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Eagles lock up Sweat to 3-year contract extension The Eagles on Saturday locked up defensive end Josh Sweat, signing him to a three-year contract extension that lasts through the 2024 season. The three-year extension is worth $40 million, up to $42 million and includes $26.92 million guaranteed, Sweat’s agent Chris Coy of Vanguard Sports Group confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. Sweat, 24, was a fourth-round draft pick in 2018 and after a tremendous training camp seems poised for a breakout season in 2021. He is in the final year of his rookie contract and is getting paid just $920,000 this year. His APY of $13.3 million over the three-year extension makes him the 22nd highest-paid edge rusher in the league, according to OverTheCap. If Sweat has the kind of breakout season the Eagles are hoping for, he could end up being a steal at this price. Sweat was once a five-star recruit out of high school but suffered a major knee injury that has followed him. But apparently the Eagles aren’t too worried about it. Sweat has consistently gotten better in his three years with the Eagles. He basically had a redshirt season in 2018 but had four sacks in 2019 and six in 2020. He wasn’t a starter in Week 1, but Sweat played 39 snaps, six more than Derek Barnett, who started the game. Barnett, a first-round pick in 2017, is playing this season on his fifth-year option. This extension for Sweat could mean Barnett isn’t back in 2022. This is the second straight Saturday with an extension for a 2018 draft pick. Last week, the Eagles signed left tackle Jordan Mailata to a $64 million extension. The big one left from this draft class is second-round pick Dallas Goedert. But the contract extensions for Mailata and Sweat are consistent with the Eagles’ plan. They got extensions done early for players who might end up being worth way more. And they prioritized the lines. Recently on an episode of Takeoff with John Clark, former Eagles defensive end Chris Long raved about Sweat. "There’s nobody as talented as Josh Sweat on that D-line,” Long said. "If he weren’t injured, he’d be a top five pick. I haven’t seen more than a handful of guys get off the rock like that. Or kind of bend the corner the way he does, the way he’s able to dip and damn near touch … Robert Quinn. He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Robert Quinn from a talent standpoint that I’ve played with. That’s rare ability.” If Long and the Eagles are right about Sweat, then this contract will be more than warranted. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-josh-sweat-agree-3-year-contract-extension-through-2024?cid=sm_npd_rsn_phi_fb_mn&fbclid=IwAR0u69hd7KrAzaetNxr1QFgzLFrXKzcqco5HycRyMbNhhLsrESxnYtWHOLg

Why ‘phenomenal’ debut from Eagles punter didn’t surprise his coach There were a lot of exciting NFL debuts for the Eagles in Sunday’s 32-6 season-opening win over the Falcons in Atlanta. Don’t you dare forget about the punter. Because in the excitement over DeVonta Smith and Kenny Gainwell and Milton Williams and even the excitement over Nick Sirianni’s first game as a head coach and Jonathan Gannon’s first game as a defensive coordinator, it would be easy to overlook the 28-year-old Australian making his first NFL appearance. How did Arryn Siposs do? Well, special teams coordinator Michael Clay said he thought Siposs did a "phenomenal job.” And the numbers backed that up. Siposs in his first meaningful NFL action had four punts averaging 47.3 yards with a long of 54 and downed three inside the 20. Those three pinned the Falcons at their own 8, 14 and 8 and the Falcons on those ensuing drives picked up a total of one first down. The Eagles cruised to a 32-6 win. It really was a great start for Siposs, but it didn’t surprise Clay. "I kind of felt this from the first day I met Arryn working with him, first time working with him in rookie minicamp,” Clay said, "Arryn’s a different type of person in terms of he's not a rookie in terms of the age. He's not 21, he's not 22, he's 28. He's dealt with real-life situations. "It was never any nerve things I was worried about with him. He always comes ready to prepare Wednesday, Thursday, when we have our big punt days, and it just paid off.” Siposs, 28, is a product of Prokick Australia, the same program that produced Seattle’s Michael Dickson, San Fransico’s Mitch Wishnowsky and Siposs’s predecessor Cameron Johnston. It looks like the program has churned out another good one. Siposs went undrafted last year out of Auburn and spent the entire 2020 season with the Lions on their practice squad. That means he’s technically not a rookie this year and Siposs feels like that year around an NFL team did wonders for him. He also said he felt more at home in the NFL because his teammates are finally closer to his age. He was the old guy in college. The Eagles signed Siposs to a futures deal in January but at that time still hoped to have Johnston back. But when the Texans offered Johnston a three-year, $8 million contract, the Eagles went to their backup plan. And they never deviated. Despite how much of an unknown they had in Siposs, they showed faith in him and never brought in any competition. Maybe they were keeping an eye on the rest of the punter situations across the league, but it never appeared like Siposs was fighting for his job. That faith in Siposs paid off in Week 1. Siposs’s average of 47.3 yards is the third-highest ever for an Eagle in his first NFL game behind just Johnston (52.2) in 2018 and Mike Horan (50.20) back in 1984. The Eagles are on a nice little run of punters — and this is a position you don’t think about until you have a bad one. They had Donnie Jones from 2013-17 and then Johnston from 2018-2020. One guy was the punter from the Super Bowl season and the other holds Eagles’ records career gross average, career net average, single season gross and single season net. These are big shoes for Siposs to fill. But he got off to a really good start. "I’m just really happy for him,” Clay said. "I know he's been working really hard to get to this spot, his first real NFL game. He really performed to the level that we all know he can. "There are still some things he can get better at and he knows that and that's the best part about it. He's going to be able to build off this game and hopefully keep getting better and better. "He can really be a very, very good punter in this league if he just keeps doing what he's been doing the last month and a half here in training camp in the first week.” https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-punter-arryn-siposs-was-phenomenal-debut-michael-clay-says?utm_tags=sm_npd_rsn_phi_fb_mn&fbclid=IwAR0tFg5k66HgneqxXbQU2kFX0EeyXpUkq98bZR5cqRdDjSpXCvGY8NA4gz4

