Front Office (F.O.)

DEREK BARNETT’S 2020

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/28
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Derek Barnett sacks Dak.jpg

HEADING into year four, DE Derek Barnett has 14.0 career sacks, and has never played all 16 games in a season. More than 14 sacks (by now), was expected of a player selected 14th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. It’s true that as a DE he’s expected to play the run as well as the pass, but make no mistake, he was drafted primarily to sack the QB.

He was touted for having beaten his school’s career sack record, previously held by some guy named Reggie White. Maybe you’ve heard of him? There was constant mention of Barnett breaking that record, coupled with Eagles brass raving about how Barnett’s hands helped him gain quick access to QB’s. 

No one came right out and said it, but the whispers were “This guy might end up being better than Reggie.” No one said that outright, because until someone does it, the idea will always be laughable. As an Eagle, Reggie played in 121 games, producing 125 sacks. That’s more than a sack per game, over a span of eight straight seasons, despite constant double and triple teams.

Reggie White made Troy Aik man

Reggie made Troy ache man.

Reggie White’s career as an Eagle reads like Norse mythology. So of course no one will put their reputation on the line, and say that Barnett (or anyone else), has a chance to be as good, let alone better, than Reggie. However, the implications were there. Meanwhile, after three seasons, Barnett has yet to have even produce 10 sacks in a calendar year, let alone a season.

To their credit, the Eagles decided to roll the dice on Barnett. They picked up the fifth year option on his rookie contract, increasing his cap hit from 4M$ in 2019, to 10M$ in 2020. This is partly why the Eagles aren’t throwing money at free agent players like DE Jadeveon Clowney, or trying to trade for a player like DE Yannick Ngakuoe.

In his rookie season (as a back-up), Barnett earned 5 sacks. In year two he went on I.R. just 6 games into the season. Last season (his first full season as a starter), he picked up 6.5 sacks with the DT position beside him, being a revolving door due to injury. The guy playing next to Reggie for five years? Just some dude with a generic name like Jerome Brown. Maybe you’ve heard of him?

Jerome Brown.jpg

Barnett hasn’t had a consistent threat line up beside him yet. The Eagles are banking on 2020’s interior Defensive Line to provide the DE’s with more one-on-one opportunities, as well as cleaner, and faster paths to the passer. Thus allowing Barnett’s quick hands to become a factor.

While Barnett’s sack numbers aren’t eye-popping, in his rookie season, he collected what may be the most important fumble recovery in Eagles history, helping to secure our victory in Super Bowl 52.

card.DE derek.barnettSB

He also produced a strip/sack in the NFC Championship game, to help the Eagles get to that Super Bowl. So he can produce when it counts, which is likely where the Eagles faith in him comes from.

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The Eagles are banking on that, to the tune of an additional 6M$ this year. Here’s hoping that Barnett can finally deliver on a double digit sack year.

THANK YOU, DAK PRESCOTT!

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/23
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, Rivals, Roster, trade, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

shadenfreude2

GOTTA admit it. I thought that either Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would cave, and give QB Dak Prescott his 40M$ per year deal, or that Prescott’s holdout would go into the season. I’d have bet good money on it lasting through Cowboys training camp. Well I’d have lost that money. Dak Prescott finally cried “Uncle!”. Or did he?

At first his signing made no sense to me. For about 12 seconds. Then the idea hit, and I felt like giving a high-five to Prescott’s agent. Very cagey move getting his client to sign now. I sat and waited two days for the NFL Network, or ESPN, or Fox Sports to weigh in, but nobody mentioned the genius behind this signing.

Well let me spill the beans, and also tell you how this helps the Eagles. It helps the entire NFC East, but it helps the Eagles in a much more immediate sense. Right now, the NFL is pushing to have a season in 2020, but the Coronavirus Pandemic (Covid-19) gets the last word on that.

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If the NFL does manage a season, then Prescott plays for the tag. He plays for less than he wanted, but it’s still more than he’s ever made, and he’s doing what he loves. Unless he gets hurt, misses games and damages his pristine record, he’s still in line for a big deal in 2021.

Now here’s the genius of the signing. If the NFL cannot start or sustain the season, Prescott still gets credit for 2020. The money is his, fully guaranteed, he doesn’t get hurt, and he doesn’t “fail to make the playoffs/take another playoff loss”. It also puts the narrative on his side. He will have been “underpaid” for four years, then have signed a franchise tag. He’ll be undeniable.

