Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Eagles Notebook

Posted May 5th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

There isn’t one huge story for today so let’s cover a variety of smaller topics. Things tend to settle down in May so compelling stories won’t be as easy to come by. But there is always something to discuss.

We’ll start with an AJ Brown “update”. The update is that we’re now less than a month away from the trade probably happening. As much as I hate to see him go, I’m ready for this to be done so we can move on.

I think the Eagles will also get a mid-round 2027 draft pick. Howie loves to stockpile picks so he’s got plenty of resources, for either making picks or making trades. Someone asked if the Pats might include a player in the trade. They wondered about someone who just got drafted. I don’t see that. Howie likes his roster so he’d probably rather have the picks. Also, the Pats are trying to build their roster so they can remain a Super Bowl contender. They’d rather give future picks than someone who can help them win this season.

AJ Brown recently held his football camp. He didn’t address the trade situation. We just have to wait a few more weeks.

*****

Good news there. The front office has lost some key pieces recently so Howie made sure to keep some important guys around. We all know Big Dom. Zach offered some insight on Ferrari and his role.

Ferrari has been with the Eagles since 2016 after joining the franchise from the league office and was promoted to assistant GM in 2022. He plays a critical role in football operations, especially with league matters and rules compliance. Ferrari played a key behind-the-scenes role in the team’s defense of the Tush Push last spring.

Look for Howie to promote some people from within or hire some new talent to help replace the guys who recently left.

*****

Thor Nystrom is a football writer/analyst who does a lot with the draft and also UDFAs. He rated all the UDFA classes signed by each team. The Eagles were second in the NFC. That’s not an accident. They are normally high up in his rankings. As I mentioned in my recent roster building piece, the Eagles are aggressive with UDFAs. They know there are talented players to be found. Here are some of Thor’s thoughts.

With the selection of UGA OG Micah Morris on Day 3, the Eagles upped their number of rostered Georgia Bulldogs to six – matching the number of Alabama alums. The UDFA signings of LB Deontae Lawson and OG Jaeden Roberts – the two-best prospects in Philadelphia’s crop – allowed Alabama to once again overtake Georgia in sheer numbers on Philly’s roster.

Lawson and Roberts were both top-200 prospects on my board – each has a legitimate shot to crack the Week 1 roster.

Lawson was a productive multi-year SEC starter – medical questions and a lack of pre-draft athletic testing kept him out of the draft despite legitimate tape. Lawson actually intended to declare for last year’s draft, but a torn ACL from 2024 ultimately changed those plans. Lawson didn’t miss any time in 2025, but he battled a nagging foot injury during the fall that often had him changing out of cleats into walking boots after games. He’s going to compete for a special-teams role initially.

Good stuff from Thor.

*****

Nothing came of this yet. Johnson began his career as a safety and then moved to CB. He started 6 games in 2024. Could be competition at either safety or corner if the Eagles bring him on.

*****

Someone asked me to break down the differences in Jonathan Greenard and Bryce Huff. We think Greenard will be a key addition. Huff was a huge disappointment.

Scheme fit is the real key here. Huff was terrific with the Jets. He lined up wide and just flew off the edge. He didn’t have to worry about playing the run. He was always in attack mode. That was perfect in Robert Saleh’s system.

Vic Fangio runs a very different system. He likes to play a light box. That means the edge rushers must be good run defenders. Think about Nolan Smith blowing up pulling blockers or Jaelan Phillips setting the edge to keep runs contained. Huff wanted no part of that. My guess is that Howie thought the pass rush skills were so valuable that they would offset run deficiencies. Huff never bought into Fangio’s system and Fangio never bought into Huff.

Greenard is very different. He is explosive off the edge, but will play the run. He also has the ability to drop into coverage, which is important to Fangio when he’s trying to confuse QBs. Greenard can win with speed and power. He’s good with moves. He’ll shoot inside and mix in a spin move. He is tough to block. And he will get down and dirty against the run.

Very different players. Huff had 7 career starts when he was signed. He had been a designated pass rusher for the Jets. Greenard has 49 career starts. He has played a lot more football than Huff did. Greenard should be an impact player for the Eagles.

*****

The Eagles released UDFA safety Tucker Large due to an injury.

They signed LB Isiah King. He’s 6-2, 224 and runs 4.61. King was a big time playmaker in college and solid in coverage.

_