Pick 8, Vol. 1 – RBs Are People Too

Posted: March 15th, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 523 Comments »

Taking a RB in the 1st round is dumb. Taking one at pick 8 is insane.

Right?

Jimmy Bama wrote a piece explaining why using pick 8 on a RB would be a bad use of resources. Jimmy makes a compelling argument and his thinking is logical.

But…too often we forget that draft prospects are people. Individuals. We’re not talking about the Eagles drafting “a RB” at number 8. We’re talking about the Eagles taking Ezekiel Elliott.

My top 3 prospects in the draft are DB Jalen Ramsey, LB Myles Jack and Elliott. There are plenty of other good players, but that trio is the best. If the Eagles have a chance to get any of them, they should strongly consider picking them. That, of course, assumes the Eagles feel the same way I do about them.

Elliott isn’t your typical RB prospect. He is a physically-gifted runner, but the thing that sets him apart is that he’s the complete package. Elliott is a very good blocker. He didn’t get a chance to catch many passes at Ohio State, but showed good hands at his Pro Day. As a runner, he’s not just powerful or elusive or fast. This isn’t Leonard Fournette destroying college kids with power. This isn’t Reggie Bush putting freak moves on guys who had no chance against him. Elliott combines those traits into a running style that should translate to the NFL.

I focus on 2 areas when evaluating runners, vision and footwork. The RB must be able to see where the hole is and he must have the ability to get to the hole. That’s RB 101. Elliott rates highly in both areas. He also has excellent balance and runs with natural power. He rarely goes down on first contact and always seems to fall forward.

One of the things I love most about him is what a smart player he is. Watch him without the ball. He knows who to block and then actually blocks them. In the bowl game he pushed his QB from behind in a short yardage situation and helped the guy get the first down. There was a play in that game where he faced immediate penetration. Elliott fought off the first defender, but others were on the way. He then saw he had nowhere to go. Elliott went forward and got what he could. Think about how many RBs run in circles in search of the mythical highlight run that never seems to pan out. Elliott understands situational football.

One of my pet peeves is players who go out of bounds too easily. I won’t say you should fight for every inch because wear and tear on a body isn’t always worth it, but too many skill players are way too casual about going out early. Not Elliott. He makes defenders force him out. With his footwork and balance, he can tightrope down the sideline and get extra yards.

Elliott is predominantly a North-South runner. He is fast enough to go wide, but OSU’s offense feeds him the ball up the middle a lot. Elliott works between the tackles and always tries to run behind his pads. That is football lingo for when a runner keeps his shoulder pads parallel to the line of scrimmage. That allows him to see who is coming and allows him to fight through contact better. When a runner is going sideways, he has limited power and balance. He is easier to take down.

I can’t promise you that Elliott won’t be a bust. He could tear his ACL next week or get his contract and be ruined by finally having money in his pocket. The draft is an inexact science.

I can tell you that if the Eagles took Elliott 8th overall, I think it would be a good pick based on what I’ve seen of him. I see an outstanding player with special potential. He reminds me a bit of LaDainian Tomlinson. LT was probably a bit more fluid, while Elliott is a bit more powerful.

Watch the OSU bowl game to look for some of the traits I’ve talked about here.

I have not yet endorsed a player as the guy I want the Eagles to take at number 8. I am watching tape and studying the players as much as possible. I will write a post on some of the other candidates on Wednesday, offering shorter thoughts on them.

I do think it is important to focus on adding the best player and not just a position.

Normally I don’t believe in adding a RB with a high pick, but Ezekiel Elliott isn’t a normal RB.

*****

The one X-factor here is character. If there are any real concerns with Elliott, that would change things. There was an incident involving a suspended license that sounds more dumb than dangerous. We know that happened. As for rumors, there is a report that some teams have concerns about the use of party drugs during his time at OSU (with roommate Joey Bosa). I don’t know if that is true or some teams leaking info to get him to slide. This is the time of year when there are lots of rumors and not all of them are true.

If you are spending a Top 10 pick on a player, he better be pretty darn close to squeaky clean. Obviously the Eagles have done extensive research on all of the upper tier prospects in the upcoming draft.

_


523 Comments on “Pick 8, Vol. 1 – RBs Are People Too”

  1. 1 Charlie Kelly said at 11:35 PM on March 15th, 2016:

    There are rumors about zeke being a big time partier. Both him and bosa, and they were roomates, bosa decided to move out to get away from it.

    “Sources say they suspect that Elliott was also using molly and ecstasy while parting. A number of Elliott’s teammates in the Combine interviews told teams that Elliott was a partier, and a unique individual. They said they hung out with him some, but he rubbed some the wrong way. Sources from multiple teams said that Elliott didn’t interview well at the Combine, while Bosa had mixed feedback”

    Read more at http://www.walterfootball.com/nfldraftrumormill.php#ye2tCqZrepIi0AZK.99

  2. 2 Sean Stott said at 12:40 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    That’s simply what kids do these days.

  3. 3 Charlie Kelly said at 12:44 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    these days? nothing has changed. lol

  4. 4 Sean Stott said at 12:45 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yea honestly it’s really not a big deal, Molly especially. I don’t think it shows up on drug tests anyway.

  5. 5 Charlie Kelly said at 12:57 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    i mean its def a big deal for NFL teams and fans. They dont want to spend resources on players that will just get suspended due to addiction and drug issues and such.

    Molly isnt weed, weed is one of the safest drugs on the planet, molly not so much.

  6. 6 Sean Stott said at 1:28 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m not advocating drug use, but Molly is super mild on the spectrum.

    http://i.imgur.com/uBaJfXg.png

  7. 7 laeagle said at 2:41 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    What the F is “Khat”?

  8. 8 Fufina said at 4:34 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    It is a plant from west africa that you use like chewing tobacco, it is a mild stimulant, that because of the way it is used (chewed mainly) means it has limited impact. If it is refined then it becomes a natural source of amphetamines.

  9. 9 ChoTime said at 2:25 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    also spelled as QAT, which can infuriate someone playing scrabble.

  10. 10 mark2741 said at 10:28 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    you’ve obviously never seen that movie where Tom Hanks plays the cargo ship captain that got pirated by Somali pirates a few years ago!

  11. 11 RogerPodacter said at 1:34 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    lol whats with the axis labels?
    “1” vs “2” Physical Harm? 1 what?

  12. 12 Sean Stott said at 1:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    lol!

    If you google this chart you will find better ones I’m sure. I believe Physical Harm is defined as the minimum active dose/minimum overdose. So if the level you’d overdose on is somewhat close to the minimum effective dose (e.g. Alcohol) it is more dangerous than a drug like Cannabis that is virtually impossible to overdose on.

  13. 13 Rambo said at 7:23 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Orlando Scandrick

  14. 14 Age said at 9:00 PM on March 19th, 2016:

    Since Molly is supposedly pure MDMA (in reality very unlikely pure), and the MA stands for methamphetamine, it most certainly shows up in drug tests.

  15. 15 The original AG said at 2:24 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    There’s a difference between molly and ecstasy? I thought they were one and the same.

  16. 16 Charlie Kelly said at 2:33 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    id say they are the same

  17. 17 Kelce's Beard, O.G. said at 8:04 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    molly/MDMA is pure. ecstasy by definition is stepped-on/cut molly

  18. 18 laeagle said at 2:42 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Isn’t this site the favored destination of teams trying to mess with other teams’ draft boards?

  19. 19 Charlie Kelly said at 3:25 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    i have no idea

  20. 20 eagleyankfan said at 11:39 PM on March 15th, 2016:

    Great stuff

  21. 21 TheTazmanianDevil said at 11:42 PM on March 15th, 2016:

    He sounds great and so on, but you can easily have the same results with another RB.
    This is a plug’n play position. Other positions aren’t like that. That’s why you don’t pick a RB in the 1st round..

  22. 22 mark2741 said at 10:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Agreed. And Andy Reid’s system, especially in later years, proved that. Everyone he threw in there looked great. Guys like Bryce Brown set legendary stats then left and were never to be heard from again.

  23. 23 TheTazmanianDevil said at 10:47 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yeah, and recently was Spencer and West.
    If I’m Reid, I would trade Charles while he is under 30.

  24. 24 Mitchell said at 12:02 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I just watched Myles Jack and came away with a strange mixture of being both impressed and unsure of his future. In his games this year Jack lined up in the slot……. A lot and he played really well there. I mean it’s kind of insane to see a 6’1″ 240 lb man moving that well. He looks better in man coverage (specifically press), IMO and can sometimes drift in zone. After watching the tape against UNLV I was thinking to myself how strange it was to have a “LB” play so many snaps in the slot. I believe that was the game UCLA was up by 1 point and Jack intercepted a pass to seal the game. In some other games he played more from a “traditional” LB position. I think the way he stones OL is pretty amazing. I also think his foot quickness is on the next level. He has great toughness and is a fiery competitor. I guess my main question is, what is this guy gonna do in the NFL? He doesn’t stand out so much as a LB that I would rate him as a top 5 pick. He isn’t constantly in the backfield making plays. He isn’t lighting people up on a consistent basis. Is he desirable because, depending on his ability to lead a defense (which I think he can), he can play all 3 LB positions? He can easily cover RB’s and TE’s. He can rush into the action from the backside. He seems to diagnose plays decent enough. Honestly I think Jack would be an impressive SS in the NFL and this isn’t as much of a projection as others making the switch. Jack has already shown he can cover very well and flow to the play. In regards to the VH3 vs Jack at 8: Jack can cover down the field similar to VH3 IMO. Although not on slot receivers. Wouldn’t it be smarter to spend 8 on a guy that can move from slot to all 3 LB positions? In the end while he doesn’t tackle the hardest or accumulate sacks with regularity, he is extremely versatile and above average, at the least at all positions he plays. Perhaps I’m being picky and I should because its a top 10 pick but one this is for sure, I have solidified in my mind, Jack over VH3.

  25. 25 Mr. Magee said at 12:12 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Hopefully Jack will still be there.

    What do you think of the QBs, and what do you think the Eagles’ chances are of landing a good one (assuming they are even interested)?

  26. 26 Mitchell said at 12:35 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I watched them a while ago and don’t have a strong opinion. Contrary to popular opinion, I like Lynch but he’s gonna have to sit for a year or two and probably isn’t worth 8.

  27. 27 D3FB said at 2:18 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Jack is the most athletic linebacker I’ve ever watched. He’s probably the most violent at engaging OL. He’s 6’1 245 can run like the wind and can play all 3 LB spots. While I don’t think he’s a SS (because Mark Baron and Deone will tell you monster SS’s get moved to LB nowadays) I think he’s a guy you could use to tinker with some “big nickel” sets (schwartz doesn’t seem like he’s really into that).

    The one question I do have is his instincts. He’s not on a CJ Mosley or Luke Keuchley level in that regard. He still reads and reacts plenty well and is athletic enough that right now he doesn’t need the half step head start.

    There are certainly reasons to hope the instincts come, he’s been moved all over at UCLA and doesn’t turn 21 until September. If they develop from average to good or better, he’s a Hall of Famer. Even if they don’t he’s a souped up Mychael Kendricks (that’s his floor).

    https://twitter.com/Astonia67/status/709772406215327744

  28. 28 Mitchell said at 7:46 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think the lack of instincts is where my heitation comes in and thsts why you dont see plays in the backfield but with everything else its a great pick. Hes becoming my fav st 8.

  29. 29 D3FB said at 12:34 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Correct. Instincts are the half step advantage for LBs. It’s everything involved in the presnap, first 0.5 second of the ball being snapped and the reading of offensive concepts.

    Instincts is the ability to line up mentally go ok they are in 11 personnel, TE to the right, it’s 2nd and 13, these are the 5 plays they tend to run out of that package. Ok Wr went in motion it’s now trips left, 70% chance they’re going to run toss sweep right, RG is light in his stance, looks like he’s pulling, reaffirms toss sweep right, let’s cheat this puppy a bit, anddddd TFL.

  30. 30 Mac said at 12:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    And then you have Ernie Sims… “ok. The QB just yelled something, does the C still have the ball or does the QB have it? Oh, the oline is moving, I guess I better start doing something… wait, where’s the ball?”

  31. 31 RC5000 said at 12:16 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/709951076472991744

    https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/709951698840608768

  32. 32 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:28 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Albright earned our respect, he claims to have a good source in our front office which seems to be the case, but the Fairley signing makes no sense to me, so I have to see it to believe it….. I like the player, I just don’t see how adding him to our current DL makes any sense..

  33. 33 Mac said at 10:28 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    At the right price, adding a talent to the d-line has to make sense. If we sign Fairley, then Schwartz must have a plan for how to use him.

  34. 34 JJ_Cake said at 12:24 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m glad you posted about Elliot Tommy, really wanted your insight. Remember when the Eagles passed on a guy who had rumors of smoking pot during one of our top ten picks in the early 90’s. Yeah, we took Mamula over Warren Sapp. At the same time, there are plenty of top picked RBs who were just awful, Trent Richardson was the most recent I think. Hopefully we’ll get Elliot or Jack, no way Ramsay falls to us.

    Of course it was concerning to hear that Elliot hoped Dallas would pick him cause he wants to run behind their line.

    Also worried we pick a QB rather than one of the 3 blue chips you mentioned.

  35. 35 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:25 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Why would he want to be drafted as high as possible? Im sure he knows Dallas is the highest he could possibly go…. I also can’t blame a RB or QB for wanting to play behind a great Line

  36. 36 JJ_Cake said at 4:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    A kid like Elliot probably feels he’s the best player in the draft, so wouldn’t he want to be picked #1…. unless his “favorite team” is picking nearby. I loved how Vinny Curry was all over his being an Eagle fan, I wouldn’t be surprised if some teams skipped over him because of it, but very glad he fell to us.

    I’m not so sure how proven the Dallas O-line is. A good line, yes, but not so much greater than several other teams. We’re not talking about the Dallas lines that Emmit Smith ran behind.

    Just hoping (if we are even interested in picking him) that he’s not a Cowboy fan.

  37. 37 Insomniac said at 12:32 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Tunsil isn’t on your list?

  38. 38 Rob Jarratt said at 1:10 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    This article is about who is in play for the 8th pick in the draft. Tonsil is listed in most mocks as the first pick.

  39. 39 Insomniac said at 1:12 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    “My top 3 prospects in the draft are DB Jalen Ramsey, LB Myles Jack and Elliott. There are plenty of other good players, but that trio is the best.”

  40. 40 Rob Jarratt said at 1:21 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think Ramsey will be gone before Eagles’ pick, but the other two are solid along with Heargraves.

  41. 41 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:43 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    That’s where im at… I don’t know if they are the top 3 prospects, but that’s certainly my top 3 wish list… But I would take both Ramsey and Jack ahead of Elliot… If they are both gone, hopefully we call Elliot’s name

  42. 42 Rambo said at 9:13 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I have a sneaking suspicion that Howie may try to move up another few picks if their guy is within reach.

  43. 43 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:17 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    If Jack or Ramsey get passes the Jags, I will be pissed if we don’t trade up to #6 to secure one of those two

  44. 44 Rambo said at 11:08 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    BINGO

  45. 45 DaO_Z said at 5:12 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think you’re going to get the standard response from TL on this one….”top 3″ that the Eagles have a possibility of drafting…

  46. 46 The original AG said at 2:22 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Sorry Tommy, of the very few things I agree with Jimmy Bama about is picking a RB in the top 10. In the last 20 years, how many of those RBs have helped their team to win a Superbowl?

    RB is one of the last positions I think should be picked in the top 10.

    But, I still love the blog. 🙂

    https://twitter.com/JimmyKempski/status/709757521150476289

  47. 47 Bert's Bells said at 7:17 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    This could be an incomplete list. But using the criteria of “helped their team win a Superbowl” here are the players drafted in the top 10 of the past 20 to have won a title. Two are RBs. Two are QBs. 2 OL. The other 6 are defensive.

