See Les Bowen’s Eagles All-Decade Team

Picking an Eagles All-Decade team was interesting for me because when I was finished, I realized it highlighted two of the franchise’s biggest ongoing problems: None of my wide receivers and neither of my corners has played a full season for the team since 2016.

Actually, I think the best season by a cornerback playing for the Eagles this decade might have been Patrick Robinson in the slot the Super Bowl year, but that was his only season here, so, it’s hard to make him All-Decade.

Some people might quibble with Jordan Matthews as a third wideout over Alshon Jeffery. It’s close. If you compare JMatt’s 2014-16 stats with Jeffery’s three years with the Eagles, I think I’m on reasonably solid ground.

The offensive line was fairly easy, though I would have loved to find a spot for Todd Herremans, one of the toughest, most versatile, and consistent players I’ve ever covered.

I thought about Nick Foles over Carson Wentz at quarterback and decided against it. Foles never played a full season as a starter here. His 2017 playoff run was astonishing, but Wentz’s body of work, 2016-2019, is better overall than Foles’ Eagles career. Mike Vick’s 2010 season gets an honorable mention.

I picked two tight ends and three defensive ends because we were asked to put 12 players on each unit, which would draw a flag in an actual game, I’m pretty sure. But Brent Celek and Zach Ertz both deserve mention, as do Brandon Graham, Trent Cole, and Connor Barwin.

I know Paul Domowitch fortified the weak linebacking group by including Barwin there. Domo is such a sneak. We’re using a 4-3 setup and Barwin was an edge rusher in a 3-4, he was not a 4-3 linebacker. Boo, Domo!

I agonized (not really, I did this whole thing in about half an hour) over leaving Jordan Hicks out of the linebackers, but he was hurt so much. I feel strongly about DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks, if you wanted to say Hicks was more deserving than Nigel Bradham, I wouldn’t say you were crazy. Nigel was a tough, durable dude, though.

The offensive line was fairly easy, though I would have loved to find a spot for Todd Herremans, one of the toughest, most versatile, and consistent players I’ve ever covered.

Kick returner was a toughie. I went with the main man from the Super Bowl season, who also was a heck of a nice guy.

Here’s the team:

QB: Carson Wentz

RB: LeSean McCoy

WR: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jordan Matthews

TE: Zach Ertz, Brent Celek

LT: Jason Peters

LG: Evan Mathis

C: Jason Kelce

RG: Brandon Brooks

RT: Lane Johnson

DE: Brandon Graham, Connor Barwin, Trent Cole

DT: Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan

LBs: Mychal Kendricks, DeMeco Ryans, Nigel Bradham

S: Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod

CB: Asante Samuel, Brandon Boykin

K: Jake Elliott

P: Donnie Jones

PR: Darren Sproles

KR: Kenjon Barner