So how does that help the division? Specifically the Eagles?

Doug Pederson laughing

Signing the tag now, locks in the money that the Cowboys are spending on Prescott. True, the Cowboys said they wouldn’t rescind the tag, but up until Prescott signed it, the option still existed. That could have become cap space to offer Jets SS Jamal Adams, who recently requested a trade to one of seven teams that he prefers, Dallas being one of them.

Adams also named the Eagles as a preferred destination, and we have 22M in cap space, but we still have to sign our rookies. Not to mention that we’re projected to be 51M$ over the cap in 2021, and word is, the Eagles want to roll as much of 2020’s cap over into 2021 as possible.

Currently Dallas has about 11M$ in cap space. Between Prescott’s contract and still having to sign their rookie class, in particular first round Draft pick, WR Ceedee Lamb, the Cowboys will not have the money to offer Adams the 12-15M$ per year that he’s said to want. So Dak Prescott signing, effectively keeps Adams out of the NFC East. Making life easier for the division.

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The Cowboys CAN afford to make such a move, if they cut DE Tyrone Crawford (9M$ in 2020), and a couple other players. Or they can gut their depth at tight end, offensive line, linebacker, and cornerback to make cap space.

Aside from DE DeMarcus Lawrence, Crawford is the only sure thing they have at the DE position. They hope that DE Aldon Smith can regain his old form, and they hope that DE Randy Gregory will be re-instated so that maybe he can possibly fulfill his potential.

In the event of a fully played season, having little to no depth, during a year when teams are expecting their rosters to be hit by Covid-19… That really helps your rivals. And it helps your strongest rival the most.

Who again is the Cowboys strongest rival? My guess would be the team that beat them and took away the division last year, driving them from the playoff picture. And who would that team be? You guessed it. THE EAGLES.

So from all of us Eagles fans from all across America, THANK YOU DAK PRESCOTT!!!

dak hat

KAEPERNICK IN PHILLY?

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/19
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

NFL: Super Bowl XLVII-Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers

HEAD Coach Doug Pederson said the Eagles look at everybody. That said, long-time Free Agent QB Colin Kaepernick definitely falls in the “everybody” category. QB Carson Wentz being backed up by a guy who led a team to the Super Bowl, initially sounds like a good idea. However, given any thought, it’s fraught with problems.

First, if Kaepernick were a back-up, which back up would he be? Second, third, or fourth string?

Fourth string means that Kaepernick steals a roster spot from someone. So he hurts our depth, and may not even play a meaningful down all season long. That’s a bad trade-off, in exchange for twenty weeks of Carson having to answer the same questions repeatedly, about a guy he hardly knows.

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Third string means that rookie QB Jalen Hurts has his development pushed back a year. Hurts is clearly here to be the #2 in 2021, so he needs to be able to get his feet wet in 2020. Kaepernick at #3 means Hurts is pushed to #4 on the depth chart. That almost certainly puts the rookie on the Practice Squad. Which is no place for a second round pick to start his career.

Second string means that QB Nate Sudfeld probably wouldn’t make the 53 man roster. He’s already on a one year deal, with Hurts breathing down his neck like a prison shower scene.

prison shower

Everybody asked Wentz what he felt when Hurts was drafted. Well here is how Sudfeld felt.

However, if Wentz goes down, Sudfeld is our only QB who is well versed in the Offense. If Wentz goes down for the year (knock wood), and we’re already out of the playoff picture, sure, start Hurts. If we’re still in the playoff hunt however, Sudfeld has to be the guy. He has to be.

Kaepernick may be more athletically gifted, but he can’t offer what Sudfeld can, in terms of keeping our playoff hopes afloat. He may be more experienced, but making him the #3, essentially throws away a second round pick. Is he worth not keeping an extra DE, or CB, or WR, if he doesn’t play a down all year?

Liberty Bell (4) - 1.16.12

On one hand, I love the idea of Philadelphia being the place where Kaepernick restarts his career. The idea of him taking a knee in the very city where Free Speech took it’s first breath as a Human right, gives me chills to even write it. The very POWER of the idea is seismic, and it nearly brings tears to my eyes. I want it, I CRAVE it on this city’s resume, because most American cities don’t have the backbone to take the weight of it.

