Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro continue our series examining the future of the world champion Eagles. All of our previous Stay or Go posts can be found here.
Jaylen Watkins
Roob: Watkins didn't play as much in 2017 as he did in 2016, but he was a serviceable reserve safety who can also play cornerback or slot if needed. His snap counts decreased dramatically - from 388 to 168 - but Watkins was a core special teamer, and Jim Schwartz really seems to like his versatility. Little is set behind Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, so I'm guessing the former fourth-round pick out of Florida sticks for another year.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: Watkins is a restricted free agent this offseason so it'll really be up to the Eagles if they want him back. They aren't going to tender him, so he'll become unrestricted on March 14. They weren't going to pay him what that contract would cost. But that doesn't mean he's necessarily gone. It's not like there will be a lot of teams busting down doors to get to him. While Watkins isn't a starter, he played some good snaps for the Eagles in 2017 and was a backup at every position on defense. When the Eagles needed a cornerback instead of a safety, Watkins moved there in the summer. He should be cheap enough to keep.
Verdict: STAYS
Carson Wentz
Roob: I remember that guy! Wentz enters his third season, and thanks to Nick Foles' heroics, it's easy to forget that before he got hurt Wentz went 11-2 with 33 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 254 passing yards per game. His 101.9 passer rating was third highest in NFL history by a QB in his first or second year (minimum 400 attempts), and his 33 TDs set a franchise record. If Wentz can stay healthy, he's going to be an absolute superstar in this league.
Verdict: STAYS
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Dave: The biggest story of the offseason is Wentz's rehab. Will he be ready for Week 1? Obviously, the Eagles have a pretty good backup plan in Super Bowl MVP Foles, but Wentz is still the guy in Philly. He was likely on his way to an NFL MVP award before tearing his ACL and LCL on Dec. 10 in Los Angeles. He has two more years left on his rookie deal and then a fifth-year option before the Eagles might have to pay him well over $30 million per season.
Verdict: STAYS
Stefen Wisniewski
Roob: Wisniewski was a beast once he got settled in at left guard. Why did it take a month for that to happen? Just chalk it up to the Eagles really wanting to make things work with Isaac Seumalo, a third-round draft pick, and Chance Warmack, a Jeff Stoutland favorite. What happens next? Wiz deserves the left guard spot, but he has a fairly significant $2.958 million cap hit in 2018, so it's no lock the Eagles bring him back. But I think they will.
Verdict: STAYS
Dave: It seemed like the Eagles gave everyone a chance to start at left guard before Wiz. First there was Allen Barbre, then Seumalo, then Warmack. Finally, Wisniewski got into the lineup and never left. The Eagles' dominant offensive line didn't really take form until it solidified the left guard spot and that didn't happen until Wiz got in there. Even if he was just a backup, he'd be worth keeping. But now, Wiz is a starter on one of the best units the Eagles have.
Verdict: STAYS
