Ranking the Eagles' most pressing positional needs following their massive free-agency overhaul
We often walk into the offseason expecting a few fireworks. Most times, that doesn't happen, and we're totally fine with that. Building the best Philadelphia Eagles roster possible can be a tedious process.
Salary cap constraints, among other things, can throw wrenches into the operation. This time around, however, Philly had some wiggle room. Howie Roseman promised to be aggressive, and he kept that promise. The fireworks rivaled those of a must-see New Year's Eve celebration.
Try not to blink. If you aren't paying attention, you're certain to miss something. Howie Roseman is in his zone, but here's a recap if you missed anything.
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Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox both retired. Brandon Graham, Albert Okwuegbunam, Jake Elliott, Rick Lovato, and Braden Mann have all been extended. Josh Sweat's deal has been restructured. Marcus Mariota, Jack Stoll, D'Andre Swift, Sua Opeta, and Nicholas Morrow are all gone. That's just half of what has happened.
Philly signed Saquon Barkley, Bryce Huff, Devin White, DeVante Parker, Zack Baun, and Matt Hennessy. They also threw a mini-family reunion and brought C.J. Gardner-Johnson back into the fold on a one-year deal.
Expect Howie to continue tinkering with the roster as we'll see other free-agency signing waves and Top-30 visits ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. Meanwhile. Philly invited the best interior linebacker in the class to the NovaCare Complex for a visit. The depth chart is being altered. The draft board is being built. This team won't take its foot off the gas as we speed toward another regular season.
Philly has addressed many of its needs, and the new league year isn't even a week old yet. As the offseason rolls on, let's do some inventory. Here's a ranking of the Eagles' biggest positional needs beginning with the most pressing following the first free agency wave.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley is phenomenal but also has a rather extensive injury history. The good news is he's only 27 years old and one of the NFL's most gifted runners. The bad news is he and Kenneth Gainwell are pretty much the only tailbacks the Eagles have signed for next season.
Two guys do not a running back room make, even if one of those guys is Saquon. There's still work to be done to bolster this unit, but we're off to a very good start.