DeMeco Update

Posted: March 30th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 206 Comments »

Today was apparently Give Injured Veteran Players Money Day.

DeMeco Ryans was signed to an extension. Jimmy Bama has the details on that.

Chip Kelly loves Ryans. He values him as a player and as a leader. Now Ryans will be an Eagle in both 2015 and 2016. On the surface, this seems like bad news for Mychal Kendricks. Kelly loves Kiko Alonso and Ryans. He doesn’t seem as emphatic when talking about Kendricks.

But Kelly might be willing to keep 3 starting ILBs. The Eagles generally play the most snaps in the league on defense. You could rotate the 3 ILBs to try and keep them all as fresh as possible. And all 3 have had recent injuries. Imagine if when Kendricks got hurt last year, you had Alonso and Ryans. Or that when Ryans got hurt, you had Kendricks and Alonso.

It is possible the Eagles will deal Kendricks. I don’t want them to do this any more than you do, but my opinion apparently matter’s less than Chip’s. Kendricks is entering the final year of his deal so if you aren’t committed to him long term, this is the time to deal him. Having him play this year and then leave as a free agent…that is the worst possible outcome.

We’ll know in about 6 weeks.

Now on to the Miles Austin side of things.

The more I think about this, the more I see Austin in the slot, like Jason Avant in 2013. Avant didn’t play on STs. He was just a solid veteran WR.

Some have asked if Austin could replace Riley Cooper. I guess that is possible, but I don’t feel that’s a likely scenario. If you get rid of Cooper, you want a clear upgrade. Austin would be more of a lateral move there.

There are a lot of good WRs in the draft. The Eagles could add one or two and have a much better looking receiver corps. You can’t count on those rookies to play like Jordan Matthews. That’s why you need someone like Austin who can be productive right away. He has limitations, but you know what you’re getting.

The one concern with Austin is durability. He’s had a lot of nagging injuries in his career, especially hamstrings. This could be the ultimate test for sports science.

_


206 Comments on “DeMeco Update”

  1. 1 gherbox said at 7:24 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    No guaranteed money for Austin? Perfect.

  2. 2 James said at 7:56 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Good. source?

  3. 3 gherbox said at 8:17 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    That’s my assumption. Figured that would have been announced.

  4. 4 Ryan said at 9:37 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    On a 1 year deal… it could all be guaranteed. Won’t really affect the finances long term.

  5. 5 T_S_O_P said at 3:50 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    He still counts over 5 million against the cap…. But that would be Dallas’ cap! 🙂

  6. 6 Dominik said at 3:55 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    If Rapoports numbers are correct, this is not the time to joke about Dallas. A injury prone vet who produced 600 Yards/2 TDs last year got a pay raise from vet minimum to 2.3m PLUS incentives (as if the 2.3 weren’t way too high already). Again, this is not the time to joke about Dallas.

    Of course, the contract won’t hurt us long term. But I simply don’t see a reason to give a player like Austin this kind of money.

  7. 7 RogerPodacter said at 1:04 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    i thought it was 2.3m WITH 700k in incentives?

  8. 8 Alex Karklins said at 7:27 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I really dislike Miles Austin, but I am OK with this as a depth/insurance move. Hoping he only sees spot duty this season with Matthews/Huff/rookie/Cooper taking most of the snaps.

  9. 9 D3FB said at 7:32 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Let the John Grudenification of the roster begin.

  10. 10 Baloophi said at 8:10 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Worst Red Hot Chili Peppers song of all time…

  11. 11 GermanEagle said at 7:35 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I hate Miles Austin for ruining the Eagles shutout a few years ago with his meaningless TD in garbage time!!

  12. 12 A_T_G said at 8:01 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    But now, he can ruin a Dallas shutout with a meaningless, garbage time…

    Wait, we don’t want that!

  13. 13 Baloophi said at 8:09 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Did someone say, “garbage time”???

    [[PICTURE OF BRUTE TRASH CAN DISALLOWED BY RUBBERMAID]]

  14. 14 TommyLawlor said at 11:51 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    That was a torturous moment.

  15. 15 Sconces said at 7:43 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Just throw it to Ertz and Matthews every passing play

  16. 16 A_T_G said at 7:59 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Won’t they keep running into each other then?

  17. 17 Donald Kalinowski said at 7:46 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Can someone explain this extension to me? Is 2015 and 2016 worth $14.4 million with $6.25 million guaranteed?

  18. 18 gherbox said at 8:20 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Only 7.5m spread over two seasons.

  19. 19 Donald Kalinowski said at 8:23 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    That’s not a bad deal at all. It’s pretty much paying him $3.75 million/year.

  20. 20 Jeff said at 7:47 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    “Avant didn’t play on STs.” Tommy, didn’t Avant practically knock himself out blocking on DeSean’s game-winning punt return vs. the Giants?

  21. 21 A_T_G said at 7:58 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I believe you are correct on everything except the practically part.

  22. 22 TommyLawlor said at 11:52 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Avant played on STs early in his career, but not the last few years. I’m sure Austin played STs a lot early in his career.

  23. 23 P_P_K said at 7:49 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I will really like this move if Austin plays in the slot and gives Matthews a chance to play outside. If this is the case, I predict a big year for Jordan.

  24. 24 EaglesD3rdandwrong said at 7:50 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Now with the Hamstring Austin signing I am convinced this year is just a sports science experiment with talented soft tissue chronic injury players and run into the ground all pro RB making the core of the team

  25. 25 MagsDaffyDilly said at 7:16 PM on April 1st, 2015:

    Have a look at some other signings around the league. There is hardly a player anymore who is completely untouched by injury.

  26. 26 EaglesD3rdandwrong said at 7:35 PM on April 1st, 2015:

    I know but we also traded for glass players..hope they all pan out and we can flip them or win the lombardi

  27. 27 Mark Sitko said at 7:51 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    exactly Tommy – this just makes it so we aren’t forced to go WR in 1st round

  28. 28 A_T_G said at 7:54 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I thought this over the weekend, but got distracted before I could post, oh well.

    If we are going to get rid of Kendricks, the most advantageous time to negotiate with DeMeco is now. Getting a guy looking at backup/cut options to take a reduction is much easier than a guy looking at starting.