Not sure how it is considered early … he’s in the last year of his contract. This is usually when teams sign impending free agents they want to lock up.

I think they saw a player that progressed in each of the 4 years he has been in the league and wanted to lock him up, especially since the rest of the position group consists of 2 players near the end of their careers (Graham, Kerrigan), one completely unproven late round rookie (Jackson), and one player (Barnett) that was drafted high and is still young but hasn’t had that break out year yet (and only under contract for 2021). Makes total sense to lock up Sweat.

Eagles sign Josh Sweat to three-year extension that keeps him in Philadelphia through 2024 The talented defensive lineman is sticking around for a while in Philly By Patrik Walker 23 mins ago © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports It's yet another major payday in the world of the Philadelphia Eagles. Not long after inking offensive tackle Jordan Mailata to a four-year extension that keeps him in tow through 2025, it's defensive end Josh Sweat getting in on the contract action, and in a big way. Sweat has signed a three-year deal that secures him through 2024, the team announced on Saturday, and the numbers on the deal are quite robust. According to Sweat's agent, Christopher Coy of Vanguard Sports, the 24-year-old is being awarded a deal worth $40 million over that three-year span -- able to max out at $42 million and with $26.9 million in guaranteed money. The $2 million bump is incentive-based, and based upon consecutive seasons of seven or more sacks. A former fourth-round pick in 2018, Sweat entered the 2021 season playing in the final year of his rookie deal, and was set to earn just $920,000 in base salary over 17 games. He's proven his worth to the organization in a big way, and has seen a marked improvement with each passing season, so it makes sense the Eagles wouldn't allow him to hit free agency in 2022. More of a rotational talent than a starter thus far, Sweat gets the job done when his number is called. Despite having just three starts in his first three seasons, he's tallied 10 sacks and is coming off of a 2020 season that saw him hit a career mark in sacks (6) and forced fumbles (3). The former Florida State All-American has now not only seen his dream of making it to the NFL come true, but after making himself a key player for the Eagles, he's achieved yet another mission, and it's one that's almost as elusive: a second contract. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/eagles-sign-josh-sweat-to-three-year-extension-that-keeps-him-in-philadelphia-through-2024/

No San Fran ... Dallas is next week.

They don't need to do that (nor should they).

