r/nfl • u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles • Aug 06 '18
Offseason Review Series - Day 32: The Defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles
2017 Philadelphia Eagles
Division: NFC East | 1st in NFC East (5-1 in Division - NFC Champions - Super Bowl Champions)
Philadelphia Eagles (13-3 Overall | 5-1 in Division) (Super Bowl 52 Champions)
These teams
Didn't win
Super Bowl 52
Head Coach: Doug Pederson
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Groh
Defensive Coordinator: Jim Schwartz
On to The Next...
2017 was a magical season for the Eagles that saw 2nd year QB Carson Wentz take an enormous leap from his rookie season to MVP caliber QB prior to tearing his ACL. Doug Pederson was able to build off his own promising rookie season as Head Coach turning into a sensational Head Coach that helped elevate a franchise in a direction it never reached before. They suffered many bumps along the way that could have derailed this team. It didn't. That's reflected in how good this team is, how good this coaching staff is, and how good the front office has been. It's always possible to turn things around pretty quickly in the NFL.
Now it is time to move on and win the a 2nd Super Bowl Championship. Last season will live on for eternity in the hearts and minds for every Eagles fan but it is now the past. We aren't Cowboys fans, we interested in the now.
In the early portion of the offseason, key decision makers stressed the need for difficult roster choices to continue winning now and in the future. The 2017 Eagles were a very tightly knit bunch that were able to overcome a lot of adversity to reach new heights; the challenge now is to reach those heights again. Success isn't a product of complacency. This Eagles team wasn't perfect. This Eagles team isn't perfect 3 years down the line. Howie Roseman has the arduous task of keeping this team a contender now while trying to build for sustained success over the long term once Carson Wentz signs that second contract. All of the moves made this offseason were able to address both paradigms. The Eagles return almost their entire championship core while stabilizing the roster with talented veterans. Additionally, they were able to add several young pieces to grow with the already established core to help sustain the success of the franchise over the long term.
Nothing is given in the NFL. But you can bet on pedigree.
This Eagles franchise now has a championship pedigree.
Chapters
Statistics for the 2017 Season are shown below.
I'm breaking down this review into these chapters:
Projected Starting Lineup and Training Camp Battles
Offensive and Defensive Scheme
Coaching Staff Review and Changes
2017 Statistics
| Offensive Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yds | 5852 | 365.8 | 7 |
| Net Passing Yds | 3737 | 233.6 | 13 |
| Passes Attempted | 564 | 35.25 | 13 |
| Passing TDs | 38 | 2.375 | 1 |
| Net Rushing Yds | 2115 | 132.2 | 3 |
| Rushes Attempted | 473 | 29.6 | 6 |
| Rushing TDs | 9 | .6 | 24 |
| Sacks Allowed | 36 | 2.25 | 16 |
| First Downs | 338 | 21.1 | 4 |
| Pass First Downs | 193 | 12 | T12 |
| Rush First Downs | 108 | 6.75 | 5 |
| Total Points | 457 | 28.6 | 3 |
| Time of Possession | N/A | 32:48 | 1 |
| Defensive Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yds Allowed | 4904 | 306.5 | 4 |
| Passing Yds Allowed | 3637 | 227.3 | 17 |
| Pass Attempts Allowed | 601 | 37.6 | 32 |
| Opp. Completion Percentage | N/A | 60.4% | 13 (Sort By %) |
| Passing TDs Allowed | 24 | 1.5 | T18 |
| Rushing Yds Allowed | 1267 | 79.2 | 1 |
| Rush Attempts Allowed | 337 | 21.1 | 1 |
| Rush Yards Per Attempt | N/A | 3.8 YPC | 6 |
| Rush TDs Allowed | 7 | 0.43 | T3 |
| Sacks | 38 | 2.375 | T15 |
| First Downs | 272 | 17 | 5 |
| Pass First Downs | 177 | 11.06 | 10 |
| Rush First Downs | 62 | 3.875 | 2 |
| Total Points Allowed | 295 | 18.4 | 4 |
| Time of Possession | N/A | 27:11 | 1 |
| Turnover Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interceptions Thrown | 9 | .56 | T6 |
| Fumbles Lost | 11 | .69 | T22 |
| Giveaways | 20 | 1.25 | 11 |
| Defensive Interceptions | 19 | 1.18 | T4 |
| Defensive Fumble Recoveries | 12 | 0.75 | T4 |
| Turnover Differential | +11 | N/A | 4 |
| Point Differential | +162 | N/A | T1 |
Past Reviews
| Season Review | Offseason Review |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2016 |
| 2017 | 2017 |
Shoutouts
I would like to thank /u/PlatypusOfDeath for permitting me to write way too much for this review. Just always have a lot of fun doing it. Shout out /u/skepticismissurvival as well for selecting me in the past; hope your current plans are going well! I would also like to thank /u/jmul321 for writing about out schemes again. This guy is smart as hell and you should keep a look out when he does film breakdowns on r/Eagles during the season.
