NFC East Overview I: The Philadelphia Eagles

[bighitterdalama]

Hi all. Most of you here at the BBH know me as The Big Hitter. My real name is Brian McGinn. I am a recently retired police sergeant from Syracuse, New York. Retirement has allowed me to pursue many outside interests that I did not have time for when I was fully employed. Included among these is a long-time passion: scouting football.

The NFL Game Pass now provides a unique opportunity for those who love to scout. First offered just a few years back, the NFL Game Pass allows those who purchase the product to access 100% of the video of every game played throughout the season. Various angles allow for detailed review of each and every play. By combining an in-depth video review with statistical venues offered elsewhere, it is possible compile a detailed scouting report on each and every NFL team.

This is what I hope to provide to the BBH: a weekly scouting report of the Giants' upcoming opponent. Initially, this will be a written report submitted about the middle of each game week. I would like to eventually work in a podcast component and, hopefully, some instructional video. I fully understand that my plans are quite ambitious. That said, I consider the opportunity to offer such an effort to the BBH community to be an honor and I will work hard to make it a quality product.

Obviously, as we are just entering into the preseason, video of upcoming opponents does not yet exist. As such, I am beginning this effort with a review of our three NFC East rivals. Based upon these reports, I will track these opponents throughout the preseason so as to gauge their strengths and weaknesses and provide updates. I will begin with an examination of the Philadelphia Eagles. I should note that, as I write this report, the Eagles are engaged in their first preseason game at Green Bay. The results of that game will not, initially, be included in this report. Also, given the length of the report, I will split it in half so as to allow for easier reading. I will start with the Eagles' offense.

Eagles Offense

Doug Pederson is entering his second season as Eagles' head coach. Pederson, a former journeyman NFL quarterback, is an offensively oriented HC. Prior to his hiring by Philadelphia, Pederson spent three seasons in Kansas City as Andy Reid's offensive coordinator. Pederson committed the Eagles to junk the college-style gimmick offense he inherited from Chip Kelly and install the more traditional West Coast offense favored by Reid. Pederson brought in former NFL back up QB Frank Reich as his offensive coordinator.

The 2016 Eagle offense had its moments, but was, for the most part, inconsistent. The Eagles opened the season 3-0, then lost nine of eleven games before finishing the season impressively with back-to-back victories over the playoff-bound Giants and Cowboys. The Eagles season closely mirrored the suspension of right tackle Lane Johnson: with Johnson, the Eagles were 5-1 and averaged 27.7 ppg; without Johnson, the Eagles were 2-8, scoring only 20.1 ppg.

That said, I believe that the Eagle swoon had more to do with a rookie quarterback's growing pains combined with inconsistent play by the running back and wide receiver units. In particular, the wide receivers were nothing better than mediocre. Once opposing teams figured out the Eagles' offensive system and its weak points, defenses adjusted and the Eagles' offense stalled. The Eagles finished the season at 16th in the NFL in scoring (22.9 ppg) and 22nd in total yards (337.8).

The Eagles have made a number of key personnel changes on offense. Wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham and back up quarterback Chase Daniel were released. Starting left guard Allan Babre was traded to Denver. Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith were signed to strengthen the wide receiver corp. Bruising running back Lagarette Blount was added to beef up a so-so running back unit. Rookie wide outs Mack Hollins and Sheldon Gibson were added via the draft, as was running back Donnell Pumphrey. Finally, veterans Nick Foles and Matt McGlown were brought in to fight it out for the back up quarterback position.

Let us look at the Eagles' offense, unit by unit.

   

Offensive Line

The strength of the Eagles offense, in fact the strength of its entire team, is its offensive line. In both quality and depth, this unit shines. In fact, the Eagles brain trust had such faith in the overall line talent that they were comfortable in making a salary cap related trade of starting left guard Allan Babre to the Denver Broncos. Last season, Eagles carried eight offensive linemen on their 53 man roster, and I suspect they will do the same in 2017. Let's break down the line position by position.

Jason Peters is one of the NFL's top left tackles. The 35 year old Peters has had, to date, nine Pro Bowl and six All Pro selections in his 13 year career. Interestingly, the University of Arkansas grad was originally signed in 2002 by the Bills as an undrafted free agent. Peters was actually cut during camp, re-signed to the Bills practice squad, later activated as a backup/specialty teams ace/right tackle before finally settling in at LT in 2006. He was signed away by the Eagles in 2009. Peters, who excels in both run blocking and pass protection, shows no sign of slowing down. Few doubt that he will ultimately end up with a plaque in the Hall of Fame.