NFL Rumors: Eagles Trading Andre Dillard to Chicago Bears? By Mike Greger Updated Sep 17, 2021 at 11:39am Getty: Offensive lineman Andre Dillard of the Philadelphia Eagles is the subject of trade rumors right now. Andre Dillard’s days wearing midnight green appear to be limited. The Philadelphia Eagles inked Jordan Mailata to a four-year contract extension last week in the biggest vote of confidence yet that they are committed to him being the franchise left tackle. Dillard – the 22nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft – has been reduced to hotel fire alarm status: break glass in case of emergency. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder is serving as the backup blind-side blocker behind Mailata. It’s important to have depth at arguably the most important position on the field. Especially after the Eagles placed veteran tackle Le’Raven Clark on injured reserve. Brett Toth is the only other healthy option on the 53-man roster, although the team protected guard/tackle Kayode Awosika on the practice squad. Still, Dillard has been mentioned more than once in trade talks dating back to training camp. The former first-round pick could fetch something from a tackle-needy team. Remember, the Carolina Panthers unloaded Greg Little (37th pick in 2019) for seventh-rounder. Dillard went 15 picks ahead of Little. Chicago Bears Ideal Trade Partner The Chicago Bears were so desperate for offensive line help that they signed Jason Peters back on Aug. 14. The 39-year-old played 32 offensive snaps in Week 1 before exiting with a quadriceps injury. He has been limited in practice all week, plus he looked shaky versus the Los Angeles Rams. The Bears are in a bind because rookie left tackle Larry Borom has an ankle injury, leaving backup right tackle Elijah Wilkinson as the only real option. Wilkinson did see 22 snaps at left tackle this past Sunday, but their confidence level in him remains low after an underwhelming camp. Enter Dillard. The 25-year-old could be available on a relatively cheap deal, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman might want to get something for him before it’s too late. It’s not out of the question to ask for a future fifth-rounder – Chicago has two of them in 2022 – for Dillard. Maybe Roseman could get the Bears to throw in injured running back Tarik Cohen to sweeten the pot. He’s a dangerous return man. Nick Sirianni Sticks Up for Dillard The Eagles have reiterated all summer that they won’t hold onto Dillard – or any other player, for that matter – just because he was a high draft pick. If there’s a deal to be made, they will make it. However, the team’s lack of depth at the tackle spot definitely presents an additional hurdle. Nick Sirianni blamed injuries for Dillard losing the starting job coming out of camp. The first-year head coach thought Dillard played well in limited snaps, adding that he was happy to have both Mailata and Dillard on the roster. "I don’t want to short Andre here at all. He played – when he was in, he played really well,” Sirianni said, "and he played a phenomenal last preseason game, and I thought that was the case also in the Jets practices, as well. Again, we’re not – you don’t just say, ‘Hey, here’s one game, here’s a splash game and we’re just doing everything based off of that.’ The whole body of work is at play, and I’m just sure glad that we got both those guys on this roster.” https://heavy.com/sports/philadelphia-eagles/andre-dillard-bears-rumors/?fbclid=IwAR24GyQt1dyHnMpdO3rAU73krJP2WKdDGMHLlr5HK6KHRrK7iVPiX_MSn5Q

‘Worth Our Time’: Nick Sirianni Switches Up Eagles Practice Routine By Mike Greger Updated Sep 17, 2021 at 8:27pm Getty: Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has been bringing that "dog mentality" to the Philly locker room. Is Nick Sirianni making sweeping changes to the way the Philadelphia Eagles conduct business? No, not really. But the minor tweaks the first-year head coach has made so far have been impactful. He’s pushed all the right buttons. On Friday, Sirianni caused a stir when he took the Eagles across the street to practice at Lincoln Financial Field. It’s an unusual occurrence for the team to get reps on their home turf outside of training camp, but Sirianni had a solid reasoning for the unorthodox move. He wanted the guys to experience the nuances of the stadium, things like how the wind gusts affect the kicker and quarterback, and how the receivers and defensive backs see the ball. Smart. "Just the surroundings of being there getting ready,” Sirianni said. "Just practicing, executing plays in that stadium. I do really believe – is it a huge difference? Not a huge difference. Even if it’s that much, it’s worth our time to go over there.” The one-time wide receivers coach credited his time in Kansas City for the idea. Arrowhead Stadium was close to the practice facility, so sometimes Todd Haley would put them under the bright lights. "The other thing is that’s our home field,” Sirianni said. "If you get eight games or ten games at that stadium, imagine how much more it feels like your home than when you’re 20 games. So put a lot of thought into that.” Rodney McLeod Out, Three Players Limited Rodney McLeod has been ruled out for Week 2 as he continues to rehab from ACL surgery. The Eagles kept him off injured reserve in the hope he’d be ready for the season opener. He wasn’t. Making matters worse, backup strong safety Marcus Epps suffered a concussion last week and still hasn’t been cleared to return. Sirianni expects a final decision on Epps on Saturday. If he can’t go, K’Von Wallace will likely draw the start. "I feel good about our secondary. They played a good game,” Sirianni said. "They’ve been practicing well in the past. They’ve had a good week of practice this week, so I’m really confident in them.” Receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (ankle) and right guard Brandon Brooks (knee) were also limited at Friday’s practice. Neither player was ruled out for Sunday. And tight end Zach Ertz (hamstring) was a full participant. NFL Debut for Rookie Landon Dickerson? Second-round pick Landon Dickerson (knee) was another full participant at practice. The team might need him for offensive line depth after placing swing tackle Le’Raven Clark on injured reserve. Guard/tackle Kayode Awosika was protected and center Harry Crider was added to the practice squad. Dickerson – the Rimington Trophy winner at Alabama – was drafted to be the future center for the Eagles assuming Jason Kelce retires. He had been recovering from season-ending ACL surgery and just came off the PUP list on Aug. 30. The Eagles plan to cross-train him at other positions and there’s a chance he could make his NFL debut on Sunday in a reserve role. Dickerson could see snaps on special teams, too. "We’ll hold that close to us, just for right now,” Sirianni said of Dickerson’s status. https://heavy.com/sports/philadelphia-eagles/nick-sirianni-practice-linc/?fbclid=IwAR2LSh1v1p_QB5_T___WPSZ5TrMYNZZRje3YWnwbD1PSsMw0tF3EGnpNrrQ