    Von Miller, Russel Okung, Sedrick Ellis, Reggie Bush, AJ Hawk, Terrell Suggs, Eli Manning, Richard Seymour, Edgerrin James, Peyton Manning Duane Starks, Johnathon Odgen.

  48. 48 The original AG said at 9:11 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    When did Edgerrin James win the Superbowl? Rhodes was the main back for Manning when they beat the Bears. Bush wasn’t the feature back either for that Superbowl run, more like a weapon out of the backfield that was an afterthought.

    I just happen to think picking a back in the top 10 is a wasted pick.

  49. 49 Bert's Bells said at 9:21 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    It’s a fair opinion, I just don’t think the argument is logical.

    “Appeal to Rings” should be added to the list of logical fallacies.

    In part, teams with 10 picks are less likely to compete in the SuperBowl during a RB’s prime years -James being a good example. Whatever you or I think of Bush, he was a running back who contributed to the success of the Saints. Factor it out however you want.

    That speaks to overall value of a pick vis-a-vis a team’s competitive viability as much as anything. If you’re in the bottom 1/3 of the league you stink. A Hall of Fame RB “might” make you a contender. But really, no one piece will turn your franchise around (yeah, yeah Peyton Manning, blah, blah). So this is where you can argue resource management.

  50. 50 The original AG said at 9:32 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Good point about the logical fallacy. I will say I know James contributed to the overall success, I should have further stated that he wasn’t a 20-30 a carry back for that offense. That seems like a high pick to get a guy you have to protect from injury.

    Yeah it is a resource management issues, and I think we’d be better to get a resource that would have a larger impact on the team (OL, CB, QB).

  51. 51 Mitchell said at 9:33 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Or a guy like Jack you is a LB that can cover the slot LIKE a CB.

  52. 52 The original AG said at 9:37 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I like Jack, though I don’t think he’ll be there. Those three I mentioned I think have a high probability of being there. I could add LB & DL to that list, but DL isn’t a huge need and I doubt Jack will be there.

  53. 53 Bert's Bells said at 10:06 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Totally agree.

  54. 54 eagleyankfan said at 7:25 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    True — but some of those franchises were(still are: see rams). The hope here is the Eagles aren’t really a “bottom 10” team….

  55. 55 ChoTime said at 2:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    A more effective argument would involve how much top RBs helped their team, not whether they happened to participate in or win Superbowls.

  56. 56 The original AG said at 2:40 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    🙁 I thought that was implied, but I see I have failed miserably from the responses.

    I liked Eddie George, and he came about a yard short of a SB. I think he’s the only one on that list that helped the team he was drafted to. Gurley may change that, and Lynch is with a different team.

    It’d be interesting to see (I’m lazy and don’t feel like researching it) how many top 10 picks pan out to be great players for their teams at any position.

  57. 57 Mac said at 2:41 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    It was implied.

  58. 58 ChoTime said at 3:24 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You might run this test with top picks of nearly any position and get similar results. As was pointed out, franchises that pick low tend to be bad teams and mostly tend to stay that way. It is a team game. Except for the abomination of the QB, it is more about accumulative talent than the ability of one guy.

  59. 59 Ankerstjernen said at 5:07 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    “I do think it is important to focus on adding the best player and not just a position.” I actually disagree with this. A lot. The position matters too because maximising your draft value is about opportunity cost, not just ranking talent. Even if Elliot IS the best talent in this draft is still matters for his relative draft value how big the dropoff is from him and to the guys who will be available in later rounds, in terms of their projected impact on the field. With running backs, we know from recent years that this dropoff is usually not very big. But it might be very big for O-tackles and DBs, to the extend that later round prospects are basically useless as starters on an NFL team. So maybe Stanley or Hargreaves is not quite as talented as Elliot. But they could still provide better draft value in that spot.

  60. 60 Mac said at 10:18 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think Media Mike made a good point that is relevant to this type of discussion: career longevity. A good RB can have an impact (assuming no injuries) for about 5 years, at which point, a new contract is necessary. The new contract which could be quite large assuming the first 5 years were even remotely productive (see LeSean and Demarco). Conversely, an elite level OT can be an asset to the team for 10 years, and while the second contract after 5 years of service will also be substantial, you’re less likely to see a performance drop off a cliff like a RB… in fact some positions like OT and S may actually improve with age due to the cerebral requirements of the position.

  61. 61 Jernst said at 11:43 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    This is a huge hidden cost of drafting a Arab high that people don’t take into account. You really want to avoid having a RB on a huge contract if you want your team to compete for a Super Bowl. Only time that works out is when the QB is on a cheap rookie deal which allows you to splurge elsewhere like Seattle had for a few years with Lynch and Wilson. Simply can’t dedicate 8-10% of your cap space to a RB, when guys that make 10 times less can easily be found that offer nearly the same overall increase in actual offensive production.

  62. 62 Mac said at 12:56 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Exactly, I’m surprised how so many people don’t realize that running an NFL front office is basically just one of the world’s most scrutinized resource management games. There’s a lot of real life money flying around on these games, but that doesn’t change the fact that at it’s heart it’s still just a game.

  63. 63 Member of the Tribe said at 1:22 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I agree. Must be careful with spending high draft picks on an Arab

  64. 64 Jernst said at 2:25 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Whoops…autocorrect didn’t like “RB”

  65. 65 DaO_Z said at 5:15 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m sure Zeke did a lot of the “stupid” things that college kids do, but if you watch the E60 on him; I don’t think anyone will come away thinking that he doesn’t have high character, and it would seem he was raised well…

  66. 66 Cafone said at 6:21 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Isn’t this supposed to be a very deep draft when it comes to RBs? Like we could get a very good RB in the third round deep?

  67. 67 Fufina said at 6:34 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I love me some Prosise in the 4th round, and i would be really interested in Keith Marshall in the 5-6th (think he could be Bryce Brown but actually committed to football).

  68. 68 eagleyankfan said at 7:22 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think if you were to tier the talent, Zeke would be tier 1. The rest start at tier two…

  69. 69 Jernst said at 11:38 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    The real question then is how much improvement in actual offensive output does a tier one RB afford you over tier two compared to the same for tier 1 vs tier 2 DE, CB, LB, WR, QB.

  70. 70 b3nz0z said at 12:06 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    that’s a fair argument to make, as opposed to “NO NEVER A RB CUZ ROOB AND SHANNON SHARPE SAID SO ONCE ON THE TV”

  71. 71 BlindChow said at 11:06 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Jimmy’s article points out a bunch of really good ones that might come out next year…

  72. 72 Fufina said at 6:37 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/3/15/11236704/buyer-beware-ronnie-stanley-isnt-worth-a-top-10-pick?_ga=1.134025287.831785251.1447263499

    To Quote the end summary:
    “Big” media will tell you Stanley is worth a top 5-10 pick. Is a tackle that struggles in space, can’t change direction, lacks core strength and proper hand placement worth that? Okay then. I don’t hate Stanley. I think he does really well against speed rushers. I think there is enough good tape to show you he can be a starter in the league. There’s also plenty of exposures and situations where he’ll struggle immediately and I’m not sure if some of these issues will be fixed any time soon. I have a late 2nd round grade on Stanley. The buyer beware tag on him is real. I’m apologizing now for my overreaction if he’s drafted in the 1st round.

    Not that i agree with all the analysis – i think Stanley is a mid 1st round guy, but it does echo some of my concerns with him from the few games i have seen of him.

  73. 73 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:19 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I worry that he will be this years luke Joekel…. Worry that he is closer to Conklin than he is to Tunsil… Id love a probowl caliber Tackle, im just not sure the 8th pick will provide one, and I don’t like Stanley as much as I wish I liked him
    ..

  74. 74 Mitchell said at 9:08 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I can see him struggling with power guys early in his career but he will stop speed in its tracks. Because he will struggle with power from time to time, I can see him being a mid round pick. I Still hope he goes top 7, pushing a player down to the Eagles.

  75. 75 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:16 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Hoping the Ravens take him

  76. 76 dan quisenberry said at 7:06 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I completely agree, Tommy. Drafting Elliot would give the Eagles the best backfield in the NFC East and take some of the pressure off their mediocre corps of receivers. Solid pick.

  77. 77 Bob Brewer said at 7:11 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    “One of my pet peeves is players who go out of bounds too easily. I won’t say you should fight for every inch because wear and tear on a body isn’t always worth it, but too many skill players are way too casual about going out early. Not Elliott. He makes defenders force him out. With his footwork and balance, he can tightrope down the sideline and get extra yards.”

    This seems contradictory. Not sure I see where that line is.

  78. 78 eagleyankfan said at 7:20 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    DJ goes out of bounds every single chance possible. Zeke looks for contact before going out of bounds…

  79. 79 A_T_G said at 7:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    From my memory, Barry Sanders seems the ultimate example. He didn’t drive into the defender or allow a huge collision on the boundary, but he would get low and parallel to the line and drive until someone shoved him out. Often, he would get 2, 3, 4 yards free.

  80. 80 Rambo said at 8:53 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Or slide to avoid a hit from a 185lb cornerback lol *cough-cough Demarco*

    http://thebiglead.com/2015/11/23/demarco-murray-effort-eagles/

  81. 81 Jernst said at 11:36 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    There’s a difference between seeking out the sideline and running towards it full speed trying to get out of bounds as soon as possible to avoid any contact and trying to get as many yards as possible until someone forces you out of bounds while still being smart and not exposing yourself to huge hits for minimal gain.

  82. 82 Ray888 said at 8:05 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    One of the aspects of the last 3 years of drafting that showed promise was drafting the “football guy”- the player who was totally committed to the game, would work hard to improve, & “wowed” everyone in his interview. When there are multiple options of players with elite talent, this seemed to be a factor to deferentiate one from the others. Best example would be not passing-up Hicks in the 3rd round when there were other talented options at positions of need – OL. I haven’t heard about that “wow factor” appled to these likely options at pick # 8; it’s mostly been about pure talent. Which potential draftee has it?

  83. 83 eagleyankfan said at 8:26 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    of topic questions I’m pondering — will those “defensive flags” stay? Will Pederson allow actual tackling during practice?

  84. 84 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:40 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Zeke doesn’t even turn 21 TIL the end of July… Scary RB talent
    .
    kid has the potential to be a superstar RB…..Zeke, Ertz, Jordan and agholar is a nice young core of weapons to build an offense around.
    .
    If our outside WRs won’t be a strength this year, the RB and throwing to ERTZ, Sproles, Jordan and becomes very important until we start getting Maclin caliber production at outside WR
    .
    It looks like the eagles are in the middle of building a quality OL, to be able to put a RB like Zeke behind a revamped line would be huge for bradfords success.
    ..
    I like zekes chances of becoming an eagle, but I hope we can end up with Myles Jack. Zeke ISNT a consolation prize to scoff at

  85. 85 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:41 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Mathis was offered a two year deal from the cardinals… hasnt signed yet

  86. 86 Dave said at 8:54 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    No, no, no to a RB in round 1!

    Look down the list of starting running backs in the NFL and then look at the amount of games they missed to injury each and every year. Zeke might be a top player in the draft, but he also has a high probability of getting injured and missing games.

  87. 87 b3nz0z said at 10:49 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    so do all QBs and most other positions, really.

  88. 88 Dave said at 11:19 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Not in their rookie contracts and between the ages of 21 to 26.

  89. 89 b3nz0z said at 11:29 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    http://www.ibtimes.com/dante-fowler-other-nfl-rookies-season-ending-injuries-face-psychological-contractual-1917168

  90. 90 b3nz0z said at 11:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2339030-jadeveon-clowney-injury-updates-on-texans-stars-knee-and-recovery

  91. 91 b3nz0z said at 11:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/Late-Season-Injury-May-Cost-Cooper-Rookie-of-the-Year-Award-364857411.html

  92. 92 b3nz0z said at 11:35 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    2014 – vontaze burfict, morris claiborne, navarro bowman, phil taylor, dee miliner, brandin cooks

  93. 93 Dave said at 11:58 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    TLDR

  94. 94 b3nz0z said at 12:02 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    more like “IMWVDR” which translates to invalidated my worldview didn’t read

  95. 95 Dave said at 1:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Huh? You can’t take the time to summarize an article but belittle me because I didn’t want to take the time to read it. I have no desire to interact with a troll so you may consider this my last reply.

  96. 96 b3nz0z said at 1:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    sorry i didn’t summarize and explain the tiny little sports article for you.

  97. 97 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:15 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    This is the first time in the last 16 years that I am not completely against taking a RB in round 1, and thats because zeke is a special RB talent. Not because we NEED a RB…
    ..
    Not sure how people can know that they want the eagles to draft him without knowing which other players will be available at #8… Zeke ISNT the best prospect in this draft, so it’s possible that there will be someone better available when we pick…. But if Zeke has the highest grade on our board when we pick, we would be fools to pass on him and take a kid with a lower grade at a position we deem to be more important

  98. 98 Cafone said at 9:31 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    When we were at 13 it seemed like there were so many guys that would be awesome that would be taken right before we picked. But now that we are at 8 it kind of feels the same way.

  99. 99 Mitchell said at 9:31 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Grass is always greener.

  100. 100 Rambo said at 9:32 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I like 8 much better. 5 players is a big difference IMHO.

  101. 101 Rambo said at 10:01 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    NFL Draft Diamonds ‏@DraftDiamonds 8m8 minutes ago
    New post: #Eagles are hosting speedy WR Chris Givens today for a visit http://www.nfldraftdiamonds.com/eagles-hosting-wr-chris-givens-today-visit/ … #NFL #NFLDraftNews

  102. 102 The original AG said at 10:22 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Interesting article against drafting Stanley in the top 10.

    http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/3/15/11236704/buyer-beware-ronnie-stanley-isnt-worth-a-top-10-pick

  103. 103 Mitchell said at 10:29 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Said from the beginning his run blocking needs work. I think he is quick enough, just not aggressive enough. He pass blocking is what I like about him the most.

  104. 104 Rambo said at 10:22 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Free agent WR Chris Givens is visiting the Eagles on Wednesday.

    Givens just wrapped up a visit with the Jets on Tuesday. The 26-year-old is a one-trick pony as a deep threat, but he’s at least shown signs of doing it somewhat well. Givens caught 60 passes for 993 yards (16.55 YPR) and three touchdowns from Sam Bradford with the Rams in 2012-2013.

  105. 105 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 10:26 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m ok with it. He shouldn’t cost too much and he and Bradford are familiar with each other. If Ags shows up next year then that’s going to be a lot of speed on the field.

  106. 106 Rambo said at 10:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Very true!

  107. 107 botto said at 12:45 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    so he knows exactly how to drop sams passes

  108. 108 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 6:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Or actually catch them

  109. 109 RC5000 said at 10:32 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Would be a good signing for low dollars considering what we have and it’s competition for Huff and Agholor. Maybe he can get his career back on track. He did average 18.2 ypc in Baltimore even though he had low production overall 19 rec. 346 yards, 1 TD.

  110. 110 RC5000 said at 10:35 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/710077772916334592
    lol, twitter fight.
    https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/710101142387105792

    https://twitter.com/JimmyKempski/status/710091172698521600

  111. 111 b3nz0z said at 10:47 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    that allbright guy might have good sources but he’s WAY too sensitive and needs to remember he isn’t supposed to BE the news

  112. 112 GermanEagle said at 10:52 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yes. One of the reasons I unfollowed him.

  113. 113 b3nz0z said at 10:54 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    i don’t use twitter because ive found that this comment section pretty reliably aggregates all the eagles news i’d want to hear, WITH instant analysis from fans haha

  114. 114 BlindChow said at 11:01 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yeah, if you follow a lot of Eagles guys, whenever a story breaks, there are 30 straight tweets saying the EXACT SAME THING…

  115. 115 laeagle said at 1:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    And then a week later, Howard Eskin tweets it as breaking news.