    So, I guess I am saying that this move makes sense whether they are,planning on keeping Kendricks or not.

  29. 29 James said at 8:01 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    What do you guys think of drafting Jalen Collins with our first and moving him to safety?

  30. 30 Donald Kalinowski said at 8:14 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I’m not sure how he would fare as a safety, but as a CB I don’t think he’s worth a 1st round grade. He’s got some technique issues that will take a while to correct.

  31. 31 GEAGLE said at 8:09 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    wont be shocked if we take him, but he wont b moved to safety

  32. 32 A_T_G said at 8:04 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I don’t know, I hope this latest signing doesn’t hamstring us.

    Maybe we should bring Miles around slowly, sitting in an office and writing down all of Dallas’ passing plays.

  33. 33 Baloophi said at 8:08 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Play #1: Heave the ball in the area of Dez.
    Play #2: See Play #1.
    Play #3: “” “” “”

  34. 34 penismcballs said at 12:48 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Play #1: Run the ball 500 times a season behind crazy OLine
    Play #2: Have Romo throw the ball 10 times a game, mostly to Dez
    Play #3: Tony Romo is an elite HOF bound QB, everyone else is just a hater.

  35. 35 RC5000 said at 8:28 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Re: Having Kendricks play this year and then leave as a free agent…that is the worst possible outcome.

    That’s unknown.

    Ryans could be done as well and the pick we got for Kendricks if we even get a decent one offered could bust. Jury would be out on a deal and there is a season to play out and figure in if there is a trade.

    Teams don’t like giving up high draft picks and having to give out big money either.

  36. 36 Bert's Bells said at 8:42 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Eagles can always give Kendricks a second round tender next year, right? Won’t he be RFA?

  37. 37 Greg Richards said at 8:48 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    No, Kendricks has played 3 seasons. He’s in the last year of his 4-year rookie contract. He’ll be an UFA next season absent a transition or franchise tag.

  38. 38 Bert's Bells said at 8:55 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Thanks! I thought it was 4 years.

  39. 39 47_Ronin said at 9:28 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I think the same applies to Vinny Curry, he’s a FA in 2016. I don’t see him staying given his productivity while playing in around 25% of the defensive snaps.

  40. 40 Greg Richards said at 10:40 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Going to have to choose between keeping Curry and Thornton. Possible they let both leave. It also means DL could be a surprise early pick.

  41. 41 ICDogg said at 8:45 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Another Eagles signing that shows how strongly Chip believes in sports science. I will be impressed if he is right on this one— Joe Banner (@JoeBanner13) March 30, 2015

  42. 42 Donald Kalinowski said at 9:40 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    So do you guys think that Kendricks is worth $9mm/year?

  43. 43 oreofestar said at 10:37 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    That’s probably what he’s with the new cap

  44. 44 D3FB said at 9:47 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I think Oakland may be the optimal team to call about Kendricks. The Raiders could use an upgrade at the position, and the Raiders have the money that having to extend him wouldn’t be a big deal. Plus the Raiders need to get back to being a solid football team before good FA consider signing there.

    Mychael played college ball in the bay so you’d think he would be open to it.

  45. 45 Alistair Middlemiss said at 10:03 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    AND they are idiots, which is always a plus.

    Where other teams give a 3rd the Raiders might be stupid enough to give us their 2nd, which would be a very nice thing indeed.

  46. 46 Greg Richards said at 10:35 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Raider gave Nate Allen what is essentially a 1 year, $7M deal. They’ll pay Kendricks $20M a year.

  47. 47 BlindChow said at 11:38 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    It’s like bidding against the Browns for a QB.

  48. 48 OregonDucker said at 10:09 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Consider it done.

  49. 49 CrackSammich said at 9:53 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    They seem to be big on player for player trades, though the draft is still on the way. I’d expect them to trade Kendricks for someone already established if they were to do it at all, but if the price is right, why not?

  50. 50 Brett Smith said at 10:36 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Hate this signIng… MASH unit. Call Klinger. We are the walking wounded. Hammy hell. Ex CrimeBoys to boot. I am positive Buddy would not approve.

  51. 51 TommyLawlor said at 11:54 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    All MASH references get my approval.

  52. 52 SteveH said at 10:55 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Lets be honest with ourselves here, if any other coach was doing these things we would be howling for blood, but thank god outside the box thinking wunderkind Big Balls Chip is at the helm, where dealing your rising star ILB and extending your aging veteran who just came off a potentially career ending injury (and we still don’t know if he’ll even be able to play at an adequate level anymore) is just more of that wacky too far above our heads to understand type thinkin. Toss in a couple mil for an oft-injured barely adequate vet and boy god I can barely comprehend the mastery of the chess board on display.

  53. 53 OregonDucker said at 12:55 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    It’s a 5 dimensional chess board. We are not worthy of play.

  54. 54 xeynon said at 2:58 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    If a bunch of these guys end up on IR and the team goes 6-10, the howling for Chip’s blood will be like nothing Philadelphia has ever seen.

  55. 55 BobSmith77 said at 10:56 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    So Austin’s comp is the ’13 version of Avant except he is much more injury-prone and an inferior blocker? Ugh.

    Avant was bad last year and if not for Reid being a GM I bet he wouldn’t have gotten a guaranteed deal this offseason.

  56. 56 anon said at 10:57 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    austin in 6’2″ 215, Mac was mediocre until he met Chip.

  57. 57 BobSmith77 said at 11:03 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Maclin was also playing for a contract year and was Foles go-to guy.

    Maclin still got paid in the end but I do wonder what if it would have been if Foles had stayed healthy vs Sanchez playing half the year & throwing to Matthews.

    Here are Maclin’s numbers in the 8 GS that Sanchez had (Carolina-NYG)

    8 GS, 60 Targets, 40 catches, 528 yards, 2 TDs

    Here are his numbers with Foles through the Houston game:

    8 GS, 83 Targets, 45 catches, 790 yards, 8 TDs

    You think Maclin’s gets his payday this year with a full year of Sanchez and say 80 catches, 1050 yards, 5-6 TDs?

