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Eagles expectations are soaring, but should they be?

How good the Eagles will be this season likely depends on who you ask. And there's a large contingent in the national media that believes in the Birds.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with the home crowd after a 40-29 win over the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with the home crowd after a 40-29 win over the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Last month, Pro Football Focus called the Eagles one of the five most overlooked teams in the NFL heading into the 2022 season. The main reason cited was a lack of confidence in Jalen Hurts as he embarks on his second full season as the starting quarterback.

They weren’t alone in that assessment — The Ringer called Hurts one of the toughest players in the league to evaluate, while Football Outsiders put Hurts in the “C” tier of quarterbacks. That doubt grew to a fever pitch earlier this month when Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn reported on Hurts’ terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day at OTA practice, forcing new teammate A.J. Brown to come to his quarterback’s defense.

Others, however, believe Hurts is ready to take the next step thanks to another year of experience and better weapons at his disposal. But no matter which way you slice it, it’s hard to see how the Eagles are being “overlooked” — even if some think they could be a “dumpster fire” this season.

After all, Hurts and first-year head coach Nick Sirianni led the team to the playoffs behind a strong second half before falling to the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in the wild-card round. The team made considerable upgrades at key areas, like wide receiver and linebacker. And just a couple weeks before PFF said they were being overlooked, NBC Sports’ Peter King ranked the Eagles as the ninth best team in the NFL, joining several others who have been hyping up the Birds this offseason — including the NFL itself, which awarded the Eagles as many primetime games as anyone, and even the team’s own players.

In a few days, the Eagles will begin training camp as they return to the field at the NovaCare Complex for the first time since OTAs, back when they were still being “overlooked.” And as you’ll see, that’s not exactly the case any more.

It’s the whole team

The Eagles were good a year ago — better than many expected, for sure — but in order vault themselves into Super Bowl contender status, they needed to undergo some upgrades this offseason, and they certainly did that in adding players like Brown, Haason Reddick, James Bradberry, and a pair of talented Georgia defensive players in the draft.

So how good was their offseason? According to CBSSports.com, the Birds are the most improved team in the entire NFL. And while a lot of the talk has been surrounding the addition of Brown to help Hurts and the offense, the site believes Howie Roseman’s additions on the defensive side of the ball will be just as important.

The Eagles made major additions to a defense that came on strong at the end of the ‘21 season. They made a free agent splash with the signing of Reddick, who comes to Philadelphia after compiling 23.5 sacks over the past two seasons. They then threw salt on the Giants’ wounds by picking up Bradberry, who was waived by New York in May as part of a salary dump. The Eagles strengthened the middle of their defense by signing former Charger Kyzir White, who filled the stat sheet last season with 144 tackles, two interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles.
Bryan DeArdo, CBS Sports

It would be one thing if CBS was alone. But NFL.com has the Eagles listed among their six most improved teams. And ESPN says the Eagles had the second best offseason of any team, behind only the Broncos, who added Russell Wilson.

As it stands, the Eagles addressed significant weaknesses at cornerback and receiver. They pushed one of their first-round picks into the future and opened up the possibility of a more valuable first-rounder, giving them more flexibility if they want to do something aggressive at quarterback next offseason. Jason Kelce came back for another year. Outside of not using their top picks to land a quarterback such as Russell Wilson, it’s difficult to poke many holes in what they did this offseason.
Bill Barnwell, ESPN

Yahoo Sports is throwing around the phrase “Super Bowl contender,” but isn’t willing to rank the Eagles any higher than 13th in their offseason rankings. That’s exactly where Pro Football Focus has the Eagles, which is a bit surprising considering the site thinks the Birds have the seventh best roster in the league.

As David Murphy wrote back in May, the Eagles have a Super Bowl-caliber roster. It’s up to Hurts to rise to the occasion.

