10 Philadelphia Eagles who must shine in Washington for Week 1

One Philadelphia Eagles 2019 addition might pay off a year later.

How many of you were upset about Malik Jackson’s injury a year ago? Certainly, the Eagles were, but no one’s too terribly concerned in the organization as Jackson has been healthy for most of his career. With that being said, many think that this was a ‘fluke injury’ and that he’ll be fine.

Think about this though. The Eagles also brought in Javon Hargrave this offseason to play in what might be the NFL’s best rotation at defensive tackle. Fletcher Cox, as always, is in the fold. If Jackson has any issues, the ‘Birds’ have insurance. Hassan Ridgeway is also in the fold. If Jackson is one-hundred percent healthy, this rotation could be fun to watch.

Early in training camp, Hargrave sustained an injury, and he’s expected to miss the opener. The door is wide open for Jackson to make the most of his second chance. It all begins with a game on Sunday.

Darius Slay is the cornerback the Eagles hoped 2017’s second-round pick Sidney Jones would become. Unfortunately, Jones never got there, and that’s a big reason why Slay is in town. So far, ‘Big Play’ has been as good as advertised, and he’s poised to become a factor under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. He has to be as the Eagles have invested a $50 million contract into this. They surely want a return in their investment, and Week 1 will provide them with an opportunity to see where we are in the process.

We don’t know how Schwartz will end up deploying Slay. He could take over one side of the field or travel with whomever he’s covering. What we do know is that, at some point, he will face an ascending sophomore receiver, Terry McLaurin in one-on-one situations. If ‘Big Play’ can win in this matchup, he can help take away Washington’s main weapon in the passing game.