  116. 116 D3FB said at 1:14 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The Eaglea have singed offense loneman Brandon Bikes. Sources confimr

    -Eskin tommorrow

  117. 117 b3nz0z said at 1:15 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    he’ll want a balm for that for sure

  118. 118 eagleyankfan said at 11:11 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Clearly Allbright was 100 % accurate. So was Kempski, unless they were both wrong or one was right and one was wrong. You heard if from me first…

  119. 119 laeagle said at 1:11 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Watching these Twitter jackals bark at each other is like watching a commercial for a “Real Housewives” show. You see enough to get some minor titillation out of it, but also enough to know you want to steer clear.

    I think the jackals think we care a lot more about them then we actually do. Trying to build up sympathy from us when they snipe at each other. News flash: we don’t care. We don’t read your names, we don’t respect what you do, but just keep feeding the steady drip of quasi-news and we’ll sort of pay attention, mm-kay?

  120. 120 RC5000 said at 10:44 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/Reddit_Eagles/status/710076852438577152

  121. 121 Rambo said at 10:58 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    What’s that mean? Was there ever a deal in place, or is he saying he won’t be coming here?

  122. 122 b3nz0z said at 11:13 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    you sound fairley concerned about this

  123. 123 Rambo said at 11:15 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Ha! That made me chuckle out loud. Good for you sir!

  124. 124 RC5000 said at 11:15 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think he’s saying nothing is really going on with Eagles and Fairley right now.
    https://twitter.com/975TheFanatic/status/710068047785160704

    https://twitter.com/IgglesCoverage/status/710117020637876225

  125. 125 Rambo said at 11:16 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Ok cool. I wonder what Nick is waiting for? I’m sure Jim has made a pitch to get him here.

  126. 126 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:00 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Fairley never made sense for us… Stupid connect the dot rumor started by NJ.com…

  127. 127 Jernst said at 11:30 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    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 increase. 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.

    The Patriots are a team that seems to understand this dynamic and routinely outfits their backfield with cheap situational runners that can routinely accomplish what is needed to keep the offense moving forward. Granted they have arguably the greatest QB of all time so that makes things much easier for them. But, I think the general theory still holds true. Your team is certainly better with a star RB, but not substantially enough to justify their subsequent cost. Adrian Peterson and Ladanian Tomlinson were extraordinary runners and yet they still had minimal effect on the bottom line over a replacement level player.

  128. 128 bsuperfi said at 12:10 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I love the debate about models for building a contender. I’m in the camp that a team should strive for one of two models: (a) Find that great QB for long-term success or (b) Build a great D and running game with a good enough QB for short term success–it’s too hard to keep a D together because of the cap, and RBs don’t have a long shelf life.

    Either way, I think the O-line needs to be good enough. But it’s the secret ingredient for making option (b) more viable in the long term. Lineman have a longer shelf life than RBs, so you don’t need to buy high on RBs as you look for better players or replacements.

    The thing is, these are just models, and almost no team perfectly fits the model because the reality of team construction is just messy. I think the team is at a crossroads and could reasonably go any which way. I dunno of Zeke is the kind of generational talent you make an exception for at 8-I’m more in the draft-a-QB camp than anything else. But if the Eagles believe Zeke is so crazy good after all that study and knowing what we do about RBs drafted early, I’ll be all in anyway.

  129. 129 myartz04 said at 11:41 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Would you all draft Walter Payton with the 8th overall pick? I’m not saying Zeke is of the same talent but what I am saying is IF he’s picked 8th overall his number better be retired someday. Otherwise, give me something other than a RB at 8.

  130. 130 b3nz0z said at 11:47 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    lol wut. what if his number isn’t retired but he helps us get to the playoffs multiple times? or if he destroys the cowboys a bunch of times? what if we pick myles jack and he doesn’t ever get his jersey retired? is carson wentz a good pick at 8, or will it depend on whether or not Madden rates him in the upper 80s?

  131. 131 myartz04 said at 11:56 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think Duce Staley and Brian Westbrook both destroyed the Cowboys on multiple occasions. They weren’t high 1st rd picks. What does Madden ratings have to do with this? Any RB can help us get to the playoffs. You can find good to great running backs at a higher probability all over the draft board which is not necessarily true for other positions. I don’t want a RB at 8th overall. Sorry, it’s not worth it and history proves that correct.

  132. 132 b3nz0z said at 12:05 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    were duce and westy the BPAs at their spots? what madden ratings have to do with it is IDENTICAL to what getting your jersey retired has to do with it – they are both silly and arbitrary benchmarks that have zilch to do with picking the BPA

  133. 133 Ark87 said at 12:08 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    My feelings on it are that your first round pick is likely to be a viable starter who will be good enough to earn a second contract in this league, not special or a bust. Some positions the NFL is dying for viable starters, so unless you pick a bust, you get a worthwhile pick. When you pick RB in the first, he needs to be special, because the league and draft is full of viable running backs.

    So yes, if you pick a running back at 8, he better be special enough to generate a running game without a great line or a great passing game, or a mobile QB. Only one guy has been able to do that for a while now, AP. Remains to be seen if Todd Gurley can continue to be a phenom.

  134. 134 Rambo said at 11:55 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Would you all draft Walter Payton with the 8th overall pick?

    His legs aren’t the same anymore.

  135. 135 myartz04 said at 11:57 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Although they are equal to, or greater than Demarco’s legs..

  136. 136 Rambo said at 11:58 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Winner!!

  137. 137 D3FB said at 12:09 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Agreed. Basically if we pick him at 8 he better be a 10,000 yard back.

  138. 138 Bert's Bells said at 12:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    This pre-supposes knowledge of future performance. If you have that same insight into all the players, it’d be wise to pick a better performer at a premium position and a solid contributor at RB.

    If you only know Payton’s future Hall of Fame ability, of course. Go with the sure thing.

  139. 139 anon said at 11:47 AM on March 16th, 2016:

    Per sources with multiple teams they have hard party drug concerns with #OhioState DE Joey Bosa & RB Ezekiel Elliott https://t.co/rGxt2LdqaQ— Charlie Campbell (@DraftCampbell) March 15, 2016

  140. 140 ACViking said at 12:40 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    ZEKE(!) . . . we hardly knew yee.

  141. 141 TypicalDouche said at 12:53 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    But but but forget character concerns, he is the best RB in a weak class! The Eagles have to have him.

  142. 142 ACViking said at 1:03 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    WE MUST GET HMI!

  143. 143 ACViking said at 1:04 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    TD!

  144. 144 botto said at 1:04 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    we’ll get to know him twice a year against the cowboys

  145. 145 ACViking said at 1:04 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    character not an issue in Big D

  146. 146 TypicalDouche said at 1:07 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Here’s hoping Jerruh makes a Jerruh move and takes the overrated Derrick Henry.

  147. 147 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:59 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    If dallas and the Eagles pass on Zeke, I assume he will Probbly end up being a Giant…. But he probably won’t fall past the Dolphins.. Bears could also want to replace Forte

  148. 148 laeagle said at 1:08 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I may be mistaken, but I recall walterfootball breaking similar stories in the past about people that turned out to be not quite true. The suspicion was that they’re a mouthpiece for teams trying to mess with the heads of other teams, so that guys they want fall to them.

  149. 149 RobNE said at 1:48 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    google UVA student and north korea. wth?!? sometimes I think we are Duke without the bball championships the way some of the students act like entitled jerks.

    not saying the 15 years isn’t ridiculous of course. But you think this is a game? Or you think a secret society wanted you to do this (and is this what the secret societies do? I hope not).

  150. 150 ACViking said at 12:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Why would the Eagles sign Bradford’s former Rams teammate Chris Givens . . .

    Isn’t he one of the excuses tossed out — bad receivers — for Bradford’s mediocre performance with the Rams?

    Or was it the *other* WRs who just weren’t NFL caliber?

    Or was it the OLine?

    Or the offensive coordinators?

    Or the head coach?

    Or how the light reflected off the Jones Dome?

  151. 151 b3nz0z said at 12:43 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    the world isn’t black and white. if givens was their best or second best receiver and he’s coming here as depth, what would the problem be? he’s not AJ Green but maybe he’s good as a #4 and ST guy.

  152. 152 eagleyankfan said at 12:48 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    depth, warm body

  153. 153 Bert's Bells said at 12:51 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    hot

  154. 154 Ketchup said at 12:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I have the snaking suspicion that Bradford just throws an inherently uncatchable ball. Any completion we’ve observed is simply the product of the WR overcoming this.

  155. 155 P_P_K said at 12:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I thought many of Sam’s passes lacked touch in the first half or so of last season, but he seemed to improve in the later games.

  156. 156 BobSmith77 said at 1:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I mentioned that last year and it was something the guys at the St Louis Dispatch reported on Bradford while he was a Ram.

  157. 157 RC5000 said at 12:51 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The question is he better than 3rd/4th/5th WR? It’s 2nd stage of FA and there’s no one better left that isn’t Boldin or Jones who are over 30.. He has some chemistry with Bradford. Nothing to get excited about either way.

  158. 158 RC5000 said at 1:05 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    He had more yards as a rookie than starters former Eagles cut and PS player undrafted Amendola & 6th round pick Brandon Gibson in 2012. He was a 4th round pick and outperformed fellow rookie 2nd rd pick Brian Quick in 2012.

    http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2012.htm

  159. 159 Mac said at 1:06 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You obviously haven’t watched the tape. There’s a different excuse for each individual pass play. You can’t just lump them all in under the umbrella of one issue, that’s a gross oversimplification.

  160. 160 ACViking said at 1:06 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    MAC –

    Best explanation for the “Bradford Phenomenon” I’ve seen since he came to the NFL.

    Hat’s off to you.

  161. 161 xmbk said at 12:41 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Character is a big deal, has to be part of the equation. I also really like the look of the OL with Stanley. A top 2 pick every 3-4 years on a RB is actually not bad resource mgmt in the current NFL. But a guy like Stanley can be a positive impact for much longer. Ramsey and Jack are possibly the two highest upside players outside of QB.

  162. 162 RobNE said at 1:36 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    no to a RB at 8 for all the reasons below. Howie better not over value RB’s like Chip did last year with the Murray contract.

  163. 163 BobSmith77 said at 1:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25517255/demarco-murray-finally-blames-someone-for-the-eagles-2015-woes

    I was listening to the Freddie Coleman show on Monday night late on ESPN.

    They mentioned this and Coleman had an interesting aside about how one of the Dallas beat guys told him that he didn’t know if the double doors at the Boys’ training facility were big enough to fit Murray’s ego after he won the rushing title.

    Murray had a big ego before it but it only got that much more outsized. Supposedly Murray’s comments and lack of gratitude weren’t appreciated very much by his teammates including Romo.

    Just another small instance of where Kelly’s emphasis on ‘character’ was almost 100% BS.

  164. 164 Dave said at 1:43 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If I remember correctly, didn’t Chip say something like they didn’t even think about DeMarco coming to Philly because they would be priced out of his services, but once the trade for Sam happened, a DeMarco and Sam reunion was on the table. I got the vibe that no real detailed scouting was done on DeMarco prior to signing him by Chip and there was no plan in place, just a jerk reaction.

  165. 165 BobSmith77 said at 1:44 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I have a feeling that Kelly did very little due diligence on his trades including the Bradford trade (having to give up the 2nd round pick), the McCoy trade, and a few others.

    If the Titans draft Tunsil and actually put together an adequate line this year, I like Murray’s chance to bounce back next year in Titans’ power running scheme.

    Just a question of whether he stays healthy which has always been his biggest lingering question mark. Either misses time or has lingering injuries.

    I’d love to know just how healthy Murray was lat year and how much he trained last offseason. I’d bet Murray didn’t train quite as much last offseason, hurt his hamstring early in camp early with the Eagles, and had lingering issues with it most of the season. Combined that with his questionable effort and it lead to a horrible year for Murray.

  166. 166 Bert's Bells said at 2:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    A hole not big enough for Murray to fit through? Unpossible!

  167. 167 Tdoteaglefan said at 1:45 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Browns releasing Karlos Dansby

    Eagles apparently have a visit scheduled with Kolby Listenbee and were at Youngstown state watching Terrell Williams pro day workout.

    Williams measured at 6’016 and 242 lbs, completed 31 reps on bench. hit 10-11 on the broad jump and time 4.68 seconds on 40, 4:32 secs in short shuttle. possible backup linebacker/special teams player

    in other speedy rookie WR news..Corey Coleman just ran a 4.41 on his 1st 40 attempt

  168. 168 laeagle said at 2:13 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    McLane reporting that Givens signed to 1 year deal.

  169. 169 Fufina said at 2:19 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Howie has got his bargain bin speedster.

  170. 170 RC5000 said at 2:20 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Official
    http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Chris-Givens-Added-To-Eagles-WR-Corps/2282b620-421a-431e-acfa-2d39520186d0

  171. 171 RC5000 said at 2:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/caplannfl/status/710168237787516928

  172. 172 b3nz0z said at 2:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    fast and 6′ is pretty cool. as long as we all know that he’s not a savior or THE guy, this should be very nice

  173. 173 laeagle said at 2:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    No downside, so long as they don’t expect him to be the long term answer. Unless he turns out to be. Which is unlikely. But possible.

  174. 174 Dave said at 2:53 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Unless you consider 8 1/4 hands a downside…

    http://static.dudeiwantthat.com/img/style/costumes/tiny-hands-18052.jpg

  175. 175 Sean Stott said at 3:26 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Mike Vick’s hands were that small. He didn’t have issues with fumb…. wait. Nevermind.

  176. 176 b3nz0z said at 3:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    i know Chip Kelly would spend a lot of time worrying about that for sure

  177. 177 b3nz0z said at 3:52 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    exactly.

  178. 178 Sean Stott said at 3:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Won’t be hard to beat out all 3 of our shit tier wide receivers to be the #1 guy.

  179. 179 TypicalDouche said at 3:30 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You think he would be able to beat out Mathews for playing time?

  180. 180 b3nz0z said at 3:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Matthews

  181. 181 TypicalDouche said at 4:01 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Spell check at its best.

  182. 182 Sean Stott said at 4:08 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    A part of my statement was hyperbole, but at the same time it’s a fact that Matthews can’t catch a roll of toilet paper, Huff will look great one second and then look like a high school sophomore the next, and finally – Agholor will disappear for 3 months.

    The WR corps set the bar extremely low last year. Really no other way to describe it when Riley Cooper looks better than Josh Huff and Agholor, as sad as that is.

  183. 183 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:56 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    No, because he won’t be competing with Mathews… It will be Givens vs. huff

  184. 184 laeagle said at 2:45 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    So I had a dream last night that we did some draft day wheeling and dealing to move up to the #3 spot to grab Tunsil, after Tenn picked Ramsey and the Browns took another QB failure. If I recall correctly, it involved trading Peters.

    Silliness aside, is the move from #8 to #3 really all that hard? It’s an 800 point differential on the draft chart, so maybe a 2nd and 3rd rounder, or picks and players? The more I think about it, the more it kind of sort of feels like a Howie move.

  185. 185 TypicalDouche said at 2:51 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    An absolutely plausible situation for sure and honestly I would be happy if HR were able to pull that off. I am still in the belief that the Eagles are really considering moving up for a QB but with Howie running the show anything is possible.

  186. 186 laeagle said at 2:54 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Now I know I’m replying to my own post, but here are some more thoughts. If the chargers were to somehow pass on Tunsil, then he likely drops to #5 with Jacksonville. No way the Cowboys take him at 4. Then the cost comes down more. I’m not sure if Jax would necessarily need a LT (can’t recall), so maybe then it’s even easier to deal.

    I can’t imagine the Chargers passing on Tunsil at #3, but maybe they go crazy and take Zeke, or reach for a CB.

  187. 187 Mac said at 3:24 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Tommy did comp him with LT… (and not the crazy drugged out QB murderer).

