Tag: Eagles WRs

What to expect from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021?

by Gabriel Rivera, posted in Other

With The Eagles season just 3 Weeks away. We already kind of know what to expect. Or do we? With a new Coaching Staff and New QB a ton of questions remain unanswered in this blog I will give you some players and some coaches to be on the lookout for as we move closer to the start of the regular season.

Jalen Hurts

How can you hate Jalen Hurts? Jalen looks like player ready for war. He is always counted out and has always played very well under pressure. NBC’s Chris Simms recently left Jalen Hurts out of his top 40 Qb’s in the NFL. How disrespectful is that. I truly believe Jalen Hurts can take a huge leap and become the future for the Philadelphia Eagles. Now that is if the team allows him to. The Eagles have been recently linked to Houston Texans’ QuarterBack Deshaun Watson and knowing Howie Roseman he is most likely extremely interested. Although his legal issues may hold him back I would not be surprised if the Eagles trade for the star QB (if he’s innocent). But for now the QB1 is Jalen and he has all of the fanbases’ attention.

Nick Sirianni

Personally, I was not high on Nick Sirianni when the Eagles first hired him. And quite frankly I’m still not. As an eagles fan I’ve learned to never be excited about anything it seems like the eagles never have anything good. Like Donald Trump once said “Bad things happen in Philadelphia”. Nick Sirianni’s First press conference was one to remember he seemed nervous as if he’s never spoken to the media or anyone before. Since then he seems more confident but maybe a bit of a overthinker which is a big change supposing Doug Pederson was a guy who thought he knew it all. Coach Sirianni looks like he is ready to learn from his mistakes and become a better coach every day. Just like Coach said yesterday in His press conference ” Like Jalen said ‘Rent is due every week and we don’t plan on missing a payment”. Coach added, ” If we pay rent every week we get better”. Seems like these two are very responsible with their bills. Lol.

Jonathan Gannon

Oh Boy. Jonathan Gannon also newly hired as a Defensive Coordinator. His run defense this preseason is something that makes me want to turn off my TV. I really hope this is just a thing that he is doing for the preseason. He recently stated that he wants to see everyone 1v1. Meaning he won’t blitz this preseason which is understandable. Coach Gannon looks to regain the eagles reputation of being the blitz heavy defense we all remember. I expect big things this season for the defense with additions Like Anthony Harris, Eric Wilson and Steven Nelson this defense should look a lot better. If the team wants to be successful it starts with the defense.

Howie Roseman

This man has managed to salvage his Job multiple times. For example, When Chip kelly took over he was on the verge of being fired. One year Later he built a Championship Roster. But after that whole Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson Mess you have to hope this is a make or break season for Howie. Howie has been able to hire 3 head coaches that is unheard of in the NFL. But I give credit when credit is due and with no money he was able to sign some solid players. And was able to pull off a crazy trade on draft night to move up to 10 and draft WR Devonta Smith. I truly hope that of the eagles are a competent team in the trade deadline he is able to pull off 1 or 2 solid trades. With a estimated cap space of $54 Million and 2 first round picks in 2022 (Could be 3 if Carson Wentz plays 75% of the snaps for the colts) it’s a big offseason next year for Howie.

Devonta Smith

Devonta Smith was such a surprise pick. When the eagles traded up to 10 I was ecstatic. So was the entirety of the Eagles Fanbase just take a look at this.

Devonta Smith had his debut on Thursday against the patriots racking up 2 receptions for 19 yards. Does his body frame worry me? Watching his tape it seems like no one can catch him in the line of scrimmage so if no one can get physical with him then I don’t worry about his frame. The Former Heisman winner put up video game numbers in 2020. Making him the 2nd WR of all time to win the heisman award. With all the accomplishments it seems like the eagles finally got a WR1 but only time will tell. Wishing the best for Devonta.

