I Know That You Know That I Know
Posted: April 9th, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 222 Comments »Paralysis by analysis.
That’s where I am after reading this piece by Jason La Canfora.
The more I hear about the Eagles and quarterbacks — Carson Wentz is the flavor du jour today — the more I continue to believe they will be looking to trade down, pick up draft picks, and address other positions in the draft. I’m not buying any of this, and I continue to hear from shrewd execs on other teams that they believe this is all for show from Philly as well.
Here is some food for thought — from the start of the 2015 league year until the start of the 2016 league year — the Eagles spent $201 million on payroll in real dollars, way more than any other team in the NFL (Miami was next at $187 million, according to NFL management council figures). That includes their big splurge on QB Sam Bradford and re-signing Vinny Curry and Zach Ertz and all of those guys, and it doesn’t even include the big bucks they gave backup QB Chase Daniel.
Owners don’t do that to then go out, in a year in which they are clearly in win-now mode in a watered-down NFC East, and then go spend another $25 million on a quarterback in the draft when they still have many other needs.
Sorry, I’m not buying it. Follow the money.
Maybe I end up being completely wrong — wouldn’t be the first time; won’t be the last — but I remain a staunch skeptic on this Eagles/quarterback thing. I smell a trade.
La Canfora is friendly with Howie Roseman. And that’s where the trouble comes in. Is JLC doing a good job of reading the situation and providing some quality analysis?
Or did Howie have his buddy put this piece out to help throw other teams off the scent? There have been all kinds of reports about the Eagles wanting to move up. The one guy who happens to strongly object is the writer who is friendly with the GM of that team. Coincidence?
Maybe.
And that’s the problem. I don’t know how to read this report. It could be legit or it could be somewhat of a planted piece. And do understand that Howie understands how to use the media. This is the season of both information and mis-information. If he thinks he can do something to help the Eagles, he will do it.
Let’s move past the thinking behind the piece for now.
It would be interesting for the Eagles to move back and add a 2nd rounder. It is possible the team could move back and Paxton Lynch could still be on the board. If the Eagles are in “win now” mode as JLC seems to think, the team could go for a position of more immediate need.
Maybe they go for CB Eli Apple or Mackensie Alexander.
They could add OL Jack Conklin or Cody Whitehair, with the hope they could win the LG job as rookies.
DTs like Sheldon Rankins and Vernon Butler could be targets in the middle of the 1st round. That may not seem like a position of need, but just think back to the playoffs and how Denver used a slew of pass rushers to overwhelm opponents on the way to winning the Super Bowl.
The Eagles could consider investing another 1st round pick in a WR.
Normally I’m a big fan of moving back and adding extra picks. I would prefer the Eagles stay at pick 8 if a QB is on the board. If both are gone, things get trickier. In that case, I’d be open to moving back and adding another pick.
Only a few more weeks until we actually get some action. Until then, expect continued over-analyzing of every word that comes out in regard to the Birds.
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[…] Tommy Lawlor Paralysis by analysis. That’s where I am after reading this piece by Jason La Canfora. The […]
When did HOWIE and LaConfora become “buddy buddy”??
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I clearly remember 2013 after Andy got Fired, LaConfora was ripping Roseman all offseason about how allagedly no one in the NFL wanted to work with HOWIE and how he was
My same thoughts. I thought laconfora was persona non grata
I have notced that LaConfora took his foot of the gas when it comes to the Roseman hate these last few years, but I must have missed the part when they became BFF’s
Yes, his tone has become more favorable toward Howie since that hatchet job, but I too question the friends characterization.
No disagreement with Eagles not trading up, but I think in the unlikely event Wentz or Goeff falls, they’ d have to take him. They might trade back if Lynch was there and another team made an offer that was too good to turn down.
I disagree, but you could be right.. we”lll see
Tommy;
please don’t encourage any drafting of Conklin. D3 just linked a wonderful artile trashing that guy. I don’t want him.
Based on one article vs the dozens of articles saying he is a stud. I get it some don’t like him, but it seems many more scouts love him than the few that act as if he’s a bum.
Not
a
fan
He’s not bad, he’s just not top 10 material. I would personally be fine with him in the later 20s.
Very few people know how to properly evaluate offensive line play.
Mel Kiper sure as shit doesn’t.
When reading his scouting report on most sites (I don’t read Kiper because I don’t have a subscription) they all say similar things as you except for being average in 3 years. When they compare him to Runyon, a nasty right tackle who anchored the line for quite a few years, I don’t look at that like he is average.
I’m not advocating taking him at #8, but at the same time, I don’t see him as average. Obvious, I am not a scout or pretend to know how to evaluate lineman, but when the majority of the major and minor scouting sites have him as a first round pick and a solid right tackle, I assume quite a few if these scouts know what their talking about. BTW, I take Kiper, Mayock and the rest of the ESPN/NFL Network with a grain of salt.
Runyon was a 4th rounder. I like that round a lot better for a RT only prospect.
You’d be happy if you drafted a Runyan in the 1st round. (But I don’t like the sounds of taking someone who is technically deficient in the 1st.)
Not really. I am never happy with a reach. Even one that works. The Titans took Eddie George in the first round that year. I doubt they’d throw him in the trash for Runyan.
Winston Justice was a steal in the second round. It’s a crap shoot.
I reject the “crap shoot” philosophy. I’m much more into the “you better hit on more than you don’t or you’re fired” philosophy. I understand that not every pick is going to pan out, but I think that has to always be secondary to holding front office folks accountable for too many misses.
You say hit more than you miss, others say you need ton draft x number of pro bowlers, while yet others will tell you that if you don’t draft a franchise QB, you are not a good GM.
Belichick has a pretty shitty draft record, yet when you win, you get a pass.
The next few years will judge Howie, especially if we draft a QB high and he doesn’t turn out to be a franchise qb, or if he passes in a QB high this year and the future shows he passed on a franchise QB.
That certainly is true in odds of winning being the bottom line. But ultimately teams don’t win without talent and the draft is the most cost effective way to do it.
There are limits to the realistic effectiveness of this concept, but at the end of the day, the GM needs to bring in talent. We can say we _think_ he is doing it right, and that his failure is due to the crapshoot–yet winning teams manage it. I prefer to go by empirical results than pretending that I can evaluate his actions divorced from them.
I’d buy that for a dollar. See the overall success of the team first, then go back and see what when right/wrong to get the team there.
Yeah I hate the crap shoot talk…. If you think the draft is really a crap shoot than you are essentially saying that we have no right to ever rip a draft pick, or be mad about a draft bust…
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No one does all the work that goes into predraft evaluations if it was a “crap shoot”…. It’s an inexact science, but crap shoot is going way overboard
Runyan would be less valuable in the throw 50 times a game era.
If you read the article I posted earlier it clearly shows and breaks down alot of the reasons that Conklin isn’t going to be an exceptional pro.
Brandon comped him to Mike Remmers (the Panthers RT). I alternate between Riley Reiff, and Bryan Bulaga (when I’m in a good mood).
Being a “nasty” OL is the equivalent of a slobberknocking S. Unless you’re well rounded enough in other phases of your game you will get exposed in the NFL. It gets fans all jacked up but is also overrated.
I’m not saying Conklin is going to be a terrible player, just that he will be overdrafted and there are at least a dozen OL that can do everything he can do without alot of the techincal headaches, or have much higher upsides.
I don’t doubt your assessment as I honestly have no expertise in the area. It just that you and an aspiring scout think he’s overrated when the rest of the scouting community does not. Not that I’m a go-with-the flow type of person, but the people that are paid to do this seem to think otherwise.
Well
Or conversely because you believe you’re not going to be drafting anywhere near the top 10 because of the talent on the team, what you’ve done this off season, and believe Chip was holding the team back you make a move to fill the biggest long term hole this team has and has had for years which is QB.
You also have to think Lurie sees drafting a top 10 prospect at QB is the right way to go because for him that’s the only time its worked. Since becoming owner he’s seen the FO draft a guy in the top 10(McNabb), draft guys in middle rounds(Kolb, Foles), and try reclamation projects (Vick, Bradford). Only one of those methods worked and led to long term team success.