  188. 188 Jernst said at 3:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If Tunsil starts to fall I’d be all for moving up to grab him. Stud LTs like that don’t come around often and you’re rarely going to be in a position to grab them when they do. I’d say there’s less than a 5% chance he makes it out of the top two. But, if he does it’d be worth Tunsil’s weight in gold to move up and snatch him.

  189. 189 laeagle said at 4:08 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If he drops out of #1, he’s probably going to at least #3. I can’t see SD not taking him there, but it’s certainly possible. Tenn is supposedly VERY high on Ramsey, and Cleveland desperately needs a QB, even if they trade for Kaepernick. So I think the chances are > 5% of making it out of the top 2. SD is the key to our chances. Either they’re open to trade (which might be expensive), or they do something else, like draft Bosa or Zeke.

    At that point, things really open up for us. Dallas isn’t taking Tunsil at #4 (nor should they). So then he’s at #5 with the Jags. If that happens, that’s where you have to make a move, because there’s no way Baltimore passes on him at #6. That’s a 300 point split, which is roughly a late second rounder. We can easily swing a deal there, and maybe Jacksonville isn’t thinking Tunsil is a necessity after what they’ve spent on their OL. They could go for Hargreaves.

    The Jacksonville scenario would likely look very similar to the reasonable deal Howie pulled to move up for Cox. I see one of the thirds and a handful of fourths or fifths.

    I’m not predicting this, but it’s certainly more possible than I had originally thought when laying out the scenario. It all hinges on Tennessee going with Ramsey and SD going with Bosa.

  190. 190 Mac said at 2:56 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I had a dream where the Igglesblitz crew was hanging out at my parent’s old house (for some unknown reason), and no offense to the rest of you, but the real highlight was that Megan Fox was there.

  191. 191 RobNE said at 3:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Did TD beat up the troll?

  192. 192 TypicalDouche said at 3:14 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I wish brother. I think he had gone into hiding because of the many predictions he made that turned out to be false. Hopefully the attacks I made on him drove him/her away.

  193. 193 Mac said at 3:16 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    As cool as that would have been, he wasn’t in the dream. I assume he was probably hanging out in his mom’s basement in Dallas at the time.

  194. 194 P_P_K said at 3:26 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Megan was there because she came with me.

  195. 195 DaO_Z said at 4:05 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Only problem in this scenario….the Eagles already could have made this trade. They could have packaged 8, Peters, Demarco; and picks for the #1 pick and had Tunsil… Everyone really would have loved Howie..

  196. 196 RobNE said at 3:24 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    It seems like the likely BPA at 8 is Stanley, and people here have been criticizing him, so I feel sad. Should I not want him, or are folks being overly critical. Is Jack really the guy we hope is there – do we use our LB’s that well? Like is he a Kuechly or Sean Lee that will just be everywhere? Because ok, I see the value in those guys.

    I don’t follow college much, so I just read IB and absorb the opinions.

  197. 197 Mac said at 3:26 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The safest thing to do as an Eagles fan when we draft any player is to be sad.

  198. 198 Sean Stott said at 4:09 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Franchise QB for the next decade? BOOOOOOOOO

  199. 199 oreofestar said at 3:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I mean just cuz I’m not a fan of him oesn’t mean you should be sad, if you like the dude rejoice if he’s the pick

  200. 200 TypicalDouche said at 3:29 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Stanley would be a great pick in my opinion. With him the Eagles would have their bookend tackles for the foreseeable future. I don’t really get the criticism some folks have about him. Yes he has his weaknesses but those can be fixed with good NFL coaching. Jack is an unbelievable athlete. I have seen him compared to the likes of Luke Kuechly and Patrick Willis. Although I wouldn’t go that far comparing him to some of the greats, this kid has unreal upside.

  201. 201 RC5000 said at 3:29 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Many Eagles fans are obsessed with Stanley. They feel he’s a safe pick and they want another good OT.

  202. 202 Fufina said at 3:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    On Jack it is hard to tell how well he would be used by Schwartz in this scheme, but he is a special physical talent and would probably be the most physically gifted LB in the league – he is a freak.

    As for Stanley, i just don’t see what other people seem to see when i watch him. Now maybe thats because i chose 3 bad games, maybe it is the fact i have not seen the all 22, which is pretty vital to grade tackles, but he just does not wow me as a prospect. I think the need for the Eagles is overstated – you do not need 2 elite tackles in a west coast offense since you have the TE in line to help chip/disrupt the pass rush, and i do not see him being a good stand in 1 year guard.

  203. 203 b3nz0z said at 3:54 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    i think a lot of fans seem to feel like #8 is too high for any player, haha. it’s way less pressure to pick at 21

  204. 204 RC5000 said at 3:43 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/710183914023870464

    https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/710069656820838400

  205. 205 Jernst said at 3:55 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    1 year $6M is an insane amount of money for a 35 year old LG (left guard being the easiest position to play on the offensive line). Especially to a guy that hasn’t played at a consistently high level since 2013. Then when you considered we signed Brandon Brooks to a deal that has cap hits of $3.2M and $7.2M in the first two years before there’s no dead money if cut in year three, and that contract just seems way out of wack.

    2nd, I know the Raiders need to spend money just to reach the salary cap floor, but what are they doing giving Osemele stud LT money to play guard?

  206. 206 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:55 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    mathis sure won the War vs Chip..
    ..
    He got a Super Bowl ring out of it,
    .
    Now he gets to make more than the 5.5mil he was scheduled to get paid from us, to play for another contender also getting to face Chip twice a year
    .
    Even Charlie Sheen would call that “winning”
    ..

  207. 207 A_T_G said at 3:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I am having trouble with the statement, or implication, that I have seen here, on Twitter, and elsewhere that BPA means that we should completely ignore the position played. I hope the community can either put me at ease or correct the flaw in my understanding.

    1. The claim that there is some objective way to actually determine valuation of one guy stacks and sheds better than another guy hits the hole but not as well as a third guy kick slides seems a bit like telling me that one particular apple is a better apple than a particular TV is at being a TV, but not as good as this doorstop is at being a doorstop, even though they are all the top of the line models of their particular item.

    I can convince myself that trained professionals are skilled enough to make those determinations and value judgements based on volumes of comparables, maybe. But…

    2. If I accept those valuations, I still want the damn TV. I don’t care if the doorstop is the best doorstop ever made and I need a doorstop and I already have two very good TVs on each end of the living room. I can go out and find a doorstop that will work on the street. The only TVs available on the street are broken down, fat, picture tube-style units.

    As proof of concept, I find it impossible to believe that in the history of the draft there has never been a year where someone could punt the ball better than anyone else could throw it. Yet, never has a punter been taken before the first QB.

  208. 208 John Galt said at 4:10 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    But while you sit and watch the new TV, you are destined to get hungry, so shouldn’t you take the apple?

    In seriousness though, you are obviously right and position scarcity (or lack there of) has to be a consideration.

  209. 209 laeagle said at 4:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think the problem is that it’s not position scarcity that’s an issue, but rather a perception of perception risk. As in, it is _perceived_ that a tackle is a lower risk pick at higher rounds than other positions.

    However, I’m not convinced this perception is true. There is just as much risk at tackle as at other positions. Case in point, the 2013 draft. If you can demonstrate that the risk is lower with tackle than with other positions, then maybe there’s a case to be made, but unfortunately I think you’ll have a hard time doing that.

    As for scarcity, there is an argument to be made there, but it falls down in certain cases. If rubies are more scarce than pearls, that doesn’t mean I choose a tiny ruby worth $100 versus a giant pearl worth $1000.

    I think you have to look at relative value comparisons. This is how I’ve had some decent success in fantasy drafting. Instead of looking primarily at the value of a position, you have to look at the players involved and their relative value compared to other players at the same position. So, in fantasy (distinctly different from real football!), while a RB is usually the prime value in early rounds, and more so than, say, WR, you have to compare the differences between the players you’re considering and other players at that position: between a RB like CJ Anderson and a WR like Dez Bryant, what’s the drop off between the next RB down and the next WR down? In most cases, this will lead you to value a certain position more than you would otherwise because you’re not looking purely at the position, but at the players.

    In this case, what’s the difference between, say, Stanley and a 3rd round tackle, and between Zeke and a third round RB? People may have differing opinions on this, but I think this is where the argument should take place, rather than simply treating one position like a doorstop 100% of the time and another like a plasma TV, regardless of the players involved.

  210. 210 A_T_G said at 4:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think you are making the same argument as me. The value of the position has to be considered and you don’t take the doorstop until the quality of the stop makes it a better item for your home than the crappy fire-hazards labeled as TVs.

  211. 211 laeagle said at 4:33 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If the doorstop has a built in blow job machine, that doorstop is going to be proudly installed in my house.

  212. 212 A_T_G said at 5:00 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Hopefully not by the main entrance.

  213. 213 Jernst said at 4:11 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I absolutely love your analogy! Definitely made me chuckle. But, I agree completely. And, BPA is kind of a misnomer. When teams rank players they rarely if ever rank them 1 through whatever in straight numerical order without taking into account position played. The reason being the exact issue you stated. How can you decide that a stud college LT is a better player than a stud college RB or safety, when they’re all top tier talents. Teams can rank players in the same position group 1 through whatever, but it’s a lot more difficult across multiple vastly different positions. BPA without concern for position is only really relevant when one player is obviously and significantly better than another player at a different position.

    Rather, teams rank players in groups. They cluster the blue chip talents in one group, and then continue to assign tiers to other players as you move down. Sometimes one player is in a stratasphere all his own and he’s clearly the number 1 guy. More often than not though the players are seemingly of similar skill and projected ability to succeed as a group of other players in the same tier.

    Once the players are grouped in tiers it’s up to the FO to determine which players to pick out of the highest tier depending on who’s available when your pick comes up. At that point (or most likely long before the pick even comes up) the players a ranked in order of which ones we desire most. But, that order has less to do with overall skill level since it’s so close to the other players in that tier and has a lot more to do with positional value and need.

    If Zeke is far and away the best and most highly tiered player available at our pick, I’m ok with selecting him, but would much prefer to trade down at that point and select from the next tier while gaining more resources. But, if there’s a group of 2-3 players from our top blue chip tier (and going by what Howie said, we have placed 10 such players in this draft in our blue chip talent tier – so there should be no less than 3 such players available at our pick regardless of the preceeding selections), you take the one that has the highest positional value/fills the biggest need/has the biggest drop off from their level to the players ranked below them.

    I have a hard time believing that if Zeke is available he will be heads and tails above the other 2 blue chippers (in Howie’s eyes at least) that WILL be available that we will ignore his very low positional value.

  214. 214 b3nz0z said at 4:13 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    your final point is true, but there have also been many many reaches for a qb in the first round and those teams could have better strengthened their rosters if they had looked purely at the player and not been driven by need. lets say the TV is the best one available right now but all the TVs are incompatible with the DVD player you own, including the very best TV. you still gonna buy that TV even though it’s not right for you, just because TVs are more valuable? and i’d suggest that, instead of “doorstop,” the appropriate analogy might be “tv mounting bracket” or “surge protector” or “sofa.” so yeah, the TV might be WAAYYY more valuable and important than those things, but your shiny new TV is gonna suck to watch when you don’t have a nice couch or a place to mount the tv or when it explodes during the first lightning storm. meanwhile, you bought a shitty TV because it was the best one at the shitty store and you’ve got nowhere to hang it and nothing to sit on.

  215. 215 A_T_G said at 4:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The only option is to plug it in and watch it fail?

    To torture the analogy a little more, it sounds like you are decorating Chip’s new apartment for him. You only want a decent TV that fits your vision for furniture placement and viewing usage.

    I still think you take the TV, shift some furniture around, spend some money to upgrade the DVD to a Blu-Ray, and trade the older TV for a technology-forward surge guard and swiveling bracket, because the TV is still worth much more.

  216. 216 b3nz0z said at 4:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    first of all i would NEVER help Chip move. i’m saying that, to continue abusing this poor metaphor, if consumer reports gave crappy reviews to the three best tvs, maybe this isn’t the best time to get a tv.

  217. 217 A_T_G said at 4:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    That is certainly valid. That isn’t what I am seeing though. People aren’t pushing Elliot because Jack and Stanley are the best of bad LB and OT pools, they are saying you need to ignore the value of the position.

    Damn, I mean doorstop and apples, and…

    Ah, forget it.

  218. 218 Mac said at 4:41 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I actually like the analogy. Elliot is like one of those Ninja blenders. Who doesn’t love a kick-a milkshake or smoothie? But man, you can’t live on that stuff… well, you can try but the results won’t be pretty.

  219. 219 A_T_G said at 4:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Especially if you are lactose intolerant.

  220. 220 Mac said at 6:18 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The threat escalates even more (to a potentially deadly level) if you’re lack toast in toddler ant.

  221. 221 RobNE said at 4:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    in the beginning we all would give him a ride to the airport but now none of us will help him move.

    Seinfeld, Keith Hernandez episode reference

  222. 222 ACViking said at 5:02 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Or how ’bout . . .

    When Harry met Sally.

    Harry never gives his girlfriends a ride to the airport early in a relationship, because then they don’t understand why you stop doing it later.

  223. 223 Mac said at 4:35 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    QB, OT, DE, DT, CB, S… These are the positions that are vital to a great football team (in roughly that order). If you’re picking in the top 10, odds are that it’s because your team is in dire need of an upgrade at more than one of these positions.

    In my opinion, a talent (even an elite talent) at another position is a luxury pick in the top of round 1 or carries to much risk as a potential bust (see OLB). QB can be a 50/50 prop bet, but is basically worth it in many cases due to the value of the position.

  224. 224 botto said at 5:15 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    why not just get the apple tv and be done with it.
    because Elliot not only can run he can catch and block, so there’s your doorstop too.

  225. 225 Mac said at 5:18 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    A doorstop just may be the best use of the apple product.

    Did I go too far?

  226. 226 Caveman_Bob said at 12:19 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Your name is Mac…

  227. 227 Mac said at 9:59 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Haha… well I guess I loathe myself.

  228. 228 Sean Stott said at 4:11 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The best part of getting a flashy RB, valuations and football-nomics aside, is they are just fun to watch. It’s not fun to watch a great cover corner, because they never even show them on the TV feed.

  229. 229 A_T_G said at 4:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I sometime wonder how many people use that as their main criterion.

  230. 230 oreofestar said at 4:15 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yeah I don’t really care about that personally lol, nice OLine play is fun to watch

  231. 231 John Galt said at 4:19 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    RB in football is the closer in baseball. Having a great one is awesome, but really any of the other ones give you 95% the same value. And while it seems like they have a huge impact on games, most times the outcome would not be any different with someone else in there Not the same for QB, CB or tackle.

  232. 232 Sean Stott said at 4:19 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m definitely conceding that. But Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Shady McCoy, dagnabbit they’re entertaining as hell to watch.

  233. 233 John Galt said at 4:20 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    No question. So is Aroldis chapman. But if the rest of the team sucks it doesn’t really matter

  234. 234 b3nz0z said at 4:21 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    i just don’t agree. maybe the yardage would be similar but pass pro, receiving, forcing a defender into the box . . . you guys are acting like there’s 32 teams with backs that demand extra attention.

  235. 235 Media Mike said at 4:22 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    No, but how many of the ones who do were top 8 picks?

  236. 236 b3nz0z said at 4:29 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    again i’m not saying Zeke should go at 8. I’m saying that if our evaluators deem him to be a special player it would be stupid to pass because all RBs have similar potential output or because good ones have been found later. i mean we can play the Brady, Warner, Wilson card and argue that qbs shouldn’t be picked there either.

  237. 237 Media Mike said at 4:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yes, but not as often as you can with RB.

  238. 238 John Galt said at 4:24 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that at all. The point is the closer is the cherry on top. If you can’t get him the ball with the lead it doesn’t matter. Same with the RB, if your line sucks he won’t do well and he can’t over come that to get wins. Teams that are super bowl contenders with solid line and QB play should look to get a great RB to put them over the top. When you are picking in the top 10 those resources should go elsewhere first.