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“Wentz” Did It Go Wrong?

by nfceastjunkies, posted in Eagles
17-0…17-24

*sighs*

For those who are unaware, the Philadelphia Eagles have lost to the Washington Football team. In rather embarrassing fashion might I add, squandering a 17-0 lead. Last year it was the Eagles who came out of the tunnel after halftime and rode hot handed DJAX to a eventual comeback of their own. This year, the Eagles came out hot, and lost all steam once Jack Driscoll was removed from the game.

The negatives of this game are abundant, and positives are few and far between, but, there are a few;

Jack Driscoll- The rookie tackle had a few hiccups, none resulting in anything catastrophic and all fixable mistakes. He’s a bright spot simply because once Mailatta was forced to replace him, the drop off was VERY evident. Overall, at this point Jack Driscoll is no Lane, true. I think more importantly we know he’ll be at worst servicable down the road, pending his injury diagnosis.

Defensive Line- Realistically Washington didn’t light us up offensively, Haskins took advantage of numerous short field situations. A product of our either a interception or failed 4th down conversion. The defense held up and players like Josh Sweat and Malik Jackson made some big plays, this is huge to see as they are key contributors going forward.

Wentz and DJAX are OK- As trivial as it sounds, we have to be happy two of our “projected” key contributors stood healthy. We have to assume they will move on to week 2 eager to erase the memory of the week 1 loss.

Rams are next….Let’s just say if this offensive line isn’t in tact by then, Aaron Donald may have a field day.

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Injuries…Already?

by nfceastjunkies, posted in Eagles

As the NFL gears up for its inaugural kick off, The Philadelphia Eagles rev the energy up at their training camp.

Due to the cancellation of preseason, this elongated training camp is looked to provide teams the opportunity to evaluate their young talent. The Eagles are doing just that, while young players like, Reagor, Watkins, and more begin to make their imprint on the team vets seem to be lagging behind.

Hargrave, Sanders, Peters, Lane, and more have all had to sit out multiple practices due to either injury or illness. When does this become a cause for concern, or is this the smartest play for the Eagles?

With less than a full month to go, the Eagles need to begin to build chemistry and solidify who will be starting where. While I’m not too concerned with the rest the vets are getting I am definitely keeping a trained eye on the progression of our depth chart. Still many questions left unanswered!

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Carson Wentz’s value and outlook for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020

by Nick Clark, posted in Eagles

Seldom too often we tend to give the “ your excused card” to an NFL Quarterback . But if any Quarterback deserved it in 2019 it had to be Carson Wentz. Going into the 2019 Season the Eagles and their fans had high expectations for a lethal offense and at the snap of a finger their entire receiving core was ravaged with injuries, putting Carson Wentz into an extremely difficult position. Not only Carson but putting extraordinary stress on the run game, All the respect but Miles Sanders was just a baby(rookie)

Come mid season the Eagles were in quite the slump (losing 2 of 4 in October and 3 of 4 in November,2-5 total)but December brought out a better version of Miles Sanders and a consistent Wentz as they ended the season on a 4 game win streak. They ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs and sooner rather then later the injury bug caught Carson Wentz yet again, suffering a concussion early in the first quarter. But when it’s all said and done a quarterback without his Receivers is like peanut butter without jelly, it just can’t happen.The Eagles will look for health from Carson Wentz and most importantly a Receiving core that can stay on the field, along with some key additions to this teams defense there’s no reason to believe an NFC East Division title is unattainable in 2020,no matter how much those dirty Cowboys are hyped up again !

BATTLE BREWING FOR CB2

by nfceastjunkies, posted in Eagles

CB2 BATTLE

A lot has been made of the arrival of lockdown corner, Darius Slay, rightfully so. Yet with all the stability Slay adds to one side of the secondary, we face just as much doubt on the other.

(From left) Rasul Douglas, Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones

Candidates for CB2 include familiar faces such as, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, and fan favorite Avonte Maddox. With the latter seemingly more fit to run slot does that make it a two man race?