27 year old right tackle Lane Johnson is one of the best players at that position in the NFL. Although he has yet to be selected to the Pro Bowl, in 2014  PFF made him their 1st Team All Pro selection. A former #4 overall pick out of Oklahoma in the 2013 draft, Johnson actually played quarterback, tight end, and defensive line early in his collegiate career before settling in at offensive tackle. Johnson was suspended for ten games in 2016 for PED use. Significantly, the Eagles went 2-8 during that stretch. Johnson, when paired with Peters, gives the Eagles perhaps the best offensive tackle combination in the NFL.

Center Jason Kelce was selected to his second Pro Bowl in 2016. A durable and dependable player, Kelce snapped for every offensive play last season and has not missed a started over the past three seasons. The 6'3", 295 lb Kelce was originally the Eagles 6th round pick in 2011.

The Eagles right guard, the mammoth Brandon Brooks, is entering his sixth season in the NFL. Originally drafted by the Texans in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft, the 6'5", 335 lb Brooks signed a multi-year deal with the Eagles in 2016. Brooks has yet to obtain post-season honors, but is certainly capable of such.

Second year player Isaac Seumalo is the Eagles' new left guard. Seumalo, a third round pick by the Eagles in 2016, was a player that I had targeted for the Giants in my initial mock drafts of that year. Seumalo is a versatile player, having played four offensive line positions at Oregon State. Interestingly, the one position he did not play was left guard. The Eagles were confident enough in Seumalo's ability to make make the above described trade of Babre. Early camp reports have him playing well, but real game reports remain in the future. As such, I would, at this point, consider this to be a key development to keep an eye on.

The key back up is Stefen Wisniewski, a swing interior lineman who also serves as the back up center. The seven year veteran, a one time 2nd round pick of the Raiders, saw his career in Oakland derailed by a torn labrum. After a year in Jacksonville, he was signed as a free agent by the Eagles prior to the 2016 season. His versatility proved invaluable in stabilizing the Eagles line during Lane Johnson's suspension.

The back up tackle is second year player Halapoulivaati Vaitai. In his rookie campaign, Vaitai, a former 5th round pick out of TCU, started six games at right tackle, all during Johnson's suspension. He played both tackle positions in college.

During the off-season, the Eagles signed guard Chance Warmack to a one year "show me" contract. Warmack, who played his college ball at Alabama, was the 10th overall pick in the 2013 Draft. From 2013-2015, he started 46 games for the Tennessee Titans, all at right guard. In 2016, he ended up in Mike Mularkey's dog house, starting only two games. He was released following the season, after which he was picked by Philadelphia. The Eagles offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, was also Warmack's college coach; perhaps Stoutland can help Warmack regain the form that excited so many scouts when he exited Tuscaloosa.     

Running Backs

The Eagles ended 2016 with an average of 113.3 running yards/game, good for 11th in the league. That said, the Eagles running backs were not much to fear, being, for the most part, smaller versatile backs that filled multi-dimensional responsibilities in Doug Pederson's West Coast Offense. This off-season, they signed rugged power back Lagarette Blount, late of New England. I am not sure that Blount's abilities will do much to upgrade this unit. Keep in mind that the Eagles almost never field anything other than 11 or 12 personnel combinations, so opportunities for offensive snaps by a running back are limited. That said, I suspect that the Eagles may keep as many as five running backs on their 53 man roster. Let's take a look.

The Eagles best back is the diminutive 13 year veteran Darren Sproles. Born to be a West Coast back, the 34 year old Sproles shows no signs of slowing down. In 2016, Sproles ran for 438 yards on 94 carries (4.7 Y/A), caught 52 passes on 71 targets for 427 yards (8.2 Y/C), and averaged 13.2 yards per return on 17 punts. Sproles was on the field for 45% of the Eagles' offensive plays. I suspect he will maintain close to that average in 2017.

