A Defense to Believe In
Posted: March 14th, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 303 Comments »The Eagles moved back to the 4-3 defense this offseason. They had the players to make the system work and the hiring of Jim Schwartz gave the team a veteran coach to run the scheme. There were a few holes to fill and some changes to make.
Howie Roseman spent last week working on the holes. I wrote about the defense and the changes for PE.com.
When you look at the projected starting lineup, this is the most confident and excited I’ve been about an Eagles defense in a while. The team has legit playmakers at every level of the defense. Think about how strong it is up the middle. You have Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan, Jordan Hicks, Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod. Is that an impressive group or what?
I”m not saying this group will challenge Gang Green any time soon. CB is a question mark right now. Eric Rowe and Leodis McKelvin could play well, but there are no guarantees. We need WLB Mychal Kendricks to bounce back in a big way. He has the talent to do that, but there are no guarantees. The team also lacks an elite pass rusher off the edge. Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham are good, but Reggie White was on a completely different level.
Still, this is a young, talented defense that has a lot of potential.
And the offseason isn’t over yet. In a fantasy world you could add Nick Fairley to be the third DT, a veteran LB to add depth, CB Vernon Heargraves with the 8th pick and a talented Safety in the mid-rounds. That would give you more depth and talent across the defense.
In regard to Heargraves, I’m not saying he is my ideal pick at #8. He would be from a defensive standpoint (of players that are likely to be on the board). I’ll be writing a lot more about the draft in the coming days and weeks so I don’t want to get sidetracked on that too much.
Beyond scheme and talent, I like the character of this group. The DL has been together for a few years. Connor Barwin is a key team leader. Jordan Hicks is a natural leader at MLB. Malcolm Jenkins is a leader on the backend. I think that is important.
Can’t wait to see these guys in action. Watching the guys go after Romo and Eli this year should be a lot of fun.
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Q&A
Do the Eagles have much cap space, keeping in mind that they want to extend Fletcher Cox? Yes. The Eagles are fine. They need some room for the rookies. They can still add some players. And they can re-sign Cox. Howie Roseman is outstanding at structuring contracts. He can take care of everything he needs to, as long as he spends wisely.
Why do the Eagles need DL depth? It wasn’t that big a deal the past couple of years. The 4-3 is an attacking defense. You want the 4 DL firing off the ball at full speed and relentlessly going after the QB/RB. Ideally you play them for 4 to 6 snaps and then put in backups for 3 or 4 snaps and then go back to the starters. Think back to 2011.
DE Trent Cole…………..Darryl Tapp
DT Mike Patterson……Trevor Laws
DT Cullen Jenkins…….Derek Landri
DE Jason Babin………..Juqua Parker
Starters: 37 sacks, 16 TFLs
Backups: 7 sacks, 14 TFLs
The backup DL/OLBs from 2015 produced 6 sacks, 3 TFLs. That is Vinny Curry, Beau Allen, Taylor Hart, Brandon Bair, Marcus Smith and Bryan Braman. And keep in mind how many more snaps the defense played the last few years.
The 4-3 requires high motor, athletic guys off the bench. You need depth, and quality depth.
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Nic Fairly addition would be sweeeet!! Thought that id was gonna be great coming out of college. Didnt happen, but he still has a lot of sill. Hope we sigh him.
Idk about Heargraves. 5’10 CB with average/slow 40 just doesnt excite me. I dont think he can match up with #1 WRs, #8 way to high for him for me.
“The backup DL/OLBs from 2015 produced 6 sacks, 3 TFLs. That is Vinny Curry, Beau Allen, Taylor Hart, Brandon Bair, Marcus Smith and Bryan Braman.”
was that all vinny curry? lol
Don’t shortchange Marcus Smith his 1.5.
1.5 what? his choice size of rolling papers? lmfao
Why would the Fairley signing be sweet? Because you know his name? Lol
because hes a young player with upside. and he graded out well in PFF
Lol PFF thanks for the laugh.. I needed that
I feel the same about Hargreaves. Gotta have both the measurables and the tape if Im taking you in the top ten
So reading your article on pe.com and this article the only time you really mention Barwin is as a leader. What role do you see for him now as a player? I’ve heard Fran Duffy say he thinks Barwin still fits in this scheme and others say he is wildly out of place now. I know it’s all projection but what do you think?
I actually trust Duffy more than most. I believe out of any of the commentators, including our own home grown batch like Tommy, Jimmy, the BGN guys, and (formerly) Sheil, Duffy seems to actually know what he’s talking about. He watches game tape like (and often with) Greg Cosell. He’s not just scanning the All-22. If he says scheme fit, I’m trusting that. Listen to his podcast and you’ll see what I mean.
Everyone’s assuming SAM for Barwin based on the fact that he was a linebacker in the 3-4. But they’re forgetting that a lot of his snaps were hands down, a lot in nickel as an end, and that he was actually in a 4-3 in Houston before coming here. Great OLB in a 3-4, but nothing to say he can’t be a great 4-3 end, especially as a versatile chess piece. They can do all sorts of things with him. I recall one of the few good games McDermott called for us back in the day, ironically against Carolina. He was moving Cole all over the place. Barwin can be that type of player in this defense, as well as depth at DE.
A lot of the knock on Barwin when he came here was that he was a good OLB, but not necessarily a great pass rusher. I think while he does have coverage ability that a lot of other DEs lack, he’s shown in his time here that he knows how to get to the quarterback.
TL;DR version: I’m tired of people assuming Barwin is expendable because they lazily think he isn’t a scheme fit. He is a fit, he’s a really good/borderline great pass rusher, and we should keep him around.
“I recall one of the few good games McDermott called for us back in the day”
No you don’t.
When I read that sentence, I stopped and scanned ahead to see your reply.
I couldn’t resist.
Never give up!
You know it.
And thank you for the Duffy / Barwin stuff.
couldn’t agree more. In a defense that has certainly had its struggles over the past couple of years, Barwin has arguably been the most consistent player on the field. I’d much rather have him out there than Graham, who makes a play now and then, but seems to disappear for stretches as well.
Don’t think we need Duffy to tell us something so basic…Worrying about BARWIN not fitting is a really poor undestanding of basic football… Amazed that so many people, especially paid media members DONT understand such a basic non issue
….it was more of a contract issue for me ^^^ see above comment
Wasnt really aimed at you… I blame the media who puts this garbage in caring fans heads
Barwin probably would be the first guy I would want to party with on the team…. actually Dorenbos probably would be cool.
I’d like to be invited.
Yes I always tend to trust Duffy over most and look forward to any of his podcasts etc… I think I was more surprised to read and hear how many local media people think Barwin isn’t a fit when he has really improved his overall game and especially pass rushing ability over the past few years. He only played one year at DE in college after moving over from the offense then one year at DE for the Texans before his injury. He was still learning the position during all of that. We could attribute his improvement to being moved to olb but there’s also a good chance he is just more comfortable and experienced as a pass rusher. Also the stats in this photo won’t hurt his chances. All that being said I won’t be surprised to wake up and see they’ve traded him.
Think people look back to the old JJ defense and the kind of DE’s they had, maulers who would control their lane as blocker and then get to the QB. You needed strong stout DE’s who were happy getting dirty.
However Schwartz likes to keep his DE’s clean, allowing them to attack at pace and Barwin should be absolutely fine with that. In fact he could add an interesting wrinkle to the Schwartz defense since you are confident with him dropping into zone and then you can bring a LB. Schwartz wont do it often.. its not his style, but that could well make it more effective since people will not be expecting it. 1-2 times a game, bringing a range of different guys and in different ways will keep the OL guessing and off balance.
Barwin fits as a 43 DE. If we were using the SAM as an on the ball LB more than he would have fit there but he does not fit as an off the ball SAM (that would have been far more of a projection than him at DE in this system).
