The Philadelphia Eagles enter the offseason knowing just how close they were to Super Bowl glory. Here’s how they can get back to the Big Game.
Saying “we’ll be back next year” could be seen as wishful thinking or even taking a moral victory in light of a loss. Fans might not want to hear it right now, but for the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s actually a fair expectation.
They found their franchise QB in Jalen Hurts, established one of the most lethal rush games in all of football with Hurts, Miles Sanders, and Kenneth Gainwell, and proved just how deadly they can be in the pass game with A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert leading the pack. Not to mention, they clearly hired the right coach in Nick Sirianni.
The Eagles will be just fine. But they have some work to do in the offseason if they hope to pursue another Super Bowl in 2023 — and maybe best the Kansas City Chiefs in the process.
Eagles Offseason Priority No. 1: Jalen Hurts
“I don’t think he has anything to prove [as the QB of the future],” Eagles CEO Jeffrey Lurie told Sal Paolantonio. “He is an MVP-caliber quarterback, an incredible leader of the team on the field [and] off the field. He’s 24 years old, incredibly mature and, most importantly, driven to be even better.”
Hurts, who was taken in the second round of the 2020 Draft, has one year left on his rookie deal ($4.2M) and is officially eligible for a contract extension. The market value for QBs indicates that Hurts’ first extension could be pegged in the neighborhood of six years and $263,190,216. That would rank No. 2 in NFL history in terms of total value behind only Patrick Mahomes ($450,000,000).
It’s far from guaranteed that the Eagles will fast-track the process. They could wait until he first hits free agency next year, at which point the franchise tag will very much be on the table, kicking the can down the road one more year. In the words of the cornerstone QB: “We’ll kind of handle that later on. Get there when we get there.”
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Priority 2: Upcoming Free Agents
While the Eagles could hold off on extending Hurts, there are a handful of key contributors that are entering free agency this year.
- RB Miles Sanders: There are a ton of solid running backs set to hit free agency, but Sanders is homegrown and went off for 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The Sanders-Gainwell backfield arsenal proved worthy to keep intact for years to come.
- C Jason Kelce: Kelce will be 36 next year, but he’s one of the best centers in the game — a five-time All-Pro who was crucial in anchoring one of the best offensive lines in all of football.
- DL Javon Hargrave: The 30-year-old finished the 2022 season with 11 sacks, 37 tackles, and 23 assists — all of which rank in the top 20 in the NFL. If Philly doesn’t offer a big bag, someone else will.
- CB James Bradberry: The Darius Slay and Bradberry pairing gave Philadelphia one of the top secondaries in all of football. They picked him up after the Giants cut him for cap purposes — but now he might come at a price they can’t match: Defensive coordinator Jonathon Gannon.
The Eagles are right in the middle of the pack regarding salary cap space in 2023 as one of 16 teams without any at all ($-3,257,840). Expect that number to skyrocket as Philly enters an offseason with several important free agents hitting the open market.
Key Personnel On The Move?
The biggest testament to a good coaching staff and front office is when other teams poach your personnel. On Tuesday, news broke that Shane Steichen, Philly’s offensive coordinator, would be the next Colts’ head coach. Next, they might lose defensive coordinator Johnathon Gannon, who interviewed for the head coaching vacancy in Arizona on Tuesday.
2024 Betting Guide
All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of Feb. 13, 2023.
The Eagles have the third-best odds to win it all next season. Take a look:
| RANK | TEAM | ODDS |
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | +600 |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | +850 |
| t-3 | Philadelphia Eagles | +900 |
| t-3 | Cincinnati Bengals | +900 |
| t-3 | San Francisco 49ers | +900 |
“We could taste it,” edge rusher Brandon Graham said. “It was right there… We worked our butt off, man. They know what it takes. They’ve seen what it took, all year. That’s why it’s going to serve us well when we make this run again. We’ll be back.”
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