  58. 58 anon said at 11:11 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    He probably gets paid what Chip wanted to pay him. I think Austin if he has anything left can put up 800 and 5, or maybe 500 and 8, that’s worth 2.3m. Chip can scheme healthy guys open all day, he just needs a guy that can work hard and run routes, he won’t be a jmac, but i think in case they get rookies in the draft who aren’t quite ready (huff) they can still field a team.

    JMAC was self takin’ Maclin until Chip got him to block and sort of fight for yards, Austin knows the deal coming here, he’s also big enough to be a red zone target.

  59. 59 BobSmith77 said at 11:16 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Understand the move and frankly there aren’t great options available. Only veterans guys teams are taking a stab in the dark largely.

    I guess I’m curious to see what portion is guaranteed and what isn’t even if that is largely irrelevant at this point in terms of player personnel moves.

  60. 60 eagleyankfan said at 7:32 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Such love for Avant. He was mediocre, at best, his whole career. At least gimpy, I mean, Austin has shown some signs that he can be a force to reckon with…

  61. 61 iceberg584 said at 11:00 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I think it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the “market inefficiency” that Chip is determined to exploit is the perception of others that players coming off of injury or with a reputation for being injury prone can’t be key contributors. Chip’s faith in his sports science program must be exceedingly high…an unshakable confidence that might only be equaled by his belief in size thresholds by position.

  62. 62 Iskar36 said at 11:37 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    The problem is, we seem to be paying big amounts of money to those players, so I’m not sure we are taking advantage of the inefficiency.

  63. 63 Michael Winter Cho said at 11:02 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Maybe they’re the ones taking advantage of a market inefficiency.

    The way the commenters here sprinkle “sports science” around makes me almost think the team really believes it has an edge on 31 other teams with $1B+ of assets and every interest in protecting them.

    The Sun’s training staff? Yeah. Special shakes instead of Taco Friday? Not seeing it.

  64. 64 xeynon said at 3:03 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    The problem is that there is zero evidence that there is an actual market inefficiency here. There’s plenty of data that suggests that durability is a real attribute, and that some players have more of it than others. The market prices this information in to salaries by forcing injury prone players to take discounts. The evidence suggests that the Eagles’ health two years ago was luck rather than sports science, given that they had an above average number of man games lost last year.

  65. 65 scratcherk said at 11:02 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    OT: Does trading a player in the NFL mean less of a cap hit than cutting them?

  66. 66 scratcherk said at 11:11 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    AKA is there any freaking way to get rid of riley cooper?

  67. 67 Baloophi said at 12:34 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Yes. Throw a pass to him when the game is on the line and he’ll disappear…

  68. 68 Cafone said at 3:01 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    yes, as Tommy stated, cutting him will cost less after June 1st (or with June 1st designation):

    here are the numbers:

    2015 Cap hit: $4.8
    Cap hit if cut without June 1 designation: $6.2 million
    Savings: None — costs Eagles an extra $1.4 million
    Cap hit if cut with June 1 designation: $3.8 million
    Savings: $1 million

    taken from this article:
    http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/03/will_eagles_release_riley_cooper_on_monday.html

    So, by cutting him with the June 1st designation the Eagles would save $1 million against the cap over keeping him on the team.

  69. 69 TommyLawlor said at 11:55 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    If anything happens with Riley, it will be after June 1st or designated as a post-June 1st move.

  70. 70 BobSmith77 said at 11:09 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Why do I get the sense that the Eagles’ ‘sports science’ program is going to turn into the Soviet training portion of the Rocky IV training montage?

  71. 71 A_T_G said at 11:17 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    “I vill brake you.”

    (Because, you know, English homophones are difficult for Russians.)

  72. 72 BobSmith77 said at 11:21 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    A Swede playing a Russian with not so much an indiscernible accent as a bunch of one-liners of monotonic mumbling.

    One of the few times Stallone was cast opposite someone where he was the better speaker albeit it was the other guy’s secondary language.

    Still want to see a Stallone and Vin Diesel movie where they play father/son and it has sub titles even though it is in English.

  73. 73 Engwrite said at 9:47 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Your last paragraph cracked me up. Thanks.

  74. 74 A_T_G said at 11:15 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    How many articles do you expect to be published in the greater Dallas area tomorrow fearing Dez’s production will drop without Miles drawing off the safety, and citing Riley Cooper with and without DeSean as evidence?

    Yeah, me neither.

  75. 75 scratcherk said at 11:21 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    You know he was on the Browns last year right?

  76. 76 A_T_G said at 11:25 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Great, just great. The Browns can even screw this up.

    (I could pretend like I was just ignoring that inconvienient fact, but I will admit that neither Austin nor the Browns entered my thoughts last year.)

  77. 77 Cafone said at 2:57 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    The Browns offense was a bad joke last year.

    And Miles Austin still averaged more yards per reception and more yards per game than Riley Cooper.

  78. 78 Michael Winter Cho said at 10:58 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Check out the players he’s similar to. They’re not stars, but they’re solid role player WRs. Heck of a lot better than relying on a PS dude or draft pick. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AustMi00.htm

  79. 79 Iggles Nation said at 11:27 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    I would have rather gotten J. Boykin from gb. He went for about the same money a couple days ago, he was 25, he plays the slot allowing Matthews outside, and he is explosive. The only thing explosive about Miles Austin are his hamstrings

  80. 80 D3FB said at 2:19 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    4.72 40 time.

    Real explosive.

  81. 81 Sean Stott said at 11:36 PM on March 30th, 2015:

    Miles Austin is terrible. I really have never liked him before, and I won’t accept justification for signing him now. Especially at over $2mm.

  82. 82 Flyin said at 1:08 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Terrible? Please define…

  83. 83 Cafone said at 2:51 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    He’s arguably better than Riley Cooper.

    And if you are an NFL wide receiver and the word “arguably” instead of words like “obviously much, much” comes before “better than Riley Cooper” then you are a pretty terrible wide receiver.

  84. 84 Ben Hert said at 12:24 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I think we forget that Riley Cooper is a year removed from a 800yd 8TD season, and doesn’t have an inkling of injury history (note: I still think he was overpaid). And add the fact that he was playing with a clearly regressed QB last year.

