Howie Roseman has put together an offseason like no other. Smart free agent signings, a masterful draft, and the occasional trade, have helped sustain the impressive level of talent that runs throughout the Eagles roster. But how does it compare to the roster that won the Super Bowl two years ago?
Make sure you check out Ben Solak's take on this angle too, to see how the two viewpoints align or contrast!
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2019/5/13/18617919/philadelphia-eagles-2017-roster-2019-super-bowl
For this though, I decided to take the angle of how did the roster look before the season? What players were available to the Eagles during the offseason in comparison to those fighting to make the team now? Otherwise, you end up in a mess of a roster including a midseason trade that compares to one fresh off an offseason build.
Quarterback
2017: Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Nate Sudfeld (Practice squad)
2019: Carson Wentz, Nate Sudfeld, Cody Kessler, Clayton Thorson (practice squad?)
We start off with a very 'glass half empty, glass half full' kind of debate. Would you rather have a quarterback position primed for the future, or one that's primed for instant success, even if your starter goes down?
Losing Nick Foles was a large blow, but the development of Nate Sudfeld is definitely encouraging. His progression from what we saw with the Redskins and at Indiana, to the confidence portrayed last preseason, is night and day. Is he ready to be dropped into the deep end during a crucial week 13 matchup? He may not have to be.
There is a slight chance that Cody Kessler could sneak onto the roster and somewhat alleviate that strain given that he now has over 16 games worth of starting experience at the NFL level despite being just 25-years old. He may not ever replace Sudfeld, but the battle between the two will be interesting as it gives the Eagles a 'fringe starter' to grade him against.
As of right now, the edge goes to 2017. Wentz is now coming off of his second consecutive season-ending injury which will unfortunately carry question marks. The experience and calmness that Nick Foles brings to any situation almost built up this unbreakable shield when he entered the game. The younger quarterback's don't have that just yet.
Winner: 2017
Running Back
2017: LeGarrette Blount, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey
2019: Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, Boston Scott
Let me start by reminding you that Jay Ajayi didn't arrive on the scene until late October. It would be unfair to grade a running back group saved by a mid-season trade, against a fully healthy and recently built equivalent.
There was a significant amount of promise around the 2017 lineup, but Smallwood hadn't too much during his rookie campaign, Clement was an undrafted free agent and Sproles was set to play a key role. Can we not mention Pumphrey, please?
The 2019 backfield just looks more dangerous. You get a younger, bullish running back in Jordan Howard who will replace what Blount brought to the table and then add some juice, while the idea of a second-round pick just adds that extra sprinkle of promise.
Even with Ajayi in the fold, I think the Eagles have a much clearer direction with this current roster.
Winner: 2019
Offensive line
2017: Jason Peters, Stefen Wisniewski, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Isaac Seumalo, Chance Warmack
2019: Jason Peters, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Andre Dillard, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Stefen Wisniewski, Matt Pryor (practice squad?), Jordan Mailata (practice squad?)
This is interesting. Yes, the Brandon Brooks injury is important, as is the age of Jason Peters and Jason Kelce. But this unit has so much more direction once more. It's really quite enthralling to see the fundamentals of a position one year, and two years down the line, see the next building blocks placed down as opposed to being taken out by a whirlwind.
A first-round pick, a versatile fifth-round selection from one year ago, and of course the presence of Jordan Mailata, all factor in here. I'm not sure how the Eagles are going to carry all of the players listed, but that's a good problem to have.
The Eagles have an offensive line made up of four pro bowlers, and a legitimate talent at left guard. In fact, all five starters from 2017 return but with the next generation now waiting firmly in the wings. Easy win for 2019 here.
Winner: 2019
Continued on the pages below.
Tight End
2017: Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, Trey Burton, Billy Brown
2019: Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Richard Rodgers, Joshua Perkins, Will Tye
This is another tricky one. If not for Dallas Goedert's 2018 breakout as a truly dominant red-zone weapon, this position would be a clear win for 2017. The Eagles sorely missed 13-personnel groupings due to the injury of Richard Rodgers last year and Joshua Perkins failed to make the most of his opportunities at the start of the year.
On one hand, you have the fact that Dallas Goedert's 334 yards and 4 touchdowns outshine what Burton brought to the table, but then you have to take into account the way in which the tight ends were used.
In terms of a unit I want to build around, it's a VERY narrow edge to the 2019 group, given the contractual breathing room of a lethal redzone target in Dallas Goedert...but this is providing Richard Rodgers can develop as an in-line blocker, which has never really been a real strength of his.
Winner: 2019
Wide Receiver
2017: Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Torrey Smith, Mack Hollins, Bryce Treggs, Shelton Gibson, Jordan Matthews (Yes, pre trade remember), Marcus Johnson, Greg Ward Jr, Paul Turner
2019: Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, DeSean Jackson, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Braxton Miller, Greg Ward Jr, Charles Johnson, Mack Hollins, Shelton Gibson
Again, I've tried to give both rosters 'training camp flexibility' to build the best roster possible and this is another easy win for 2019. DeSean Jackson should theoretically bring more reliability to the WR2 spot than Torrey Smith once did, and the addition of J.J Arcega-Whiteside is exhilarating.
But....one could argue that in this scenario, Agholor hadn't moved inside yet and Jordan Matthews was coming off an 804 yard season, amassing more yardage from the slot than any receiver since 2014, in his stint with the Eagles.
