Eagles Add a DB
Posted: August 3rd, 2017 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 133 Comments »The Eagles made a move on Thursday, signing veteran DB Corey Graham.
This is an interesting and confusing move at the same time. Graham has played both S and CB in his career. He played CB in 2014 as a member of the Bills. Some guy named Jim Schwartz ran that defense.
#Eagles new safety Corey Graham actually had his best career year at CB in 2014 under Jim Schwartz.https://t.co/5I6avPb5Wh pic.twitter.com/Esyp3pefmJ
— Ryan Smith (@RSmithNFL) August 3, 2017
That makes you wonder if Graham is coming to Philly to play corner, the weakest spot on the team.
The flip side of that is that Graham has played Safety the last couple of years. He recently turned 32 so he’s not the youngest or fasted player any more. He might be more comfortable staying at S. The problem is that the Eagles are deep there. Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Terrence Brooks, Jaylen Watkins and Chris Maragos give the team five good bodies for four or five spots.
Where does Graham fit in?
Roster Move: #Eagles have agreed to terms with S Corey Graham on a one-year contract. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Qz4GByZnAx
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 3, 2017
The Eagles referred to him as a Safety there.
I guess it is possible the Eagles could be considering moving a S to CB. I cannot imagine they would do that with the starters. Jaylen Watkins was drafted as a CB/S tweener. I liked him better at CB. Terrence Brooks played some CB in high school and also at FSU as part of their dime package.
Brooks has played well this summer and is a tough, physical player. He seems more like a S to me. Watkins has played some CB in the NFL. He hasn’t exactly lit it up, but he might be a better fit there in Schwartz’s scheme.
No matter what this move means, don’t think of this as the Eagles looking for a magical solution. They would simply be trying to improve the depth at CB.
It is possible this move has nothing to do with CB and the Eagles simply wanted another S to add to the mix. Graham is a veteran player and also a good STer. He is the kind of guy you can add to the mix in August and still get some production out of him. He’s played for Schwartz before. Graham also has a connection to Joe Douglas from a stint together in Baltimore.
It will be interesting to see what Doug Pederson and/or Schwartz have to say about the signing and how they want to use Graham.
*****
PRACTICE NOTES
*****
The consensus is that Fletcher Cox had a big day. One of the problems with being a star player is that sometimes people take you for granted. You expect Cox to make plays. It is good to take notice of him from time to time, instead of obsessing on rookies and journeymen players who made a nice play or two.
Cox was great last September, but teams did a better job on him after that. This year the coaches want to be more creative with him to get him to play even better. Also, adding Tim Jernigan, Derek Barnett and Chris Long should help the overall DL.
*****
A lot more praise for Nelson Agholor. The guy is making some tough catches and showing playmaking ability once he has the ball in his hands. He is running excellent routes and getting open on a consistent basis. We still need to see him do it in a game, but this isn’t just a good couple of days or even a week. He played well in the spring and has carried that over to the summer.
I've enjoyed watching Agholor practicing.. Crafty releases, sharp/sudden cuts, attacks leverages, & has been plucking balls out of the air..
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 2, 2017
#EaglesCamp WR views..
Best releases: Nelson Agholor
Best routes: Nelson Agholor
Fastest: Nelson Agholor
Best hands/radius: Alshon Jeffrey— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 2, 2017
How crazy is it that the group I’m most excited to watch next week is the Eagles WRs, and I don’t even care if Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith or Jordan Matthews plays.
*****
Mychal Kendricks missed practice with a quad injury. Nate Gerry got some reps with the starters. I wonder if that was a reward for how well he’s practiced recently or more of a curiosity move to see him work with the starting unit.
Kamu Grugier-Hill had some nice plays as well. He did some good things on STs for the Eagles last year. The challenge for him this summer is to show that he deserves a spot in the LB rotation.
We don’t know how the LB situation will shake out, but it does feel like they have better competition for the backup spots this year.
*****
Another strong day for Wendell Smallwood. The physical practices (tackling on Tuesday and Thursday) have woken him up and brought out the best in him. With LeGarrette Blount and Donnel Pumphrey missing practices, there have been extra reps to go around. Smallwood has taken advantage of the opportunity and is playing his best football of the summer.
*****
There doesn't seem to be a great deal of concern surrounding Alshon Jeffery's shoulder injury. One source… https://t.co/aV455deoyR
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) August 3, 2017
_
I’d just like to note that Megan Fox was dazzling on The Gong Show… I give her a 10. Camera guys get a one for not showing her enough.
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–cruT8j5F–/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/zck3eju0ncntbmoamagv.gif
The CB situation right now.