    I’m not a fan boy by any means, but I really do hope that he has a stellar year next year, and I think he’s capable of it.

  85. 85 wee2424 said at 1:30 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I hope he does but I doubt it. You can talk about the regressed QB play but the truth behind the matter is that Maclin had a career year, a rookie who played slot and less snaps then Cooper had 900 yards and 8 TD, a TE who played less snaps then Cooper had 700 yards. The fact of the matter is that Cooper is just not that good. The thing that makes me nervous about 2013 is that Cooper wasn’t consistent. The vast majority of those yards came from a few games.

  86. 86 wee2424 said at 9:39 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    He had better stats then Cooper while playing for a far worse O and not even close to the whole year. I understand better then Cooper isn’t much, but it is an improvement for the WR corps as a whole. As long as he stays healthy of course.

  87. 87 MattE said at 12:42 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    your right $2.3 mill is a huge difference

  88. 88 Cafone said at 2:01 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    The Austin signing clears the way for cutting Cooper after June 1st.

    From the what if department… What if the Eagles, instead of signing Riley Cooper to that ludicrous deal last year, had used the money to sign Jeremy Maclin to a multi-year deal rather than the one year deal that lead to losing him in free agency.

  89. 89 D3FB said at 2:18 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    The team offered him a multi year extension last year. It was not on the level that he received this (probably 6-7 mil a year neighborhood). The Eagles effectively only gave Riley Cooper 2year/10 mil.

    It wasn’t going to make a difference. They offered him a multi-year contract that for a WR coming off his second ACL tear that made sense for the team. It’s easy with hindsight but if the team gives him a 10 mil a year contract last year and he rips his ACL in camp, that’s the biggest garbage contract of all time.

    Additionally even if they had brought back Maclin and not signed Cooper they still would have had to expend resources on a WR in FA last year. Even a one year prove it deal would have cost 3-5 million.

  90. 90 Cafone said at 2:46 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    He wouldn’t have cost 10 million a year last year. They could have gotten him for less than what they offered him this year, much less than KC eventually gave him.

    Of course hindsight is 20/20. I said “what if…”

  91. 91 the DONALD said at 7:32 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    he turned down the multi year.. they offered it to him. he WANTED the prove it deal so he could get the contract he has now.. bet on himself and WON big.

  92. 92 MattE said at 12:41 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I applaud the players that do bet on themselves. That takes balls, Chip sized balls.

  93. 93 sonofdman said at 12:54 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Oops. This was hidden when I made a similar but less detailed comment 11 hours later.

  94. 94 wee2424 said at 9:24 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Your missing the point as to why Maclin walked. We had the money to pay him, we just weren’t willing to pay it to him. We didn’t think he was worth what he was asking. Whether Cooper was or wasn’t here would have no bearing on whether Maclin walked or stayed.

  95. 95 MattE said at 12:40 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    we tried. he didnt bite. he pulled a Revis on us.

  96. 96 sonofdman said at 12:53 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Exactly. We tried to sign him to a multi-year deal last year and he wanted a one year deal to get his price up.

  97. 97 76mustang said at 12:42 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I have to think that Maclin’s success rehabbing in Chip’s program is a big part of the reason Chip has so willingly rolled the dice on this year’s batch of players with injury concerns. I wonder if Maclin was a point of contention between Chip and Howie last year? Can you imagine the uproar had Howie signed Maclin to a market-level extension (they offered a team friendly deal and Maclin chose the 1 year prove it, betting on himself). Don’t forget, Cooper was coming off a career year with Chip and Foles. Would you have been applauding the Eagles if they released Jackson and Cooper and rolled the dice with Maclin and kept Avant as their veterans in the WR corps?

  98. 98 Cafone said at 2:04 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Tonight’s pre-draft blast from the past: The Case for Marcus Smith: http://igglesblitz.com/2014/04/case-marcus-smith/

    I’m still crossing my fingers. He may never make it, but he seems to have his head in the right place. I don’t think he will be another Danny Watkins.

  99. 99 unhinged said at 3:31 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    “apparently” lol

  100. 100 unhinged said at 3:35 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    The Bradford Murray Matthews bus will hopefully extend drives and reduce the snap count for the D. Not trying to make the case for trading MK, but it may be a rationale used by a Coach/GM.

  101. 101 eagleyankfan said at 7:27 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Sustain drives? This offense? Not while Chip Kelly is here…

  102. 102 bill said at 8:15 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I think that if you look at the big picture, that’s exactly the plan. Big time, quick strike playmakers? They’ve been shipped off. Possession receivers that block? They’re here. Running backs that consistently pound out 4 yard gains? Check.

    Granted, “sustained drives” will not equate to “ball control” as long as Chip is coach, but less three and outs, and lots more 10+ play drives would seem to be in the cards. With the hurry up, probably only a marginal improvement in the number of snaps for the D, but recovery times between drives should be better. I think the point is that big plays will come naturally on play 12 of a drive in the 3rd quarter where the offense is just methodically marching down the field in hurry-up; mental and physical exhaustion will just keep piling up, and missed tackles/missed assignments will start to pop up frequently.

  103. 103 eagleyankfan said at 1:44 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I get what you and sonofdaman are saying. I couple of things though. DM is a homerun hitter – not a grinder. T-law, in a limited number of examples, pointed out that Shady had a nice 20yard gain, but DM’s style of running would have went for a lot bigger play. DM is hit the hole fast. Chip doesn’t play this offense with “catch and drop to the ground Avant style”…JM and Huff are set up to be hit while on the move(the more accurate passer is needed – Bradford). Sustain drives, meaning moving the flags – yes. Clock dwindling, saving the defense offense? I’m not sold Chip is looking to do that.
    …..
    You can’t tell me Chip shipped off DJ because he’s scoring too fast or is too deep of a threat for this offense. Mac isn’t a burner, but did well. I expect JM to build on what he started last year. 1000 yards is possible now that he’s the new number 1.