But Matthews out of the picture post-trade I think the edge goes to 2019 because there's more to build around. DeSean Jackson on a three-year deal, Sega lining up with Jeffery, Ertz and Goedert inside the red zone, and the chance for some depth excellence from the returning Hollins? Count me in
We know what Agholor can do from the slot now and that trade may have saved a career that was beginning to raise serious question marks. This is a very diverse and complete position and now a 2017 ideology and blows it out of the water.
Winner: 2019
Defensive End
2017: Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Derek Barnett, Chris Long, Steven Means, Marcus Smith (pre-trade), Alex McCalister
2019: Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry, Josh Sweat, Shareef Miller, Joe Ostman, Daeshon Hall
The Eagles lose Chris Long, regain Vinny Curry in a cheaper capacity and replace Marcus Smith with a pair of young draft picks? This is another strong win for 2019. Joe Ostman seems to have the coaching staff playing romantic songs on the way home from the facility....actually, hang on.
Derek Barnett's development as he enters year number 3, should naturally be questioned. Is he a starter, or are the concerns of him burning out? If he's not starting ahead of Curry or Graham, that's a big-time issue.
Chris Long played in a hefty chunk of snaps in 2017 and you're going to have to rely on somebody to step up to the plate. Is that man going to be Shareef Miller, who is fairly one dimensional? Will it be Josh Sweat who disappeared all last year?
On second thoughts, I'm going to take certain production over potential hindered with question marks.
Winner: 2017
Defensive Tackle
2017: Fletcher Cox, Timmy Jernigan, Beau Allen, Destiny Vaeao, Elijah Qualls, Winston Craig
2019: Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Timmy Jernigan, Hassan Ridgeway, Bruce Hector, Treyvon Hester, Anthony Wilkins
2019. Without a doubt. The Eagles were lacking in defensive tackle depth in 2018 and in a big way. Vaeao and Allen had combined for over 60% of defensive snaps between them during the team's illustrious Super Bowl run and last year saw a complexion of practice squad products and UDFA's.
Although Jernigan's injury was a huge blow last year, he now returns to the team on a much cheaper deal and in what looks to be a DT3 capacity behind Malik Jackson, who is one of the best 3-tech pass rushers in the league, partnering Fletcher Cox, who's coming off a career year.
I REALLY like Anthony Rush as well. 6'5, 350 lbs. The UDFA reminds me of Brandon Mebane in a lot of ways and if he can swallow double teams and allow those rapid defensive ends to feast, then hello sack city.
Winner: 2019
Linebacker
2017: Jordan Hicks, Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks, Najee Goode, Joe Walker, Kamu Grugier-Hill
2019: Nigel Bradham, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Zach Brown, L.J. Fort, Paul Worrilow, Nate Gerry
If we had examined this position just one week ago, the scales would have been drastically in favor of 2017, but alas, we are not. Zach Brown's arrival really pushes this back the other way and along with L.J Fort, who has some fantastic upside as well as being a dominant special teamer, this unit looks dangerous.
The Eagles have increasingly relied on nickel and dime packages and if they are to do so again, Bradham and Hill is a 'Thunder and lightning' combination I just can't wait to see.
The depth remains the same, but Kamu Grugier-Hill's development goes another year as one of the most underrated aspects of the team. His 13 special teams tackles ranked 13th in the league and he led the team for the second year in a row, on top of flying around the defensive backfield making big-time tackles.
It's close, but I'm all-in on 2019.
Winner: 2019
Cornerback
2017: Ronald Darby, Jalen Mills, Patrick Robinson, Rasul Douglas, Dexter McDougle, Sidney Jones (injured)
2019: Ronald Darby, Jalen Mills, Rasul Douglas, Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones, Cre'Von LeBlanc, Jay Liggins
Patrick Robinson wasn't the signing of the offseason that year. It was Ronald Darby. If it wasn't for Darby, Robinson would have been left outside, being victimized by Alshon Jeffery all training camp, but the trade sent him into the nickel, where he flourished, just as he did for the Colts in 2015.
The Eagles are now inundated with depth and the players from 2017 have all for the most part (sorry Dex), taken a step forward. Douglas has become a tackling machine, Sidney Jones is no longer injured, Jalen Mills has developed further into an entrenched starter.
Flooded with more talent than they know what to do with, this is again a great problem to have...even if I was against the Ronald Darby re-signing. given his weakness in tackling and lack of durability.
Winner: 2019
Safety
2017: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Corey Graham, Jaylen Watkins
2019: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Andrew Sendejo, Tre Sullivan, Blake Countess
That 2017 Safety group was just perfect, wasn't it? Corey Graham wasn't a total liability, Jaylen Watkins became a very solid tackler, Rodney McLeod was healthy and Malcolm Jenkins ran rampant underneath.
This may be the closest we get to recreating that dream, but it all depends on McLeod's health. If he can recover well from his ACL/MCL tear, then 2019 has the edge here. If he can't, then the signing of both Sendejo and Countess will be key.
The Eagles have more depth than they did one year ago, rivalling 2017 at least, and substantially more special teams production now that Countess is in the fold.
Winner: 2019
Results
2019: RB, OL, TE, WR, DT, LB, CB, S2017: QB, DE
Yes. The Eagles have a more dangerous roster than the one that went on to upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52. This season will all come down to the health of Carson Wentz. Can he come back with a vengeance and pick up where he left off, but without the mistakes that came as a consequence of injury and an offseason where the offense was still built around Foles after a 7-game stretch where it was created for him, oh, and a new offensive coordinator?
This season shouldn't just throw up shades of 2017. It should, in theory, with the football gods onside, provide a football team that will rip through teams with little in the way of mercy, reminding us all that 'the new norm' is upon us.
