The Eagles come into the 2014 season giving up the most passing yards out of any team in the league. They allowed just under 290 yards per game and struggled to prevent opponents from scoring early on in the year. Throughout the year, Philly allowed 52 points to the Denver Broncos in Week 4, 33 to the San Diego Chargers in Week 2 and 48 to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. The Eagles will be looking to improve their defense to match up with the firepower that their offense offers.
New Starter: Nolan Carroll
Carroll won’t be one of Philadelphia’s starting two corners, but he could easily be the nickel guy. He spent the first four years of his career with the Miami Dolphins, recording five interceptions and three sacks. Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Brandon Boykin came together nicely at the end of last year well as a unit and Carroll will only make it better while competing for a starting job.
Area of Improvement
Despite the addition of Carroll, the Eagles still need to work on their secondary and stopping the pass. In 2014, the Eagles will have to face Tony Romo, Robert Griffin III and Eli Manning twice each. They’ll also be facing Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson. That’s a tough lineup of quarterbacks to face with a sub-par secondary.
Williams has been improved since heading over from Baltimore, and the Eagles added Malcolm Jenkins in the offseason. Jenkins had been in New Orleans, and last year recorded two interceptions while forcing two fumbles. With a revamped roster on that side of the ball, the Eagles should be the golden standard all-around in the NFC East.
Potential Breakout Star: Connor Barwin
Barwin has only been in Philadelphia for one season now after coming over from Houston, but he could be on track to be a top pass-rushing linebacker. In 2011, when Barwin was with the Texans, he recorded 11.5 sacks, and last season with the Eagles he had five. If Philly’s secondary steps up and forces the quarterback to hold the ball for longer, Barwin could see his sack numbers rise.
On His Way Out: Trent Cole
Cole is definitely the best-known Eagle on the defensive side of the ball. He’s entering his 10th year with Philadelphia, but at 31, his days as an elite linebacker could be numbered. He hasn’t recorded a 50-tackle season since 2010, and 2011 was the last season he had double-digit sacks. There’s also a number of young, talented players behind him on the depth chart including Brandon Graham, and the Eagles could also look for pass rush help in the draft.