Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

A Nickel for Your Thoughts

Posted April 21st, 2024 | Comments Off on A Nickel for Your Thoughts

The Eagles are spending a lot of time in the pre-draft process checking out CBs. Darius Slay is still good, but is 33. James Bradberry is coming off an awful season and might not stay on the team. Isaiah Rodgers is still suspended. Avonte Maddox is back, but we know he’s had trouble staying healthy. Kelee Ringo showed promise as a rookie. I don’t think anyone saw enough to be comfortable counting on him.

Youth and talent are needed.

Look at the CBs the Eagles have brought in for visits.

CB Cooper DeJean
CB Andru Phillips
CB Caelen Carson
CB Jarrian Jones
CB Terrion Arnold
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
CB Decamerion Richardson
CB Max Melton

There is one thing a lot of those guys have in common. They can play in the slot.

CB Cooper DeJean
CB Andru Phillips
CB Caelen Carson
CB Jarrian Jones
CB Terrion Arnold
CB Max Melton

This tells us the Eagles are making that a point of emphasis. They do like Maddox, but he can’t be seen as a long term option at this point. The Eagles would love to bring in a CB who could play both outside and in the slot. Of the players above, Jarrion Jones is the closest thing to a pure slot corner. The others moved around.

Arnold will go in the first round. DeJean probably will as well. Phillips, Carson and Melton are Day 2 guys. Jones is probably Day 3.

What is the difference in the slot and outside? Nickel corners need quickness more than long speed. They need to be comfortable playing in traffic. They have to deal with receivers having a two-way go, left or right. On the outside the sideline acts as a defender and limits what the receiver can do horizontally. The focus is more on speed and verticality.

I would love for Arnold to drop to 22, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen. I am not keen on trading up for him. I’d be fine with taking Melton in the second round. I’ve been high on him since the Senior Bowl. He really impressed me down in Mobile.

As for the non-slot guys…

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
CB Decamerion Richardson

McKinstry did play 28 snaps in the slot in his career, but he is meant to be an outside corner. He has outstanding cover skills and would be solid value at 22. Richardson is 6-2, 188 and runs 4.34. That’s the length and speed you love in a corner. And he will tackle. But he’s not instinctive and will bite on fakes. He will be a Day 3 pick.

It will be interesting to see what the Eagles do at CB this week.

*****

We’ve talked a lot about LB this offseason. We know the Eagles will take one. The question is who and how early. Temple LB Jordan Magee is a fun player to watch and could be a good fit for the Eagles. He is 6-1, 228. He ran a 4.55 in the 40 and you see that speed on tape.

I have him slotted in the fourth round, but it wouldn’t shock me to see him go in the third. LBs who can run, cover and tackle are especially valuable in today’s NFL.

*****

A bit of sad news.

Gabriel was huge at 6-5, 240. QBs just didn’t come in that size back in his day. Johnny Unitas was 6-1, 194. Bart Starr was 6-1, 197. Sonny Jurgensen was 5-11, 202. Fran Tarkenton was 6-0, 190. YA Tittle was 6-0, 190. Gabriel was a giant compared to those guys. He also had a much stronger arm than any of them. Gabriel’s combination of size and arm strength made him a man ahead of his time.

He was drafted by the Rams in 1962 and played there for 11 seasons. Gabriel came to Philly in 1973 and played his final five years for the Birds. He wasn’t good enough to get them to win, but the 1973 team had some special moments and Gabriel did play well for them. Watch the NFL season recap for that team and you’ll get some good Eagles history.

 

Beyond what he did on the field, Gabriel acted as a mentor to Ron Jaworski during the 1977 season. That helped Jaws become the top shelf QB that he was, and helped the Eagles to reach their first Super Bowl four seasons later.

RIP.

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