Ryan Matthews came to the Eagles in 2015 following five seasons in San Diego. As advertised, he has proven to productive, versatile, oft injured, and prone to fumbling, often at the worst of times (see last year's game against Detroit). In 2016, he carried the ball 155 times for 661 yards (4.3 Y/C) and eight touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes on 14 targets for 115 yards (8.8 Y/C) and one touchdown. Matthews played in 25% of the Eagles offensive plays in 2016. I suspect that his playing time will be considerably reduced in 2017.

Enter Lagarette Blount. The bruising eight year veteran out of Oregon played for the Super Bowl winning Patriots in 2016, carrying the ball 299 times for 1161 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns. That said, his production was more a function of Bill Belichik's commitment to the run game than to notable talent as he averaged a somewhat pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry. I just do not see how a north-south runner of Blount's style will fit in to the Eagles' West Coast offense. Significantly, Blount has never been any kind of pass catching threat. In 2016, Blount was in on 527 offensive plays but was targeted as a receiver only eight times (seven receptions, 38 yards, 5.4 Y/C, zero touchdowns). Blount played in 47% of the Patriots' offensive snaps last year; I really do not see him on the field for half that percentage for the Eagles. Given that power backs tend to grow in effectiveness with increased numbers of carries, I suspect that his contribution to the Eagles' offense will be limited.

Certain beat reporters have an ability to write up questionable observations in early camp reports, and none embarrass themselves more so than the Eagles' press corp. One reporter recently wrote a piece to the effect that Lagarette Blount and Wendell Smallwood will emerge this year as a "thunder & lightning" type duo that will propel the Eagles' offense up into dizzying heights. Such is the nonsense which comes out of Philadelphia. I've already touched upon Blount; as for Smallwood, I highly doubt it. The Eagles virtually never have two backs in the game; given the snap counts I expect that Sproles, Matthews and Blount will get, I would think that Smallwood will be lucky to repeat the 15% of offensive plays that he got in 2016. In 2016, Smallwood, a second year former 5th round pick out of West Virginia, carried the ball 77 times for 312 yards (4.1 Y/C) and caught six passes on 13 targets for 55 yards (9.2 Y/C).

Rookie Donnell Pumphrey, a 4th round pick out of San Diego State, will most likely make the squad. Pumphrey, who is basically a Darren Sproles clone, has been limited by a hamstring injury and has only just begun to practice with the team. A Philly beat reporter recently wrote that he expects Pumphrey to be a key contributor to the team's offense. C'est la vie, c'est l'imbecile.

Tight Ends

The Eagles have a very solid, if unspectacular, trio of tight ends. All three should be locks to make the 53 man roster. Keep in mind that, in their West Coast Offense, the Eagles play 12 personnel for about 45% of the plays and 11 personnel for about 55% of the plays. As such, the Eagles, at least in 2016, had two tight ends on the field about 50% of the time.

5th year player Zach Ertz, a former #2 pick (#35 overall) out of Stanford, is a solid if unspectacular performer. He is, to use the classical term, a "two-way" tight end who can both block and catch. Although I doubt he will ever be an All Pro performer, I do expect him to be a productive starter for years to come. In 2016, the 6'5, 250 lb Ertz caught 78 passes on 106 targets for 816 yards (10.5 Y/C) and four touchdowns. He was in on 75% of the Eagles' offensive snap counts.

In recent years, former standout tight end Brent Celek has seen his offensive production diminished at the expense of the younger Zach Ertz. Now 32 years old and entering his 11th year with the Eagles, the 6'4", 261 lb Celek is now used mostly as a blocking tight end. In 2016, he caught 14 passes on 19 targets for 155 yards (11.1 Y/C) but zero touchdowns. He was in on just short of 40% of the Eagles' snap counts. 

Tight end Trey Burton is a 4th year former UDFA out of Florida. At 6'3", 228 lbs, Burton is somewhat small for the position. That said, he is quite versatile and is capable of playing in multiple capacities. In fact, in one game last season, Burton was pressed into duty as a long snapper after both Eagle long snappers went out injured. (He was successful in this role). In 2016, Burton caught 37 passes on 60 targets for 327 yards (8.8 Y/C) and one touchdown. He played on 29% of the offensive plays.

