Philadelphia Eagles: How good can the defensive line be?

During the 2016 season, the Philadelphia Eagles defense was up and down. One spot that was impressive throughout the season was the defensive line. With new players coming into the fold this year’s line could be even better.

The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to keep improving after a season where a rookie quarterback and a seemingly mix and match defense led them to a 7-9 record. With the offseason coming and going, new players have been brought in to fix some of the weaker spots of the team. New players at wide receiver, cornerback, and running back all seemed like a given, but the influx of new talent along the defensive line was surprising to see.

Losing nose tackle Bennie Logan to the Chiefs and cutting defensive end Connor Barwin this offseason hurt, but the Eagles still had enough depth to overcome these losses. Instead of sitting idly by, the team went out and traded for Logan’s replacement in nose tackle Timmy Jernigan. The front office wasn’t done there as they also signed free agent defensive end Chris Long to play the role of the situational pass rusher, mixing in with new starter Vinny Curry.

The team’s most surprising move along the defensive line came during the NFL Draft. Instead of drafting a cornerback, one that the team desperately needed, they instead decided to draft a defensive end, Derek Barnett. A curious move at the time, Barnett has proven in limited chances that the gamble taken on him could pay off big time. Coach Doug Pederson will have to get creative in his attempt to get all of these players snaps since stalwarts Fletcher Cox on the inside, and Brandon Graham on the outside, won’t be taking many plays off.

Pro Football Focus ranked the Eagles defensive line as the 3rd best in the NFL heading into this season, with the new players bought in having a big effect. With an elite defensive tackle in Fletcher Cox, and a rising 2nd team All-Pro defensive end in Brandon Graham, the new members of the team don’t have to play hero, just making the basic plays and attacking the quarterback will be just fine.

Next: Philadelphia Eagles: Which running backs make the cut?

By getting to the quarterback more frequently, the secondary may have an easier time this season. Having a top defensive line helps out in more aspects than just getting sacks. More pressure on the quarterback leads to an easier time and improved numbers for the cornerbacks. An improved cornerback group should lead to more turnovers and fewer points for the opposition. With more turnovers for the opposition that means more chances for Carson Wentz to win the Eagles games. By creating a top tier group, the Eagles have put themselves in a position to challenge for the NFC East now.