  239. 239 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:34 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Plenty of RBs can get the job done in the regular season, but if you plan on making a playoff run in cold weather against playoff defenses, THATS when you seperate the MEN RBs like BEASTMODE, and the Boys like Shady McCoy who didn’t show up to either of his two playoff games.
    ..
    In cold weather playoff games, facing top defenses who all will be focused on stopping the run first and foremost, havng a stud RB who can produce in the playoffs is HUGE!…. Without BEASTMODE, QB darling Russell Wilson WOULDNT be a Super Bowl champion..
    ..

  240. 240 b3nz0z said at 4:19 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    it’s definitely hard to see the CB coverage but you also definitely know when you don’t have one

  241. 241 b3nz0z said at 4:26 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    for the record i’m not hoping the pick ends up being Zeke. but if that’s who they pick i’m not going to freak out because of historically perceived value. DEF was devalued in general for a while because of the new rules and the “passing era” but look what kinds of teams won the last few superbowls. the FB was an extinct position, except when it’s opening holes for Jamaal Charles. Zeke might be a terrible pick at 8, and i’m not qualified to say one way or another. but i’ve been watching football for long enough to know that “currently accepted wisdom” changes all the time.

  242. 242 oreofestar said at 4:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You’re wrong, you see that RB by his name….take him off the board. We draft positions not players

  243. 243 ACViking said at 4:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m a lieutenant in the United States Navy . . .

    and you’re under arrest you son of a bitch.

  244. 244 oreofestar said at 4:36 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    D:

  245. 245 ACViking said at 4:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    what you wrote — “we draft positions not players” — reminds me of a line from a movie.

    can’t quite place it yet.

    thought i’d answer with an equally unequivocal declaration.

  246. 246 laeagle said at 4:43 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    “Chip’s Song”?

  247. 247 Fufina said at 4:56 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Think that is a little unfair… taking into account previous history is hugely relevant in talent evaluation, since you are always just taking educated guesses. The reality is high 1st round RB’s have a horrible record in converting to being quality NFL players (even worse than QB’s). This reflects both the very high injury rate at the position and the reality that it seems to be very hard to accurately evaluate RB talent and project guys to the NFL level.

    I love Zeke the player but to play devils advocate:

    The reality is that Zeke played behind a great OL and with a dominant offense, and a scheme that prided itself to throw against a stacked box. He got a huge benefit from Read option taking away a defender, and from having the field spread out laterally. It is a reasonable concern that Zeke may not adjust well to a more conventional west coast system, where there will be more defenders in and around the ball. His excellent vision at the college level may not translate to the NFL where the holes are smaller, muddier and you have special athletes able to make up gaps.

    The lack of usage in the passing game is a concern and the party rumors are something we will not know about (but teams will). Add in the obvious injury issues at the position, all mean Zeke will be a high risk (and high reward) pick regardless of how clean his college tape looks.

  248. 248 ACViking said at 5:00 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    “We salute the rank, not the man.”
    ___________

    From Band of Brothers

    When now-major Winters is eyed by his former CO, still-Capt Herbert Sobel . . . who looks right past Winters without acknowledging him.

    And Maj. Winters (at least, the actor), realizing the animosity, makes their contact about the uniform — not each other.

  249. 249 Media Mike said at 4:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I just don’t see the value in RB at 8. If I look at the last several RB yards from scrimmage leaders (the WAY better stat if we’re talking 3 down value) I come up with

    2015 – Peterson- 1(7)
    2014 – Murray – 3 (71)
    2013 – McCoy – 2 (53)
    2012 – Peterson 1(7)
    2011 – Rice 2 (55)
    2010 – Foster UDFA
    2009 – C. Johnson 1 (24)
    2008 – Peterson 1(7)
    2007 – Westbrook 3(91)
    2006 – Steven Jackson 1(24)

    So unless I’m getting Peterson, I don’t see a reason to take RB at 8.

  250. 250 oreofestar said at 4:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I was just looking around and saw only 5 different Wrs drafted in the top 10 lead the league in receptions in the last 30 years but way more first rounders than RBs

  251. 251 Media Mike said at 4:51 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    What WR are people taking in the top 10 this year?

  252. 252 oreofestar said at 4:52 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    None I hope I was just looking around is all

  253. 253 Media Mike said at 4:53 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’ll file that away for future reference if we’re talking about drafting a WR top 10 in the future who isn’t really a top talent at that position.

  254. 254 Mac said at 4:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Relative value.

    Also, receptions as the stat to use as a relative comparison?

  255. 255 oreofestar said at 5:00 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I edited it, I meant to say receiving yards

  256. 256 Mac said at 5:11 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Let’s get a google doc going and list the top 32 WRs and RBs over the last 10 years based on yards from scrimmage. The pattern I think will emerge is that top end WRs will significantly out perform the guys at the middle of the list and well beyond the bottom of the list, whereas the top end RBs will be closer by comparison to the middle of the list guys and maybe even the bottom of the list guys.

    Edit to include: I’m actually more interested in the results than I am in being right.

  257. 257 oreofestar said at 5:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Probably yeah

  258. 258 RC5000 said at 4:54 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Elliott’s ranked 3rd in the draft by Tommy right?

  259. 259 Media Mike said at 4:55 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I don’t agree with Tommy on that ranking.

  260. 260 GermanEagle said at 4:56 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think Tommy meant his personal top 3 in this year’s draft which doesn’t mean he wouldn’t take Tunsil if he was available.

  261. 261 oreofestar said at 4:55 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m going to assume he forgot Tunsil and he meant 4th

  262. 262 Media Mike said at 4:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Not necessarily. I’ve see DeBrickashaw Ferguson as the comp for Tunsil by people who don’t like him that much. So if you have Tunsil = Ferguson and Elliot = Tomlinson (which I don’t) then you could have Tunsil lower than those other 3.

  263. 263 oreofestar said at 5:01 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I disagree with him then

  264. 264 Media Mike said at 5:02 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Don’t quote me on that being Tommy’s thinking. I’m just laying out what some folks could be thinking on both guys.

  265. 265 oreofestar said at 5:05 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    What’s your rankings?

  266. 266 Media Mike said at 5:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Good question. I think because I’m so 8 focused I’ve been looking there.

    Guys I have better than Elliot would be (in no particular order)

    Goff, Wentz, Jack, Ramsey, Hargreaves, Bruckner, Tunsil, Stanley.

    I could also talk myself into Shaq Lawson, (if knee is ok) Jaylon Smith, Alexander, and Apple. Maybe Deron Lee as well.

    I don’t have Bosa on that list because he gives me a “bust” vibe.

    So if we were talking Elliot at 14 or 15, I’d be more into it. I just can’t justify him at 8.

  267. 267 oreofestar said at 5:17 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    This is fair, if you don’t think he’s an elite prospect as I do I understand your apprehension towards drafting him at 8, especially since he’s an RB, I just happen to think very highly of him

  268. 268 RC5000 said at 5:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If he’s not special he’s down where good backs go 3rd/4th/5th …there’s only a handful of special backs right now and a couple of them aren’t young anymore. It’s also a weak draft up top.

  269. 269 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:51 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    I trust Zeke to become an elite NFL RB way way more than I trust Stanley to be an elite Tackle

  270. 270 John Galt said at 8:52 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Jaylon smith has nerve damage. No way you can touch him at 8. Sucks for the kid, but that is tough to come back from

  271. 271 Fufina said at 4:58 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Think comparing to rushing titles is a little unfair – 1) sample size will be very small, 2) predicated on playcalling scheme and offensive line. However I think a metric like 1000 yard seasons shows a similar picture in a way that is a little more fair and realistic.

  272. 272 Media Mike said at 4:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I could also use the first team all pro guys of the same time period. I don’t think it would be that much different.

  273. 273 Mac said at 5:01 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Using a stat like 1,000 yrd rushers waters down the results more, which actually supports the point MM is making. That “special” RBs aren’t that special.

  274. 274 b3nz0z said at 6:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    (touchdowns/fumbles*wins/first downs)-round drafted(playoff wins-3)

  275. 275 b3nz0z said at 6:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    seems like a good metric

  276. 276 A_T_G said at 7:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think you need to divide by the ascii color code for the primary uniform color yet.

    Then, we should probably scale it so the maximum is a nice, round 158.3.

  277. 277 John Galt said at 8:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Nothing says perfect like the ole 158.3. Passer rating is so easy to figure out.

  278. 278 A_T_G said at 9:22 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    It drives me crazy because one more step, multiplying by 158.3/100 (or about 0.63) would scale it to 100.

    Or multiply by 6.3 and make it an impressive 1000.

    Or by 33 1/3 and scale it to 5280 if you hate metric and want to set up “he threw for a mile” jokes. But do something to show you care about the output.

  279. 279 Sean Stott said at 5:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Am I the only one who can see DAL scooping up Elliott to recapture some of their 2014 magic?

  280. 280 Media Mike said at 5:13 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I just texted that to a friend this morning. Dallas tried to get Murray back and we waived them off.

    Dallas 100% could see adding a premium RB as a good step to get their team into a deep playoff run.

  281. 281 Mac said at 5:20 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    And in so doing ignore the fact that a significant portion of the defense would be second string players on a team with a good defense. But hey, running the football wins championships!

  282. 282 TypicalDouche said at 5:15 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    At pick 3 though? That I don’t see happening even from them. What I do see as a likely scenario is them drafting a RB in the 2nd round. Hopefully that RB’s name is Derrick Henry.

  283. 283 Mac said at 5:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    This has me thinking…

  284. 284 botto said at 5:19 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    of course. done deal

  285. 285 oreofestar said at 5:20 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Zeke at 4 is a serious possibility

  286. 286 Fufina said at 5:33 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I think Dallas are going target Derrick Henry in the 2nd round personally. Think their OL is good enough to make gaps large enough that he gets to the 2nd level consistently, and with his size/speed he is going to be hard to stop on a consistent basis.

    I am not super high on Henry as a prospect, but i think in the right situation he could be scary…. and i think Dallas might think that is them.

  287. 287 b3nz0z said at 6:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    good point – why waste the 8 when your line can make anyone look decent

  288. 288 laeagle said at 8:04 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Like Randle, McFadden, and Michael, right?

  289. 289 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yup… Dallas most likely will draft Bosa or Ramsey at #4 and then take Henry in round 2, and draft hackenberg or Cardale in round 3

  290. 290 A_T_G said at 5:50 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You are not the only one. The Jerry Jones way. Made a mistake? Throw money at it!

  291. 291 Media Mike said at 5:16 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    General Elliot question for folks;

    who is your comp for him?

    NFL.com has Edge James. I can’t buy that.

    Tommy uttered Tomlinson. I love Tommy, but I can’t agree.

    I don’t have a good comp for him in my mind, but it sure as heck ain’t on the level of Edge James and certainly not Tomlinson.

  292. 292 Allen3000 said at 5:25 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Hard to say….Body type and overall running style is somewhat similar to Ronnie Brown coming out of college. I wouldn’t say Brown was a bust, but he certainly wasn’t worth the #2 pick (with the benefit of hindsight).

    He has a little bit of Fred Taylor and Jamal Lewis in him too. Definitely an intriguing back.

  293. 293 GermanEagle said at 5:28 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    And he sure as hell wasn’t worth that bloody lateral pass at the goal line!!

  294. 294 RogerPodacter said at 5:30 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    ugh. nightmares.

  295. 295 b3nz0z said at 6:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    one of the moments in life where i just didn’t believe my eyes

  296. 296 Mac said at 5:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Laterally the worst.

  297. 297 botto said at 5:44 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    he’s a mix between jim brown, Adrian Peterson, walter payton, westbrook, shady, and OJ.

  298. 298 Media Mike said at 5:47 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I’m not sure if he’s even fit to mix drinks for those guys.

  299. 299 botto said at 6:03 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    he can mix for the juice

  300. 300 Rellihcs said at 7:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    No, he’s more 100% Brandon Jacob’s plus 100% Darren Sproles, just talking size. Running style wise, Lorenzo booker meets Stanley havili with a little Reno Mahe mixed in.

  301. 301 Dave said at 5:59 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Zeke worries me the same way Alabama running backs worry me. When all your offense teammates are 4 and 5 star recruits, you can look better than you really are. Sort of like DeMarco running behind the Dallas line vs the Philly line.

    Remember Trent Richardson? 5 Star Alabama Recruit. Top running back in the 2012 draft. 3rd overall pick by Cleveland. Not saying Zeke is the same, but it has to be taken into consideration. Here is what Tommy wrote about Trent…

    Posted on March 12, 2012 by Tommy Lawlor
    RB TRENT RICHARDSON – ALABAMA – 5-11, 224

    Junior. Special RB. Great combination of strength, power, speed, footwork, and skill. Thick, powerful build. Can run over defenders, make them miss, or just run by them. Split reps with Mark Ingram for first 2 years so he posted good, but not great numbers. Trent was the feature back in 2011 and finished 5th in the nation in rushing. For his career he had 3,130 yards and 35 TDs. 68-730-7 as a receiver. Also very good as a KOR (mostly 2010). Averaged 26 yards per KOR and had a TD. Solid receiver.

    Not just strong and fast. Skilled runner. Runs under control. More slippery than you’d think. Good footwork, body control. Has good vision. Can find running lanes and is athletic enough to get to them. Hard to describe his running style. Can line up in the I-formation and follow his FB as a downhill runner or read his blocks and be a one-cut runner. Fast enough to get to the edge.

    Great balance. Has good feet. Moves well laterally. In the first LSU game, there was one play that showed how nifty he can be. Caught a pass 10 yards downfield. Made a guy miss and then got down the sideline for a good gain. Power backs aren’t supposed to have that kind of footwork and body control.

    Mostly runs N-S so he can stay behind his pads and take on tacklers. Doesn’t go down on first contact. Rarely goes down with just one defender. Low center of gravity and incredible strength makes him a bull to tackle. Finishes runs.

    One of the Top 10 players in the draft, at the least. Might not get drafted that high simply because RB is devalued in the league right now. 1st round RBs can be overrated at times, but Trent looks like one of those special players who genuinely deserves to be taken early. Best RB to come out since Adrian Peterson back in 2007. Didn’t work out at Combine due to medical procedure. Could affect his value a bit, but there was no significant injury so it won’t be a major factor.

  302. 302 Mac said at 6:01 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    That guy was so good it turns out he was worth two first round picks.

  303. 303 b3nz0z said at 6:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    having never watched him play i’m gonna say . . . cory dillon?

  304. 304 Insomniac said at 7:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    LT is also my comparison. Albeit Elliot is taller and hasn’t displayed the same hands yet.

  305. 305 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:48 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Kind of reminds me of well rounded Laveon Bell

  306. 306 Insomniac said at 7:04 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    If he was like 30 pounds lighter and had the break away speed?

  307. 307 Gian GEAGLE said at 3:06 PM on March 18th, 2016:

    Never seen anyone complain about Elliot’s speed before.

  308. 308 ICDogg said at 8:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Here is a simulation
    http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luvn0xMa4Q1r435c5o1_400.gif

  309. 309 Media Mike said at 5:31 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Figured I’d fire up a mock.

    Round 1 Pick 8: Jared Goff, QB, California (A+)
    Round 3 Pick 14: Landon Turner, OG, North Carolina (A)
    Round 3 Pick 16: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech (A+)
    Round 4 Pick 2: Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State (B)
    Round 5 Pick 14: Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU (A+)
    Round 5 Pick 25: Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State (A+)
    Round 6 Pick 13: Kavon Frazier, FS, Central Michigan (B-)
    Round 7 Pick 12: Aaron Green, RB, TCU (A+)
    Round 7 Pick 30: Montese Overton, OLB, East Carolina (B-)

  310. 310 TypicalDouche said at 5:34 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I like this one. Kenneth Dixon is a beast. If the Eagles do decide to draft a RB, he is the one I have been advocating for them to draft. Hopefully he’ll be available in the 3rd.