That was
– expected
– not going to be as bad as last year as Mills will be a year better while Carroll + McKelvin are gone
– aided by an improved pass rush Jernigan and Long (at 4-3 DE at least) are proven to be better pass rushers than Logan (who missed time) and Barwin.
#wishfulthinking…..hope the above is right…because I hate to see us by 2 and having to give the ball back with 2 minutes left in the game…
Dallas fans burning their bank statements after betting on the Cowboys in the playoffs.
Only way I can make sense of this is if Robinson is going to be cut before the end of camp. Graham doesn’t seem like a huge step up from the guys on the roster and can only steal reps from the youngins.
I had the same reaction.
I think you found out how that’s going to work.
Like we were just saying in the last thread, what we need to do is steal a roster slot from a young, developmental player and use it on an aging, limited ceiling veteran…
I am very confused by this move.
What is he’s here because he’s going to take the roster spot of Robinson?
Unproven players, as a class, tend to be overrated.
Granted, but for a proven underwhelming?
Sounds like Agholor is where we hoped he be
In practice any way
that’s right. We’re talkin about practice. Not a game. Practice.
He sucked out loud in practice the last two years. So there’s that.
Maybe Graham is coming here to play more slot/safety hybrid similar to Jenkins last year putting Brooks and Mills as the 2 starting CBs?
Which I like x 2 because it further puts a nail in the coffin of Watkins AND keeps Jenkins at S.
It would appear that our nickel package will include 3 Safeties.
Given how well Brooks played at the end of last year and how poorly the CB group continues to play; that’s not a bad way to go as we’re not dropping Jenkins into the slot endlessly.
Was Jenkins a liability in the slot or was the problem more that Watkins was terrible at nickel safety?
There was a TD vs. the Giants (inexcusable!) that Jenkins yielded that showed some of his coverage limitations. But I think he’s so good at safety, that you hurt your team several ways by moving him out of there.
So 1 play makes a conclusion?
The way I see it, if they think Jenkins on the outside as CB, with Graham and McCloud as the S’s is better than other options, that’s the way to go.
Last year the nickel D seemed to be more the CBs letting the WRs blow past them without slowing them down and just passing the buck to the safeties who were consistently late coming over the top.
Yeah, well Brook’s injury didn’t seem to help that either.
I’m optimistic with Smith, Doublass, Mills, etc… Plus Jenkins, McCloud and Graham…I trust Undlin… and with potentially improved pass rush, I’m not freaking out nearly as much as most.
Now, if Fuller is brought in, I’d be super happy…. But we’ll see.
Jenkins hasn’t played outside CB since 2009. That’s not going to happen.
I don’t follow your logic. I understand what you are saying, but the part where it translates to a “therefore”, fails. I’m not saying it’s super likely, but they might have to get creative.
Jenkins has not played outside CB in a long long time.
There have been no reports of him playing outside CB at all in camp.
THEREFORE
Speculating that they are going to use Jenkins as an outside CB because they signed a vet S on a minimum deal is wildly unsupported.
I barely speculated, I said “if”.
To add what Mike said, Jenkins was playing at a probowl level at safety. Having a pair good safeties floated the secondary well enough to let the Defense be among the best in the league. Without Jenkins manning the helm of the secondary, the wheels came off. Would be like the Seahawks slot WR getting hurt, sliding Russel Wilson over to the slot and bringing out the backup QB every time they want to have 3 WR.
Seeing all of the HOF stuff re-pissed me off; BIGLY!
Kenny Easley is a nice player, but he’s not a good as Dawk. It isn’t Dawk’s fault that Easley didn’t want to take care of his own health and had a shortened career.
Kurt Warner’s career has a massive hole in the middle of it and coaches intentionally benched him behind Trent Green, Mark Bulger, Eli Manning, and Matt Leinhart. He has career wins on par with Jim McMahon and Chris Chandler, the same number of passing TDs as Jay Cutler and Kerry Collins, and is in the same passing yard neighborhood of Cutler, Joe Flacco, and Mark Brunell.
Terrell Davis was one of my favorite players on one of my favorite teams, but is 55th in career rushing yards which is one spot lower than Chris f-ing Warren.
Flash in the pan MVP seasons without any sustained career excellence are immoral to use for HOF induction; doubly so when guys like Dawk and TO are excluded.
The HOF voters absolutely suck at their jobs and I feel bad for Domo, who voted for both Dawk and TO this year, who has to share a room with these idiots.
And as an addendum; Chris Collingsworthless needed to wipe the corners off of his mouth after the fellation he performed on Jerry Jones last night. Letting Jones sit up there and lie about Elliot being anything other than a 100% guilty scumbag deserving of a suspension was a low point in journalism.
