The pieces are in place. As the Eagles prep to take the field in their first set of OTAs early next week, the roster put together by Howie Roseman and company is more or less complete.
Despite changes of both regime and scheme, the Eagles roster didn't experience as much of a makeover as it did during last offseason under Chip Kelly's control. But changes have been made and it is worth taking a look at how the 2016 Philadelphia Eagles will differ from last year's team, for better or worse.
Quarterback
You know the story: Mark Sanchez is out, Chase Daniel is in. Roseman spent a king's ransom for the opportunity to draft Carson Wentz, upsetting Sam Bradford, but now all three QBs are with the team and ready to go. Wentz is clearly the signal caller of the future and for the first time since Kevin Kolb was developing the Eagles have a potential long-term answer at quarterback. That alone is enough to consider this position upgraded.
Verdict: Better
Running Back
It's clear Roseman and Doug Pederson don't value the running back position as much as Kelly, but this group has been severely neglected in the past few months. DeMarco Murray clearly struggled last year, but he has a better chance of being productive for 20 carries per game than Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles or rookie Wendell Smallwood. Mathews is clearly the best of that bunch, but he is a poor receiver, which limits his ability in a pass-heavy offense.
Verdict: Worse
Fullback
Pederson has said he believes that a tight end can play the fullback position, and considering there still isn't one on the roster, it looks like that will be the case. Trey Burton would be my pick for that role, he played some running back in college and is a versatile playmaker who could contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. But still, no changes have technically been made, yet.
Verdict: Push
Wide Receiver
I really like what the Eagles did at the receiver position in free agency. Chris Givens and Rueben Randle are two veterans who are good at what they do. Givens is a deep ball threat and Randle is a solid receiver, especially in the west coast offense. Both of those guys act almost as insurance policies if Nelson Agholor and Josh Huff – still holding out hope on that one — are unable to become consistent threats in the passing game. At the very least, they will have guys who will catch balls thrown to them, which is something the team couldn't count on last year.
Verdict: Better
Tight End
Like the full back position, there aren't any changes for this unit. although there are bodies on the roster, so that's a plus. Roseman made sure to lock Zach Ertz for the long term, which is good, considering he was the NFL's best tight end during the last five weeks of the 2015 season. In Pederson's system, there will be more emphasis on getting the ball to Ertz and Brent Celek over the middle. Expect their numbers to rise dramatically, but with no actual moves, this group remains stagnant.
Verdict: Push
Offensive Line
This was the biggest hole in this roster at the outset of the offseason and Roseman pulled out all the stops to make sure there aren't any holes in the o-line this year. High-priced, veteran free agent? Check. Young, potentially undervalued starter on a cheap deal? Check. Multiple mid-round picks on athletic, versatile linemen? Check. Brandon Brooks will solidify the right guard position from day one and the rookies, along with Allen Barbre and Stefen Wisniewski will battle for the left guard spot. No perennial All-Pros in that group, but it's a huge step above the guys that were trotting out to the field last fall.
Verdict: Better
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
