Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 5/9/24.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
One major 2024 NFL Draft takeaway for all 32 NFL teams – PFF
Philadelphia Eagles: Howie Roseman does it again. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is rightly regarded as the best drafter in the league. His team finished 28th in the NFL in coverage grade in 2023, and he responded by selecting the top two cornerbacks on PFF’s big board, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. There are draft steals every year, but Philadelphia selecting Mitchell and DeJean is highway robbery. Mitchell led the FBS in overall grade in each of the past two seasons, and DeJean is one of the cleanest projections in the class with his plus athleticism and clean technique. These two players put the Eagles back in Super Bowl contention. As if that weren’t enough, the Eagles also landed Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. far later than many expected. They had another terrific draft and continue to show why they are annual contenders.
Eagles depth chart following the 2024 NFL Draft: Defense edition – BGN
There sure are a lot of players at this position! Much to be settled. The only stone cold lock right now is Slay as CB1. I’m currently giving Bradberry the nod as a veteran but there’s an expectation he’ll be cut as soon as June 2. Maddox has previously been the Eagles’ nickel cornerback, and they like him, but he’s struggled to stay healthy and he wasn’t very good even when he was on the field last year (113.4 passer rating allowed when targeted). Mitchell is the strongest contender to start across from Slay, assuming Bradberry is gone. But I don’t think the Eagles are merely going to hand him the job. DeJean will compete for playing time on the outside in addition to the slot. Ringo showed potential late last year and will also try to make his case to be a starter. Ricks was probably miscast as a nickel option; he might be able to show more while focusing on the outside. Rodgers has previously played well as a starter so he’s another contender to start or at least provide good depth. McPhearson was the top backup nickel option last year before he went down with a season-ending injury in the preseason. Jobe was the top backup option on the outside but he fell out of favor after struggling. Garner flashed at times in camp last year and the Eagles used him as an emergency safety option. Might the Eagles move him to the back end of the defense? Hall could compete to be the backup nickel. Goodrich made the original 53-man roster last year but the Eagles never really trusted him to play so he figures to be a long shot.
In Good Hands – Iggles Blitz
There is risk in this approach, but it also gives you opportunities. That’s how you can afford to sign Saquon Barkley and star receivers and Bryce Huff and CJGJ and so on. Going for it on fourth down is a risk. So is this. When it is executed correctly, it gives the Eagles an advantage. If you try to win playing by the same rules as everyone else, you better be incredibly good at picking players. The Eagles are smart enough to look for any edge they can get. There are certainly things to be critical of when it comes to Lurie and Howie. Anyone owning or running a team is going to make mistakes and have some awkward moments. Those two get more right than wrong and that’s helped the Eagles to have a winning record in 6 of the past 7 years. They went to a pair of Super Bowls, winning one. I’m really interested to see how the team does in 2024 after a miserable ending to 2023.
2024 NFL draft questions: Midround picks who could be stars – ESPN
Which midround pick will have fantasy value in 2024? Miller: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles. Realistically, either cornerback picked in the top 40 by the Eagles (Mitchell or Cooper DeJean) would be a good selection, but Mitchell’s speed and ball skills make him the favorite. Philly can get after the quarterback, creating good opportunities for Mitchell to grab interceptions on errant passes.
Eagles rookie camp leftovers: Small school Jalyx Hunt taking it all in – NBCSP
Of course, there are plenty of other differences between playing in the Southland Conference and playing in the National Football League. And even in his first trip back to the NovaCare Complex since getting drafted, those differences were obvious. Hunt said Houston Christian didn’t even have a full-time equipment manager. The Eagles have five full-time members of their equipment staff, multiple athletic trainers and nutritionists and more. “So the most unique thing about me and a lot of the small school guys is just the resources,” Hunt said. “Being able to get things and have access to things that you weren’t able to have access to unless you went out and did them on your own. For one, it saves me a lot of hassle. Everything is right under this roof and if I have any questions I can go ask somebody. But a lot of the guessing is taken out of it as well. Before this I had just been doing things that I have seen pros do or think a pro would do and now I can just ask the question. I think that’s kind of a unique point of view.”
Eagles RB admits the locker room lacked ‘connection’ last season – NJ.com
Most have tried guessing what caused them to spiral. According to Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell, the team’s biggest problem happened in the locker room. “I think it was a connection piece,” Gainwell said on the Javien University Podcast. “Teams like KC are well-connected, upstairs and downstairs. Front office and locker room. When you have a connection, everything just clicks. But when you got guys that aren’t talking to each other, you never know what’s going on.”
Cowboys offseason decisions will put pressure on Dak Prescott to utilize a roster with holes – Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys did not add any free agent wide receivers after releasing WR Michael Gallup. The team also did not draft one until they selected Ryan Flournoy with the 216th overall pick in the draft. Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy are both entering high-pressure seasons in the final year of their contracts with the team, unless Prescott strikes a deal during training camp. Meanwhile they will be starting a rookie at left tackle and center, playing a running back has seen his production decline in recent seasons, and will likely be starting either Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, or Ryan Flournoy at their third wide receiver spot. It would be fair for the front office to want to see more playoff success from Prescott before making him the highest-paid QB in the NFL, however it is hard to expect him to do that with less talent around him. It will be interesting to see if the team signs any more veterans or makes a trade before the start of the season, because as of now their roster appears weaker than last season.
PFF names Giants’ Dru Phillips the best pick of the third round – Big Blue View
Pro Football Focus has named new New York Giants cornerback Dru Phillips the best pick of the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Giants selected Phillips out of Kentucky with the sixth pick in the third round, 70th overall. PFF says: The Giants drafted Deonte Banks in the first round of last year’s draft and now add more youth to that group early in the third round this year. His career-best 23 defensive stops led all SEC cornerbacks in 2023, and his 72.9 PFF coverage grade was also the best mark of his career.
The 5 O’Clock Club: Washington’s tight ends – Hogs Haven
Washington’s tight end room is led by 11-year veteran Zach Ertz, who spent most of his previous pro career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He appears to have ended up in Washington, however, due to his connection to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was Ertz’s head coach in Arizona in 2021-22. Three of Ertz’s last four seasons (2020, ‘22, ‘23) were marred by injury. Rather than attempting to recount the career of a player most Commanders fans are quite familiar with, I’ll just post his career stats.
6 NBA players who could actually play in NFL to settle Austin Rivers’ bold claim – SB Nation
The time-honored argument of cross sport athletes is rearing its head once more with Austin Rivers and J.J. Watt beefing over whether NBA players could compete in the NFL. This week Rivers infamously said that as many as THIRTY (30) players in the association could make the jump right now, to which Watt clapped back — scoffing at the suggestion.
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