Good morning, Eagles fans! Welcome back to Morning Roundup presented by Microsoft. Today marks the first official Training Camp practice of the 2019 season. Practice will begin at noon and the livestream can be found here and on our social media platforms. The offseason was spent alleviating questions about the team's offense, defense, and overall success. Let's dive into the notable storylines.
10. How do the new Eagles fit into the picture?
With the implementation of new young talent along with a few familiar faces returning to Philadelphia, the team's depth at each position increased in the offseason. The running back room has only become stronger with the additions of Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders.
"The Eagles acquired Jordan Howard, a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie in 2017, in a trade with the Bears, and used the highest draft pick in a decade on a running back when Miles Sanders was chosen in the second round (53rd overall) out of Penn State." – Chris McPherson
9. How will the Eagles incorporate Dallas Goedert into the offense?
The 24-year-old tight end, Dallas Goedert, enters his second season in league after an impressive rookie year. He recorded four receiving touchdowns in 2018, which was tied for the most by a rookie tight end.
"Everyone with the Eagles understands Goedert's abilities and how far he's come since the team selected him 49th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Goedert is a flat-out stud – big and strong and sure-handed as a receiver who runs well, who has worked hard to improve his routes, and who is a good and improving blocker in the running game." – Dave Spadaro
8. How will the players returning from injury not named Carson Wentz impact the team?
It is no secret that injuries were the culprit of the 2018 season. Many of these players are expected to come back this year and continue to pursue excellence on the field. Corey Clement is a perfect example of someone whose health can contribute to the offense as well as special teams.
"Corey Clement was a rookie season-standout as a running back who helped as a receiver, occasionally as a runner, certainly as a pass blocker, and most definitely on special teams. After a roller-coaster 2018 season that ended with a knee injury suffered in the overtime loss in Dallas, Clement is poised to be a jack-of-all-trades help again this season." – Dave Spadaro
7. Who will be the middle linebacker (and does it matter)?
With former Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks no longer in the equation, the team sets its sights on filling that role and securing the man in the middle as soon as possible.
"When teams gameplan for opposing defenses, if there is a matchup to be won in the passing game, it's often easiest to attack a poor coverage linebacker. Whether it's with a dynamic running back, an athletic tight end, or just a creative multi-layered route concept opening up the middle of the field, the linebacker who can't run, cover, and play in space is tough to put on the field on regular downs." – Fran Duffy
6. What will the offensive line look like entering the season?
Praised as one of the team's deepest units, the offensive line has the presence of impactful veterans as well as young talent. The influence these veterans have on the rookies will greatly accelerate their transition to the NFL.
"At left tackle, the Eagles are banking on future Hall of Famer Jason Peters having another stellar year, but they're aware of the longevity of his career. They used a first-round draft pick on Andre Dillard, so there is a sense here of making sure Peters is at his best and also developing Dillard. He's not here to have a redshirt rookie campaign." – Dave Spadaro
5. Who wins the battle at cornerback?
One of the most talked-about position groups this offseason has been the cornerbacks. Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby were the starters last season, but they are coming back from injury. There are some other contenders in the cornerback room.
"Now, the wild card for me in Training Camp is (Avonte) Maddox, the second-year players who benefited from the injuries in 2018. He pushed Jones for the nickel job in the summer last year." – Chris McPherson
4. Which young defensive end emerges to contribute this season?
The Eagles recently promoted Phillip Daniels to defensive line coach. He is confident in his veteran players like Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett and Vinny Curry, and now looks to the unproven young players to step up and claim their role.
"Second-year man Josh Sweat needs to step up and show that he can stay healthy and deliver off the edge. Daeshon Hall showed some promise in his limited time with the Eagles and he has put in the work in the offseason, and the Eagles want to see Hall operate as a pass rusher. Joe Ostman spent last season on the practice squad, added 10 pounds of brawn, and impressed in the spring with his burst off the edge." – Dave Spadaro
3. What will Doug Pederson do differently at Training Camp?
As Doug Pederson enters his fourth Training Camp as the head coach of this team, the goal of winning stays the same but the formula to glory may be altered slightly. The Eagles experienced a full offseason which was not the case at the start of last year's Training Camp.
"I can't say for certain what Coach Pederson will do differently this summer, but naturally there will be one big change from 2018 to 2019. Remember that last season, the Eagles were coming off a shortened offseason thanks to the Super Bowl victory, with a larger-than-normal amount of players coming off of injury to boot." – Fran Duffy
2. How will DeSean Jackson impact the passing game?
The Eagles' explosive plays in the pass game in 2018 surpassed its numbers from the Super Bowl season. With the addition of DeSean Jackson, those numbers are expected to skyrocket.
"The numbers speak for itself. (Jackson) led the league in yards per receptions last season for the fourth time in his career. He's sixth in NFL history in yards per reception. He boasts the most touchdowns of 60+ yards in NFL history with 24 and is tied for second all time with 29 50-plus-yard touchdowns." – Chris McPherson
1. What will we see in Training Camp from Carson Wentz?
We concluded the Big Question series with everyone's favorite topic: Carson Wentz. With a full offseason behind him, Wentz is ready to put in the work during Training Camp to achieve success in the regular season.
"What we really want to see is Wentz fine-tuning his game ahead of the regular-season opener against Washington. Wentz has some rust to knock off in terms of chemistry with a couple of his receivers, but that shouldn't be a problem in the least." – Dave Spadaro
