2023 32 Teams/32 Days: Philadelphia Eagles

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Season Review

In the preseason, the Eagles were listed at around 25:1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Despite being 9-win overachievers in 2021 and adding a slew of talent, their Vegas over/under projection of 9.5 wins was lower than that of the Raiders and Broncos and equal to that of the Colts. And yet, they blew through that expectation and then some, topping the NFC standings in Week 3 and never relinquishing that spot en route to an NFC championship and a near-Super Bowl win.

The offense went from pretty good in 2021 to nuclear in 2022, thanks to a spectacular 3rd season from QB Jalen Hurts, who blew away all expectations and propelled himself into the upper echelon of NFL QBs, finishing 2nd in MVP voting. It wasn’t all Hurts, of course: the trio of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert formed one of the most talented and well-rounded receiving trios in the NFL, a dominant offensive line headlined by All-Pros Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce formed the backbone for a steady, efficient run game, and Miles Sanders put up the best numbers of his career in his first fully-healthy season.

But it was the defense that arguably made the bigger jump. A solidly-below-average unit in 2021 saw a massive influx of talent in the offseason, morphing into one of the NFL’s most dangerous. The Eagles’ pass rush was the NFL’s most effective by a country mile, as its 70 sacks were a whopping 15 more than the next-best unit, headlined by double-digit sack seasons from Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and newcomer Haason Reddick. But it wasn’t the pass rush alone that saw a jump: LBs T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White were solid all-around contributors, while in the secondary, CBs Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox teamed with safeties Marcus Epps and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to form one of the stoutest pass defenses in the NFL.

Offseason Recap

KEY ACQUISITIONS:

• LB Haason Reddick - The first major domino of the offseason, Reddick was a much-needed shot in the arm for a lackluster pass rush, and for a defense that in general needed playmakers. His 16.0 sacks were tied for 2nd in the NFL, and were the most by an Eagle in 11 years.
• WR A.J. Brown (Trade, TEN) - The Eagles might have been okay with chasing just a complementary WR2 to DeVonta Smith, but when they acquired Brown on draft day, the dynamic of the Eagles’ offense completely changed. The off-field chemistry between Hurts and Brown was well-known, but that translated on-field too, as Brown finished 4th in the NFL in receiving yards (1496) and tied for 3rd in receiving TDs (11).
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Trade, NO) - Acquired just before the season for the shockingly low price tag of two late draft picks, CJGJ was a Swiss Army knife for the Eagles’ secondary, lining up as the deep safety, in the slot, or in the box and making plays no matter where he was. CJGJ tied for the league lead in interceptions despite missing 5 games with a kidney laceration.
• CB James Bradberry - A Giants cap casualty, the Eagles swooped in for Bradberry in May to fill what seemed like the last significant gap - a CB to line up opposite Darius Slay. The 2020 Pro Bowler didn’t disappoint, notching a pick 6 in his first game as an Eagle, picking off 3 passes altogether, and finishing 3rd in the NFL in passes defensed.
• LB Kyzir White - White bucked the trend of budget free agent LB flops by being, well, quietly competent. White finished 2nd on the Eagles in tackles and was the best cover LB the team had seen in years.
• WR Zach Pascal - A favorite of Nick Sirianni’s in Indy, Pascal proved to be the consummate reserve WR, doing dirty work as a blocker and special teamer while being capable of catching the occasional pass.
• LB Robert Quinn - Acquired for a 4th round pick during the season, Quinn never really found his groove, mostly operating as a reserve DE before going on IR with a knee injury.
• DT Linval Joseph and DT Ndamukong Suh - Brought in to address concerns with DT depth and rush defense, Joseph and Suh provided quality veteran cover - and above all else, their arrival solidified the Eagles’ Super Bowl intentions.