Barwin played DE in college. He was drafted by Houston to be a DE. He did not become a 34 OLB until his third year in the league when Houston hired Wade Phillips.
Barwin will be DE3, giving both Curry and Graham breathers. He’ll play almost as much as the two starters.
i had the same issue. for me it ‘s more the idea that we are paying Barwin/Curry/Graham starter money to be part of a DE rotation now….. not the best allocation of resources (maybe it is?), but the amount of snaps we were getting out of Barwin in Chips 3-4 seemed like a bargain compared to him now being a 3rd DE.
It was a bargain. But this D needs at least 3 DE, and the overall price for those 3 is reasonable. Graham and Curry were both drafted for this D, an uptick in their numbers is quite possible.
Barwin is making $6.75M and Graham is making $6.5M this year. Go check some of the money being thrown around at starting DEs. The situation is definitely not that dire, especially considering we don’t have a stud starter making $12M per year.
oh i agree, i’m just saying that the DL is going to add up quick, which is fine, but expect some other areas of the defense taking a hit financially, i.e. CB’s.
The Eagles have starters at the safety position but two guys I’m really digging are Darian Thompson from Boise St. and Jatavis Brown from Akron. The former is probably going to go in the second round, has great instincts and is a perpetual playmaker. He’s the type of guy you want as a centerfielder. The latter is a 5’11” tackling machine playing linebacker in college but shows enough speed that I think he can transition well as a SS playing closer to the line in the NFL. I think he is a bit of a projection but in the 5th-6th he is someone to look at.
Some additional safety talent in the pipeline is a must.
The Eagles have a good line and good safeties and then a whole lot of question marks in between.
Right now it looks like the cornerbacks are a 2nd year player with 1 career INT and a 30 year old free agent who has only started sporadically throughout his career. Will Rowe become a solid NFL starter? Maybe!
I see no reason to be much more confident about the linebackers. Kendricks is small and consistently disappoints. Hicks looks great, but has been hurt in 3 out of his last four seasons going back to Texas. Bradham had his best year under Schwartz in an otherwise mediocre career so fingers crossed I guess?
There are a lot of reasons to be excited about the Eagles defense. It’s easy to focus on the positives in the offseason, but quite often it does seem like those question marks come back to bite you in the ass once the season starts.
You described Kendricks as consistent. I like your positivity.
You can always count on Kendricks, to miss a few games with a hammy pull, and to miss at least three tackles in any game he plays.
If he doesn’t play 16 games This year, I want him traded away..
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Tired of his annual hamstring pull
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Hopefully Myles Jack falls to #8, that will give Kendricks the kick in the ass he needs. Worry that the Jaguars won’t let him get passed #5
I think this is a fair analysis. I’m high on both Hicks and Rowe, so I see this D as having great potential. Potential, though, needs to be actualized.
Speaking of Marcus Smith — where does he project to play?
DE?
DE. All the OLBs are now projected to DE (Long may be the only guy they try at LB, but was college DE).
He’s just as likely to playing in a corporate flag football league come September than as DE in the NFL.
Might be best for him. I remember when Marvin Lewis was running the Redskins defense and he moved Lavar Arrington to DE. I believe it was due to Arrington’s lack of desire to do anything but rush the passer.
Maybe Marcus is just not able to read and react. Maybe he will thrive on 3rd downs when he has one job.
This feels very likely. Kid has an NFL level ability to bend and make the turn toward the QB, but just seemed lost in pass defense.
Actually, MS was solid in coverage.
You and Mac are both correct. Marcus was solid in pass coverage, he drops and moves well. However he seemed completely overwhelmed any time he was asked to read and diagnose anything. The hope is by letting him just be a straight forward player the game slows down for him.
Reading and recognizing what was happening in front of him seemed like his biggest problem. With only one responsibility on each play that will allow him to just play without thinking he should be much more serviceable.
By the Gatorade coolers . . .
Ha! This D will only face Romo long enough for Hicks to get him one more time. Connor Barwin is gonna be playing volleyball on the DLine.
I do like the core of this defense, but I’m not as high on it as Tommy is. The two spots Tommy mentioned as weaknesses, CB and pass rusher, are two of the most critical positions on a defense. In both cases, we need a top end talent as well. I think this defense can play at a high level, but until those spots are filled, I think the defense will struggle to remain consistent against the top offenses.
Vernon Hargreaves
Get it together tommy
I don’t understand why Hagreaves is viewed as a special corner worthy of a top 10 pick…. nice player, but I wouldn’t trust him to grow into a pro bowl Caliber #1 CB that can match up with Dez Bryant or ODB on an Island…I would trust Hargreaves more to grow into a quality #2 CB, but you better be a special #1 NFL CB to be drafted at #8, and I don’t love Hargreaves at all in that role..
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really hate drafting DBs in round 1, it’s rare I see a DB so Special that I would trust drafting them in the first round… Feel like there is a lot of bust potential in round 1’CBs(HAVENT checked the numbers)… There are like 3 DBs drafted since 2012 that I would have liked to draft in round 1,…. I don’t see Hargreaves becoming as good of a #1 CB as Desmond Trufant, and if you aren’t on that level, you have no business being drafted in the top 10..
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Rather take round 4/5’fliers on CB’s… It’s a really important position, but a position I hate drafting. Im sure Rosemans horrendous track record drafting DBs adds to my hatred of it,,,,, Id take Ramsey over every single player in this draft, but I dont see a hargreaves being on Ramsey’s levek as a prospect… Think Hargreaves belonged in the #13 Range, if he gets over drafted in the top 10, hopefully it won’t be by the eagles
Couldn’t agree more
I’m not taking an undersized CB that runs a 4.5 at number 8. In the top ten I want someone that has great film and great measurable a too. Later in the draft is when you have to decide whether you want to take the player that looks great on tape versus college competition despite having suboptimal measurables and the guy that has great measurables but the tape shows a guy who needs to develop more.
Signing Fairley makes zero sense other than his connection to Schwartz… I like the player, I just see adding him as a poor use of resources.. The 4th DT we had HAS to provide interior pass rush better than Logan and Beau.. Don’t see how they could dump more resources into another run stuffer who provides little interior pass rush
I think the idea is they would hope Schwartz can get something out of Fairley like he did in Detroit. I also think Curry might move inside on passing downs. You’re going to need to use Barwin a lot. You have DL money tied up in him. All indicators are he will play DE not OLB.
YOU NEED a backup 3tec… CANT ASSUME cox will play 16 games every year… curry can move inside on 3rd down, but Curry nor anyone else on this roster can step in and play 3tec if Cox misses time with an injury.,
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You can’t have three 1Techniques and ONLY one 3Tecs on the roster.
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Adding Fairley makes zero sense unless we get rid of Beau or Logan
That’s not fair, Reggie was on a completely different level from everyone.
OK, but they’re not on Clyde Simmons’ level either.
Probably, but everyone looks better on a great D, synergy and all that. That D had ridiculous talent, Clyde included.
Tim McManus
@Tim_McManus
4m4 minutes ago
Not inked yet, but plan is for Nolan Carroll to return to the Eagles on a one-year deal, per source.
I thought he played well last year, glad hes back
Sigń Nolan and Howie gets an A for free agency
I guess he gets an A then
A+ if he also signs WR Nate Washington to be our veteran/Deep threat
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Unless HOWIE can acquire a better WR in a trade,,, Torrey Smith? Allegedly chip DOESNT ,value throwing deep, because it takes too much time to line up and get the next play snapped smh…if he doesn’t value deep threat, might as well trade Torrey Smith, he doesn’t do much at a high level besides go deep
BOOOOO for suggesting to trade Ryan Mathews. when healthy he’s good and no need to deplete our thin RB corp.
