With rave reviews pouring in for the record-breaking Eagles Autism Challenge over the weekend, another tougher grade was assigned to the Philadelphia Eagles concerning their off-season report card. If anything, it's important to note that this grade is far from final and also breezed past one critical area.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report doled out offseason report cards, serving up the Birds with a tough-to-swallow C+ mark.
"The biggest move of the Philadelphia Eagles' offseason remains to be seen. AJ Brown is expected to be traded once his contract becomes more feasible to do so. Otherwise, the Eagles have held serve throughout the last few months. Edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips, linebacker Nakobe Dean and safety Reed Blankenship left in free agency. Cornerback Riq Woolen, edge-rusher Arnold Ebiketie and wide receiver Hollywood Brown signed. General manager Howie Roseman still had a moment of genius when he traded up in this year's first round to snipe wide receiver Makai Lemon from the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving the Eagles a talented trio of targets for Jalen Hurts even if/when Brown is dealt. Eli Stowers' addition in this year's second round paves the way for veteran Dallas Goedert's eventual departure as well. The same can be said of third-round rookie Markell Bell once All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson is finally ready to retire. The impact of these moves may not be felt immediately, but the Eagles continue to replenish a talented roster and keep the team among the NFC's best."
While there can be no qualms with most of the key areas cited by Sobleski, the glaring omission of impact edge addition Jonathan Greenard sticks out like a sore thumb. Not only did Roseman deftly replace Phillips at a lower price tag, but he also landed a cerebral veteran who should impact the younger edge unit immensely.
The addition of Woolen continues to fly under the radar, as such a massive upgrade to complete the top trio of cornerbacks in Philadelphia is sure to present a nightmare for opposing offenses. At the same time, the safety situation may still be tweaked by Roseman in the coming weeks.
Strength in numbers offensively
And of course, the elephant in the room remains Brown. It seems only a matter of time until the mercurial wideout is moved. The offense may very well flourish next season sans Brown, though, not only with the new vision of Sean Mannion in place, but thanks to the surplus of new talent on tap.
Lemon and Stowers provide an entirely new level of explosiveness in both YAC and big-play potential over the middle of the field. Add in Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown to the remaining core pieces, including Barkley, DeVonta Smith, and Goedert, and there lies a diverse cast of playmakers for Hurts to utilize in this new-look offense.
Read more: Impact of newest Eagles Pro Bowler should extend far beyond stat sheet
Now that the draft has come and gone, the buildup towards training camp is underway. These grades are subject to change, and Eagles fans are eager for school to resume.
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