  311. 311 Tdoteaglefan said at 6:10 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Co-sign, I’ve been hoping that we target another position with #8 and go get either Kenneth Dixon or CJ Prosise in the 3rd. I’ve become a lil obsessed with Prosise..I don’t know if it’s the green tinted homer shades I’m wearing.. but I see a lil bit of shady and Ricky Watters in him..

  312. 312 TypicalDouche said at 6:13 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Yea I am a big fan of Prosise. What I really like is how he looks and he hasn’t been playing the RB position for too long. As of right now I would compare him to Theo Riddick. If he continues to develop as a RB then the sky is the limit for him.

  313. 313 Tdoteaglefan said at 7:21 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    yeah man, only 1 year as a RB..played slot receiver, so he has soft hands and can run routes 6’0, 220..4.4 speed. just not experienced in pass protection, but he could be the # 2 until he learns the system after the first year and we let go of mathews. Perfect jamal charles back for the WCO hybrid that Pederson and Reich want to run

  314. 314 Fufina said at 5:38 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Love it. Watched some more Goff – hadnt really watched him since the college season since i assumed he would be gone before the Eagles got to pick, but with us at 8, and Wentz’s rise i think he could be there.

    I think there is a lot to like about him, he has a good arm (not a great one) and a good feel for the game with good enough agility to work around the pocket. Size may not be the prototype but he is no midget. Think he would again improve with some time developing his technique and transitioning to the NFL so when he actually has a chance to start i think he could be in a really good place. I like the Matt Ryan comp a lot, and hopefully if we build well around him he would be good enough to contend.

  315. 315 Tom33 said at 5:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    So, during a long, boring conference call at work, I looked at the past 5 drafts to see who went at #8, and then expanded it to see how people taken in the first 16 picks of round 1 have done.

    Out of 80 players taken from 2011-2015 (5 yrs x 16 picks) there have been 28 pro-bowlers. #’s 1, 4, 5 and 9 overall had 3 each. 2, 11, 12 and 16 had 2. The rest had 1, except for, you guessed it, #8. The only slot with 0 was #8.

    Locker, Tannehill, Austin, Gilbert & Beasley.

    So maybe it doesn’t matter who they pick.

  316. 316 Sean Stott said at 5:41 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    https://xkcd.com/1122/

  317. 317 Dave said at 5:44 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    That chart reminds me of every statistic ever tweeted by Reuben Frank.

  318. 318 RC5000 said at 5:42 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Pro Bowl is partly a popularity contest.

  319. 319 b3nz0z said at 6:36 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    i mean it’s not an accurate look at who’s good because you get JP getting the nod in a year when he wasn’t good because of previous production. but you don’t tend to see non-contributors get in

  320. 320 Tdoteaglefan said at 5:44 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    so we move back one slot to number 9…or move up to number 5.
    problem solved.
    In all seriousness though..thanks for the research, that’s interesting. I Feel even less compelled for us to take a QB now after looking at that list..

  321. 321 GermanEagle said at 5:46 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Here’s some wise words:

    Do. Not. Draft. A. QB. At. #8.

    Thank you.

  322. 322 Sean Stott said at 5:46 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Unless it’s Wentz, it’s a big reach. A bigger reach than a RB named Zeke.

  323. 323 TypicalDouche said at 5:47 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I don’t think Goff would be a reach if he drops to 8.

  324. 324 ICDogg said at 8:44 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I don’t think so either

  325. 325 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:47 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    The king of sailing balls….

  326. 326 TypicalDouche said at 11:11 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    A few errant throws don’t outweigh the body of work he put in. He’s absolutely worthy of a top 10 pick.

  327. 327 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:36 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    A few? Way too many for a kid who’s seeling poïnt is supposed to be “polish”… His hands AINT getting any bigger

  328. 328 GermanEagle said at 5:47 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    It’s the biggest crap shoot. Apart from drafting a punter.

  329. 329 TypicalDouche said at 5:51 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    If it is such a crap shoot then why not draft a QB. What is the “safe pick” for you?

  330. 330 Sean Stott said at 5:54 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Tunsil is a safe pick, and so is Ramsey. Not sure if there are any others. Even Jack has injury concerns.

  331. 331 TypicalDouche said at 5:55 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I agree with that statement. What I really meant to ask him is, what position is his safe pick at 8. I don’t see any scenario where Tunsil and Ramsey are there at #8, although I really hope one of them slides.

  332. 332 Sean Stott said at 5:57 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I thought it was crazy to watch Leonard Williams slide to 6 last year. Either of those, especially Tunsil, sliding out of top 5 would be even crazier I think.

  333. 333 GermanEagle said at 6:32 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    My favourite scenario:

    1. Ramsey
    2. Jack
    3. Stanley
    4. Trade Down if all 3 are gone
    5. Goff / Wentz / Zeke

  334. 334 b3nz0z said at 6:34 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    yeah i’d love to see us move down for a pick.

  335. 335 oreofestar said at 6:39 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I really hope we don’t trade down

  336. 336 GermanEagle said at 7:15 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Why?! If there’s no elite player worthy pick #8 why wouldn’t you trade down to get an extra 2nd or 3rd rounder?!

  337. 337 eagleyankfan said at 8:08 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Again…HR said there are 10 blue chips. He also said..trading to get into the top 10 was hos goal…shedding contracts was a bonus part…you dont use those words to trade back after working so hard to get there. …if I’m understanding his comments. ..he wants a stud…he doesn’t want a second terror player….

  338. 338 GermanEagle said at 8:23 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Nobody. Wants. Terror.

  339. 339 sonofdman said at 10:27 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Who is the first terror player?

  340. 340 Rambo said at 10:47 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    a 2nd (we don’t have one currently)

  341. 341 GermanEagle said at 9:42 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    I’m aware of that. Unfortunately.

  342. 342 MattE said at 8:34 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Howie said there are 10 elite prospects, so that actually means like 5 because NFL execs only speak in half truths lol.

  343. 343 wee2424 said at 10:35 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    In this draft agree 100%.

  344. 344 Rob Jarratt said at 7:52 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    I. Totally. Concur. With. Your. Words. Of. Wisdom.

    You’re welcome.

  345. 345 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:33 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Givens could be a solid role player addition with a chance to become our 2016 version of Greg Lewis…. This kid is a one trick Pony, but that one trick is Exactly what this WR group/Offense has been lacking, a Deep threat with some speed opponents have to respect… We were never going to get a stud starting outside WR in this free agent market, but it was important that we added a deep threat, and givens can prove to be a solid signing in that role.. Hopeffully he makes a few big plays down field and give him a few opportunities to run reverses.. Normally He would just be our #4 WR, who comes in and runs go routes all day, but Josh Huff HASNT earned a damn thing, so he will get an opportunity to compete with Huff to see who becomes the #3…. If anything, this is a clear upgrade over Miles Austin who didn’t give a shit about helping this team on the field
    ..
    As a rookie with Bradford, Givens had 50 plus yard catch for 5 games in a row.. That’s about as many as our entire team had last season lol
    ..
    We ONLY have 4 NFL WRs on our roster right now, so clearly our WR group is still incomplete:
    #1) Jordan Mathews
    .
    2) Agholar
    .
    3) Huff
    .
    4) Givens
    .
    5) ???… This WR will be drafted some time after round 2

    6) this could be a 7th round pick, or another cheap veteran free agent signing
    ..
    my gut keeps,telling me to be on the lookout for one last surprise from our Supreme leader….Acquiring a WR in a trade… Maybe we trade a draft pick for a WR, maybe we see Ryan Mathews traded for a WR
    ..
    We are most likely done signing atarters in free agency, but we still could see Roseman sigń another role player or two, Chris Givens type signings since we still have plenty of work to do in terms of building up our depth, and Coach Fipp can always use some more special teams talent
    ..

  346. 346 Fufina said at 6:41 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Why would we trade Mathews? he is cheap and if healthy a really good back… I think Howie was willing to trade him if he could not dump Murray because we had too many RB’s making too much money to justify keeping all 3 when we could not get them all the ball. However now the most expensive and worst player (in 2015) is off our books we have no issues like that.

    Trading Mathews would mean we would be forced to draft RB for need, and what happens if Zeke goes top 7, and there is a run in the late 2nd early 3rd and there is no one we like at that point in the 3rd round? reach for a 4-5th round guy?

  347. 347 Rellihcs said at 7:01 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Geagle is the champ of throwing shit at the wall, not to see if it sticks, just throwing shit at the wall.

  348. 348 FairOaks said at 3:23 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    There were multiple rumors that the Eagles were prepared to trade Mathews for basically nothing even after Murray. I’d rather not see it happen myself, and Schefter recently said he was not going to be traded. Trading him would only save $2 million on the cap; cutting him after this season would save $4 million. We’d have to see how this season played out.

  349. 349 Rellihcs said at 3:29 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Yeah I saw those rumors. I didn’t say the shit geagle is throwing came from his own butt….

  350. 350 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:35 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    I been posting about possibly seeing Ryan Mathews traded months before a rumor of us being open to trading him ever emerged…. I just know that there was no way that Roseman wasn’t going to blow up the mess chip created in the RB room with all these pricey veterans,. I think Sproles is the only one who still has a chance to be here in 2017, and he needs to have a big year for that to happen…
    ..
    Id probably rather Have Mathews back this year, since I always want the best players we could get.. But it’s certainly not up to me, and my gut says Ryan won’t be an eagle this year,…. But i wouldnt be upset to see him back running behind Brooks and Lane

  351. 351 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:05 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    clearly Ryan Mathews won’t be a part of this next era of Eagle football. At most, he will be an eagle for one more yeàr, so I expect to see Roseman get value for him now if possible, instead of cutting him after this next season..
    ..
    Before any roster move was made, I expected to see 3 new runningbacks by the 2017 season.. So far we subtracted one RB (Murray), if we can get value for a player who isn’t part of our future, I don’t see Roseman turning it down
    .
    I don’t know if we would trade him now, or if we will see a situation where we work out a trade with someone, but not activate the trade until the draft after we make sure that we were able to draft an adequate replacement before going thru with the trade.,
    .,
    If the Eagles make a modest RB signing in Free Agency, like a Chris Polk, you can bet Ryan Mathews will end up traded by the end of the draft… That can still happen even if we don’t sign a RB, because we can probably still find a Polk level RB to sign in June after the draft.
    ..
    I like Ryan Mathews, I don’t mind seeing him on the Eagles this year, I just don’t expect him to be here past this year, he has doesn’t have some horrible contract that we can’t trade, and he put a solid season on Film last year so there should be a team of two interested..
    ..
    If I know that a player is only temporarily an eagle, why would I mind seeing them trade him for a player who at least has a chance to be part of our future..
    ..
    I really don’t mind seeing him back for another year, why would I mind, he was our best RB last year… But I just get the feeling that he won’t be on the roster this year, but if we can’t get a suitable return in a trade, im sure we have no problem keeping him for one more year

  352. 352 eagleyankfan said at 8:14 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    You think the Eagles would trade him after after drafting one? Rookie rbs aren’t very productive. ..that offense would take a huge hit. ..

  353. 353 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:45 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    If they draft a RB with one of our 4 top 100 picks, I would think Ryan Mathews would then be traded during the draft… I also think Zeke Elliot is a very real possibility for us, and if we draft him, No way Ryan Mathews is back..
    ..
    I like Ryan Mathews, I view him as a guy who can help us next yeàr, so im desperate to trade him, I just think they will move him, and most likely go into the season with something like Elliot(or a 3rd round RB), a young modest veteran signing like Chris Polk, and Sproles..
    ..
    If all our RBs are going to be replaced in the next two years, I can’t rip the Eagles if they decide to part with him, getting value in a trade now, instead of cutting him for nothîng next offseason….
    ..
    But truthfully, Id probably rather have Ryan Mathews back next year, I just don’t expect it to happen

  354. 354 Greg Richards said at 8:02 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    The Bears traded Martellus Bennett and a 6th round pick to the Patriots for a 4th round pick.

  355. 355 eagleyankfan said at 8:12 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Another weapon for Brady. ..

  356. 356 anon said at 8:13 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    great move for them. need more blocking and receiving

  357. 357 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:41 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    That’s a damn good move,,, Bennett is probably the most under rated TE in the NFL. Dude is well rounded and elite at his position…
    .
    Really great move by the Patriots… Some are speculating that this signing will cause Amendola to get cut

  358. 358 solid said at 9:11 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    I just don’t see how Myles Jack can be on the eagles’ top 10 list with his knee injury. If I’m drafting in the top 10 picks, which one would hope would be rarely, I would take absolutely no fliers on players coming back from significant injuries no matter how talented they were before. It’s too huge of a gamble, especially having a rookue head coach.

  359. 359 oreofestar said at 9:53 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    No

  360. 360 Mitchell said at 10:16 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    He’s already jumping 40″ in the vert and 10’3″ in the broad. Because we don’t know what type of tear it was (at least I couldnt find it) we can’t really know how bad the meniscus tear really is. The fact that he is already cleared to move laterally and can jump that high, I think he will be fine. Attached is an article from 14 years ago explaining healing rates in meniscal tear for young adults. This study is old and I’m going to assume surgical strategies have only gotten better. If you are interested skip to the discussion or look at table 1 for the summary of findings. It looks like, in this study, time till re-injury for the meniscus is 3-5 years. He probably will injury it again but pending on how bad this first one is, it may be a “quick” off season fix. http://www.boneandjoint.org.uk/content/jbjsbr/84-B/1/34.full.pdf

  361. 361 solid said at 10:56 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    This is what I fear – the whole “what if he injuries it again” tale. We already have this problem with Jordan Hicks and Sam Bradford. Some players seem to have this unlucky injury bug that happens every year. I want to avoid this mistake with pick 8.

  362. 362 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:19 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That’s my fear with practically every player who has ever played for the Eagles..

  363. 363 D3FB said at 9:38 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    I’ve read it’s anterior meniscus. Explain DR nerd.

  364. 364 Mitchell said at 9:52 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    There are 2 menisci in each knee, one anterior and one posterior. They are crescent shape thicker on the lateral and medical sections and thinner in the middle. From what Ive read the its easier to completely tear the lateral aspect. Manu times meniscal tears are just a 6 weak deal treated with ice, rest and range of movement. Menisectomys take out a part or the meniscus and have worse outcomes comepared to stitching the meniscus back together. Due to the length of his recovery time, Jack probably had a full tear treated with surgery to sew it back together. Outcomes, so Ive read are pretty good and he should expect a full recovery will probably reinjury later in his career.

  365. 365 wee2424 said at 10:33 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Because he is that talented, and any team that has a medical staff that feels like he is making a good recovery should have him in the top 10.

    If it weren’t for the injury he could have very well been the #1 overall pick. He is that good.

    Reports suggest he is making a good recovery. If the Birds medical staff feels the same then I beleive we should absolutely grab him. We can afford some time before he gets pressed into action.

    If Hicks progresses, Cox balls out, Kendricks returns close to 2014 form, Logan plays as well as we think he should, and Jack makes a recovery (I think he will), then we could potentially have the best front 7 in football if we grab him.

  366. 366 D3FB said at 9:39 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    It’s a meniscus in 2016. It’s pretty low risk.

  367. 367 GermanEagle said at 12:44 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    A meniscus tear for a pro is similar to men flu for a normal human being in this age of times.

  368. 368 wee2424 said at 9:58 PM on March 16th, 2016:

    Happy to hear about Givens. I didn’t even realize he was still a FA, honestly shocked that he still was. Young talented WR with the type of talent we are missing on this O. Good signing and for cheap.

  369. 369 BobSmith77 said at 1:39 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Young, cheap who fits the box on a possible ‘deep threat’ with experience. Expecting very little out of him but if he even helps the Eagles win a game or two because of a few big receptions it will be money very spent.