This is the team that took in Micheal Vick when all the other NFL teams, bailed. QB Donovan McNabb vouched for him, and head coach Andy Reid took that recommendation to owner Jeff Lurie. These men believed in each other, and as a result, look at Vick today.

So yeah. Colin Kaepernick redefining how Americans view and accept political expression? I lust for that as part of Philly’s history. However, if it won’t work for the team, there’s no realistic way to expect it would happen. So Kaepernick coming to Philly is going to be a pass. (Get it? A pass?)

BRINGING BACK MALCOLM JENKINS

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/11
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Players, Rants, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments
Chris Long and Malcolm Jenkins

Jesus. How lucky were we in 2017?

SAFETY Malcolm Jenkins has stayed in the news during the 2020 offseason. He returned to the first team that he won a Super Bowl with (New Orleans). He worked out with new Eagles SS Will Parks, mentoring his replacement, despite not being teammates. He’s recently demonstrated peacefully, for the social cause that he has spent years advocating for.

He has said repeatedly and pointedly, that he considers Philadelphia his home.

I was sick and salty, moody, and disgusted when the Eagles let him get away. I knew we’d regret it. I knew we’d see it come back to rub our collective noses in it. I just didn’t think it would happen so fast, and so nationally. My current level of butthurt looks like this:

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Real talk. Can we just trade and get him back please? The sheer amount of egg on our faces, is already outweighed by whatever the Saints would ask for in return for him. Every time he pops up on the local news, or NFL Network, or CNN, I want to cram GM Howie Roseman’s head in a pencil sharpener.

Have you noticed how we Eagles fans are very excited about the Offense this year? But when the subject of our Defense comes up, suddenly it’s “Excuse me. I have something in the oven”, followed by us sprinting from the room. Which in hindsight, was a bad way to end the prostate exam. (I never went back for my clothes, because I was too scared to discuss our LB situation.)

The leadership vacuum created by Jenkins’s absence is massive, and anyone who tells you different, has no idea what they’re talking about. Most of football is mental. If football were all about measurables, JaMarcus Russell would be a Hall Of Famer and you wouldn’t even know who Joe Montana was. Taylor Mays would be a perennial All-Pro, and Brian Dawkins would have had a two year career.

Brian Dawkins HALL OF FAMER

The ability to lead and to inspire is a rare gift. On any roster of 53 men, you may have 39 solid alpha types, and still only 2 or 3 true leaders. During seasons of adversity and injury (including our 2017 Super Bowl win), Jenkins was the linchpin of the team. Mentally keeping players in the fight. Being accountable and holding people accountable. (Fuck Orlando Scandrick! Sorry, I had to stop that right there, before that even got started.)

The odds of the Eagles bringing back Jenkins are virtually non-existent. It’s just me throwing a coin in a fountain, with my eyes closed and my fingers crossed. It’s also me, trying to have a conversation that inspires people to participate in a discussion about football again. To welcome opinions on a subject that brings us joy, and healthy debate.

card.malcolm.jenkins2

While I’m not the leader that Malcolm Jenkins is, I can aspire to inspire. Like Jenkins, I choose to use the sport of football as a rally point. To utilize my small stage as a scribe, to bring people to a common table. One where we can laugh, debate, and bond over a love that is bigger than all of us, and even bigger than our rivalries

True leaders find ways to maximize their tools and bring their people together. I have no doubt that the Eagles will find new voices, and that new leadership will emerge. It’s a solid locker room with a solid culture, which promotes the building of leaders.  I just wish we had this particular leader back. 

2019 Malcolm Jenkins pre-game

SIGN McCOY ALREADY!

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/09
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

player-leseanmccoy

WHAT the fuck is the hold-up!? While the Eagles are solid with RB Miles Sanders as our starter, we still could use a veteran insurance policy, just in case (knock wood) Sanders gets hurt. The Eagles brass apparently thinks the same way, which is why it’s no secret that they’ve kicked the tires on RB’s Carlos Hyde, Devonta Freeman, and former Eagle LeSean McCoy. That being said, we still haven’t signed anybody.

Hyde signed with the Seahawks, so he’s off the board. Freeman has has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, yet still expects to make north of the 4 million dollar offer (from the Seahawks) that he turned down. Last season for the Chiefs, McCoy had a salary of 3 million, so he could VERY likely be brought in for that figure or less.

