The Philadelphia Eagles have made great strides to recover from their disastrous season in 2015. Prior to last season Chip Kelly traded away most of the Eagles' playmakers and the guys who defined what it meant to be a Philadelphia Eagle.
There had been countless games wherein NFC East foes were terrified by what Jeremy Maclin or LeSean McCoy could do to them. A rising quarterback in Nick Foles, who actually fit the Eagles system, was the known starter and had earned that title with his play and leadership.
Now, the Eagles are stuck looking for a new identity and new playmakers all while under the supervision of a brand new head coach. Philadelphia responding to last season by rebuilding was the correct call and they should continue to draft with that mindset.
Trading away DeMarco Murray, a running back with a monster contract that would only have hurt the team, was the best course of action and a good start to their offseason.
But let's not forget the flurry of moves they made shortly thereafter in free agency.
The most important of which may have been bolstering their offensive line by bringing in Brandon Brooks from the Houston Texans.
The Eagles signed him to a five-year, $40 million contract so they seem pretty serious about making him a starting offensive lineman. That means Lane Johnson can start at right tackle, Brooks at right guard, Jason Kelce at center, and Jason Peters at left tackle.
The left guard spot should still be open for a position battle as Allen Barbre does not have a lock on the starting job. This means they will be in a great position to grab a highly-graded offensive lineman in the draft should they so choose.
The Eagles should look to turn this offensive line into a strength instead of the liability it had become.
Philadelphia though, could also use an upgrade at the wide receiver position as last season's trio of Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Josh Huff did not pan out the way the Eagles expected.
All 3 players struggled to create any form of production and could clearly not become playmakers in Kelly's offense the way DeSean Jackson and Maclin had in the past. Top draft prospect Laquon Treadwell should become a target if he does not get selected before the Eagles are on the board.
Those two positions should be a key factor in what the Eagles draft plans will be. The Eagles could surprise everyone and take a quarterback, but the Eagles should focus on their future and that future deserves strong offensive playmakers.