Wide Receivers

To me, the weak point of the Eagles offense in their wide receiver corp. Its not that its bad, its just that it is not particularly good. In 2016, the Eagles featured Nelson Aghalor and Dorial Green-Beckham on the outside and Jordan Matthews in the slot, with Bryce Treggs and Paul Turner as part-time back ups. In an effort to shore up this underwhelming group, the Eagles released Green-Beckham, signed free agents Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, and drafted Mack Hollins and Sheldon Gibson. On paper, this would seem to be a significant upgrade, but I am not so sure. Let me explain.

A few years back, Alshon Jeffery, the Bears' one time second round pick out of South Carolina, was one of the top NFL receivers. In 2013 & 2014, Jeffery caught 174 passes in 293 targets for 2554 yards (14.7 Y/C), and 17 touchdowns. Those two years he played in all 32 games for the Bears and was in on 91% of the snap counts. The past two seasons, he played in only 21 games, caught 106 passes in 188 targets for 1628 yards (15.4 Y/C) and six touchdowns. More specifically, in 2016, in 12 games (he was suspended for four games for PED use), Jeffery caught 52 passes on 94 targets for 821 yards (15.8 Y/C) and two touchdowns. Although still an effective receiver, Jeffery's overall production seems to be on a downward slide. Still, he potentially gives the Eagles a big play threat wide receiver that they had previously been lacking.

The same can be said for seven year vet Torrey Smith. The 28 year old Smith, who was the Ravens' 2nd round pick in 2011, had his best season in 2013, catching 65 passes on 137 targets for 1128 yards (17.4 Y/C). His stats have digressed every year since, catching 49, 33 and 20 passes for 767, 633, and 267 yards. Smith has always had a lousy catch/target ratio, with a career number of 49.1%; in 2016, this slipped to an abysmal 40.1%. In the Eagles' West Coast Offense, a #2 receiver simply has to be much more efficient.

The Eagles had high hopes for former USC wide receiver Nelson Aghalor when they drafted him with the #20 overall pick in the 2015 draft. Instead, Aghalor has been quite underwhelming. Over two seasons, he has caught only 59 passes on 133 targets for 648 yards (11.0 Y/C) and three touchdowns. In an effort to jump start his career, the Eagles have moved Aghalor from the edge into the slot, which they feel to be his more natural position. Still, unless he soon starts to show much better production, Aghalor is in definite danger of earning the "bust" label.

Jordan Matthews is the big loser in Aghalor's move to the slot. In 2016, playing in the slot, Matthews was the Eagles' most productive receiver, catching 73 passes on 117 targets for 804 yards (11.0 Y/C) and three touchdowns. The Eagles have publically stated that Jeffery and Smith will play on the outside and Aghalor in the slot, relegating Matthews as the #4 receiver. Matthews, the Eagles 2nd round pick in 2014, is not happy about his situation and has publically stated as much. At one point, the Eagles debated offering Matthews as a trade option, but they have since reconsidered. For now, Matthews remains a disgruntled 4th option in the Eagles' receiving corp.

The Eagles are high rookie draft picks Mack Hollins and Sheldon Gibson. Hollins, a 4th round pick out of North Carolina, is big tall receiver (6'4", 221). Gibson, a 5th rounder out of West Virginia, is more of water bug type at 5'11", 191. Both should make the squad; I expect the Eagles to keep six receivers on their 53 man roster. Bryce Treggs and Paul Turner, both sparingly used UDFA rookies in 2016, are on the outside looking in. Barring injury to one of the other receivers or an unlikely trade or cut of Matthews, I see no way that either Treggs or Turner make the cut.

Quarterback

On March 01, 2016, the Eagles signed Sam Bradford to a two year, $36 million dollar contract. It seemed that the Eagles were at least temporarily set at the position. Then, unexpectedly, the Eagles traded with the Browns for Chase Daniels. A few weeks later, following a complicated series of trades, the Eagles moved up in the draft to select North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz with the #2 overall pick.

The always petulant Bradford pouted throughout the pre-season. Finally, on September 3rd, he was traded to the Vikings. Daniels, once rumored to initially start the season as #1 while Wentz was eased into the starting job, was instead handed the clipboard as back up (he would only play six plays all season). Wentz would be the Eagles starting quarterback.

