5 Eagles Players Poised to Have Breakout Seasons in 2022

After a thrilling offseason full of free agent signings, blockbuster trades, and draft acquisitions, the Philadelphia Eagles have a new identity heading into the 2022-2023 season.

With a fresh identity comes new expectations, and many NFL experts and fans anticipate that the team will be contenders in the postseason come January. For the Eagles to do that, they are going to need everybody to contribute. While proven stars like Darius Slay Jr. and A.J. Brown are sure to do their due diligence, the team's success will rest on the shoulders of a handful of players that they will need to take that next step in their individual play.

Here are five Eagles players that can, and will need to in order for the team to become a serious threat, take a step up and have breakout seasons here in 2022. 

Kenneth Gainwell

Since before the Eagles' won Super Bowl 52, they have mostly operated as a run-by-committee team. Miles Sanders was expected to become the team's workhorse running back, but injuries have kept him from being a reliable guy that can handle 20-plus touches a game.

Behind him sits Kenneth Gainwell, who is a dual-threat back that can hurt teams on the ground and through the air. With or without Miles Sanders, Gainwell is an X-factor weapon that can find himself scoring a lot of touchdowns and ripping off some big yardage plays.

If Sanders ends up missing any time, Gainwell would immediately become the number one option in the backfield and become a potential league-winner in many fantasy football leagues. 

Jordan Davis

The former Georgia defensive tackle is one of the newest members of a stout Eagles defensive line after being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

While he is unproven the the NFL, Davis may quickly breakout onto the scene this season as a rookie. The Eagles are scheduled to face a lot of tough-to-tackle running backs this season, such as Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, and Najee Harris. Davis was highly regarded as one of the best run-stuffers in college football last season, so it is likely the Eagles will want to use his speed and size to try and contain the opposing teams' running backs. 

If he sees enough playing time, Davis has the potential to be the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

Landon Dickerson

Dickerson was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but at the time of the selection, it was not believed that he would see the field much until Jason Kelce retired.

Due to injuries on the offensive line last season, Dickerson played alongside Kelce at guard. He played well, but he can easily take another step up in his game this upcoming season. He will have had the opportunity to get both of his legs healthier, build more strength, and obtain more knowledge from on of the most talented and experienced offensive line rooms in the league.

Assuming he will be starting at guard again, Dickerson could assert himself as an All-Pro offense linemen with a season's worth of reps this upcoming year.

Devonta Smith

This one may be pointing out the obvious, as Smith is expected to take a huge step forward in becoming an elite NFL wide receiver this upcoming season.

He had a strong rookie year, but fans want him to develop into a 1,000+ yard, Pro Bowl wideout. With A.J. Brown attracting most of the attention from the opposing team's best corner backs, Smith will have less defensive pressure to deal with and more opportunities to find separation.

It is boom or bust for Devonta Smith this year.

Jalen Hurts

On paper, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles are one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL; however, the root of a team's success in this league mostly lays on its quarterback's shoulders.

Hurts showed improvements in 2021, but he will need to take another step up as a thrower of the football if the Eagles want to contend this season. His offensive arsenal is a quarterback's dream with the amount of dangerous weapons their are at wide receiver, a reliable tight end that is among the best in the league, a running back room full of shifty playmakers, and an offensive line that is highly considered the best in the league.

There are no excuses for Hurts not to improve this year, but he is going to have to improve in ways that directly correlate to wins. He is going to need to be more accurate and smarter with protecting the football. He is already an escape artist and can rush for a lot of yards, but he will need to be smarter about the hits he is taking in order to prevent injuries.

If Hurts has actually taken the time to work on these things and can translate these improvements onto the football field, he may be able to become a part of the conversation of the new wave of young and elite quarterbacks.

It is a make or break year for Jalen Hurts. He will either breakout into a Pro Bowl quarterback and lead his team to plenty of victories, or he will be the reason that the Eagles crumble from within.