Don’t trade Ryan Mathews Now… Have a trade in place going into the draft so that if we end up drafting a RB in the first 3’rounds, we can turn around and activate the Ryan Mathews trade to free room up for the rookie, and get an extra 5th round pick or a player back in return
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Whether we keep or trade Ryan, i would assume that a year from now, Murray, Sproles and Mathews will all be gone… So I wouldn’t cut Ryan Mathews this offseason, but we have to start finding our next franchise back, and I wouldn’t turn down a chance to trade Ryan for value this offseason, instead of cutting him for nothing next offseason
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Hopefully we go into the draft with a trade in place to move Ryan, and if you don’t end up drafting a RB with one of our 4 top 100 picks, then you DONT complete the trade and bring Ryan back…
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But if they are even considering the possibility if drafting Zeke, they need to be able to turn around and trade Ryan during the draft,, Ideally, I want to see:
#1) Zeke or whatever RB we draft
#2) Chris Polk (bring Baby Huey home)
#3) Sproles
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..Drafting Zeke at #8 is a little easier to swallow if it allows us to trade Ryan Mathews for a WR or an extra pick that gets us a WR.. Basically we would be getting a young RB and WR only using the #8 pick..can’t trade Mathews if we don’t get a #1 RB to replace him
No no no. You need depth at RB. Not just a rookie Sproles and Barner. Yes we will probably move on from RMat after this season. But I want him AND a rookie. Even if it was Zeke, I’d want Zeke AND RMat.
You seem to be willing to be in the bad to just ok range at RB for a system that we think will be run heavy. That’s NOT ok.
And come on – “franchise back”? What is it, 2005? The best teams in the league do not have a “franchise back”. Vikings suck. Rams have Gurley, but…. Cheifs needed depth behind Charles for the past 2 years.
You need multiple RBs period. And the Eagles should hold onto Rmat this year.
Don’t buy a Ryan Mathews jersey, he is only temporarily an eagle
Eagles re-signed CB Nolan Carroll to a one-year contract.
Carroll took a visit with the Cowboys, but he will return for his third season in Philadelphia. Arguably the Eagles’ best corner before going down with a broken ankle on Thanksgiving Day, Carroll should have the inside track on a starting spot. He turned 29 in January.
Standing Ovation for HOWIE
Glad he is back, 1 year sounds like he was hoping to get more interest.
Maybe teams were nervous about his injury.
His tweets during free agency sure sounded that way.
Wasnt it assumed that he would have to sign a prove it deal? He doesn’t even have an entire season of starting outside corner experience and is coming off surgery… Who ever expected him to get a Longterm deal? If Nolan thought that was reality, his agent is either dumb, or he wasn’t honest with Nolan
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So Happy we didn’t lose this high Charechter, hard working, ascending talent to dirty dallas
It seemed like he was frustrated when he tweeted out the clip of himself running stairs.
Then his agent didnt do a great job putting realistic expectations in his head..
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He changed agents, I wonder if he didn’t like the truths his previous agent was telling him. I assume switching agents DIDNT help if he ended up signing a 1yr deal
Yeah, either the agent set unrealistic expectations and Carroll fired him when they proved so, or Carroll had unrealistic expectations and fired the agent for trying to point that out to him. Could be either way.
what are the chances Bosa slips to #8? Would be happy with him.
Overrated. I’d pass.
WR nate Washington went to Visit the Patriots yesterday… Apparently no deal was signed…. This is who I really want the Eagles to sign, a Veteran WR who’s career is winding down, but he is still a deep threat weapon who will pretty much just run go Routes all year
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With Andre HOLMES signing to remain with the Raiders, Nate Washington is my last hope, before we have to settle on a Miles Austin type veteran like Jason Avant who won’t contribute at all on the field..
“Miles Austin type veteran like Jason Avant…”
Don’t you dare talk about Jason like that.
Funny he axed avant and then struggled to get any “vet” person that could actually catch the ball.
The thing about Washington, in the little tiny bit of tape I’ve seen, is that he doesn’t get open using speed for the most part. He runs great routes that get him open. The good thing about that is that is a skill that won’t decline with age.
Signing Nate Washingtion was never my dream…. It’s relative to what is available… One of the best combos left of modest price tag, veteran mentor, and someone who’s game is Verticle routes down field… Not a guy who will make our break our WRs, but a veteran who at least can give us a little more on the field than we got from the pathetic, waste of space Miles Austin..
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More than adding additional size at WR we need to add a deep threat of some sort, and even if we sign a WR we still have to draft a WR at some point this year. I imagine the WR we look for in the dratt will need to be one of the faster WRs on our team as opposed to another big body like Treadwell
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Wonder if Riley Cooper will be on a Roster This year?
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Unfortunately our WR position ISNT a 1 offseason fix.. I would think we are still talking about adding to our group of WR’s a year from now.. WR will only go as far as our puppies take us this year
Someone flag this guy for suggesting to bring back pooper.
But seriously, no need for wrs, our offense will go through Ertz and RBs. Jmatt and Ags will do much better when there’s a functional OL and running game.
Lol you NEED at least 5, more likely 6 WR’s to fill a roster, right now we have 3…. So yes, the Eagles need multiple WR’s… Never said they needed starting WRs,.., but we would have to be crazy to just gift Eric Krause and Freddie Martino roster spots… And that’s not counting the extra 4 to 6 WRs we need as camp bodies/practice squad..
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We will still be adding to the WR group next offseason
i’d like to see what PS squad will do. As much as Chip was about winning the day, backups really had no shot. If PS guys suck at some point gotta get new ones.
have tohope we have a WR coach that can coach hands. Plenty of fast guys in the 3rd 4th round that can’t catch.
Yeah and he’s shifty after the catch. I hope they do get him but I’m doubting that they will. He’s been a favorite of mine for a while.
Ideallly if the Eagles draft a tackle that can”t play guard, Peters would be OK with shifting inside. Stanley — Peters — Kelce — Brooks — Johnson
Im good with that.
First nobody knows if Jason Peters is really willing to move inside, plus this may be his last year here. If he happens to move inside you would actually move Lane Johnson to LT being that’s his future position and Stanley would play RT in that situation.
I usually dont like sticking a Johnson next to my Peters.
…something, something, Cox joke…
Id rather pay a stop gap veteran Guard, and let Stanley sit on the bench and learn for a year, work on improving his core strength… And if JP can’t play every snap of all 16 games, stanley will get a limited taste of NFL action for a year
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We need to get it out of our heads that a top draft pick having to spend his rookie year on the bench is a bad thing…. Ideally, no rookie would ever have to see the field. Let them learn for a year, let them claw and scratch and make them earn a starting spot if at all possible..
Peters has repeatedly said he’s the LT and that’s what he wants to be. Barring a change of heart, I don’t see him sliding inside.
He also said in an interview that he foresees ending his career at guard. At age 34 when exactly would he be planning on making that move. All prideful players will proclaim themselves the best, but if the Eagles draft Stanley, Peters will either start at guard and be happy as the highest paid LG in the NFL or end up moving to guard the moment he aggravated his back/hamstring and Stanley comes in and plays well at LT. If he doesn’t accept that he gets cut and has to accept substantially less money as a late FA who is breaking down and 34 years old.
You have to look at it this way, Peters has said that he is the LT. If the FO doesn’t like that and he refuses to move, expect him to be cut or traded in the coming months. If they don’t do that, he will be the starting LT. If we do draft someone like Stanley, he will either be given a shot at LG for this season and also be the top tackle backup, or just be the top tackle backup and then focus on adding strength (a major flaw in his game). If Peters does go down in a game, it is likely that either Stanley or Johnson will replace him at LT while the other mans RT. If Peters comes back from injury, it is very likely he plays LT and not guard as you suggest as he has no experience playing guard. It is highly unlikely Jason Peters agrees to move to guard this year because he knows he can still play tackle in this league and it’s a matter of pride.