How Fletcher Cox made an impact without making a tackle It was a very lonely stat line. 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0. In the official NFL stat book, that’s tackles / assisted tackles / combined tackles / sacks / sack yards / tackles for loss / hurries / interceptions / pass knockdowns / forced fumbles / fumble recoveries. And Fletcher Cox was 0-for-11. What Cox didn’t do was fill up the stat line Sunday in Atlanta. What the six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle did do was occupy two blockers snap after snap and open up opportunities for his teammates, mainly fellow interior linemen Javon Hargrave and Hassan Ridgeway, who combined for three sacks, three tackles for loss, six hurries and a Matt Ryan intentional grounding for a 14-yard loss. "It’s a great opportunity to see other guys making plays and flying around,” Cox said. "I think on Sunday I got a lot of attention and I expected that going into the game and that gives other guys chances to get 1-on-1’s. "I did miss probably two or three sacks out there and that can be frustrating, but you can’t let it affect what you do and how happy I am for my teammates that went out there.” This was only the third game of Cox’s 11-year career that he had all 0’s across his stat line. It happened in a loss in Dallas in his rookie year of 2012, a game he only played 20 snaps, and also in a loss to the Lions in 2019. But this was different because the Eagles won 32-6 and Cox’s teammates took advantage of the opportunities he helped them work for. "Fletch affected the game a lot of different ways that sometimes don’t show up on the stat sheet,” Nick Sirianni said. "They will come, though. When you affect the game the way he was affecting the game, those stats will come.” As the game got out of hand, Cox did get a lot of rest in the second half. He played only 41 snaps, or 57 percent of the defensive plays. That’s his lowest workload on a percentage basis since a blowout win over the Bears in 2013. That gave Milton Williams and Ridgeway both a chance to play a lot. Williams played 31 snaps in his NFL debut and Ridgway 26 snaps. "You can’t be selfish about it,” Cox said. "Because a fresh Milton Williams is better than a tired Fletcher.” Cox, who’s now 30, indicated that he still needs to work into the kind of shape he needs to be in to play 76 percent of the snaps, which he averaged the last three years. "As the game went on, the coaches just being smart about it, knowing it’s the first game and knowing we were up and you can’t really put a load on guys, especially when you need them in the fourth quarter,” Cox said. "But I think as the season goes I think that number will go up as things start to fall and really get into that actual game shape of just playing four quarters. But nothing to be frustrated about. It’s a great team win and I’m happy about it. "Everybody flew around and made plays and hopefully we do the same thing this week.” https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/how-eagles-dt-fletcher-cox-made-impact-without-making-tackle?utm_tags=sm_npd_rsn_phi_fb_mn&fbclid=IwAR0WXELCxZU-zT0jAdYjpDl1cZ3UMW4_svk0Y-AhUK3Hy9wAzwO3jkIwqd0