KEY DEPARTURES:

• S Rodney McLeod (FA, IND) - McLeod filled the deep safety role admirably in Philly for 6 years, and one of his final plays as an Eagle was a game (and playoff) clinching interception against Washington. The Eagles needed to get younger in the secondary, and McLeod’s departure was part of that overhaul.
• LB Alex Singleton (FA, DEN) - Singleton working his way from CFL regular to NFL regular was a nice story. While he put up some nice tackling numbers in Philly, he just didn’t bring enough to the table to make him a mainstay in a new-look defense.
• CB Steven Nelson (FA, HOU) - The Eagles didn’t sign Nelson until July of last year, but he proved to be a solid, if unspectacular, CB2. The Texans gave Nelson the multi-year deal he should have gotten in 2021.
• WR Jalen Reagor (Trade, MIN) - What Reagor unquestionably brought to the Eagles was raw speed (he had the 8th fastest tracked speed for a ballcarrier in 2021 per Next Gen Stats). What he didn’t bring, though, were steady hands, route-running chops, or really any skill that would have made him even a remotely effective NFL WR. The Eagles cut their losses and traded the former 21st overall pick to Minnesota for 2 late picks before the season started.
• G Nate Herbig (Waivers, NYJ) - A former UDFA who started 17 games in 3 years and was once considered an option to be Jason Kelce’s successor, Herbig was crowded out of Philly by a younger, more athletic interior OL corps.
• RB Jordan Howard - In 2021, Howard had his most successful run of games since his first stint in Philly, notching double-digit touches in every game he was active, but like his first stint in Philly, his season was curtailed by injury. Though he was always rumored as an emergency RB signing, the Eagles went in another direction.

DRAFT PICKS/KEY UDFA:

• 1-13: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia - It’s no understatement to call Davis one of the biggest athletic freaks in the NFL, and the Eagles traded up to make him one of the young centerpieces of their new-look D. Davis certainly looked good when he played; but some fans are left wondering why he didn’t play more.
• 2-51: Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska - The Jurgens pick received the approval of Jason Kelce, and Jurgens didn’t disappoint in camp. He never had a prayer of unseating Kelce or any of the other OL starters, and didn’t play much during the season, but he flashed enough raw talent and athleticism to make the redshirt season worth the investment.
• 3-83: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia - Dean was considered the steal of the NFL draft, never showed the injury concerns that supposedly hurt his stock, and showed the same nose for the ball in preseason that he displayed at Georgia. But Dean never broke into the defensive rotation with T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White both staying healthy all year, being a special teams mainstay instead.
• 6-181: Kyron Johnson, LB, Kansas - A speedy, undersized edge rusher, Johnson mostly played on special teams as Haason Reddick and Patrick Johnson were ahead of him in the hybrid rusher role.
• 6-198: Grant Calcaterra, TE, SMU - Calcaterra was billed as a solid athlete with good receiving instinct for a TE and a questionable medical history. Calcaterra got offensive snaps in 15 games but rarely made plays, even when Dallas Goedert was injured.
• UDFA: Reed Blankenship, S, Middle Tennessee State - Blankenship rose up the depth chart in training camp to make the 53-man roster, and when CJGJ was injured, Blankenship stepped in admirably as a versatile safety, picking off Aaron Rodgers in his first start and hardly looking like an undrafted rookie. Even when CJDJ returned, the Eagles found a role for him in the defensive rotation.
• UDFA: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama - A nice camp surprise, Jobe was the primary special teams gunner this season. Didn’t get many defensive snaps.
• UDFA: Britain Covey, WR/KR, Utah - Was the primary punt returner all year. Pretty effective if you consider fair catches exciting.

