Philadelphia Eagles need youngsters to step up in 2021
The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t being projected to do much by the experts. If that’s to be proven wrong, it’ll be due to the young guns.
Youth must be served in Philadelphia. Without it, the Eagles and their fans should start thinking about the 2022 NFL Draft.
In the city of brotherly love, the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to rebuild a franchise that only three years ago won its first Lombardi Trophy. Since then, the decline has been steep, with quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Nick Foles both traded away, head coach Doug Pederson fired and myriad others out the door.
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Fast forward to the present, and the faces are both new and young. Head coach Nick Sirianni is a hot-shot who served as offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts. Sirianni, a head coach for the first time at any level, is trying to find the controls on a rudderless franchise. First step, get something going with second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts.
On Thursday, Hurts and Sirianni took their first steps together in the team’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hurts wasn’t great, going 3-of-7 for 54 yards. However, there were some positives from the night, highlighted by second-year receiver Quez Watkins taking a screen pass 79 yards for a touchdown.
After the game, Sirianni talked about Watkins and where his potential lies, per NFL.com:
“Any time you get a guy that can run like Quez can, that’s obviously a very big threat to the defense. Softens them up. We have seen that, right? You guys have been at all the practices. You’ve seen him get behind the defense, make some plays on the ball. That’s what impressive with Quez, he has good strong hands that can go up and make plays. He has that speed and can go up and make plays. So that’s a weapon that we’re hoping to continue to develop.”
Read: NFL Power Rankings – Top 5 Receivers Heading Into 2021
Sirianni desperately needs Watkins and rookie receiver DeVonta Smith to develop rapidly. As a rookie, Watkins only had seven catches. He’s undoubtedly going to get far more opportunities this year, and he’ll need to make the most of them for Philadelphia to contend in the weak NFC East.
In Philadelphia, veterans like Brandon Graham, Darius Slay, Fletcher Cox and Steven Nelson will determine the defense’s fate, but without an offense, it goes for naught. And on that side of the ball, Hurts, Watkins and Smith will chart the course.