The HOF is to the NFL what the Heisman Trophy is to college football…it’s more about being on a winning team than anything.
Which is a complete and total joke.
Exactly, so why are you taking it seriously?
because there are principalities involved!
Do you pay attention to food quality at McDonalds too? Freshness of bud light?
Ha!
The definition i like about the hall of fame is, can you not tell the story of football without using their name, if so they belong in the HoF.
Kurt Warner got in not just for winning but for being one of the greatest cinderella stories to ever happen in the league, going from bagging groceries, to Arena football, to NFL Europe, to leading the greatest show on turf, one of the best offences in NFL history. He then broke down and managed to somehow come back again in his 40’s to lead take the cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008/9 and the divisional round in 2009/10. Warner is an amazing story, and at his peak an amazing QB who carried multiple teams to the Super Bowl.
Not that i agree with either idoicy of Dawk or TO not being in the hall yet, both utterly deserve to be there first ballot, but i think being too obsessed with counting stats is wrong. Having 2-3 years of being the best like a Terrell Davis, is more valuable to me than a guy who grinds out a 12 year career putting up good but not great stats.
Without HOF Marshall Faulk paired with Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt, Warner would have floundered in St. Louis like he did elsewhere.
As for the Cardinals magical season, they were merely 9-7 entering the playoffs. Larry Fitzgerald single handedly put the Cardinals on his back and was unstoppable finishing the game with nine receptions for 152 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
I love the storybook career he had, but to consider him a HOFer based on a few seasons is more about rewarding a Superbowl champion than anything else.
Agree about Warner although you are underrating him a bit in Arizona. He was good/very good there for 5 years.
Warner was very good/excellent with the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ but even after the 2001 Super Bowl vs Pats Belicheck said their focus on defense was containing Faulk especially in the passing game.
Warner had thrown for 401 yards in an earlier matchup vs Pats that year but Faulk had 153 yards (20 carries. 83 rushes; 7 rec, 70 yards, 1 TD) that hurt them especially on a few key 3rd down receptions.
In the Super Bowl, Faulk had an ok game (17 carries, 76 yards; 4 rec, 54 yards) but they kept him out of the end zone and he was a huge factor on 3rd downs.
Don’t forget that he was throwing to Anquan Boldin and Fitz for 5 years in Arizona.
Crazy to think 10 of the 11 years he spent in the NFL he was flanked by 2 Pro Bowl receivers.
thebiglead just had an article showing the talent many recent QBs had surrounding them. Warner was near the top of the list.
http://thebiglead.com/2017/07/28/peyton-manning-had-the-best-offensive-teammates-among-top-quarterbacks-in-2000s-donovan-mcnabb-had-the-worst/
“can you not tell the story of football without using their name”
I’d be perfectly content telling the story of the NFL without mentioning Warner.
That’s why it’s the Hall of “Fame” and not Hall of “Great Players”.
Get a TV gig and you’re all but guaranteed a HOF slot!
I hope Agholor makes all of us eat crow lol.
I’m glad to see him come to life. ..hopure its really happening … glad to eat the crow but we certainly have justification for being worried
It’s been mutually beneficial that we aren’t counting on him. We had for the most part written him off as fans, and the team made arrangements to be able to ditch him the moment the money situation worked out (next year). Anything better than that: back-up, role-player, starter, is just a pleasant surprise at this point. Even if he implodes again, who really cares? We weren’t counting on him.
That would really help the team, but I can’t trust him until he consistently performs in game action.
Always wondered what crow actually tastes like but given that they are eat an incredibly array of food including trash I doubt most crows would taste very good.
So when can we trade Jordan ‘out of bounds’ Mathews for a starting caliber CB finally?!
Never. No team would ever trade a starting caliber CB for a WR not in the top 15 of the league who is limited to slot – ever. Period.
Eagles fan logic:
Jordan Matthews is terrible, he can’t catch, can’t stay in bounds, and can only play in the slot. Another team will definitely give us a a starting CB for him.
After we got a 1st Rd pick for Bradford I don’t put anything past the other 31 teams lol
Good point!
QB does not equal WR importance, or prevalence in quality, so in actuality, that’s irrelevant.
its a joke bruh lol, not sure why people today make every subjective statement into a black and white fact.
You had me laughing at the third word
Shaking my head up and down
It’ll be interesting to see what shakes out at WR for sure.
Every jumps on Chip for getting rid of our offensive talent for nothing and then wants to trade Matthews.
