Biggest Eagles questions by position at 2023 training camp

Biggest Eagles questions by position at 2023 training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles reported for training camp on Tuesday and will hit the practice field for the first time this summer on Wednesday morning at 10.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll get an extended look at the 2023 team, a team with huge aspirations after last year’s squad went to the Super Bowl.

There are plenty of questions to be answered this summer, so let’s take a look at them by position:

Quarterback: Can Jalen Hurts take another step?

It’s hard to believe that this time last year the biggest question surrounding the Eagles was about whether or not Hurts would prove himself as the long-term franchise quarterback. He answered that question pretty emphatically on his way to an MVP runner-up season. The Eagles then gave him a $255 million contract extension this offseason. So it’s no longer a question about Hurts’ standing. Now the question is about his continued ascension.

We got our first hints that Hurts was going to be a much improved player last year in training camp. Obviously, it helped that the Eagles added A.J. Brown in the 2022 offseason but Hurts looked much better last training camp than he did in 2021. The improvement was pretty easy to see. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some shaky days — there were — but overall, he showed glimpses of a special player and then he put it all together during the season. But after a Pro Bowl season in 2023, how much room is left for growth? It’s a fair question. Hurts is entering his third year in Sirianni’s offense, though, so it’s reasonable to think he can still get better, especially as a passer. Maybe we’ll see even more consistently great play from Hurts this summer, which could lead to another great season.

Running back: How will roles shake out?

During last year’s training camp, there was one day when Miles Sanders took second-team reps and Kenny Gainwell ran with the ones. After that day, the Eagles made sure to yell from the mountaintops that Sanders was their clear-cut No. 1 back. But after a Pro Bowl season in 2022, Sanders is gone. And the Eagles will have to figure out roles between Gainwell, D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, and perhaps even Boston Scott. Swift might be the front-runner to be the top back but nothing is written in stone just yet.

The Eagles also didn’t throw to their backs very much during the 2022 season. That’s not all that surprising, given that the passing offense runs through their top two receivers and a star tight end, and because Hurts will sometimes run instead of dumping off a pass to a running back. But maybe there will be more opportunity to pass the ball to running backs this season, especially because that’s an area where Swift has excelled in his career.

Receiver: Will Quez Watkins keep his slot WR job?

We know A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith form one of the best receiver duos in the NFL but Watkins had a disappointing 2022 season. Sure, we all understood that his role would be reduced after the addition of Brown and it was. The Eagles just asked that Watkins made the most of his opportunities and he failed to do that. Even aside from the drop in Super Bowl LVII, it wasn’t a great year for Watkins, who clearly showed ability the year before and has already outplayed his expectations as a sixth-round pick. This year there is some competition for Watkins, though.

The Eagles signed Olamide Zaccheaus to a one-year deal this offseason, bringing the former St. Joe’s Prep star back to Philly. Zaccheaus, who just turned 26, has been in the NFL for four seasons (all with the Falcons) after going undrafted out of Virginia in 2019. His stats have improved every years he’s been in the league. In 2022, he caught 40 passes for 533 yards and 3 touchdowns. And he already has a connection with Eagles backup Marcus Mariota, who was the starter for a while last year in Atlanta.

Tight end: Is Grant Calcaterra ready for a bigger role?

The Eagles are pretty set at TE1 with Dallas Goedert, who is already one of the best tight ends in the NFL. But I’m curious to see if Calcaterra can make a jump in Year 2. The Eagles used a sixth-round pick on Calcaterra last spring but then he suffered a hamstring injury in training camp and missed significant time last summer. The Eagles still have incumbent No. 2 tight end Jack Stoll and they also brought in veteran Dan Arnold at the position.

Without Zach Pascal, the Eagles have been left without the big-bodied enforcer at the receiver position. Maybe there’s a chance Calcaterra could take over some of those snaps. While Stoll has performed in his role as the TE2, mainly as a blocker, if Calcaterra continues to improve, it would also give the 12 personnel package more of a bite because he’s a more natural pass-catcher.

Interior OL: Who wins the RG job?

This is the premier position battle of training camp this summer and will likely come down to two guys: Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen. What makes this battle so interesting is that both guys are trying to win a job at a position that isn’t completely natural for them. Jurgens is a natural center and Steen played tackle in college. Jurgens has an advantage because he has been in this offense and the NFL for a year. But Steen has an advantage because he already has prototypical size to play the position.

In the spring, we saw Jurgens get the first crack at this position and that will likely continue this summer. But Jason Kelce will probably get some veteran days off and when that happens, we can probably expect to see Jurgens take over at center and Steen play at right guard. The Eagles’ long-term plan is for Jurgens to become the center when Kelce retires and there’s a chance Steen could be the long-term right guard. (The Eagles also have Jack Driscoll as a third option but that seems less likely.)

