The Eagles are back to the Super Bowl for the 2nd time in 3 years, but a handful of impact players are here this time that were not before
The Eagles have returned to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. It is uncharted territory for the franchise as returning to the big game this quickly has never been done before in their team’s history. The majority of the squad remains the same as two years ago. They will be looking for revenge from the loss two years ago, but there are a handful of roster and coaching changes, many for the better.
Eagles Coaching Staff
Kellen Moore: It is fair to say that the 2022 offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen, got more out of Jalen Hurts. Steichen did get two seasons with Hurts, but Moore has done a solid job this year. The offense can sometimes be a little inconsistent, but when Moore has rolled with his stars things have largely worked. It is hard to argue with being a top-seven offense. They scored more points than they did last year and have certainly looked more dynamic.
Vic Fangio: After years of toying around with Fangio-type defenses they finally went out and just got the man himself. Fangio’s turnaround of the Eagles defense has been unreal. He took one of the worst defenses in the league in 2023 and made them the best in 2024. They aren’t just padding stats by beating up on bad teams like 2022. This group has beaten some very good teams too. They held Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford (twice), Jordan Love (Once), Lamar Jackson, and Jayden Daniels (twice) to 23 points or less. They held each one of these guys to 20 or less once this year as well. This defense is remarkably better than the Jonathan Gannon group in 2022. The biggest change is this team’s nose for turnovers. Their 26 in the regular season was good enough for 6th in the league, but they have turned it up a notch, having 10 in 3 postseason games.
Eagles Players
Cam Jurgens: We all felt the concern that there would be a massive dropoff after future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce retired this past offseason, but Jurgens has been more than enough in the role since taking over to start this year. His agility and ability to get out on blocks is very Kelce-esque. Which is fitting given he was Kelce’s handpicked replacement. Also, the Tush Push hasn’t lost a step since he took over the center role. While not an upgrade, Jurgens is relatively close to the production of his predecessor.
Mekhi Becton: While not in the sexiest position, Becton is absolutely outplaying his predecessor Isaac Seumalo at right guard. He’s been playing great and the 6’7 367lbs guard is quickly turning into a must-resign guy this offseason
Nolan Smith: One of the many Georgia Bulldogs on this team, while Smith hasn’t maybe matched the statistics of Hassan Reddick, he has been a wildly productive edge rusher. Ever since Brandon Graham went down, Nolan has elevated his game to another level. He has played at a Pro Bowl level in the second half and like many others has turned it up another notch in the playoffs.
Jalen Carter: How do you lose a HOF-level player like Fletcher Cox and improve at the position? Carter has been an unwieldy beast at the DT position. He, Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams have crushed it with Carter being one the better defensive players in the NFL. Carter is one of the guys who could be a true game-breaker on Super Bowl Sunday. A warrior who has played almost every snap this year, Carter has a proclivity for coming up clutch too as it was his sack and QB pressure that ended the Divisional Round game against the Rams. His combination of speed and power has led many to say he may be Warren Sapp 2.0.
Zach Baun: Speaking of game breakers, DPOY Candidate Zach Baun has terrorized offenses all year. Picked up off the scrap heap essentially, Baun has become one of the best linebackers in the NFL. In 3 playoff games, Baun has put up a stat line that some would be proud of throughout the full season. He is not only an improvement over the LBs the Eagles had in 2022, but he’s probably the best LB that has been on this roster since 2002.
Quinyon Mitchell & Cooper DeJean: Both rookie CBs have come out and played stunningly good ball. Quinyon immediately stepped in and became an elite, shutdown corner. He has given good WRs fits all season and finally has snagged his first two picks in the playoffs. DeJean, while maybe not at the same level as Quinyon, has blossomed into a monster in the slot. Both of these guys are willing to hit too, with Cooper famously level Derick Henry earlier this year. Factor in that these two replaced James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox and the secondary has been massively improved.
Saquon Barkley: The Eagles had 17 carries for 45 yards from their running backs in Super Bowl 57. Saquon’s worst game this season was a better stat line than that. To say replacing Sanders/Gainwell/Scott for Barkley is an improvement is the understatement of the century. While this team has always built an identity through their nasty, unstoppable offensive line, this year it has been kicked into overdrive by adding a guy who I can confidently say is the best player in football at the moment. Barkley doesn’t just run well, he consistently hits home runs in a spot where everyone knows they need to stop him. Saquon is the single biggest difference for the Eagles from their last appearance in 2022.
Will the team upgrades from 2022 be enough to best the Chiefs in our Super Bowl Rematch? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.