M & M Deals

Posted: April 4th, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on M & M Deals

The Eagles made a couple of deals on Thursday, extending a key player and bringing back someone they like.

Jordan Mailata has gone from a novelty to being an above average LT in the NFL. He’s in the prime of his career so signing him to an extension is a smart move. He will be the LT for a while. LG Landon Dickerson got an extension recently. Those two are an impressive duo, especially on runs. They can absolutely cave in that side of the defense.

With Jason Kelce retiring and Lane Johnson nearing the end of his career, it is important that the Eagles have talented O-linemen, but also the right kind of guys. Mailata is absolutely the kind of guy you want in your locker room. He’s uber-positive, but can have a serious vibe as well. The Eagles new linemen (in the next couple of years) will be able to learn from Mailata, Dickerson and Cam Jurgens.

Stoutland University’s most successful graduate continues to shine.

Maddox is a much different story. There are times when he has been a key starter and shown a lot of ability. Unfortunately injuries and inconsistent play made him expendable so the Eagles cut him. Maddox didn’t draw much attention on the market. The Eagles obviously kept in touch with him. Once a deal made sense for both sides, it got done.

It is fair to question why the Eagles would bring back a player who has had injury issues. I think the Eagles have their eyes wide open on this.

The Eagles now have a proven nickel in Maddox. They have Hall, who played in 31 career games and most of his snaps have come in the slot. They also have Isaiah Rodgers, who they can try inside or outside. This is different than having Maddox last year being backed up by Zech McPhearson, Josiah Scott and rookie UDFAs. And there is still the draft coming up in three weeks. The Eagles could spend a pick on a corner who can play inside.

Maddox is a good locker room guy and the kind of player you want to keep around. The Eagles are going to give him a chance to show what he can do, but at a discounted rate and with good competition behind him. There is limited risk, but the potential for a good reward.

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One of the things Howie Roseman does as well as anyone is keeping his own guys. I used to be amazed at how teams would go crazy in free agency, letting their own players go so they could chase after someone else’s players. The goal should always be to keep your own guys and then to build around them.

Tom Modrak brought that mentality to the Eagles back in 1998 and it hasn’t left (maybe a little during the Chip Kelly era).

You obviously can’t keep everyone, but you want to keep as many as you can.

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Eagles Draft Talk

Posted: April 3rd, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Eagles Draft Talk

The draft is now just three weeks away. Let’s talk about some prospects and positions to consider for the Eagles.

CB

The Eagles need corner help, in terms of both talent and youth. They could spend pick 22 on a CB. It sounds like Quinyon Mitchell will be gone by then. Terrion Arnold from Alabama is my favorite corner in the draft. I’m afraid he’ll be gone by 22.

Nate Wiggins, Cooper DeJean and Kool-Aid McKinstry are the next three guys for most people. Wiggins is only 173 pounds, but ran a blazing 4.28 at the Combine. He gets in a receiver’s hip pocket and stays there all game long. Really good cover guy. He is 6-1 so he’s got the frame to add some weight. The size isn’t a huge issue for me. My biggest concern is that he’s passive as a tackler. I don’t need a CB to be Dick Butkus, but I do need someone who will get people down.

DeJean is fascinating. He has played CB and safety. He is a star punt returner. DeJean is a playmaker. He picked off 7 passes over the past two seasons. He’s also a bit stiff in the hips. DeJean is recovering from a broken fibula and won’t workout for teams until next Monday. If you want a zone corner with great instincts, DeJean is your guy. If you want to play a lot of man coverage, look elsewhere. He has good size at 6-1, 203 and is a solid overall athlete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjNdKNERaY

McKinstry is 6-0, 199. He has good cover skills. He’s more hitter than tackler, but isn’t passive. He was used as a punt returner at times and delivered some big plays. McKinstry is a good athlete and you know he got good coaching at Alabama.

I would love for Arnold to slip to 22, but that just doesn’t seem likely. I’m open to any of the other guys. All of them have good potential and NFL ability. There are non-first round corners of interest, but I’ll get into them in a different post.

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The Eagles have shown interest in multiple DEs. Laiatu Latu is a polished pass rusher with good size and athleticism. Chop Robinson is an explosive edge rusher and gifted athlete. He wasn’t as productive as expected at Penn State, but could become a star in the NFL. His burst is special.

The Eagles haven’t shown any interest in Robinson’s teammate Adisa Isaac, but he seems like a good fit. Isaac is 6-4, 247 and a very good athlete. He had 7.5 sacks, 16 TFLs and a FF in 2023. Isaac was both disruptive and versatile. He lined up on the left and right side. He lined up like a NT or DT in some specialty looks. No matter where he lined up, Isaac showed the ability to beat blockers and affect the QB. He will play the run. That can mean setting the edge on the frontside or chasing from the backside. PSU had him drop into coverage at times and Isaac looked fine playing in space. He should be a Day 2 pick.

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The Eagles have shown a lot of interest in OL. They have looked at guys who will go early, middle and late. They are leaving no stone unturned, so to speak. One player I haven’t heard about them taking a close look at is Graham Barton from Duke.

Barton is 6-5, 311. He started for three years at LT, but also got some starts at center. He isn’t special physically, but man is he impressive from a technical standpoint. Put on the tape and you see a polished blocker. He uses his hands really well. Barton will lock onto a defender and control him. He moves his feet well and doesn’t reach or get off balance. Barton is strong and physical.

The Eagles could play him at C or RG. I think he can be a stud on the inside and could be a functional starter on the outside. I’m guessing the Eagles go for a RT prospect if they go OL early, but Barton would be interesting. He would be an interior starter who could backup on the outside as needed.

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