Weekly Recap

Week	Score	Summary
1	PHI 38, @DET 35	The Eagles gave up a TD early, but in a sign of things to come, scored 38 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to take a 38-21 lead entering the 4th. Detroit scored 2 late TDs to come within 3, but the Eagles capped off a dominant rushing performance by killing off the final 3:51 with 7 straight runs.
2	@PHI 24, MIN 7 (MNF)	An all-around dominant primetime performance put the Eagles in the national spotlight. Jalen Hurts ran for 2 TDs and hooked up with Quez Watkins for another, and the defense put the Vikings on their heels early, limiting Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson and forcing 3 interceptions from Kirk Cousins.
3	PHI 24, @WAS 8	The Eagles showed Carson Wentz no mercy in their first game against him. They dominated the 2nd quarter again (24-0), with Hurts passing for 3 TDs, DeVonta Smith catching 8 balls for 169 yards and a TD, and the defense sacking Wentz 9 times and holding Washington's offense scoreless for 58 minutes.
4	@PHI 29, JAC 21	Rainy conditions made for a sloppy game, and the Eagles went down 14-0 early. But another strong 2nd quarter performance (20-0), aided by 5 Jaguars turnovers and a career day from Miles Sanders (27 carries/134 yards/2 TDs), saw them coast past former head coach (and Super Bowl winner) Doug Pederson.
5	PHI 20, @ARI 17	A difficult game where neither team took control came down to backup kickers. Cameron Dicker, replacing an injured Jake Elliott, nailed a go-ahead 23-yard FG with 1:45 left. Cards kicker Matt Ammendola, replacing Matt Prater, sealed an Eagles win when his 43-yard attempt with :22 left sailed right.
6	@PHI 26, DAL 17 (SNF)	The Cooper Rush hype train ended on a Sunday night in Philly, as the Eagles scored the first 20 points and forced 3 Rush picks. It wasn't as easy as other wins, as the Cowboys fought back to make it 20-17 in the 4th, but a 13-play, 75 yard, 7:37 TD drive effectively sealed the game.
7	BYE
8	@PHI 35, PIT 13	The Eagles lost none of their momentum from the bye, as Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown hooked up for 3 long 1st half TDs to bury the hapless Steelers. Kenny Pickett was sacked 6 times and turned the ball over twice, and other than a nifty trick TD pass from Chase Claypool, failed to threaten much.
9	PHI 29, @HOU 17 (TNF)	The 1-win Texans managed to hang with the Eagles for longer than expected, even taking a 14-14 tie into the half. But 7 minutes into the 3rd quarter, CJGJ intercepted Davis Mills deep in Texans territory, and Hurts and Brown connected for a go-ahead TD, taking a lead they would not relinquish.
10	WAS 32, @PHI 21 (MNF)	Hopes for a perfect season came to an agonizing end, as a consistently effective Washington run game saw them keep the ball for 40:24 and prevent the Eagles offense from the field. 4 Eagles turnovers, including 2 late fumbles - one of which was caused by a missed facemask - prevented a comeback.
11	PHI 17, @IND 16	The Colts scored a TD on their opening drive, and managed to hold the Eagles offense at bay for most of the game. But they couldn't keep them down for long enough; the Eagles rallied from a 13-3 deficit early in the 4th quarter to take the lead on a Hurts draw with 1:20 to go.
12	@PHI 40, GB 33 (SNF)	Both teams combined for 7 1st half TDs in an affair that proved ugly for both defenses. Ultimately, it was the Eagles who held firm, as the Packers D allowed a woeful 363 rushing yards, and despite a long TD from Jordan Love to Christian Watson, couldn't match the Eagles' efficiency.
13	@PHI 35, TEN 10	Any anxiety over the Eagles' recent ugly streak, or whether the Eagles' questionable run defense could contain Derrick Henry, evaporated quickly. The Eagles smothered the Titans offense, holding them to 209 total yards, as Hurts passed for 3 TDs and ran for another in a runaway victory.
14	PHI 48, @NYG 22	The Giants were no match for the Eagles on either side of the ball. The Eagles ran for 253 yards and 4 TDs and passed for another 2 TDs (highlighted by a long 4th down TD to DeVonta), while the defense racked up 7 sacks and only let the Giants offense across midfield once in the first 3 quarters.
15	PHI 25, @CHI 20	The Eagles struggled to put away the Bears in frigid, windy conditions - and the result of the game was marred by an injury to Jalen Hurts's right shoulder - but Hurts nevertheless willed Philly to victory with 3 rushing TDs, which along with a Dallas loss put them 1 win away from the NFC's 1 seed.
16	@DAL 40, PHI 34 (Saturday)	Gardner Minshew did everything he could to give the Eagles a chance, throwing for 355 yards and 2 TDs and running for another, but the Eagles defense had its worst showing of the year. The Cowboys capitalized on a blown 3rd-and-30 and 2 4th quarter Eagles turnovers to pull out a Christmas Eve win.
17	NO 20, @PHI 10	If Minshew was almost a hero in Week 16, he was anything but this week. Despite the defense generating 7 sacks and largely shutting the Saints down, Minshew was sacked 6 times and threw a 4th quarter pick-6 as the offense struggled for any sort of momentum, failing to clinch the 1 seed yet again.
18	@PHI 22, NYG 16	The Eagles finally clinched the 1 seed in a largely vanilla contest, with the Giants resting their starters and the Eagles eager to protect Jalen Hurts's shoulder. Although a late Giants TD put a slight scare into the home crowd, this game never really felt as close as the score indicated.
Wild Card	BYE
Divisional	@PHI 38, NYG 7	This game looked more like Week 14 than Week 18. The Eagles scored TDs on their first 2 drives, sacked Daniel Jones on 4th down on the Giants' first drive, then picked him off on the next drive. They took a 28-0 lead into half, rushed for 268 yards, and sacked the Giants 5 times.
NFC Championship	@PHI 31, SF 7	It's easy to point out that the Eagles were aided by knocking both 49ers QBs out of the game. But the Eagles simply wore the 49ers down as the game went on, rushing for 148 yards and 4 scores against one of the league's best rushing defenses, making the Super Bowl for the 4th time in team history.
Super Bowl LVII	KC 38, PHI 35	In the most offensively-dominated Super Bowl since SB52, the Eagles took an early lead and did their best to keep Mahomes off the field. But despite a herculean effort by Hurts, the defense let up one too many times, with a late penalty setting up a Chiefs game-winning FG with 8 seconds left.