Here’s a fun little thought experiment that should let you know exactly where the expectations for Jalen Hurts should sit. Look at the Eagles roster and start subbing in quarterbacks other than Hurts. Each time, ask yourself: Is this a Super Bowl contender? Don’t limit yourself to the obvious insta-winners like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson. Don’t even limit yourself to the guys who look like they will soon be those guys: Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, etc. Do it with Derek Carr, with Matthew Stafford, with Dak Prescott, with Josh Allen, with Matt Ryan, with Ryan Tannehill, with Lamar Jackson. Do it with Kirk Cousins and Mac Jones.
The most instructive case study might actually be Carson Wentz. Put this Eagles roster around Wentz in his second season as a starter or third season in the NFL. What are you expecting?
Be honest with yourself, and you should realize that there is only one way for Hurts to show that he is a quarterback who can someday lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl. He can do it this year. Because the Eagles have a Super Bowl-caliber roster. The only question is Hurts.
David Murphy

No pressure, kid.

Jalen Hurts ‘guaranteed’ to improve

While King remains high on the Eagles overall — he thinks they’re one of the four best teams in the NFC and the best in their division — he is far from sold on Hurts.

I see the Eagles as the best team in the East. I see Jalen Hurts doing enough to be a C-plus quarterback, with the addition of A.J. Brown. I see the receiving corps of Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins and Zach Pascal being good enough to make the Eagles a top-10 offense. I see Haason Redick returning to the scene of his prime (he played college football at Temple) and James Bradberry fortifying a corner depth chart to make this the best defense in the NFC East. ... [Howie Roseman’s done his job: He’s built a team for 2022, and he’s built a team that can do a U-turn in 2023 if need be.
Peter King, NBC Sports

But others see Hurts making big strides in Year 3, his second as the Eagles starter. Some are going so far as to mention him in the same breath as MVP, which seems almost absurd until you remember how Lamar Jackson won the award in 2019 following a disappointing first-round playoff exit a year earlier. But even while noting he could be a dark horse MVP candidate, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, like King, notes that Hurts could just be easily playing elsewhere next year.

The Eagles thrived after building the offense around his rushing ability in midseason, ranking sixth in offensive EPA per play after Week 7. The Bucs then dealt them a harsh reality check in the postseason. Philadelphia was shut out through three quarters of what ended up as a 31-15 defeat in the NFC wild-card round.
Now, Hurts get to prove whether he can follow Jackson in hitting new heights. He’ll have more help after the Eagles used one of their first-round picks to trade for A.J. Brown, netting Hurts one of the league’s most physically imposing wideouts. They will have all offseason to refine their offense around Hurts’ talents and build a more robust version of what they transitioned toward in midseason. If the skeptics are right, Hurts probably will get replaced by a new quarterback next offseason. If they’re wrong and Hurts wins MVP, he probably will get $100 million in guarantees on a contract extension.
Bill Barnwell, ESPN

Hurts, however, doesn’t need to win MVP to prove to the Eagles that he can be the guy going forward. He simply needs to show he’s improved enough with a year of experience and better weapons around him. What “enough” is will be up to Roseman and the Eagles, but getting the Eagles back to the playoffs will be a good first step.

That’s what NFL.com’s Adam Schein believes Hurts is capable of this season, as he ranked Hurts third on his list of players who are guaranteed to rise in 2022.

I believe. I love the arm, the smarts, the athleticism. And now I love the talent around him, with A.J. Brown joining DeVonta Smith to comprise quite a 1-2 punch at wide receiver. Brown’s catch-and-run ability and Smith’s pristine route-running will mitigate Hurts’ inaccuracy issues. And now that the quarterback has a full year’s experience as an NFL starter -- as well as coaching continuity, with head man Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen back for Year 2 -- I think his clutch play will skyrocket.
Hurts is a winner and a natural born leader. This fall, I see him guiding the Eagles to an NFC East title. And you better believe this team will be a tough out in January.
Adam Schein, NFL.com

Hurts’ coach has already seen a big improvement from his quarterback this summer.

“I’m noticing a big difference,” Sirianni told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio. “What I see is a crisper ball. The accuracy I’ve been very pleased with. You can just see him taking strides every single day with his accuracy because of the fundamentals he has with his feet and his upper body.”

