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Eagles Primed For Big Season

There is no question that the Eagles are coming into the 2019-2020 season with expectations of only the highest standard laying firmly on each player's shoulders as we enter the mandatory mini-camp. The entire offseason was filled with the Eagles trying to add depth at each position to avoid the issues the team faced midway through last year as they lost six of their first 10 games.

These changes during the offseason, if nothing else, have certainly done that offensively with the trade and signing of new-old Eagle DeSean Jackson, trading for Bears starting RB Jordan Howard, giving franchise QB Carson Wentz an extension for only the cost of the Liberty Bell and the William Penn statue and also drafting young offensive players with their first three picks (OT Andre Dillard, RB Miles Sanders and WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside). This offense will have to find ways to score because there is just simply too much offensive power to not come away with well over 20 points per game. When you measure this offense in total, they have a potent receiving corps mixed with what could very well be the best Tight End duo in the NFL with Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.

Defensively, the Eagles will be getting some key players back such as DE Derek Barnett, CB Jalen Mills, CB Ronald Darby and S Rodney McLeod. The fact the Eagles were able to overcome these lost starters and a 4-6 start to still make the playoffs can be compared to a herculean type of act. The defensive line is now bolstered with the addition of Malik Jackson to compliment star DT Fletcher Cox and good run support DT Tim Jernigan; the Eagles defensive line is, on paper, still considered to be among the best in the NFL with a youthful Barnett, Super Bowl hero Brandon Graham and the aforementioned Cox-Jackson-Jernigan combo. The secondary is getting healthier and is very deep with talent and the linebacking corps is manned by Nigel Bradham with a solid addition of former Washington player Zach Brown.

Coming into this season the Eagles will only leave the eastern time zone three times this season. All of which will be in the central time zone so it can be safely assumed the Eagles will not have to worry about any jet-lag. This is a friendly schedule that has the Eagles hosting top NFL teams like the Patriots, Seahawks, Bears and on the road for Green Bay and Minnesota (Dallas not included in either because of division). When you take into account as a whole SOS, the Eagles opponents combined record from last season was 132-133-2, to say the Bears-Patriots-Seahawks being on the schedule helps even in out would be a massive understatement. The schedule also presents the Eagles with really one "mighty" challenge of having to play one marquis QB on the road, that would be the Green Bay game. All other road games against Matt Ryan or Kirk Cousins do appear much less intimidating for this roster which is primed to go up against any team that goes against them.

Most Eagles critics, fans, reporters, etc. will agree that this season comes down to the play/health of Carson Wentz. Assuming Wentz can stay healthy and show that his 2017 campaign wasn't some fluke the Eagles will be a near impossible opponent to play catch up with. It's worth mentioning that Wentz' "bad 2018 season" was actually quite impressive when you factor in he was playing with a fracture in his back and still managed to put up the numbers he did. 11 GS, 69.4 CMP %, 3,074 PASS YARDS, 21 TDs, 7 INTs, 279.5 YPG and a QB RTG of 102.2 (actually 1.1 points better from his 2017 season). No doubt, the two seasons are not fair to compare because of the Eagles success on the field and also because Wentz had a full offseason entering 2017. He now has that again and with enough quarterbacking talent to enter the discussion as a top tier QB in the NFL. If you add the new additions to the offense and 3 more months to gel with these weapons his good health can put the Eagles right back in the Super Bowl this February.

This is one of the deepest Eagles teams ever assembled in my opinion. The talent at all parts of the field should make them favorites to win the NFC East and be a strong contender with the Saints and Bears to win the NFC. An offense that could and will probably be a top 5 offense paired with a defense that can be a top 12 defense in the league this Eagles team will be able to match up well with just about any team that stands before them. Even in the games where the Eagles could be potentially outplayed by a little; for as long as they arguably have a top 3 coach in the NFL in Doug Pederson they will never be out of games completely. Come September no one should be surprised if the Eagles start fast and fly high.