Roster Overview

QB (A-): Jalen Hurts put himself squarely in the MVP discussion - what more needs to be said? He was everything for the Eagles this year: passing weapon, short yardage back, team leader, and, in all likelihood, the QB of the future. Had Gardner Minshew won either of his 2 starts late in the year, I would have given the corps an A+, but alas.

RB (B): Miles Sanders found the consistency and health that had both eluded him thus far in his career, setting career highs in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns. As a result, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott didn’t see as much action, but Gainwell came alive during the playoffs and Scott brought some much-needed juice to the kick return role late in the season.

WR (A-): Yes, A.J. Brown lived up to the hype and then some, putting together his best NFL season. But don’t overlook DeVonta Smith’s major step forward, as the two formed arguably the most formidable young WR duo in the NFL. Quez Watkins was the next WR up after Brown and Smith, and while he still showed the skill of a burner, he was a bit more inconsistent due to Brown, Smith, and Goedert swallowing up most of the targets. Zach Pascal wasn’t asked to do much, but as a WR4 mainly asked to block and play special teams, he was effective.

TE (B): For the first time, Dallas Goedert entered a season as the Eagles’ TE1, and operated nicely as the Eagles’ underneath middle-of-field option. He was on pace for career highs across the board until a shoulder injury sidelined him for 5 games. Jack Stoll reprised his role as the blocking TE2, and while he wasn’t involved much as a receiver, was an integral part of the Eagles’ rushing attack as a blocker on the move. Grant Calcaterra didn’t see much action as a rookie, even in Goedert’s absence. Tyree Jackson came back from an ACL injury midseason, but the former QB didn’t see a target.

OT (B+): Lane Johnson reminded everyone of the sort of force he can be when he’s fully healthy, being named 1st Team All-Pro for the 2nd time in his career, while giving up 0 sacks in 651 dropbacks and setting the tone as a run blocker. On the blindside, Jordan Mailata proved that his breakout 2021 was no fluke; while he was slightly more up and down than Lane, it speaks more to Lane’s excellence than anything with Mailata, who should remain a franchise caliber LT for many years. Jack Driscoll started 1 game at LT and 2 games at RT when injuries hit; he’s not necessarily starting caliber as a tackle but is still very much a valuable utility player.

iOL (A-): The trio of Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, and Isaac Seumalo started every single game, and it’s no surprise that their talent and stability were critical in the Eagles’ efficient rushing attack, and their basically automatic QB sneak. Kelce’s 5th All-Pro season puts him in all-time territory for NFL centers; him not being named a 1st ballot Hall of Famer would be a shame. Dickerson flashed elite potential, only allowing 1 sack all year and being named to the Pro Bowl, but he also led all NFL linemen in accepted penalties. Seumalo may be the least flashy of the Eagles’ OL but he was nevertheless a consistently solid two-way blocker. Andre Dillard, Sua Opeta, and Cam Jurgens didn’t see much game action as a result.

iDL (B): Javon Hargrave followed up his dominant 2021 with an even more productive 2022, buoyed by a much-improved pass-rushing cast. Fletcher Cox’s best years are certainly past him, but when the Eagles bolstered their depth partway through the season, they were finally able to get the most out of his snaps. Jordan Davis looked every bit the menacing nose tackle he was in college, but the 13th overall pick was still raw as a pass rusher and also missed time with injury. The injury prompted the Eagles to sign Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph, and for part-season players, they were effective enough, with Joseph spelling Davis at NT and Suh mainly part of the pass-rushing rotation. With all the other big names on the interior, it was easy to overlook 2nd-year players Milton Williams and Marlon Tulipulotu, but both took a step forward this year - Williams as a pass-rushing complement to Jordan Davis and Tulipulotu showing potential both on the interior and further outside.

