The Key Areas the Eagles Must Improve Next Season
The NFL season has been one to remember for the neutrals, but here in Philadelphia, it has been one to forget.
Ending the season 4-11-1 and finishing rock bottom of the NFL’s worst division has been embarrassing, to say the least.
To ensure that next year isn’t another season of disappointment the Eagles are going to have to improve in a big way. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time nor the energy to cover all of the Eagles’ misgivings this season and we suspect that you don’t have the time to read that either.
Instead, we’ll take a look at a couple of key areas in which the Eagles could improve to at least put a brief smile on the faces of fans next season.
Demolish The House
Everything in life is cyclical and football is no different. When the Eagles made their Super Bowl run in 2017 there was a feeling that the house was in order and everything was running just as it should be.
However, over the past three years the electrics have frazzled out, the pipes have burst, and the beams have developed rot. Instead of trying to rebuild this team up into its former glory, the Eagles need to take the nuclear option so that they can hit restart.
The first step in demolishing the house is getting rid of Doug Pederson, the coach that has been at the helm of the Eagles’ amazing fall from grace. Pederson clearly doesn’t hold the respect of his players, which was highlighted by their avoidance of him in the final game of the season.
Another person that needs to hit the road is Howie Roseman, the executive behind a number of questionable draft choices. Offseason business will be more important than ever for the Eagles and they can’t be putting their faith in a man that has performed so consistently poor in this area before.
Cut Costs
Let’s be honest, the Eagles aren’t going to feature highly in the Super Bowl betting odds anytime soon. There are a lot of wrongs to put right and one big wrong that needs addressing is the financial excess being spent on this team.
The Eagles roster is old and expensive and that needs to change, but to reap the long-term rewards, Eagles fans might have to go through some short-term pain. That pain could start with losing Carson Wentz who is signed up to earn $32 million next year.
No matter what the Eagles do with Wentz, they’ll have to take a big financial hit. In addition to Wentz, Philly should look to get rid of Alshon, Jeffrey, and Desean Jackson and replace them with some younger blood.
It’s one thing for fans to see young players making mistakes, knowing that they will learn from them and improve. It’s another thing altogether to expect fans to accept the mistakes of jaded veterans like Jason Peters, slowly plodding around the field for one last payday.
Improve Defensively
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz ended his five-year association with the Eagles at the end of the regular season. Many in Philly will remember Schwartz fondly, but his decision to step down and take time off from the game has presented the Eagles with a good opportunity to improve.
No team plays a poorly as the Eagles have this season with a fully functioning defense. With Schwartz stepping down, the Eagles can now step up the hunt for a new defensive coordinator to get the best out of this team.
New starts are always bumpy, but it would be wise for the Eagles to focus on the defensive side of the game over the coming years. Building a solid defensive base provides the perfect platform for teams to improve.
Nail the next appointment and next season could be one of foundation laying for Philly.
Raffle Off Carson Wentz’s Position
Photo: Derik Hamilton/AP
Carson Wentz became the first former Pro Bowl quarterback in his 20s in the last quarter of a century to produce a passer rating of under 75. Wentz’s fall from grace from the highs of 2017 to the lows of the one just gone is undoubtedly spectacular.
In addition to that worrying stat, Wentz ranked 29/30 among the quarterbacks that threw at least 300 passes last season. Arguably the Eagles would be better off having a mannequin with a mechanical right arm starting as a quarterback than Wentz.
We’ve already mentioned in this article that Philly needs to think about offloading Wentz, but the real work is deciding who will replace him. Obviously, anyone at this point would be an improvement but for the good of the team, the franchise needs to find a consistent performer with buckets of potential and drive.
In Summary
Whilst it is somewhat cathartic to write about the various misgivings of the Eagles this season, all good things must come to an end. In summary, what the Eagles need to do to improve in the coming seasons is twofold.
Firstly, they have to sever ties with anyone and everyone that has contributed to getting them into this mess. The Eagles didn’t find themselves here overnight, rather their decline has been the result of a seemingly endless stream of bad decisions.
To trust those who put the franchise into that mess to get it back out again would be the height of stupidity. Wholesale changes are needed at the management level and beyond, but it’s important to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight.
The second and perhaps most important aspect of improving is having patience and trust in the process.
That means accepting that things might get worse before they get better, but as long as the franchise has a clear plan then short-term pain will be worth the long-term gains.
Featured Image: Derik Hamilton/AP
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Categorized:Eagles WegENT Blog