Super Bowl LIV: LeSean McCoy says, 'We want to do this for Andy ...

In addition to being affordable, his familiarity with the Offense that Head Coach Doug Pederson runs, allows him to hit the ground running. Add to that, the fact that he’s a complete three down RB. Add to that, the idea that he knows he’s coming in as a role player/mentor. Now add to THAT, the fact that respected veterans WR DeSean Jackson and RT Lane Johnson are actively stumping for McCoy’s return.

When you add all of those factors up, it damn near breaks your abacus. McCoy not being signed already, makes as much sense as double D’s on a fish.

That’s not to say that I don’t trust RB’s Corey Clement, and Boston Scott. What I’m saying is, as an insurance policy, I trust the Eagles all-time leader in rushing yards, just a little bit more. Perhaps not as a workhorse, but definitely the top half of a RB tandem, until he was outplayed by the other half.

player-leseanmccoybelt.profootballzone

We need to quit dicking around and sign McCoy. We know that we’ve made magic with him. Hell, since 2014 he’s become the standard by which we’ve judged all who’ve followed him. Overthinking this is only outsmarting ourselves, and benefiting our rivals We want him. We need him. So let’s just sign McCoy already.

MARQUISE GOODWIN. SNEAKY GOOD.

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/28
Posted in: Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, stats, trade. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Marquise Goodwin 49er

WHILE most of the talk is on the pair of Jalens that the Eagles drafted, WR Marquise Goodwin was the sneaky good add of the offseaon. How could adding him be sneaky when every time the media mentions our addition at that position, they mention the trade brought Goodwin here? How could it be sneaky, if people are talking about it??

Sneaky is not about some punch that our rivals don’t see coming. It’s about the power of the punch that everyone seems to be underestimating.

Goodwin has played 7 years so far. He’s never posted a 1,000 yard season. Never caught more than 4 scores in a year. He owns a career catch rate of exactly 50.0%. Over the last 3 years since he got to San Francisco, he’s started fewer games, seen dramatically fewer targets and caught for dramatically fewer yards, with every returning year.

hmmm...

The point is, the 5’9”, 180 pound receiver, though extremely fast, is viewed as a known commodity already. He’s seen as a flame-out. A one-trick pony who languished for 4 years in Buffalo, and then was slowly phased out of the offense in San Fran.

His stats tell that story. His tape however, tells another. He is a bit of a one-trick pony, but when relegated to role-player, it’s one hell of a trick. I don’t usually use highlight video, because it doesn’t tell you who a man is, down in and down out. It doesn’t show nuances. But Goodwin isn’t here for nuances. We didn’t bring him in to be poison. We brought him in to be a .45 slug.

Check the tape. It’s 6 minutes so wait until you have time. Trust me. It’s worth it. Don’t let me talk you into him. Let his tape sell you on why he’s here.

Did you see how often he had to stop and turn around for the ball? Did you how it works out when he doesn’t have to? Did you see that “Toe Drag Swag”? Now consider that most of this was with QB’s C.J. Beathard, Nick Mullens and Brian Hoyer throwing to him. QB Jimmy Garoppolo targeted Goodwin just 21 times (12 catches) in 2019.

Now Goodwin has QB Carson Wentz throwing to him. Wentz has better arm strength, accuracy and ball placement skills than any QB that Goodwin has ever played with. And unlike Garoppolo, Wentz doesn’t throw passes with his eyes closed.

Goodwin is in the best position to succeed that he’s ever been in as a professional. Despite being role-player, he’s now free to practice the trade that he’s mastered. The one where he takes the top off of defense and opens up the field behind him. And unlike in the past where he was just a 50/50 threat, now he’s in a system that makes him a bonafide weapon.

Alshon. DeSean. Jalen. Zach. Dallas. Greg. And Marquise.

Loading revolver Dark Tower

Our Offense is loaded and the QB is ready to fire. Sneaky good add indeed. 

NEXT COWBOYS QB: NATE SUDFELD

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/22
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Crazy Talk, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Nate Sudfeld W17 vs Dallas

REMEMBER during the 2020 Draft, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said that he wanted the Eagles to be a “QB factory”. Well the first product to roll off the line may be QB Nate Sudfeld. Regrettably the Eagles only have Sudfeld under contract for 2020, so we won’t get anything for him, but the Dallas Cowboys seem like the most likely 2021 landing spot for him.

