Good Morning Football has mixed expectations for Philadelphia Eagles in 2021

The Philadelphia Eagles are a perplexing team and when listing their expectations for them in 2021, the Good Morning Football crew weren’t really sure what was in store for the Birds.

As part of their series where they look at realistic expectations for every NFL team, Good Morning Football discussed what kind of season the Eagles are likely going to have in 2021. They, like most people around the NFL, weren’t really sure what to think.

Former Lions receiver Nate Burleson kicked things off by saying how he expects Miles Sanders to mightily improve. Sanders had 867 yards rushing and six touchdowns, doubling his total touchdowns from his rookie season. As he enters his third year in the pros, the Eagles need him to get over the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

Burleson also mentioned that DeVonta Smith has to be the No. 1 wide receiver. The Eagles didn’t trade up for Smith to have him as a depth piece so he needs to be a prominent face in this offense and get over 1,000 yards as a rookie.

Kyle Brandt touched more on the NFC East as a whole and how that entire division is, in his words, “idiot drunks in a parking lot having a boxing match.” Because the division is such a dumpster fire, the Eagles have as good a chance as anyone to win it and thus, make the playoffs. Brandt said if Jalen Hurts takes the next step and progresses mightily, why wouldn’t the Eagles be the favorite to win the NFC East?

Peter Schrager said that “the clock is already ticking on Hurts” and this is his year to prove he can be a starting quarterback. If Carson Wentz plays in more than 70% of the Colts’ snaps in 2021, the Eagles will have three total first-round picks next year, which would put them in a great spot to land a quarterback if the need is there.

Schrager said that if Joe Flacco is competing for snaps at all this year, then the Eagles clearly aren’t satisfied with Hurts and need to move on. The gang later mentioned that by not taking a quarterback in this year’s draft, the Eagles showed they believe in Hurts.

Kay Adams was the last to voice her thoughts and she mostly fixated on Zach Ertz because that’s a big factor to her in how the Eagles do this year. Ertz has seemingly been on the trade block throughout the offseason but as of now, he’s still with the Eagles. When healthy, Ertz is is an explosive tight end and one of the best in the league, but that’s been the problem with him — He hasn’t been healthy.

What are realistic expectations for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021?

Overall, the Good Morning Football crew was optimistic that the Eagles could contend, especially because their division is so bad. There are certainly question marks surrounding Hurts and if he’s the quarterback of the future for Philly, but this is his chance to step up and prove the naysayers wrong.

The Eagles are a tough team to peg because of the uncertainty throughout the rest of the division. Dallas always seems like they’ll be a decent team on paper but it never shines through. Washington’s quarterback situation isn’t solid, and the Giants haven’t been able to take that next step with Daniel Jones yet.

This is a prime opportunity for the Eagles to take a huge step forward and show they’re the kings of the NFC East. Ten wins might be all it takes to win the league’s worst division and if that’s what the Eagles are striving toward, they can make it happen if players make the leap in 2021.