  104. 104 sonofdman said at 12:51 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I touched on my opinion of this a few weeks ago, but there is a difference between sustaining long drives in terms of yardage and number of plays then sustaining drives in terms of time of possession. Chip definitely cares about being able to sustain long drives in terms of number of plays, but does not care about time of possession. If TOP goes up because we convert third downs of offense and get off the field on defense, that is great, but Chip will still play fast on offense and not worry about taking time off the clock between plays. But it seems that Chip absolutely does want to be able to sustain drives and stay on the field on offense and this does not contradict Chip saying he doesn’t care about TOP.

  105. 105 ian_no_2 said at 3:39 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I wouldn’t be against trading Kendricks – let’s not forget how good Alonzo is IF he stays healthy. Kendricks is good at blitzes and chasing down the ‘who was covering him’ ball carriers before Nate and the Raiders – The Glory Years began. If they keep Kendricks and he walks, then at least his Walk Year Production belongs to the Philly 2015-6 campaign if he’s one of those guys who does it that way. I can’t agree, though, that Ryans is a better use of cap space than Mathis though, despite my Q CAYP stance.

    Like the Austin move a lot and I do think he’s an upgrade over Cooper, as Austin perhaps realizes he can thrive in Kelly’s system IF he stays healthy. Getting a receiver who can stretch the field remains a priority. Don’t know if Spadaro has had a What about Will Murphy and Quinton Pratt? day but seriously one or both of them could thrive in a role after all in Chip’s Belichick act.

    I can see them taking Nelson Agholor in the 2nd and that would be a good move, I really only like the top three WRs on the board with the first round pick – it’s possible but not probable that one will fall enough to be a reasonable trade up or even to the Eagles slot. Strong doesn’t seem to promise the NFL level separation you’d want from a 1st and there should be a better value offensive lineman on the board.

  106. 106 Dominik said at 3:51 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Does anyone has an idea how Austins agent got this pay rise? There are some who don’t like Austin as a player, and while I understand that, I’m not in that group. As a veteran signing for depth and maybe, with a good camp, as #3, I don’t have a problem with him.

    It’s just the money side I can’t get my head around. Obviously Chip likes Austin. But if he’s such a need, why is he signed 3 weeks after FA started? Was he demanding 4.5m a year when FA started? Lol. I expect a discount due to injury, production, age, everything. Even if Chip likes Austin, I really can’t believe he played this right. Chip can’t view Austin as a must get, otherwise he wouldn’t have waited for 3 weeks. If he’s not a must get, not a key player to aquire to do what you want to do, why do you pay him this absurd amount of money (compared to the vet min he received last year)?

    But I’m open about arguments why this kind of money makes sense for the Eagles. It’s not like I’m freaking out, I just don’t see a way how you can view this contract as not very, very player friendly (even without guar., guar. money would be awful). And since we’re in discount season, why would you offer this kind of contract?

  107. 107 Cafone said at 3:59 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    What are you comparing it to? It’s less than half of what the Eagles are scheduled to pay Riley Cooper who had a worse season playing in a much better offense. NFL players make good salaries. The minimum for veterans is almost a million dollars. What would you expect him to get paid?

  108. 108 Dominik said at 4:18 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Right around that vet min? Maybe 1.5m, if someone is offering him more than the vet min. Austin earned the vet minimum last year. What has changed? That he’s a year older? That he went to IR – again? Even if you think his play with the Browns was better than the numbers say, because of the shitty QB play, why give him a raise of about 133 percent? What justifies this raise? Do you think there was a bidding war for Miles Austin? Where was that bidding war 2 weeks ago?

    And even write incentives in his contract so he can earn up to 3m, which would be about 300 percent of what he earned last year? Why would you do that if you’re Chip Kelly? That’s the thing I don’t get.

  109. 109 A_T_G said at 7:56 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Is it worth a million to Chip to send the message to the young guys that these are the kind of traits that the team values? I read Austin is a high character guy, is this like DeMeco, where the team is willing to overpay a bit to highlight him up as an example?

  110. 110 Dominik said at 8:22 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    It’s a good question.

    I would counter though: imo, a good locker room culture should ultimately lead to taking a few (cheap) fliers per year with head cases. Prime example Belichick with Talib, Blount, Browner, he wanted Harvin this Offseason.

    Now, we had an upheaval. This year probably isn’t the time for that. But I hope Chip will do that in the future. There is value with head cases just as there is value with injury prone players. And if Bradford becomes a leader, + Murray, Matthews, Peters, Kelce, Barwin, Kendricks, one year with Ryans, Maxwell – they should be able to control one or two players who are a little bit difficult.

  111. 111 A_T_G said at 9:21 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I don’t think that is a counter-argument at all. I think that is half of why building the culture is so important. Create an environment where the players strive for excellence benefits the motivated and unmotivated alike.

  112. 112 Dominik said at 9:31 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I hope you’re right. I wouldn’t be sure if Chip is willing to sign or draft one or two headcases, though, even in the future. I hope he will and he had a few at Oregon, but I wouldn’t bet a huge amount on it.

  113. 113 D3FB said at 4:28 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Kenny Britt got 2 years $9.15
    Eddie Royal 3 years $15 million, 10 mil guaranteed
    Dwayne Bowe: 2 years $13 million
    Cole Beasley: 4 years $13.5million
    Stevie Johnson: 3 years $10.5 million
    Harry Douglas 3 years $11.25 million
    Brian Hartline: 2 years $6 million
    Ted Ginn: 2 years $4.2 million (His statline last year (14-190-0)

    Austin 2014: 47-568-2 in 12 games (that’s like 60-750-4 over 16) which is pretty good production for non rookie scale pay.
    For comparision:
    Cooper 2014: 55-577-3 in 16 games

    He got a 1 year $2 million contract in 2014 because he was coming off a year where he posted 24-244-0.

    He got an extra 300k this year which when held against increased cost of living in his new city, inflation and the rise in the cap, is negligible.

    He’s being paid a fair valuation. If he puts up great numbers this year I honestly don’t give a shit about 700k in cap room. I don’t have super high hopes for him, but I feel alot better about a WR corp with him as WR3/4 than Quron Pratt.

  114. 114 Dominik said at 5:21 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I didn’t knew he earned 2m last year. I read he earned the vet minimum last year. If that would have been the case, 2.3 would be way too much, imo (because again, there shouldn’t exactly be a bidding war for him). But you’re right, he earned 2m, and a slight increase is justified. Let’s hope the increase in salary + the incentives reduces his 300k guar. lasst year to 0.