  370. 370 eagleyankfan said at 7:30 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    hoping it’s a “second chance thing” that kick starts him…

  371. 371 MattE said at 8:30 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    ……hoping it was Jeff Fischer’s lack of offensive imagination that was the issue.

  372. 372 eagleyankfan said at 9:48 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Still not sure how that guy holds a job. Anyway — Rams, who are the bottom class of the nfl, gave up their QB, Safety and WR and now they are here. Don’t get me wrong, I really like this safety – but getting 3 players from a system that’s been brutal, it’s pretty hard to get excited…lol…let’s hope it’s a change of scenery thing…it’s not like the Eagles pillaged a SB team….

  373. 373 Fufina said at 9:55 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Think people are getting overly focused on what is basically a camp vet who is here to compete for a roster spot.

  374. 374 eagleyankfan said at 10:12 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    doesn’t change the fact where he(or they) came from ….
    Fully aware of who he is..I actually think he can compete for playing time – which is scary…only 4 years removed from a draft — he’s not a “seasoned” vet. I still like the move — but the fact remains the same – 3 starts from a dysfunction team are one this team…

  375. 375 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:12 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    No, Givens is almost a lock to make this roster

  376. 376 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:39 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    26yr old on a one year contract, hopefully we are getting a Hungry player working for his nect contract

  377. 377 Gian GEAGLE said at 10:38 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Hopefully he goes to be a solid role player for us, the “Greg Lewis” of our 2016 reciever corp… A guy who can stretch the field, hopefully make a few big plays down field, run an occasional reverse,,
    ..
    Understanding that the WR we signed was always going to be a role player, this could turn out to be a solid addition, simply because his skillset is exactly what our WR group lacked..
    ..
    Be great if he can have a good enough yeàr to earn an extension, because with Givens we only have 4 NFL WRs on the roster, so we still need to add two more.
    ,.
    Hopefully he will be a Solid role player for us… If he can catch a bomb early in a game, the defense will have to respect his ability to go deep. Which should create some more space for guys like Jordan and sproles to work underneath racking up yards after the catch..
    .
    Not a significant addition, but he does have a chance to be a solid addition with his strengths being exactly what we lack

  378. 378 MattE said at 8:35 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    RB lives matter.

  379. 379 P_P_K said at 9:54 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    But their football lives are rather brief.

  380. 380 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:27 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Im still Gaga over the Brooks signing, we haven’t had this type of power at Guard since shawn Andrews that was a long time ago?..Really never expected the Texans to let him get away,.. I think he has a chance to be the next solid OL that we added who goes on to become an elite Lineman for us, just like Jason Peters, Mathis and KELCE
    .
    Brooks floor is a very solid starter Guard… He has a few really good years, but I think he has a chance to take that next step and reach greatness. Kid should be worth every penny
    ..
    Considering Raiders have Osmele 11mil to play Guard, getting Brooks at 8mil is a perfectly fair deal for a young Guard of his caliber…curious to see who will go on to be the better Eagle, Brooks or ROCKIN Rod McLeod?
    ..
    Still holding out hope that our starting LG ISNT on the roster yet but will be added in the next two months… But I have no problem starting Gardner if need be come september. hoping for a year of great OL health like 2013, Shawn Huls better keep the smoothies coming.. Brooks has a Nasty streak, I hope Huls puts gunpowder and pitbul Rabies in Brooks specialized smoothie lol

  381. 381 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:30 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Shea McLellin, Martellus Bennett, Chris Long, Jonathon Cooper, Chris Hogan… The Patriots aren’t screwing with the talent they are adding…
    ..

  382. 382 myartz04 said at 11:44 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Dream team.

  383. 383 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:47 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Nothing Dreamy about that… Just really solid additipns, which has been the patriot way…. substance over Flash, Charechter/work ethic over name brand… Their discapline is their strength… Of course BRady makes every thing so much easier

  384. 384 Dave said at 11:59 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Outside of Hogan, they all have the same thing in common, high draft picks that never played to their potential and whose team(s) gave up on them.

  385. 385 BreakinAnklez said at 12:24 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Agree with all but Chris Long.

  386. 386 Dave said at 12:56 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I’m torn on Long. He is a good player, but for the #2 overall pick and a guy that has been paid $85M over his 8 year career, he is a disappointment.

    I think he is comparable to Connor Barwin, who played DE in Houston and will again this year. While Barwin made much less money ($17M over his 7 year career) and was a 2nd round pick, his stats are similar and combine numbers were much better. I imagine if Barwin was paid $70 M over his first 7 years, he too would be considered an underachiever.

  387. 387 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:18 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Huh? Bennett is one of the best all around TE in the game… And Cooper and McClennan are Dissapointing young players with untapped potential, who they think they can coach up better than their previous team… Chris long is the perfect signing for a contender. Won’t start, but should be able to contribute as a role player… We are talking about a contender looking to add role players… These aren’t guys you would sigń as building blocks, but Bellichick will get value out of a few of them

  388. 388 Dave said at 4:13 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Bennett is on his 4th team for a reason. For a guy who is 6’7″, he averages less than 3 TDs per year for his career.

    I do agree that these guys might flourish in NE, but there is a reason their teams have given up on them.

  389. 389 Insomniac said at 4:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Lets trade Ertz then since he only averages 3 TDs a year.

  390. 390 Dave said at 4:51 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Big difference, Bennet is a headcase.

  391. 391 Insomniac said at 7:03 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I haven’t heard anything about him until he got traded.

  392. 392 Gian GEAGLE said at 11:51 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Chip Kelly: “we are going to coach the heck out of Kaepernick if he is here”..
    ..
    Good one chip…

  393. 393 Dave said at 11:54 AM on March 17th, 2016:

    Let’s play a game…fill in the blank.

    I am going to ________ the heck out of __________ if he/she is here!

  394. 394 MattE said at 2:15 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I love Mad-Libs!

    Undermine / Trent Baalke

  395. 395 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:44 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I am going to “Over rate” the heck out of “BLAINE Gabbert” if he is here

  396. 396 MattE said at 2:46 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    investigate / Blaine Gabbert’s Hands

  397. 397 lonfident said at 2:57 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I am going to praise the heck out of Jim O’Neil if he is here!

  398. 398 Joe Minx said at 1:18 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    lol @ Chip

  399. 399 Ark87 said at 12:57 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    For all the Carolina folks:

    my UNCW is seriously putting the heat on Duke. Wonder if Tommy has a B-Ball team in NC, hope he’s not a dookie. Just funny how announcers treat these games like a joke where the low seeds get slaughtered, literally laughing. Then, oh look, a game.

  400. 400 TypicalDouche said at 1:03 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    UNCW looks very impressive right now. Also helps that the Duke defenders seem to just be standing around now looking to play D. Really enjoying this game. I still think that unless UNCW goes up by 10-15 points at half time that Duke will pull away and get the victory in the 2nd.

  401. 401 Ark87 said at 1:09 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    UNCW is playing with the under-dog fervor. They look like they are primed to burn out or foul-out. But we’ll see. I went to UNCW so I am really pulling for them. (also anyone in the UNC family hates Duke)

  402. 402 TypicalDouche said at 1:12 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That’s awesome that you went there man, you have to root for your alma mater. Even though I took Duke in every bracket I filled out I always root for an underdog pulling the upset.

  403. 403 GermanEagle said at 1:03 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    FYI: I’m on my first Guinness…

  404. 404 TypicalDouche said at 1:04 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    ..

  405. 405 GermanEagle said at 1:45 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    2 and counting!

  406. 406 TypicalDouche said at 1:57 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I am with ya pal. I took the day off to watch the start of the tournament and I am already on my 4th beer. Here’s one to us drinking early.

  407. 407 GermanEagle said at 2:02 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Good boy!

  408. 408 MattE said at 2:24 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Adult Life = Day drinking + Pay bills

    ….its a trade-off, but one begets the other.

  409. 409 TypicalDouche said at 2:38 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Oh trust me I know the feeling.

  410. 410 eagleyankfan said at 1:24 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    draftwire mocked Noah Spence to the birds…that’s not a name many have been throwing around…

  411. 411 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 1:32 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Early on after the senior Bowl he was being mocked to us when we were at 13.

  412. 412 Media Mike said at 6:11 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Draftwire can GTFO with Spence. He’s a drug addict and doesn’t possess enough physical talent to mitigate the risk of taking him.

  413. 413 laeagle said at 8:00 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I heard he was a running QB in high school…

  414. 414 RC5000 said at 1:33 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/710498591320702976
    Chip gets an OG
    https://twitter.com/caplannfl/status/710458263188447232

  415. 415 anon said at 1:46 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    is that the first move they’ve made? they need a whole team

  416. 416 TypicalDouche said at 2:06 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    They’ll still need a couple of more guards being that Beadles isn’t very good.

  417. 417 D3FB said at 5:56 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    They’ve got 16 draft picks. Alot of things in flux. Not sure it’s a terribly attractive destination for FAs.

  418. 418 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:12 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    He hasnt been anywhere as good as his reputation. Underachieved last couple years

  419. 419 Cafone said at 3:50 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Sure, now he cares about guards.

  420. 420 Joe Minx said at 1:44 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    What are everyone’s thoughts on LaQuan McGowan? Put up 30 reps at his pro day yesterday. Briles said he’s the most intriguing athlete he’s ever seen in 40 years of coaching.

    I want this fat son of a bitch! Him & Brooks = BEEEEFF

  421. 421 Fufina said at 2:16 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    He is an impressive slab of beef to work with that is for sure.

    His 5.41 40 at 405lb is insane… but i think his 8.25 3 cone is the most mind blowing. How do you move that fast at that size? You have so much weight you need to slow down and re accelerate.

    My only concern is him managing his weight… there is no way he was told to play at 405lb’s as a TE. But damn as a LT prospect for 2-3 years time he has scary potential if he is committed to the game.

  422. 422 Insomniac said at 2:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    He needs to lose about 70 pounds first.

  423. 423 D3FB said at 5:55 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    UDFA. You’re immediately redshirting his ass. See if you can’t get him down to 330-340. If he can maybe he can be an OL. He’s basically reverse Alejandro Villenueava. He doesn’t really have a position and he’s going to need a full year to reshape his body. If he can maybe he can be something but more than likely he’s going to not make it.

  424. 424 BreakinAnklez said at 1:51 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Round 1 Pick 8: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame (A+)
    Round 3 Pick 14: Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State (A)
    Round 3 Pick 16: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech (A+)
    Round 4 Pick 2: Christian Westerman, OG, Arizona State (A+)
    Round 5 Pick 14: Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama (A+)
    Round 5 Pick 25: Charone Peake, WR, Clemson (A+)
    Round 6 Pick 13: Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky (A)
    Round 7 Pick 12: Antwione Williams, OLB, Georgia Southern (B)
    Round 7 Pick 30: Quinton Jefferson, DT, Maryland (C+)

  425. 425 Media Mike said at 6:10 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Nice work. I think 3rd round is a safe spot to take a flier on Nassib.

  426. 426 scratcherk said at 1:51 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    So where is this jaylen Smith kid expected to go now? Does he last till our third round pick?

  427. 427 TypicalDouche said at 2:02 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Real possibility he lasts past the 3rd. Apparently besides tearing up his ACL and MCL he also has nerve damage. The nerve damage is the most frightening part. I read a lot of the NFL teams gave him the “failed” designation on his physicals as well. Being compared to Marcus Latimore, great college player with really good athleticism but wouldn’t surprise anyone if he doesn’t play a down in the NFL.

  428. 428 scratcherk said at 2:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    poor guy

  429. 429 Fufina said at 2:19 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I read that there is signs of nerve regeneration… he has a huge day at the combine re medical day in April, if he is showing progress i think he gets taken at the end of day 2 because he is that talented a player even if you think you have to redshirt him a year. Bad news and he goes undrafted or gets taken in the late 7th as a bit of a PR move/flier by a team.

  430. 430 TypicalDouche said at 2:21 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I had not read anything about nerve regeneration. I read that it could result in a degenerative nerve condition.

  431. 431 Fufina said at 2:25 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I read somewhere after the combine medicals that his doctors were saying he had regained some feeling/function over time and that the nerves were not clean severed but instead had just been damaged. Not sure if that was just a positive spin but thats what was reported 2-3 days post combine.

    Praying for the kid as it is brutal that his last college game is going to cost him $10mil+. Think he was a top 10 pick for sure pre injury.

  432. 432 TypicalDouche said at 2:38 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That would be good news. I hope the best for the kid as well.

  433. 433 Mitchell said at 3:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Nerves can indeed regenerate it all depends on the length between the 2 ends. The farther they are apart the harder it is to find the other end. Peripheral nerves can regenerate but central nerves like brain and spinal cord, not so much. On top of that, nerves in close proximity to the damaged one can actually take up the slack of their injured brother. So if his nerve is growing back or the other nerves are taking up its work, it is a good sign he’s getting feeling back.

  434. 434 MattE said at 2:20 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Post-Chip Kelly: feels like the hottest ex-girlfriend I ever had, but dumb as rocks….. during the coaching search that year Chip was “The Hot Name” everyone wanted, and we got (why is she dating me?)…. after the 6 month “Honeymoon Period” Chip started doing weird things, but we still went along…. now Chip went to the West Coast with all the beautiful people and the NFL still considers Chip as the “The Hot Chick”, but he’s now been around the block a bit and we are just hoping it blows up in San Francisco’s face because no one ever wants good things for their ex hahaha…. now we are dating an average looking chick (Douggy P.) who has a good career and mentally stable!

  435. 435 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:27 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Interesting that Josh Gordon is wondering if he will be the next name shipped out of Cleveland. Some speculation about the Browns possibly trading him as soon as the suspension is listed, while continuing to tear that team down and rebuild which seems to be their strategy…
    .
    I kind of expected a veteran players coach like Hue to give Gordon a chance and try to make it work with that special Talent, but if the Browns want to move Gordon, I hope Roseman elbows his way to the front Of the trade line..
    ..
    Currently our WR group is young, talented, but Incomplete… But Adding a talent like Josh Gordon would change everyyhing, and defenses would have to give him extra attention, freeing things up a bit for Jordan, Agholar. Huff and Givens
    ..
    For a team that looks like it’s lacking some Firepower, adding Josh Gordon and Zeke Elliot would give us a scary arsenal of weapons.. If Gordon is moved, really hope we go after him hard! I don’t care if he gets suspended again, that’s the type of game changing talent worth taking a flier on

  436. 436 MattE said at 2:31 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    yeah i was asking that the other day…. what would it take?

    Honestly no idea of value

  437. 437 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:32 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    No more than a 3rd I would think….. Throw in Huff if we need to lol

  438. 438 MattE said at 2:34 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    last year of his rookie contract…. blah, would probably have to re-sign him if traded? Or would 5th yer option be in play? So confusing with the suspensions and shit.

  439. 439 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:36 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Doesn’t the suspension mean that he didn’t get paid last season, and it didn’t count as a year off his contract? I think THATS what I heard said about Martevis Bryant’s suspension the other day, so assume that goes for Gordon as well, no?

  440. 440 MattE said at 2:38 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    now that I am looking at it i think 2016 was his 5th year….. did Cleveland pick up the 5th year option on him before the suspension?

  441. 441 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:39 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Wasn’t he a second round pick with No 5th year option?

  442. 442 MattE said at 2:43 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    SportTrac:

    Contract Notes:

    $3.7 million guaranteed (Signing Bonus + 2012-13 base + $380k of 2014 base)

    Signing Bonus: $2.324 million

    2014-15 Workout Bonus: $50,000

    2013 Suspension (2 Games/4 Games Pay)

    Guaranteed salary voided per suspensions

    Suspended for the entire 2014 season, contract tolled to 2015 ($825,604 salary)

    Suspended for the entire 2015 season, contract tolled to 2016

    ….so he entering a “contract year”

  443. 443 Fufina said at 2:43 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Think with full year suspensions it just automatically roles over? like the year did not exist i think.

