3. Philadelphia Eagles
The fate of the Eagles rests on the shoulders of Carson Wentz. While the Eagles have a talented roster, there are a few concerns. The first being the fact that many of their star players are getting older, and the younger guys haven’t shown much star potential in the NFL as of yet.
The Eagles offensive line also will not be as dominant as it has been in years past. Long time starting left tackle Jason Peters is a free agent, replacing him is Andre Dillard who still has a lot to prove. Pro-Bowl guard Brandon Brooks is likely to miss the season with a torn left Achilles. This doesn’t play well for an injury prone QB.
On the defensive side of the football, Philly has talented players, but there are holes as well. Fleeter Cox is one of the games best interior lineman. The trio of Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat make for a formidable pass rush. The addition of Pro-Bowl corner Darius Slay should add some stability to Philadelphia’s young secondary. However, there are a lot of concerns with unproven linebackers. It will be up to the star players to carry the defense.
On offense, the Eagles have talent, but lack consistency. Miles Sanders looks to be a promising young back, but not among the NFL’s best right now. DeSean Jackson is getting older, as is Alshon Jeffrey. Jalen Reagor has playmaker potential, but he is only a rookie. Zach Ertz will always be a reliable target. However, the biggest concern is with Carson Wentz.
When Wentz is on, he is one of the best QBs in the NFL. However, he needs to be more consistent, but the biggest concern with Wentz is his injury history. For the past three seasons, he has gone down with an injury, all of these injuries have been during the end of the season when the team needed him most.
Perhaps drafting Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft was the Eagles showing a lack of faith in Wentz. If and When Wentz goes down, it’s unlikely the rookie QB will be ready to lead Philadelphia on a playoff run this early in his career.
Prediction: 7-9