I would contest having the number 2 pick and at worst getting the #2 QB is not the same as having a top ten pick and possible the #3 or #4 QB in the draft. If McNabb wasn’t picked at #2, he would have have been picked at #3, leaving the top 3 QBs off the board in 1999. This year, anywhere from 1 to 3 QBs will be off the board by pick #8.
That’s supposing that they stay put and take a QB after the top 2 are gone which I don’t think is happening. I think they either trade up and get a QB, stay put and take a QB if either of the top 2 are there or take the BPA if both QBs are gone. Probably in that order.
As I said the thinking probably is we’re not going to drafting anywhere near the top 10 anytime soon so if you have the chance to get a QB even if it means trading up now is the time because pick in the 20s and getting in position to draft a QB is basically impossible as we saw last year.
With all the problems last year we weren’t picking in the top 10. The Bills 2 years ago with Scwartz’s defense was 9-7 basically without an offense (the defense basically beat the Packers themselves if I remember that game correctly). Add that to how lousy the NFCE is and there is really no way we’re going to see a top 10 pick again for awhile.
The longer I think about this, the more staying put at 8 looks like 1 of 2 scenarios…
1. Wentz or Goff fall to 8
2. We draft Stanley (or Jack if he falls)
Outside of that… who knows where we may trade up or down to.
I don’t see Stanley as being the pick. I keep seeing that he’s rated essentially the same as a guy we could have taken at 13 so taking him at 8 seems a waste. Plus they keep talking about how deep this draft is for O-line so with only one really elite prospect on the line I think they’ll pass on Stanley.
There is no guarantee Stanley makes it to 8, and he certainly doesn’t make it past 10, unless the Giants have lost their collective mind… so yeah, you have to leap frog the Giants (and Bears) to get Stanley, which Roseman did a few weeks ago.
I agree with you. Why shouldn’t San Diego consider him at 3 considering their trash play at tackle and a need to keep Rivers upright?
I could absolutely see San Diego looking long and hard at Stanley. I think you can make a case for him ending up with the best pro career out of this years OT class.
I still think Tunsil is better than Stanley, but Stanley is really good.
Feel much better about signing off on Stanley as a top 10 pick if his Personalty was more Silverback Trent Williams, Nasty Runyan-ish…
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Obviously you gotta love the arm length, and he does have nimble feet. But I always worry about lineman who have the size, but are still better pass blockers than Run Blockers… run blocking is so much more fun, like I don’t understand why guys like Stanley who have the size can project to be so special against edge rushers, yet not be special MAULERS in the Run game? I don’t understand it….like I understand why a 305lb guard like Wiznewski is better in pass protection than he is at run blocking, simply lacks the size to blow DL Off the Line of Scrimmage,,, and it’s easier for me to understand when a Tackle is a better Mauler in the run game than he is in pass protection, it’s easily explained by simply being athletic to battle DL in the run game, but not having the agility to stay in front of quick edge rushers in pass protection…
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But when it Comes to a guy like Stanley, he has the arm length, he has the Feet, he has size, Its hard for me to understand why he projects to be a really nice nimble Bigman who can mirror edge rushers and move his feet fast enough to stay in front of them, but I don’t understand why he also isn’t straight up Mauling dudes in the run game? If the tools and ability are there, then it can only be a question of technique/leverage, toughness, aggressive Charechter….. Don’t get me wrong, he isn’t bad in the run game by any means, he projects to do things well, for example even tho he didn’t have a great combine, he moves well enough to get to the next level and wipe out to Linebackers, but I wish he was nastier in the run game when it comes to just blowing DLineman back into the lap of their Linebackers..
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Probably feel much better about Stanley if he had Conklins Nasty streak… If we take Stanley, hopefully it’s a question about needing to fix his technique and not a question of physicality and nastiness…… I hope our OL are closer to total whack jobs like Kyle Turley, and less like Jonathon martin, allowing teammates to bully him
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I allways go back m fourth on Stanley.. I guess id probably say he is more likely to go closer to #5 or #6, than falling to #15 like some predict…. Id love for him to be the Real deal because getting an OL, DT, or CB for me would be idea, at #8. But I don’t want to force it either
The thing is this: is he THAT much better than the guys we could have gotten at our original pick? I keep reading that scouts have him rated just 1 point higher than players who should have been there for us so is he really a guy you move up for or would you be happy standing pat and taking one of the 2 other guys similarly rated?
If they have him rated similarly I have to figure they have other targets in mind.
Its weird. If we were just picking at 8 I probably won’t care that much but since we moved up I just think they’re looking elsewhere.
The draft is deep at OL.
The draft is not deep with island LTs.
Trading up means we are giving up next year’s 1st round pick, at a minimum. I don’t see any QB this year worth 2 first round picks. I also don’t see Goff or Wentz falling to #8. If they do, I’d be OK with drafting either . I just don’t want to trade away next year’s 1st round pick.
I’m not against it just because I don’t see another legit answer at QB and because I see next year’s 1st being in the middle to late parts of the round
Personally, I like Sam and think he still has time.
I just don’t see and I really am afraid of his injury history. I’m perfectly fine with him as a bridge QB but I find it hard to believe he’ll turn into a full fledged franchise QB after all this time. At the very least I’m not comfortable putting all of my eggs in the Bradford basket.
I guess we could just every year keep picking middle round QBs and hope that we hit on one of them eventually but I just don’t see teams having real long term success without an answer at QB.
“I’m perfectly fine with him as a bridge QB”
That two year deal he signed tells you the team feels about the same.
Sam Bradford as a bridge QB for Goff, who most scouts compare to as a skinny Sam Bradford.
I still don’t see a trade down unless something titanic happens to cause that. Either some really stupid things happen in the first 7 and we can still get our guy later or somebody really blows our doors off with an offer.
Howie is on record with trading up because there was a true top 10 group of guys. I don’t want to see us trade down and miss one of those guys unless there is a really compelling reason to do so.
But, sans poopy Conklin, I think the names Tommy gave make sense IF we trade down. Maybe just swap in Spriggs for Conklin and possibly add Shaq Lawson to that group.
to Really know Rosemans true intentions when it comes to Trade up vs. staying put vs Trading back, we would have to learn about how the trade discussions between Roseman and Miami went.
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If Roseman chose to swap first rounders instead of getting a 2nd from Miami, then I would think that means that he really prefers picking in the top 10 instead of trading back from #8…. But if Roseman really wanted Miamis second round pick, but was forced to settle for swapping first rounders, then it would probably mean that he will be aggressively looking for a trade back opportunity trying to get our 2nd round pick back..
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“HOWIE said”… Probably shouldn’t be taken too aerious this time of year
In general, no. But he didn’t mention a player by name, so we’re owed a top 10 talent. He can’t walk back that “top 10” statement.
Is trading down for more picks really any more of a win-now move than trading up for QB? Wouldn’t the win-now thing be to stay and get a top ten player who’s more likely to play this year than players lower in the 1st round?
Yes. Trading up for a QB who is most likely expected to sit for at least a year is not a win now strategy. Trading one pick for two potential starters on a team with multiple holes is a win now strategy.
There isn’t a spot on this team where a rookie is a stone cold 1000% starter.
Let me “DROP IT LIKE ITS HOT” and put an end to this QB trade up Crap….
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The Eagles ARENT paying the expensive cost to trade up for a QB until they really find out what they have in Bradford.
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A lot of people, like Kimmy Jempski list the Fact that the Eagles still have questions about Bradford as the reason for why they will “pay the Iron Price” packaging top picks to go up for a QB, which makes ZERO sense as far as I’m concerned.
