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The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of a season in which they won nine games and snuck into the playoffs, upsetting the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round before losing to the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round a week later.
The Eagles had a rather crucial decision to make earlier this offseason, opting to let heroic quarterback Nick Foles walk in free agency and leaving no doubt that Carson Wentz is the starter moving forward.
The fact that Philadelphia gave Wentz a massive contract extension only further solidified that notion.
While the Eagles are certainly talented and can make some noise in the NFC this year, there are also numerous question marks on their roster.
This is a team that can either make a deep playoff run or win seven games, and in order for the former to happen, these three players need to take the next step for Philly in 2019.
3. Derek Barnett
The Eagles chose Derek Barnett in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but he has been nothing but a disappointment since.
During his rookie season, he totaled 21 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a couple of fumble recoveries, and this past year, Barnett played in just six games before going down to season-ending shoulder surgery, logging a mere 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks while he was on the field.
With Chris Long retiring, there is now added pressure on Barnett to produce, and let's face it: the clock is ticking. The NFL is not like other sports. Due to the fact that contracts are never fully guaranteed, guys who don't produce get cut, and while Barnett will still get an opportunity with Philadelphia this coming season, it might be his last one.
Let's remember that the Eagles did not have a great defense in 2018 to begin with, so they are going to need improvement up and down their roster on that side of the ball.
2. Ronald Darby
Sticking with the defensive theme, the Eagles traded for Ronald Darby during the summer of 2017, hoping that he would help shore up the secondary.
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Well, Darby has hardly done anything of the sort, as injuries limited him to just eight games that ensuing season and only nine contests this past year.
Philly opted to re-sign Darby to a one-year deal this offseason, as the 25-year-old showed in Buffalo that he is talented and is capable of being a very good cornerback. However, Darby is running out of chances.
Again, Philadelphia's defense needs a whole lot of help, and if Darby can just stay on the field, he would almost certainly provide that.
1. Carson Wentz
When Wentz has been healthy, he has been a very good NFL quarterback. But that's just the thing: the guy can't remain in uniform.
In 2017, Wentz tore his ACL 13 games into the season. Then, this past year, a back injury knocked him out 11 games into the campaign.
It's not a matter of whether or not Wentz can produce, because we know he can. It's a question of whether or not he is reliable enough to have earned the extension he just received.
This is a pivotal year for both Wentz and the Eagles, as if he once again can't make it through the season healthy, Philly might have a major problem on its hands for the future.
But if he can? He should be one of the league's most consistent quarterbacks, and so long as he maintains the improvement he showed in his accuracy in 2018, Wentz should have the Birds in playoff contention, at the very least.
