Ten Questions and Answers as Eagles Prepare to Open Season in Detroit
PHILADELPHIA – Is this truly a Super Bowl or bust season for the Eagles?
Well, that’s one question.
Here are 10 more, with answers:
Will the Eagles lead the league in rushing for a second straight year?
No, but who cares? They have three certified touchdown makers in their WR corps, why waste time? Last year was sweet, with 2,715 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns, but the Eagles – particularly Jalen Hurts – need to show they can be more balanced with the pass. They were the 25th-ranked passing offense. That has to be better and it will come at the expense of being the top rushing team.
Will the rebuilt secondary, and the other new pieces on the defense, take some time to gel?
Yes. How Chauncey Gardner-Johnson’s transition from slot corner to safety will be a fascinating watch. More so, it will be interesting to see how his role develops in the first couple of games after not arriving via trade until the end of August. James Bradberry looked like the best player in camp until a groin injury sidelined him for about two weeks.
So, yeah, it’s going to take some time.
Will Jalen Hurts run as much this year as last?
No. He had a team-high 139 carries in 2021. It may be easy to forget, too. That Jalen Hurts’ ankle injury suffered at the end of November needed offseason surgery. It limited his mobility and effectiveness over the final month-plus. The Eagles need a fresh and healthy Hurts late in the season even if it comes at the cost of a few first downs earlier in the season.
Can Hurts set the Eagles’ single-season record for most passing yards?
With these weapons, he should, but his legs are such a big part of his arsenal, it’s difficult to see him surpassing Carson Wentz’s record of 4,039 yards set in 2019. Wentz is the only QB in team history to surpass 4,000 yards.
How much impact will the rookies have?
Probably not as much as some might think, at least early on in the season. Much is always expected of a first-round pick and so it will be with Jordan Davis, but the DT isn’t likely to put up big numbers.
He should, however, occupy enough blockers to help others make plays. There may be a small package of plays for third-rounder Nakobe Dean, but second-round pick Cam Jurgens may not see the field at all until who knows when?
The two sixth-round picks, LB Kyron Johnson could make some noise on special teams while TE Grant Calcaterra, may eventually get some targets.
Can the Eagles get off to a quick start?
Yes, they have the roster to do and the coaching staff returns completely intact for a second year.
Maybe a better question is, ‘can they get off to a quick start?’
It’s something they’ve struggled to do ever since their 2017 Super Bowl-winning season. Perhaps their watered-down training camp and preseason games approach is partly the reason.
Lane Johnson was asked about those two factors and if it could lead to another slow start, sort of like last year’s 2-5 beginning.
“I sure hope not,” the right tackle said.
Can the Eagles manage expectations that have risen to Super Bowl levels?
Yes. When you hear Jason Kelce’s message delivered in the days leading up to the game, it’s hard not to think they can’t. This is still a team with key veterans who should be able to keep the younger player focused.
Hurts also gave a good answer on the subject.
“Fortunately for me, I’m very familiar with this space,” said the QB. “At Alabama and Oklahoma, we always have expectations, but that means nothing. Expectations are just something that you haven’t done, yet.”
Will Marcus Epps and T.J. Edwards be the answer at their positions?
There is no evidence that they won’t be, though both players enter their first NFL seasons as starters in Week 1.
Edwards came on strong last year when inserted into the starting lineup and is my favorite for leading the team in tackles. He won’t surrender his starting job easily even with Nakobe Dean pushing.
As for Epps, he could be the surprise of the Eagles’ season. He looks bigger and more confident now that he’s the lead safety.
Will the lack of RB depth eventually hurt?
Too soon to tell, though Miles Sanders needs to stay healthy, something he has struggled to do in the past two seasons.
Trey Sermon could be an important piece if something were to happen to Sanders or Boston Scott or Kenny Gainwell, but the 49ers didn’t think enough of him to keep him after just drafting him in the third round last year, so that’s a red flag.
Will the special teams be better than last year?
It’s off to a touch-and-go start.
Britain Covey will likely be the punt returner and probably the kickoff returner, too, after being elevated from the practice squad in the opener, but he’s never done it at the NFL level. So, that’s an unknown. The coverage teams gave up too many big returns last year, and need to be better.
They added Kyron Johnson to a group that includes Shaun Bradley, who led the team in ST tackles last year with 11, but Marcus Epps, who had six ST tackles likely won’t play many special teams with his new role as starting safety and two others who were top tackles on Michael Clay’s units – Alex Singleton and Andre Chachere – are gone, with Singleton signing with the Broncos in free agency and Chachere on the practice squad.
Maybe that’s a good thing, but only if their replacements are better.
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Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