Howie Roseman never allowed all trades in Madden when he was a kid, he was just that good. #SupremeLeader
curious to see how Many trades total he is able to pull off this offseason..
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I think it will be something crazy like 5 trades total
i do like Supreme Leader, thought that was funny.
Kim Jung Roseman
hahahahaha
So, does the same info ever come out whether Nolan, Walter, and Ced called or were willing to talk to SF?
Crazy how many free agents are flocking to join our defensive coordinator in Philly.. Doug Pederson even got a KC free agent (Chase) to follow him to philly..
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We had like 5 or 6 Free agents that are trying to find jobs, and haven’t heard a single rumor of any player who was an eagle the past 3 years even rumored to have any interest in joining chip in San Fran
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dont recall any playërs flocking to Philly to reunite with Billy Davis.
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Im not even sure if chips former Eagle/Ducks like Huff want to play for chip
I wouldn’t say that free agents are flocking here.
Eagles paid Daniel big money. McLeod got paid too.
Good thing I was talking about Nigel, Ron, and Leodis who all mentioned “Jim Schwartz” as the first thing when asked why they signed with the Eagles.. Doesn’t “Flocking” mean multiple players following 1 coach? .. McLeod followed no one here
Yea I agree. Funny too that chip had an opening at D coordinator and despite being adamant about keeping Davis in Philly, he didn’t even consider bringing him to San Fran.
1 year deal worth 2.36 million for Carroll can get up to 3 mill with incentives.
Bargain for Carroll. 1 year, $2.36M base, up to $3M with incentives.
1 year prove it – though i don’t think he’ll be back next year. I do like the way he plays though – real effort guy.
You have to be an effort guy when all you are is mediocre at best at playing corner. I like the guy and how he plays as well but I agree with you that he more then likely wont be back next year.
No-harm, no-foul on that Carroll deal. Another very reasonably structured deal that ensures that salary cap impact beyond this year. Wonder if it tips their hand a bit on Hargreaves at #8 though.
We’ll see how McLeod, Brooks, and Curry perform as starters this year but Roseman did a good job this offseason of restructuring the roster without giving up long-term flexibility or draft picks. Doesn’t seem like a big deal with the cap expanding so much but it is always something that has been under-appreciated here the last 15 years.
The Eagles have plenty of Needs, and they won’t be able to address all of them in round 1, so no, not every free agent move is a tip of the hand on what we plan on doing at #8…. A 1yr deal was to be expected from a guy who wants to be paid like a starter but doesn’t even have a season worth of starting experiemce at outside corner and is also coming off surgery,,,
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1yr deal, like Bradford Probably means that the player wanted to be here, the team wanted the player, but the two sides were very far apart on the Value, so the player instead of signing for less than he is worth Longterm, does what Maclin did, gambles on himself taking a short deal and being worth much more next offseason than he is worth now,… And that has no bearing on our draft,,.
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With or without Nolan, we were going to draft a CB This year.
See them patching it this year and using that pick to fill other needs including the Eagles take a real long look at a QB. Just a hunch.
I don’t think we draft a CB at #8 because Ramsey is the ONLY DB prospect worthy of a top 10 pick. If CB was the BPA at #8, Id expect us to draft a CB, since it won’t be, I expect them to not draft a Corner at #8… just because we have a certain Need, doesn’t mean each draft class will provide a prospect that fills that need worthy of where we are selecting
Wait — signing Bradford for only 2 years was tipping their hand. Now Carol is? If they sign a veteran WR will that tip their hand too?
No but they have 3 guys who could possibly step in to start now at CB and some depth there with the remaining leftover.
Tend to agree their take a CB but it will be later in the draft.
I don’t think it’s clear they’re picking Hargreaves.
No I think if anything it frees them up a bit more to not reach on Hargreaves since they have an adequate starter. I think Carroll was looking for a big pay day and it just didn’t materialize for him. If I had to bet the Eagles would have wanted to sign him to a longer deal (maybe three years) but he decided to take a one year prove it deal on a team he has an excellent chance of starting on, in hope that he can parlay it into one last payday going into his year 30 season.
For me one of the most interesting story lines this Summer is finally finding out what we have in MS2.. I got the impression that there was nothing Marcus could have done to earn playing time as long as ego maniacle chip remained in control. I would assume that drafting MS2 was one of the arguments Chip used While trying to Usurp Rosemans power. It was sure convenient for chip that the city and media hated the Marcus pick, and I don’t think chip had any interest in giving MS2 a chance to change that Narrative.
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Some of our key defenders like Curry, Logan, Thornton swore that MS2 can play and that he wI’ll be a good NFL player. excited to have coaches that we Know will give MS2 playing time if he deserves it and is capable of helping our Defense on the field. IF MS2 doesn’t make an impact this year, we know that he has no one to blame but himself.
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The main reason Marcus wasn’t ready to play in the NFL as a rookie was that he lacked the strength needed to compete on this level, but he has had 3 years of work with NFL strength training so I would Imagine that a lack of strength can’t possibly still be an Issue..
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As a Backup, Curry only played like 30% of the snaps under chip,,. With Scwartz in philly, I expect BG, BARWIN, and Curry to evenly split playing time. As the #4 DE Marcus will get some opportunity, but his production will dictate the amount of snaps he gets compared to the other 3 DEs… Marcus adding to the pass rush would be a welcome addition..
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It’s year 3, so even as a #4 DE, im looking for MS2 to have at least 4 sacks this year… This is a kid with a pretty high upside, who everyohe knew was a project who was a few years away from being ready, so he should have NEVER been treated as a bust during his first two years under a coach who didn’t want him to begin with.
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Hopefully MS2 goes the BG, Curry route and is the next edge rusher who goes on to become a late bloomer for us, im not even close to giving up on him, and I expect to eventually see a lot of people who will owe this kid an appology for how terribly he was treated since the day he became an Eagle…. Cry baby McNabb still hasn’t gotten over being booed on Draft day, thin skin McNabb would have had a breakdown if this city treat him the way MS2 has been treated,,.. hopefully we now have the coaching staff in place that will get this kid to start to realize his full potential, because the kid has a lot of upside…Athletic kid, nice frame to grow into, big hands to slap fools around.. Don’t give up on This kid yet, then again, philly gave up on him the moment he was drafted…Schwartz salvaging his career as a first round pick would be Huge addition for us
“I got the impression that there was nothing Marcus could have done to
earn playing time as long as ego maniacle chip remained in control.” he didn’t get a lot of chances but he didn’t do a ton with the ones he did have.
He got a sack in like the first game he ever went into knowing he would get a chance
not saying he’s pure trash. I think it’s going to be interseting to see how he’s used this year. Maybe better if he doesn’t have to two gap, but he he better hope that Schwarz likes to go deep into the bench b/c that DL is stizzacked.
4 DEs and 4 DTs will play every week… Every team rotates D line as it is, Schwartz who will have his DL firing off the snap and exploding up field will have to keep guys fresh and play 4 DE and 4 DTs every game.,., if you want to manufacture pass rush without blitzing, you better have two waves of Front 4’to throw at teams each week and keep your horses fresh… Probably won’t ever see a DL play more than 8 snaps in a row..
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Hopefully Marcus steps up and seizes control of that #4 DE spot
If he amounts to anything I will take it as a huge bonus.
Like bonus fries… but better because it will be bonus QB sacks and pressures.