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It’s true that the Eagles still have Questions about Bradford, his contract makes that crystal Clear. But People are clearly mistaken about what “questions about Bradford” really means… If we are being objective and Honest, his contract clearly tells us that the Eagles ARENT ready to say that Bradford can be their guy moving forward. But what Kimmy Jempski falls to understand is that the BRADFORDS contract also tells us that the Eagles are also not ready to say that Bradford ISNT their guy moving forward…. And IMO the Eagles would ONLY package multiple top picks in the next two drafts for a QB if THE KNEW that SAM Wasnt their guy, and felt that we are desperate enough to have to do something so drastic as packaging picks because it’s our only chance at finding OUR GUY!…FORTUNATELY 22 million to Bradford says they aren’t a that point yet where they feel that packaging picks is our ONLY hope for finding a QB, which is great, because these aren’t the type of QB prospects Id wanted to trade our draft soul for….. 22 Million says that are paying for the RIGHT to further evaluate Bradford before they decide if he is the guy or not…. And I SIMPLY DONT BELIEVE THAT IT MAKES ANY SENSE TO TRADE UP FOR A QB until they decide that it can’t be SAM… And with What we paid Chase Daniel, and the fact that Pederson probably knew he would sign with us all along, it’s Disengenous to say that the Eagles already know that SAM isn’t their franchise QB…. jets vs Fitzpatrik shows you that the Eagkes don’t give 22 Mil to a QB they already know isn’t the Answer…
Excuse me but from where I’m standing, it’s pretty Moronic to think that the Eagles will put an end to the bradford Evaluation, a month after giving him 22 mil, which is essentially what it would mean to make some crazy trade up for a QB. You take a QB in the top 10, you basically are marrying that QB, and announcing that SAM isn’t the Guy, ESPECIALLY if you had to trade up for a QB.
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I find this all to be completely unrealistic, and I find it absurd that the lazy headline seeking Media forces us to waste months with these unrealistic scenarios that make NO REAL SENSE, DOMINATING all the headlines. SHAME ON US for taking the lazy media Bait every single yeàr, hook, line and sinker.,.but I probably shouldn’t be surprised. They do this crap every Single yeàr,,.
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1) all the absurd talk about Johnny Manziel being Chips dream QB. It was so satisfying to see Manziel fall to us, and not only see us pass on Manziel. But allow a team like the Browns move up for him.. Satisfying to show those media members what a joke they were
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2) OMG Jeffrey Lurie took a plane wifh Chip Kelly and HOWIE to see the Great Geno Smith in person… He must be in play for the #4 pick… LOGICALLY…. Except for when he fell to round 2 in real life
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3) Last year had to be my Favorite Tho… every single friggin day for MONTHS spent on the absurdity that a team was just going to allow to let Chip Kelly Waltz his way 18 spots up the draft board all the way to #2 and get his college Golden Boy…. God forbid, chip would be gone, and we would still be paying the Titans for Mariota Til 2022
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4) the Eagles gave Bradford 22mil because they haven’t made a decision on whether he is the guy or not yet, basically paying an expensive price to buy another years worth of Evaluation,, and a month later, the Eagles are going to piss that 22 mil away, roll out of bed and decide they are ready pay multiple top picks moving up for a QB in a tepid at best QB draft putting an end to the Bradford Evaluatuon we paid 22mil for before it even starts.. .. The Eagles most likely knew the entire time that Chase was going to sign with us. There is no way bradford would get 22 Mil if the Eagles were ready to decide that he isn’t our Guy moving forward… Yet like every yeàr the media suckers us into letting trade up QB pipe dreams that barely make any sense to Dominate our pre draft talk, and we fall for it every single yeàr..
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Hopefully Goff or Wentz falls to #8, so we can get our damn second round pick back from the Rams and show the media what a joke all their annual Eagle trade up talk is worth, ONCE AGAIN.
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Everyone reporting how bad the Eagles want Wentz,,, if that was true, tell me we wouldn’t see Roseman leak so many new stories about us wanting some other player to blurr the lines and create confusion? Yet it seems like HOWIE smiles and hopes the QB stories continue….
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If the Eagkes don’t sigń Bradford to a big extension this yeàr, I’ll give you 20 to 1 odds that media will steer next years predraft conversation into talking about trading up for a QB for the entire month of April 2017, and we will fall for it again
Were you away ?
Why do I have this eerie feeling that I have read this exact post some time ago, only in stead of the name Bradford, there was the name FOles…?
I think the draft is too fluid to know what a GM will do. Quarterbacks aside, is a mid 1st and a mid 2nd rounder better than the 8th pick? I don’t think so.
I think Howie does things for the sake of doing something. For instance, if we had a mid 1st and 2nd this year, he would probably be looking to move up to 8.
Well, a lot of people think the Eagles should take an OT, and is Ronnie Stanley at 8 that much better than Jack Conklin at 15? I’ll take Conklin and a 2nd rounder.
Howie should trade picks if he can increase the value of the hand he is holding.
I would not. I don’t think Conklin is that good. If you want to trade down to get Spriggs, that works better.
Conklin is not good.
AMEN PASTOR D3!
Maybe the Eagles take Wentz or Goff at #8, and if they are gone they trade the pick to someone who is salivating over a player that’s available because two QBs went in the top 7.
That would certainly be one thing that drives some folks to trade up. Also if somebody has a real yen to (foolishly in my opinion) get Lynch and fear a run on QBs.
That would likely be Buckner, a player I really like but the Eagles might not be an ideal fit for him. Although, who knows. Schwartz seems like a creative sort who might make that work.
If it’s Bosa or Jack the Eagles probably keep the pick.
Would be interesting if Chip Kelly took Lynch because he better fits his prototype.
I really Love seeing everyone rank the Eagles at the bottom of our division, and it would be awesome for that to continue thru the summer all the way to september. But while I really like flyiing under the Radar, I really struggle to understand why people have the Cowboys and Giants clearly ahead of us. It makes no sense to me with all the significant holes in their roster, but hopefully the national media disrespects our team all the way to september…
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How do people rank the NFC East by position (at least on paper)?
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RB: Eagles, Giants, Skins, Cowboys
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TE: Eagles, Skins, Cowboys, Giants
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WR: Skins, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles
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OL: Dallas, Eagles, Skins, Giants
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DT: Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Skins
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DE Eagles, Giants, Skins, Cowboys
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LB: Eagles, Cowboys, Skins, Giants
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CB: Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Skins
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S: Eagles (by a large Margin), Cowboys?, Giants, Skins… shame on ERTZ if he doesn’t dominate the safeties in our division
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I assume the Eagles will have a significant advantage in Special teams over our Rivals. Haven’t lost much ST talent, and even added a nice ST piece in the Brooks CB from the Bills
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Pretty Hard to try and rank the coaching staffs in our division
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Equally hard to figure out the QBs in our division. never know what you gonna get from Eli manning. Cousins showed promise, but one good year from a young Qb doesn’t mean much to me, I need to see more to be sold on Cousins.. Romo is the biggest question mark in the division
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Gun to your head, who would you bet on playing more regular season games next year, Romo or Bradford?… Am I crazy for probably trusting Bradfords body a little more than Romo’s at this stage?..Considering what we are paying, Chase Daniels had better clearly be the best back up QB in our division…
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Of course the draft can cause some drastic Changes to the list.. For example, if the Cowboys, Eagles or Giants end up with Zeke, they would instantly have the best RBs in the division …
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The WR dynamic is interesting. On paper, there is just no way we could claim to have better WR than any of our Rivals… But at least we have young players who could and should still be improving.. Also, if we remove all the #1 WRs from the equation, our WR corp may not be outclassed by our Rivals… DEZ had a few foot surgeries and when he was out, their WRs were really underwhelming. Some of that was probably due to the QB mess, but without DEZ, No one will fear their pass catchers. Everyone knows how special ODB is. But they lacked depth, and you would think it’s even worse now that we signed their other starting young WR who gave them 8’TDs last year. RR probably won’t be OUR savior but I do like that coming from Two years in McAdoos west coast offense, it shouldn’t be a hard transition for him into Dougs west coast Attack..the Skins probably have the most quality weapons with Reed being a great weapon in the passing game, Desean ISNT as good as DEZ or ODB, but Garon is probably better than the Giants n Cowboys #2 WRs…. Hard to rank the WR groups in our Division, but we have to put the Eagles last at this point.