  115. 115 the DONALD said at 7:27 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    rather have Austin for 2.3 than Bowe for his contract…

  116. 116 eagleyankfan said at 7:28 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    amen. I wouldn’t care if Bowe cost 3 dollars…

  117. 117 MattE said at 12:36 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    his hands are all screwed up…. a WR having the hand/fingers of a linemen is not good.

  118. 118 eagleyankfan said at 7:36 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    IF Chip really liked him, he would have signed him sooner. This guy isn’t/wasn’t a must have, so no rush.

  119. 119 wee2424 said at 1:19 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    It’s due to the cap expanding. Contracts are not just based purely on the player. There are other things that due contribute. People go on about how the cap is going to be bigger, what that also means is that players salary will grow as well.

  120. 120 Dave M. said at 4:34 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    The Eagles sure do have a lot of players either recovering from injury or prone to injury. Anyone else worried about this?

  121. 121 MS said at 7:26 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I can see where people would be obviously but for me no. for the most part where we have players with significant injury histories even recently, we have depth. it may be depth with more injured players, but that’s still a better situation that having injury risk without depth.

  122. 122 Bert's Bells said at 7:50 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I haven’t heard anything about this! Tell me more.

  123. 123 MattE said at 11:55 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Un-Like jimmy johnson, Chip is taking volume risks on hurt veterans vs rookies. Ya gotta do it somewhere, Chip has to take this chance because he didnt do it year 1 and rookies need 1-2 years to develop/pan out.

  124. 124 xmbk said at 5:20 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Not inconceivable that Kendricks might provide OLB depth, esp if Barwin went down.

  125. 125 Dominik said at 5:24 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Oh yeah it is. The OLBs must protect the outside runs. There is no way Kendricks can battle Left or Right Tackles. I love him as a player, but he’s a ILB and only a ILB.

  126. 126 D3FB said at 5:25 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    No.

    Kendricks is 5’11 240lbs.

    The only other 6′ or shorter 34 OLBs I can think of are Dumervil who is 260lbs and James Harrison who is 270lbs.

    He doesn’t have the size to set the edge. He doesn’t have pass rush ability (blitzing ability is a very different skill set).

    Other than in as an emergency fill in, he’s not a viable player at that position, and keeping him and trying to shoehorn him into that role would be incredibly daft.

  127. 127 CrackSammich said at 9:38 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Hey, if Boykin can do it, Kendricks can do it, too.

  128. 128 xmbk said at 10:22 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    He can blitz from the cover backer position. Understand the concern, but if there is a lack of faith in Smith, Kendricks provides some potential depth in an emergency. Kelly favors versatility.

  129. 129 James said at 2:15 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    So you are saying you still like him at ILB…riiiiiight?

  130. 130 D3FB said at 10:52 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Hell I love Kendricks, but I don’t think Chip does.

  131. 131 knighn said at 7:17 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    “The ultimate test for sports science.”
    The 2015 Philadelphia Eagles.

  132. 132 tomw said at 7:21 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    So, another player that will be spending most of his time at the Nova Care center . I wonder how much stock Kelly has in it.

  133. 133 eagleyankfan said at 7:40 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Flash back to last year where most everyone was saying Mathews will move to the outside and Huff will be the slot. I wasn’t a fan of Huff, still not 100% fan of his but holding out hope he can be productive as a WR. That aside, This year, how come it doesn’t seem clear IF JM is moving to the outside and Huff is the slot? I expected those 2 roles to be defined for those players but it appears to be up in the air. Thoughts on where we expect these guys to play?

  134. 134 Anders said at 9:30 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Matthews is the slot with Huff outside.

  135. 135 wee2424 said at 1:14 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I think Huff would be best used, and actually could be dangerous in the slot. No fear crossing middle, quick, has a good burst, and could really fight through tackles in the middle. Good YAC guy. I think the outside would be tough on him. His hands are not that great, and I can’t really see him going up for balls. Mathews would be more suited to the outside then Huff would be.

  136. 136 MattE said at 11:52 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Still think Huff will be Sproles’ understudy. I think the TAZR role/backfield motion out to the slot is Sproles/Huff written all over it

  137. 137 MattE said at 11:53 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    ….otherwise why have Mathews/Murray? Sproles is going to be a totally different role this year, with Huff spelling him

  138. 138 GermanEagle said at 9:39 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    7/4

    = odds of Austin failing his physical today.

  139. 139 since1961 said at 10:25 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    So he’s giving 175%?

  140. 140 CrackSammich said at 10:30 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Betting odds are different than actual odds. It means you’ll get paid out 175 for a 100 bet.

  141. 141 b3nz0z said at 11:18 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    i don’t bet because i can’t understand a freaking thing about odds

  142. 142 Bert's Bells said at 11:31 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    One thing to know about gambling- odds are never in your favor.

  143. 143 GermanEagle said at 3:00 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I win! Lol

  144. 144 mksp said at 11:24 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Trade back, take Byron Jones in the late 1st. Would echo the Marcus Smith process nicely.

    Louis Riddick ‏@LRiddickESPN 28s28 seconds ago
    Well… I guess that settles that for CB Byron Jones. Workouts confirming what he showed on tape in fall. 1st day pick.

    Jeff McLane ‏@Jeff_McLane 18m18 minutes ago
    And Ed Marynowitz, Bill Davis, Tom Donahoe. RT @Dan_Hope: Chip Kelly talking with Byron Jones.

    https://twitter.com/Jeff_McLane/status/582921704692940800

  145. 145 mksp said at 11:30 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Matt Miller ‏@nfldraftscout 4m4 minutes ago
    Byron Jones has worked his way into the first round. Pretty incredible given injury and no Senior Bowl.

  146. 146 Insomniac said at 11:31 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    High character, highly athletic, and he’s big? Yea that’s Chip written all over him, GET HIM CHIP.

  147. 147 Mitchell said at 12:09 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I wouldn’t be surprised if he does run in the 4.4’s. I know pro-days can be generous but given his obvious explosion at the combine, it’s conceivable he can go in the 4’s. Also, ON AVERAGE there is about a .1 second difference between pro-days and combine so it could just as easily be the correct time. Finally, the 40 is just as much about technique as it is speed. A bad start can doom your performance. The real question is and will always be, does he play fast on tape?

