The Philadelphia Eagles learned the hard way just how fast things can unravel. They represented the NFC in the Super Bowl in the 2022 season, barely falling short against the Kansas City Chiefs.
They looked like they would be playing in the big game again this past season, as they got off to a hot 10-1 start. But, the wheels fell off after that as the Eagles lost five out of six games to finish the regular season before being defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Super Wild Card Weekend.
There were a lot of factors that played into the team’s collapse, but arguably the biggest one was their defense. Philadelphia went from one of the best units in the NFL to one of the worst in a season’s span.
They began the season with Sean Desai as defensive coordinator. While he didn’t lose his title, he lost play-calling duties to Matt Patricia. Under Patricia, things got even worse, which led to the Eagles making a change this offseason.
Both coaches were let go with Vic Fangio coming in as defensive coordinator. Fangio will have his hands full looking to get the defense back on track that had 70 sacks in 2022 and only 43 in 2023.
There are some personnel decisions that will have to be made as this group needs an upgrade. One position of potential need is linebacker. T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White both departed in free agency in 2023 and the Eagles failed to find suitable replacements for them.
They will have a chance to fill those voids this offseason. Tim McManus of ESPN has suggested a potential replacement, naming linebacker Josey Jewell of the Denver Broncos as a potential addition to the second level of their defense. He is also someone that is familiar with Fangio and what he wants to bring to the team’s defense.
“Keeping with the Fangio theme, Jewell played under him for three seasons (2019-21) when Fangio was head coach in Denver. Considered a well-rounded player, Jewell had 453 tackles, nine sacks and seven fumble recoveries over six seasons in Denver. He has worn the green dot in recent seasons, responsible for relaying communication from the coaches and getting the unit lined up.
The Eagles were a mess at linebacker last season. They paid the price for underinvesting at the position, especially with rookie Nakobe Dean sidelined for much of the year with foot injuries. Adding a veteran who could help keep the back seven in correct position could go a long way,” wrote McManus.
The Eagles took some risks in the 2023 offseason, hoping their younger players would be able to rise to the occasion and play bigger roles. While some succeeded, it wasn’t enough to buoy the entire unit, leading to some very disappointing overall production.
Adding a player of Jewell’s caliber would certainly help get them heading in the right direction. He would bring valuable experience and leadership to an Eagles defense that was lacking it at times last season.
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