The 2022 NFL offseason is just over a year away, and the Eagles are in their best position yet to make a run at winning Super Bowl LIII. However, with potential cap space coming off of 2018’s championship roster and new rules that allow for unprecedented player movement on draft day making it difficult to maintain continuity as well as maximizing one-off acquisitions, doing so will be anything but easy.
The “eagles 53-man roster projection” is a plan of attack that the Philadelphia Eagles must have for the 2022 NFL offseason. The team has to be prepared for many different scenarios, and this is just one example.
When the Philadelphia Eagles sealed their berth in the NFC Playoffs following Week 17, there was a brief glimmer of hope among Eagles supporters that their team would be able to make a splash.
After all, the Eagles had developed a new identity around rushing the ball and seemed to be unstoppable when this aspect of their attack was in full swing.
The Eagles, on the other hand, were quickly eliminated from the playoffs after one disastrous playoff game from Jalen Hurts. The Eagles were defeated 31-14 by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, giving the team something to ponder about heading into the summer.
The most pressing offseason concerns
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jalen Hurts signals | Michael Reaves/Getty Images
What to do at quarterback is without a doubt the most pressing subject in Philadelphia. All things considered, Jalen Hurts had a good second season in the NFL. Hurts, on the other hand, was unable to perform when the stakes were highest and Nick Sirianni needed his quarterback to move the ball through the air.
Hurts’ promising 2021 would certainly be enough to win him a starting job in the Eagles’ lineup next season in a normal year. The Eagles, on the other hand, have three first-round selections. The moment has come for general manager Howie Roseman to make a quarterback change.
The follow-up issue is what to do if the three first-round picks are not used to choose a quarterback.
Should the Eagles bring in three defensive backs? Should they add another starting receiver to DeVonta Smith’s roster? Why not put money into the offensive line, which brought them to the playoffs in the first place?
Everything comes down to Hurts and what the Eagles do with him. In choice will determine how the club spends its draft money this spring.
The most important free-agency choices
This would be a tough way for Jason Kelce to go out. The 34-year-old Eagles legend will have to make a decision on his future in the coming months. pic.twitter.com/3NUypCRldI
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) January 16, 2022
Key free agents: Brandon Graham (EDGE), Jason Kelce (C), Anthony Harris (S), Derek Barnett (EDGE), Steven Nelson (CB), Rodney McLeod (S)
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the Eagles’ looming free-agent scenario. The good news is that they will only lose one offensive starter. Jason Kelce, who is coming off an All-Pro season at center, is, of course, the starter. The Eagles would be delighted to re-sign him for the 2022 season, but he has been contemplating retirement for some time. This offseason, he might easily retire his cleats.
The bad news for Philadelphia is that numerous starters on the defensive side of the ball are expected to go. Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Anthony Harris, Steven Nelson, and Rodney McLeod are all set to become unrestricted free agents in the near future. Alex Singleton and Genard Avery, both linebackers, are also on the market.
The Eagles are reportedly interested in re-signing Graham and maybe Nelson. They can’t, however, bring everyone back. They have barely $13.6 million in cap room. Most (if not all) of these players will likely be let go in free agency, with the Eagles relying on the draft to replace them.
Needs and probable targets for the NFL Draft in 2022
Top picks: First round (Miami Dolphins via draft-related trade), first round (Indianapolis Colts via Carson Wentz trade), first round (own), second round, third round
Draft needs: LB, CB, S, EDGE, WR
The Eagles should keep a careful watch on the defensive side of the ball throughout the draft, with so many defensive players ready to leave in free agency. If they maintain all three first-round selections, they’ll be in a rare position to acquire three impact defenders at the same time.
Nakobe Dean, a linebacker, and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, a cornerback, are two names who have recently been linked to Philadelphia.
The Eagles might also turn to the early rounds of the draft to bolster their wide receiver corps. Jalen Reagor, the first-round selection in 2019, seems to be a total flop, while current WR3 Quez Watkins is probably more suited to a depth position. Philadelphia could easily rationalize spending a high draft selection on another wide receiver to complement DeVonta Smith, the team’s first-round pick from last year.
Another undervalued position that Philadelphia could seek is the edge. Top-rated edge prospects Aiden Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux, on the other hand, will most likely be gone before the Eagles ever go on the clock.
In 2022, one player on either side of the ball must step up.
Jalen Hurts, according to Troy Aikman:
“Those throws, they should be pretty simple completions. They just haven’t been.” #Eagles
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) January 16, 2022
Of course, his chance to stay the starter depends on his ability to do so, but Jalen Hurts is the clear choice for who needs to step up on offense for the Eagles next season. This previous season, he was a tremendous runner, but when it came to passing, he left too many tosses on the field.
Hurts must demonstrate that he can compete with the NFL’s best quarterbacks if he is serious about being the long-term starter in Philadelphia and earning a second deal.
Josh Sweat is the first name that springs to mind when it comes to defense. Sweat was given a three-year, $39 million contract deal at the outset of the season, and it seems the Eagles overpaid him after only one year.
Sweat did manage 7.5 sacks during the year. However, for someone who is paid like a borderline exceptional pass rusher, his TFL (seven) and QB hits (13) figures weren’t up to standard. Moving ahead, the Eagles’ defensive line has to produce more, and Sweat is the first player who needs to step up his game. In 2022, he has to rack up double-digit sacks.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
Watch This Video-
The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to rebuild the team for the 2022 NFL offseason. The team must take a strategy that will help them win games in the future. This includes getting rid of players who have been detrimental to the franchise and drafting new players with high potential. Reference: shakial taylor.
Related Tags
- philadelphia eagles roster 2021
- eagles free agency
- philly eagles camp
- nfl 2022
- philadelphia eagles record
