The Eagles’ season is over. Here are 5 questions for the offseason

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The Eagles’ season ended abruptly Sunday in a 23-19 playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field.

The team’s struggles on offense continued, and a failed fourth-down conversion at the end of the game closed the door on potential back-to-back Super Bowl championships.

A day after a disappointing loss, here are five questions for the Birds to answer as the offseason begins.

What’s Kevin Patullo’s future?

Kevin Patullo’s first season as offensive coordinator was rocky, to put it mildly. The offense moved the ball well at times but often sputtered with runs to Saquon Barkley that went backward. Barkley made 26 carries for 106 yards in the playoff loss.

The offense has gone long stretches with little to no points, such as the team’s regular-season loss to Dallas, when the Birds laid a goose egg in the second half. On Sunday, the Eagles’ offense was only able to turn Quinyon Mitchell’s two interceptions into a measly 3 points.

Despite having Jalen Hurts, last year’s Super Bowl MVP, as well as wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and running back Saquon Barkley, the offense could only muster 19 points against a depleted 49ers defense Sunday.

“I think I’m always growing,” Hurts said after Sunday’s game. “I think it’s tough to single out one individual, especially in a moment like this. We all got to improve, and that’s how I look at everything that we go through.”

Head coach Nick Sirianni promoted Patullo from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator in February.

Sirinani said after the playoff loss that there “will be time to evaluate everybody’s performance.”

If the Eagles move on from Patullo, Hurts would have yet another new play caller next season.

“Right now I feel for all our guys in our locker room,” Sirianni said.

What do the Eagles do with A.J. Brown?

The Eagles’ No. 1 wide receiver ruffled many feathers this season with antics on and off the field. His sideline reading of “Inner Excellence” went viral last season. This year was met with cryptic social media posts. And on Sunday, cameras caught a heated exchange between Sirianni and Brown.

Sirianni said the exchange was about getting Brown off the field.

“I was trying to get him off the field because we were about to punt, and that was really it,” Sirianni said. “I love A.J. I think he knows how I feel about him. I have a special relationship with him.”

Brown had two crucial drops Sunday and left the Eagles locker room without speaking to the media after Sunday’s loss. Could he have played his final game as an Eagle?

Who will be the kicker?

Jake Elliott has won two Super Bowl championships with the Birds, but he missed a critical extra point Sunday that could have allowed the Eagles to try a field goal to tie at the end of the game instead of needing a touchdown.

His field goal percentage this season was 74.1%, which dipped from last year’s 77.8%. In 2023, he was at 93.8%.

Despite the nickname of “Jake the Make,” he has missed several field goals over the past few seasons, raising the question of whether he’ll be back next year, or if the team will at least bring in competition at kicker in training camp.

What does the future look like on defense?

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio led his squad to an outstanding season. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has reportedly tried to hire Fangio multiple times unsuccessfully, but the Niners coach bested Fangio on Sunday.

Brandon Graham came out of retirement to rejoin the Birds this season, and might even be back next year at age 38.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean is also a free agent.

“For me personally, I can say I’m proud of myself a little bit just coming back from the injury I had,” Dean said Sunday. “It’s also a little bit disappointing … I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next couple months.”

Does the offensive line need help?

With left tackle Lane Johnson aging at 35, and former center Jason Kelce unlikely to come out of retirement, the Birds’ offensive line may be looking at some changes next year.

Johnson missed the last seven games of the regular season and was inactive for Sunday’s wild-card matchup against the Niners due to a Lisfranc injury.

Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens battled injuries. Fred Johnson filled in for Lane Johnson on Sunday, but was called for a false-start penalty.

Changing the offensive coordinator may help the Birds next year, but they will need to take a close look at the line if they want to be a Super Bowl–caliber offense.