The team from the City of Brotherly Love didn’t make a ton of moves this offseason. But the Philadelphia Eagles may have scored in a big way.
It’s worth noting that the Philadelphia Eagles have qualified for the playoffs in four of the past five years dating back to the team’s Super Bowl LII championship campaign of 2017. And they’ve done it with various quarterbacks and under two different head coaches.
A year ago, Nick Sirianni led the club to a 9-8 record after a 3-6 start in his debut as an NFL head coach. The Birds looked a bit overwhelmed in the wild-card round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But when it’s all said and done, that 31-15 setback could prove to be a big-time learning experience for young quarterback Jalen Hurts and the rest of the team.
General manager Howie Roseman didn’t add a lot of fresh faces this offseason but there’s a lot of quality in those additions. So which three newcomers rate as the team’s best?
Philadelphia Eagles top offseason pickup no. 3: LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia)
He wound up slipping to the third round. With the 83rd overall selection in April, the Eagles grabbed productive linebacker Nakobe Dean from the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs.
And NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this to say about the talented prospect.
"Explosive, three-down linebacker with the demeanor and quickness to become a volume tackler while holding down third-down duties at a high level. Dean’s play recognition is a work in progress, which limits reaction time and forces him to deal with more blockers than he’ll see as he gains more experience…He might lack measurables, but he has the toughness and technique to see a boost in his performance once his play becomes more proactive. Lance Zierlein"
Philadelphia Eagles top offseason pickup no. 2: CB James Bradberry (Released by New York Giants)
Under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon a year ago, the team ranked 10th in the NFL in fewest total yards allowed per game. Only eight clubs in the league allowed fewer yards rushing.
But the Birds were certainly looking for more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. The addition of pass rusher Hasson Reddick (Panthers) in free agency should help a team that managed only 29 sacks during the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Eagles only managed 16 takeaways in 18 outings in 2021.
The rival New York Giants had their share of cap issues this offseason and parted was with quality cornerback James Bradberry. He spent the past two seasons with Big Blue after four years in Carolina.
The 2016 second-round pick has collected 18 takeaways – including 15 interceptions – in six NFL campaigns. In two years with the Giants, he totaled a combined seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and an astounding 35 passes defensed in 32 games. And Bradberry earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020.
While Philadelphia ranked a respectable 11th in the league in fewest passing yards allowed this past year, the team surrendered 28 scores through the air. He’ll now team with Darius Slay to give Nick Sirianni’s squad quite the 1-2 punch at cornerback.
Philadelphia Eagles top offseason pickup: WR A.J. Brown (Tennessee Titans via trade)
More has been made about what two-year quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t done to date than what he has managed to accomplish. In 2021, he connected on 61.3 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards and nearly twice as many touchdown passes (16) as interceptions (9). He also fumbled nine times and lost two of those drops.
But Hurts also led the Eagles with 784 yards on the ground and rushed for 10 scores. Philadelphia led the NFL in rushing yards per game (159.7 average) and 25 of the team’s 45 offensive touchdowns came via the ground.
Rookie Devonta Smith, the team’s first-round pick in 2021 and a former teammate of Hurts, led the Birds with 64 catches. That was good for 916 yards (14.3 average) and five TDs.
Tight end Dallas Goedert ranked second on the club with 56 receptions. They were the only two players on the team with at least 50 grabs.
So GM Howie Roseman was able to swing a deal with the Tennessee Titans and picked up 2020 Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Brown.
The second-round pick in 2019 from Ole Miss opened eyes as a rookie by averaging 20.2 yards per catch on just 52 receptions while scoring eight touchdowns. His three-year resume includes 185 receptions, 24 for scores.
And Brown is a proven playoff performer. He and Smith could make for a lethal combination.