I wouldn’t consider a 4th for The Pope as ‘nothing’.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLESMosher | Eagles looking to add more tempo to their offense.
https://www.fanragsports.com/nfl/eagles/mosher-eagles-looking-add-tempo-offense/
How about they just bang a gong on the sideline and focus on better sustaining drives with better play calling?
Adam Schefter was on the midday 97.5 show and touched a few points:
– CB situation has been as rocky as described with the Eagles really not happy with how Robinson has performed (didn’t come out and say the Eagles will cut him but that was my takeaway unless Robinson does a dramatic u-turn over the next 2-3 weeks)
– Graham signing was to address safety depth especially if they have to move Jenkins over again; not CB depth
– Guaranteed the Eagles will sign/acquire at 1 (if not 2) by Sept 2 although it is likely going to be later in camp
– No chance the Eagles go after Revis
– Wouldn’t be surprised if the Eagles wait until Sept 2 and trade some excess OL depth for a CB when the final roster shakedown occurs that weekend
– Bears have 10 guys they like right now in camp at CB and will only keep 6; doesn’t mean they will just give up on Fuller though and trade him
– Schefter thought if the Eagles do make a deal with a team for a CB via trade it will be the Bears for several factors (CB depth Bears have, Bears’ rebuilding process and desire to get a draft pick, Douglas relationship, etc).
Succinct and insightful. Generally enjoy when he is on a Philly station and gives an interview. Usually worth a listen as he is pretty plugged in & not prone to hyperbole.
Fuller is really the only guy worth trading for of their CBs.
They won’t trade Cooper or Prince since they just signed deals.
De’ondre Hall is a big slow guy. We already have Rasul.
Cre’von Le’Blanc showed some tools last year but is a nickel only.
The other 5 not named Fuller are all 27-29 year old journeymen.
journeymen may be better than what we have…
Not these guys.
Sounds like Tannehill done for the season. Think they’ll give a 2nd for Nick Foles? We have a long history of trading backups for 2nd round picks.
If the Dolphins offer to trade a 2nd round for Foles, I’m certain Roseman makes that deal and says ‘no givebacks’ within 5 seconds.
The we can sign Colin Kapernick to back up Wentz!
And then trade Kap to the Vikings for a 2nd when Bradford goes down!!
It’s all going down just as Howie planned!
We wish lol. Seriously , wouldn’t their best move be going after Cutler and keeping a 2nd? Not like there’s a lot of difference between he and Tannehill other than age/upside.
Who cares what their best move is, we want what is best for us, even if it is a terrible move for the other team (like the Vikings giving us a 1st rounder for Bradford).
Obviously I care. I look at things realistically. What is better for us is getting a 1st for Foles but that doesn’t mean it will happen.
Foles is a backup not a starter like Bradford or even Cutler. Eagles fans tend to overrate Nick who is a solid backup to have.
There wasn’t anyone available at Bradford’s level to get for nothing.
I agree with you. I don’t think anyone seriously thinks that we will get a 2nd for Foles. Just having some fun.
Yeah it sounds like they are interested in Cutler . There’s the Gase and Cutler connection too so no surprise …
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/08/04/report-dolphins-have-reached-out-to-jay-cutler/
“• One fantasy football sleeper to watch this season is 6’4, 322-pound OT/FB Dillon Gordon, who looked natural catching passes today and then getting yards after the catch. Of course, again, it wasn’t a competitive situation in practice today, but don’t be surprised if they throw to Gordon at some point this season.”
O_o I want to see this 322 pound behemoth on a screen pass, running full tilt at corners and safeties.
I’d love it if Gordon was our jack of all trades 6th man type dude this year, backup tackle, full time fullback, part time pass catcher.
I would love to see something like this occasionally, but I would laugh my ass off if someone picked Dillon Gordon in a fantasy league.
I thought I didn’t know anything about imaginary football but I know not to pick a back up OL. So I know something, I guess.
Imaginary? Are blackjack tables imaginary? It is the same thing.
Blackjack is a game. Football is a game. Both of these are ontological “things”.
Fantasy Football would be watching the Eagles sport a 53 squad of centerfolds win the Superbowl while I was sporting a squad of centerfolds myself.
I’m going to need to see the miked up all-22 footage here.
Starting FB/Backup OL/4TE…
Potato, Potato
Who wrote that? Gordon is sleeping beauty of fantasy. No kiss can wake him up.
If Gordon gets more than 6 touches this year I’ll be amazed.
You’re the meanest person ever.
Its been too quiet. Howie, go make a splash trade so we have something to talk about besides fullback tryouts and the back up LB situation.
They signed a vet DB yesterday and were working lineman as punt returners today.
Shit, with significant injuries going on league wide, I’ll take quiet!
Yes. More of this please.