Wentz had a decent, if up and down, rookie campaign. He finished the season with 379 completions on 607 attempts for 3782 yards (5.7 Y/A; 10.0 Y/C), 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Although pretty much a classic drop back passer, the 6'4, 237 lb Wentz did run 46 times for 130 yards (3.3 Y/C), and two touchdowns. All-in-all, Wentz looked very much the part of an up-and-coming franchise quarterback and it appears that the Eagles decision to trade up for his draft rights was correct.

Now for the back ups. The Chase Daniels era in Philadelphia is officially over: at his request, the Eagles released him in March and he has subsequently moved on to the New Orleans Saints. The Eagles have brought in to camp former Eagle Nick Foles (who was once traded by the Eagles for Sam Bradford) and Matt McGlown to compete for the back up role. Having kept only two quarterbacks on the roster in 2016, I expect the Eagles to do the same in 2017. My money is on Nick Foles. 

So much for the Eagles offense. As this piece is already quite long, I will stop here to allow the readers to digest the information. I will be back later this weekend to cover the Eagles' defense and specialty teams, with updated information from the Eagles/Packers game.

Brian

[President Rick]

wow.  this is about as thorough and informative as it could be.  congrats and thanks.  well done.

[MP21WAYS2PAY]

Great write up Brian, very informative and detailed.  I will take it as good news that their best RB is 34 year old Sproles and their WRs are not good.   Interesting to note Dorial Green-Beckham was cut, he was the player the Titans picked with our 2nd round pick when we traded up for Collins.

Pretty soon you are going to be charging 60 bucks for subscriptions!

[The Chief]

Great work.  Looking forward to your analysis of our first real opponent, the Cowboys. 

[beaugestus]

Brian, thanks for the great job. I appreciate the time and effort you have put into this.

John

[Gman329]

Excellent stuff!  Thank you!  Only one thing you didn't factor in - we always suck against the Eagles! 

[Sem]

Wow, great job Brian. I look forward to reading this on a weekly basis.

[Bob In PA]

Brian:  First-rate stuff.  Thanks for doing this.

I saw the Eagles game last night and they had major trouble running the ball.

The Packers blitzed a lot, and the Eagles' above-average OL looked below-average in both the pass- and run-games.

They will have trouble exceeding .500 due to strength of schedule.

Bob

[Ed Vette]

Excellent work here my friend! Let's tack it up and then move it to the Chalk Board to save. Rich, when you get the opportunity, this belongs on the Giantsfans.net front page as an article.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[suffering_succotash]

Wow! This is the kind of quality content that makes this sight great!

[terrymeisner]

great work brian....a very good read and i look forward to future installments....go Giants!!!!!

[BlueMoshik]

Brian, my friend, that is some excellent stuff. Kudos. No one sees the game of football quite like you.

Few know this but Brian can do the same for British Premier League Soccer!

[bighitterdalama]

Hi all! I am back to review the Eagles defense. Let take a look.

One of the first things Doug Pederson did when he took over as Eagles HC in 2016 was to hire Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator. Schwartz, one of the most respected DCs in the NFL, had his work cut out for him. The 2015 Eagles, despite a boat load of defensive talent, finished near or at the bottom of the NFL in virtually every defensive category. Schwartz junked the 3-4 defense run by his predecessor Bill Davis and installed his preferred 4-3 wide front. The Eagles also added a handful of defensive players to the roster. Most notable were linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerback Leodis McKelvin, both of whom had previously played for Schwartz in Buffalo, and former Ram safety Rodney McLeod. The results were dramatic, as the Eagles improved from 28th to 12th in scoring defense and 30th to 13th in yardage defense.

The Eagles' defense has undergone a number of personnel changes this past off season. Defensive tackle Bennie Logan and defensive end Conner Barwin both left as free agents; Logan to Kansas City and Barwin to the Rams. Both were defensive standouts. The Eagles gave up on defensive end Marcus Smith; the former 1st round pick is now on Seattle. Both starting  corners, Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin, were let go; Carroll is now in Dallas and, at present McKelvin is an unsigned FA.

The Eagles did bring in a number of new defensive players. Prior to the draft, they traded their third round pick (#74 overall) to the Ravens for defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and the Ravens 3rd rounder (#99 overall). They signed free agent defensive end Chris Long from New England and cornerback Patrick Robinson from the Rams. The Eagles drafted defense heavily this year, selecting DE Derek Barnett, CB Sidney Jones, CB Rashul Douglas, LB Nate Gerry, and DT/NT Elijah Qualls in rounds 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 respectfully. Lastly, just yesterday the Eagles made a trade with the Buffalo Bills, acquiring cornerback Ronald Darby in exchange for wide receiver Jordan Matthews and their 3rd pound pick in 2018.

