3 Eagles Who Must Be Benched Before the Playoffs

The Eagles are in a rough stretch, having lost three straight games and fallen out of the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Nonetheless, this is a quality roster, though several holes have become clear over the course of the season. Philly is 26th in opponent points per game (24.4), so obvious improvements need to be made on the defensive end in particular.

Given the team's recent struggles, here are three players must be benched before the playoffs if the Eagles are returning to the Super Bowl:

3 Eagles Who Must Be Benched

1. Shaquille Leonard - LB

It was a nice story to bring the four-time All-Pro to the Eagles, but it's obvious Leonard is more of a liability than a help. He played 46% of the snaps in the Week 15 loss to the Seahawks and was routinely out of position, especially in the run game.

He couldn't get on the field in Indianapolis. Now, we know why.

Injuries seem to have zapped Leonard's athleticism. Several times throughout the game, he overpursued and wasn't quick enough to correct the mistake, allowing easy gains for Kenneth Walker III or one of Seattle's receivers.

Given the struggles in the secondary, and we'll discuss those soon, Philadelphia needs quality linebacker play. Leonard doesn't seem capable of giving the organization that at this stage.

The Eagles would be best served cutting this experiment short.

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