If Hurts can indeed improve his passing accuracy this season, that will go a long way. He’s already one of the most dangerous players in the NFL on the ground — and we’re not just talking about quarterbacks. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Hurts was the “most explosive” rusher at any position in the NFL a year ago.

That’s likely not going anywhere. And if he’s able to couple that with improved accuracy and more dangerous weapons, it’s easy to see why some are high on the Eagles this season.

Plenty of offensive weapons

Speaking of the Hurts’ new toys, the addition of Brown via a draft-night trade (and even Zach Pascal) should give the Eagles one of the better receiving corps in the league. Pro Football Focus has them in the Top 5, which is a long way from where they were just a few short years ago.

4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
A.J. Brown, a legitimate No. 1 option who can win over the middle of the field, changes everything for Philadelphia’s receiving corps. The only wide receivers to average more receiving yards per route run than Brown — who the Eagles traded for on Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft — since he entered the league in 2019 (2.61) are Davante Adams and Justin Jefferson.
Brown, DeVonta Smith and one of the more underrated tight ends in the league (Dallas Goedert) is a nice core with players like Quez Watkins and the thus-far disappointing Jalen Reagor adding some speed behind them on the depth chart.
Ben Linsey, PFF

But it’s not just the new guys who will help Hurts. Outside of the wide receivers, Hurts will have one of the best tight ends in the game in Dallas Goedert, who NFL insiders ranked as sixth best in the league. Hurts will also have Kenneth Gainwell, who showed quite a bit as a pass catcher in his rookie year, and Boston Scott out of the backfield, not to mention Miles Sanders who will be looking to bounce back as a receiver after a down year in 2021.

It starts at the top

The hype for the Eagles roster starts at the top, even above the surprising first-year success story Sirianni. Most outlets, including CBS Sports, have the Eagles coach ranked in the middle of the pack at best.

16. Nick Sirianni (Eagles)
As soon as Sirianni stopped trying to make Jalen Hurts a traditional QB in 2021, he found results. More than that, he rekindled a happy-go-lucky vibe after the sudden dissolution of the Doug Pederson era. The key to a big step forward is whether he and Hurts can craft a more sustainable passing offense together, but Sirianni at least offers the requisite humility to adapt his strategy and own duties (like play-calling) for the betterment of the squad. It helps that his roster is much more filled out this time around.
Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports

That likely has more to do with limited track record off which to judge him, but as noted, he has a better roster to work with this season. And he can thank his boss, Roseman, for that.

Roseman has been getting wide praise for his offseason, as we already noted with ESPN, NFL.com, and CBS Sports all listing the Eagles as one of the most improved teams or as one of the teams that had the best offseason.

To NBC Sports Edge, Roseman is the eighth best GM in the game, behind some pretty big names that include the leaders of each of the last four Super Bowl-winning teams.

And it’s not just about the big Brown- and Reddick-type moves for Roseman. He and his team were able to not only find but also extend Jordan Mailata, who Pro Football Network ranks as a top 10 tackle, on what PFF calls the best contract in the entire NFL.

Lane Johnson — who is part of that impressive offensive line, along with Mailata and one of the NFL’s top centers Jason Kelce — said he believes the team is better, at least on paper.

Best in the NFC East?

Two of ESPN’s four NFC East writers picked the Birds to come out on top, including Giants writer Dan Graziano, who actually has the defending division champs falling to third this year.

Let’s start by putting the Giants last. They have the worst roster of the bunch. The Commanders are the wild card. They are better than most want to believe, especially if Wentz can be steady. The Eagles crushed the draft and traded for receiver A.J. Brown, and the Cowboys’ offensive line is on the decline. So it’s Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas and the Giants.
Dan Graziano, ESPN

Whether or not they’ve done enough to catch and pass the Cowboys has been a hot topic of debate this offseason, including on Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe and noted Cowboys fan Skip Bayless.

It’s too early to know for sure, but we’ll get our first real look at the team when camp opens this week.