The Eagles do have two other, rather important defensive personnel issues looming. Beau Allen, their fine young nose tackle, suffered a torn pectoral muscle weight lifting; his return date in unknown and it is possible he may miss the entire season. Also, linebacker Nigel Bradham faces a multiple game suspension after being convicted of assaulting a hotel worker. 

Defensive Tackles

Fletcher Cox is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. At 6'4", 310 lbs, Cox is sometimes rotated into the 1 technique role but is best positioned as the 3 tech. Cox is outstanding both against the run and as a pass rusher. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in both 2015 and 2016, seasons where he respectfully recorded 9.5 & 6.5 sacks. In 2012, the Eagles traded up three slots to select Cox with the #12 overall pick in the draft. The now 26 year old Cox went to college at Mississippi State.

As stated above, the Eagles acquired DT Timmy Jernigan this off-season in a trade with the Ravens. Jernigan, who enjoyed his time in Baltimore, was initially surprised by the trade but has since grown to like life as an Eagle. Jernigan, a former 2nd round (#48 overall) pick in the 2014 draft, is a 3 tech who is effective both against the run and pass.  At 6'2", 295 lbs, Jernigan is strictly a 3 tech, although he is capable of rotating along the line on passing downs. In three seasons, he has recorded 13 total sacks.

Beau Allen's loss could significantly affect the Eagles run defense. Last season, the 6'3" 333lb Allen was the Eagles only true 1 tech DT on a defense that gave up 4.2 ypc (16th in the NFL). Rookie UDFA Destiny Vaeao was a significant part of the DT rotation (26% of the defensive snaps) and did play some 1 tech. That said, the 6'4", 299 Vaeao is a bit undersized to full time clog the line ala Allen.

The Eagles have brought in third year player Gabe Wright. A former 4th round pick in the 2014 draft, the 6'3", 305 lb Wright has done exactly nothing in two seasons with Lions and Browns respectively. In fact, last year, on an awful Browns defense, Wright only managed to get on the field for 7% of the defensive snaps. More than likely he does not make the team.

The Eagles do have one potential option in rookie NT Elijah Qualls. The 6'1", 321 lb Qualls, who played at Washington, was the Eagles 6th round pick. He is a 1 tech/NT, so perhaps he will be able to fill the void left if Allen's injury is long term. That said, he remains an untested 6th round rookie.

Justin Hamilton, 6'2", 315, is a second year UDFA out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He spent 2016 on the practice squad. Winston Craig, 6'4", 290 lbs, is an UDFA rookie out of Richmond.

Defensive End

The Eagles drafted Brandon Graham with the #13 overall pick in the 2010 draft. The 6'3", 265 lb Graham is both good at stuffing the run and rushing the passer. He plays LDE in the Eagles "wide 9" 4-3 defensive scheme. He has recorded a total of 18.5 sacks over the past three seasons.

Vinny Curry is another returning veteran. The 29 year old Curry, a solid rotational DE, was a second round pick of the Eagles in the 2012 draft (Marshall University). Curry, who had a high of nine sacks in 2014, has seen his sack numbers decline since, recording only 2.5 sacks in 2016. Still, he provides the Eagles with a solid option as a #3 or #4 DE.

The Eagles selected Derek Barnett with the #14 overall pick in the 2017 draft. The 6'3", 259 lb Barnett played his college ball at Tennessee, where he broke Reggie White's school record for sacks. The Eagles obviously have high hopes for Barnett; in his initial preseason game against the Packers, he did not let them down, recording two sacks, four tackles, two quarterback hits, and numerous pressures. I personally was quite impressed.

The Eagles also signed 30 year old Chris Long this off-season. The 6'3", 270 lb Long played for the Super Bowl Champion Patriots in 2016, recording four sacks and rotating through 65% of the defensive snaps. Long, selected #2 overall in the 2008 draft, is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long. He has 58.5 career sacks, but only seven over the past three seasons. Although he could, in a pinch, make the occasional start, he is, at this point in his career a rotational player only, adding high quality depth to the defensive end position.   