The 2 sides of DeVonta Smith: There’s DeVonta and Smitty If you’ve heard DeVonta Smith in an interview since the Eagles drafted him with the No. 10 pick this spring, you probably thought he was just a soft-spoken, introverted kid. In a way, you’re right. But then after the Eagles’ first win of the season, a post-game video surfaced with a shirtless Smith dancing through his teammates during a celebration after the 32-6 win. What gives? "That’s Smitty,” Jalen Reagor said. "Y’all see DeVonta. We see Smitty.” Over the past few months, Smith has been coming out of his shell more and more. He’s never going to be the loudest person in the room, but he can be silly, he can be fun and, yeah, he can dance a little bit too. "That’s just being around the team,” Smith said. "They got me comfortable, got me out of my shell. Just being around those guys got me comfortable and they see who I am when I get comfortable around people.” Smith, 22, said all his teammates have helped him feel comfortable and have treated him like family. Because Smith seems quiet but those who know him best say that isn’t necessarily the case. "I”m pretty sure I’m not the only person they got out of their shell,” he said. It sounds hokey, but when head coach Nick Sirianni lists his core values he always starts with connection. It’s something that’s really important to him. Sirianni learned the power of connection back in his college days when he was in the hospital with a serious leg injury and legendary coach Larry Kehres showed up to visit him. Ever since then, Sirianni makes it a point to connect with his players. And he makes it a point to make sure his players connect with one another. In general terms, the hope is that guys who are connected will play harder for one another. And the best way to connect is to let your personality shine. That’s what Smith has been doing more and more in the few months he’s been an Eagle. Even though some of his teammates, especially those in the receiver room, know about Smith’s personality. Some were probably still surprised to see him break out in a celebratory dance on Sunday afternoon. "Yeah, because you always think he's quiet. You think he's more of a quiet guy initially,” Sirianni said. "He's nice, got a great personality but he's very serious about football and that's great. But that's what you want to see after a game. You work hard to get to that moment, and I want him to feel great after a game like that and celebrate after that and crave to get that again. So, it was good to see DeVonta do that.” But that dance was pretty much where the celebration ended for Smith. On Sunday night, he went home and played video games. Then he went to sleep. Smith on Thursday was asked about his thoughts on Philadelphia as a city and he didn’t really have an answer. "Honestly, I don’t leave my house,” Smith said. "I come here and I just go back home. So I haven’t been nowhere.” How does Smith fill what little spare time the NFL schedule allows? Well, he lives alone so he’ll sit inside, watch film, play video games and sleep. He keeps to himself. "That’s just how I am,” Smith said. "I don’t like being around a lot of people. I don’t like going out.” It’s clear that Smith is mature well beyond his years and is obviously very serious about football. That much is obvious. But he’s not a robot either and it’s important for him to let his personality show. This summer, that process was already beginning. Smith said he opened up with his teammates in Philadelphia much quicker than he did upon his arrival in Alabama as a freshman in 2017. He’s a few years older now and Smith, like Sirianni, understands the importance of connection. Smith said his teammates with the Eagles have made it very easy for him to be himself. Sometimes that means sitting home on a Friday night and watching film. Sometimes that means dancing through his teammates after a big win. As far as that dance, Sirianni said he might have to learn how to do it. "I’m willing to teach him,” Smith said, "if he wants to learn." https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-devonta-smith-letting-his-personality-fly-early-rookie-season?utm_tags=sm_npd_rsn_phi_fb_mn&fbclid=IwAR2ZUC1AKMPbi2qZKowoGqSzulg-yZsZ9SyAx8giSTagJNn-nHd3qCuMm1A

