From Good to Great

The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2023 season looking to defend their NFC title with one of the top rosters in the NFL.

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher gave their preseason picks for team MVPs, breakout players, and more.

Haason Reddick has helped transform the Eagles defense from good to great

Lane Johnson

Adam Caplan: “When we talk to coaches and executives from other teams, I don’t think I have ever heard them criticize him, that’s how special this football player is.”

Geoff Mosher: “I don’t know if he has a flaw. He never gets beat for a sack. Power rusher, speed rusher, bull rusher, you can’t say this is the kind of guy that gives Lane Johnson an issue.”

Josh Sweat

Caplan: “We have liked him from day one and he has steadily gotten better. He is another guy who does not get enough credit, has overcome a severe knee problem in high school. He has been an incredible story of improvement. You have Sean Desai here, Robert Quinn was tremendous two years ago in his only year under him with 18 sacks. Why can’t that be Josh Sweat?”

Mosher: “With a different defensive coordinator who may employ him differently, maybe he does a few thing differently that gets Sweat a few more one-on-ones or spreads him out or gets him on the move, maybe you get him to that 12 to 15 sack terrain this year.”

Haason Reddick

Mosher: “The Eagles were a good defense, but when they got Haason Reddick they became a great defense, a tenacious, ferocious defense that had a player that just kept offensive tackles and coordinators awake tonight.”

Caplan: “Reddick is on another level of explosiveness in his second reaction plays when he runs past the lineman and then attacks the quarterback is something special.”

Kenneth Gainwell

Mosher: “I’m not saying he is going to have 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns, but I think he is going to be used like a number two running back, not just a pass-catching third down back…D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny have injury histories, so it wouldn’t shock me if Gainwell for either much or most of the season isn’t just your number two running back, but also your number one guy if either Smith or Penny are hurt. What I’m envisioning is him getting somewhere between 800-850 total yards and eight touchdowns.”

Jordan Davis

Caplan: “Before Davis had his high ankle sprain, he showed improvement. It wasn’t a lot, but you saw the technique better, he wasn’t on his butt as he was earlier in the season and training camp. It’s technique, balance, and being in shape. We put out back in March that he showed up in really good shape. He is one of my breakout players on defense.”

Landon Dickerson

Caplan: “We spoke to enough people who said this guy should not have made the Pro Bowl. He would get these minor injuries, leave for a play or two and then come back. I’m saying this is the breakout year where we all know he was dominant this year.”

Zech McPhearson

Mosher: “I’m looking at a role player who is going to be put in a better position to succeed and that’s going to make him improved. He is probably going to see more time in the slot in camp. We all know Avonte Maddox has real trouble staying healthy, so it’s likely that if Zech McPhearson makes the team, he’ll get on the field in the slot. I think he’ll give you something better than Josiah Scott.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com