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We had so many safety issues for so many years, it’s so exciting to go into the season Knowing that we have a Massive Safety advantage over the rest of our division. If we draft a quality young #3 Safety like the west Virginia kid, we will really be sitting pretty at safety, not just compared to our Rivals, but our safeties will be as good as anyone in the NFC… Earl Thomas and Kam better watch out, here comes “ROCKIN Rod” and The bowtie assassin Malcom “Brother Mouzone” Jenkins
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Think all the teams in our divisions lack the ideal roster depth. A quality draft by the Eagles could go a long way towards building the Neccessary depth, especially if we spend a 5th round pick on a QB instead of packaging multiple top picks trading up for a QB
Agree with QB assessment. Eli is what he is… he can just as easily goof his way into wins as he can losses. Romo could sneeze really hard and be done for the season. Cousins is a mystery man, but he could actually take a step forward this year and become a solid QB. And then we get to our Eagles. Bradford needs to both step forward from mediocrity and stay healthy… a tall order I think. Chase Daniels is a mystery man. And we’ll have some rookie.
I’m not gonna hold my breath on the Eagles getting great QB play this year, but with average QB play this team will be dangerous.
The Broncos had below average play with a minimal running game and still won the Super Bowl.
well, if we’d signed Ware a few years ago like we all asked……….
And Peyton!
Cam Newton choked AND gave up
And I applauded every minute of it! He was crushed!
I wouldnt say he choked considering he was under pressure 21 times, hit 13 times, and sacked 7 times. The Denver D made Tom Brady look pedestrian. I would absolutely agree that he gave up. Not attempting to recover that fumble was inexcusable.
‘Preesh the stats.
His huge ego (for me his dancing, smiles, all the dramatic non football schit never translated to team enjoyment .. i took it all as ego centric) compared to his performane..
Choke is in the realm of arguable enough
..if for no other reason to bait his ego into blaming someone else HA!!
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Reminded me of Donvan’s super bowl.. no blocking!
But cam dejected on the sidelines with 6 minutes left is all time bgl embarrassing.
That defense pretty much beat him into that. I dont think its right to mention Cams innefectivness without mentioning how Denvers D made that happen. There is a reason why Cam went wild all season long untill then.
On paper we at least have a credible starter in place at just about every position. Where as the Cowboys and Giants still have some massive holes at important starting positions, so I stuggle to understand how the national media all sees us as the worst in our division? What are they looking at?
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The Giants defense was so pathetic, that they were forced to massively overpay for free agents which RARELY works out that a team gets its moneys worth, but even if there free agent live up to those expensive contracts, not only does there defense still have some serious holes, all that MONEY they Spent yet they did NOTHING to improve what has been a pathetic Offensive line which has almost been responsible for Their Terribke record against us this past few years when our DL would just kick their OLs ass all game…. How can a team with a PUTRID OL, that lost Schwartz in FA Be ranked ahead of us? After ODB, they lacked weapons on offense and we poached their starting WR. Their RBs and TE are solid, but nothing special. Safety Landon Collins can’t cover anyone, and they don’t have any idea who will be their other safety. Still lack LB talent… Hopefully they keep disrespecting the Eagles all offseason putting this crap Giants team ahead of us in power rankings up untjl the season starts…
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defensive End is one of the most important positions, and Dallas has spent two top 100 picks in their edge rush, lawrence and Gregory, and their pass rush is still a joke.. Id argue that there ISNT a position where the Eagles are as weak as the Cowboys are at DE a premier position. The dallas secondary isn’t even close to being good enough to hold up behind a lack of pass rush.. I don’t think Dallas has done much to stop them from suffering the same fate as last year if Romo gets hurt…
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Being under rated and flying under the radar is good for us. But I don’t understand what people are looking at that would make them put the Giants or Cowboys ahead of us.. At least the skins are the reigning division champs. WTF have the Giants or Cowboys done to change their fortunes next season?
I agree, I like when the Eagles are in the under dog role. And I agree with the assessment that the Cowboys and Giants haven’t made any tangible improvements to their teams this off-season.
Hopefully Bradford and our Special teams DOESNT go bonkers in the preseason again and make everyone lose their mind… I want our players subjected to a steady dose of disrespect from now Til september
Giants not so clear, but Cowboys is obvious. Romo back means better Cowboys team.
yep.
Would you be more comfortable betting on Romo playing 16 games or Bradford? I don’t think Romo will ever play 16 games again.. Cowboys should feel lucky if he gives them 12 games this year. They better hope that plate in his collar bone holds up. Of course when you stick a plate in your collarbone there is a chance you take a hit and that Plate rips thru your skin which I don’t even wish on Romo…. They are playing with Fire refusing to address Romo Insurance. And there edge rushers are a joke, not sure drafting Bosa will drastically change that
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dallas has so many issues that go way beyond QB, for example, weak as it gets at a premier position like DE. They might have the worst edge rush rotation in the league .. Secondary that isn’t good enough to hold up behind an nonexistent pass rush…
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I respect the skins far more than the roster Dallas is going with into the season, and the Giants are even worse… Say what you will about the Eagles, but you can’t poïnt to premier positions where we are as weak as the Giants are at OL and as weak as Dallas is at edge rusher…. None of our rivals have secondaries that are worth a damn.. I don’t see how a team can be considered serious threat being so weak at OL or Pass rush
JLC did get mad at the Eagles back in 2013. This had to do with the report about Brian Billick. JLC was going to talk about that at halftime of a playoff game. Reuben Frank posted the story prior to that and it infuriated JLC. That spat lasted for a bit.
JLC never did like Chip Kelly, but he and Howie are back to being friends.
Thanks for answering!
Children.
I would root heavily for JLC in a fight vs. Roob.
Can’t they both lose?
SOLD
What’s Roob going to do? Smack him with his 4 chins?
Bore him to death talking about how he saw some shit band play at some dive bar in 2002?
Only two of them are free. The Gamble family’s collective nuts are resting on Roob’s other two.
And McDermotts
I can tell you weren’t an anatomy expert. McDermott lacks the required equipment for that.
I didn’t remember this, but here is an article on it (or during it):
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/01/15/jason-la-canfora-vs-reuben-frank-in-the-battle-of-nfl-writers/
Good find!
““Listen, when you have a hatchet job when you’re quoting unnamed sources, you just have to take it with a grain of salt,” Frank said. What’s the guys agenda? ”
Has there ever been an instance when sources are actually named? If I remember correctly, Roob penned several hatchet jobs about Howie during the past year.
Roob is a pure hack. He writes puff pieces done to fluff up certain people he likes.
Sadly, he is nowhere near the bottom of the Philly sports media barrel.
I’m not sure about that. Other than Elliot Shorr Parks, I don’t know if anybody is worse than Roob.
On a scale of 1 to 10
Sheil – 9.5 ( Although no longer here, he set the bar for Philly pretty high.
Tommy – 9
Roob – 5
ESP – 2
Kempski – 1
Roob is still a long way from the bottom.
Kempski after Tommy. Thats me though, some people dont like his style of writing. He is very football educated.
“He is very football educated.”
He’s was a salesman for over a decade until he joined the media less than four years ago. Since when did 4 years experience become very educated?
Tommy who you have higher than anybody but Sheil has a day job. I would absolutely trash any one of the beat writers on talent evaluation, X’s and O’s, football philosophy, or just about anything other than how to write a puff piece on a UDFA.
You may not like Bama (and he’s not on Sheils level, which he knows) but he knows alot more than the majority of the beats.
So true.
Ive been reading Tommys writeups since the mid 90s on the TATE boards, so I know he has a day job. I also know he was trained by a scout and that his full-time hobby is football.
Tommy and Sheil never seem to have an agenda. They report what they see and give their input on players, personnel, scheme, etc. They are the only two writers who come off as much as educators as they do journalists.
Most of the other beats have an agenda with a strong opinion in players, personnel and scheme. They tend to write their articles as if they could easily do a better job than the front office. They also tend to be hyper-critical and closed-minded.
Jimmy is self-admitantly a clown whose first interest is page views.
You’ve got the knowledge, you just have to work on your MS Paint skilz.
Ok, so do you beleive you arent football educated?
The comment about the sales thing is amazingly ignorant and just plain stupid. Do you think he just found out about football 4 years ago?
Dave is an ignorant guy. Dude is in love with Hackenberg because he got sacked a lot.
At first, I thought the title of this post was from the Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton skit on Eddie Murphy Delirious.
My dream scenario is Goff is still on the board at 8. Then, we trade 8 to the Rams for 15 plus a 2nd. Take Lynch at 15, who I think has the highest upside of the QBs, let him sit behind Bradford/Daniel for 1-2 years then take over. Deep draft so getting the 2nd back could be huge.
