Getty Quarterback Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles, who look to improve through the 2019 NFL Draft.
After another deep playoff run behind the fan-favorite Nick Foles, the Philadelphia Eagles move forward into 2019 without their playoff hero. Instead, the Eagles’ hopes rely on the shoulders of the oft-injured, but supremely talented, Carson Wentz. With a Super Bowl caliber roster for the most part already in place, the Eagles aren’t looking to overhaul their team as much as they are trying to find complementary pieces who can help take them over the top or fill in should the injury bug strike again.
With another Lombardi Trophy in the sights of Eagles fans heading into 2019, just which draft picks do the Eagles own the rights to heading into the second day of the draft?
Eagles NFL Draft Picks: When Does Philadelphia Select in 2nd & 3rd Rounds?
Round 2, Pick 53 – Miles Sanders, RB Penn State
Round 2, Pick 57 – JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Stanford
Eagles NFL Draft Biggest Needs
The Eagles moved up in the first round to help fortify their offensive line, a key area for improvement considering how fragile franchise quarterback Carson Wentz has been. The offensive line hasn’t been bad by any means but doing everything possible to keep Wentz upright and healthy is the Eagles’ most pressing issue to address at this time. Don’t be shocked to see the Eagles go to the offensive line again later in the draft even though they have a solid and established line currently.
Although the Eagles recently traded for Jordan Howard, they should be expected to go hunting for a running back with one of their second-round picks. With a consistent running attack to help take the load off of Wentz’s shoulders, the Eagles can help round out their attack and put them back in serious contention for another Super Bowl.
Defensively, the Eagles don’t have too many dire needs. While they have a very strong defensive line, they could use a bit more depth on that front and could possibly look to take a big interior lineman at some point moving forward. They also are a bit thin at linebacker but actually, tend to not utilize traditional linebackers all that much. Instead, the Eagles opt to flood the field with players adept at dropping back into coverage. Considering they already have their key contributors locked up, they might take a late-round depth flier here just as an insurance policy.
Already a Super Bowl contending team as currently built, the Eagles have the luxury of picking to help offer depth as opposed to filling a pressing void. As a result, the Eagles can more often than not just take the best player available on the board, something that should be tremendously valuable in the long run.