  444. 444 MattE said at 2:36 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    …..a 3rd would do it, but I think it would be to much

    mainly because of unsure contract situation.

  445. 445 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:39 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Maybe…depends what someone else is offered… 1st round pick is way too much, we don’t have a second, so I would think it wiould take a 3rd since I assume a few teams will be interested…..I would go no higher than a 3rd and a young player we don’t love like Huff…. Can’t go higher than that

  446. 446 MattE said at 2:39 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Huff was a 3rd…. so now we are talking (2) 3rd’s in a round about way.

  447. 447 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:41 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Yup… Obviously I would try to give up less first, but I’d go as high as 3rd and a young player we view as expendable… Id rather keep Huff as a #4 WR if possible, and have Givens as our #5.. But I don’t see Huff as a deal breaker that would make me not want to go thru with it

  448. 448 botto said at 2:42 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Huff for the Puff?

  449. 449 MattE said at 2:44 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    OMG we need both of them

    ……and team colors are green hahahaha

  450. 450 botto said at 3:03 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    it would be cool to have huff and puff in green

  451. 451 botto said at 2:38 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    most say no way we draft zeke, but Gordon would be an amazing addition….there is no ME in I and I. and you know he wants to wear the GREEN

  452. 452 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:50 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Zeke ISNT my ideal Target at #8 either, but I do know I would take him instead of Hargraves and Possibily Stanley too…
    Not my ideal target, but completely devaluing him and not even considering him with the 8th pick is foolish IMO…….but im hoping for a miracle coming away with Ramsey/Jack (even if we have to trade up two spots) so I don’t even have to hear about the Zeke debate

  453. 453 ACViking said at 3:31 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Trade a 3rd or 4th for a WR who can’t help himself from blowing drug tests …

    Use the 8th overall pick on a RB who some NFL folks think has the same problem.

    No thanks

  454. 454 Mac said at 3:51 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    It would change the current culture of the team…

  455. 455 mksp said at 7:05 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    MDMA is a lot of fun.

    Fortunately for Ezekiel Elliot, as a RB, his career will be relatively short, and by the time he retires at, say 29, he’ll still have a solid decade or so of strong partying years.

    Assuming he can get out of bed at least.

  456. 456 MattE said at 2:30 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    If I am John Elway:

    1) Cut (Post June 1 or trade) Ryan Clady = +$8,900,000 in Cap Space

    2) Already have $10,000,000 in cap space so new total = $18,900,000

    3) Cut (Post June 1 or trade) B. Marshall, D. Stewart, B. Colquitt, Cap Space = $25,683,000.00

    4) Make other small moves to try and free up approx. $1.5mill

    5) Allocate about $6 mill for rookie contracts (Probably less because no early draft picks) and draft a bunch of offensive linemen to attempt to replace Clady.

    6) Trade for Drew Brees who’s cap number would drop from $30mill to $20mill in a trade (NO would be on the hook for $10mill in 2016, NO currently has <$1mill in cap space), its the last year of his contract, and make another run in playoffs with stellar defensive core.

    7) Re-sign Brees in 2016 offseason (if defense still intact, would need to sign Von Miller to monster contract first, re-work DeMaryius' afwul contract) to more reasonable number because Brees probably has 1 more year left in the tank.

    8) Worry about QB of the future in next years draft lol

  457. 457 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:47 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Doubt Sean Peyton is ever giving away Brees..
    ..
    Instead of going thru all that, if Im Elway, and Goff or Wentz fall to #8, Id give the Eagles Bradley ROBEY (better young Corner on rookie contract than Hargreaves), the 31st pick, my 3rd round pick, and a 3rd round pick next year or Codie Latimer(whichever they prefer), and they get a young corner, only costing them a young corner and draft picks

  458. 458 MattE said at 2:49 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    …. i think Howie has been mis-informing the whole time…. i think there is less than 8 prospects that they really want, but is pumping up trade value of #8 overall by saying you WILL get an ELITE prospect @ #8

  459. 459 MattE said at 2:52 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Denver’s defense has (1) more year of financial stability (not re-signing Von Miller long term was the bonehead move and caused the rest of the dominoes), therefore I am going all in for one more year with an elite QB if he can be had. Brees is in contract year and 37 years old, Loomis has a salary cap he HAS to clean up and re-signing a 38 yo QB who is going to want ^$18mill/year and probably a 3-4 year deal ain’t no way to re-build your cap.

  460. 460 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    ISNT it safe to assume that the VON Miller franchise tag will be converted into a Longterm deal soon?

  461. 461 MattE said at 2:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    …it would behoove them to do that this year being the cap goes up every year, but I think they are getting blinded by their QB situation to be thinking about that right now to be honest.

  462. 462 Gian GEAGLE said at 3:00 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I always just assumed that they would work out a LongTerm deal this summer and never actually łet him play a game on the franchise tag..
    ..
    Think Elways big mistake was thinking he wasn’t going to lose as many defensive free agents as they ended up losing, had he forsaw losing all those players, he probably would have just been able to give VON Miller the extension and Tag Brock….. Also think he is being outdated about QB prices and in the New NFL, you better be ready to pay up if you expect to extend a QB that you drafted… 3 years from now, there probably won’t be any starting QBs who aren’t on rookie contracts that will be playing for less than like 17mil a year …. 17mil for Qbs is becoming the “new 12mil” for QBs….
    ..
    This new reality is why if you draft a QB in the top 10, he better be special, because if he ends up being just a Tannehill type you will end up having to overpay him drastically or lose him… If you get a good but not great QB with a top 10 pick you will be screwed in 5 years

  463. 463 MattE said at 3:11 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Elway is jelly he ain’t making $18mill/year to throw a ball lol

  464. 464 MattE said at 3:13 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    “John it was a running backs game back in your day so QBs werent as valuable”

    Elway would lose his shit if someone told him that lol

  465. 465 MattE said at 3:12 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Sign Von, Tag Brock, and don’t match Miami’s offer for CJ Anderson (HAHAHAHAHA ARE YOU KIDDING ME?)

  466. 466 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    If Im Elway, AJ McCarron would be my #1 trade target

  467. 467 MattE said at 2:55 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    After Andy got hurt, ain’t no way Cincy is parting with him.

  468. 468 Gian GEAGLE said at 3:05 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Most likely….especially since im sure it crossed their minds that AJ could end up growing into an even better QB than Dalton… It’s also hard to entice the bengals with more picks because they have done such a solid job of drafting Talent, that they probably DONT feel the need to acquire more picks to be able to fill their few holes

  469. 469 A_T_G said at 4:13 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That all looks well and good, but it is funny how your autocorrect changed Bradford into Brees.

  470. 470 Gian GEAGLE said at 2:34 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Lawson, the DE from Clemsons shoûlder was medically Flagged.. Needs to get it checked out again

  471. 471 GermanEagle said at 3:01 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Magic number: 5

  472. 472 TypicalDouche said at 3:05 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    8 and counting over here. At this rate we’ll be passed out within the next few hours or at least I will be.

  473. 473 GermanEagle said at 3:23 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Better boy. I will catch up though. What are you drinking?

  474. 474 TypicalDouche said at 3:24 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I went with Yuengling today.

  475. 475 anon said at 3:29 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    classic

  476. 476 GermanEagle said at 4:02 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Cheap. But works the trick! Lol

  477. 477 TypicalDouche said at 4:04 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    When the plan is being at the bar for this long you don’t want to drink $9 IPAs or any other expensive beer all day lol

  478. 478 GermanEagle said at 4:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Understood mate. Understood.

  479. 479 Insomniac said at 7:00 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Yuengling is a hell of a lot better than the big brands.

  480. 480 scratcherk said at 3:32 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Dont you people work? #jealous

  481. 481 TypicalDouche said at 3:34 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    lol I do but I took the day off to enjoy the beginning of the NCAA tournament. Enjoy a couple when you get home pal.

  482. 482 botto said at 3:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    would it be hilarious if Howie drafted the Oregon QB? in the later rounds.

  483. 483 GermanEagle said at 3:24 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    No

  484. 484 botto said at 4:48 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    sure would

  485. 485 TypicalDouche said at 3:27 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Don’t the Eagles already have a 5’11 backup QB?

  486. 486 scratcherk said at 3:44 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    How does that Baylor 410 lb TE only have 3 catches in 2 years? I would give him 3 catches per drive.

  487. 487 TypicalDouche said at 3:54 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I think they moved him to guard if I am not mistaken.

  488. 488 GermanEagle said at 3:53 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    7even

  489. 489 TypicalDouche said at 4:06 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    The Broncos have reached agreement on a deal with Russell Okung, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The two sides are finalizing a five-year pact that will pay the standout tackle $10.6MM per year.

    Looks like Ryan Clady should be shown the door soon.

  490. 490 Insomniac said at 4:13 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Since when was Okung a standout tackle?

  491. 491 TypicalDouche said at 4:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    At Oklahoma St?

  492. 492 Insomniac said at 4:21 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That was almost like a decade ago.

  493. 493 TypicalDouche said at 4:22 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    That is my last remembrance of him being a stud.

  494. 494 D3FB said at 5:46 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    He’s very good but he’s been hurt alot.

  495. 495 wee2424 said at 10:31 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    He is an above just good tackle, and i think if it werent for his injuries he could possible be even better. He is an immediate upgrade over Clady at least.

  496. 496 GermanEagle said at 4:14 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    The h8full…

  497. 497 Fufina said at 4:36 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I tried to make a list of how i stack the top 20 guys from what i have read/watched/heard myself and from media guys. I have taken positional value into account.

    Top tier:
    1) Jalen Ramsey
    2) Laremy Tunsil
    3) Myles Jack

    2nd Tier:
    4) Carson Wentz
    5) Joey Bosa
    6) DeForest Buckner
    7) Vernon Hargreaves

    3rd Tier:
    8) Jared Goff
    9) Robert Nkemdiche*
    10) Sheldon Rankins
    11) Ezekiel Elliot
    12) Darron Lee
    13) A’Shawn Robinson
    14) Jack Conkin
    15) Mackensie Alexander
    16) Paxton Lynch
    17) Ronnie Stanley
    18) Laquon Treadwell
    19) Corey Coleman
    20) Shaq Lawson

    *I know nothing about his character concerns so i am not taking that into account.

  498. 498 RobNE said at 4:55 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    GD of course there are 7 people in the top tiers when we pick 8th.

  499. 499 Insomniac said at 5:03 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Only if you take opinions seriously.

  500. 500 jaws80 said at 6:00 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I think, from watching and reading, that Stanley and Elliott could be in the 2nd tier according to many, so that would mean 9 in the top two tiers. Then of course there is Goff, that many would put up there as well, that might give you something that looks like the top ten vs the rest split that Roseman mentioned.

    I think this list of 10 likely has the player the eagles will get, with the possibility of 1 or 2 outliers, like Nkemdiche or Lawson or Apple – where the mock drafts are off by 5 or 10 spots.

  501. 501 Insomniac said at 7:02 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    To be fair, Tunsil/Ramsey/Jack could all be #1 picks in different drafts due to their freakish athleticism and production.

    I wouldn’t even put Stanley or Zeke all that behind those guys but that’s my opinion. Tier 1.5 sounds more like it for those guys, where tier 2 would be the Hargreaves and Bosas.

  502. 502 wee2424 said at 10:29 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    If this were the early 2000’s then Elliot would definetly probably be the #1 overall pick, however this isnt the early 2000’s and RB is undervalued.

  503. 503 A_T_G said at 5:15 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I like this, and commend you for putting it out there. To start the inevitable questioning that helps us all clarify our views…

    The Goff/Wentz placements surprise me. Most opinions have them switched (and then shifted up or down to personal taste). Why Wentz above Goff?

  504. 504 TypicalDouche said at 5:20 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I believe the whole Goff vs Wentz argument is based on Wentz’s potential. If you by college body of work and game tape, Goff is absolutely the superior prospect. You look at Wentz’s size, mobility, and arm strength and they are really good but like I said most of his projections are based off potential. Me personally I would take Goff over Wentz 7 out of the 7 days of the week.

  505. 505 Fufina said at 5:57 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    If i am drafting a top QB i want to swing for the fences. I would rather get a home run than a double at the QB position.

    Think Wentz’s size, athleticism, arm strength, ability to throw on the move all mean IF he can develop a feel for the NFL game and can effectively move through his progressions (both things that no one can guess at this point) think he could be a top 5 QB.

    I really like Goff, but his micro Trump like hands worry me lol.

  506. 506 jaws80 said at 6:04 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Not that i dont disagree with this logic for this draft, but good thing the Colts (for them) did not use this logic when choosing between Manning and Leaf. When i read about Wentz, sometimes it sounds what people were saying about Leaf. (except for none of the attitude red flags that might have existed for Leaf)

  507. 507 Fufina said at 6:15 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    I hear you, although i think if Goff had Mannings size (height and hands), then i would probably put him right alongside Wentz. My current concern is i think Goff can be a QB who will not be the problem (see matt ryan), but needs a great team around him to go deep in the playoffs. I think Wentz has more chance of being that QB who can carry you a couple of games.

  508. 508 A_T_G said at 8:10 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Interesting, thanks.

    I know little about college players, but what I have come to understand is that both players have all the tools and strength needed, Wentz having a little more physicality and Goff a little more of the mental side mastered.

    Any other position, I agree with your take. QB, though, I take Goff. Ironically, for exactly the reason you take Wentz. When I look at good and great, once you cross a threshold, physicals skills are irrelevant. The mental side is where guys become great at QB.

  509. 509 D3FB said at 5:43 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    Manning is 6’5 230lbs. Goff is 6’4 215lbs. Manning spent 4 years in college. Goff only 3. Goff will settle in at 225 or so. Goff is literally the exact same size as Hackenberg.

    Derek Carr has 9 1/8″ hands.

  510. 510 RC5000 said at 5:15 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/710559674274340864

  511. 511 GermanEagle said at 5:40 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    9…

  512. 512 GermanEagle said at 7:42 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    10zzz

  513. 513 anon said at 7:51 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    lots of time between 9 and 10

  514. 514 GermanEagle said at 7:55 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Haha. Yes I’m struggling right now. 4th Q though

  515. 515 GermanEagle said at 7:55 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Connor Barwin – Batted Passes – 12

    Over / Under

  516. 516 Fufina said at 7:57 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Under, think because he is going to be out wider when pass rushing he is not going to be in passing lanes consistently.

  517. 517 wee2424 said at 10:23 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    Very true, but it also increases the odds of a batted screen or swing pass.

  518. 518 Nu_B said at 8:25 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    Lots of big dudes in this one.

    Round 1 Pick 8: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (A+)
    Round 3 Pick 14: Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor (B+)
    Round 3 Pick 16: Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford (A+)
    Round 4 Pick 2: Sebastian Tretola, OG, Arkansas (A+)
    Round 5 Pick 14: Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA (A+)
    Round 5 Pick 25: Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia (A+)
    Round 6 Pick 13: Joe Dahl, OG, Washington State (B-)
    Round 7 Pick 12: Antwione Williams, OLB, Georgia Southern (B)
    Round 7 Pick 30: De’Runnya Wilson, WR, Mississippi State (A+)

  519. 519 Mitchell said at 8:58 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    You know what they say, big people beat up little people!

  520. 520 A_T_G said at 9:22 PM on March 17th, 2016:

    So, it looks like the Jackrabbits are going to have a shot at making me 0-4 in the 5-12 match ups.

  521. 521 E.A.G.L.E.S said at 7:54 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    I think dallas takes him at 4.

  522. 522 lib4 said at 10:06 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    #ZEKE Do it DO it!!!

  523. 523 Pick 8, Vol. 2 - An Early Overview said at 11:06 AM on March 18th, 2016:

    […] I already wrote about the case for the Eagles to take Elliott. […]