton of draft picks to nab Carson Wentz with the second-overall pick of this year’s draft and also signed benchwarmer Chase Daniel to a three-year, $21 million deal.
QB carousel aside, the Eagles really don’t have much support for their play-callers either. They only have one standout wide receiver in Jordan Matthews (more on him later), and their backfield platoon consists of oft-injured Ryan Mathews, return specialist/pass-catching running back Darren Sproles and a couple of unheard-of rushers in Kenjon Barner and Wendell Smallwood.
As mentioned earlier, the Eagles have issues on both sides of the ball. But if you want to pinpoint exactly which unit will cause the most headaches this season, look no further than its entire offense that’s in total disarray right now.
Key Player – Jordan Matthews
Without a quarterback penciled-in as Philly’s starting quarterback just yet, it will be up to the team’s receivers to do all the dirty work to get the offense going. Unfortunately, the Eagles have only one reliable target in Jordan Matthews, who was three yards shy of breaking the 1,000-yard receiving mark last season. Matthews also finished with eight receiving touchdowns for the second-straight season in as many years as a pro, so he definitely has red-zone threat written all over him already.
On a more personal level, this upcoming season will be a good chance for the 24-year-old to move up to elite-receiver status. Many of Matthews’ peers have had success with merely adequate QBs (Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins and Kansas City’s Jeremy Maclin – a former Eagle – come immediately to mind), so taking his game to a whole new level with either Bradford, Wentz or *gasp* Daniel will look real good for his young NFL career.
Key Game – vs. Dallas (January 2)
The NFC East appears primed to be a war zone of mediocrity this season, so anything can happen in this division even with the Eagles in total dysfunction. Perhaps the season-finale showdown versus the Dallas Cowboys will surprisingly send the team into the postseason in the last minute, if not at least play the ultimate spoiler to the playoff hopes of America’s favorite team.
Apart from inter-division bragging rights, the Eagles also need to give their fans in Lincoln Field a reason to end this 2016 campaign on a high. They actually have five losing records at home over the last six years for a combined record of 22-28. Making matters worse is the fact that the Cowboys have beaten them in six of their last seven meetings in the City of Brotherly Love.
One thing’s for certain, though: there will be no room for any brotherly-lovin’ come this Week 17 clash if both Philly and Dallas are still in the thick of the playoff hunt.
2015 Team Stats:
| Category | Stat (Rank) |
|---|---|
| Points per game | 23.6 (#12) |
| Passing yards per game | 255.4 (#12) |
| Rushing Yards per game | 108.9 (#4) |
| Scoring Defense | 26.9 (#28) |
Writer’s Prediction
The Eagles, who are currently priced at +350 to win the volatile NFC East, finish last in the division for the first time since 2012. They also win no more than six games to put them under the 6.5 season-wins-total betting line.
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