Ultimately for me a successful draft pick is someone who earns a second contract with the Eagles… That’s still perfectly attainable for Marcus, but its yeàr 3, time to at least start showing it in flashes,,
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Gotta get at least 4 sacks,,. Bjoern werner got his ass cut and he is way ahead of Marcus on the career stat sheet… At least MS2 made his mark on ST last year, he didn’t even give us much of that during his rookie year… Hopefully some part time defensive production is the next step in his growth
If he doesn’t produce and earn playing time under Schwartz we’ll know that he’s most likely a bust and he’ll be cut after the season. But, like you, I have a sneaky suspicion that he’ll show us a lot more than he did the last two years.
Funny – I always heard the narrative that MS2 was a Chip pick and that Howie never would have reached for him at the end of the first.
I actually think your version of events makes as much sense as any, and unless someone credible within the organization tells the real truth, we’ll probably never know. (not sure there is someone credible within the organization after the last 5 years, but that’s another story)
Regardless, it would be great if he turns into a contributor on this team and earns a second contract.
Who the hell really knows,,, people will poïnt to HOWIE taking responsibility for it at his post chip firing reintroductory press Confrence, but I viewed that more as Roseman taking the high road and he would have taken responsibility for anything we asked him about,,..bet he would have taken responsibility for Huff and Hart too, but we know who really wanted them
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It’s interesting because on one hand, it would seem like marcus was a chip pick more than a Roseman pick, but chip acted like he wanted nothing to do with Marcus from day 1…’we will never really know,exactly what Happened, unless someone from the front Office goes all “Molk”‘retires and writes a tell all book about the chip vs HOWIE dysfunction
I like your hypothesis though. I don’t know if you’re right but it’s an interesting alternative explanation that I hadn’t considered.
I can make a case for why it was chip or Howies pick… But as an outsider we kind of got a hint that there was some Drama behind that MS2 pick.. And that drama was one of the first public rumblings about Chip and Howie’s relationship going sour… To Usurp HOWIE, I would assume Chip needed to throw a few examples at Lurie of How Roseman went against what Chip wanted, and what Roseman chose proved to be the Wrong Choice… There had to be some type of disconnect like that to go from HOWIE looking like the Cat who ate the Cannary strutting around with his chest out over him landing the great Chip Kelly, to get to the point where they could no longer work together and Chip trying to Usurp Roseman.. Of Course the Gamble firing was the straw that broke the camels back, but there had to be drama long before that..
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Without a blatant mistake that Chip could blame on Roseman, you would think LURIE would tell them to shut up, and keep working together if they were doing such a great job as a team… If the drafting of MS2 wasn’t one of their big arguments, I don’t know what other move could have been
For those that don’t know about the secret messages disguised in the unnecessary capitolized letters, we have:
DUHWCCCOC, or DUH, WCCC O, C?
Obviously, “DUH people, that pick was on the level of a West Coast Community College, i.e. Oregon. See?”
Really rooting for this kid..seems like I was one of the only people on the planet that was happy about the pick. Khalil Mack and Anthony Barr were my 1st and 2nd favourite linebackers in that draft…Marcus was my third and seemed like a poor mans Anthony Barr. Was really hoping that we would get him …if not..I thought Kyle van Noy or Jeremiah Attaochou were the next best options at that spot and they’re not exactly setting the world on fire at this point.
Chippy can act like he didn’t feel the same way but we all saw him salivating over him at louisvilles pro day plus they had multiple visits with the kid.
expecting him to finally get a shot this year and make some Noise, hoping he has a similar boost in production to Jerry Hughes…another former “bust” LB that flourished once he started playing Defensive end for shwartz.
Howie recently took responsibility for the MS2 pick. Howie thought one of their 6 targets would be available at their pick that year, but when a team traded up in front of them and took the last one they were caught off guard and traded back. Chip apparently wanted to take Jordan Matthews at that spot but Howie talked him out of it telling him they could still get Matthews in the second and convinced them to take MS2 because, even though he was a reach at that point he wouldn’t last much longer since after him the pass rusher market dried up quickly and WR was incredibly deep. So they took MS2. When Jacksonville took Marquise Lee (who was the other WR Chip liked) Chip made the call to trade up and get Matthews.
I’ve still got hope for MS2 as well. He’s got the body of an NFL player and he looks the part when he’s out on the field. He didn’t have any production to speak of in the past two years but he also had no playing time either. When he did get on the field he didn’t flash unstoppable elite ability for sure but he didn’t look overwhelmed from a physical standpoint either.
His issues seemed mostly mental and related to knowing his responsibility (he got burned on a reverse last year and gave up a big play on a broken play the year before against San Fran. But those seemed to be things that would have corrected with experience. Not because he was physically unable to do his job well.
In Schwartz’s scheme he will have very limited responsibilities. He won’t have to read and react like he did the past two years and he’ll just be able to attack without swimming mentally. That alone could be all he needs to become a productive player. But then you add in the possibility that Chip was just sitting him out of spite and he might be someone that truly surprises a lot of people.
Per a league source, Eagles safety Walter Thurmond is currently leaning toward retirement.
Last week, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that Thurmond was considering walking away at age 28, after four years with the Seahawks, one with the Giants, and one with the Eagles.
Thurmond, according to the source, has opportunities to return, earning in the range of $4 million.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/03/15/signs-still-pointing-to-a-walter-thurmond-retirement/
Hard to put a price tag on the ability to walk.
$4.1 Mill
Would really like to have him come back to compete on the outside or start at Nickel if Shepherd does not impress. Would also act as a backup safety. Him and Carroll could really help this D.
That’s pricey for someone who likely wouldn’t start….
Think he is done…. He is directing a documentary that is set to start shooting soon
Let’s see how long it takes him to burn all the hard earned money.
He has been thru a lot of injuries.. I could see if walking away at a time when he is injury free with no surgery scheduled could appeal to a guy in the 30yr old range… It’s not like a healthy Chris Boreland walking away a yeàr after they spent a draft pick on him
Understood. I was just referring to the movie industry as a risky business.
You damn sure right about that… My father produced Docementaries.. Not an easy game at all….
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I trust Walt Thurmond productions to be more successful than Jaccpot records 🙂
Pats trade chandler jones for jonathan cooper and 2nd round pick
(from Arizona)
WOW
New England committing robbery.
Yep. Every friggin’ year. Why does anyone continue to trade with them?
Amazing. I think Jones’s 12 sacks were very system driven and with Vernon’s bloated deal destroying the DE market, New England needed to move on.
Factor in Jones deciding that overdosing on drugs was more important than a play off game and you’ve got a guy who wasn’t long for the Pats.
Lol I love adding Chandler Jones to one of Chip Kellys Rivals..arizona will have to hand a brinks truck to re sigń Chandler after the season, which probably means Caleus Cambell will be a cap casualty after this next year, but arizona has so many veterans who’s window is closing that trading some of their future to try and get over the hump now is a move I understand, especially when they acquired a pass rusher which they have been looking for the past few years and keep striking out..
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Good short term move for Arizona, but I wonder if some of that team will start getting broken up after this season.. They better hurry up and push their SB chips all in before Fitzgerald, And Palmers bodies start to deteriorate..
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Didn’t look like Jonathon Cooper would ever get his career on track from inside Arians dog house… Change of scenery could be what that kid needed
Biggest game of the year so far for the Fly guys tonight! Flyers have been playing tremendous hockey over the past month and a half, real shot to get in the playoffs and they have been with out Jake. Anyone else psyched about this?
No
I am! But these always seem to be the games that the Flyers have a letdown. They play great to get right on the edge of that 8th spot then lose 2 in a row. I hope this is not the case tonight. Would love for the Flyers to make the playoffs.
Yup. Gostisbehere I think has made a mediocre blue line average. And I’m excited that we have 3 more guys that I think will be above average defensemen (Provorov, Morin, Sanheim).
Konecny might be ready next year too, and we could use a scoring punch on the wing.
