Training camp is less than a month away, which means it is time for perhaps the most important task of the offseason — ranking the 10 best players on the Eagles.
This is not a task I take lightly, and it is one that I have been doing each offseason since the 2016 season. This year’s list is perhaps the toughest one since I started, not because of a lack of talent, but because of the combination of older, proven veterans and younger players with upside.
This year’s top 10 features three players who weren’t in the top 10 last season, and of the 10, five have only appeared once. Figuring out where to place young players like DeVonta Smith and Jalen Hurts was not easy, considering the upside they have, and the importance of their positions. As you will see, however, the top five are filled with proven veterans who when on the field are in the conversation for the best in the league at their position.
As always, a reminder that talent, age and position are all taken into consideration.
Without further adieu, here are my Top 10 players on the Eagles for the 2021 season:
** Note: I didn’t include Zach Ertz with the assumption he won’t be on the roster in 2021 **
10. Miles Sanders
2019 Ranking: 5th
Analysis: I might have jumped the gun a little bit by putting Sander as the 5th-best player on the roster last — even if his rookie season was extremely impressive. It will be interesting to see in 2021 how much of Sanders’ step back in 2020 was simply due to being on a bad team or was perhaps more of a realistic look at what kind of player he is. The key for Sanders bouncing back in 2021 will be getting back to being an impact player in the passing game. If he can get back to 500-plus yards receiving, which he did as a rookie, Sanders will likely be right back in the top five in 2022.
9. Dallas Goedert
2019 Ranking: N/A
Analysis: Goedert is a unique combination of potential and proven production, as he has played well when given the chance to step in as the starter as opposed to getting backup snaps. Goedert has 12 touchdowns in 26 career games, an impressive number in limited snaps, and has shown he can be a threat to make a big play after the catch. The next step for Goedert is to prove he can be just as productive when he has to be the No. 1 tight end week-after-week.
8. Jalen Hurts
2019 Ranking: N/A
Analysis: Figuring out where to put Hurts was not easy. On resume alone, Hurts doesn’t belong on the list, having only played four games. In 2016, however, I put Carson Wentz at the top spot on the list taking into account his potential and the position he played. Hurts gets the same bump — but not all the way up to No. 1. Hurts has almost everything you would want in a quarterback prospect. He is a leader, he has a strong arm and he can turn a broken play into a first down with his legs. Some question his accuracy from the pocket, but those concerns are overblown. If Hurts plays up to his potential next season he very well could be at the No. 1 spot in 2022 and be cemented as the team’s next franchise quarterback as well.
7. Darius Slay
2019 Ranking: 9th
Analysis: Slay was everything the Eagles could have hoped for in 2020 — almost. Yes, he struggled against elite receivers like DK Metcalf and DeVanta Adams, but there are not many — if any — cornerbacks that could contain them with their defensive line getting no pressure. Outside of those performances, however, Slay was a shutdown corner most weeks, something that is not easy to do in the NFL considering how the rules are built to help the offense. Slay is a legit No. 1 cornerback, something the Eagles have been looking years for.
6. DeVonta Smith
2019 Ranking: N/A
Analysis: If other NFL general managers could take one player off the Eagles roster, there is a decent chance that Smith would be the player selected the most, considering his age and extremely high upside. Smith might be slightly undersized, but he comes to the NFL an elite route runner that has proven time-and-time again he can beat man coverage against the best cornerbacks in college football. Smith’s success will be tied to just how good Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts and the offensive line is, but on skill alone, there is little argument he belongs in the top 10 — and you could easily place him in the top five.
5. Brandon Brooks
2020 Ranking: 5th
2019 Ranking: 8th
2018 Ranking: 7th
2017 Ranking: 8th
2016: Not Ranked
Analysis: Brooks at No. 5 might seem high considering he missed all of the 2020 season and has suffered three serious injuries in the last three seasons. The truth is though that putting him at No. 5 is already dinging him for missing time, because when healthy, Brooks is the best player in the league at his position. If Brooks can stay healthy next season it will be a huge boost to the Eagles’ offensive line and improve their chances of making the playoffs.
4. Lane Johnson
2020 Ranking: 6th
2019 Ranking: 4th
2018 Ranking: 2nd
2017 Ranking: 2nd
2016 Ranking: 3rd
Analysis: Like Brooks, Johnson could be higher if not for missing time in 2020. Also like Brooks, Johnson is arguably the best in the league at his position when healthy. Johnson played at a pretty high level in 2020 when he was on the field, and now that he finally got the ankle surgery he has needed for two seasons, there is real reason to be optimistic he will have an All-Pro caliber season in 2021.
3. Fletcher Cox
2020 Ranking: 4th
2019 Ranking: 3rd
2018 Ranking: 4th
2017 Ranking: 3rd
2016 Ranking: 2nd
Analysis: Cox does a lot for the Eagles and their defensive line. He is good against the run, he still commands double teams and he makes the pass rushers around him better. He was still the key piece on an Eagles defensive line that was third in the NFL in sacks. Still, it is hard to ignore the fact that he was the 26th best pass rushing defensive tackle in the NFL last season according to Pro Football Focus. That is a bit harsh, but there is no doubt Cox seemed to go long stretches during games last season where he wasn’t making much of an impact. It says a lot about Cox, however, that even after a “down” season he still come in third on this list.
2. Brandon Graham
2020 Ranking: 7th
2019 Ranking: Not Ranked
2018 Ranking: 9th
2017 Ranking: 5th
2016 Ranking: 9th
Analysis: No, Graham wasn’t able to get the elusive 10th sack last season, but that shouldn’t overshadow what was a very strong season from the Eagles’ defensive end. Graham now has 16.5 sacks over the last two seasons to go along with 59 quarterback pressure. Pro Football Focus ranked Graham as the 14th best edge rusher in the NFL, making him an elite-level player at arguably the second-most important position in the game. Add in the fact that he remains an impact player against the run and it is incredibly impressive the way Graham seems to keep getting better year-after-year.
1. Jason Kelce
2020 Ranking: 2nd
2019 Ranking: 5th
2018 Ranking: 6th
2017 Ranking: 7th
2016 Ranking: Not Ranked
Analysis: Kelce checks off all the boxes to get the top spot on this list. He has a long, proven track record of being an elite player. He played at an extremely high level in 2020 and was the team’s best player. Finally, he plays an elite position and is crucial to the team’s success in 2021. The Eagles are very lucky he decided to come back and play another season.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!