EDGE (A-): Along with Javon Hargrave, the trio of Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham all notched double-digit sacks. Reddick was a heat-seeking missile in his first season in Philly, and his athleticism and versatility unlocked more of the Eagles’ defensive potential. Sweat was similarly effective in his 2nd season as full-time starter; while he didn’t get a Pro Bowl nod like in 2021, he was even more dangerous as a pass rusher, playing more on the outside and getting 11.0 sacks. Graham’s recovery from a torn Achilles was nothing short of remarkable; while he saw a much reduced snap share from his prime, he still a career-high with 11.0 sacks in a Comeback Player of the Year level season. When Derek Barnett tore his ACL in Week 1 and Tarron Jackson couldn’t fill in effectively on the DL, the Eagles picked up Robert Quinn to provide veteran leadership and pass rushing efficiency in a reduced role, but he didn’t record a sack in 6 games in green. Patrick Johnson and Kyron Johnson were the backup hybrid rushers; both were regular special teamers, but largely unremarkable.

LB (B): The Eagles typically operated in nickel formation, with T.J. Edwards as the SAM and Kyzir White as the WILL. Their stability was crucial to the Eagles’ defensive prowess - Edwards was a complete LB - a tackling machine with a nose for the ball both going forward as well as in coverage, while White was a stable presence who could cover when called upon, a skill rarely seen in recent Eagles LBs. For all the hype around Nakobe Dean in college, White’s health kept him off the field on defense, though he did look good in the few snaps he got and improved as a special teamer as the season went on. Shaun Bradley also rarely saw defensive snaps as the backup MIKE, but the special teams captain was likewise a consistent special teams presence. Christian Elliss was a late season promotion to the active roster after a couple explosive special teams plays as a practice squad call up; he could be a regular special teamer in 2023.

CB (A-): The trio of Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox was one of the league’s best when healthy. Slay was named a defensive captain for the first time in his career and was a consistent threat in the secondary, although his play dipped slightly later in the season. Maddox missed 8 games in the first season of his extension, but when he was healthy, his versatility, agility and surprising physicality was a major part of the coverage scheme. Bradberry was the perfect playmaking puzzle piece to the secondary, earning a 2nd-team All-Pro nod for his play. Josiah Scott took over slot CB duties when Maddox was hurt; he was a noticeable step down from Maddox, but did pick off 2 passes. Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, and Andre Chachere were all core special teamers, only seeing defensive snaps in blowouts.

S (B): The Eagles had long favored Marcus Epps as one of the 2022 starters, but while Epps was decent if unspectacular, it was C.J. Gardner-Johnson who ended up as the secondary’s primary playmaker. CJGJ started slow as he adapted to the playbook, but he would lead the team in interceptions despite missing time with a kidney laceration. Reed Blankenship went from UDFA special teamer to excellent safety fill-in when CJGJ was hurt; the five-year college starter was an excellent tackler and even picked off Aaron Rodgers in his first start. K’Von Wallace hasn’t quite followed in the footsteps of his Clemson colleague Brian Dawkins, but Wallace led the Eagles’ special teams in tackles and is a solid tackler and run stuffer in limited reps.

ST (C-): The Eagles didn’t call upon Jake Elliott often this season, not because Elliott was bad, but because the Eagles’ efficient red zone offense and overall aggressiveness made Elliott’s big leg unnecessary for field goals. That said, only Brett Maher had more touchbacks on kickoffs than Elliott. Arryn Siposs improved his gross and net punt averages in his second season, but was still well below average overall. And somehow, Brett Kern was worse. Not much was said about Rick Lovato this year - not that that’s a bad thing for a long snapper. Can’t ignore Cameron Dicker’s Special Teamer of the Week performance.

Coaching/FO Overview

GM Howie Roseman - It may have been easy for Eagles fans to call for Howie’s head after the dismal 2020 campaign, and I fully admit I was one of them. But Jeffrey Lurie stuck by Howie in that turbulent time, and, well, it was the right decision.