Hakstol should be at least considered for coach of the year. He took a bad team and made them competitive. Though Hextall deserves some credit for getting rid of a ton of bad contracts.
Yeah Gostisbehere will be a stud. If only he was like 2 inches taller then he would be perfect. Hakstol’s system is showing up and the boys seem to have taken to it. Konecny will for sure be up next year, he has nothing left to learn in juniors. He may be down in the AHL to start but then should be put up with the big boys. Same goes with Prov. The future is bright in Flyer land, and making the playoffs this year would be like finding 20 bucks in your winter jacket after summer time (but way better)
My money is on Myles Jack or Ronnie Stanley at 8.
stanley would rule
I wiould explode with Joy If we drafted Jack, but I damn sure WOULDNT bet a dollar on him falling to #8… I struggle seeing Gus Bradley letting him get passed #5. jags built a nice DL, they have Tashuan Gipson and Cyprien at safety. Unless Ramsey is available at #5, I dont see how the hell Myles Jack is getting passed the Jags, but you can bet that’s who im hoping for. ramsey and Tunsil are the ONLY players I would take ahead of Jack and they are even less likely of falling to #8 than Jack is..
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With our Nasty DL, to be able to put Jack, Hicks and the winner of the Bradham/KEndricks competition behind Cox and the boys would give us one of the nasty young Front 7’s in the game… Jack can do everything, want him to play SAM and defend TEs? No problem, let KEndricks play WIL.. You want Jack to cover Jamal Charles out of the backfield as our WIL LB? No Problem, stick Nigel at Strong side LB… Just to have Hicks and Jack would make me crazy
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I desperately wañt Tunsil, Jack, or Ramsey.,…and im not sure any will be a possibility
Those are my top 3 players int draft, can’t see Ramsey not going top 3, and can’t see Jack getting past the Jags if Ramsey isn’t there like you said. Unless Bosa slides,(I don’t know the consensus here on Bosa at 8…personally depending on who is left Id consider him) since Buck doesn’t fit, and ignoring QBs even though I know they may be in play, we will likely be presented with 2-3 of Zeke, Hargreaves and Stanley and THAT is where the debate is
Jags or Ravens. I think the Ravens would snatch him up for sure.
I really like Goff over Wentz if we get the option. Seems much more mentally ready to play in the NFL. Hoping Brownies get Kap, Chip takes Wentz.
I really do not see why the Browns would go for Kap, am I missing something? They are not in win now mode, they just changed coaches again and they need to build a team. I would say they need a franchise altering QB and Kap is not it. They would be crazy to go for Kap.
Browns
You missed about 20 years of history if you are trying to apply logic to the Browns QB situation.
But if you look at what their offseason plan has been which is do nothing and let good players walk, why would they trade precious picks to the 49ers. I think we need to start penciling them in for Goff or Wentz.
No, I am not questioning your logic, everything you said makes sense, only where you are aiming it.
Not a fan of either QB, but I really don’t like aGoff…for a QB that is supposed to be more polished, the way so many of his throws sail on him is a big turn off.. I do think hand size does matter and ISNT just some Chip kelly BS… I like that Wentz has been under center, has all the Physical tools, I like that he has been asked to read the entire field and go thru his progression at college, but the difference between threading Balls inside “NFL windows” compared to throwing Balls in windows he saw playing at North Dakota bumbleFock university scares the heck out of me.
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Id rather not take a QB from this draft at #8, but if we do, I sure hope it’s wentz
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I see good, but not great QB prospects who are going to be drafted Higher because they are the best of an average at best QB class. I think they can become great QBs, but I can say that about most top QB prospects.. I guess what I’m saying is that I see,way too much bust potential to like them as top 10 picks,
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If the Eagles are going to draft one of these QBs at #8, Id much rather them just trade the 8th pick away to a bad team for an extra 1st round pick next year when there should be a better QB prospect available
I really hope that both Goff and Wentz will be gone before the Eagles are on the clock. That would make it much more likely that an elite prospect like Ramsey, Jack or Stanley falls right into our lap.
Thank you for not including Elliot in that list of “elite” prospects.
Why? Better prospect than Stanley is IMO
Offer rejected
K… Let’s just agree to disagree for the time being, I know the Stanley, Hargreaves, Elliot debates will only intensify
Too true. I’m going to be virulently anti-Elliot at 8.
He’s not my first choice, but I think more of him as a prospect than you do, and depending on who’s left he definitely comes into play for me, especially since I don’t think as highly or Stanley as many people here
What’s Mostert up to these days?
Hanging out somewhere still being better than Barner!
Lol
I think you just hate running, period, no matter who does it.
EE is definitely an elite prospect tho
I don’t see him being as good as Gurley last year.
but gurley is already on the rams, so it doesn’t matter. we need an impact player to start making some impact.
if the cowboys draft zeke no one will be happy facing him
I don’t him as a player worthy of picking at 8 is my point. If you’re not a RB of a skill level much higher than Elliot, I cannot justify drafting that position at 8.
Just curious, do you not want to draft him because he’s an RB, oh because of Elliot himself?
Combo. I don’t really see RB worthy of a top 10 pick unless that RB has a level of talent far in excess of Elliot.
So ignoring positions do you think Stanley is a better prospect than Zeke?
Yes. I think Stanley is a for sure 10 year starter. And somewhat position versatile if needed. Going guy for guy, he’s a ton better than Flowers and Sherff from last year’s draft.
There we go…needed to find the root of our disagreement and there it is 😛
What if it’s an elite RB who also has 88% accuracy from 50 yrds on field goals?
You want to give Parkey the ball on run plays? I like it.
He may well have out performed Mr. Casual Stroll to the sideline from last season.
I agree with your sentiment, but I do think he’s elite.
So the entire starting secondary apart from from Rowe was brought in by FA.. Does signing Carroll mean no high CB pick? Getting another CB will push out Sheppard or Watkins..? Unless carrying extra CBs..
Signing Carroll has absolutely no impact on our draft strategy. Nothing. Nada. Nichts. Niente.
Thats cool i didnt expect them not to draft a CB but thats a some money invested in 3 CBs know what im saying? At least our dime package should be good lol Thought Sheppard had high upside but he could be odd man out.. Ah well be good see to anyways what happens come draft day
Watkins was already cut once. He, Brooks, hell, even Carroll could still be cut without long-term pain if the new guy and Shepherd are both worthy. They have flexibility.
If Shepherd returns fully to form after his ACL rehab he’ll make the team. Gotta think that we’ll keep 5 CBs possibly 6. I think Rowe, Carroll and McKelvin are sure fire enough to pencil in to the 53 man roster. That leaves 2-3 spots open to be fought over by Brooks, Shepherd and maybe a draft pick.
So I think we’re in an ideal situation given where we started out. We’ve got two guys that we’d be comfortable going into the season as starters in Rowe and Carroll and a guy in McKelvin who can be an excellent NB while also someone that can start outside if need be. We have a young prospect who can develop into that nickel role in Shepherd and a low cost signing who can fill that void and provide added depth if need be all while having complete flexibility to draft a CB anywhere in the draft.
If you re-sign Carroll then you don’t have to necessarily reach for Hargreaves, who is more of a 10-15 talent.
Yip i get that but if we do draft someone high someone becomes odd man out n thats most probably Sheppard or Watkins..? Eagles surely wont pass on Ramsey.. Then you have Brooks pushed all the way down to 4-5th string n getting paid good coin.. Just made me go hmmm lol
I have not seen anything consistent or significant from Watkins to prevent us from picking someone because of him. This team still lacks a #1 CB. Rowe has had a few good games, and Nolan the same. Rowe has upside, and Carroll is mediocre/okay, especially if he is expected to be our #1 this season.
