The Eagles will have two new coordinators: Vic Fangio overseeing the defense and Kellen Moore calling the offense. Head coach Nick Sirinnai will be back.
Similarly, general manager Howie Roseman went after playmakers at the top of the free agent class. He signed All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley and perhaps the best pass-rusher available in Bryce Huff, as well as signed important veteran leaders like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Mailata, and others to long-term contracts.
But as the 2024 season draws closer, there is one unanswered question that could affect how the Eagles perform in the following campaign.
Few things were a bigger cause of the Eagles’ five-game losing streak at the end of the 2023 season than a defense that appeared to be going nowhere, particularly one that was plagued by subpar tackling and coverage errors in the secondary.
Philadelphia ended the previous season ranked 30th in scoring defense, allowing 25.2 points per game, and 26th in total defense, giving up 356.1 yards per game.
It raises the question of whether Roseman and the Eagles have taken sufficient steps in the offseason to strengthen a defense that turned into a liability towards the end of the last year.
The secondary is most likely the main problem, according to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. The Eagles require a strong season from cornerback Darius Slay, 33, and possibly even more from 30-year-old James Bradberry, whose fall was concerning the previous campaign. Their first two picks, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, are ready to provide reinforcements, but what they really need are the veterans. The fact that C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a safety who was missed last season when he played for Detroit, has returned to Philly will also assist.
“But the Eagles need more because even with their best pass rusher, Haason Reddick, traded to the Jets, the secondary needs to be strong enough to hold up.” Bryce Huff, who Philadelphia selected in his place, will undoubtedly be beneficial. But in his two years in Philadelphia, Reddick totaled 27 sacks. To make up for that, more than one male will be needed.
Many people both inside and outside the league considered Roseman and the Eagles to be among the biggest winners of the NFL Draft, especially after obtaining Mitchell and DeJean, who were both considered first-round prospects.
It might not be simple, though, to get both rookies up to speed and have the defense come together behind a new coordinator and system.
The Eagles’ season and future may hinge on the defense recovering in 2024, both to relieve pressure on quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense and to perhaps be called upon to be the driving force behind success rather than a factor that causes the season to collapse.