The Eagles are participating in Phase One of the offseason workout program, and as the summer creeps up, it’ll be time to start discussing potential breakout performers.
Jalen Hurts turned an All-Pro season into a historic contract and the title as the face of the franchise.
At the same time, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Josh Sweat, and others all took the next steps towards becoming elite at their respective positions.
As Philadelphia retools the roster, new faces will emerge, elevating their play and giving the franchise even more depth at key positions.
With training camp fast approaching, here are 10 Eagles who could make the NFL’s most improved list this season.
Reed Blankenship
The former Middle Tennesee State safety saw action in 10 games with four starts after making the Eagles’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent.
Blankenship finished with 34 tackles, two passes defended, and one interception in a talented secondary.
Blankenship has all the looks of an impactful starter in 2023.
Britain Covey
Covey had 33 punt returns and ten kick returns for the Eagles this season, acting as the Eagles’ primary return man on the punt team and the second-leading kickoff returner.
Covey finished with over 500 yards between kick and punt returns and didn’t cost Philadelphia any games by putting the football on the ground.
With an entire NFL offseason to get acclimated to the receiver position, the tiny wideout could find a role on offense in 2023.
Jordan Davis
Philadelphia moved up to secure Davis after the former Georgia All-American defensive tackle recorded a 4.78 time in the 40-yard dash during the 2022 NFL Combine, weighing over 330 pounds.
Davis missed several games with an ankle injury. Still, he was so impactful that he was named the 2022 PFWA All-Rookie Team after producing 18 total tackles, four quarterback pressures, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended.
Davis could snag several awards if he can increase that production and combine it with week-to-week impact.
Nakobe Dean
The former Georgia All-American linebacker saw action in 17 regular season games, with most of his snaps on special teams.
Dean played with an edge and showed potential during the preseason, and he’ll be a starter in 2023 while surrounded by four Georgia teammates.
Patrick Johnson
Johnson Played in 33 games over the last two years as a seventh-round pick out of Tulane. He’s listed as a linebacker but Johnson has been an edge rusher in the Eagles’ scheme the past two seasons, logging 213 snaps (21%) on defense in 2022, producing 11 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 3 QB hits.
His 18 blitzes were 4th-most on the roster, and he turned them into five pressures, three QB hits, and two hurries.
A transition to a full-time pass rusher could produce major results.
Zech McPhearson
McPhearson could be far from a full-time starter, but he’s a solid special teamer and a capable backup who could flourish with a move inside the slot.
Janarius Robinson
The Vikings drafted him in the fourth round out of Florida State in 2021, but Robinson got hurt in training camp and missed his rookie season. Philadelphia claimed Robinson after Minnesota released him last summer, and spent most of the year inactive or on injured reserve.
Robinson is athletic, and if he can find a role in the rotation, a six-sack season wouldn’t be out of the question.
Marlon Tuipulotu
A star at USC, Tuipulotu was selected by Philadelphia in the 6th round (189th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Last season the defensive tackle played in nine games and made one start before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
He logged 16 total tackles, three quarterback pressures, two quarterback hits, 1.0 sacks, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery.
Tuipuloutu had a career-high five tackles and one fumble recovery in the Week 10 loss to the Commanders.
After suffering an MCL injury, the Eagles signed Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh.
If Tuipulotu can take his play up a notch, he could be a player to watch.
K'Von Wallace
Wallace is entering year No. 4 and will look to finally cement a role in the Eagles’ defensive back rotation.
After losing snaps to Reed Blankenship in 2022, Wallace is the longest-tenured safety on the team, and a breakout season could have him on many most improved lists.
Quez Watkins
Watkins had a 647-yard season in 2021, but his numbers dipped to 33 catches for 354 yards and three touchdowns, with A.J. Brown emerging as the top guy.
Like Zaccheaus, Watkins has an opportunity to increase his numbers as teams attempt to take away Brown and DeVonta Smith on the outside.
Milton Williams
Philadelphia selected Williams in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
His coming out party came during the 2021 NFC Wild Card Playoff loss to the Buccaneers, where he tallied a career-high-tying four tackles and one pressure over 39 snaps.
In 2022, Williams appeared in all 17 games and recorded 36 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, 4.0 sacks, and two passes defended.
Williams’s four sacks, 6 QB hits, and 9 TFLs were among the only players in his position to earn such a stat line without starting a game.
Williams had a career-high eight tackles in the Week 10 loss to Washington.
With Javon Hargrave moving on to San Francisco and Fletcher Cox a year older, Williams has an excellent opportunity to carve out his role despite Philadelphia adding Jalen Carter.
Olamide Zaccheaus
Zaccheaus had 40 catches for 533 yards and three touchdowns last season, and he could potentially top those numbers in the explosive Eagles offense.
Teams adjust, and if the weekly game plan centers on taking away A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, then someone outside of Dallas Goedert will have to make teams play one-on-one with their outside cornerbacks.
Grant Calcaterra
The former Oklahoma and SMU pass catcher saw action in 15 games, with two starts, while Dallas Goedert was injured.
Calcaterra caught five passes for 81 yards as a rookie in an offense dominated by Goedert and other pass catchers.
Calcaterra has a relationship with Jalen Hurts from their time at Oklahoma, and Philadelphia can be especially dangerous on offense when multiple tight ends are in the lineup.
