Eagles' Biggest Need, Cornerback or Wide Receiver part 3
If you’ve been watching the Eagles all year, most would come to the conclusion that the Eagles need to fill a few positions, but the biggest need is at Wide Receiver or Cornerback.
Given all that we have gone over in our three part series it is safe to say the Eagles biggest need is at cornerback and wide receiver.
The starting wide receivers combine for seven touchdowns on the season. You can’t have a well-balanced team with that kind of receiver play. The Eagles need receivers that can create separation, who have a deep threat capability and, most importantly, who can be relied on to make catches. Though Wentz has set a franchise season record with 352 completions, the Eagles were relying on the running backs and tight ends to make those catches.
Dec 22, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Ryan Mathews (24) runs with the ball before being tackled by New York Giants strong safety Landon Collins (21) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 24-19. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The cornerbacks, excluding Jalen Mills, should be let go immediately after the season. Nolan Carroll is a free agent at the end of the year and he shouldn’t be re-signed, while Leodis McKelvin has a year left on his contract. It will only cost the Eagles $250,000 to cut McKelvin, so they should eat the penalty and cut their losses.
If the Eagles upgraded the corners, it would give defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz more flexibility in play calling, he wouldn’t have to focus on making sure the corners have help covering receivers.
The last stacked corner position for the Eagles was in 2008 when they had Lito Sheppard, Asante Samuel, and Sheldon Brown, since then, it’s gotten progressively worse. The Eagles haven’t gotten the corner position right in free agency since Asante Samuel in 2008, and the last “star” corners we drafted were in 2002 when they drafted Sheppard and Brown.
The Eagles must get these two positions right very soon if they expect to be contenders.
In the words of Bear Bryant “Offense sells tickets; defense wins championships.”
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