Top 10 reasons to be optimistic about the Eagles’ future

There are certainly plenty of questions for the Eagles following their Super Bowl run, but there’s also lots to be optimistic about heading into next season. Optimism in Philly? Yeah, it happens.

Here are 10 things working in the Eagles’ favor.

Sure, there are some land mines (home against the Bills, Vikings, and 49ers; at the Chiefs), but that’s typical of teams coming off division championships. Aside from trips to Seattle, Los Angeles (Rams), Dallas, and probably K.C., 13 of the Eagles’ 17 games will be in the Eastern time zone.

The NFL already has designated the teams to host games in Europe next season, and two of those teams — New England and Kansas City — are possible Eagles road opponents. There’s no way the league would put the Eagles-Chiefs in Germany, is there? Would be a heckuva way to avoid a trip to Arrowhead Stadium.

After the way the Eagles defense folded like a lawn chair in the second half of the Super Bowl — Kansas City scored every time it had the ball, including three 75-yard drives — maybe it’s best that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon took the Arizona head coaching job. Gannon helped build a strong defense with a historic pass rush, but he was going to be the scapegoat for the Super Bowl loss.

It’s likely the Eagles also will move on from Miles Sanders, who had a career year but was invisible in the Super Bowl. The emergence of change-up back Kenneth Gainwell, with a little Boston Scott sprinkled in, showed that the Eagles don’t need to use disproportionate salary-cap space on an RB1.

While it’s daunting that no team has repeated as NFC East champion in 19 years, the Cowboys still have Mike McCarthy, defenses are bound to figure out the Giants’ Daniel Jones, and Washington’s football team is as trustworthy as its town’s politicians.

The Eagles have the 10th and 30th picks in the first round of April’s draft because the Carson Wentz deal to Indianapolis is the gift that keeps on giving. The second-round conditional pick that the Eagles got in 2021 became a first-rounder when Wentz played 75% of the snaps that year. That was then swapped last year to New Orleans for an even better position.

The Eagles lost both coordinators, but offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is staying. Might be the Birds’ most important assistant since Jim Johnson.

Seems natural that quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson will be elevated to offensive coordinator after Shane Steichen took the Colts’ head coaching job. Johnson played in high school for Jalen Hurts’ dad. Hurts, during Super Bowl week, said Johnson “was like family.”

Assuming Jason Kelce returns and Lane Johnson’s torn groin tendon is repaired without a hitch, the Eagles’ dominant offensive line might lose only free agent Isaac Seumalo. Kelce, who turns 36 in November, had arguably his best season in 2022.

We all know the story of how Hurts responded to his benching at Alabama. But remember the play immediately after Hurts fumbled a touchdown away to Kansas City early in the third quarter? The Eagles again called an identical quarterback draw that Hurts took for a nice gain. Beyond the 14 yards he picked up, the play call likely affirmed to Hurts that Eagles coaches had ultimate faith in their quarterback. Except for that one ghastly play, he was the best player on the field in the Super Bowl. And if the queen had a beard, she’d be king.

The Top 10, presented by Xfinity, takes a look at the most memorable, iconic, and newsworthy moments in sports, sports culture, and Philly’s place in all of it.