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The had Super Bowl expectations entering the 2019 season, which is expected given Philadelphia has one of the game's best head coaches in Doug Pederson and a franchise quarterback in . Philadelphia's biggest question entering the season was whether Wentz <a href="https://www.shoprocketsedge.com/houston-rockets-jeresy/calvin-murphy-jersey">Calvin Murphy Jersey</a> could play a 16-game season after having back-to-back years with a season-ending injury. Wentz was finally able to capture the December magic of his own by staying healthy, becoming the first quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season in franchise history as the banged-up Eagles rallied from a 5-7 start to win the NFC East and advance to the postseason for the third consecutive year.Wentz accomplished htis without their No. 1 running back to begin the season (), their top three wide receivers (, , and ), their top tight end () playing with a broken rib and a torn rib cartilage, their Pro Bowl right guard () out with a dislocated shoulder and Pro Bowl right tackle () mi sing the last four games with an ankle sprain. That was just on offense.Wentz was able to win with the likes of practice squad players , and at wide receiver, practice squad find Boston Scott at running back, the emergence of second-round pick as the No. 1 back and as the No. 2 tight end.The Eagles have the hardest part of the formula figured out: a head coach that has won a Super Bowl and is one of the top five in the game and a franchise quarterback that has his long-term deal. Now it's putting the talent around Pederson and Wentz to get the Eagles back amongst the NFL's elite and get Wentz that Super Bowl title of his own. Here's what the Eagles need to accomplish this offseason to get back into title contention:A significant upgrade at WR, adding speed at the positionThe Eagles wide receivers were their most disappointing unit in 2019. Alshon Jeffery suddenly became the oldest 29-year old in history (43 catches, 490 yards, four touchdowns in 10 games) and may mi s the start of next season with a LisFranc injury. Jeffery will be back in 2020 with a $15,446,500 salary thanks to a restructure of his deal by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman that ties them to the aging receiver (Eagles lose $10,659,500 in cap space by cutting him). So Jeffery will be back, but the Eagles need speed at the position in a league that thrives off big plays down the field.Sure, Philadelphia has DeSean Jackson for 2020, but he played just 65 snaps and will be 33 years old at the start of next season. The Eagles can't rely solely on his game-breaking ability and think everything is okay at wideout. Philadelphia needs to get younger at wide receiver and add more speed to compliment Jackson, whether or not he stays healthy.The 2020 draft cla s is deep with speedy playmakers at wide receiver, a position the Eagles should target with their first-round pick towards Henry Ruggs III (Alabama) or Jalen Reagor (TCU). The Eagles could also use their seven draft picks in the first four rounds (one in each round and three projected compensatory picks) to trade up and target CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) or Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), getting that game-breaking wide receiver they desperately need.Philadelphia has a keeper at the slot receiver in Ward, especially since Agholor won't be back. The Eagles also have to see what they have in 2019 second-round pick JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who was a disappointment in his rookie season. Philadelphia doesn't need to give Arcega-Whiteside an expanded role in the offense, but they hope he can develop into a reliable red zone threat. The Eagles should use two of <a href="https://www.shoprocketsedge.com/houston-rockets-jeresy/kenny-wooten-jersey">Kenny Wooten Jersey</a> those seven picks in the first four rounds (especially an early one) on receivers that can stretch the field and open up the offense. Add that combination with Jackson, Jeffery, and Ward instantly makes the position better for a very good quarterback in Wentz, who is on <a href="https://www.shoprocketsedge.com/houston-rockets-jeresy/clint-capela-jersey">Clint Capela Jersey</a> the cusp of being elite.If the Eagles choose to explore the free agency route to add speed at wide receiver, there isn't much out there. Robby Anderson (27) and (26) are the top options if the Eagles are looking for downfield threats, but could command high salaries based on the lack of playmakers on the market. (27) would be nice, but paying him top dollar isn't ideal for an Eagles team that needs to get younger at so many positions. Philadelphia may have just over $50 million in cap space, but the Eagles need to use it wisely.2. Get younger at safety while adding more depthFor years the Eagles