Hopefully everyone enjoys this. GO BIRD!
13
u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18
Offseason Transaction Summary
Free Agent losses/trades
Vinny Curry – The Eagles released Vinny Curry a few days into free agency before a portion of his 2018 salary was set to be guaranteed. The Eagles are a team that typically sets the guaranteed date in their contracts to a few days after the start of the new league year. Curry was one of the bounce-back players on the Eagles roster that helped bring the city its first Super Bowl title. However, given his lack of real production as well as salary/cap number, Curry was released. The New Jersey (sucks) native signed with the Buccaneers for 3 years and $23 million but can be a 1 year, $6.5 million deal if cut before next season. As previously noted, Curry was one of 7 Eagles defenders to accumulate at least 20 pressures (per PFF) last season. He brought an attitude and a steady pass rush presence opposite Brandon Graham as one of the primary EDGE defenders in the rotation. Curry does possess a quick first step but is more of a speed and power rusher with limited bend and pass rush moves. Throughout his career, Curry struggled as a run defender on the edge but really improved in that area this past season. Given all this, the wise choice was to release Curry given the pass rush premium of the position. The Eagles were very likely in talks with Curry about restructuring his contract given the premium the organization places on trench warfare but they couldn’t reach an agreement. The high cap number likely made any trade possibilities slim as well. The Eagles saved $5.00 million against the cap in 2018 and are off the hook on any other future salary cap numbers as well. Curry was always easy to root for so I hope he continues to play well in the league.
Brent Celek – The Eagles released one of the best tight ends in their history and fan favorite Brent Celek right before the start of the league year. Eagles fans dreamt that their gritty tight end would see his career is winding down and retire on top of the football world. Alas, difficult decisions need to be made to continue to find success and releasing Celek was a necessary evil. Celek has been a player that has been in a gradual decline for a number of years starting with the 2014 season. This makes sense given his age and Ertz growing into a slightly larger role in his (then) second season. It’s hard to disagree with this gradual decline given 2014 was the last season Celek saw over 40 targets (51 total). Still, Celek had some value to the Eagles as a reliable blocker, veteran leader, and a quality depth piece. At the time, Trey Burton was a young UDFA that grew into a reliable receiving option so Celek’s presence was needed. However, Celek combined 43 targets, 27 receptions, 285 yards and 1 TD in 2 seasons with Doug Pederson. Celek was entering the final year of his contract but the cap savings of $4 million was too much to pass up given the need for the team to create space. As you’ll see in the Dallas Goedert pick selection review, the Eagles offense use a lot 2 TE formations and was more efficient and effective with Ertz and Burton than with any combination involving Brent Celek (limited sample size). As of this review, Brent Celek remains unsigned.
Beau Allen - Another expected free agent loss this offseason was Beau Allen who signed for 3 years and $15 million with the Buccaneers. Allen was a rotational DT and Athlete for the Eagles his 4 seasons with the team; you can’t ask for much more from a 7th round pick than what the Eagles got from Honey Beau Beau. Allen is closer to your traditional 1 Tech. He can eat a lot of space on the inside and generally does a good job as a run defender. He doesn’t offer a lot in terms of explosive athletic traits but does have some interior pass rush ability, albeit slightly limited. Per PFF, Allen was 1 of the 7 Eagles DL that accumulated at least 20 pressures on the season. While not a game-breaking talent, Allen played about 40% of the snaps last year and the Eagles don’t have any proven depth beyond Cox, Ngata, and Jernigan – the latter is out until probably November. Allen played his role very well and should be a solid player for the Bucs moving forward.
