The Eagles will hit the field tomorrow for the first day of OTAs and with a lot of new faces. Thanks to the addition of Jim Schwartz and the implementation of his attacking, 4-3 defensive scheme, the Eagles defense will revert back to a style of play more reminiscent of the great defenses developed under Jim Johnson's eye during Andy Reid's tenure.
Last week, we took a look at where the offense stands after offseason changes. With all of the changes that have occurred on the defensive side of the ball, here is a look at how the Eagles have changed their roster from the end of 2015 until now.
Defensive Line
The defensive line has been the strongest unit on the Eagles roster for the past two years, and that is a trend that should continue in 2016. Cedric Thornton left for the Dallas Cowboys, but in Schwartz's wide-9 alignment, his effectiveness may have nullified.
Connor Barwin, Brandon Graham and Marcus Smith will all transition to defensive end, a move that should be beneficial to Graham. Fletcher Cox will also see an uptick in his numbers now that he is allowed to penetrate into the backfield. The Eagles defensive line will be much more productive in 2016, but thanks to no personnel moves actually occurring, with the exception of Thornton's departure, makes it hard to call this group better than last year's.
Verdict: Push
Linebackers
I don't know how much more I can emphasize my concern for the Eagles linebacking corps in 2016. Trading away Kiko Alonso and handing DeMeco Ryans his walking papers eliminating all depth they had at the MIKE spot. Jordan Hicks and 2016 seventh-round pick Joe Walker are the only two MLBs on the Eagles roster who stand a shot at making the team.
With Nigel Bradham and Mychal Kendricks starting next to Hicks, the Eagles have a decent trio, but I still can't fully trust Hicks's health. Last year, the Eagles overloaded on inside linebackers, knowing that the position leaves players susceptible to injury and all four of their guys got hurt at some point during the season.
I'm not saying he won't stay healthy, but the odds are stacked against Hicks and if the Eagles are forced to go to the bench, things could get real ugly, real quick.
Verdict: Worse
Cornerbacks
Let's get this out of the way first: Byron Maxwell is better than any of the cornerbacks that are currently on the Eagles roster. However, what the Eagles have done this offseason is add a number of players who have a history of solid contributions. Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll will compete for a starting spot and there are at least four defensive backs who will hope to lock down the slot corner spot in camp.
The x-factor of this group is last year's second-round pick Eric Rowe. The Eagles are expecting Rowe to take a big step forward after an inconsistent rookie campaign. He showed a lot of good, but Rowe needs to improve in his technique and make sure he doesn't take a step backward in 2016.
Despite there being no frontline star, the Eagles have a lot more depth at the cornerback spot and it should make for an training camp with all these guys competing for just five or six spots.
Verdict: Better
Safeties
This one is pretty simple: Walter Thurmond out, Rodney McLeod in. Thurmond surprised a lot of people last year with how well he transitioned to safety, but McLeod has been playing the position his entire career. A former undrafted free agent, McLeod is a great at covering deep balls and also knows how to lay the smack down, if needed.
Also, the addition of Jalen Mills in the draft could give the Eagles another safety capable of stepping in and contributing, something that Chris Maragos is unable to do. With Ed Reynolds still on the roster, it seems the Eagles may have finally cured their safety issues for the foreseeable future with McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins.
Verdict: Better
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
