Eagles offseason shifts into high gear at the combine

The NFL waited one week longer than usual to begin the annual scouting combine, extending the post-Super Bowl lull in the NFL calendar and bringing one of the league's landmark offseason events closer to the flurry of free-agent activity that follows.

That means the Eagles' offseason accelerates into a higher gear this week, when coaches and executives convene in Indianapolis to evaluate draft prospects and begin the roster reconstruction.

With the NFL's new schedule, the combine takes place in early March and then bleeds into free agency. The first draft prospects arrived Tuesday. On-field workouts will begin Friday. The legal tampering period for free agency will begin Tuesday, and players can begin signing contracts March 9.

When Eagles coach Doug Pederson and top executive Howie Roseman meet with reporters Wednesday, they will be peppered with questions about how the team will upgrade at wide receiver and cornerback - and what salary cap maneuvering must take place for that to happen.

Make no mistake. Those are two positions of most pressing need. The Eagles can use more help at running back and defensive end, and the offensive line could change in 2017. But it's the players on the perimeter who should receive the most attention for the Eagles. Wide receivers will work out Saturday. Cornerbacks will work out Monday.

The Eagles must first know when they're going to draft in the first round. On Friday, a coin flip with the Indianapolis Colts will determine whether the Eagles pick at No. 14 or 15 overall. The selection came from Minnesota in the Sam Bradford trade. The Eagles also have their original pick in rounds 2 through 7, and they have an extra fourth-round pick from the Cleveland Browns as part of the deal to acquire Carson Wentz.

This is considered an especially deep cornerback draft class, with starting talent available beyond the first round. That's why NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, who lives in the Philadelphia area and is part of the Eagles' preseason telecasts, thinks the Eagles must pay serious consideration to the top three wide receivers in the draft: Clemson's Mike Williams, Western Michigan's Corey Davis, and Washington's John Ross. Davis is not going to participate in on-field events because of an ankle injury. Ross is rated below Williams and Davis by most analysts, but he's the top threat with speed that will likely be apparent when he runs the 40-yard dash Saturday.

"I think the wide receiver class is good, but I don't think it's as deep as corner," said Mayock. "So, if you're there at 14 or 15, I think the Eagles have to be looking really hard at all three of those potential first-round wideouts. I think all three of them potentially go between 10 and 20. . . . So I think the Eagles have to be looking at all three. They're distinctly different. I think the Eagles have to figure out what their order of preference is, what kind of style they want. But they've got to be looking hard at all three of those guys and know up front whether or not if one or two or all three were available who they're going to take."

The Eagles' draft plans could be affected by what they do in free agency. The team has made early investments in receivers in recent years. Nelson Agholor was a first-round pick, Jordan Matthews was a second-round pick, and their search for a top wideout continues. They are expected to be aggressive in free agency for a wide receiver to help Wentz.

The available players will become more clear after the franchise-tag deadline Wednesday, but reports already indicate that Chicago's Alshon Jeffery will hit the market. He headlines a class that includes former Eagles standout DeSean Jackson, Miami's Kenny Stills, and the Los Angeles Rams' Kenny Britt. Cleveland's Terrelle Pryor would be an attractive option if he becomes available.

Free agency will also dictate how much of a need cornerback remains. But considering the strength of this draft class, it's likely the Eagles will invest in the position in April. The Eagles haven't selected a cornerback in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002. Mayock said the Eagles could take "a couple corners" because of the group's quality.

"I can get through four rounds of quality corners, and I've never been able to say that before," Mayock said.

The top two cornerbacks are Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore and Washington's Sidney Jones. But Alabama's Marlon Humphrey, Florida's Teez Tabor, and LSU's Tre'Davious White are other top cornerbacks who might be linked to the Eagles.

Tabor, who is known for his ball skills, is the cornerback whose stock Mayock said will be most affected by Monday's performance because of questions about his speed. The corners will also draw first-round consideration, and there are more in the following rounds who would be rated higher in other areas.

"It's going to be kind of pick your flavor based on what's important in your scheme," Mayock said.

The Eagles did a good job of planning. The draft is not considered especially strong at quarterback or offensive line - the two positions the Eagles focused on last April. But Mayock said "it's one of the best defensive drafts I've seen," and the Eagles can use help on the defensive line and in the secondary.

"I think there's enough really good players at both of those positions that they can do really well in this draft," Mayock said.

The Eagles are also approaching a deadline to adjust salaries or release expensive veterans. The combine is a valuable time to meet face-to-face with agents, and there will soon be more clarity about the futures of defensive end Connor Barwin, center Jason Kelce, running back Ryan Mathews, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, among others.

The combine is also a central place for Roseman to negotiate trades. The deal that sent Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell to Miami last offseason came together in Indianapolis.

In past years, the Eagles came back from the combine with one week to finalize their plans. This year, there are only hours. The lull is finished, and the annual adventure of the Eagles' offseason is set to begin.

zberman@phillynews.com

@ZBerm