Does Philadelphia face an uphill battle?
Reaching the pinnacle of the NFL, why would the Eagles be faced with any sort of challenge? Facing another premier franchise like the Chiefs and coming up just short is admirable, especially only after year three with fierce Sirianni at the helm. After reading this you might agree that the Eagles indeed stand at the bottom of a hill filled with obstacles.
First and foremost, two days after tremendous efforts in Super Bowl 57, offensive coordinator Shan Steichen is packing bags and heading to Indianapolis, taking over as the head coach of the Colts. After calling the plays for a top ten offense, and headlining it with the top rushing attack, he may find difficult to replace. Keep in mind Jalen Hurts is a great QB but so far has only seen Steichen’s offense in the pros. With his athletic ability , Philly should look for an established coach who can further Hurts along in his process of becoming a franchise QB.
Now they’ve got the franchise leader they want to build around , but how much do they pay him? He’s going to demand a high asking price which is deserved, but at this current time he’s got one year left on his rookie deal and can’t let this upcoming season go south. One appearance in the championship game is great for any individual, but in Philadelphia they expect to win it and come back for more. Hurts has seen several coordinators in college so hes prepared for this situation as best he can be.
Defense would be considered the strength of this team though and replicating the success from 2022 will be almost impossible. Setting sack records , turning the ball over more than anyone in the league, it was an incredible performance this year from Gannons defense. Gannon is also interviewing and could leave the tram this off-season as well. Along with losing their coordinators , some leaders on the defense were older additions on year deals such as Quinn, Suh, and others that provide the field and locker room support. A name to look at for a replacement coordinator position might be Vic Fangio. A well respected defensive mind who can keep the sack kings reigning.
The last major obstacle in front of the defending NFC champion will be bringing back key pieces like center Jason Kelce, and edge rusher Brandon Graham who might be considering retirement after there luxurious and long careers. Tough tasks lay ahead for Sirianni but if he takes time to recoup from the stress of this past season and he will have a clear mind to conquer the challenges. The NFC east will be a hard enough to overcome with Dallas surging and the Giants finding there own identity this year too.
On the bright side, there’s two first round draft picks , they could let the new coordinators have a pick to entice them to come even more. If we see the Eagles back in the Super Bowl next year, a lot of credit has to be given to coach Sirianni and General Manager Howie Roseman. There are expectations for this team now, but will they live up to them or fall short like they had against Andy Reid’s Chiefs?
Flying Where to Next?
Football Bylined
Sport Dispatch 