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Reassessing The Eagles Needs After the 2024 NFL Draft

Placeholder Shilloutte User Image By The Best Show Ever? and Dylan MacKinnon
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 16: Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman walks on the field prior to the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on October 16, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The draft is over, and the Eagles came away with quite the haul. Between landing Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in rounds 1 and 2, and getting some nice players on day 3, Howie did very well, at least on paper.

Of course, we know we can’t truly judge these picks until we have seen them in action. There are always picks that look great at the time but turn into busts. There are also head-scratchers, that become some of the best picks. On paper though, he had a great draft. But in getting good players, did he address their biggest needs heading into the draft?

The Eagles Biggest Needs Going Into The Draft

Before round 1, we talked about what the Eagles biggest needs were.

Starting with them badly needing to reshape their cornerback room. Darius Slay was the only corner you could say with confidence is an NFL starter. They had a few young guys with upside. Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks, and then there is the wildcard Isaiah Rodgers. But I would have been nervous if they went into the season banking on one of them to start.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 25: Quinyon Mitchell celebrates with fans after being selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 25: Quinyon Mitchell celebrates with fans after being selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.

After that Linebacker and Safety were both needs too. Plus edge Rusher after trading Haason Reddick.

On offense, we went into the draft needing the future replacement for Lane Johnson, competition for Tyler Steen at RG, and depth all along the line. The departures of Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta left them wanting for depth. And Matthew Hennesy was the only off-season addition addressing that need.

They also needed TE depth, RB depth, and a slot WR.

They needed a lot. That tends to be the case when you have a disaster season like 2023. Addressing all of those needs in the draft was never feasible. But they did address as many of them as they could.

I would say Howie did a great job of balancing needs, without reaching, for the most part. But let’s take a closer look at what he did during the draft, and if it filled some of their holes.

The Draft Haul

  • CB-Quinyon Mitchell
  • DB- Cooper DeJean
  • EDGE- Jalyx Hunt
  • RB-Will Shipley
  • WR- Ainais Smith
  • LB- Jeremiah Trotter Jr
  • WR- Johnny Wilson
  • OG-Trevor Keegan
  • C-Dylan McMahon

Did these players address their needs? Do they still have some work to do between now and the start of the season to address any of these needs?

Let’s Revisit The Eagles Needs After The Draft:

  • Cornerback

    I would say this need was addressed. Drafting Quinyon Mitchell alone would have filled the hole. They needed someone to start opposite of Slay, and they got it. But then they doubled down and got Cooper Dejean too,

    We don’t know how they will use him. DeJean could play Safety instead of Corner. And that might be the place he could help them most right now. But even if he does that, the need at corner is still addressed.

    Slay and Mitchell will start. Ringo is the 3rd corner. Ricks and Rodgers are depth. And Maddox is the slot corner, with a chance for a few other guys to compete with him.

    This draft addressed their needs at corner not only now, but going forward.

    Verdict- No Longer a Need

    Bleacher Report on Twitter: "Micah Parsons "utterly disgusted" by the Eagles drafting CB Quinyon Mitchell 😭 pic.twitter.com/MygE3R07BP / Twitter"

    Micah Parsons "utterly disgusted" by the Eagles drafting CB Quinyon Mitchell 😭 pic.twitter.com/MygE3R07BP

  • Linebacker

    This one is tricker. They added Jeremiah Trotter Jr. A pick I like, especially in the 5th round. But is he ready to step in year 1? Is anyone on this roster ready to step in and be a solid starter?

    They still have Nakobe Dean, but he was injured and we have yet to see him prove it at this level. Devin White is a great athlete, but that has yet to translate to great production. And they have depth pieces like Oren Burks and Ben VanSumeren.

    That could be a good LB group. It might not be. There are question marks there, and those questions will just be there until we see them in games. I don’t think there is some great addition there to come. Maybe if it is pre-season, and it is clear those guys are not it, there could be a trade. But for now, we are just going to have to hope it pans out.

    There is talent there, it’s just a matter of if that talent pans out.

    Verdict- Still Questions

    PFF on Twitter: "Like father, like sonJeremiah Trotter Jr is a Philadelphia Eagle 👏 pic.twitter.com/Mz397NKHu9 / Twitter"

    Like father, like sonJeremiah Trotter Jr is a Philadelphia Eagle 👏 pic.twitter.com/Mz397NKHu9

  • Offensive Tackle

    A lot of people thought the Eagles were going to take their RT of the future with the 1st round pick. Maybe that was the plan, but once Mitchell fell to them they had to pivot. But after the draft, they still do not have anyone I could confidently say will be able to replace Lane when he retires.

    Which is fine, because he is not retired yet. They can address that in the next draft. But they do also need depth behind Mailata and Lane. They did not address that in the draft, but they might have addressed it after the draft. On Sunday, they signed former Jets 1st round pick Mekhi Becton.

    Becton’s career thus far has been plagued by injuries. When he has played, he has not looked very good. It is why he was available just 4 years after being the 11th overall pick. Making him less of the reliable presence behind their starters, and more of a project.

    But they now at least have someone with starting experience to back them up just in case. After that, it is Fred Johnson. A guy with an upside, but one we have not seen play much yet. OT depth could be an issue that crops up this season.

    Verdict: Still Question Marks

    Adam Schefter on Twitter: "Offensive line help in Philadelphia: Former Jets first-round draft choice Mekhi Becton plans to sign a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with the Eagles, pending a physical Monday, per his agents Alan Herman and Jared Fox. Becton is expected to be the Eagles swing tackle. pic.twitter.com/3GFyNupDOb / Twitter"

    Offensive line help in Philadelphia: Former Jets first-round draft choice Mekhi Becton plans to sign a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with the Eagles, pending a physical Monday, per his agents Alan Herman and Jared Fox. Becton is expected to be the Eagles swing tackle. pic.twitter.com/3GFyNupDOb

  • Safety

    Signing CJ Gardner Johnson secured one of the starting Safety spots, but the other was still in flux. Reed Blankenship did not do enough in 2023 to make us confident in him as a starter.  I love Sydney Brown’s potential, but he is injured and also has yet to prove anything. And there was nothing behind those 3 guys.