Yeah just thinking of the numbers game.. Draft high CB do Eagles go 5CBs 5S or 6CBs 4S 5LBs etc.. Just thinking out loud lol Strong group Eagles have now in the back end
Doubt we’ll go five deep at safety given the lack of depth we have there plus 4 seems like the number we’ve gone w more often than not over the past two decades. I feel like you only keep 5 if you have someone who you really like developing that you can’t expose to waivers. I doubt that will be the case. CB will have Rowe, Carroll and McKelvin for sure. After that you potentially will have a draft pick, Brooks and Jacory Shepherd fighting it out for the last two spots with Watkins and our other 6th round CB from last year who’s name escapes me as camp bodies. That sounds pretty ok to me.
I’d put Denzel Rice ahead of Randal Evans.
Seems like Ramsey will be a top 3 choice.
He’s the second beat player in this draft, so if he isn’t something is wrong
It WILL be Watkins, unless he decides to learn how to tackle. I could see them wanting another player to push him out.
We still need a legit #1 Corner, #1 WR, Guard and/or Tackle help, DL, QB potentially, RB potentially, DL additions, LB depth or upgrades. Re-signing Nolan just allows us to truly go BPA. Only positions that are safe from additions in the early draft are TE and S, in my opinion.
Carroll’s only a one-year deal. This changes nothing.
Doesn’t change anything. Carrolls on a one year deal. You draft (hopefully) for the future not the present. Especially at CB where rookies tend to need a year before you can count on them as starters. Signing Carroll means that there isn’t a single opening or glaring hole for a starter anywhere on this roster except maybe LG (which worst comes to worst could reasonably be manned by Andrews or Barbre). That means the Eagles can go into the draft truly adhering to a BPA strategy.
A successful FA period in my eyes is one where you cover all your glaring holes so you don’t have to draft for need. Howie’s done just that which sets us up very nicely for the draft next month.
Jonathan Cooper and a 2nd for Chandler Jones wow
New England out stealing.
how? I like this move for the Cards…
Oh God no. Jones is overrated / system product and about to get massively over payed due to the Vernon contract that the Giants signed. New England sold high on a guy who has drug issues as well.
Doesn’t matter. Jones will hold out next year, or go on a mission trip, or experiment with Mexican drug cocktails, or…
Trade with the Pats and you lose.
Cooper is the second best guard I’ve watched coming out (Decastro), they weren’t going to be able to resign Jones and they got pick 61.
It makes sense for both sides but Patriots got alot of upside back.
A second plus a guy who the Pats are probably going to turn into a pro bowl guard, for a guy who they knew they wouldn’t be able to resign? Robbery
Any reason given for Jack not running at his Pro Day? Any concern?
Still coming off that knee injury, right?
Apparently he still isn’t 100% back from his meniscus tear. I read that he said he was at 85% at this moment. For a guy to jump as high as he did and not be 100% is a testament to his athleticism.
Stuck in traffic? The Westside is brutal.
I may be the only person on here who will be happy when another team drafts Jack. I saw the highlights, and he looks like an amazing football player, but picking in the top 10 is (hopefully) rare for the Eagles. I’d rather not spend that resource on a player who could end up injured for a significant portion of his career. I guess I’m just tired of the whole cripple corps thing.
In case you’re interested my tooth ache is doing my head in!!!
Have you tried taking Tylenol and Advil at the same time?
Nope. Do you die or get high from that??
both!
No, it’s something I’ve heard of people doing to get by with severe tooth pain while waiting in need of a root canal or recovering from one. The idea being to take one of each pill.
Mixing aspirin and Tylenoll is highly recommended for tooth pain by dentists
The method is solid. The drugs work on different chemical pathways, and you don’t have to worry about interactions. The best way is to stagger them, so you start the second drug a couple hours after the first. I first learned about this from my kids’ pediatrician when they used to get high fevers.
Intentionally injure a minor appendage, finger or toe. You won’t notice the tooth as much.
Mate
The pain is so intense I might have to cut off a finger!!
I just took tylenol PM for a whole day and slept through the pain.
If you like stouts:
http://goodbeerfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Weyerbacher-%E2%80%93-Heresy-Imperial-Stout-aged-in-Oak-Barrels.jpg
Have you had the wisdom tooth out yet? If so, you’ll want to get intimate with codeine for a stretch. But be careful, the breakup will be pain of a different stripe.
Yep. Toot got out last Thursday.
Ibuprofen for tooth aches!
agreed.
I’ve been taking that since Thursday. Have switched to Moltrin today.
Motrin is still ibuprofen
Mixing Aspirin and Tylenol is your best bet
Percocet is actually the only thing I found really helped when I had mine pulled. I’m suprised you’re dentist or oral surgeon didn’t give u a script for at least the first few days. Just be careful cuz it’s also highly addictive.
All those pills sound dangerous. Scotch will take care of it.
The last young UFA WR of any real interest to me.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/709854327444283393
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/709850302015528962
Ouch.
“When this process started, I knew that I wasn’t going back to Minnesota,” Wallace said matter of factly. “I was like, ‘I need a good quarterback.'”
That’s aggressive out of Wallce.
nah – no point of having a speed receiver be w/ a qb w/ a noodle arm. he’ll be in a good position w/ flacco. but if he doesnt perform in baltimore its over.
Don’t hold your breath on him performing in Baltimore, he will the 4th or 5th option at best on a team that has Steve Smith, Breshaud Perriman, Ben Watson, and Justin Forsett.
He needs to shush, Teddy is a better QB than he is WR
Wow, good luck developing trust with your next teammates.
Well Minnesota wanted a good WR, they didn’t get one last year.
This probably means they’re out on Fairley.
https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/709874127386050562
I mean I’d like the depth if he’s cheap, probably another short term prove it deal right?
Yes uh fairly cheap maybe 3-4 million a year?
I see what you did there
That sounds backwards, I usually try to fill the void with snacks.
Good, I think Farley is a good addition at the right cost.
It appears like this will be a long battle, oh how fun shall it be…FOR ELLIOT! (Honestly though I love being at 8…Zeke, Hargreaves, Stanley, Jack this is way better than the Coleman’s and Conklin’s we were talking about a couple weeks ago
We were talking about Coleman and Conklin at 13?!?!
I heard that stuff….which scares me, I was think Darron Lee I like him
I know this won’t happen, but I’m going to ask anyway.
Say Ramsey and Stanley are both at #8. Would you take Ramsey instead? I would, and I really want Stanley.
Uuuuh pretty easily since they are 8 spots apart on my board xD
But how you have them on your board means absolutely nothing since no one knows how the Eagles board is set up. We don’t know how the Eagles feel about the QBs first and foremost and that is the position I think the Eagles are truly targeting. With that said in that situation I would personally go Ramsey.
I thought he was asking us personally lol, so I said what I’d do…Eagles could have Stanley as their number 1 overall player for all I know
Yeah I was. Just a general question.
I know we don’t know what the Eagles are doing, I’m just making conversation about our own personal agendas.
If they can’t get Wentz then I’d like them to pass on qb in the 1st round. I think Cleveland wants Wentz.
Agree. I’m really not high on any of these QBs, but if we did choose one I would want it to be Wentz.
10/10 times I would take Ramsey.
If anyone responds no to this question, you should immediately flag the comment as inappropriate.
Ramsey, Stanley is somewhat of a reach at 8. Don’t see Ramsey getting to 8 however.
How come you don’t like Stanley?
Who do you want at #8?
It’s not that I don’t like Stanley, it’s just that I think there are more talented players available at 8 and he isn’t top 10 worthy.
I know he fills a position of need so I will not be overly upset if we draft him, but I won’t be thrilled.
Like I said above I would love Ramsey but I highly doubt he will be there at 8.
In my opinion there are 3 players in this draft that are absolute take talents if they fall to you. Ramsey, Jack, and Elliot.
