The offseason is here for the Eagles, and the message on what the team wants to accomplish was made crystal clear earlier this month by general manager Howie Roseman — they need to get younger and they need to get faster.
The good news is Roseman has plenty of flexibility to make that happen, with $44 million in cap space — easily the most he has had since 2016 — and 10 draft picks.
So where does Roseman need to invest his resources?
Here are the biggest needs on the Eagles roster:
1. Speed: Many will say receiver is the top need on the Eagles, and there is plenty of truth to that. Moreso than just receiver, however, is a need for this offense to get faster. The Eagles spent almost the entire season without a single skill player that had elite speed. Not at running back, not at receiver, not a tight end. The result was, not surprisingly, a slow offense that had to dink-and-dunk its way down the field. This might sound like an oversimplification, but it isn't — Roseman just needs to add the quickest players he can on offense and let Doug Pederson figure out the rest.
2. Wide Receiver: The decisions Roseman makes at receiver will likely decide the 2020 season. If Roseman brings back Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson, chances are the offense will be more of the same next season — backups playing the majority of the snaps. Roseman needs to do whatever it takes to add young, playmaking receivers with speed to this roster. In a draft class that is considered especially deep at receiver, he needs to use one of his first two picks on a receiver, and he has to get that pick correct. The Eagles not only need to find a receiver that can stretch the field, but they also need to find a receiver that is dangerous after the catch and a matchup problem in the red zone. Fixing the receiver position won't be easy, but Roseman has put himself in this situation, and now he needs to find his way out of it.
3. Defensive End: The Eagles have one sure thing (Brandon Graham) at defensive end. That is a major issue for a team that likes to shuffle their defensive ends in-and-out of the game. Derek Barnett did not take the leap the team was hoping he would in 2019, and is much closer to an average, inconsistent player than he is a difference making, elite one. It is reasonable to expect Josh Sweat to take another step forward next season, but the team's pass rush was far too inconsistent last season. This is a position the team should try to address in free agency, so there isn't as much guessing as there is in the draft, and they know they are getting a pass rusher they can count on.
4. Backup Quarterback: The good news is that Carson Wentz played 16 games last season. The bad news is that in two of his four seasons in the NFL he has missed considerable time and the team doesn't have a single backup quarterback under contract next season. Chances are that Josh McCown will not be back, and at 41 years old, it is fair to wonder if the Eagles can go into next season with him as his top backup. Nate Sudfeld's 2019 season did not go as planned, and even if he is back, he goes into 2020 just as much of a question mark as he was in 2019. Expect the Eagles to be a major player in the backup quarterback market.
5. Cornerback: Both of the Eagles' starting cornerbacks from last season, Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby, are set to become free agents. It is unlikely either is back, especially now that Corey Undlin is in Detroit as their new defensive coordinator. That leaves the team with Rasul Douglas, Sidney Jones, Avonte Maddox and Cre'Von LeBlanc at cornerback. That is a lot of young talent, but none of them have proven they can be a consistent starter on the outside, either due to a lack of chances or poor play when given the opportunity. Outside of receiver, cornerback seems to be the position the team will most likely spend it's first-round pick on, but a veteran signing could be needed as well.
6. Veteran Backup Offensive Tackle: Assuming the Eagles don't bring Jason Peters or Halapoulivaati Vaitai back, they go into next season with only one sure thing at tackle in Lane Johnson. Andre Dillard had an up-and-down rookie season, playing well at times but also being benched in his only start (at right tackle). Dillard will be given the first chance at the starting left tackle job, but the Eagles need to have a solid backup plan. Ideally the Eagles should bring in a tackle that can swing from left-to-right if needed, as Lane Johnson has missed at least one game in each of the last four seasons.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