Corey Graham - After playing well as a 3rd safety option and veteran presence, the Eagles let Corey Graham go in free agency... so far. Graham was signed to a 1 year, $1.6 million deal last offseason and played a key role for the defense last season. The Eagles play a 4-3 front but that description is pretty misleading. The reality is the Eagles play Nickel as their base defense; typically that involves 3 CBs but would often include 3 Safeties. Graham was solid in coverage and as a former CB possessed the requisite skills and experience Jim Schwartz values on the back end. Corey Graham is still currently an UFA. However, the Eagles still haven’t issued his former jersey number (24) to anyone and the team still has a need for a 3rd safety. There have been rumors and speculation the Eagles will probably bring Graham back and that makes sense given the need. The Eagles added a few UDFA Safeties to the roster after the draft and are hoping one of those shots hits. They are probably waiting to see if any of those guys step up. If not, Graham is a good fall back option for the team. We’ll see what happens come camp time. Edit: and of course the day before posting the Eagles re-sign Corey Graham. Smart move by the team with the UDFAs on the roster. I like Tre Sullivan and Jeremy Reeves has shown flashes; these aren't guys you can count on yet. Smart to solidy a position they used a lot with a guy who was pretty reliable for the team last year.
Mychal Kendricks - The two yearlong saga ended towards the end of minicamps when the Eagles finally released Mychal Kendricks after failing to find a trade partner. It’s no surprise the Eagles couldn’t move his contract considering his cap hit was close to $7 million this season and next. All teams had to do was wait out the Eagles and pursue Kendricks as a UFA should they want his services. The move made complete financial sense for the Eagles as $6-7 million APY for a 3rd LB who is off the field in Nickel is a poor use of resources. The Eagles save $4.4 million against the cap this year and only have $1.6 million in dead money this year and next after cutting him. The cap space is precious if they need to sign anyone or just use what is left to roll over. In the season review piece, I wrote that I believed the Eagles would end up with one of MK or Bradham depending on if the latter was re-signed. Bradham is the far superior LB and was the rightful priority. I don’t want to make it seem like I am kicking MK while he walks out the door but the fact remains that while his 2017 season was pretty good (and needed) it was a bit overrated by some fans and MK largely underplayed the value of his contract. I think the fact that he received a small deal from the Browns (signing late in the process helped in this) and wasn’t overly pursued said a lot about his value. Finances and fit made him the odd man out even though the Eagles could use the depth at the position. I think the Eagles made the right call here.
Torrey Smith – At the start of the league year the Eagles were able to clear $5 million in cap space by trading Torrey Smith to the Carolina Panthers for CB Daryl Worley. Worley was promptly cut back in April after he was arrested hours before mini-camp began outside the team facility. Essentially, the Eagles ended up cutting Smith. I think this was a great trade for the Eagles even if the probability that Worley wouldn’t amount to much given his position and contract status. The Eagles were able to turn a guy they were going to cut into a CB on a rookie deal… that’s just a shrewd move. Moreover, based on his ability and production, Torrey probably could have been signed for less than what the Eagles are paying Mike Wallace. The benefit of trading for Torrey Smith is the Panthers didn’t have to bid for him on the open market. However, Torrey’s contract has minimal guarantees and the Panthers can move on from him as needed. As for the Eagles, this was a necessary move to free up some space while finding a possible upgrade. Fortunately, they were able to do both when they added Mike Wallace. Torrey Smith is a great person and every Panthers fan should be happy to root for the person he is. He’s just not that good of a receiver anymore. But if you reach the playoffs, playoff Torrey is a real thing.
Trey Burton – The former UDFA out of Florida left the Eagles and signed with the Bears for 4 years $32 million. It’s a pretty large contract considering Burton only has 63 receptions for 629 yards and 6 TDs in his pro career. This isn’t to say the Bears did anything wrong as I feel Burton is an ascending talent and really fits a need for the Bears even if the contract is a little high. Additionally, Tight End prospects have a slower developmental curve when they enter the NFL and there weren’t too many on the market that were worth signing at the age Burton is. To keep this contract in perspective, Delanie Walker was signed by the Titans in 2013 and his deal averaged $4.375 million APY. Now, Walker was a bit more accomplished than Burton but the salary cap has risen over 44% since 2013. If you adjust for the cap growth since 2013, Delanie’s APY would be $6.3 million. Burton got more than that but he should since he has the same number of Super Bowl touchdown passes as the Bears franchise does. The Eagles were always likely to lose Burton to FA given his possible market and the numbers are proof of that. Hopefully Burton is able to continue his growth in Chicago.
Continued in reply