The Linc – Teams are “enamored” by Marcus Epps

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 3/5/23.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

NFL Free Agency Rumors: Brandon Graham drawing interest from Browns and other teams – BGN
In addition to the Schwartz connection, the Browns notably employ two former Eagles executives who overlapped with Graham in Philly: general manager Andrew Berry and assistant GM Catherine Raîche. Cleveland desperately needs to add more pass rushing juice. Myles Garrett is obviously an elite talent; he had 16 sacks last season. The player with the second-most on the team behind him, though? That was Taven Bryan with just three. Their other starting edge rusher, Jadeveon Clowney, only had two. And he’s bound to leave the Browns after saying there is a “95% chance” he wouldn’t be back after a public falling out with the team.

Free agency profile: DE Brandon Graham – Dawgs By Nature
Medium to High: Defensive end Myles Garrett needs someone else capable of rushing the passer on a consistent basis before teams start using four blockers against him on passing downs. Graham could very well be that player as he is still productive, wants to play, and is familiar with Schwartz and what he wants from members of the defensive line. PFF projects Graham to pocket a one-year deal at $4.5 million, with $4.25 million of that guaranteed. That is certainly within reason for the Browns, who could also add a second year to seal the deal if Graham wants to be more than just a one-and-done player.

Eye on the Enemy #129: Why in the world would Jalen Hurts take less money?! + where Carson Wentz might end up next – BGN Radio
John Stolnis rants about the idiots who are expecting Jalen Hurts to take less money to make the team around him better, and shares his thoughts on where Carson Wentz might end up next.

Roob’s Observations: Has any QB in history regressed like Wentz? – NBCSP
8. Interesting to see in Pro Football Focus’s final 2022 safety grades that Chauncey Gardner Johnson ranked 58th of 123 safeties who played at least 100 snaps. He was 93rd as a run defender, 108th in tackling and 52nd in coverage, which is surprising considering he tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions in just 12 games. When I watched Gardner-Johnson, I saw a playmaker with range all over the field and an inconsistent tackler, but what PFF can’t measure is the spirit, energy and personality CJGJ brought to the field and the locker room every day. You always take all of PFF’s grades with a grain of salt but it will be interesting to see how the Eagles value Gardner-Johnson and how the rest of the league does as well if it comes to that.

Scouting Combine – Defense – Iggles Blitz
Calijah Kancey is 6-1, 281 and had a great career at Pitt. He could be in play for pick 30. He ran a 4.67 and you could see that speed on his game tape. Really good player. Very disruptive. Kancey is undersized, but there is a role for him in the league because of his playmaking ability. There is a big concern, so to speak. His arm length is only 30 5/8 inches. DTs with arms that short have not succeeded in the NFL. To be fair, those guys who failed probably also didn’t have Kancey’s athleticism or talent. But taking him is still a risk because he’s an outlier. Kancey gets compared to Aaron Donald a lot because both were undersized star DTs at Pitt. Donald has long arms and they help him to be so dominant a the NFL level.

Travis Kelce makes SNL hosting gig a family affair – PFT
Eagles center Jason Kelce and their parents were shown during the monologue, sitting in the crowd. The back-and-forth included a couple of reaction shots from Jason. As expected, Jason also showed up in one of the skits, playing the new love interest of a woman who once dated (or at least went on a single date with) Travis.

Free agency, 2023 NFL draft buzz from combine: Latest news, rumors – ESPN+
Fowler: Yeah, Jones’ representatives and the Giants have been working feverishly on a megadeal, with the firm understanding that if there’s no deal by the franchise tag deadline, he’s getting the tag. Some around the league expect this to be a four-year deal in excess of $160 million, though parameters are still fluid. “A big number is on the table,” a source said about the negotiation. When I ask people in Indy what has surprised them the most this week, the main answer is that the Giants appear comfortable giving Jones a huge deal. They aren’t shying away from these talks. And as Dan suggested, I’m also hearing that the Giants will franchise-tag Barkley at $10.1 million should they reach a long-term deal with Jones. New York could also be active in free agency despite the big money attached to Jones. It is looking at improving the defensive front seven.

Daniel Jones, Giants are running out of time — franchise tag seems likely – Big Blue View
It is looking more and more likely that the New York Giants will use the $32.4 million franchise tag to keep quarterback Daniel Jones from entering the free agent market. NFL insider Tom Pelissero tweeted Saturday night that “Jones’ agents from Athletes First are expected to leave Indianapolis on Sunday with no contract resolution in sight.” Jones’ agents leaving Indianapolis does not mean that negotiations can’t or won’t continue between now and Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET franchise tag deadline. If a week of daily face-to-face meetings did not result in a deal, though, it is difficult to see how a day or two of text messages, FaceTime or Zoom calls will accomplish that. Giants general manager Joe Schoen admitted Thursday on NFL Network that “I wish we were a little bit closer on a deal than what we are right now.”

Cowboys free agency 2023: Odell Beckham Jr.’s name continues to be a talking point for Dallas – Blogging The Boys
Incidentally, the Giants are apparently in the mix for Hopkins and they were one of the teams that courted Beckham Jr. back in the winter. The G-Men desperately need help on offense as well, although they have a few other things to tend to with the statuses of quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley up in the air. Oftentimes, names coming up over and over for the Cowboys leads to nothing. If you don’t believe me there then I would invite you to show me the highlights of Earl Thomas or Jamal Adams playing for the team, or even of Lincoln Riley patrolling the sidelines as head coach. Not to be “this feels different” but the Beckham thing has felt inevitable in a certain way from about jump street, especially with how glowingly Jerry Jones has spoken of him. This keeps coming up and it will continue to do so until Beckham has a new team. [BLG Note: Wow, how interesting, the eleventy billionth report connecting OBJ to the Cowboys dating back to last fall.]

2023 NFL Scouting Combine stock up/stock down, Day 3: Anthony Richardson takes flight – NFL.com
Andrei Iosivas: Princeton · WR. Iosivas has a track background, so it wasn’t a surprise that he excelled in athleticism tests. His 4.43-second 40-yard dash at 205 pounds confirmed his speed, as did his 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump. His movement during drills was quite smooth for a 6-foot-3 receiver, whether he was running speed-outs or go routes. He was late getting his hands in proper position a few times, but he was still able to cradle the ball behind him to secure the catch.

RB measurements, 40-yard dash times, drill results at the 2023 NFL Combine – DraftKings Nation
The NFL Combine will wrap up on Sunday, March 5. The running backs and offensive linemen will be in action going through their measurements, workouts and position-specific drills. The final day of coverage will begin at 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. It is important for running backs to excel across the board in their drills. The 40-yard dash shows their explosiveness and top speed in the open field. Chris Johnson still holds the record for the fastest 40-yard dash for a running back at 4.24. The bench press is important because it allows the players to show their strength and assures teams they can block in the backfield when asked to. Finally, the shuttle run and 3-cone drill help to show off their agility and ability to cut around defenders and change direction in the open field.

The 4 ways this Aaron Rodgers mess can end – SB Nation
There’s no doubt Rodgers remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but if we’re being honest it just doesn’t seem like his heart is in this anymore. Part of that is an indictment against the Packers’ leadership, which has done a horrible job keeping the offensive shelves stocked and consistently asking Rodgers to carry the team, and part is that Rodgers seems more interested in things other than football. The prospect of retirement puts the power entirely in Rodgers’ hands, and it depends how petty he wants to be on the way out. If he straight up retires outright without working with the organization it would put Green Bay in a deep financial hole. A total of $78M in dead money needs to be accounted for, with the Packers’ options for relief being pretty minimal.

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