I believe the three will battle for the CB2 spot well into the season, do not be surprised to see a rotation at CB2 even if only for the first few weeks. I feel as though Sidney Jones is the best on paper fit for the role, but will need to become far more consistent. Rasul, while having the prototypical size and arm length, he lacks the speed and overall ability to follow the Terry Mclaurin’s or even the Slaytons on our schedule.

Which brings me to Avonte Maddox, I believe he is our best CB outside of Darius Slay. I do, however feel due to his size being an outside corner may be a bit more than, the 5’9 183 pound 24 year old, can handle. Yet with the Nickel Roby-Coleman looking like all but a lock to start in the slot, the outside may be all that is left for Maddox.

Quez Watkins turns on the afterburners against CB Rasul Douglas in one on ones

My prediction is, Sidney Jones begins as the “#1 CB” but wouldn’t be surprised to see Maddox fight him the whole year for playing time. As far as Rasul goes, unfortunately I don’t see him being an Eagle much longer.

What are your thoughts? Who do you see winning the CB2 battle?

Written by; Joe Castro of Philly Philly The Podcast

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DeSean Jackson Under Fire for Posting anti-Semitic Quote

by Mason Baylis, posted in Eagles

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is facing major backlash and scrutiny after posting anti-Semitic quotes Monday on social media. On Jackson’s Instagram story feed, was a quote supposedly by Adolph Hitler about how white Jews “will blackmail America. [They] will extort America, their plan for world domination won’t work if the Negroes know who they were”.

In addition, on Jackson’s Instagram feed he posted photos of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan who has been identified as an anti-semite. 

Later on Monday, Jackson went back on Instagram to clarify his posts saying “Anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way. I have no hatred in my heart towards no one !! Equality Equality”. Part of the public backlash was former Eagles president Joe Banner who said that DeSean Jackson’s post was “absolutely indefensible”.

Others on social media have called for the Eagles to part ways with the wide receiver. The Eagles have yet to comment on the matter, but according to Adam Schefter, the Eagles will do so today.

[News story still unfolding, expect more to be added]

The Eagles Offensive Situation

by bencarlson15, posted in Other

Ben Carlson

QB: The QB situation for the Eagles is pretty straight forward. Carson Wentz will obviously lead the team as the starter as long as he is eligible to play, and Nate Sudfeld will likely back him up. The addition of Jalen Hurts in the 2nd round of the draft confused a lot; however, I am confident that Coach Pederson and Howie drafted Jalen Hurts mainly to use as a gadget player like the Saints use Taysom Hill.

RB: With the departure of Jordan Howard this offseason a lot of people are wondering what the Eagles will do to replace him for the 2020-2021 season. Their have been some big names popping up such as Carlos Hyde, Shady McCoy and Devonta Freeman. Me personally, I have a ton of faith in Miles Sanders as an RB 1; however, bringing in a vet that can help with the workload and potentially guide Miles for a year isn’t something I wouldn’t be opposed to.

WR: The front office did a great job at adding new weapons for Wentz this offseason. The additions consisted of Jalen Reagor, Marquise Goodwin, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins. Pederson and Howie were obviously going for speed and I’m all for it. I have high hopes for Jalen Reagor, I think he will have an impact from the start of the season. Marquise will be a good speed guy to have along side D-Jax. As for John Hightower and Quez Watkins, they were both good picks (especially for when we got them) and from the looks of their college tape if needed they will be ready (I really do think they are better than being just random backups but I don’t know what the front office will do about it, for we have a lot of WR on the roster) . To top that all off we still have Alshon Jeffery, Greg Ward, JJAW, Robert Davis, Deontay Burnett and Shelton Gibson

TE: The TE situation similar to the QB room is also really straight forward. We have the three headed snake from last year consisting of Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedart and Josh Perkins. I’m a big fan of our TE corp, year after year they continue to be reliable and consistent.