Currently Dallas is embroiled in a fruitless standoff with free agent QB Dak Prescott. The Cowboys slapped a 31M$ franchise tag on him, as a counter to his unconfirmed request of over 40M$ per year. The two sides are so far apart, that unless one side caves completely, you can just about bet that Prescott won’t sign the tag, and has already played his last down as a Cowboy.

Writing out a check.

I’m guessing it tops out at about 33 million?

At this rate, this time next year will see Prescott in another jersey, and the Cowboys will be in search of a new franchise QB. Unless they tank in 2020, they likely won’t have a shot at one in the 2021 Draft. So their search might take years. Unless they hit upon another QB like Tony Romo (undrafted free agent), or Prescott (4th rounder).  Right?

Wrong.

Dak-romo-1

Problem with bargain basement QB’s is that they tend to yield bargain basement playoff success. Romo and Prescott have a combined 3 – 6 playoff record. Neither ever made it past the Divisional round while they were a Cowboy. QUICK! Where was Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman selected? Oh that’s right! He was a #1 overall pick in 1989. He also won three Super Bowls.

So don’t expect much from the Cowboys trying to take a shortcut. Bargain basement effort, yields bargain basement returns. Top-shelf is on the top shelf for a reason. Reaching for anything else…is just settling. And unless 3 – 6 is your style, settling ain’t winning. 

Next year the Cowboys will need a QB, and the guy they’re trying to short-change, will have an easier time finding job, than the Cowboys will of finding a new QB. That will leave the Cowboys with options like what’s left of Cam Newton or Phillip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett (not a bad option), Andy Dalton, Mitch Trubisky, Jameis Winston, or Nate Sudfeld. Folks, those are the highlights of the 2021 QB free agent market.

Slim Pickens

But Nate Sudfeld? Why Nate Sudfeld and not those other guys?

If the Cowboys are going to start looking for a franchise QB, they can only go one of two routes: A) Hand the keys to a rookie and roll the dice, or B) Develop a QB, to give him a bonafide chance to succeed. Picking door #1 could yield any result. Door #2 however, is a process. That’s where they would need Nate, specifically.

shadenfreude2

To develop a QB, a team has to do it from a point of stability. So they first need to start out with a QB who they can rely on if the new guy is a dud. So they’d need youth. Not raw youth, because then their older free agents won’t stick around to lose games, thus creating holes that will cost more draft picks. He also can’t be so bad that fans will scream for the young guy, well before he’s ready.

They’ll also need the QB to be relatively inexpensive. This is because getting some of those older FA’s to stay, will mean overpaying them. A young QB needs stability around him. Constant change has wasted plenty of promising QB talent. Right, RG3?

The final ingredient, is a guy that fans will let a team move on from, once that young gun is ready for the job. So while a guy like Brissett may look appealing from the get-go, you don’t want him accidentally growing on your fan base.

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Nate Sudfeld was almost cooked up in a lab to be the Cowboys 2021 starter. Not a heavyweight, but not a lightweight. He’s been well-coached, isn’t too expensive, not an injury risk, has prototypical build, strong enough arm, comes from a winning culture, and might bring a wealth of intel about the enemy. Comb that list up there, and you’ll see that no one even comes close.

So why is an Eagles fan so giddy over the thought of Nate going there? Because the Cowboys will almost certainly not opt for developing a QB. Even if they do, the process takes a couple of years. That means barring a miracle after 2020, a division rival is out of the running for a minimum of two years. Longer if they get their gamble wrong.

Oh by the way. Keep in mind that ALL OF THIS is balanced against the ticking of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’s biological clock. So they will feel obligated to rush all of this. And people in a big rush, always do stupid things. Sometimes VERY stupid, costly things. 

Damn. If only we’d signed Nate to a two year deal. 

WHAT ABOUT GREG WARD?

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/18
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), Offense, Players, Roster, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2019 Greg Ward

BEFORE we go nuts talking about how fast the Eagles have gotten at the WR position, can we talk about how consistent the Eagles are, in regards to how they motivate as coaches? Given how WR Greg Ward stepped up last year, it seems almost a slap in the face that so many say that he may not even have a roster spot when the Eagles next play meaningful game.

