Eagles Have Many Issues Entering What Promises to be an Eventful Offseason

by Marc Narducci | Jan 6, 2021

The Eagles had a disappointing season and the only reason they remained in playoff contention until the second to last game, was that the NFC East was the worst division in the NFL.

Following Sunday’s 20-14 loss to the Washington Football Team, the Eagles finished with a 4-11-1 record.

The game itself was a microcosm of the season, with plenty of disappointment and even some controversy. Coach Doug Pederson insisted he was playing to win, but he wasn’t very convincing after pulling quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter while trailing just 17-14.

Backup Nate Sudfeld looked lost and Washington was able to win the game and division. The New York Giants would have won the division if Washington lost. Plenty of Giants, ex-Giants and Giants fans, expressed their frustration on social media over Pederson’s decision.

By losing the Eagles ‘won’ in the draft. They will select No. 6 in the first round. Had they beaten Washington, the Eagles would have selected No. 9.

There should be a great player at No. 6, but with the Eagles’ recent draft history, it’s not a given that they will select a game-changer.

Now the offseason is about to become more interesting than the regular season, which is saying something.

So many reports are coming out about who will be the movers and shakers.

The NFL Network reported that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, whose five-year contract expired, won’t return. The report said that Schwartz decided to take the next year off.

Schwartz had his moments with the Eagles, but was also criticized for not making adjustments quickly enough during games.

Then an ESPN report came out on Sunday that benched quarterback Carson Wentz has a “fractured relationship beyond repair” with coach Doug Pederson and the organization and will be requesting a trade after the season.

When asked about the report, Pederson said he felt that he could work with Wentz and build him back after a season in which statistically, he was among the worst NFL quarterbacks. Wentz was benched for the final four games of the season in place of second rounder Jalen Hurts.

Multiple outlets have reported that Eagles coach Pederson would be returning for his sixth year as Eagles coach.

Wentz’s four-year $128 million extension kicks in next season and he with escalators, it could be worth as much as $144 million. His salary cap number for next year is more than $34 million, so even if the Eagles trade him, they would have about $34 million of dead money on their salary cap.

Plus there is the question as to what the Eagles could get in a trade for Wentz.

The most optimistic guesses are that the Eagles could get a second round pick.

Either way, the Eagles have to decide their quarterback situation going into the offseason. And if Wentz departs, would the Eagles select a quarterback in the first round of the draft?

The success of any NFL franchise is determined in most cases by the quarterback. Hurts showed some promise, but was there enough there to say he can successfully lead this team?

That is among the decisions the Eagles will be looking to make in what promises to be an eventful offseason.

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Author: Marc Narducci

Eagles Have Many Issues Entering What Promises to be an Eventful Offseason

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