  148. 148 Insomniac said at 1:03 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    More info.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000482687/article/uconn-cb-byron-jones-runs-unofficial-436-40-at-pro-day

    Jones has great recovery speed. He’s only second to Waynes in that category. 4.41 was probably his electronic time and 4.36 is his hand timed. You put pads on him and he’s between mid to high 4.4s. 4.5 is a very safe estimate of the maximum.

  149. 149 Ben Hert said at 11:51 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    D3FB you have anything on him yet? Looking forward to it if not.

  150. 150 Mitchell said at 12:00 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I can add that his jam off the line is literally the best I have seen watching a DB in college.

  151. 151 D3FB said at 11:01 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Kid is a stud, I’ve had him as a darkhorse at 20 for a few weeks.

  152. 152 Nailed it! said at 11:50 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    Heath Evans is such a tool, I wish Malcolm would have slapped that shit eating grin off his face.

    http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap3000000482640/Showdown-Are-the-Eagles-soft?campaign=twitter_videos_jenkins

  153. 153 MattE said at 11:55 AM on March 31st, 2015:

    I really don’t like him. I wish Jon Dorenbos would fight him.

  154. 154 GEAGLE said at 1:01 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    dorenbos better worry about fighting his own battles/./..http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2015/3/31/8319179/2015-nfl-draft-eagles-navy-long-snapper-joe-cardona-visit-jon-dorenbos

  155. 155 EagleNebula said at 1:19 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Heath Evans strategy:
    1. redefine a word to make my argument correct no matter what the facts are.
    2. Volume = correct! Talk louder than the other guy so everyone believes me

    I had to turn it off because he was just yelling to make himself sound correct.

  156. 156 GEAGLE said at 1:22 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    meathead had the audacity to bring up the saints ST, when our ST was riDONKuluos last year..
    ..
    Such a clown, funny to hear him so obsessed with Chip, when Chip thinks so little of him that he views his position as utterly worthless lol…I guess Id be salty too if I was a blowhard Fullback and an offensive genius doesnt believe im worth a roster spot
    ..
    hope someone frames him for some scandal so I never see his opinion again

  157. 157 EagleNebula said at 1:33 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    It was just ridiculous to hear him define toughness as beating playoff teams in crunch time, bring up an arbitrary statistic of the eagles success rate without the context of how every other team faired. Then to claim a missed call gave the eagles a win without pointing out that they lost games due to similar calls and every team gets breaks like that. Oh and totally dismissing the typical definition of toughness that is commonly accepted: successful run game on O and D, and playing hard regardless go the game – all of which this eagles team demonstrated. And that was in the first few minutes.

    I agree he is salty that his position is falling out of favor, but a new position is becoming popular in the H back. And it isn’t as if Football hasn’t constantly evolved since it’s inception. Pre-NFL there was the outlawing the Flying V formation for safety reason (too many deaths) and allowing the forward pass, and changing of the substitution rules that enabled the hyper-specialization we see today. It should be expected positions will come in and out of favor and that the style of play will be re-invented.

  158. 158 GEAGLE said at 1:50 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    the FB position is still alive in plenty of offenses, chip just happens to not use it.. If a FB is good enough Chip will move him to H-back but Evans is just a moron. Instead of getting to enjoy Jenkins for a few days, I have to stomach this moron Heath. I cant believe NFL network has him and Lavar Arington working for them. soo bad

  159. 159 EagleNebula said at 2:13 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    That is more accurately put than what I was trying to say… I was equating it more to the Split End becoming the WR etc.

  160. 160 MattE said at 12:32 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    On a different note would anyone be opposed to a HYPOTHETICAL: Boykin/MSII for Dion Jordan trade? Miami gets a 1st round pass rusher and Boykin, we get a 3rd overall pick (from 2013). Everyone wins.

  161. 161 Insomniac said at 12:50 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Jordan is not worth trading for.

  162. 162 Frencheaglesfan said at 2:09 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Yup I see jordan as a similar case to Rolando Mc Clain, except he doesn’t appear to be such a dumbass. We sign him cheap in 1 year or 2 once the fins think they have waited enough to not be laughed too much for a terrible pick compared to their D system.

  163. 163 Frencheaglesfan said at 1:06 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I don’t wanna give up on MSII. 1 year isn’t enough to judge a player.

  164. 164 Insomniac said at 1:08 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Exactly. Jordan has done as much as MSII so far in the league and we’re giving them more value for someone who’s getting close to being called a bust?

  165. 165 b3nz0z said at 3:03 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    yeah right. remember brandon graham?

  166. 166 A_T_G said at 4:18 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Exactly. Brandon Graham… or Nate Allen…or Jaiquan Jarrett…or… wait, what were we talking about?

  167. 167 Bert's Bells said at 1:45 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    No way. Even for a hypothetical -ignoring the fact that it’s almost impossible for Miami to move Jordan due to their cap position -Boykin for Jordan straight up would be highway robbery. Miami would have to throw in a 4th or 5th and then I’d talk about conditional picks if Jordan performs. Like a 4th for 50% of defensive snaps or something.

  168. 168 Michael Winter Cho said at 3:08 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I see what you did there.

  169. 169 NinjaP said at 2:49 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Boykin has more value himself than Jordan. Why throw in Smith?

  170. 170 anon said at 2:51 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    what makes you want jordan?

  171. 171 unhinged said at 5:31 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Jordan has ballooned up to 295lbs. And he hasn’t been able to impress anybody in Miami as a 4-3 DE. Doubt his athleticism, agility in space is now what it was 30lbs ago. I’d rather see MS2 in preseason before going after an unsubstantiated expectation.

