For the Eagles, it starts up front. They had more salary cap dollars devoted to their defensive and offensive lines – approximately $71 million – than any other NFL team in 2017. That number will likely change in a few years when Carson Wentz is on his second contract, but the Eagles have long built from the lines out.
The investment has clearly paid off. The Eagles have dominated on both sides in the playoffs. If they are to topple the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, they will win need to win in the trenches. I’ll get to the offensive line in a later post, but first is Jim Schwartz’s defensive front, which can go as deep as nine without missing a beat.