Bah! I miss T.O.
No, …..no I really don’t.
Breaking FakeNews: The Eagles sign Jay Cutler to be backup QB. Carson Wentz does not attend practice, says he’s “very disappointed, but will continue to be a team player.”
“He might be more comfortable staying at S. The problem is that the Eagles are deep there. Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Terrence Brooks, Jaylen Watkins and Chris Maragos give the team five good bodies for four or five spots.”
I think you mean 2 good and 3 warm bodies.
Word is that Terrence Brooks has been lighting it up – every day….
As the Dolphins continue to await word on the severity of Ryan Tannehill‘s knee injury, the momentum for Jay Cutler is building in Miami.
The Dolphins have reached out to Cutler, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase, who coached Cutler when he was the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015, has personally been in touch with Cutler, the report says. Cutler had a good season in Gase’s offense and the two get along well personally.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/08/04/report-dolphins-have-reached-out-to-jay-cutler/
Obviously receiver isn’t a need so this isn’t of much interest but OT. Is this fake news or will it happen? Browns fans sure go through some shit:
https://twitter.com/clevezirm/status/893547846292713473
To me it sounds like an alcoholic saying “but I’m not going to drink today. Last night was the last time, I swear”. Nothing more.
Lol @ good spirits. Reporter just couldn’t help himself.
Don’t ask Lane, he’ll buy you a bud light, not a beer.
That’s what I was implying. But I believe it was bud light offering…
You should quit drinking beer until the Sixers win a Super Bowl…that will clinch it for us…
I want to catch up to you with what you’re drinking. It’s almost 5, but not almost enough.
Trust the process.
Kaep time in Miami?
(No. Obviously not. I guarantee they look into trading for some has been back up like Chad Henne again before they consider Kaep for free.)
They are interested in Cutler so far…
My diabetes will not permit me to talk shit on Cutler. He’s a saint. Black actors, yo.
Heh, Kaep’s probably just as good as Tannehill, but what about FREEDOM?
YOU CAN’T KNEEL ON FREEDOM
By the way, for the last six months or so, I’ve been getting a clickbait looking thing here saying “Colin Kaepernick’s Career is Over!” Do you guys get this too? How does this work, how do they choose these things? Is it conservative propaganda bankrolled by some Koch-like Mr. Burns, or just clickbait where they get more money the more eyeballs they get?
I get it too. And it’s both.
Ppl will try to tell you that is your Internet footprint that determines what idiotic dockage youy see. .. i actually saw a few ads that were valuable, but that was an accident. Thers nothing I’ve ever done to dashed seeing Kaep on this website so f in much .. ive commented that Tony shud. .. but i been told to stfd
Surf a few auto dealerships and you will get car ads, look at clothing and you will get Bad Idea Tshirts. I would bet that browsing sports-related websites gets you the Kaep click bait. Anyone here surf sports sites?
Just igglesblitz. Moto GP, surf and ski flicks, and pics of Priyanka Chopra or Aleesha Dixon ..
You will not find a person in football who hates Kaep’s style of play and has an overall lower opinion about him as a starting QB than I, but he has to be a fit on some team as a low $ backup without even giving it a 2nd thought. There are essentially 64 QB1&2 spots in the league; he has to be somewhere in that 64.
I’ll bring something better than Bud Lite for y’all at the parade. I’ll be in Vermont for a week starting tomorrow, so some good beer is coming back for sure!
Heady Topper!
That’s on the shopping list; sucks that it is still on a two 4 pack per person per day limit.
Their tone is so condescend. Their cans basically say F U drink this out of the can or else.
Hahaha. Can’t disagree but it tastes great, can, glass, or tap.
Welcome to my Green Mountain State. Stick around for Eagle’s season and I’ll invite you to spend time with the best group of fans and food north of Pa.
Word up! I love it up here. I make it a once per summer must visit.
Wear your Eagles gear. Rub your pride in the noses of all these Pats fans (who are otherwise good folks).
If Kaepernick lands in Miami it’s going to be hilarious watching him take another team down with him and his whining.
Why do you hate Malcolm Jenkins?
I don’t hate Malcolm Jenkins, I just hate grown men whining over an issue they can’t even articulate. It’s pathetic.
Ok….
I think Malcom Jenkins is one of the more articulate players in the league to be honest. Here’s an example:
http://www.npr.org/2017/04/02/522357497/out-of-bounds-philadelphia-eagles-malcolm-jenkins-on-criminal-justice-overhaul
Oh i couldn’t agree more.
Strikes me as a victim mentality.
how so?
K!
Really, because I don’t think you’re articulating your feelings particularly accurately either?