Many will call me crazy, but this could be the year the Eagles get a top 3 talent in Myles Jack. Yes, I know he had a serious injury, however one that he seems to be recovering great from. It not often that an athlete as young as him has that type of injury and doesnt make a comeback. Lattimore being the exception in which his injury was FAR worse. All signs point to Jack having a full recovery.
As long S he checks out by our medical staff then we should grab him if he gets to us. He is insanely talented. Having him could possibly give us the best front 7 in the NFL.
Flyers look like they want to be in the playoffs.
8: R1P8
OT RONNIE STANLEY
NOTRE DAME
77: R3P14
WR JOSH DOCTSON
TCU
79: R3P16
G JOSHUA GARNETT
STANFORD
101: R4P2
DT CHRIS JONES
MISSISSIPPI STATE
154: R5P14
TE JERELL ADAMS
SOUTH CAROLINA
165: R5P25
WR CHARONE PEAKE
CLEMSON
Just give me this in the first 5 rounds Howie
Where is our rb coming from? FA?
We have 2 RB’s in Mathews and Sproles who are quality starters, with proven production. Our 3rd RB can be UDFA, late rounder or mid rounder, and they will come in and compete to be our back up with those we already have on the roster.
Yes RB is a something we can invest in early if they are BPA but we do not need to force it.
I agree that they are quality starters but reliability is Matthew’s issue. I’d rather have a higher quality backup (eventual starter) than a UDFA….jmho.
As a testament to Howie’s efforts, you can insert any position into that statement and make an argument:
“Yes ____ is a something we can invest in early if they are BPA but we do not need to force it.”
Oh i agree, Howie does a good job so that you do need to force need in the draft to avoid disasters like 2011.
I think however RB need is overstated by people at this point. Teams find RB production from a lot of places and while we need a 3rd RB who can backup and take over from Mathews when he is dinged up, I trust our scouts to find someone who can come in for a couple of games and be productive.
Finding a long term solution would be great but we have a great RB class in 2017 shaping up and you never know when you hit on a late round star.
They will take a RB by the 6th round no doubt. Mathews is a part time back. He got injured last year playing part-time and his play declined. There is no plausible reason they won’t take a back.
I have to agree. I don’t see Round 1, but any round after that is fair game. The 2 picks in the 3rd and 1st in the 4th are prime targets for a back I think. We have 4 picks in the first 100 picks.
No I see them getting a RB. We’ve had Duce, Westbrook, and Shady. We want to draft a good RB. There’s no reason we won’t grab a RB by 6th round. Mathews is made of glass and Sproles is a role player. We might even get two backs.
Like Dixon, Collins, or Perkins or even Prosise.
You don’t know Mathews very well. Sproles is clearly not a starter lol.
Mathews also ALWAYS finds a way to get hurt. I wouldn’t want Sproles as my lead back in that situation for any number of games.
We absolutely need to invest more then an UDFA at RB, especially in a run heavy O.
Just pick up a cheap vet like Chris Johnson or a rotational guy for Mathews like Legarrete Blount.
CJ is close to signing back with Arizona and pass on the Blount. KC has some good rb depth.
Eh just a stopgap is fine until we can take an actual cornerstone RB next year.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/709879617583235074
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/709893476591247363
https://youtu.be/Ite31k5OR_w
I love the way he seems to generate more force than his mass and acceleration seem to indicate (Newton’s less commonly referenced pop coefficient).
I didn’t like the hit on the sliding QB.
And I was surprised when the Google told me he was not fined for the Sanders hit. Clean hit, but they still don’t allow that any more.
He hit Sanders in the shoulder. It just looks like helmet to helmet at full speed.
Lol, you are absolutely right about the Sanders hit, but it drives me nuts to hear clean hit but not allowed anymore. Flag should not have been thrown, it was a great clean hit. One that Dawkins would have been proud of.
RE: violating Newtonian physics – perhaps McLeod has harnessed dark energy?
https://twitter.com/DMN_George/status/709922497659973632
He must have heard that they traded Chandler Jones.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/15/470513922/in-a-first-nfl-executive-admits-football-is-linked-to-brain-damage
It’s a start although I do wonder if this was 100% intentional or not by the NFL.
Speaking of Goodell, the NFL and the Players Union seem poised to strip him of his ability to discipline players too.
Step in the right direction as Goodell has been a walking disaster over the past 2 years on this issue.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/just-how-much-power-could-be-stripped-from-roger-goodell-124056817.html
They should find a new commish.
From owners’ perspective, why? Yeah, he’s an ass on some issues, but league-wide revenue has skyrocketed since he took charge. The bottom-line is what is most important to owners.
I don’t think he’s the reason why the NFL is so popular. The owners could have the same bottom line with another commish.
What had Goodell done or said that has grown the game?
Don’t think the NFL really wants the hassle. They’ll agree to this and get some concession out of the NFLPA that they view as more valuable.
I think Zeke is a stud RB and a great prospect. So, this is no knock on him. The reason I hope the Eagles don’t draft Zeke though simply has to do with the economics of football. With a set cap, one that’s fairly restrictive by pro sports standards, every team has a limited amount of resources that they can throw into the roster to make a contending team. Therefore the teams that are more successful than others are the ones that find areas to exploit that maximizes their productivity while minimizing their cap expenditure. Ideally you want to structure your cap in a way that pays those players who have the greatest outcome on games the most and avoid paying money you don’t have to to players who don’t improve your chances of winning that much.
Whenever you add anyone to your team they are added with their subsequent salary attached. The trick is to add players that increase your chances of winning more than their salary costs you in relative cap space. You can sign someone that’s better than the player you already have at a given position, but if the difference in skill between them and their lower cost replacement only improves your chances of winning by 1-2% but costs 8-10% more cap space you’ll eventually put yourself at a disadvantage by signing such a player because you’ll have to skimp elsewhere.
When it comes to RB, their added value is in the running game (obviously). For an offense to be successful the running game needs to average somewhere between 4 and 4.5 yards per carry. Below that the offense become one dimensional and the actual output of total offensive points is effected negatively. However, if the offenses running game averages 4.5-5.0 yards per carry (the difference between a great RB and a guy you can sign for minimal cap expenditure) the offenses total output does not substantially decrease. The biggest factor in points per game will still be the passing game and that extra 0.5-1 yard per carry, while nice doesn’t substantially change anything for your team.
So in my eyes one of the biggest areas that is easy for teams to exploit cap-wise is starting RB. If you invest in an offensive line (which will help both your running and passing games) you can get the requisite 4.0-4.5 yards per carry needed to be successful from very low cost options giving you the advantage of spending money elsewhere to improve your team.
By drafting a RB at 8 you are essentially giving up that easy built in cap advantage that your team can have by going cheap at the position. You’re not only paying a decent salary to your starting RB when similar output/production can be found for much cheaper, but you’re also spending a premium draft resource on that position as well.
If you look at super bowl winners over the past 20 years there’s almost no correlation with how good their running game/RB was while there’s pretty much a direct correlation with how good your passing game/QB is and your chances of winning the Super Bowl. In fact, the majority of Super Bowl winners are teams that have exploited the ability to get adequate situational production out of their running game at minimal cost while spending their resources on their passing game and their passing defense.
Well-explained! I like Ezekiel Elliott, too, and I wouldn’t be upset if they picked him. But I agree that the #8 overall pick would be better spent on a prospect at a position that is harder–and/or more expensive–to fill with top-shelf talent. I like CB Vernon Hargreaves, or perhaps an offensive tackle or a pass rusher if a top one is available.
Coach Pederson also talked about drafting a QB (though I doubt there’s one worth pick #8, but if Pederson sees someone he thinks he can develop into a top-tier passer, then he should probably get the player he wants).
https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/709888493476925440