Ideas for Eagles offense and defense following their additions in NFL Draft

Here are the challenges for Jim Schwartz.

There are a lot of new voices on the offensive side of the ball, but it’s abundantly clear that Jim Schwartz is the clear leader of his defense. The coaching staff need only leave him alone, but there have always been questions like how much influence he has in retooling his defensive personnel in free agency and the draft. The answer is anyone’s guess outside the organization.

Maybe Roseman and Schwartz took a page out of Kelly’s book and his longstanding belief that, “big people beat up little people.” Might Schwartz be thinking that the defensive line must be counted on to wear the opponent down?

Javon Hargrave. Malik Jackson and Fletcher Cox anchor the middle of the line, and there’s also Hassan Ridgeway who helps anchor in the rotation at tackle, but could we all see some 3-4 schemes or maybe a few 3-3 or 3-2 fronts implemented into the defensive concepts?

We know how much Schwartz likes to employ multiple defensive backs, even in traditional linebacker positions. He loves versatility, and he loves hybrid players and positionless athletes that he can free up to take the action to the offense rather than absorbing what the offense dictates.

With new additions as well as young and yet-to-be-proven talent on the roster, could speed, athleticism, and physicality from the linebackers and secondary allow the Eagles defense to make more ‘splash’ plays and force turnovers?

Schwartz will be challenged to balance simplicity for the youthful, inexperienced players while optimizing everyone’s abilities with diversifying concepts. What does that look like? Schwartz needs to develop schemes that allow his defense front to pound the heck out of the offensive lines that they will face.

Identifying the seven best seek-and-destroy players to turn loose on the defense will be key in Doug Pederson and Jim Schwartz tweaking and transforming both sides of the ball to maximize the potential of the guys who are already here and the guys the Eagles have added.