    Given the fact Vic Fangio runs a lot of 3 Safety sets, it made sense they might target Safety as a position of need. That is where things get interesting. Will Cooper DeJean play Safety? Many scouts think that fits his skill set best, and it is his clearest path to getting on the field in year one.

    If so, then they might be in good shape at Safety. If not, they may still be in need of safety. But for now, I will assume he will get some snaps at Safety, in which case I can say they addressed this need.

    Verdict: No Longer an Immediate Need

  • Interior Offensive Line

    At Guard and Center, they needed not only depth but someone who could compete with Tyler Steen. They added Matt Hennessy, but that alone did not fill the need.

    It took until round 5, but they did address it. And they landed a guy some think could push Tyler Steen for the starting job this year. Trevor Keegan was a star at LG for Michigan last year, giving up 0 sacks while playing in the Big 10. If he can switch to RG, he will have a chance to win the job. Even if Steen wins it, he is your replacement for Sua Opeta as the primary backup for Dickerson and Steen.

    They also added a center in Dylan McMahon. He is another guy like Kelce who has knocks on him for size, but has elite athleticism for the position. They needed a backup for Jurgens, he can fill that role.

    Verdict- No Longer a Need

    97.5 The Fanatic on Twitter: "With pick 172, the Eagles took OG Trevor Keegan Out of Michigan. He allowed 0 sacks last season to help lift Michigan to an undefeated season. pic.twitter.com/wzy1qtPqoT / Twitter"

    With pick 172, the Eagles took OG Trevor Keegan Out of Michigan. He allowed 0 sacks last season to help lift Michigan to an undefeated season. pic.twitter.com/wzy1qtPqoT

  • Slot WR

    DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell are decent low-risk additions, but they aren’t the real answer in the slot. They needed to find someone who could give them production out of the slot. Quez Watkins left and was never productive in the first place.

    The Eagles took 2 shots at that in the draft. First by taking Ainais Smith, then by taking Johnny Wilson. Smith is smaller, but quick and drew comparisons to Deebo Samuel, while Wilson is 6ft7.

    You never know with a 5th round wr who they are going to be. But they are both high-upside guys, and they now have multiple chances to find that true 3rd WR. I particularly love Smith.

    Verdict: Not A Need

    SEC Network on Twitter: "Ainias Smith: electric ⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/vfJLWU4igV / Twitter"

    Ainias Smith: electric ⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/vfJLWU4igV

  • Tight End

    Behind Goedert, the Eagles currently have Albert Okwuegbunam, and C.J. Uzomah. Last year they got nothing out of their backup TEs. But they seem to trust the addition of Uzomah, and the continued growth of Albert O, will be enough to change that, because they never addressed it in the draft, despite having chances.

    They did sign a UDFA Tight End in McCallan Castles. he popped a bit in some highlights, but overall, he was not super productive., But there could be a chance for him to beat out Grant Calcaterra.

    Verdict: Slight Need

    Aaron Wilson on Twitter: "#Eagles signing Tennessee tight end McCallan Castles, per a source. The deal includes $30,000 signing bonus, $200,000 of his salary is guaranteed for a total of $230K, per a source / Twitter"

    Eagles signing Tennessee tight end McCallan Castles, per a source. The deal includes $30,000 signing bonus, $200,000 of his salary is guaranteed for a total of $230K, per a source

  • Edge Rusher

    Howie made Edge Rusher into a need after trading Haason Reddick. They moved one of the most reliable pass rushers in the league, and it left them with only question marks.

    Nolan Smith did nothing his rookie year. Josh Sweat has 1 double-digit sack season and fell off a cliff in the 2nd half last year. Bryce Huff has one productive season and has never been a starter. We don’t know how he will hold up with increased snaps. then there is Brandon Graham who is in his mid 30s and is only a rotational guy at this point.

    They did not add a sure thing in the draft either. Jalyx Hunt has a huge upside, but is a project and is far from a sure thing.

    It seems we will go into the season banking on the other 3 guys stepping up.

    Verdict: ???

    97.5 The Fanatic on Twitter: ""Jalyx Hunt - one of my favorite players that the Eagles got through draft weekend. Someone who was a riser in the media world, but the NFL world was very well aware of who he was."- @AndrewDiCecco 📸Michael Hickey/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/vCLzqkN7Ne / Twitter"

    "Jalyx Hunt - one of my favorite players that the Eagles got through draft weekend. Someone who was a riser in the media world, but the NFL world was very well aware of who he was."- @AndrewDiCecco 📸Michael Hickey/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/vCLzqkN7Ne

  • Runningback

    The Eagles did not have much behind Barkley and Gainwell. With Saquon’s history of injury, and Gainwell not being an everydown back, they needed to add something. They did that by taking Will Shipley in the 4th round.

    Is he an every-down back? No. But he found ways to be productive at Clemson and can be used as a weapon in the passing game. As the 3rd RB, he will be more than adequate.

    Verdict: Not a Need

    ACC Football on Twitter: "WILL SHIPLEY HURDLES A MAN 😳@ClemsonFB | #ACCFootball 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/1rOeJHBwyZ / Twitter"

    WILL SHIPLEY HURDLES A MAN 😳@ClemsonFB | #ACCFootball 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/1rOeJHBwyZ

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