What Do Eagles Need to Do This Offseason to Get Back to Super Bowl
What a season for the Philadelphia Eagles. Although they came up just short in Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles put together a tremendous 2022 campaign. Now comes the hard part: Surviving the offseason in a league designed to promote parity. The team’s offensive and defensive coordinators have both already left for head coaching jobs with other franchises. And as the team stares down the barrel at a tremendously strong schedule for 2023, Philadelphia will need to be close-to-perfect this offseason if the Eagles hope to get back to the Super Bowl next season.
This article sketches out something of an offseason strategy for the Eagles (including recommendations for the 2023 NFL Draft), with an eye toward winning in 2023 and building a sustainable roster. To summarize the recommendations below, the team is going to need to get creative to trot out a roster of comparable talent to the 2022 squad, given the number of players whose contracts are expiring this offseason. But given the solid foundation of the team's roster, the Eagles can afford to gamble a bit in the draft.
Free Agency
To start, the Eagles are going to lose some impact players in free agency. Running back Miles Sanders, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, defensive lineman Brandon Graham, linebacker T.J. Edwards, cornerback James Bradberry, and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson—among others—are not sure to return. In fact, given the breakout year that Sanders had, a re-signing of the running back would come as a surprise.
Other key contributors, like center Jason Kelce, guard Isaac Seumalo, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, and safety Marcus Epps, are also set to hit free agency.
To state the obvious: The Eagles cannot bring back everyone. The team not only has limited cap space but also needs to prepare to pay quarterback Jalen Hurts, who might fairly be characterized as a Top Five NFL quarterback at this point.
In particular: Hargrave, Graham, Edwards, Kelce, and Seumalo would be extraordinarily difficult to replace. To be sure, the Eagles do have a bit of depth along the defensive line, so Hargrave and Graham might be the first to go among those five if need be. It’s also not clear whether Kelce will retire after an epic career that saw him establish himself as arguably the game’s best center.
If Eagles general manager Howie Roseman can re-sign Edwards and Seumalo, that would be a big win. As a linebacker, Edwards might not play a particularly high-value position, but he anchored the Philadelphia defense in 2022 and would be sorely missed if he departs. Meanwhile, Seumalo was excellent in the trenches and helped propel a tremendous Eagles rushing attack that will likely feature a new running back in 2023.
Though it would be somewhat painful to do, the team could also save precious cap space by cutting cornerback Darius Slay and EDGE rusher Derek Barnett.
Looking at other players who might be available, some have speculated that the Eagles could replace Sanders with running back D’Onta Foreman. Foreman was impressive with the Carolina Panthers last season after the Christian McCaffrey trade, and he could easily slide into the lead back role with the Eagles. Others suggest that cornerback Troy Hill and EDGE rusher Arden Key might be in the cards. Really, the Eagles just need to use free agency to plug some roster gaps, avoid big splashes (they probably should not pursue Daron Payne, for example) and keep their cap number down. They need not hit a home run at a vast majority of the positions they need to replace. With Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and most of the offensive line coming back, Philadelphia is going to rack up points. And if the team can re-sign some of its core defensive players (that includes Edwards), Philadelphia should be able to play good enough defense to keep games close.
2023 NFL Draft
When the dust settles with free agency, the fun will start for the Eagles. The team has six picks in this year’s NFL Draft, including two first rounders. One of those first rounders—acquired from the New Orleans Saints—is No. 10 overall. That selection will allow the Eagles to bring in an impact player on a rookie contract, which is a tremendous value proposition for an already-loaded ballclub.
The Eagles have the following picks in the NFL Draft this year:
- Round 1, Pick 10 (via Saints)
- Round 1, Pick 30
- Round 2, Pick 62
- Round 3, Pick 94
- Round 7, Pick 221 (via Texans)
- Round 7, Pick 250
Regarding the No. 10 pick, the likeliest outcome is that the Eagles nab a corner. Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. would immediately become a fan favorite, but his 2022 game film does not clearly establish him as the top corner in the class. That honor might belong to Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, who broke out in 2022 with a stellar campaign to put himself firmly in the first round conversation. Another possibility is Oregon’s, Christian Gonzalez. Don’t sleep on Utah’s Clark Phillips III or South Carolina’s Cam Smith, either.
The team is almost certainly taking a defensive player at No. 10. If not a corner, look for a defensive lineman or EDGE rusher to come into play. Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee’s draft stock has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, so he may be available at that spot. And given how good the Eagles roster is, the team could roll the dice on a raw EDGE rusher like Tyree Wilson out of Texas Tech and see what he develops into. Wilson has quite a high ceiling.
