With the loss of a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, the Eagles are going to need some players to step up and help fill the voids left by the departing players. Luckily, the Eagles and Howie Roseman were prepared for those departures, and there’s a lot of young talent that is ready to break through. Here are three players that have the chance to break out next season.

1. Jordan Davis, Defensive tackle

The first player on this list seems to be the most obvious. With Javon Hargrave leaving in free agency, Davis is going to need to step up in a major way next season. Before Davis went down with a high ankle sprain that landed him on IR, he was the starter next to Hargrave and was one of the best run-stoppers on the team. Once Davis returned, the Eagles added Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh to help with the defensive tackle depth. Davis’ playing time dropped heavily and he essentially became a nonfactor in the postseason. Now in 2023, Davis is set to be the starting defensive tackle next to Fletcher Cox. The Eagles traded up for Davis for a reason and now is his time to show it.

2. Kenny Gainwell, Running back

Gainwell burst onto the scene during the Birds’ 2022 postseason run. He outplayed Miles Sanders in the playoffs and continually got a lot of work in the rushing and receiving game. Now with Sanders gone, Gainwell will look to have an even more significant role in 2023. The Eagles did bring in Rashaad Penny to replace Sanders, but Penny’s injury history suggests they are not bringing him in to be the bell cow back. This is going to be a running back by committee, and with the success Gainwell had in the playoffs along with his familiarity with the offense, he could be the one who ends up seeing a bulk of the work.

3. Nakobe Dean, Linebacker

It is the moment Eagles fans have been waiting for. Dean, a clear-cut first-round talent, fell all the way to the Eagles’ lap in the third round of the 2022 draft. Dean didn’t play much behind T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White last season, but both are now gone. On paper, Dean now slots into the starting inside linebacker position, along with a newcomer from the Chicago Bears Nicholas Murrow. Dean was the leader of the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense in college and now will look to anchor the Eagles’ linebacker position. Dean has the potential not just to be a breakout player, but one of the best players on the defense next year.

Featured Image: Kevin Sabitus/ Getty Images

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