4 Eagles players most likely to make “the leap” in 2024

Last year, whenever anyone wrote an article listing players “most likely to break out,” the name at the top of the list was linebacker Nakobe Dean.

The reasons were understandable. He was a third-round draft pick with tons of athleticism, seen as a steal of a pick at that point in the draft. He had mostly watched from the sidelines in his rookie season and was being handed the starting off-ball linebacker job before training camp opened.

But his “leap” season last year never materialized. He was often exposed in coverage when he was healthy, and was absent most of the season due to a Lisfranc injury that essentially wiped out his sophomore season.

Fast forward to the mandatory minicamps this year, where Dean is seemingly behind on the depth chart in Vic Fangio’s defense behind free agent acquisition Zack Baun, who you will be reading more about in a minute. While it’s too soon to give up on Dean, I’ve lost confidence that he’s going to be an impact player in the NFL, and there simply aren’t any indications, at least right now, that he’s ready to make the kind of jump we thought we’d see at the beginning of last season.

So, if not Dean, who are the Eagles most likely to make “the leap” in 2024? Here are four possibilities.

ZACK BAUN

Based on what was made available to the press at OTAs/minicamp, Zack Baun, the former Saints edge rusher signed to a one-year free agent contract this off-season, he’s ahead of Dean on the depth chart at off-ball linebacker. And when he was on the field, he looked legit.

Baun played mostly edge rusher last season for New Orleans, but Fangio seems infatuated with the idea of the 27-year-old at that important spot in his defense. He’s 6-3, 223 pounds, played all 17 games for the Saints last year and recorded two sacks, four QB hits and notched his first career interception last year, too.

It will be an adjustment for Baun to play inside linebacker and be able to hold up against the run, drop into coverage and find ways to get to the QB in traffic. But one would also expect Fangio to find ways to get Baun on the edge for a pass rep or two and get after the quarterback in the way he always has.

Quinyon Mitchell is the most obvious breakout candidate in the Eagles’ revamped secondary, but where’s the fun in picking the slam-dunk first round choice to simply do what many expect him to do? So I’m going with Ringo, the former fourth round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Ringo performed quite well in front of reporters at minicamp last week.

Ringo was initially projected to be a second or third round pick, but fell to the Eagles at No. 105 in the ‘23 Draft. He played a bit in his rookie season, especially late, accumulating all but one of the 199 defensive snaps he saw in the season’s final five games. Of course, that was the Eagles’ most disastrous stretch of the season, but as with any rookie, learning how to cover NFL receivers takes time, and it certainly doesn’t sound like the coaching staff did him, or the rest of that defense, any favors last year.

So far this spring, Ringo has been described as “very sticky” in coverage. Prior to the draft, Ourlads said he “has the tools of a top-flight NFL corner.” With James Bradberry’s future in doubt and Mitchell not guaranteed a starting job in his rookie season, it could end up being Kelee Ringo who starts at CB2 opposite Darius Slay in Week 1.

TYLER STEEN

The ripple effects of Jason Kelce’s retirement is being felt on two positions along the offensive line right now, although it’s true Kelce’s retirement is going to affect everyone on offense this year. With Cam Jurgens moving to center to replace Kelce, it appears former third-round pick Tyler Steen will take over Jurgens’ spot at right guard.