The Eagles did not win the Super Bowl in February, but they arguably boasted the more well-rounded roster in the big game, eclipsing even the 2017 title-winning Birds in combined talent. Now, they're looking to carry an even better lineup into the 2023 season. General manager Howie Roseman locked up star quarterback Jalen Hurts on a record contract extension ahead of this week's draft. Since then, he's proceeded to bolster both sides of the ball with starting-caliber veterans and rookies.
Here's an updated look at projected starters and backups for the 2023 Eagles after free agency and the start of the draft:
Note: Players marked with an asterisk were acquired this offseason.
Offense
| Position | Starter | Backup | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Jalen Hurts | Marcus Mariota* | |
RB | D'Andre Swift* | Rashaad Penny* | |
WR | Olamide Zaccheaus* | ||
WR | |||
| WR | Quez Watkins | Britain Covey | |
| TE | Dallas Goedert | Jack Stoll | Grant Calcaterra |
| LT | Jordan Mailata | ||
| LG | Landon Dickerson | Sua Opeta | |
| C | Jason Kelce | ||
| RG | Cam Jurgens | Tyler Steen* | |
| RT | Lane Johnson | Jack Driscoll |
Did you confuse this for an all-star team? Things change and injuries happen, so of course it's one thing to be dominant on paper and another to deliver on the field. But there's not a glaring hole in sight on offense. Hurts is a consensus top-five QB after his dual-threat breakout in 2022, and now he's got a more dynamic backfield even after Miles Sanders' departure at running back. Swift and Penny struggled to stay healthy in Detroit and Seattle, respectively, but together, they have the chance to give the Eagles a thunder-and-lightning combo alongside Gainwell and Scott, who are perfectly capable as situational ball-carriers. They could still stand to beef up the competition for the No. 3 WR job behind the alpha starters in Brown and Smith, but Zaccheaus is an underrated ascending reserve coming from the Falcons. Best of all, the line still registers as one of the sturdiest in the NFL, with Steen the converted defensive tackle set to compete for a starting interior job.
Defense
| Position | Starter | Backup | Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|
DE | |||
DT | Jordan Davis / Jalen Carter* | ||
DT | |||
DE | |||
OLB | Nolan Smith Jr.* | ||
LB | Nicholas Morrow* | ||
CB | |||
CB | Darius Slay Jr. | Kelee Ringo* | |
| CB | Avonte Maddox | Josiah Scott | |
S | Sydney Brown* | ||
| S | Terrell Edmunds* | K'Von Wallace |
The Eagles' defense, while talented, didn't exactly come up big in the team's Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. But it should be even better after Roseman's reinforcements. Graham and Cox are getting older, but the former is still in tip-top shape when his snaps are limited, and now the terrorizing Reddick has an ultra-athletic rookie to join him as a stand-up rusher in Nolan Smith Jr. Up front, with Javon Hargrave gone, the massive Georgia combo of Davis and Carter has the potential to keep Philly's defensive line one of the game's most productive. Cornerback is quite loaded, with Bradberry and Slay bringing physicality to the outside and the well-built Ringo (6-2, 207) joining them as a developmental option. The only real questions lie at linebacker, where the unproven Dean should benefit from playing behind so many ex-college teammates; and safety, where the smaller but feisty Sydney Brown feels like a logical candidate to sneak into the starting lineup.