In the 2 years since, the Eagles have shed a lot of dead weight, added a slew of young, homegrown talent, and maneuvered their way into one of the NFL’s most talented rosters while still keeping their options open for the future. What Howie’s proven to be best at, and certainly better than the past few years, is finding an edge at the margins. It’s easy to attribute his success to drafting better, when drafting is a crapshoot. It’s easy to be lauded as a cap wizard for the simple act of restructuring contracts, even though 31 other teams do it too. But it’s about the little value moves - executing a trade for A.J. Brown when few teams knew he was on the market, or picking up extra draft capital from desperate teams (cheers to you, Miami and New Orleans), or pouncing on players like James Bradberry and CJGJ when their respective teams couldn’t keep them around due to cap concerns, or hiring a little-known head coaching candidate who would become one of the NFL’s best in-game decision-makers, or even having faith in the players who were already on the team (Jalen Hurts, Jordan Mailata, T.J. Edwards, among others) to grow into being franchise cornerstones.

But it’s one thing to get to the top - now it’s about being able to stay there. The Eagles were at the top, and came crashing down. If Howie continues to practice the same value moves that got him to the top, the Eagles should continue to be Super Bowl contenders for as long as Jalen Hurts is in his prime.

HC Nick Sirianni: It’s highly poetic that the Eagles’ NFC Championship victory came 2 years to the day after Sirianni’s first press conference as Eagles head coach, where he was widely lambasted as an awkward, stuttering mess. But it’s an appropriate symbol for how far Sirianni’s leadership has brought the team in 2 seasons.

Like Doug Pederson before him, Sirianni has earned a reputation for both being a players’ coach and a master of in-game decision-making. Whether it’s knowing when to challenge a play, take a timeout vs. a delay of game, or knowing when to go for it on 4th down, no coach has been better than Sirianni at giving his team the edge in borderline game situations. And on top of that, his energy and swagger are a perfect match for the NFL’s most rabid fanbase. Especially when Eagles fans know everyone else hates it.

OC Shane Steichen: Chargers offensive coordinator is hired to be the Eagles’ offensive coordinator under a new coach, then departs for the Colts’ head coaching role two years later after a Super Bowl run. Deja vu? Maybe a bit, but hopefully Steichen can be more successful than Frank Reich.

Sirianni relinquished the offensive playcalling duties to Steichen a few weeks into 2021, and the Eagles haven’t really looked back since. Whether on the ground or through the air, the Eagles offense could carve defenses of any quality up. You don’t get to be the NFL’s second-best scoring team by accident.

Of course, the Colts won’t have Jalen Hurts, a loaded skill position corps, or a talented OL, which will test Steichen’s bonafides early. He’s elevated a weak offense before - can he do it again?

DC Jonathan Gannon: For all the success of the Eagles’ defense this year, Gannon still remains a polarizing figure. Yes, the Eagles’ defense vastly improved this year to become one of the most formidable units in the NFL. Yes, some of the Gannon criticism could be a bit harsh and nitpicky at times. Yes, Gannon’s defense is hardly the first one in Eagles history to falter in a big game situation - Jim Schwartz’s unit gave up 613 yards in Super Bowl LII, only saved because of Doug Pederson and Nick Foles.

But at the same time, what separates the great DCs from the pack is their ability to get a defense to play greater than the sum of its parts, and it just didn’t seem like that’s what happened enough with Gannon. For all the dominant performances, Gannon’s scheme was prone to imploding one too many times against great passing teams (see: Super Bowl LVII, the Week 16 game v. Dallas, and so on.) And the relative passiveness of Gannon’s scheme was a stark contrast to the historical aggressiveness of defensive coaches like Buddy Ryan, Jim Johnson, and Schwartz, all of whom are beloved in Philly.

It was long rumored that Gannon would be a head coach somewhere sooner rather than later, and the Cardinals came calling quickly after the Super Bowl. Again, the question will be whether he can elevate a less talented defense.

STC Michael Clay: It’s not great for a special teams coordinator when your unit gets noticed for the wrong reasons - the Eagles were 24th in special teams DVOA through Week 12, with the Eagles struggling to cover kicks and generate returns of their own. But Clay at least deserves some credit for a late season turnaround, making enough personnel and scheme adjustments to bump the Eagles’ special teams DVOA up to 13th by the end of the regular season.