had one of the best safety tandems in the NFL with and , but both players have a realistic chance of not returning in 2020. Jenkins is 33 years old and wants a new deal, believing he should be paid as one of the top five safeties in the game. Jenkins has only mi sed six snaps since signing with the Eagles in 2014 and he is the emotional voice of the Eagles defense, so bringing him back shouldn't be difficult. If the Eagles do decide to move on from Jenkins, it's because they want to get younger at the position even though replacing him would be near improbable.McLeod played well in a year where the Eagles restructured his deal to a one-year, prove-it contract, but he will be 30 this offseason. Giving McLeod long term money isn't helping the Eagles get younger on the back end, so they may move on. There are a few free agent options available for Philadelphia, as Deon Bush (27), HaHa Clinton-Dix (27) and (25) would be ideal options that wouldn't cost much should the Eagles decide to keep Jenkins and move on from McLeod.Philadelphia also needs some depth at safety, which they didn't get with and early in the season. That forced the Eagles to make the No. 3 safety late in the season. If Philadelphia chooses to keep Jenkins and McLeod, they are going to need to use a high draft pick on a safety they can develop that can eventually replace one of the two and contribute immediately. Xavier McKinney (Alabama) and hybrid safety/cornerback Shaun Wade (Ohio State) are ideal picks in the first two rounds the Eagles could use a safety on.An internal option would be to move to safety and give him some more playing time, as Douglas just isn't fast enough to play in a man or zone scheme at cornerback, but makes enough plays on <a href="https://www.shoprocketsedge.com/houston-rockets-jeresy/marquese-chriss-jersey">Marquese Chriss Jersey</a> the back end to have a long NFL career at safety. With a crowded cornerback picture, moving Douglas is an option Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz must consider.3. Add a pa s-rushing specialist on the defensive lineThe Eagles are high believers in rushing just four players in getting to the quarterback under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but they were unable to do that this season thanks to an inconsistent pa s rush from their rotation in 2019. Philadelphia decided to undergo a youth movement at defensive end by moving on from and , banking on 2017 first-round pick and 2018 fourth-round pick to fill the void. Barnett didn't live up to expectations on the right edge, finishing with 22 quarterback hits and 6.5 sacks with 48 pre sures. Sweat was a pleasant surprise as a rotational piece -- he totaled four sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and 25 pre sures. That production wasn't enough to compliment , who had 8.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits at age 31) and (fave sacks, 12 quarterback hits) as the No. 3 defensive end in Schwartz's scheme.The Eagles pa s rush was good, but it lacked a dominant presence on the edge that could get to the quarterback. Losing at defensive tackle in Week 1 was damning, especially since he and would have controlled the interior and freed up the edge. Even with Jackson coming back, getting a free agent to pair with Graham on the edge would be monstrous for a defense that banks on getting to the quarterback. (25) would be the perfect player to pair opposite Graham and worth the money he would get on the open market, but it would be difficult to see Jacksonville letting him walk in free agency. (25) appears to be on the verge of breaking out as an edge rusher and would be significantly cheaper. Ditto with (27), another player who can get to the quarterback as a starter or a No. 3 edge rusher. If the Eagles choose to add a pa s rusher early in the draft, Yetor Gro s-Matos (Penn State) and A.J. Epenesa (Iowa) are two pa s rushers that would immediately improve the edge.4. Settle the cornerback rotation, add talent in free agencyThe Eagles surely need help at safety, but they have to get their cornerback situation figured out. Philadelphia has a 2017 second-round pick in that can't see the field and is heading into the last year of his rookie contract. Jones doesn't deserve to be the starter, but the Eagles have to see if he can be part of the rotation going forward. will be a free agent, but the Eagles like him and he's expected to be back. Who starts opposite of Mills will be one of the team's biggest question marks this offseason as the Eagles likely aren't bringing back.Philadelphia <a href="https://www.shoprocketsedge.com/houston-rockets-jeresy/kenyon-martin-jr-jersey">Kenyon Martin Jr. Jersey</a> could look on the open market for cornerback help, as (29) would be a strong fit. (27) would be a cheaper option than (27), but he will command a high s |
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