Offensive tackle: Is Dennis Kelly the swing tackle?

Just last week, the Eagles brought in Kelly on a one-year deal to bolster the tackle depth. The Eagles had a unique setup last season with Andre Dillard as the backup left tackle/guard and Driscoll as the backup right tackle/guard. But Dillard left in free agency, leaving a bit of a void. Kelly has played in 130 games and has started 54 in his career. While he’s played a bit of guard, he has mostly played tackle in the NFL and has seen action on both sides of the line. If the Eagles want to get back to having a traditional backup swing tackle, Kelly should be the guy.

Defensive tackle: Are the Georgia guys ready for big roles?

In back-to-back drafts, the Eagles traded up with their first pick to draft a defensive tackle from Georgia. Both Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter are going to be incredibly important this season and in the future for the Birds. Davis had an OK rookie season but missed some significant time with a high ankle sprain. The shame of that was when the injury happened, Davis was beginning to hit his stride and that injury took a long time to overcome. But without veteran Linval Joseph around, the nose tackle role is all his.

And then there’s Carter, who was one of the most talented players in this draft class. He fell all the way to No. 9 but the Eagles felt comfortable bringing him in and we’ll see how quickly that might pay off. This should be a good landing spot for Carter. He’ll reunite with many of his Georgia teammates and enters a D-line room with veterans like Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. Of course, Cox and Graham won’t be around forever and there’s a very good chance Davis and Carter will be the future of the Eagles’ defense.

Defensive end/SAM linebacker: Does Derek Barnett stick around?

He’s kind of been a forgotten guy but Barnett is still on the Eagles’ roster. Barnett suffered an ACL tear in Week 1 last season and missed the rest of the year. The Eagles enter this training camp with Barnett penciled into the No. 5 edge rusher role behind Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and rookie Nolan Smith. Is it really worth keeping Barnett around in that role? We don’t know yet.

In OTAs, Barnett was not yet participating, so first we have to find out if he’s even cleared to return to practice. If he is, it’s fair to wonder if he will stick around in 2023. Perhaps the Eagles would be able to find a trade partner for him if not.

Off-ball linebacker: Can they go into a season like this?

It was pretty evident watching practices last summer that the Eagles needed to make a move at safety. And then they made a move to trade for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. With that in mind, we’ll be watching the linebackers very closely in training camp this summer. Because, at least on paper, it’s their weakest position. It’s a spot where the Eagles could still add before the season opener, but it might have a lot to do with how their current players look this summer.

The top job is going to belong to second-year player Nakobe Dean, who basically had a redshirt rookie season. He’s the MIKE in Sean Desai’s defense. But after that, Nicholas Morrow is in line to be the starting WILL but he’s not a lock and Christian Elliss could push for that job. The Eagles also don’t have a ton of depth behind those two. Shaun Bradley, Davion Taylor, Kyron Johnson and Ben VanSumeren round out the depth chart.

Cornerback: Who emerges out of the depth?

The Eagles starters are written in stone. Darius Slay, James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox form one of the best starting cornerback trios in the NFL. But the under-the-radar intrigue is in the competition behind them. Those three are roster locks and you can go ahead and pencil in Kelee Ringo too. The Eagles didn’t trade away a future third-round pick to cut him. That leaves just one or two spots for a bunch of other talented players.

Greedy Williams, Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, Josiah Scott, Eli Ricks, Mekhi Garner and Mario Goodrich are all fighting for jobs. There’s some talent in this group.

Safety: Can Sydney Brown push for a starting gig?

The Eagles in OTAs had Terrell Edmunds and Reed Blankenship lining up as their starting safeties. Maybe it’s really that simple in 2023. Edmunds has started 75 games in his career and Blankenship had an impressive rookie season as an undrafted guy out of Middle Tennessee State. Maybe those two perform well enough all summer to simply win those jobs and not give them up. But Sydney Brown will have the opportunity to push them.

The Eagles have been raving about Brown since they drafted him in the third round out of Illinois this spring. Even if Brown can’t wrestle away a starting spot in training camp, it’s possible he could do so at some point this season.

Specialists: Who wins the punter battle?

The Eagles brought in some competition for Arryn Siposs this summer when they signed UDFA Ty Zentner from Kansas State. Siposs has spent the last two seasons as the Eagles’ punter and even though he improved in 2022, he was still in the bottom third of punters in the NFL and it’s hard to forget his disastrous punt in the Super Bowl. But is Zentner good enough to take away his job? That’s something we’ll find out over the next few weeks.

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