Eagles: 3 2023 roster holes that could cost Jalen Hurts a Super Bowl
The Eagles came up just short in last year’s Super Bowl and these three roster holes could stop Jalen Hurts from winning it all this season.
General Manager Howie Roseman has assembled a roster capable of winning a Super Bowl title this year. That doesn’t mean Jalen Hurts is surrounded by an invincible squad. Like every team in the NFL, Philadelphia has several roster holes that could prove fatal to the team’s championship hopes.
The Eagles were forced to let several valuable veterans depart via free agency. Javon Hargrave leaves a giant hole in the middle of Nick Sirianni’s defensive line. T.J. Edwards may not have been a star but his tackling ability at middle linebacker will be missed. Running back Miles Sanders was deemed expendable by Roseman and his staff but he accounted for a lot of yards last season.
The good news for fans in Philadelphia is that their front office has done a credible job planning for their free agency departures in advance. Even so, these three roster holes could ruin Jalen Hurts’ chances of earning a Super Bowl ring.
No. 3 most concerning Eagles roster hole: Age at cornerback
Both Darius Slay and James Bradberry enjoyed high-quality seasons in 2022. The challenge for both will be repeating that feat as they get one year older.
Slay is the biggest worry since next year will be his age-33 season. Most fans expected the team to let him leave in free agency due to his advanced age. Instead, he returned to Philadelphia on a relatively modest three-year extension. He might hold up for one more year as a quality starter, but it wouldn’t shock anyone if he saw a precipitous decline in his performance soon.
Bradberry will only be 30 next season and is coming off a nice, bounceback season. The Eagles should still keep a close eye on him early in the regular season. If he loses a step he’ll immediately cease to be a quality starter on the outside.
The presence of Avonte Maddox and rookie Keelee Ringo offers the team some protection, but corner could become a problem area for the Eagles if either of their veteran outside starters takes a step backward.