Five Breakout Candidates For The Philadelphia Eagles

Photo by Matt Silocum for Associated Press

1. Jalen Carter, Defensive Tackle

Jalen Carter was one of the most exciting prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, plain and simple. Being touted as the potential number one overall pick, Carter’s stock fell slightly as an off-the-field incident involving speeding and reckless driving charges where two people passed away loomed. Because of this the Eagles were able to trade with the Chicago Bears moving from the No.10 position to the No. 9 pick.

Carter burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, accumulating four sacks and seven quarterback (QB) hits by Week 10. While these numbers do not necessarily scream an outstanding level of efficiency, it is important to remember the Eagles play with a lot of depth on the defensive line, and he was a rookie.

With the retirement of Fletcher Cox and another full off-season to learn and grow under new Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, Carter is in a prime situation to improve upon his rookie season and anchor the Eagles’ defensive line.

2. Cam Jurgens, Offensive Lineman

Following along the vein of returning players who will be filling in for recently retired veterans, Cam Jurgens is next up. As Jason Kelce’s retirement became official this week, Jurgens will be stepping in as the center of the future on the Eagles offensive line. A former second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Jurgens has appeared in 28 games over the last two seasons, playing 89% of snaps last year according to Pro Football Reference.

It may seem odd to have a player who was already a well-established starter last year as a breakout candidate for the 2024-25 season, but when the shoes Jurgens will have to fill are considered, it makes sense.

The Eagles offense seeks to make up for last year’s late season collapse and return to prominence in a weak National Football Conference (NFC) and take the NFC East division title back from the Dallas Cowboys. With new Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore and an expanded role in a position change, the sky is the limit for Jurgens.

3. Nakobe Dean, Linebacker

The Eagles’ linebacker group was some of the worst in the league last year. Looking back at it now, the Eagles really would have benefitted from keeping TJ Edwards in last year’s offseason. Last season’s major addition, Darius Leonard, is no longer with the team and his signing was largely a bust.

What does this all mean? Nakobe Dean is stepping into a make-it-or-break-it year, as the 2022 third-round pick has been mostly lackluster in the 22 games he’s played in over the past two years. The former Butkus Award winner, given to the top linebacker in college football, has not lived up to the hype many had for him coming out of Georgia.

Coming off multiple injuries, this offseason will be crucial for Dean. Given the opportunity to start, will mean his talent will be on display as long as he is healthy. On a team looking to find their identity with older veterans being cycled out for younger players, Dean has all the potential to become an electric playmaker in the middle of the field for the birds.

4. Nolan Smith, Defensive End

Double-dipping into the Georgia linebacker breakout potential, next up is Nolan Smith. Taken at the back end of the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, Smith should have been able to hide some of the deficiencies at the second level last year, but injuries nagged for Smith. These ailments led to Smith never being 100 percent and factored into his low numbers, totaling only 18 tackles and one sack.

Assuming that all is well on the health front, Smith looks to be an area of promise for an Eagles linebacker core who would benefit from an infusion of talent. Smith’s speed and versatility should lead to more sacks, as well as improving the Eagles’ ability to stop the run. Inside Fangio’s new defense, look for Dean to break out and become a household name throughout the league.

5. Jordan Davis, Defensive Tackle

If you’re sick of Georgia players being mentioned here, understand it’s Howie Roseman’s fault for drafting so many of them, not mine.

Jordan Davis was drafted by the Eagles alongside Dean in the 2022 NFL Draft. Taken with the 13th overall pick that year, Davis has shown small flashes when he’s been on the field but not enough to warrant that selection to this point.

A major area of Davis’ game relies on his size but in the past few seasons, Davis has been playing at a point that seemed to be holding him back. In this offseason, he has cut down to 350 pounds with the help of Fangio and the athletic staff. Shedding off some of the weight should allow Davis to add a little speed to his step. If that happens, good luck to opposing offensive lines trying to stop him.

There’s a lot to like about the Eagles going into the 2024-25 season. A team that looked to be on the fast track to the Super Bowl last season before a generational collapse, the birds will look to these stars to fly high once more in pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy.