The Eagles avoided a massive rebuild from an on-the-field standpoint, going 9-8 last season while also securing the final playoff berth.
The retool has been accelerated after an apparent action plan for immediate improvement this offseason.
Even with the additions of Haason Reddick, Kyzir White, Nakobe Dean, and others, questions still need to be answered with the first week of camp now completed.
Here’s one burning question for Philadelphia at every defensive position.
DE -- Can the Eagles naturally produce pressure of the edge?
Brandon Graham is 34 now and is coming off a ruptured Achilles.
Derek Barnett hasn’t met expectations but still returned on a two-year deal. Josh Sweat (7.5 sacks in 2021) just signed a new deal, and Tarron Jackson is a player to watch.
The Eagles finished with the second-fewest sacks in the NFL with 29, despite finishing tied for 15th in pressures with 197 over 17 games.
Philadelphia loves to bring pressure off the edge. This unit will need to produce without having Haason Reddick slide down to the defensive end spot from his SAM linebacker position on every down.
DT -- Can the arrival of Jordan Davis make Fletcher Cox more productive?
Cox was released and re-signed after logging 3.5 sacks, 41 pressures, and 12 quarterback hits, but the arrival of Jordan Davis could mean a reduction in snaps.
Davis has taken first-team reps during camp, and it’ll be interesting to see how Jonathan Gannon manages Cox’s load.
A fresher Fletcher Cox could mean a more intense pass rush up the middle, preventing opposing quarterbacks from completing 80% of their passes.
LB -- Can T.J. Edwards hold off Nakobe Dean at MLB?
After replacing Eric Wilson in the lineup, Edwards played 96 percent of the snaps over the Eagles last eight games, and he signed a contract extension.
Philadelphia then added Haason Reddick, Kyzir White, and Nakobe Dean to the roster via free agency and the draft, making things interesting at the position.
Edwards’s 30 career starts are second-most by an undrafted Eagles linebacker in his first three seasons, and he’s been the best player at the position thus far.
S -- Who will emerge at safety behind Marcus Epps/Anthony Harris?
Enter training camp, the biggest question centered around if it would be Marcus Epps or Jaquiski Tartt at the safety position opposite veteran Anthony Harris?
A 2015 second-round draft pick (46th overall) by San Francisco, Tartt was supposed to immediately compete for a starting role opposite Anthony Harris.
Epps was one of the highest-graded safeties in the NFL last season while playing in a limited role and the expectation is that his production should increase with more snaps.
K’Von Wallace, Andre Chachere, and Reed Blankenship are all competing for a ton of playing time.
CB --Who will emerge as CB No. 5?
Zech McPhearson has started to plant seeds for the future, while Tay Gowan, Mac McCain, and Kary Vincent Jr. will fight for the final roster spots at the position. Josh Blackwell, Josh Jobe, and Mario Goodrich are practice squad nominees.