Wow, that would be the exact reverse of how I’d like our QB situation to be. Would love Goff, would not love Lynch.
Couldnt disagree more regarding Lynch.
Lynch is a dick. Not manzieldick, but in the direction.
“Lance Zierlein Is well connected”…”JLC is an HR friend”…”This is the season of both information and mis-information.” T, you are the anti-misinformant.
One thing in the JLC piece that intrigues me: The idea that the wad coughed up by Eagles since 2015 is conclusive evidence that Eagles are in win-now mode – I find that a bit sketchy. They didn’t sign Bradford because they think he will get them to the playoffs. They signed him so that they wouldn’t be the least productive offense in a weak division. I cannot believe that Howie or Jeff would not absolutely jump at the opportunity to cut a deal to get the guy they like. My concern as a fan: Goff, aye…Wentz, nay.
Going with the trade down theme; I did it 3 times. So assume I can only keep one of my 2nd rounders in this scenario.
Round 1 Pick 23 (MINN): Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson (B+)
Round 2 Pick 11 (MIA): Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana (A-)
Round 2 Pick 19 (ATL): Shilique Calhoun, DE/OLB, Michigan State (A-)
Round 2 Pick 23 (MINN): Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA (A+)
Round 3 Pick 14: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh (A+)
Round 3 Pick 16: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech (A+)
Round 4 Pick 2: Connor McGovern, OG, Missouri (B+)
Round 5 Pick 14: Travis Feeney, OLB/ILB, Washington (B-)
Round 5 Pick 25: Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky (B-)
Round 6 Pick 13: Dan Vitale, FB, Northwestern (A-)
Round 7 Pick 12: Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford (B+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Brandon Williams, FS, Texas A&M (B+)
And here is one from Fanspeak using CBS’s position rankings.
8: R1P8 QB JARED GOFF CALIFORNIA
77: R3P14 C NICK MARTIN NOTRE DAME
79: R3P16 RB KENNETH DIXON LOUISIANA TECH
100: R4P2 G CONNOR MCGOVERN MISSOURI
153: R5P14 OLB TRAVIS FEENEY WASHINGTON
164: R5P25 DT WILLIE HENRY MICHIGAN
188: R6P13 OT BRANDON SHELL SOUTH CAROLINA
233: R7P12 FB DEREK WATTWISCONSIN
251: R7P30 CB LESHAUN SIMS SOUTHERN UTAH
This Flyers game is ulcer inducing.
Too many drinks of celebrating?!
Not entirely.
Crazy day of hockey. Flyers did not play great, and obviously got some help, but here they are in the playoffs. I will take it. Not a great matchup against the Caps, but they are beatable.
All gravy at this point. They’re a year ahead of where they should have been. I’m very happy. I just hope Hexy sees how important Ghost was to the team this year and he clears out some more dead end vets to make room for at least two more of the youngsters next year.
Wait wait wait.
Jason La Canfora and Howie are friendly?
WHAT?
“No one wants to come work for Howie!” 2 days before the Chip hire Jason La Canfora?
Huh?
EDIT: Tommy already addressed this.
Next thing you know, Jeff McLane and Howie will bros. Howie must have learned a lot from the European soccer execs during his year in purgatory.
If we can get Arsenal’s chief negotiator Dick Law (yes I shit you not a real human person) on board the front office in order to help navigate our Cox situation it would be amazing.
I didn’t know who Dick Law was so I looked him up. Holy batshit, soccer contracts are crazy. Just reading about him and third-party ownership made my head spin. Now I have a better understanding of the corruption involved with the economics of soccer.
I would be afraid negotiations would break down into a pissing contest.
or they’d end up jerking each other around
Trading back after doing so much work to move up to 8 would have to be viewed as a dissappointment IMO i.e. the guy you were targeting did not fall enough and/or you were not able to pay the price to move up and get him.
If it ends up you got a player in the 1st round you could have gotten if you had stayed at 13 and thus likely missed out on the best prospects, that would be a shame. I get that the trade back might net you a 2nd rd pick which could bring more value, but this team needs elite players, difference makers, not more “bodies”.
If we gave up Maxwell, Kiko and Murray only for cap savings, the value is diluted, but, if we also traded them to position us to get a stud, then go get the stud. Be aggressive.
We were promised a premium player at 8. I’d like to get one!
Exactly!
Draft boards weren’t set when we moved up to 8. That was probably just the best value Howie could get so he took it.
I’m sure the top prospects were already identified….in not the Eagles brass attempt paying attention..I’m confident they are…
Doing so much work to move up??? We shed salary by trading players we didnt even want. The pick swap was just an added bonus. It wasnt much work. If Miami is throwing that in, you take it whether you had someone at 8 targeted or not. It gives you flexibility because not getting even higher costs less. OR you have a more valuable pick to use in a trade down now. Theres no reason they should lock themselves in to pick 8. It was a throw in on a salary dump trade.
The pick swap was not a throw-in, it was the core of the trade for the Eagles besides freeing up cap space in moving the contracts. Also despite the bashing of Maxwell and Kiko, they are NFL level talents and there needs to be a return that makes those moves valuable beyond cap space. The best return would be to get a stud at #8 or use that position to go get the stud they want. If they trade back instead and get someone they could have gotten at #13, then that extra value is lost.
No… Everyone knows that the trade was completely lopsided. We gave up absolutely nothing. It would have been a good trade if all we got back was a 7th round pick. Just for the cap savings alone, as well as getting those guys off the roster.
The Dolphins were dumb to include anything valuable for us. But they did, so we take it.
Again, we gave up absolutely nothing. From our perspective, those guys were trash.
If they trade back, the extra value is NOT lost. If they trade back, even to 13 where they began, at that point they will have pick 13 AND an extra 2nd round pick this year as well as another pick or 2. Something they wouldnt have had if they just stayed put. They would have additional value.
Disagree on the swap, Roseman would not have given up both Maxwell and Kiko for a 7th rd pick. And again, I know Maxwell and Kiko got bashed a lot, but they have talent and have/can again work very well in the right system.
The cap savings is good, but not worth dumping both talents especially when we had no replacements (that is what we correctly gave Chip crap for doing).
Kiko was added in to get the jump to #8 accepted. The Dolphins clearly think they got two starter level players + only drop to #13 where they can potentially get another very good player. They have the cap space to take on the salaries. The Eagles got the cap relief and moved up to #8 where they can potentially get an elite player.
If we do not get an elite player, than the trade was simply for cap relief which has value, but will be disappointing since the opportunity was in their grasp and either bad luck or poor execution or lack of commitment made them change tact. If their top 2 guys are gone by #8 and their third guy may last longer, then sure I can see trading down for an extra pick, but if they simply pick the wrong guy or fail to be aggressive to get the right guy, that will be a shame after orchestrating this move to #8 for precisely those options.
I think youre in an extremely small minority on that one. Reading on the eagles message boards while the trade was going down, no one expected this pick swap to happen. They were expected a late round pick, or maybe a mid round pick at best. And virtually everyone was excited regardless.
Its uneard of to have EVERYONE on the same side on the EMB, but this trade was one of those things. Even before we learned of the pick swap!
If you dont agree, I dont know what to tell you. I think your valuation of those player’s worth based on their performance, and albatross contracts attached to them are way way way off.
I guess we will agree to disagree on this one.
Maxwell got the big contract because of his excellent performance in the Seattle system. Just because the Eagles overpaid him due to their desperation for CB talent does not negate his skills. Just because the Eagles totally misjudged his fit in their defensive scheme and misused him badly does not somehow eradicate his talent. In the right system in the right role, Maxwell is a very good player. That has value.
Kiko does not have a big contract which is why he was an attractive piece for the Eagles to add to get the pick swap accepted. Kiko when healthy is a very talented LB which he proved in Buffalo. That has value. We gave up Shady for him so do not tell me he is worth nothing.
The Dolphins got two good talents and only had to move down 5 spots. Yes, Maxwell’s salary will probably need to be adjusted at some point and Kiko will be due a new contract, but they obviously judged the return was worth those costs. The Dolphins need bodies at a lot of different positions.
