It’s time to finish up this list of offseason moves of NFL contenders. Last week, we went through the Eagles’ defense in part 1, so now let’s wrap up the offensive moves in part 2. There is an important update to add from last week’s piece. The Eagles recently added LBs Zach Cunningham and Myles Jack to similar one-year, $2.5M deals. This is comparable to how the Eagles got DTs Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph as rotational d-linemen last year. Hopefully, this added linebacker depth will help improve the team overall. Now, let’s jump into the offensive side of things!
Quarterback
Photo Cred: PFF
After Jalen Hurts’ breakout year, a long-term extension for the young quarterback seemed inevitable. Hurts signed a massive five-year, $255 million deal, making him the third highest-paid QB in the league, only behind Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson. Joe Burrow’s looming extension looks to drop him further. While it’s a lot of money, Hurts showed upside last season as capable of being a consistent top 5-10 QB in the league. The amount he signed for is the reality of the value of guys who can play at that level. The biggest worry with Hurts’ extension is how he looks when he doesn’t have the 2022 Eagles roster surrounding him. That’s an answer we will really get to see once his extension kicks in and some guys are lost. Hurts’ play last year guaranteed he would get paid by somebody, and the sooner the Eagles paid him, the better.
Running Back
Photo Cred: Section 215
The Eagles running back room was the offensive position that saw the most turnover this off-season. Out is RB Miles Sanders, who led the team with close to 1,300 rushing yards in 2022. Sanders heads off to the Carolina Panthers, signing a four-year, $25 million deal. Like Hurts’ production, Sanders had the best year of his career last season behind the Eagle’s offensive line and supporting cast.
Letting Sanders walk was always a given. The team has spent little money on the position since trading star RB LeSean McCoy to the Bills in 2015. The team will rely exclusively on a committee of RBs to manage the job next year, including returning RBs Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. On draft night, the Eagles traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Detroit Lions in exchange for RB D’Andre Swift to contend with their in-house guys. RB Rashaad Penny of the Seattle Seahawks comes through free agency and will project as a possible starter heading into next year.
Pass Catchers
Photo Cred: Fox Sports
In a stacked room with minimal turnover, the Eagle’s top four options in the passing game will remain the same in 2023. WR A.J. Brown, WR Devonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert, and WR Quez Watkins project as an elite group of weapons again next season. The team’s only moves here were to add depth at both positions, most notably signing WR Olamide Zaccheaus from the Atlanta Falcons as WR4 and TE Dan Arnold from the Jacksonville Jaguars as TE2. Both players are low-upside signings that can step in and play reliably if one of the team’s top three options goes down.
Offensive Line
Photo Cred: USA Today
The core of the Eagle’s O-line returns, setting the stage for another dominant effort along the trenches in 2023. G Isaac Seumalo is the main departure along this front, signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seumalo is an exceptionally good get for the Steelers but is not irreplaceable. The team’s third-round pick, OT Tyler Steen, projects to move inside to guard. He’ll take Seumalo’s spot next to RT Lane Johnson. How he plays as a rookie in 2023 remains to be seen.
Last year’s second-round pick, C Cam Jurgens, could also fill that role. Jurgens is the long-term replacement for star C Jason Kelce, but Kelce will return next year after signing a one-year extension worth $14 million. Former first-rounder Andre Dillard, who was supposed to be the team’s LT of the future, also left to sign with the Tennessee Titans for three years, $29 million. The Eagles also brought back 2012 fifth-round pick, tackle Dennis Kelly. Kelly has received generally good Pro Football Focus player grades since he left Philadelphia, with an average of 65.2 in the regular season and 68.4 in the preseason. He even topped off with a 10 in approximate value in 2020 and a 75.4 PFF grade in 2018.
Outlook
Photo Credit: USA Today
Provided that new in-house offensive coordinator Brian Johnson lives up to his potential, the Eagles project to have an electric offense in 2023 once again. The weak NFC Conference is again wide open, where only the 49ers stand in the team’s way. Expect a lot of wins in 2023 and a lot of hope for the future. The success of the Eagles upcoming season will depend on whether QB Jalen Hurts can replicate his play in 2022. The Eagles roster is loaded and ready to compete again.