O-Line: As usual we still have a dominant O-Line; however, Vaitai left and is now on the Lions. A solid player and a pretty big lose, but definitely replaceable. As of right now it looks like the starting lineup will be Andre Dillard, Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo and Lane Johnson. This is a lineup I’m extremely confident in despite Isaac Seumalo’s super mediocre past. The front office did make some moves this offseason to pad the line such as draft Jack Driscoll and draft Prince Tega Wanogho. Both excelled in college and were good picks in the 4th and 6th round. The main obstacle is not being able to avoid injuries, we need to stay healthy. That doesn’t go for just the O-Line, the entire roster needs to stay healthy if we want to succeed this season.

Speed is Going to be Key for the Philadelphia Eagles

by Mason Baylis, posted in Eagles

The Eagles had a goal going into the off-season to get Carson Wentz’s speed. I think it’s fair to say that I got some speed. Now the talent of that speed is another question, but let’s evaluate the need for speed the Eagles have.

It’s clear that the Eagles missed Desean Jackson last year. Considering that Jackson totaled the fifth-most receiving TDs’ for the Eagles this season while only playing three games (only one full one), was a problem. We all saw what could happen when Wentz had an option that could get open 25 yards plus, and catch the ball. In particular, the two plays that we all remember from Wentz to Jackson last year were the two touchdowns in week 1. Both of those plays were 50 yards or more (51 and 53 yards to be exact). Even with two 25+ yard touchdowns in one game, Wentz went on to only have three more in the other 15 games of the season. So it’s clear that the Eagles needed speed.

“But we already knew that!”

Yet there is a pattern to Wentz’s performance to the amount of TDs’ of 25 yards or more he has per season. Wentz had five touchdowns that met that criteria in 2019, three in 2018, eight in 2017, and three in 2016. It makes sense, the more big plays you have, the better your team will be.
Wentz’s best year was in 2017 when he was arguably on his way to win the MVP award. It makes sense that his most “big plays” came in that year. For 2019, arguably his second most impressive year, and then 2016 and 2018 follow behind. The Eagles investing a first-round pick in Jalen Reagor, trading for Marquise Goodwin, and drafting John Hightower and Quez Watkins in the later rounds was an attempt to give Wentz more speed.

In the games when Carson Wentz throws 25 yards or more for a TD, the Eagles are 10-4 in those games. For games when he throws 30 yards or more and it results in a touchdown, the Eagles are 9-2 in those games. 40 yards or more 6-1. The outlier in the last one was the Titans game from 2018, so that really doesn’t count.

All those statistics are just evidence to show that Wentz with speed, equals wins. With all of this speed, the Eagles are trying to build a foundation that gives the teams weapons down the field. With Ertz, Godert, Jeffery, and whoever 25 yards and in placing options for Wentz, Jackson, Reagor, and Goodwin will cover everything else.

No Eagles fan will question the method of getting speed for the Eagles, now the players that they acquired to do so, maybe.

“Are Reagor’s hands good enough?”

“Can Jackson or Goodwin play a 16 game season?”

“Why did they draft Jalen Hurts?”

Okay the last one might be for a different matter, but nevertheless before you blast Howie Roseman for having the worst draft ever, evaluate. The Eagles did get faster, Wentz now has speed. We don’t know right now if Reagor over Jefferson was a mistake, or spending two later round draft picks on players with the same skillset was the right decision.

In conclusion, Howie Roseman addressed the speed aspect for Carson Wentz. The players we can debate, but the fundamental ideas were addressed. I’m not saying Roseman has given Wentz everything he has ever wanted, nevertheless, the Eagles have answered on speed end for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Smit Bajaj’s Eagles 7 Round Mock Draft 2.0

by Smit Bajaj, posted in Eagles

If Howie truly wants to get younger like he mentioned in his press conference, this draft is essential for the future of the Eagles’ franchise. The Eagles have eight total picks in this draft thanks to three compensatory picks handed out because of previous free agents who left the team. Various reports are being thrown out regarding the players that are being considered for the 21st pick, but it’s prime smokescreen season. Any report could be entirely false and a leak by a team in order to make their pick more valued in trade talks. With that being said, here’s my mock draft without any trades.