Also in the mix is third year player Steven Means. A former 3rd round pick out of Buffalo, the 6'3", 263 lb Means is a 5th or 6th option at best. Alex MacCallister, a 2016 7th round pick, was IRed for the entire season.

Linebacker

Jordan Hicks had developed into one of the better middle linebackers in the NFL. Unlike many of today's middle linebackers, who are subbed out in passing situations, Hicks is an every down MAC who last year played 95% of the Eagles defensive snap counts. Hicks, now in his third year, is a former 3rd round pick out of Texas. He is the first linebacker to have 11 plus takeaways in his first 24 games since Steeler HOFer Jack Ham (71-72).

27 year old Nigel Bradham came to the Eagles in 2016 after four seasons in Buffalo. Bradham, who plays at the SAM position, had a terrific first season, recording 99 tackles (62/37), 7 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two sacks, and five PDs. Like Hicks, Bradham is an every down linebacker, having played on 97% of the Eagles' defensive snaps. As noted above, Bradham faces a multiple game suspension due to an off-field assault conviction. Any long term loss of Bradham could seriously weaken an Eagle defense that is already quality-wise paper thin at linebacker.

26 year old Mychal Kendricks, a sixth year former 2nd round pick out of Cal, is the Eagles weak side linebacker. Once an every down back, Kendricks saw his playing time slip to 27% in 2016. The inside word is that Jim Schwartz does not like Kendricks cover skills; probably as likely is that Kendricks, who shined as an outside backer in the previous 3-4 defenses, has not transitioned well into Schwatz's 4-3 wide nine system. Still, given Bradham's pending suspension, Kendricks remains a valuable asset to the Eagles.

Outside of the three starters, the Eagles have little quality or depth at linebacker. The only other vet from 2016, Stephen Tulloch, was not re-signed this off-season. The Eagle beat writers have talked up the camp play of rookie 5th round pick Nate Gerry. Problem is Gerry is only 6'2"/218 lbs and is converting to linebacker after playing safety at Nebraska. Second year player Kamu Grugier-Hill, a 6th round pick out of W. Illinois, has the same dimensions as Gerry and played specials only in 2016. Six year vet Najee Goode is listed as a linebacker but plays specials only. 2016 7th round pick Joe Walker (Oregon) was IRed the entire season; UDFAs Don Cherry and Steven Daniels are practice squad vets with zero NFL game time.

Cornerbacks

This off-season, the Eagles decided to move on from 2016 starting cornerbacks Leotis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll and left both players unsigned. This decision, which at first looked almost clueless, left the CB unit in a mess. The Eagles have recently made a few moves to improve the unit, adding a solid starter and some additional veteran help. They also selected corners with their 2nd and 3rd round draft picks.

The initial plan was to have 2nd year player Jalen Mills, a 7th round pick out of LSU, to start at one corner. Mills, who played 65% of the defensive snaps, had 67 tackles and 10 PDs in his rookie season. That said, Mills is a limited talent whose play by all accounts was at best inconsistent.

Opposite Mills was to be veteran Patrick Robinson. The 29 year old Robinson, a former 1st round pick out of Florida State, has had a so/so career over eight seasons. Robinson played in seven games for the Indianapolis in 2016, recording 26 tackles and five PDs.

Ron Brooks played slot corner in 2016. He played in 28% of the Eagles defensive snaps, recording 18 tackles and nine PDs. Brooks, a 28 year old six year veteran, simply does not have the skills set to play outside corner.

Perhaps due to corner concerns, the Eagles also signed eleven year vet Corey Graham as insurance. The 32 year old Graham, once a pretty good corner with Bears and Ravens, played safety in Buffalo the past two seasons. Certainly a Jim Schwartz connection exists, but, seeing as the Eagles are strong at safety, I would think it a safe bet that the plan is (or at least was) for Graham to provide depth at corner.

The Eagles are high on 3rd round pick Rashul Douglas out of West Virginia. Douglas, at 6'2", 209, is a quite big for a corner; I can see him at some point converting to safety. 2nd round pick Sidney Jones, a terrific talent who played at Washington, suffered a terrible Achilles injury during his Pro Day and is likely out for the season.