The Eagles got rid of Maxwell’s contract which is good and were willing to add Kiko in due to his injury prone-ness and pending deal expiration. They were able to move 5 spots up and position themselves to get the elite player they need. The Eagles do not need bodies, they have plenty of them – they need elite playmakers.
I do not care what the crowd says, one needs to use one’s own mind, analyze the situation and arrive at a conclusion supported by the evidence. That is what I’ve done. If you disagree, that is fine.
Well said. I’m not opposed to trading back for a bunch of reasons (not least of which is that studs are more easily stumbled upon than identified, IMO), but it really should take quite an offer to move off of that #8 spot.
Broncos traded Ryan Clady and a 7th to the Jets for a 5th.
This gives Denver the flexibility to accept Kaepernick’s deal as is if they are inclined to do so.
I hope they don’t. Kaep hasn’t been sufficiently humbled yet. Part of having to take that salary reduction might keep him from making stupidly false pronouncements bout his own level of “skill” as a passer.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25339944/49ers-colin-kaepernick-im-not-huge-on-throwing-mechanics
Also; how the hell does that let us take a tackle in this draft and then move Peters to the Jets for a 2017 3rd?
Does it give the Jets room to sign Fitzgerald? Seems like the cap savings from Ferguson is basically offset by Clady, unless there was a contract change (or the Jets can claw back bonus money from Ferguson).
Funny to think that a tackle for the team drafting 20 retiring could lower the probability of us drafting a QB.
I come in peace
And leave in pieces
I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant
Thanks tricky dick. One of my favorite quotes.
They thought it be like it do, but it don’t
Damn, you’re on a roll!
Saw that ridiculous movie in the theater with my buddies in high school. At the end, I thought–they built a huge, awful 80s movie around a single, dumb pun
Win now mode and eagles drop back to take a later cb? That doesn’t make sense. Odds of eagles dropping back and grabbing 2 effective starters? Low. I understand you can find value in round 2….I’d image better odds of finding better talent at 8…i can get on board with the qb talk.
they need a franchise back for many reasons,if elliot is there grab him and don’t look back.
So you’re saying they should look back and not look back
Im fine if they do
Eliiot isn’t Tomlinson, Peterson, or even Gurley. I can’t justify him at 8. There are RBs likely to provide similar production later in the draft.
There may be a RB or two later in the draft that surprises us and goes on to reach Zekes level….. But there are like 15 RBs drafted after round 1 that won’t even come close to what Zeke will be… Disengenius to pretend that elite Franchise Backs just grow on trees and we can so easily identify one in the later rounds…
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If Zeke isn’t Thomilson, or Peterson, I expect that he will be closer to them. Than he will be to a MELVIN Gordon or typical RB that go in the second half of round 1… With Zekes combo of Power, excellent balance, speed. Fluidity he runs with, will you really be shocked if Zeke goes on to become on of the top RB’s in the game? And if so, would you really devalue a guy we can feed 20 to 25 times a game for the next 7 years?
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“There are Rbs likely to provide similar production later in the draft”… Name a position with the exception of maybe QB, that we can’t also say that about? When we look back on this draft 5 years from now, odds are that there will be great LT, Wr, DE, LB, Safety that was drafted outside of the top 50
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Do you really think it would have been a bad pick if a team took Beastmode, Shady, Jamal Charles, Laveon Bell with a top tier pick? … It’s true that there are plenty of franchise backs that weren’t drafted in the top 10, but it’s way Disengenous to act like most of the top backs come from rounds 4 and 5… And Personally. i think EVERY single first. Second, and third round pick should at the very least provide a solid starter. Anything less from a top 100 pick is a Failure. I don’t think there should be as big of gap between our expectations from a round 1 pick. And our expectations for a pick in rounds 2 or 3… We should hold our GM to the standard of needing to deliver a solid starter with every top 100 pick…. When it comes to a rare top tier pick, the ONLY thing I really care about is Roseman drafting a special player who will go on to grow into one of the top Playes at his position, and who will also become one of our top 5 players… If Zeke isn’t going to be THAT good, then he shouldn’t be picked in the top 10
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But if we are objective, Zeke isn’t just the best RB, he is the best offensive weapon in this draft, and probably by a solid margin. I wouldn’t even consider the #2 Rated RB in round 1. And the top WR and TE is at least 1 tier of prospects lower than Zeke, I dont see how the best weapon in the draft can be so devalued… Zeke isn’t my ideal pick, he isn’t second or third on my wish list, but I also don’t think he should be so devalued
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We all have our predraft opinions that we feel strongly about now, but it’s all crap. You can look in the archives and find Posts from me thinking that MS2 was in the mix for our first round pick, you can find posts where I thought MS2 could go as high as #15 to Dallas..a few years later, if MS2 doesn’t get his shit together and he goes to becone a bust, It doesn’t make it OK because he is a player I wanted or believed in, it doesn’t hurt any less because I liked the kid and thought he would be a great pick for us.
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rewind 365 days ago and you can’t find a single person who wanted the Eagles to spend a one of our first 3 picks on a Linebacker. After the draft, you can’t find an eagle fan who was thrilled that we drafted Jordan Hicks… A year later we all adore the kid and view it as a brilliant draft pick… Ultimately what we think we know now about a kid is meaningless. Every year kids you believed in go on to be great NFL players, and some kids you didn’t believe in go on to be better than we expected, there are also kids we really believed in who go on to suck…. Ultimately we don’t need to be right about a kid, we NEED Roseman to be right… If he strongly believes that Zeke will go on to become one of our best players, one of the faces of our franchise who’s career will be up there with that of Shady and Westbrook as our best RBs in franchise history, than spending the 8th pick on Zeke will be a great pick…. If they take Zeke and he goes on to be good but not great, none of the people that thought he would be a geat pick at #8 will be happy.
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If the Eagles think Zeke is the best player available. Who will go on and become one of the faces of our franchise, perform as an elite RB, who we can feed the ball to 20-25 times a game for the next 7 years, then I hope they don’t select a kid with a Lower grade instead of him…. Personally, im still holding on to hope that someone like Jack Attack falls to #8 who everyone will view as a top prospect so I can avoid taking a polarizing player like Zeke and have this RB debate continue all the way the season starts…. If Roseman sees a RB he thinks will be special, rare RB worthy of the high selection, he BETTER be right.. If he is right about the kid we draft, no one will care what their predraft opinipn of him was… Im not ready to say that Zeke is Peterson or LaDanien, but I do like his Chances of reaching a Laveon Bell, Shady McCoy, Jamaal Charles level…those weren’t top 10 picks, but in a redraft, no one can claim that they would have been Terribke top 10 picks, even tho “They weren’t Thomlison or Peterson”
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Whoever the 8th pick ends up being, he needs to go on and become on of the top Players at his position, and he needs to become one of the very best players on our roster……. Personally, I dont think im ready to bet against Zeke becoming THAT guy…. But im hopeful a player I hold in higher regards like Jack will be available..
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I think Zeke has a better chance of becoming one of the ELITE NFl RBs, than Bosa has a chance of becoming one of the best DE’s. Or BUckner becoming one of the best DT’s…. I would bet on Zeke becocoming a top NFL RB way before I would bet on Goff or Wentz reaching Elite QB status.
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i just want HOWIE to get it right and add a premier talent to our future, regardless of predraft opinions.
I think he’s better than Gordon, but worse than Gurley; I can’t do that at 8.
I don’t think I agree with the premise of JLC’s argument. I wouldn’t characterize this offseason as a win-now mode mindset. Particularly looking at the examples he used Curry and Ertz, both younger guys most fans believe have yet to reach their full potential. The Bradford move is the only move you can make a significant claim as a win now move, and you could also argue it as a move needed in order to have the offense run at a functional level, allowing the rest of the offense to progress. The rest of the moves were mainly targetting ascending players or cheap guys to fill in glaring holes. Win now would have likely kept Maxwell and Murray. Win now would have likely been signing more seasoned veteran players. The moves we made were targetting guys who could grow and improve as Eagles, so with that in mind, I don’t really buy the JLC article.
