Is This Philadelphia Eagles Season Their Best Shot At A Super Bowl?
The best shot at a Super Bowl? That might sound crazy for a team that just signed a young franchise QB that everyone seems to be high on. And even outside of Jalen Hurts, there’s no denying that the Eagles’ roster is stacked. The defending NFC Champions stacked the offensive side of the ball this offseason and re-upped the young talent on defense through the draft.
There are pro-bowlers all over the field (not that the pro bowl means anything anymore), and despite 2 new coordinators, Nick Sirianni has the making of a top NFL Coach with a long career ahead of him. That all points towards a team with a large window of championship contention. Wwith the state of the NFC, the opportunity is certainly there. And yet, there is a chance that this year is indeed the Eagles’ best shot at a Super Bowl with this core of players.
As good as the Eagles are right now, there are certainly some things that will be up in the air following the 2023 season. Talent is super important in the NFL, but so is veteran leadership. The Birds have that in spades currently, but those players won’t be around forever. Jason Kelce is very possibly heading into his last year of professional football, and he will hang his cleats up as one of the best centers ever. Lane Johnson has had a rough and tumble career that could be in its twilight as well. Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox have both had questions about their future for multiple offseasons now.
That core 4 of veteran leaders are not only still productive, but they are the lifeblood of this franchise. As good as the Eagles have been recently at drafting, there’s a chance that you’re looking at a replacement for all of them next offseason. That is a tall task, even for the best of GMs.
#Eagles C Jason Kelce says he considered retirement this offseason but decided he really wanted to keep playing. Adds that he played through a Grade 2 MCL tear, a broken foot and a torn elbow last season.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 15, 2019
"You have dings and bruises every single year."
Man...
There’s another issue as well. Jalen Hurts’ new contract is deserved, but also expensive. It won’t look like it in a couple years. Howie Roseman did a great job of structuring it to allow for flexibility with the cap. But it does become harder to build a roster once you pay a franchise QB. Some of the important young players are already locked up. But DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Avonte Maddox, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams will all be looking for extensions in the next 2 years. That doesn’t even include the past 2 draft classes. Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Jalen Carter, and Nolan Smith are all still on rookie deals. Can Roseman make it work? There’s no indication that he can’t, but the job certainly gets more difficult from here.
But wait, there’s more! The NFC right now is certainly the easier of the conferences in the NFL. Mahomes, Burrow, Herbert, Rodgers, Allen, Jackson, Lawrence, Watson, and Tagovailoa are all currently in the AFC. That will NOT be a permanent situation. Conferences have a way of balancing out after a while, and while the NFC is easier now, it won’t be forever.
As early as next season, the NFC could look much more difficult as solid veterans flee the young guns in the AFC to try and give themselves a better shot at competing for a Super Bowl. The Eagles are set up well for the future, but sustained success is hard to come by in the NFL. There will be more chances. But the Eagles’ best shot at a Super Bowl could very well be this season, and that raises the stakes just a little bit higher for this year.
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Preseason Finale- August 24
The NFL preseason finale isn’t the most dazzling football you’ll ever watch.
However, Eagles fans can still point to one of the most impactful final roster decisions in franchise history as a reason why the game can actually matter.
Corey Clement snuck onto the 2017 roster and later went for 100 yards in Super Bowl LII.
The Birds wrap up the preseason at home on Thursday, August 24 against the Indianapolis Colts at 8 pm.
Final Cuts- August 29
NFL teams trim the rosters from 90 to 53 on August 29.
The announced rosters, however, don’t always last until opening day. Surprise cuts frequently find ways onto other rosters in the final days of August or early September.