Then, on Saturday, the Eagles made an important trade, sending wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a third round pick to the Bills for corner Ronald Darby. Darby, the Bills' 2015 2nd round pick out of Florida State, has been very good his first two years in the NFL, recording 68 tackles, two INTs and 21 PDs in 2015 and 69 tackles, 12 PDs (but zero INTs) in 2016. If Darby plays in Philadelphia like he did in Buffalo, he upgrades their cornerback unit from a "D" to a "C."

Safety

As with most all 4-3 "wide" defensive fronts, the Eagles defense under Jim Schwartz is designed to force the offense to play into the middle of the field putting linebackers and safeties in position to make the lion's share of the tackles. As such, a large part the success of the 2016 Eagles defense can be credited to the outstanding play of their two starting safeties plus some quality back up play. Lets take a look.

Malcolm Jenkins is one the NFL's best strong safeties, and 2016 was perhaps his best season. The nine year veteran recorded 114 tackles (82/32), 13 passes defensed, three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), one fumble recovery, one sack, and three QB hurries. This highly durable safety, who in 2016 played on all but six defensive snaps, has averaged 116 tackles, 14 PDs, 2.67 INTs, and 99% of the defensive snaps over his three years with the Eagles. The 29 year old Jenkins, who played his college ball at Ohio State, was the Saints' #1 pick (#14 overall) in the 2009 NFL draft.   

Free safety Rodney McLeod pairs with Jenkins to give the Eagles one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. In 2016, the six year veteran recorded 117 tackles (78/39), 10 passes defensed, three interceptions, one FF, one sack, and one QB hurry. The incredibly durable McLeod played in all but one defensive snap for the Eagles in '16. In fact, McLeod is one of only five DBs to have started in every regular season since 2013. The former Virginia Cavalier was signed as an UDFA by the Rams in 2012.

Jaylen Watkins provided most of the safety depth for the 2016 Eagles. In 2016, the Eagles' former 4th round pick (2014/Florida) recorded 51 tackles (34/17) and six PDs. Watkins, who at 5'11", 194, is a bit undersized for a safety, is more of a "tweener" who shared slot coverage with Ron Brooks. He played on 38% of the Eagles defensive snaps but was also a valuable part of the Eagles' coverage teams.

I have already covered Corey Graham above under cornerbacks. Suffice to say that I see him as making the team as a quality back up at both corner and safety.

Elsewise, back up safety Terrence Brooks played very sparingly on defense but was a big contributor on specials, recovering two fumbles. Thirty year old, eight year vet Chris Maragos is listed as a safety but is a specialty teams ace only. Rookie UDFA Tre Sullivan is a player who some Eagles beat writers like quite a bit. From what I saw in the Packers game, Sullivan is an aggressive player whose borderline hits could oftimes result in roughing calls in today's overly-sensitive NFL.

Specialty Teams

The Eagles put great emphasis on their specialty teams and it shows. In 2016, they 2nd ranked in the NFL in both kick off and punt return average. The Eagles used a variety of return men, the most notable of which is Darren Sproles, who averaged 13.2 yards/punt return. The Eagles have terrific coverage teams, finished 2nd and 8th respectively in kick off and punt coverage. A few early career misses have forever turned the troglodyte Eagles fans against kicker Caleb Sturgis, but, in actuality, he is a pretty good kicker. In 2016, he made 35 out of 41 field goal attempts (24/24 inside the 40) and was 30/31 on extra points. 14 year veteran Donnie Jones is one of the league's better punters. In 2016, he finished 16th in yards/punt and 11th in net yards/punt. 

Final Prediction: I think that too many things have to go right for the Eagles to have any shot at the NFC East title. That said, I do believe that enough of these issues will be resolved to bump the Eagles up to a 9-7 record and a give them a shot at a playoff spot.

Next up: The Washington Redskins

     
Brian (Big Hitter)

[Cid jr]

Wow,great stuff Brian!  your work is going to be greatly appreciated!

[AP44]

The Eagles are loaded. All depends on Wentz. They have depth at a lot of positions and their OL is vastly underrated.  Cox and Graham are beasts on the DL and Jerrigan was an underrated signing. Kendricks and Hicks are athletic LBs, and Jenkins is still a quality safety. Darby was a huge get and upgrade but their other corners are huge uqestion marks.