(It is possible, though seemingly unlikely, that the team takes either (1) Northwestern interior offensive lineman Peter Skoronski to replace Kelce if the legendary center retires or (2) a wide receiver like Jordan Addison to give Hurts even more weapons.)
Under Roseman’s stewardship, Philadelphia has been hyper aware of positional value when drafting. Thus, the team usually has not favored the idea of taking linebackers or running backs in the first round. To the extent that philosophy represents a “rule,” Texas running back Bijan Robinson could be the exception with the 30th pick. An explosive, downhill runner with a dizzying array of ballcarrier moves, Robinson will be one of the best rushers in the league from the moment he’s selected in the draft. Conceivably, Robinson could have the sort of impact that Jonathan Taylor had as a rookie; he’s that good.
By the time the 30th pick rolls around, some other positions might come into play for the Eagles, depending on how free agency goes. For example, if the team is unable to retain Seumalo, Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence could be a smart pickup. Torrence may not be at Quentin Nelson’s level, but he has genuine All-Pro potential and would be an instant starter for the Eagles if Seumalo does not return. And a few safeties—namely, Alabama’s Brian Branch and Texas A&M’s Antonio Johnson—could get a hard look. (Some analysts also think Georgia safety Chris Smith II is going to blow up after the Scouting Combine.)
Still, the likeliest thing that happens with the 30th pick is that the Eagles address one of the needs that was not filled at No. 10. By this time, the best available corners will likely be Georgia’s Kelee Ringo (a still-developing defensive back with great potential) and Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes (a safer bet with perhaps a lower ceiling). Arguably, Kansas State’s Julius Brents—who has rare measurables for a corner—could come into play with this pick, though some might call that pick a reach.
Along the defensive line, USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu would provide great value at the end of the round, given his versatility. Tuipulotu was insanely productive in college and would fit right into an Eagles front seven that likes racking up sacks. Pick No. 30 is also around when there might be a run on EDGE rushers—look out for players like Ohio State’s Zach Harrison, Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey, Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness, and Georgia’s Nolan Smith to garner consideration in that late first/early second round window.
The Eagles could also trade down from No. 30 and pick up a selection somewhere in rounds four-through-six, given the team’s lack of a draft pick in those rounds.
Moving on to pick No. 62, the board starts to open up for the Eagles in the second round. Undoubtedly, one or two first round-caliber EDGE rushers will still be available with this pick, given how deep this year’s EDGE class is. Maybe this is where one of Army’s Andre Carter II, Georgia Tech’s Keion White, LSU’s B.J. Ojulari, Auburn’s Derick Hall, or Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV gets picked. Again: This year’s EDGE class boasts an embarrassment of riches.
Running back is also a distinct possibility here—UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet comes to mind as an imposing, downhill runner who could amass a significant number of touches. And now that the team is out of the first round, linebacker could get some serious consideration if T.J. Edwards does not re-sign. Alabama’s Henry To’oto’o is going to become the beating heart of a defense wherever he ends up, as will Oregon’s Noah Sewell. Iowa’s Jack Campbell should also develop into a solid player.
In the third round, Philadelphia should probably roll the dice on a high-potential, athletically gifted player whose draft stock fell a bit in 2022 with less-than-excellent play. Boise State safety J.L. Skinner—a six-foot-four defensive back—could develop into an elite player if given the time. Given Lane Johnson’s advanced age and recent injury, maybe a tackle like BYU’s Blake Freeland makes sense to stash with this selection. And although he is one of the smallest players in the draft, Houston wide receiver Nathaniel Dell could become a gamebreaking slot receiver if put behind Brown and Smith.
Skipping ahead to the seventh round, given the lack of picks in the fourth-through-sixth rounds, the Eagles should focus on adding some depth depending on how free agency shakes out. If the team does indeed lose quarterback Gardner Minshew to free agency, bringing in someone like TCU’s Max Duggan or UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson would be a solid move. Tight end is not a bad option either, and if Miami’s Will Mallory is on the board, Philadelphia should give him strong consideration. (Oklahoma’s Brayden Willis would be a decent fit, too, given his excellent run blocking ability.) Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg, Baylor tackle Connor Galvin, and Marshall cornerback Steven Gilmore would all be great pickups as well if available in the seventh round.
Conclusion
The Eagles have their work cut out for them this offseason. With a handful of high-impact players slated to hit free agency, Philadelphia’s top priority will be retaining some of the talent that helped the team reach Super Bowl LVII. From there, the Eagles should plug a few gaps through free agency while minding the salary cap. Then, the team can bring in some young, impact players on rookie contracts through the 2023 NFL Draft while also rolling the dice on some prospects with high potential.