Round 1 Pick 21 – LSU WR Justin Jefferson

Pro Comparison – Marvin Jones

It’s hard to see why anyone doesn’t like Jefferson. Maybe they like another wide out more or believe Jefferson is a slot guy, but Jefferson ticks all of the boxes coaches are looking for in a wide receiver. He’s a tremendous route runner with solid hands (only dropped 5% of the balls thrown at him) who can track and high point the ball well. Through playing with Joe Brady at LSU, he proved that he is ready for a pro style offense and his performance against Oklahoma was nothing short of spectacular. He had 14 catches for 227 yards and 4 TDs in one of the most important games of his lifetime. He’s a baller. Ballers know how to get open and make plays. A constant knock I see on him is his inability to play on the outside as he sometimes struggled with press releases and physical corners. As Jefferson fills out his frame at the next level, this weakness should become less and less apparent. It’s tough to knock on Jefferson for his football ablity. People always seem to point to the fact that he received less attention playing next to Ja’Marr Chase or that Joe Burrow made him look good. But game film doesn’t lie. And when you look at the film, Jefferson can ball out.

Round 2 Pick 53 – Southern Illinois SS (maybe LB?) Jeremy Chinn

Pro comparison – Jaquiski Tartt

I know we already have three very capable safeties rostered for next year but Chinn’s versatility makes more than just another safety. He has the height, wingspan and physicality to become a LB in today’s NFL and that’s what I believe we should do with him: convert Chinn to LB. He’s 6’3″, 220 lbs, and has a wingspan of almost 6’5″. If he can bulk up a bit and reach the 230-240 mark, the Eagles would have a legit LB prospect in the locker room. His playstyle in college resembles a LB from a physicality standpoint; he was one of the best tacklers in the FCS. Even his body control and toughness resembles that of a LB prospect. The issue with this transition would be that he comes from a relatively small school against poor competition. The switch from FCS competition to NFL competition is no joke especially given the small school Chinn comes from. It may be too many moving parts for Chinn to handle, but even as a Safety, Chinn should excel under Jim Schwartz.

Round 3 Pick 103 – Florida WR Van Jefferson

Pro comparison – Rashard Higgins

There’s a lot to love about Florida WR Van Jefferson. Unfortunately there is a lot to hate about him too. For one, he’ll be 24 come his first snap in the NFL. To put that in perspective, soon to be 3 year player Avonte Maddox will also be 24 in September. Jefferson’s college production was also modest. But the potential for Jefferson is the intriguing part. He stands at a promising 6 foot 2, has great hands, and runs some of the best routes in this class of receivers. Being the son of a wide receiver coach will do that to you, as he is a tremendous route runner. He has some speed on him as well. He didn’t run the 40 at the combine and COVID-19 shut down his hopes of a pro day 40, but at the Senior Bowl, Jefferson was tracked at running a staggering 21 MPH. Only 3 ball carriers ran 22 MPH last year in the NFL. Jefferson has deceptive speed and tons of it. He’s an interesting candidate for sure, but one that many fans would be eager to see play out.

https://twitter.com/MaliikObee/status/1250153574237196295
His route running is legit.