Ward served three stints on the Practice Squad, before he finally was given a chance to play in a real NFL game. He played in seven games, starting the final three. In those starts he caught 17 of 21 targets for a catch rate of 80.9%, for 175 yards, as well as chalking CB Josh Norman in his home:

card.WR greg.ward

Overall in those seven games, Ward posted 28 grabs, for 254 yards and that score. Not killer stats, but given that he was essentially tossed into a meat-grinder, where he became the #1 wide receiver by default, Ward responded beautifully.

Hey, look, more speed is great. And unlike other years, not only do we have up-front speed, but we also have speed in reserve. That said, how do the Eagles send the message that stepping up matters, if they leave Ward on the upcoming cutting-room floor?

The answer is: They can’t. Especially if WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside gets to stay on the roster. 

In a universe that makes sense, the Eagles would keep 6 WR’s instead of our customary 5. Those 6 should be: Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, Marquis Goodwin, and Whiteside. The Eagles however, will likely keep just 5, which could make that last spot a toss-up between Ward and Whiteside.

Outside of Jeffery, the Eagles don’t have another big receiver besides Whiteside, so that could be his edge. On the other hand, if the Eagles want a better route runner who uncovers quickly, and gives his QB a place to go with the football, then Ward is the no-brainer, hands-down, pound-the-table choice.

Greg Ward dallas

Odds are that Jeffery will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, so rookie Jalen Reagor will start opposite Djax. When Jeffery gets back, Reagor may end up sliding into the Slot. Until that happens, the Slot will likely be a question mark.

With Goodwin being speed insurance against an injury, don’t expect the Eagles to feature him too much. So in a six receiver group, the Slot role would be in play. In a five receiver group (in that universe that makes sense), it should belong to Ward for at least a few weeks.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve written a couple of articles about Ward. With a little bit of imagination Article 1, Article 2, he could be a reason for opposing coaching staffs to lose plenty of sleep. I just hope that the Eagles coaching staff doesn’t end up being the ones who get caught snoring.

THE  LINEBACKER PROBLEM

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/12
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Front Office (F.O.), Players, Rants, Reviews, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

byron and seth upend emmitt

LINEBACKER is one of two positions where the Eagles have an extremely spotty Draft history. If you go back to 1975 (the year I was born), there have have only been nine LB’s drafted by, and panning out, as a four year starter for the Eagles: Reggie Wilkes 1978, Jerry Robinson 1979, Anthony Griggs 1982, Seth Joyner 1986, Byron Evans 1987, William Thomas 1991, Jeremiah Trotter 1998, Mychal Kendricks 2012, Jordan Hicks 2015.

Let me say that again. In 45 years, and after spending 52 draft picks on the LB position, the Eagles have had just NINE of them pan out. Since Jeff Lurie bought the team in 1994, the numbers are just 3 out of 27. Keep in mind that 1994 was 26 years ago. So we’ve drafted just three successful LB’s, in the last quarter century.

Which brings us to our current situation.

Many media types are wondering if the Eagles did enough in the 2020 Draft to shore up our holes at the MLB and OLB position. Let me disabuse you of the notion that this is a question. No. The Eagles have not done enough to patch the holes at LB.

card.LB nate.gerry

DC Jim Schwartz has given OLB Nate Gerry a few starts at MLB, and every time yields disastrous results. Gerry playing MIKE gives us sideline to sideline hustle, and better than average fluidity in coverage because he played Safety in college. Due to his size, in the NFL he was either going to be a fast LB, or a slow S. The Eagles opted for fast LB, and as long as Gerry stays on the outside, he’s an absolute asset and a playmaker. But he lacks the sand in his pants to play inside, or to start vs a run heavy offense, that has a good blocking TE.

Right now OLB Genard Avery is sitting in limbo. As an edge defender, his speed and power adds juice to our pass rush. He also has a history of playing ILB, and does a good job of not staying blocked when facing offensive linemen. Since opposing blocking schemes already are going to struggle with the Eagles DT’s, if Avery could make the move to MLB, our interior could become a virtual No Man’s Land. That however, is speculation on my part. To date there is no word of Avery making a move inside. 

