How might the NFC East be different in 2022?
By Reese Nasser
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have found themselves in a true predicament.
They are on the verge of possibly winning an NFC Wild Card spot, and the choices that they make this season will have long-term implications on the success of this team.
The Eagles will enter this off-season with three first-round picks. They also have an array of problems on both sides of the ball. With this amount of picks, the Eagles could make a run at a top-level quarterback. But if they make that choice, they will be moving on from Jalen Hurts and will be putting Wilson on a roster that isn’t ready to compete for a Super Bowl yet.
If the Eagles choose to keep Hurts and build around him in this year’s draft, that’s where things could get interesting. By sticking with Hurts, Philadelphia can instantly improve their football team. This will allow them to draft players who could come in on day one and impact this team on different levels.
The alternative, for a team with as dominant an offensive line and defensive line, along with key pieces in the secondary is to flip some — or all — of those first-round picks for a veteran quarterback like Russell Wilson, Derek Carr, or Jimmy Garoppolo, if the Eagles don’t believe Hurts is the long-term solution.
There are notable gaps on this team, but none are more glaring than the issues in the secondary and in the wide receiver room.
Outside of DeVonta Smith, the Eagles lack a strong receiver, but that’s not due to a lack of trying. They have attempted to improve their wideouts for some time now.
The secondary also lacks the necessary depth to be elite. Darius Slay is still playing at a good level, but he will be 31 years old before the start of next season.
The Eagles could look to improve both groups through the draft. LSU cornerback Derek Stingley or Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton could be players that would help make this secondary better instantly. While they may have to trade up to get them, they have the pieces to do just that.
Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave could be a player that also intrigues the Eagles. He has already proven to be maybe the top receiver in this class and would fit well alongside Smith. If the Eagles elect to go this route, this team could look drastically different next season.