Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Position Not The Problem
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback position has been a hot topic in this young off season. But is it really the organization’s main problem? It isn’t. After watching the playoffs “elite” teams and the Eagles previous games this season, the team has holes and thin depth in key areas that played a main role in the team’s demise. With even bigger issues in the front office that faces turmoil, fans and analysts alike should get off the notion of ridiculous draft day trade scenarios and focus on the more pressing issues.
Yes the QB play last season was very inconsistent. Nick Foles was 6-2 as the starter but failed to every really get into a rhythm and play up to the standards we all saw in 2013. And when Foles went down with an injured collarbone, backup Mark Sanchez stepped in and delivered more of the same inconsistent play. In 2013 and 2014, Foles got pressured on 34.3% and 34.1% of his drop-backs. This isn’t a big drop off, but if you actually watched the games, the offensive line would constantly get pushed back in 2014 forcing Foles to adjust and rely on his footwork. The running game was nonexistent and the offense was extremely one dimensional.
More from Eagles News
- Eagles captains earn high praise on roster blending veteran leadership, youth
- How former Eagles star Cre’Von LeBlanc helped Renegades upstage Cowboys
- Eagles 2023 schedule: Every WR duo Darius Slay, James Bradberry will battle
- Imagining better names for Jason Kelce’s Good Guy Award
- Bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2023
Nick has to improve his footwork in the pocket and bad back pedaling tendencies. The fact is, Nick Foles has shown enough to start again in 2015. Trading away the foreseeable future for one player isn’t the answer. Foles is a great leader with Pro Bowl potential and has already shown what he can do going 14-5 as the starter under head coach Chip Kelly. If Nick Foles does indeed improve and grow as a player as most QBs do over time, then it’s time for the Philadelphia Eagles to shore up more pressing needs. It all starts in the font office, where relationships internally have become toxic. This is a big issue, and just the fact that the team hasn’t landed a new GM makes me wonder if people actually want to work for the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the balance of power given out awkwardly, how can a team with Championship aspirations reach that ultimate goal when the front office keeps trying to one up each other. Head coach Chip Kelly needs to get on the same page with whoever the new GM is and former GM Howie Roseman. Building strong ties and being on the same page within the organization is the first step to turning this team around. The Philadelphia Eagles future lies within the hands of these front office personnel, Chip Kelly needs to get current and future personnel to buy into what he’s selling.
With all the problems the Philadelphia Eagles have within the team, the current roster as it it stands is flawed. To point out the obvious, the Eagles secondary is just atrocious. There were many games this past season where the secondary actually cost the team some games. The blame is put on the QB, which is fair to point, but the secondary is so bad the offense basically has to score 30 points just to have a shot at winning the game. The team first needs to cut corner Cary Williams and save some free agency money and let Nate Allen and Bradley Fletcher walk this offseason.
The Eagles can’t afford to be gun shy in free agency any longer. The team needs to attack the secondary void with aggression and sign/draft multiple players to at least make the secondary an average unit. Another issue that is a major concern is the aging offensive line. With an average age of almost 30, that includes center Jason Kelce 27, and right tackle Lane Johnson 24, the Philadelphia Eagles have to start looking at their future now. In 2013, each offensive linemen played all 16 games. In 2014, the same starters never played on the field at the same time due to injuries which greatly hindered the team.
This offensive line cannot be counted on to stay relatively healthy anymore. Father Time is undefeated, and it looks like he has gotten the better of the Philadelphia Eagles o-line. If you want to talk about the Eagles QB problems, you have to look at the underwhelming offensive line play early in the season. It’s a bit of a cliche, but if you win inside the trenches, you win the game. The Eagles didn’t do that this season and it showed.
The Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback position will get all the attention, but the real issues with the front office, secondary, and offensive line desperately need to be addressed. Without fixing these key holes first, the team will never become a championship contender. So, before you start drumming up different ways to trade for the first pick in the draft, you should dig deeper and look at the real issues at hand. The Philadelphia Eagles need to stay focused on these problems, and fix them soon. If they do, the QB situation will work itself out.