The 2021 NFL season was an improvement on the last for the Philadelphia Eagles, but they still looked a far cry from the 2017 team that defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 at Super Bowl LII. Head coach Nick Sirianni guided the Eagles to a 9-8 record, but they lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers humbled them 15-31. Can Sirianni make his Eagles find their wings and make their way to what would be their fourth Super Bowl appearance?
The answer to that question is a resounding no if you listen to the best sports betting sites because they make the Philadelphia Eagles 14th favorites to lift the famous Vince Lombardi Trophy. That essentially means the Eagles have little to no chance of becoming Super Bowl champions in 2022. However, Sirianni has reinforced his roster with a mixture of free agency signings and some shrewd selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, making us think the Eagles may not win the Super Bowl but will have a significant say in who does.
Signing a Ridiculously Quick Man Mountain
Defensive tackle Jordan Davis joins the Eagles roster after selecting him 13th overall in the first round. The Eagles jumped up a couple of picks from 15th to get their hands on Davis, which cost them four picks to the Houston Texans. Davis has the potential to become an NFL superstar, and Sirianni and his team think so, too, judging by the trade-off they made to see him in an Eagles uniform in 2022.
Davis played 47 games over four seasons for the Georgia Bulldogs, recording 37 solo tackles, 91 tackles combined, with 12.5 tackles for loss. He may have only enjoyed seven sacks, but that is partly due to the tactics the Bulldogs deployed. Davis ran a 4.78-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine in addition to making a 32.0-inch vertical jump and 10 feet 3-inch broad jump. You may be sitting there wondering what is so impressive about those figures. Well, Davis weighs 341 pounds! His pace and power will terrify opponents.
Welcoming a Dangerous Wide Receiver
The Eagles also got their hands on the highly-rated AJ Brown after trading their 18th overall pick and a third-round pick with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans selected Brown as the 51st overall pick in 2019, and he quickly became a regular starter. Brown racked up 2,995 regular season yards and 24 touchdowns from 185 receptions across 43 games (36 starts). The Eagles tied Brown to a four-year $100 million contract with $57 million guaranteed. It could be a genius piece of business if Brown combines well with Jalen Hurts, who is entering his third season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback.
Ironically, the Eagles were tipped to use their 18th pick to select Treylon Burks, who they would have hoped turned into AJ Brown! The Titans used the 18th pick they got from the Eagles to replace Brown with Burks.
Draft Picks For The Future
Two other draft picks went under the radar, mainly because they are signings for the future and not necessarily guaranteed to get minutes during the upcoming campaign. Cam Jurgens, an athletic center, came in at 51st. The Eagles obviously see him as a replacement for Jason Kelce, who turns 35-years-old in November. Indeed, Kelce assisted the Eagles’ scouting network in selecting Jurgens.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean is the other draft pick that could turn out to be a great bit of business. The former Georgia Bulldogs star who won the Butkus Award for college football’s best linebacker, was expected to be a second-round pick. However, he went to the combine carrying injuries and slid down the pecking order. The Eagle took a chance on Dean, and it could well be a gamble that reaps dividends down the line.
The Eagles start their quest for 2022 Super Bowl glory on the road at Detroit Lions on September 11; the Lions went 3-11-1 last season. September 19 sees the first home fixture at Lincoln Financial Field when the Eagles host the Minnesota Vikings.
