Philadelphia Eagles: Realistic expectations at CB and 3 bold predictions

3. Darius Slay snags four picks and earns a Pro Bowl nod.

The Eagles can’t continue to miss with draft picks and then continue to make up for it by trading more of their draft picks for established players later. Still, two months ago, if you would have asked most fans and pundits if they would have traded a third-round and fifth-round selection for a player of Darius Slay’s caliber, they probably would have agreed to that in a second.

Looking around the Eagles Nation reveals that after missing out on the Byron Jones and James Bradberry sweepstakes, fans feel pretty good about the fact that Philly was able to land Slay. Some rank Jones and Bradberry higher, but Slay isn’t too far behind them if that’s indeed someone’s theory.

If you’re a “BIrds” fan, you’re already familiar with Slay’s work. Philly has never beaten the Detroit Lions with him on the field and sandwiched between a blowout loss in a 2015 Thanksgiving Day game and an unexplainable loss just this past season is that game in 2016 where Detroit rallied to take a late lead and a last-ditch Eagles comeback attempt ended with a Carson Wentz interception that was thrown in his new teammate’s direction.

It was also the first pick of Carson Wentz’s career.

To be honest, had Slay spent the last few seasons on the roster of a more popular team, he’d be the toast of the NFL, but that’s how this game works now. Popular players on winning teams get Pro Bowl votes. Slay has been able to earn the respect of fans and peers on an underachieving roster as he’s been added to the roster in each of the past three seasons.

“Birds” fans can expect for everything to come together for him in Philadelphia. Here’s how it turns out. Philadelphia will win the NFC East and make the playoffs for the fourth-straight season. Slay will snag four interceptions along the way, and he’ll be named to the Pro Bowl roster for the fourth time in four seasons. Write it down. Take it to the bank.