The Big Questions

1. How does the pass rush improve in 2014?

In 2013, the Eagles' four starting linebackers racked up a total of 21 sacks. Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans each notched 4.0 quarterback takedowns, which is decent considering the fact that they were relied upon much more for their coverage and run-stopping skills than for rushing the passer. On the outside, Trent Cole picked up all eight of his sacks in the second half of the season, and while Barwin did an excellent job of setting the edge and batting down passes, it's clear that there is room for improvement in his ability to get to the quarterback.

As a team, the Eagles had just 37.0 sacks last season, good for 20th out of 32 NFL teams. Heading into the draft, there has been a great amount of discussion about whether or not the Eagles should address the need for a pass-rusher in the first round, and while that debate will remain unanswered until Thursday night, it is a possibility that the Eagles take an outside linebacker/edge player at some point of this weekend's draft.

But what Eagles on the current roster could make more of an impact in 2014? In limited action, Brandon Graham recorded three sacks, but he showed flashes of becoming a force off of the edge. As for new additions like Bryan Braman and Josh Kaddu, it's hard to look into the crystal ball and forecast their futures. Braman is thought of as a key special teams piece, and Kaddu has appeared in five games over two seasons.

Could Barwin or Cole have a monster season in their second year under the tutelage of Bill Davis? Of course, but the Eagles may also rely on the entire linebacking group to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2014.

Then, of course, there is the influx of talent brought by first-round pick Marcus Smith II. In the spring, Smith II spent his time learning Barwin's spot rather than Cole's, so the expectation is that he'll be more than a designated pass rusher. But the former AAC defensive player of the year wiill be the focus of much attention this summer as he gets up to NFL speed.

2. How high is the ceiling for Mychal Kendricks?

After starting 14 games for the Eagles at outside linebacker during his rookie season of 2012, Kendricks faced several questions heading into his second season. It's difficult for any linebacker to switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme, yet alone for a player heading into just his second NFL season.

But Kendricks came out and passed the test with flying colors. Flying is the appropriate word, because Kendricks was all over the field in 2013. He's always been known for his aggressive style of play, but in 2013 he cut down the number of missed tackles and took a huge step towards becoming a star defensive player. Kendricks became one of three players in franchise history with 4+ sacks and 3+ interceptions, joining William Thomas and Seth Joyner.

Kendricks finished the season second on the team with 137 total tackles and led all NFL players with four fumble recoveries, but what comes next? How big of a step can the California product take in his second year in the Eagles defensive scheme? One thing is for certain: Kendricks is learning the inside linebacker position from Ryans, one of the best players at his position. The arrow for Kendricks is pointing up, but it will be up to him if he wants to make his third NFL season his best.