Five reasons the Eagles will be even better than they were when they won Super Bowl LIX

The Eagles reconvene Wednesday for a training camp that begins what should be an inexorable march back to the Super Bowl. They are not identical to the team that was, for four months, clearly the best in the NFL — no team is identical year-to-year, but they are, again, clearly the best team in the NFL. In fact, despite significant personnel losses, they’re probably better than the team that rolled the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans.

The assumption that personnel losses for this team will inevitably result in an inferior roster seems, frankly, foolish.

Entering last season — for that matter, entering the Super Bowl — no one fretted over the possible free-agency departures of defensive tackle Milton Williams and defensive end Josh Sweat. They’d combined for 14 sacks in the regular season and zero in three playoff games. They combined for 4½ sacks against the Chiefs, and signed elsewhere for a combined $180 million. Godspeed, fellas.

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This time last year, Mekhi Becton was a first-round bust at tackle with the Jets and a one-year gamble by the Eagles as Tyler Steen’s backup at guard, a job he won after Steen got hurt. He was the worst player on the best line, and the Chargers bet $20 million that he’d be just as good with them. Again, Godspeed.

The Birds figured they could do without mistake-prone, big-play safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and cut “Big Play” Darius Slay, who, at 34, got $10 million in guaranteed money from the Steelers. Good for him.

Still, what remains is the foundation of an elite team. One of the best teams in Eagles history. A team of staggering talent and one of absurd youth that will continue to improve.

Anything less than another title will be a disappointment.

Here’s why.

Left tackle Jordan Mailata, right tackle Lane Johnson, left guard Landon Dickerson, and center Cam Jurgens just had the best seasons of their careers, according to Pro Football Focus. The last three went to the Pro Bowl, and Mailata graded out as the best lineman in the league.

It won’t matter if Tyler Steen or Tyler Perry plays right guard.

With all due respect to Reggie White’s defensive lines, this is the best unit in the history of the franchise.

Lost in the constant diminishment of Hurts due to his unremarkable passing totals is the fact that his passer rating of 103.7 last season not only was his career high, it was fifth in the NFL. Efficiency, discretion, and winning are just as important as arm talent, and, as Nick Sirianni has told us from the day he was hired, Hurts has enough arm talent to win games when needed. Big games. Like, Super Bowl LIX, of which he was MVP.

In the eight playoff games since his postseason debut in 2021, Hurts has a 102.5 playoff passer rating, with nine passing touchdowns, one interception, 10 rushing touchdowns, and one lost fumble.

And he’ll still be just 27 when the season starts.

Barkley amassed 2,283 yards from scrimmage in 16 regular-season games. Of the 12 NFL players who amassed more than that in a single season, half of them amassed at least 1,800 yards the following season. Priest Holmes did it three times in a row. Marshall Faulk, the best all-purpose back in history, did it four times straight.

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There’s no reason to think that Barkley, 28, can’t hit the 1,800-yard mark again — especially since the weaponry around him will largely be unchanged.

Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun, and corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are Pro Bowl-caliber players. Edge rusher Nolan Smith might be better than any of them. They average 2.4 years of NFL service. All will get better before they get worse.

They were the core of the league’s No. 1 defense. Any team would take this quintet as the base of their defense. Which, with coordinator Vic Fangio, again should be elite.

The Birds have an embarrassment of riches as pass-catchers, and this trio is the league’s best.

Smith holds the franchise record with 595 receiving yards in the postseason.

Goedert holds the franchise record with 52 catches in the postseason.

Brown is better than both of them.

I mean, come on.