Ranking the Eagles Draft Needs After 1st Week of Free Agency

By Tucker Bagley, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

So much for staying quiet during free agency.

After one week, the Philadelphia Eagles have made a lot of moves to transform their roster ahead of next month's NFL Draft. In addition to changing out backup quarterbacks and adding to their offensive line depth, Howie Roseman and company also signed a pair of veteran wide receivers to help aid the development of Carson Wentz.

Still, there is a lot of work to do and a few holes to fill before the Philadelphia Eagles will be ready to contend for a Super Bowl.

Cornerback

The Eagles let both of their starting corners from a season ago walk in free agency without any attempt to replace them. Jalen Mills played well at times in 2016, but his physical limitations may hinder him ever becoming more than an average corner.

The Birds don't just need bodies at cornerback, they need pedigrees. They need blue-chip prospects who can step in and be starters from day one and develop into Pro Bowlers later down the line. With nobody currently penciled in as a starter, it seems like Roseman is content to wait until the draft, which is supposedly full of quality defensive backs. 

Defensive Line

Outside of the quarterback, nobody has become more valued over the past few seasons than pass rushers. The Eagles seemed to have an elite pass-rushing unit at the beginning of 2016, however their production wore down as the season wore on. Maybe it was a product of playing in front of a below-average secondary, but not addressing a regressing unit seems foolish.

Now, with Bennie Logan playing in Kansas City for 2017, the Eagles are in need of help at defensive tackle, too. Beau Allen seems like a logical replacement, but at the very least, the Birds will need better depth behind him and Fletcher Cox now that Taylor Hart has shifted to the offensive line. The Eagles cannot afford to hand out a big contract since they're already paying Cox, Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry huge salaries. Adding young, cheap talent in the draft should remain a top priority this season.

Wide Receiver

Adding Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith last week bumps this from first to third on the list, but the long-term remains murky at receiver. Smith is coming off a pair of down years and could be on the back ed of his career while Jeffery remains on just a one-year deal and could be on his way out of town this time next year. 

John Ross possesses a skill set that neither Jeffery nor Smith has and could grow with Wentz for the next decade, but it's starting to seem like he may already be off the board at 14. Instead, the Eagles could use a mid-round pick on an unpolished receiver who could spend a year developing under Jeffery's and Smith's tutelage. 

Running Back

Last week, I had the Eagles taking Dalvin Cook in the first round of my mock draft, but Joe Douglas has a long history of success with late-round running backs. Going into 2017 with just Wendell Smallwood and Darren Sproles would be a mistake, but the Eagles could get by with those two and another late-round back. 

Maybe a bigger back, such as Pitt's James Conner would have a skillset that would complement the Eagles current stable of running backs. 

Offensive Tackle

The interior of the Eagles' offensive line has the most depth of any position on the roster, but the tackles could still use some work. The Eagles simply aren't sufficiently prepared for life after Jason Peters. With Lane Johnson always one misstep away from missing an entire season, the Birds need to make sure they have a contingency plan in place.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai is a decent backup, but with Wentz's health being the franchise's top priority, he's not good enough. The Eagles need more tackles who can develop and take over at right tackle in 2018 or left tackle, should Johnson fail another drug test.

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