Round 4 Pick 127 – LSU C Lloyd Cushenberry III

Pro comparison – Corey Linsley

It may be wishful thinking to hope Cushenberry is available in the 4th round. But considering how rare centers are picked, it’s tough to estimate where a lot of centers will be selected. As far as a prospect, Lloyd checks all the boxes. He’s 6’3 with a solid frame and has a 7 foot wingspan. No, that’s not a typo, he legit has a 7 foot wingspan. He’s not the most mobile guy like we see in Jason Kelce, but he’s not stiff. With proper coaching, he can develop that part of his game. The most impressive part of his film is the fact that he lined up in a 1 on 1 a lot of times at LSU. In an SEC containing elite defensive linemen such as Derrick Brown, he held his own and managed to get to the next level when he needed to. He’s not going to be the heir to Jason Kelce, but he will be able to step in and offer elite run blocking.

Round 4 Pick 145 – Michigan State LB Joe Bachie

Bachie isn’t going to be the quickest, most agile tackler, but he’ll be a tackler. And after the departure of Bradham and Jenkins, two of the most sure tacklers on this team, tackling at the LB position is a point of emphasis as of right now. He’s not the best in coverage, but he’ll definitely be an improvement over Bradham’s covering ability. At the end of the day, if a running back breaks into the second level, we need sure tacklers. Bachie could be that guy if he lives up to his ceiling.

Round 4 Pick 146 – Florida DE Jonathan Greenard

Never hurts to have young pass rushers, right? At least we know Howie says that. Barnett’s time in Philly is reaching a decision as his rookie contract will expire soon. Greenard is a fundamentally sound DE who gets to the QB and aims to finish the play with a turnover. He suffered a couple injuries, but was able to fight through them in his time at Florida. He’s not the most standout rusher, but he’ll get the job done. Greenard would be a solid pick for the Eagles.

Round 5 Pick 168 – Boston College RB AJ Dillon

Dillon lacks elite elusiveness and agility, but do we really need that? Sanders and Scott proved to be a lethal duo late in the year, but liked a punch at the goal line and in short yardage situations. Dillon is a compact, downhill runner who can get the tough yards when you need him to. And at the end of the day, injuries happen in this league. Depth is crucial to any team who wants to make a deep playoff run; just look at the 2017 Super Bowl winning Eagles. Dillon is a viable backup option who will be sure to add some punch to this team.

Round 6 Pick 190 – Nebraska CB Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson in Philly! Lamar’s a 6’2 corner who is physical and has good ball skills. He shows potential in the press jam area of his game and can track the ball and cause turnovers. He does have a lot of sloppy play, as expected with a 6th round pick, but he has potential to be a rotational guy at the CB position.

Grading the Eagles' Free Agency Moves

by Smit Bajaj, posted in Eagles

After letting some big name free agents slip through their hands on day one, Eagles fans seemingly lost hope in the front office. Byron Jones signed with the Dolphins, Stefon Diggs got traded to the Bills, and most of the names Eagles fans wanted to target were off the market. The signing of Javon Hargrave only exacerbated the frustration of Eagles fans as the front office chose to superload a position of strength when there were glaring weaknesses on the roster. Then Darius Slay happened. The trade for Darius Slay was a phenomenal move by Howie and the rest of the guys. The Lions were in a poor position after they signed Trufant and were forced to trade Slay in a couple of hours. This allowed the Eagles to acquire Slay at an extremely low price. The birds followed this acquisition with a couple of strong depth signings. That being said, here are the grades for our free agency moves thus far:

Resigning DB Jalen Mills to a 1 year/ $5 million deal: A-

I’m still not sure how the Eagles managed to sign Mills for such a cheap price. Mills came back from his Lisfranc foot surgery in an emphatic way. He solidified his position as our CB1 and offered stability at a relatively unstable position. The move to safety is one that I, and many other Eagles fans, am excited to see. Mills played safety at LSU and excelled there. If it weren’t for off the field issues he would not have dropped to the 7th round. He has been told that he will assume the Malcolm Jenkins role. These are obviously huge shoes to fill. But if anyone can do it, it’s the Green Goblin. He has this gaudiness to him that makes him fit to be a CB, S, or LB. His tackling ability is top notch and he backs down to no man. Much like Jenkins, he embodies the Philly mentality. Losing Jenkins was gut wrenching and left a sour taste in the mouths of all Eagles fans, but the resigning of Mills should act as a mint.

