Relax Eagles Fans, the Cupboard is Not Bare and it's Only March
Inhale…Exhale…
Deeper…
Inhale…Exhale…
That’s it Eagles fans. Breath. Deep breaths, now.
Close your eyes and picture this…the Eagles aren’t in as bad of shape as you might think.
So, far it’s been all gloom and doom – Javon Hargrave, James, Bradberry, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, oh my.
The cupboard isn’t bare, folks.
Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert are on the top shelf.
The offensive line is, too, especially because it looks increasingly likely that Jason Kelce will return. It’s been nearly a month since the season ended, and the longer the time goes by, the odds go up he is back. Besides, he said a couple of years ago that when he decided to call it a career, he will do so in a Mummers-costume sort of way.
In other words, he’ll go out in a big way, and wouldn’t being on Saturday Night Live as his brother Travis’s foil last week have been a big way to go out?
Remember, though, it’s early March.
The offense will be fine. Sure, there will be some tweaks, with an upgrade at No. 3 receivers perhaps on the drawing board, a running back, and even in a draft class loaded with tight ends, an upgrade behind Goedert.
Minor stuff.
I know, it’s the defense that has you hyperventilating.
Would it make you feel better if Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox returned?
Don’t rule out either possibility.
It’s not like GM Howie Roseman doesn’t have money to spend. The Eagles are sitting in the middle of the pack at about $14 million under the salary cap.
Again, deep breath.
Inhale…Exhale…
Roseman’s roster reconstruction runs through the summer and even into the fall trade deadline.
“We have to continue to do the things we think are right,” said Roseman at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. “It’s a long way away until we play the next game, and we were talking about it on our flight over here, that you get to training camp and you're so excited for the first day of training camp and then I sit at my desk and look at the calendar and go, oh my God, we have like 90 days until the first game."
This wasn’t a Super Bowl roster in March last year, either.
There is plenty of time to build.
Also, look around the NFC.
Is there some super team out there?
Nope.
Still, the Eagles are going to need some players to step up on defense.
Here are a few:
Jordan Davis. The role will grow for the former first-round pick and he better be ready. He will be.
Nakobe Dean. Remember last year, Eagles fans, how excited you were that Roseman landed the thought-to-be first-round pick in the third round? He’s going to be fine.
Davion Taylor. The LB was raw after not playing high school football when he was drafted. That was in 2020. It’s time for the former third-round pick to rise to the occasion. He’s been hurt, and was on the practice squad last year, but plugging in next to Dean would do wonders, otherwise, find out what Bobby Wagner wants. I’d still find out what the veteran Wagner wants.
Milton Williams. The defensive tackle will enter his third season, and he showed flashes last year despite the crowd that was in place on the line.
Reed Blankenship. The undrafted free agent safety did step up last year, but more figures to be expected from him. He is a perfect case in point, why Eagles fans should not panic.
Nobody knew what he would be for the first month of the season. Until he was needed and rose to the occasion.
K’Von Wallace. Consistency has been the former fourth-round draft pick's trouble. If the safety can find it, he could be a surprise as he enters the fourth and final year of his rookie contract.
It’s a list that could go on and include the offense.
Cam Jurgens at right guard for Isaac Seumalo anyone?
Point is, not only is it way too early to panic but unnecessary.
Especially in March.
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.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