OLB Jatavis Brown was added via Free Agency. In 2018, injuries forced the Chargers to start him in 10 of the 15 games he played. He made such an impact that he started just 1 of 13 in 2019. At 220 pounds, he’s a big S, but an undersized LB. In the limited video I can find of him, he needs help to finish many tackles. In coverage he’s no ballhawk, with zero interceptions in 4 years. He’s got speed, but what’s the point of speed, if you don’t make impact plays? I hope he makes me eat my words.

NFL: Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are high on Second year MLB T.J. Edwards, despite him having what keeps being referred to as “athletic limitations”. While he may not be a great individual athlete, he might be a great team concept football player. It’s worth noting that the Eagles are 4 – 0 when he starts, despite playing a combined 11 snaps in those games. (Perhaps he’s a human rabbit’s foot?) Also in those four games, our Defense which gave up a season average of 22.1 points per game, gave up 13, 14, 17 and 9 points respectively. He made no splash plays in the preseason, regular season or postseason, despite playing in all 21 of those games.

MLB Duke Riley is a 218 pound Special Teamer who saw just 28 defensive snaps in 2019. (This is compared to 111 for the rookie Edwards).

Second year LB Alex Singleton may be among the first wave of cuts. He’s a Special Teamer who didn’t see any defensive snaps during the season. That isn’t exactly a vote of confidence from the team, about his ability to play his position.

Rookie OLB Davion Taylor is a tweener in the Nate Gerry mold. Doesn’t seem to offer much vs the run. he’ll have to add weight to his 225 frame to handle the NFC East.

Rookie MLB Shaun Bradley is nice “local boy makes good” story, but his tape says Practice Squad at best.

Rookie free agent signee, MLB Dante Olson looks like a genuine Tackle to Tackle presence, but that may not be the best scheme-fit. I like him. I really do. However, unless the Eagles are about to alter what we do at MLB, I don’t know how he fits.

THERE IS NO CONTROVERSY

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/07
Posted in: Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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DRAFTING QB Jalen Hurts won’t lead to controversy on the Eagles team. The national sports media however, has almost nothing to talk or write about, because nothing is happening. Hey, I get it. Unlike me, they get paid to meet deadlines. While I can disappear for days at a time, they have to produce something daily.

Which is why they’re attempting to imply, that there will be disharmony in Philadelphia at the QB position. (I say “attempting to imply”, because to outright say it, they’d have to offer proof, and there isn’t any.) So while you may read a lot of articles about ‘The Controversy!!’, you can just shrug that bullshit off. That is, unless a quote comes from an Eagles player who also gives their name this time.

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QB Carson Wentz has an injury history that though often over-stated, cannot be ignored. So there is to be no doubt that Hurts was brought here as the insurance policy for Wentz. That however, is down the line. Hurts is definitely here to be the back-up. Just not in 2020. There are three clear reasons for this:

1) Does anyone remember QB Nate Sudfeld? Sudfeld is your actual #2. He knows the Offense, he knows the players. He may not be spectacular, but when he’s in, you don’t worry.

2) Prior to being drafted, Hurts was said to still need some polishing of his deep ball accuracy, and how often his deliveries are off-schedule. Those are thing that can be fixed with time and experience, but those are two elements he won’t get a ton of any time soon.

3) He will also have an abbreviated Training Camp this year. If Hurts was going to supplant Sudfeld, he’d have to outplay him in camp. There is almost no time to do that. So if Wentz gets hurt while the team still has something to play for, you will see Sudfeld not Hurts, take the field.

So if Hurts is the third stringer, then Wentz is in no danger, thus, ZEE-RO controversy. It’s just math y’all. Don’t be afraid of it.

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Granted, if it’s Week 9, the Eagles are 0 – 8, and Wentz gets injured, sure, put the kid in. What’s the worst that could happen? That said, if it’s Week 9, the Eagles are 5 – 3, and Wentz gets hurt, don’t pretend to be surprised when Sudfeld starts Week 10. I told you how it would play out, because it’s obvious to anyone who isn’t trying to manufacture a story.

BTW: There is an upside to all the nonsense. It’s a gift from our rival NFC East fans:

Carson Wentz’s credibility as an NFL QB is never in question. Even from rival fans. So. if they think that Hurts could take the starting spot from Wentz, doesn’t this mean that they see Hurts as a weapon? If Wentz was good enough to win the division 2 of the last 4 years, what do they think Hurts will do? I’m just saying, is all.

Mmm Hmm face