NFL training camps are well underway and teams are beginning to put their lineups in place for the upcoming season. Teams have started releasing their depth charts and clarifying where guys stand. The Philadelphia Eagles are no different and the team recently released its first depth chart.
The franchise over-performed in its first season with Nick Sirianni as head coach and Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback. The Eagles finished with a 9-8 record and managed to punch their tickets to the postseason.
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This impressive performance last year has increased expectations for the upcoming season. The focus on development has decreased as the team intends to win now. This type of pressure can also result in some guys getting squeezed out for minutes. While these two players remain at the top of the Eagles' depth chart at the moment, they may be at risk of sliding down as the season inches closer.
Eagles: 2 first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2022 NFL season
In his first two seasons in the NFL, Miles Sanders looked to be on the trajectory of a future premier running back. However, last season he took a little bit of a step back. Sanders finished the year with 137 carries for 754 yards. Both of these tallies were second on the Eagles behind Jalen Hurts. They also are the lowest tallies of his career despite playing one more game than he did the previous season. It took the Penn State product until week 13 to break 100 yards rushing in a game. Sanders also failed to find the end zone at any point during the season.
The Eagles' offense and playstyle have not seemed to be a complete match for Miles Sanders. His tendency to dance laterally rather than run downhill has caused issues based on their blocking scheme. The team saw much more success when rotating in Jordan Howard, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott last season. The Eagles' offense fully found its stride while Sanders was out on injury and the team fully embraced having a running back by committee. Coach Sirianni is familiar with using a committee for his approach with the run from his time as an offensive coordinator and saw success with this as a head coach.
Looking ahead to this season, Miles Sanders appears fully healthy and looking to make a statement. However, the downhill nature that the other running backs run with may continue to make more of an impact. Looking at the Eagles' current depth chart, Sanders is closely followed by Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Jason Huntley. While there are enough touches for everyone to get a chance, don't be surprised if Miles Sanders sees himself slip in the pecking order this season.
Fletcher Cox
The Eagles have clearly made it a focus to win games in the trenches. Putting a focus on adding depth to both sides of the line has been a recipe for their success in recent years. One player who has been a headliner for this mindset has been Fletcher Cox. The 6-time Pro-Bowler has been a key part of the Eagles' defense for nearly a decade. Unfortunately, he has passed the wrong side of 30 and has seen some decline in his game. Cox did not make the cut for the Pro Bowl last year for the first time since 2014.
The attention that Fletcher Cox draws is still valuable, but there are other impactful options behind him. The most notable name to watch is Jordan Davis. The Eagles selected the Georgia product with the 13th overall pick in this year's draft. His monstrous 6'6″ and 340-pound frame plays with impressive athleticism and has already opened some eyes at training camp.
It sometimes takes rookies time to adjust to the NFL but this does not look to be the case with Jordan Davis. He has a professional frame with ridiculous strength. Davis certainly looks ready to play a role in the Eagles' defense this year and is quickly becoming a threat in contending for the starting role. Jumping ahead of Fletcher Cox is no easy task, but Davis has not backed down to anyone thus far in his career.
It is worth noting that competition is never a bad thing and the fact the Eagles are going to be forced to make a decision is positive. Each of these veterans being challenged is more of an indication of others stepping up around them rather than them underperforming. There are high hopes surrounding Philadelphia this year and the amount of competition and impact players on both sides of the ball is further evidence of this.