  172. 172 Ankerstjernen said at 5:47 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Terrible value for us. MSII and Jordan have shown about the same ability in the pros up til this point, except Jordan has been around for much longer, has fewer cheap years left on his deal, is known for substance infractions and has a lot of bad tape. MSII is so far just a rookie who sat behind better players his first year. I’d say MSII has more upside and trade value at this point than Dion, who cares if the Dolphins picked him ups at nr. 3. That does not mean he has any value whatsoever. SO I wouldnt even trade MSII for Dion straight up. HOWEVER, Boykin is a young player who have proven capable as a solid starter on defense. If we are not going to extend him next year, we shoudl trade him straight up for Dion. In terms of ability we would be trading a proven starter for at guy who has never made an impact on the field. All things consideres (cap hits and invested trade value) I think this could be an option. But I dont think the Dolphins will trade him away until they completely given up on him. If they send him here and he turns into everything they hoped for when they drafted him at #3, they will look ridiculous. Dont see them taking that chance.

  173. 173 MattE said at 12:49 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Does anyone know if Tra Thomas/Stephen A Smith are for or against this signing racially hahahaha? Cause I am not sure what race Austin Miles is lol.

  174. 174 anon said at 12:52 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    well of course the white WR is the highest paid one… (j/k)

  175. 175 GEAGLE said at 12:58 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Whats the over/under on number of players to go on IR before the start of the season?

    Only so much sports science can do.. Wont save a bone break, but its supposed to help for the soft tissue injuries… Guess Mile Austin and his half a decade worth of hamstring injuries is the perfect Lab rat…. Hopefully he is here to take Maehl’s roster spot, and that two WR’s are still on their way via the draft…

  176. 176 anon said at 1:00 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    2ol, 2wrs, what else?looks like chip is talking to a first/second round CB.

  177. 177 GEAGLE said at 1:11 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    “looks like chip is talking to a first/second round CB.”…. a year ago right around this time it “seemed like we were looking at kyle fuller?”
    ..
    seems like we are trading everything for Mariota, seems like we are drafting ILB’s in the first two rounds, seems like we drafting WR’s, seems like we are drafting this, seems like we are drafting that…… seems like we are doing our due dilligence to me…

    we went into last years draft targeting 6 players at all different posiions… seems to me we will see a similar approach this year, and the position we “target” will be determined by how the top 19 unfold….
    ..
    but Im sure we will look for a CB at some point, I just dont view it as any more of a round 1 target than other positions

  178. 178 eagleyankfan said at 1:29 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    target 6 and lost all 6. I expect, whatever number is targeted, we get 1 this time…

  179. 179 GermanEagle said at 3:09 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    It’s not my money…

  180. 180 Nailed it! said at 3:10 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I am still confused about the Miles Austin signing. There I said it.

  181. 181 GermanEagle said at 3:16 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    And I thought you nailed it.

  182. 182 P_P_K said at 3:22 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I’m going to say that I like the signing. If the team thnks they can keep Sam Bradford healthy, they must have 110% confidence they can keep Austin on the field. With that being the case, I can see Austin going 50-600-5, mostly from the slot. He’ll share time with an improved (hopefully) Huff, and Cooper. Also, his being in the slot will free up Matthews to strut his wr skills.

  183. 183 Cafone said at 3:30 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    nah, Cooper gettin cut.

  184. 184 GermanEagle said at 4:07 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Nope. Not this year.

  185. 185 GEAGLE said at 4:49 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    he isnt even a lock to make the roster. notice how easy it is to get out of the contract.. he either stays healthy and performs in camp or he doesnt make the roster… Hopefully both Miles AND Maehl wont be on this roster. Im fine with Austin taking his spot (fingers crossed)

  186. 186 eagleyankfan said at 3:55 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    competition?

  187. 187 jshort said at 5:11 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    The American way?

  188. 188 CrackSammich said at 4:23 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Depth. What’s to understand?

  189. 189 unhinged said at 5:21 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Chip says embrace your confusion. Win the day and embrace your confusion.

  190. 190 ICDogg said at 3:28 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBY84ynUgAAnukh.jpg

  191. 191 ICDogg said at 3:33 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Challenging for Trash Can’s job, the Eagles have acquired Dumpster Fire

  192. 192 A_T_G said at 4:14 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Big trash receptacles beat up little trash receptacles.

  193. 193 Bert's Bells said at 4:54 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Was he part of the deal with Washington in the trade up for MARRIOTTAZZ?

  194. 194 Insomniac said at 5:21 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    He can be reunited with his family!!

  195. 195 bridgecoach said at 3:36 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    IRgles!

  196. 196 GermanEagle said at 4:22 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    GE’s favourite draft scenario for the Eagles in round 1 [provided staying put at #20 or downtrade]:

    1. DeVante Parker [WR]
    2. Bud Dupree [LB]
    3. TJ Clemmings [OL]
    4. Downtrade
    > 4a. Fisher [OL]
    > 4b. Jaelen Strong [WR]
    > 4c. Byron Jones [CB]

  197. 197 D3FB said at 10:34 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    I’d put Scherff as 1 or 2, but otherwise generally agree.

  198. 198 GermanEagle said at 5:34 AM on April 1st, 2015:

    You think Scherff will fall that far?

  199. 199 BreakinAnklez said at 9:29 AM on April 1st, 2015:

    Doubtful, but also doubtful Parker and Dupree are on the board

  200. 200 D3FB said at 10:44 PM on April 1st, 2015:

    Not likely but he could be around in the Zack Martin range.

    I don’t think many teams will see him as a LT. I think some teams may have La’el or Flowers ahead of him.

    I also don’t think Parker or Dupree will be available either.

  201. 201 Insomniac said at 5:16 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    We’re a month away from the draft yeaaaa!!!!!!

  202. 202 Insomniac said at 5:19 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    Lets say Mariota skydives through the draft like Teddy B last year, we’ll flip Bradford for the Browns first round picks..win win?

  203. 203 Frencheaglesfan said at 5:23 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    For me the win scenario if mariota falls is we pick him and keep bradford too. Mariota may be used to chip system but he isn’t used to NFL D.

  204. 204 GENETiC-FREAK said at 5:29 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    But you would have Sanchez on the books too

  205. 205 Insomniac said at 5:35 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    True but we’re banking on potential for both Bradford and Mariota though.

  206. 206 Brian Pillion said at 5:33 PM on March 31st, 2015:

    If anyone’s interested, here’s a fairly interesting breakdown of various positional success rates throughout the draft: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/53158/466/position-based-value-drafting