Last season Philadelphia had five Eagles players selected for the Pro Bowl. Among them were Jason Kelce, Darius Slay, Josh Sweat, Javon Hargrave, and Jake Elliott.
Sweat, Hargrave, and Elliott were primarily named as alternatives, earning the Pro Bowl title after players from other teams were unable to play. For unknown reasons, Kelce pulled out a week prior, leaving four Eagles players to represent the NFC East.
This upcoming season, however, it’s likely that more players from Philadelphia will be chosen, some of them for the first time.
THREE EAGLES PLAYERS WHO WILL BECOME FIRST-TIME PRO BOWLERS
Dallas Goedert
Dallas Goedert essentially came into the spotlight last season once Zach Ertz was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. Becoming TE1, the Eagles signed Goedert to a four-year contract extension, worth $57 million.
Last season, Goedert became had the fifth-most yards (830) among all NFL tight ends. In 15 games, he completed 56 receptions, turning 42 of them into first downs, scoring four touchdowns. Averaging 14.8 yards per catch, Goedert is one of eight tight ends over the last five decades to do so with a minimum of 55 total catches.
Since Philadelphia drafted him in 2018, his stats continue to trend upward in both the regular and post-season. In 2021, during the Eagles’ playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Goedert had six receptions for 92 yards, averaging 15.3 yards for each catch.
At 27 years old, there’s no reason Goedert’s gameplay won’t continue to excel in 2022. Behind him, the Eagles have Jack Stoll and Tyree Jackson. Philadelphia also added Grant Calcaterra during this year’s NFL Draft; however, none have proven themselves to be a significant piece on the roster yet.
Jalen Hurts
As a second-year starting quarterback, Philadelphia is going all-in on Jalen Hurts.
Despite a slow start to the season, Hurts completed 265 passes for 3,144 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns in 2021. He also added 784 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, surpassing all of Philadelphia’s running backs and becoming the leading rusher for the Eagles.
Hurts definitely struggled to get the ball into his teammates’ hands, often found running outside the pocket, but the 23-year-old has what it takes to be a dual-threat quarterback.
Moving forward, the goal was to build around Hurts. The Eagles added wide receiver AJ Brown to the team in a blockbuster trade during the NFL Draft. Brown is not only a top WR, but also a friend of Hurts’, creating a dynamic that will strengthen the offense.
Going into the 2022 season, Sports Illustrated’s Michael Fabiano named Jalen Hurts eighth overall on PPR QB rankings. Hurts scored higher than guys like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. Though the rankings may not be accurate, 2022 is a make-or-break season for Hurts and I think he makes it.
Jordan Mailata
Jordan Mailata hasn’t been with Philadelphia long, but he embodies what it means to be part of the city. And he does so while still being a beast on the football field.
The Eagles selected Mailata in 2018; however, he wasn’t activated until 2020 after Jack Driscoll suffered injuries. In his first season, Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the top offensive tackles in the league. After competing for left tackle against former first-round pick Andre Dillard, Mailata secured the spot and a four-year contract extension.
Last season, he played 914 offensive snaps, allowing three sacks. PFF graded him 87.4 overall, rising to the second-best left tackle in the NFL, behind nine-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams of the 49ers.
Earlier this offseason, Mailata stated, “It doesn’t matter what I placed on PFF last year if I’m not hitting the right assignments and plays. Which I know, because we watch it here with Stout (Jeff Stoutland), and Stout would never let me forget, even plays from my rookie year.”
There’s no doubt Philadelphia fans will continue to see Mailata excel into 2022.