Personally, im only interested in seeing LaConfora report Facts…. His general opinions and interpretations of our plans going forward mean nothing to me,… It’s rare that there is a media member who’s opinions I really put much stock into
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There ONLY value to me is providing reports, or quotes from players, coaches. Front office execs that I wouldn’t be able to get on my own…. I wish reporters wouldnt even give their opinions and interpretations because more often than not, they are putting false narratives into fans brains
The Redundancy Department of Redundancy approves of Jason La Canfora, kind of a French-sounding name, with the “Carson Wentz is the flavor du jour today” comment.
http://youtu.be/aufzEgP97Kg
Is it just me, or does Jasons writing not even really make any sense at all? I know english is my second language, but the article there is just gibberish to me..
People are disgusting,,, Damn shame former Saint Super Bowl champ will smith was rear ended in a traffic accident that led to Smith being shot, losing his life while his wife took two bullets to her leg….. People are animals. A young man losing his life over a traffic in accident??, just disgusting,,, hopefully his family can find peace
There is still a ton to figure out here. They immediately took the shooter and weapon into custody. I’m curious at to the possibility of the shooter claiming a Castle Doctrine defense if he claims that Smith’s sheer size and actions were menacing enough to shoot for some version of self-defense.
I hate to even bring that up, but there are way too many examples of this in the news.
You aren’t wrong, who the hell knows These days… But even if something like that happened, and the Victim did something to escalate the situation, it’s still disgusting that a young man lost his life over a traffic accident… Whatever really Happened, probably wasn’t worth a young man losing his life, a wife losing her husband, children losing their father…. And if Will Smith did NOTHING wrong, im sure the scumbag shooter has innocent family that has to suffer from him going to prison
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Just a Horrible situation that didn’t need to happen from a minor rear ending, non life threatening traffic accident
I agree, but the law in Louisiana SUCKS on this type of situation.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/07/louisiana_stand_your_ground_zi.html
In the booking shot, the accused is over 6’6″. He’s huge. Hard for him to use the intimidation angle.
Thank you. I hadn’t seen that update.
A 6’6″ man is taller than average by 3 standard deviations. So about 0.13% of men are that tall.
what if he was a substandard deviant?
that was a strong piece of logic by LaConfora.
As fans we may be able to approach things from a wider perspective. Lurie though may feel he needs to show his ability to run a football club after what happened with Chip.
Or maybe, I’m just too hopeful they don’t move up to draft a QB.
I thing we’re all going to have a strong opinion about who is running things and how well they’re running them depending on who they actually draft.
Kevin Hogan, a QB who will probably go in round 5 is claiming that LURIE was present for all the interactions between him and the Eagles.
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If LURIE is going to visit with Hogan, and GENO friggin smith a few years ago, we probably SHOULDNT jump to conclusions when we hear that Lurie was present for our meetings with Wemtz, Goff, Lynch..
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LURIE has a GM with a pretty shitty reputation for not working well with others, he has a new, first time Head coach…. I would think that Lurie is more interested in observing how his new Front Office/Coaching staffs operate, and interact with each other, more than he is interestedi n pretending he is Jerry Jones and start evaluating prospects on his own…. Just speculating Tho
I think Hogan will go much higher than Rd 5. Actual pro teams seem to like him a lot more than draftniks do. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hogan goes in the 2nd round and would be surprised if he gets out of the 3rd.
I can see him going in the 4th, I hope to come away from this draft with Hogan or Brandon Allen, but I can’t pound the table for spending a top 100 pick on either of them.
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Unfortunately every year there are a handful of projected 4th and 5th round prospects that I adore, who end up going in round 2 or 3, so I guess I cant be too shocked if you are proven correct
QB is really funny like that.
QBs are always overdrafted. Heck, Mike Kafka was a fourth round pick.
Hack, Dak, and Hogan will all probably drafted higher than most assume.
When Andy took Jaiquawn Jarrett, although he was overdrafted, if I remember correctly, another team was going to choose him in the 2nd round as well. All it takes is one team to like a guy and be worried another team will take him if you wait too long.
Sometimes you need to ask yourself; why am I the only person doing this?
I’ll take “Things Al Davis never said” for $500 Alex.
Like, for instance, when you find yourself holding onto a long-time irrational grudge against Kenjon Barner, of all people? 🙂
False on two fronts. First; it isn’t irrational. He doesn’t belong on the roster. Secondly; I bet there are 52 other guys on that roster who have similar questions!
I’m having some fun doing the fan speak mocks using different big boards. Interesting that you can use the rankings from a few different folks to run a simulated draft. Interesting counter to using first pick.
http://www.phillyvoice.com/would-eagles-trade-just-trade-right-back-down/
Godly work from Kempski
Not really IMO. Yes, the Eagles aren’t committed to Bradford. Yes, they have flexibility. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have hopes that Bradford will become the franchise QB and that won’t affect the lengths they’d go to move up for a QB.
If you’re that desperate for a QB and have that little confidence in Bradford’s ability to become one then there would have been no point of re-signing Bradford at all.
Except that deal is merely a low risk placeholder deal they compelled him to take to protect the team for the year. There really is no commitment to Bradford. I think that deal is a hedged bet on being able to get a QB this year.
What’s the point in that though if you don’t think Bradford has a chance to be a franchise QB? If u don’t think you have a franchise QB and will do whatever it takes to get one, then what is the benefit gained from paying Bradford $18M a year and Daniel $7M a year. There is no need for 2 bridge QBs. What actual benefit is gained from having the 1 or 2 wins more that Bradford being on the roster might provide? Yeah, in a weak division, you may make the playoffs. I’m not saying that Bradford doesn’t have a chance to be a franchise QB and couldn’t lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl, but if you’re the Eagles and your opinion of him is so low that you’d give up the farm to move up for a QB that you think can be a franchise QB, then is it reasonable to think that Bradford can lead you to a Super Bowl? It just doesn’t compute.
If you don’t think Bradford has the chance/ability to be a franchise QB then the logical course of action is to let him go and pursue a franchise QB in this draft and if you’re not successful, then not having Bradford on the roster will improve your draft position next offseason and give you another chance to land a franchise QB. The only logical reason to re-sign Bradford is either you think he has a chance to be a franchise QB or if the GM thinks the 1 or 2 more wins and possible division title is needed to save his job. If it’s the latter, then the GM is going to be a lot more likely to draft a player that can provide immediate impact at another position instead of a developmental QB that will sit for a year.
Now I’m not saying that taking a QB at 8 and re-signing Bradford necessarily conflict with each other. You can think Bradford has a chance to be a franchise QB and still hedge your bets and draft a another guy you think has franchise QB ability if he’s the BPA at 8. You can even make a small move up to jump SF for one. If Bradford then excels you’re in a great position and can probably get a future high pick in a trade. I’m saying that giving up the type of compensation that it would take to move up to the top of the draft for Wentz/Goff and the type of desperation for a QB that such a move would suggest does not mesh with re-signing Bradford.
It’s because in the real world, teams have to balance win now with build for the future. It’s what brought Hinkie down.
But they’re obviously trying to win the division and go as far as they can, they aren’t sold on Bradford partly due to his injuries, and I think Pederson would prefer grooming a QB also. I don’t think we’ll move up to 1 though.
The Eagles ARENT trading up for a QB.
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All you have to do is look at how the Jets are treating Fitzpatrik to see an Example of a QB that a team wants to keep, but already is sold on not being their franchise guy..
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I broke this down in detail towards the bottom of this thread, Kempski couldnt be more wrong
Dude, don’t be so sure… At this point all of us should be a little more humble about predicting the Eagles’ future
Here’s the thing with that. I don’t see the Eagles trading up for a QB because they really lack a lot of ammo, but I could see one being taken at 8 with ease. Maybe a trade up to 5 or 6 if they feel they need to jump the Niners, but getting to 1 is too expensive. Same with 2 or 3. I’m really not into the trade down talk.
I imagine if Bradford had a different agent and signed a contract like Kaep or Dalton, with lots of money tied to incentives and minimal dead money after a few years, people who don’t like Bradford would still say the Eagles are looking for a franchise QB and Bradford is just a placeholder.
Because his contract status would make that statement true.
