Philadelphia Eagles 2016 preview: The future is now at the QB position
The Eagles will look to make the most of their offseason changes in 2016, but their first season under a new regime projects to be perhaps more difficult than expected. Chip Kelly was replaced by Doug Pederson as head coach after the Eagles finished with a 7-9 record in 2015 that followed consecutive 10-6 seasons. Sam Bradford was likely to start at quarterback to kick off the season, but he was traded on Sept. 3 to the Minnesota Vikings. Earlier this year, Philadelphia traded up in the draft to select Carson Wentz at No. 2 overall. Free-agent pickup Chase Daniel is also on the roster, and he has a prior relationship with Pederson from their three seasons together in Kansas City. Daniel figures to be the Game 1 starter as of now, but the move of Bradford opens the door for Wentz to get a shot sooner than planned. The Eagles don’t have much in the way of talent at the skill positions of running back and wide receiver, which is going to make that quarterback position even more important than it is for the majority of teams in the league.
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Bradford (pictured) was 7-7 in his 14 games under center last season, but now he's gone. The road is now clear for Wentz to get his chance, but how long will Pederson stick with Daniel? This may be the most important storyline for the franchise's future.
DGB wasn't sure why the Titans traded him after just one NFL season, but with the lack of standout receivers in Philadelphia, he'll have more than a fair chance to make his mark. He finished with 32 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season with the Titans.
Mathews averaged a career-best 5.6 yards per carry in 13 games last season, but he'll need to step up even more with what's expected to be an increased level of production. He'll still split time with Darren Sproles in the backfield, but the Eagles will give most of the carries to him before Sproles comes in on passing downs. FANTASY SPIN
The Eagles recently acquired Green-Beckham because they’re not thrilled with their receiving corps. Second-year pro Nelson Agholor hasn’t shown much, and though slot man Jordan Matthews caught 85 passes last season, he’s just OK. Tight ends to the rescue! Zach Ertz ranked sixth at his position last season with 75 receptions, earning a $42 million extension. Under Pederson — who finally started feeding Travis Kelce in 2015 as the Chiefs’ OC — Ertz figures to have similar production while getting into the end zone more often than in 2014. He’ll be a solid pick in Round 9 or 10.
(All lines courtesy of Bovada.com, as of 8/31)
Season win total over/under: 7 (over +120, under -150)
Odds to win the Super Bowl: 66/1. Moving on from the Chip Kelly era might as well count as winning the Super Bowl in Philly — which is good, because the only way the Eagles are going to win a title this year is if the rest of the league somehow mysteriously vanishes off the face of the planet.
One thing we wish we could bet on: The amount of shade thrown in Kelly's direction this season. Philadelphia could go 1-15 this year and players would still likely rave about Pederson because, you know, he's not Kelly. Never has a first-year coach had such a guaranteed honeymoon period. Every compliment for Pederson is a subtle jab at the the Eagles' last coach.
October 16, at Redskins
Washington won the NFC East last season, and in the unlikely event that Philadelphia is going to be able to compete for the division crown this year, a win on the road would go a long way in proving that the Eagles belong.
November 25, vs. Packers
Green Bay is expected to finish the year at or near the top of the standings in the NFC, so a measuring stick matchup later in the year against one of the league's best is always worth watching.
January 1, vs. Cowboys
The Eagles aren't expected to be a team fighting for its playoff life on the last day of the regular season. But in case they happen to exceed expectations, a division game at home against the rival Cowboys could have serious implications.
We say: 4-12
WhatIfSports simulation says: 7-9
-- Brett Pollakoff, John Halpin (fantasy), Andrew Lynch (betting). This story was updated Sept. 3 to reflect the Sam Bradford trade.
