NFC East projections: Where the Philadelphia Eagles finish

The NFC East has been the definition of parity for 15-plus years as no team has repeated as division champion since the Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid-led Philadelphia Eagles won a fourth straight East title in 2004. If the Eagles are to end that drought in 2020, it will be with a makeshift offensive line due to injuries, and William Hill sportsbook oddsmakers favor the Dallas Cowboys regardless.

In June, Pro Bowl Eagles guard Brandon Brooks suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles' tendon while working out at the club's facility. Brooks had played every regular-season game since 2016 and ranked as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 guard in 2019. That injury led to the Eagles re-signing future Hall of Famer Jason Peters in theory to fill Brooks' spot even though Peters had played tackle his entire NFL career.

Then on Aug. 27, the Eagles placed Peters' replacement at left tackle, Andre Dillard, on season-ending injured reserve with a torn biceps. Dillard was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Washington State and had his ups-and-downs as a rookie – he started four games -- but had put on about 20 pounds of muscle this offseason.

No team in the NFL has been hit harder by injury on the offensive line – which surely won't help keep injury-prone Carson Wentz upright. Peters will move back to left tackle and Matt Pryor will now play right guard.

Eagles SportsLine Projection Model Forecast/William Hill Odds

• Model wins: 8.8
• Model NFC East title: 43.0 percent
• Model make playoffs: 61.7 percent
• WH win total: 9.5 (Under -115 favorite)
• WH NFC East title: +140 favorite
• WH make playoffs: Yes -190, no +160

Philadelphia largely focused on defense this offseason in trading for ex-Detroit Lions Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay and giving him a big extension, luring defensive tackle Javon Hargrave from the Steelers and adding depth players such as linebacker Jatavis Brown, cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and safety Will Parks.

If there are two major questions entering the season, other than the offensive line, it's at receiver and a running back. Philly did take TCU speedster wideout Jalen Reagor with the No. 21 overall pick in this year's draft, although many Eagles fans preferred LSU's Justin Jefferson, who went with the next pick. Reagor brings much more speed and can help on special teams as he had two returns scores for the Horned Frogs in 2019.

However, the Eagles' two most accomplished receivers, Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson, are huge questions marks due to injury. And trade acquisition Marquise Goodwin, another speedster, opted out of the season. Good thing Wentz has two stellar tight ends in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.

As for running back, Miles Sanders was terrific as a rookie once he became the featured back, but Philly lost out on bringing back LeSean McCoy as his backup and still hasn't pulled the trigger on signing former Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman. An urgency to add depth seemed to happen when Sanders suffered a lower-body injury in camp, but he's expected to be ready for Week 1. Perhaps the Eagles are comfortable with Boston Scott as the No. 2.

Philadelphia catches a nice break for Week 1 as it visits one of the projected worst teams in the NFL, the newly-named Washington Football Team. The Eagles are 6-point favorites on the NFL odds. Early projections have the Eagles as underdogs in five or six games overall, including three in a row: Week 4 at San Francisco, Week 5 at Pittsburgh and Week 6 vs. Baltimore.

That stretch could be the key to the season because the Eagles will be favored the first three games of the year, and the four games after facing the Ravens also are all very winnable.

NFL pick: Philadelphia finishes 9-7 and second in the NFC East, but that should be enough for a Wild-Card spot with the new format. 

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