As the Philadelphia Eagles are prepare for a date with the Cleveland Browns on September 11th many questions remain, starting the readiness of rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. After missing much of the preseason with an injury, Wentz will be thrust into a starting role in Week One. Certainly, this situation is cause for alarm, but is one of many interesting storylines surrounding this franchise as the 2016 NFL season kicks off.
A Look at the 2016 Philadelphia Eagles
For starters, the wide receiver corps is an enormous question mark. After Chris Givens started the Week Three “dress rehearsal” preseason game, he was released along with veteran Rueben Randle. Nelson Agholor seems to have a critical drop every game. Josh Huff flashes sporadically and Dorial Green-Beckham looks most reliable in the red zone. Jordan Matthews was moved outside in spring, just to be placed back in the slot shortly after. How will the offensive line adjust to Lane Johnson‘s pending absence? Can Ryan Mathews stay healthy and hold on to the ball for a full season? Questions loom already but one thing is for certain; the Eagles are indeed contenders in the NFC East.
Howie Roseman quickly over-hauled the roster that Chip Kelly had built in his image just a year prior. The new look Eagles are going to be led by their defensive line. Led by Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox, Jim Schwartz looks to rejuvenate a defense that has been unstable since the departure of Brian Dawkins and the late, great Jim Johnson. Perhaps having Dawkins back in the building will propel the defense to “act a fool” as the future Hall of Famer would preach. Additionally, the signing of Stephen Tulloch gives the Eagles more depth at middle linebacker as Jordan Hicks has proven in his collegiate and now professional career that he’s prone to injury.
Ultimately however in the NFL is usually seems to come back to the quarterback, and this case is no exception. In a trade that came out of left field, Sam Bradford was sent to Minnesota and as mentioned earlier, the Carson Wentz era is underway. Howie Roseman runs the Eagles like a fantasy team, so this deal shouldn’t have surprised anyone. In fact, Roseman dealt Eric Rowe days after the Bradford trade.
But back to Wentz. The second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, who was hurt in Week One of the preseason, has been named the starter and Chase Daniel will back him up. Even as a top draft pick, Wentz has questions around him of his own. For starters, he didn’t face elite talent in college, he seems to be injury prone, his footwork and mechanics seem to need much work. Accuracy might be an issue, as well. In his one preseason game, he only completed 50 per cent of his passes.
However, along with the questions comes potential, and the flashes of what he can be. Wentz is mobile, and makes unblocked defenders miss in open space. Also, he can throw on the run and create, and he possesses a high football IQ. Wentz makes the Eagles more watchable. Wins however, may take a hit, but in the NFC East anything is possible.
Tony Romo is already out injured in Dallas, which was inevitable, and rookie Dak Prescott is set to start Week One. Prescott has had a respectable preseason but the regular season is a different ball game, and their defense is filled with holes at various positions.
The New York Giants have spent some money this off-season to amp up their defense, and seem to have found a complimentary piece to Odell Beckham Jr. in rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard. Head coach Ben McAdoo has his imprints on Eli Manning and is now the man in charge after Tom Coughlin was sent out the door.
The defending champs in Washington are returning most pieces from a year ago, and may have the most play-makers in the division. Jordan Reed, when healthy, has proven he’s a force on the field. DeAngelo Hall has fully converted to free safety, and the addition of Josh Norman certainly makes the Redskins defense just as explosive as their offense.
The NFC East is up for grabs and all four teams have their eyes on securing a spot in the big dance. There hasn’t been a repeat at champion since Philadelphia did so in the 2003-2004 season. If the pattern continues, then Washington may be on the outside looking in. The door is wide open for someone to step through and Philadelphia has a favorable schedule to open the season. Three of the first four games are against sub .500 teams from a year ago, to go along with a Week Three match-up at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be without Le’Veon Bell. The season is finally upon us and a new chapter in Eagles’ history is about to unfold.
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