It’s a shame that the Eagles’ special team warts showed up at the wrong time - namely the long Kadarius Toney punt return that set up a Chiefs TD in the Super Bowl - but Clay is still young, and the Eagles don’t have many special teams-only players filling their roster.

Position Coaches of note:

• Few assistant coaches in the NFL get as much praise as OL coach/run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland, and it’s pretty easy to see why. “Stoutland University” is the hottest institution in Philly today, churning out quality OL after quality OL. Whether it’s molding an elite athletic prospect into a generational talent (Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson) or churning out versatile backups (Jack Driscoll, Vaitai) or even just teaching a large athlete the game from the ground up (Jordan Mailata), Stoutland always seems to get the best out of whoever the Eagles give him. A great match for an organization that puts tremendous emphasis on the trenches.
• Some people might remember Brian Johnson as the cover athlete for NCAA Football 10. (Or maybe the lead singer from AC/DC.) But Brian Johnson the QB coach is arguably one of the biggest reasons for Jalen Hurts’s development over the past 2 years - even Hurts says so himself. When Steichen left for Indy, Johnson was the immediate favorite to replace him as OC, and if it weren’t in Philly, Johnson would definitely have gotten OC looks elsewhere.
• A longtime coaching veteran at the college level, Tracy Rocker joined the Eagles in 2021 when Sirianni joined the team, and along with assistent Jeremiah Washburn (the son of longtime DL coach Jim Washburn) turned the Eagles’ defensive front into one of the most dominant in the game.
• Among internal candidates, the most likely replacement for Jonathan Gannon was DB coach/passing game coordinator Dennard Wilson. Wilson coached under Gregg Williams and Jeff Fisher, and served under Lovie Smith, so even though he’s only 40 he’s had a chance to work with multiple great defensive minds. But after the Eagles named Sean Desai the DC, Wilson parted ways with the team.

2023 Offseason Needs, as of March 16

DEFCON 1:

S - Both starters were pending free agents, and there aren’t any in-house replacements on hand. The Eagles continue to make a charge to bring home CJGJ, but with Epps already gone, they’ll have 2 new starters here in 2023 if the push for CJGJ is unsuccessful, both likely from outside the org.

DEFCON 2:

LB - Like safety, both starters were pending free agents, and both were snatched up within the first couple days of legal tampering. While Nakobe Dean should occupy one of the starting spots, the Eagles will have to find a new MLB to incorporate within Sean Desai’s scheme.

DEFCON 3:

TE - Dallas Goedert is a front-line TE1, but his injury exposed the shallowness of the Eagles’ TE corps. The Eagles drafted Goedert before Zach Ertz’s age 28 season, and Goedert turned 28 in January, so they could look to the long term again.

iDL - 4 different DTs, including Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox, were pending free agents. There is some young talent waiting in the wings, and re-signing Cox should at least help with depth, but Hargrave will be tough to replace.

EDGE - Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick are great, and Brandon Graham will likely return. But the Eagles like their rotations, and beyond those 3 there’s a bit of a dropoff.

DEFCON 4:

QB - There’s no questioning Jalen Hurts’s starting position, but the only other QB under contract is Ian Book, who’s far below the standard of a typical Eagles backup QB.

OL - The Eagles’ starting OL should be fine in the short term with Jason Kelce coming back and Cam Jurgens projected to replace Isaac Seumalo. But Kelce and Lane Johnson are close to the end of their respective careers, so the Eagles could invest again in young talent.

DEFCON 5:

RB - The Eagles let Miles Sanders walk in favor of Rashaad Penny, who’s shown undeniable talent but has been a victim of horrendous injury luck. With Boston Scott re-signed as well, the Eagles are pretty much set for 2023, but they could look to the draft for answers beyond this year.

WR - The Eagles have one of the NFL’s best young WR duos, if not the best. And while Quez Watkins was inconsistent, the Eagles don’t need much from him beyond his 4.28 speed.

CB - The Eagles brought back James Bradberry, then cut Darius Slay, but didn’t actually cut Darius Slay, so there isn’t really any hole here, apart from a lack of young prospects.

ST - It’s possible the Eagles make a change at punter, but the probability of that isn’t high.