The Philadelphia Eagles made a name for themselves in the second half of last season as Chip Kelly’s offense started to take shape around Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy. However, the team was thrown for a loop this offseason when leading wide receiver DeSean Jackson was released, leaving a gaping hole at wide receiver, a position that will likely be addressed in the draft.
New Player: Darren Sproles
There are no new starters for Philadelphia on offense, but Sproles should get a lot of touches in Kelly’s fast-paced offense. Sproles is almost more of a receiving threat than a rushing one, having more receiving touchdowns (27) than rushing (11). Sproles broke out as a speed guy with the New Orleans Saints before he signed with Philly this offseason, and will only give the Eagles more quickness out of the backfield alongside McCoy.
Area of Improvement
The backfield of Sproles and McCoy is probably the best in the league, and Foles seems to be coming along nicely as an NFL quarterback. However, if the Eagles really want to compete for a spot in the Super Bowl, they still need to upgrade their receivers after releasing Jackson. Cooper developed a nice rapport with Foles, but he simply isn’t talented to be a No. 1 receiver.
On the other side of the field, Maclin is coming off a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2013 season. He has approached the 1,000-yard mark several times in his five-year career, and would certainly be a formidable No. 2 receiving option. Between Maclin and Cooper, however, the Eagles don’t have a clear No. 1 guy that they used to have in Jackson. Or, if they both emerge as the top two guys, the talent at receiver falls off incredibly fast after them.
Potential Breakout Star: Jeremy Maclin
I know I just said Maclin can’t be a No. 1 receiver, but he could still break out to be a 1,000-yard, eight-touchdown guy in Philly’s offense. If they are able to pick up a No. 1 receiver via the draft or a trade, look for Maclin to emerge if he can stay healthy. Cooper is a great candidate for the slot, while Maclin can stretch the field similar to what Jackson used to do for them. In 2012, Maclin had seven catches when the ball was thrown 21 yards in the air or farther, including two catches of 41 or more yards.
On His Way Out: Evan Mathis
Mathis is a very talented left guard (he made the All-Pro team last year), but he has been involved in a number of trade rumors. At the NFL’s Annual Meeting, the club announced that he could be available in a trade. At 32, Mathis is on the tail end of his career, and he is slated to give the Eagles a $5.15 million cap hit this season. Although he showed up to the team’s voluntary training programs last week, if the Eagles can move Mathis to get another receiver, it makes sense for them to pull the trigger.