After an offseason filled with notable moves, the Philadelphia Eagles are viewed as one of the top teams in the NFC. Yet a disastrous end to last season leaves the Eagles eager to prove that was a fluke performance and ready to move forward in 2024.
While Eagles general manager Howie Roseman addressed some of the team’s biggest needs, there are still several questions that need to be answered in Philadelphia. Here are five questions for the Eagles ahead of the regular season.
5 Biggest Questions for the Eagles Ahead of Week 1
Can Jalen Hurts Improve Against the Blitz?
Following Shane Steichen’s departure to be head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Jalen Hurts took a massive step back against the blitz last season. Yet during Hurts’ tenure with Steichen as offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, he excelled against the blitz.
In 2021 and 2022, Hurts threw 16 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions against the blitz, according to TruMedia. While Hurts’ completion percentage was just 58.6%, he averaged 7.9 yards per attempt and made huge plays under pressure.
Jason Kelce opens up on the blitz and the amount #Eagles faced over last few weeks.
“Regardless whether I’m here or not, there’s gonna be some blitz zero for Jalen Hurts next year.
“If you have the right mindset you should want that.” pic.twitter.com/1EpkQ8qQmC
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) January 17, 2024
Following Steichen’s departure, however, Hurts’ production against the blitz fell off a cliff. In 2023, Hurts threw just six passing touchdowns and eight interceptions against the blitz. His yards per attempt dipped down to just 7.0, as he struggled to find answers under pressure.
Luckily for Hurts, the Eagles hired Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator, who should create a much-improved plan against the blitz. Both Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert excelled against the blitz under Moore’s watch. If the Eagles want to reach the Super Bowl once again, Hurts will need to prove he can make plays under added pressure.
Are Cam Jurgens and Mekhi Becton Ready To Step Up?
While Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is regarded as one of the best position coaches in the NFL, he’ll be put to the test in 2024. Following Jason Kelce’s retirement, Cam Jurgens will be moving inside to his natural position at center.
Yet it will be Jurgens’ first time starting at center in the NFL. Despite starting several games at right guard last season, playing in the middle of the offensive line it’s a different beast. He’ll be relied upon to make protection calls and fill the Hall of Fame-caliber cleats that Kelce left behind.
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Mekhi Becton “won” the competition at right guard, simply due to the fact that he was the healthiest man standing, as second-year offensive lineman Tyler Steen battled an ankle injury throughout training camp. Now Becton is expected to start at a position that he has never played in the NFL or in college.
While Becton certainly has the size and athleticism to play guard, it’s rare for a player with his build to play inside. He and Jurgens will each be playing a position for the first time in the NFL during the upcoming regular season. Although it’s easy to have blind optimism in Stoutland, there’s a chance that things won’t work well along the interior in 2024.
Can Philadelphia’s Young Defensive Line Handle a Bigger Workload?
Philadelphia’s projected starting defensive line of Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams is relatively inexperienced. No player in that trio has played more than 562 total defensive snaps in a single season in the NFL.
Yet with the arrival of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, each player will need to handle a noticeably larger workload. In 2023, Fangio relied on Christian Wilkins to play 895 total defensive snaps and Zach Sieler to play 857.
Carter and Williams will each likely play those roles inside in 2024 for Fangio’s defense. However, Carter played just 562 total defensive snaps as a rookie, with many questioning his conditioning down the stretch. Meanwhile, Williams played a career-high 494 total defensive snaps in 2023.
Surprisingly, Davis might be the most prepared to play in Fangio’s defense from a workload standpoint. He played 519 total defensive snaps last season, while Miami’s nose tackle Raekwon Davis played 499 in 2023.
While it’s easy to automatically assume that Philadelphia’s young defensive line will take a step forward under Fangio, the concerns about their stamina are legitimate. Carter could either rise to stardom like Wilkins did last season or struggle with a massive workload.
What Is Vic Fangio’s Plan at Linebacker?
Linebacker play in Philadelphia has been a tough subject for Eagles fans in recent years. The team’s defense has been picked apart in the middle of the field for quite some time. Consequently, Roseman made three notable additions at linebacker this offseason.
Now it’s up to Fangio to deploy Philadelphia’s linebacker group accordingly. While Devin White and Zack Baun appear to be the starting linebacker duo, Fangio has sprinkled in Nakobe Dean and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. throughout training camp and the preseason.
Fangio doesn’t mind sending an inside linebacker after the quarterback and dropping an edge defender into coverage. Therefore, he could opt to play Dean and Trotter during the regular season, given that both players excel at pressuring the quarterback.
Fangio discussed his ideal plan at linebacker during a recent press conference. “I do think you’re better off with a set group,” Fangio said when asked about a potential rotation at linebacker. “Sometimes it’s hard to get guys in and out. You don’t want to have to sub to do stuff. Either way. I’ve done it both ways.”
Can the Top 3 Safeties Stay Healthy?
After the Kevin Byard experiment failed last season, Roseman reunited with C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency. Now Philadelphia’s safety room is led by Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship as the starters.
Once Sydney Brown is fully recovered from his torn ACL, he’ll likely return as the third safety. In the meantime, Avonte Maddox is expected to fill that role. Therefore, the Eagles will be relying on four injury-prone players at the top of the team’s safety depth chart.
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All four players missed multiple games in 2023. In fact, Blankenship was the only player to avoid the injured reserve list last season. Yet Roseman and the Eagles clearly feel comfortable moving forward with this group.
If everyone is healthy, Philadelphia’s safety room will improve in 2024, but there’s a legitimate reason to be concerned about Gardner-Johnson, Blankenship, Brown, and Maddox’s availability. Can they prove the doubters wrong and stay healthy?