Philadelphia Eagles’ lack of linebacker depth could be a problem in 2016

Do the Philadelphia Eagles have enough depth at linebacker?

The Philadelphia Eagles have made a lot of improvements this offseason. Not only did they find their quarterback of the future in Carson Wentz, but they also re-signed their in-house cornerstones and brought in several other potential impact players as well.

With such an eventful offseason, it’s easy to forget about the Eagles’ deficiencies, one of which being their shallow depth at the linebacker position. The Eagles focused so much on finding a quarterback of the future and adding to their secondary that the team’s linebacker corps could end up being a major weakness, which does not bode well for their hopes of turning things around in 2016.

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Looking at the Eagles’ starters at linebacker, the group is in decent shape. Mychal Kendricks is a quick, athletic linebacker entering the prime of his career with the potential to be a regular Pro Bowler if he can consistently perform at the level he is capable of. Jordan Hicks, the projected starter at middle linebacker, was in the running for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2015 before suffering a season-ending pectoral injury, but could end up being the steal of the 2015 NFL Draft when it’s all said and done. Nigel Bradham hasn’t started off his tenure in Philadelphia the way he probably would have liked to after being arrested for assault Monday, but will likely play a large role in the Eagles’ defense as the team’s starter at strongside linebacker.

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Beyond Kendricks, Hicks and Bradham, however, the Eagles do not have an inspiring amount of depth at linebacker. Looking at the Eagles’ roster, it’s fair to assume that things could get pretty rocky if one or more of the starters go down with an injury. The Eagles would then have to depend on young, inexperienced players to fill their shoes, which obviously wouldn’t be an ideal situation to be in.

In a recent two-deep prediction of the Eagles’ depth chart, the three linebackers projected to backup Kendricks, Hicks and Bradham are Myke Tavarres, Najee Goode and Joe Walker, respectively, which may not be enough to provide the Eagles much stability at the position.

Myke Tavarres

Tavarres, an undrafted free agent out of Incarnate Word, has a very real shot at making the Eagles’ 53-man roster. Tavarres has terrific closing speed and brings superb special teams ability to the table. He’s the definition of an “attacking” linebacker.

Tavarres has potential, but so does every other player that’s drafted into the NFL. Tavarres will really need to prove himself during training camp to assure the Eagles that he’s capable of being anything more than just a special teams player.

Najee Goode

Of all the Eagles’ backup linebackers, Goode is undoubtedly the most reliable. The 27-year-old is entering his fifth season in the NFL and has played some crucial snaps for the Eagles in the past when starters went down with injuries. Goode is no ace in coverage, but he is strong against the run and can contribute on special teams. Goode can play any linebacker position and, quite frankly, may be the No. 1 backup plan regardless of who goes down with an injury.

Joe Walker

The Eagles selected Walker in the seventh-round (251st overall) of this year’s draft. Walker displayed good coverage skills and fluidity as a finesse linebacker at Oregon and would likely be a good fit sitting behind Bradham at strongside linebacker. Walker may have an uphill battle making the team, but like Tavarres, Walker is a solid contributor on special teams, which may be what ultimately wins him a roster spot.

If the Eagles’ depth chart looks anything close to this by the beginning of the regular season, the team may want to consider bringing in some outside help to bolster their linebacker depth. Stephen Tulloch was recently released by the Detroit Lions and the Eagles would be wise to pursue him if the price is right. Tulloch played under Jim Schwartz for six seasons between his time with the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions and would be a reliable backup to Hicks at middle linebacker.