Here’s how I break down draft:
Players I don’t expect to be there at 8, would sprint to the podium for if they’re there at 8 and I wouldn’t mind a slight trade-up for:
Laremy Tunsil
Jalen Ramsey
Carson Wentz
Players who would be good value at 8 and I’d have absolutely no questions about the Eagles’ logic behind making at 8:
Jared Goff
Myles Jack
Joey Bosa
Players who would have reasonable value at 8 but I’d still be somewhat leery of taking due to scheme fit, positional value or other questions:
Vernon Hargreaves
Ronnie Stanley
Ezekiel Elliott
Players that I really like for Eagles that I’d have no problem taking after a trade down into the mid-teens:
Jack Conklin
Vernon Butler
Shaq Lawson
Paxton Lynch
Dig it except
Bosa
Elliot
Conklin
Id love to add Rankins or Butler to our DT rotation
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Jack, Tunsil or Ramsey are the only players Id be ok trading up a few spots for If one happened to fall to 5 or 6
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I just don’t see Bosa becoming one of the top DE’s in the game 4 years from now.. Good, but not Great seems appropriate for Bosa
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Agree, besides Bosa. Just not a fan as much as others are. As happy as i am about being in the top 10 i think being #8 is a very strange spot this year.
Think Bosa will go on and be a good player, but he isn’t even close to being a Khalil Mack type who has a shot at becoming one of the elite DEs in the game.
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Im comfortable saying Bosa will become an 8-11 sack guy, but I don’t see a guy that I would bet on becoming a 15 sack guy… Good player, but I doubt he lives up to being a top 7 pick.
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Out of all the Ohio state boys, think Zeke will have the best chance of becoming one of The top NFL players at his position
Agree. I do think he can also become a good run defender, around Cole level run defending which is highly underrated, but still not a guy you choose at 8 overall.
Yeah like a Barwin/trent Cole type of Pro who can be really stout against the run, and give you like 8 sacks a year is probably what I would be comfortable betting on him to become, which is nothing to scoff at, but I do hope for a little more bang for our top 10 buck…
For me, it is Zeke and Apple. Think they both have the tools to be very good NFL players. Bosa should good, but as you say, not elite.
I don’t have a problem if they draft Paxton Lynch if they think he can be a Bortles , he’s just as reasonable value as Elliott and Hargreaves and maybe Stanley. He has size, escapability and talent , he needs consistency and coaching but the biggest question for me is the classroom and I can’t judge it. That’s why I defer to them.
I’m not really down with Lynch earlier than later first round. He’s too big of a philosophical jump from that gimmick stuff at Memphis to playing real NFL football for my tastes.
Andy Dalton didn’t seem to have a problem making the jump from a Justin Feunte-offense to a pro-style, even with his minimal arm strength. Lynch is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than Dalton.
Which is why Cam Newton is a superior QB to Tom Brady.
Oh. Wait.
So you’re telling me the 38 year old, 2-time NFL MVP and 4 time Superbowl winner is better than 26 year old, current NFL MVP. I would agree. But what does that have to do with Andy Dalton and Paxton Lynch both playing in Justin Feunte-offensive systems?
That’s imbecilic. Newton is nowhere even close to as good as Brady.
Huh? That’s what I said. I agreed Brady is better than Newton.
Sorry. I misread that.
But Dalton was a 2nd round pick. He also started 50 games to Lynch’s 38.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/andy-dalton-1.html
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/paxton-lynch-1.html
My remembrance of Dalton was that there wasn’t as much criticism leveled at him as there is with Lynch.
As best I can find from prior draft writeups; Dalton had a better level of accuracy vs. the better arm strength of Lynch.
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/andrew-dalton?id=2495143
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/paxton-lynch?id=2555316
Bottom line is that I won’t argue with anybody taking Lynch at the same spot in the draft where Dalton was selected.
I thought arm strength is what made Dalton fall to round 2. I could be wrong though.
Arm strength is one of he main selling points for Wentz this year. I would think if Wentz had Dalton’s arm strength, he would never be considered a first round pick this year.
I hear where you’re going with that, but I guess the guys are what they are.
“Lynch is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than Dalton.”
HWS =/= ceiling with QBs.
As I said to MM. Arm strength tends to be a major focus on QB ceilings. Lynch has that in spades.
Cam is a running QB first and a passer second. Lynch ran about as much per game in college as Aaron Rodgers (Lynch averaged 1 more rush per game).
Agree..except i would switch carson wentz for myles jack in the first category
Added DeForest Buckner to 3rd category. Meant to include him before.
Switch Wentz for Goff in your 1st tier and add Mackensie Alexander to your trade down scenario and your list is money.
Crazy shit. Ex Saints DE Will Smith shot and killed after car accident and possible road rage incident.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/04/10/man-charged-with-killing-will-smith-was-a-new-orleans-high-school-football-star/
Anybody feeling like you think anything crazy/bold will go on round one ahead of the Eagles?
I’m still partial to Cleveland dropping a fan base rallying / ticket selling, Buckeye bomb on us with a selection of either Elliot or Bosa.
I think only one QB will go ahead of the Eagles barring the Rams trading up. Don’t think SF will take Goff or Wentz. After that, usually 8/9/10 in the 1st round is the spot for the first “surprise” pick.
I have a personal fear that the Rams trade up for Goff. Possibly with the Jags.
Can definitely see that. Where do you see Wentz going?
Gun to my head; 7 to San Fran.
If he drops “that far,” I see the Eagles bidding to leap frog SF in order to get him. It’s gonna be very close… I think the Eagles really want him, but the price may be too high to justify a trade up.
Getting to 5 with the Jags or 6 with the Ravens is accomplish-able. I’m just not sure how much they like him vs. Goff vs. somebody else vs. nobody.
I think they like him A LOT. Not saying it’s justified, or that they will pull it off, just that I wouldn’t be surprised at all. Ultimately, if I have to guess, I think Howie pulls back at the last moment because his whole career could be riding on a move like that.
Kudos to Tommy… He’s now on record as liking Goff or Wentz, and perhaps trading down if both are gone at #8. Not sure that I am 100% with him, but most writers/bloggers won’t tell you where THEY stand, and to me that diminishes their credibility a bit. Good on you Tommy.
A crack at a top 8. I’ll give my assumptions as to why.
1 – Titans. Tunsil. Ultimately no reason to fool with protecting your investment in Mariota with a LT far better than Taylor Lewan.
2 – Browns. Elliot. I have a feeling Haslem thinks they’re in great shape with his long lost love RGMe at QB, so he tries to do a Jim Brown Jr. marketing campaign with Elliot.
3 – Chargers. Stanley. I know there are a lot of folks tearing into Stanley and trying to know him down lower, but the Chargers can’t pass block worth beans and they just re-signed Rivers. King F-ing Dunlap is their “starting” LT.
4- Cowboys. Bosa. And I scream BUST at the top of my lungs from the chair! I think they’ll convince themselves he’ll produce at the NFL level, but he’ll quickly find out he can’t big boy NFL players like he did to RTs in the Big 10. You don’t run into Dennis Kelly types week after week at RT in the NFL.
5 – Jags – Ramsey. They sprint up to the podium with this pick. Gus gets himself a DB that he can really turn loose.
6 – Ravens – Jack – Ozzie actually is screaming JACK at the top of his lungs the second Goodell says the “J” in Jaylon Ramsey’s name. The Ravens will absolutely terrorize people with Jack and Mosley playing side by side is ILBs.
7 – Niners – Wentz. This guy just makes too much sense for Kelly given the situation in San Fran. Big people beat up, accurate passer, Chip Kelly system, etc………..
8 – Us – Goff. This is 100% self serving because I think this is the guy I’d most want here and he’s my top QB. What could really nuke the whole deal is if the Rams trade into 4 or 5 and take him. I’m straight up kicking stuff all over the place if that happens and Bosa “falls” to us b/c I don’t want him. I’d hope Howie could trade down with a 4-3 team who wanted Bosa more than another DE. But I’ll be f-bombing up a storm.
Anybody else here not buying what the Titans are selling with there being an active market for the first pick? I figure if they actually had good offers for the pick, they’d be keeping quiet.
As for what to believe . . .
https://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/51509365.jpg
New thread is up if y’all didn’t see.