Signing DT Javon Hargrave to a 3 yr/ $39 million deal: B+

The duo of Cox and Hargrave will give offensive coordinators literal nightmares. Fletcher Cox had a poor statistical season last year because of the constant double teaming he faced. If teams double him this year with Hargrave lined up right next to him? Good luck. Now this signing didn’t address our principal needs which is why it didn’t reach an A, but this is going to be fun to watch. Hargrave is a strong, bull of a man who simply knows how to attack the QB. He was shadowed by Tuitt, Watt, Dupree and many other talented defensive Steelers last year, but with more reps, he will prove how he is a force to be reckoned with. The move was a bit puzzling at first, but after watching some film, one can understand how disruptive Hargrave truly is. We already know that Schwartz rarely blitzes but with this signing, it seems as if he doesn’t even have to. Oh, and did I mention Malik Jackson is rostered and healthy as well? The best part of this signing is that we can finally see Cox getting one on one matchups. Because Schwartz rarely blitzed, Cox was the target of a lot of offensive gameplans and thus, a lot of double teams. This year will have a different narrative.

Trading for and signing CB Darius Slay to a 3 yr/$50 million deal: A

Darius Slay is a straight playmaker. The clear differentiation between him and Byron Jones is that Slay has a knack for locating and intercepting the ball. The Eagles haven’t had this type of talent at CB since Asante Samuel. Now, we’ve seen the Nnamdi Asomugha experiment fail and the same thing be done for the Byron Maxwell signing. But this just feels different doesn’t it? To make matters better, in the two games Darius Slay has faced Amari Cooper, he has been utterly shut down. Cooper has 0 TDs and averages only 21 yards per game when being followed by Slay. Darius Slay is the type of cornerback to welcome a challenge against opposing teams number one guy. In fact, he prides himself on doing just that. And in a 2020 schedule when the Eagles face Hopkins, Beckham, Thomas, Green, Kupp, Cooper (twice), McLaurin (twice), and Smith-Schuster, the acquisition of a true CB1 who is not afraid to cover any receiver in this league was crucial. The Eagles simply delivered. They covered up a hole that has been a detriment to this organization for years. And they only traded a 3rd and a 5th to do so. Howie has outdone himself with this signing, and the fact that Slay is in Philly for 3 more years is exciting to say the least.

Signing LB Jatavis Brown to a 1 year deal: B

This is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward type move. Jatavis Brown had a down year last year, but had more than 90 tackles in 2018. He’s athletic and most importantly, he’s young. He wasn’t a full time starter in Los Angeles, but a change of scenery may turn him into just that. With the departure of Nigel Bradham, the depth at the LB position has thinned and the Eagles were (and still are) in dire need of quality LBs. At the worst, Jatavis will come in an immediately help in Special Teams, but an impressive training camp could bump him into being a starting linebacker.

Signing S Will Parks to a 1 year/$1.6 mil deal: A

When two sides want to make something happen, chances are that it’ll happen. Philly native Will Parks wanted to come back to his hometown in such a great fashion that he took a paycut to play for the Eagles. He’s a physical, passionate player who in my eyes, should take over the Malcolm Jenkins role. He lacks elite coverage skills, but he makes up for it in tackling and athleticism. I would love to see him in the box, confusing the defense and acting as the wildcard for our defense. The cheap price tag is the most mind boggling part of this deal. Parks could’ve easily signed for more money elsewhere. Instead, he chose to come to Philadelphia. We should all respect that fact.

After receiving some criticism on day 1 of free agency, Howie has delivered in an emphatic way. Headlined by the Darius Slay move, the Eagles free agency period has improved the talent on the team without breaking the bank and has left them flexibility to sign a couple more role players. What Howie Roseman has done so far is remarkable. And draft season is only getting started…