Now that the Super Bowl has been played and free agency is approaching in a few weeks, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be looking at the top three needs for each team. Today, the Philadelphia Eagles are the focus. The Eagles have the 13th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a few key players will hit the free agency market this year, most notably quarterback Sam Bradford, safety Walter Thurmond, and defensive lineman Cedric Thornton.
Philadelphia Eagles 2016 Off-Season: Top 3 Needs
Quarterback
Starting quarterback Sam Bradford is a free agent, and there is no guarantee that he will be in Philadelphia in 2016. Mark Sanchez is a competent backup, but he should not be relied upon as a starter.
Finding a respectable starting quarterback is no easy task. Unless the Eagles can somehow steal Kirk Cousins from the Redskins, bringing back Sam Bradford is probably the best option in free agency. Brock Osweiler is another interesting name to consider, but the Broncos want him to return. If Bradford is going to be replaced, the most likely option is the draft. Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch are the consensus top three quarterbacks in the draft, but different scouts have them in different orders. At least one of these players should be available at the 13th pick, but if the Eagles set their sights on one player in particular, they might need to trade up.
Offensive Line
The Eagles offensive line was a bit of a mess last season. Guard Matt Tobin is a free agent, but he isn’t very good anyway. Left tackle Jason Peters is 34 and will retire soon, but fortunately the Eagles re-signed Lane Johnson to replace him at left tackle once he moves on. Center Jason Kelce went from a Pro Bowler to a mediocre player last season and he turns 29 this year. Allen Barbre and Andrew Gardner are nothing more than mediocre, and they should definitely be upgraded this off-season.
There are some talented guards on the free agent market who could be signed for reasonable deals. Jason Kelce definitely needs some help if he is going to return to Pro Bowl form. Kelechi Osemele will probably cost more than the Eagles want to spend on a free agent guard, but solid options like Evan Mathis, Richie Incognito, and Alex Boone are available. One or two veteran additions to the interior of the line could make a huge impact. In the draft, a right tackle and maybe a guard should be selected, depending on what happens with free agency. Jack Conklin would be a great fit at right tackle and he could be available at the 13th pick. The Eagles could release Peters a year before he probably retires anyway to save enough money to improve the rest of the line.
Wide Receiver
Yes, the Eagles did spend a first-round pick on a wide receiver last season. However, anybody who watched the Eagles play last season must have noticed the absurd amount of dropped passes. The drops came from everybody, including this year’s top receiving options Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor. While the Eagles have invested in the position already, something must be done to address the inconsistent play from the receiving corps.
Because of the recent investments into this position, I doubt that the Eagles will use another first-round selection to draft a receiver. Aaron Burbridge is one receiver with reliable hands who could be selected after the first round. The Eagles might choose to acquire a veteran receiver as well. Marvin Jones, Rishard Mathews, Jermaine Kearse, and Mohamed Sanu are some quality veterans who could be signed for very reasonable amounts.
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