Jordan Mailata faces tough challenge and more in Week 2 matchups to watch The Eagles started off the season with a win in Atlanta in Week 1 and will host the 49ers, also coming off a win, at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Here are five matchups to watch: Eagles’ receivers vs. 49ers’ banged-up corners The 49ers have a good pass rush, one of the best linebackers in the NFL but their situation at cornerback is an area where the Eagles might be able to attack. Heck, I would have said that even before Jason Verrett went down with a knee injury in Week 1. The Niners have brought in veterans Josh Norman and now Dre Kirkpatrick. But this is still an area where the Eagles can do some damage, especially if Jalen Hurts can have a strong Week 2 performance and the line gives him time. The trio of DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor and Quez Watkins performed well in the opener and they’ll have an opportunity to have another big week. The 49ers beat the Lions 41-33 (that score sound familiar?) in Week 1, but Jared Goff still threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns. The 49ers started Verrett and rookie fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir, who will make his second career start on Sunday. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle vs. Eagles’ corners Samuel is coming off a career performance in Week 1. He had 9 catches on 12 targets for 189 yards and a touchdown. He was tremendous against the Lions, who tried a bunch of different guys in coverage against him. Samuel is tricky to defend because he lines up everywhere. Against the Lions, he was mostly lined up out wide but also took some snaps in the slot and even lined up in the backfield for a snap, according to ProFootballFocus. So Jonathan Gannon is going to have a decision to make in this game about how to cover Samuel. Does he decide to use Darius Slay and travel him or is it a team effort? And then the Eagles have to worry about Kittle too. In the opener, the Eagles did a very good job of limiting rookie Kyle Pitts, who was considered by many to be the best overall player in the 2021 draft. Pitts had just four catches for 31 yards in his debut. But as far as tight end challenges go, Week 2 is about as difficult as it gets. The Eagles will have to deal with Kittle, who is coming off a four-catch, 78-yard game against the Lions. Ho hum. Kittle is arguably the best tight end in the NFL and it’s going to take a team effort to stop him. Again, another tough task for Gannon. The Eagles used their corners against Pitts and that might not be a bad idea in Week 2. These playmakers make the 49ers extra tough because we already know they’re going to have a good running game plan because of Kyle Shanahan. But then these mismatch problems on top of it make things even tougher. Jordan Mailata vs. Nick Bosa After signing a $64 million extension the day before the opener, Mailata had a good performance against the Falcons but now he’ll really need to earn his money. Bosa last year went down in Week 2 last year with a torn ACL but returned for Week 1 this season and picked up where he left off. Against the Lions, Bosa had 4 tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFLs and 2 QB hits. Not bad for a player returning from a serious injury. Of his 52 snaps last week, Bosa lined up on the right side for 40 of them. So that means he’ll get his shot at the Eagles’ left tackle, Mailata. For Mailata, this will be one of the best tests during his young career. Bosa as a rookie in 2019 (as the No. 2 pick) had 9 sacks and 25 quarterback hits on his way to a Pro Bowl nod. 49ers’ two quarterbacks vs. Jonathan Gannon In the Niners’ opener, Jimmy Garoppolo played 51 of the 55 offensive snaps, which means rookie Trey Lance got just four. But the 49ers have this two-QB offense in their back pocket and the Eagles have to be ready for it. The good news for the Eagles is they have an absolute football nerd (I mean that lovingly) as their defensive coordinator. "I don't think it's a detriment,” Gannon said this week. "That's just part of how you have to prepare for the game. There's not a lot of tape on this guy in the pros. He played a lot in the pre-season, played some snaps against Detroit. That will be part of our plan. We got to have a good plan for when he's in the game. Our guys will be prepared with, ‘Hey, this is this guy's skill set, this is how we have to defend him.’ "It's a little bit different than defending Jimmy . Jimmy, this is his skill set, this is what we have to be aware of and defend. When they make adjustments, we'll have to make adjustments. We'll prepare our guys with the first start of how we're going to roll. If we need to make adjustments, we'll prepare them kind of later in the week, ‘Hey, here is the next wave, so to speak, of here's what we're going to do.’ "It's kind of cool. Our players, they'll be excited to start -- they're already prepping for San Francisco, but they'll like the multiplicity of how we're going to play this week.” The Eagles already have a multiple defense and will likely game plan differently each week. So that makes preparing for two quarterbacks less of a heavy lift. Jalen Hurts vs. Fred Warner As good as Bosa is, you can make an argument that Warner is the 49ers’ best player on the defensive side of the ball and one of the best middle linebackers in the league. The 49ers’ defense is predicated on his abilities. A lot of this will fall on Nick Sirianni’s game plan against the 49ers but he gives Hurts options at the line of scrimmage based on what he sees from the defense. So this could turn into a chess match of sorts between Sirianni/Hurts and Warner. Warner has been in the NFL for three seasons and finally got his recognition in 2020, being named a Pro Bowler, All-Pro and signing a five-year, $95 million extension with the Niners in July. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-49ers-player-matchups-get-excited-about-week-2?utm_tags=sm_npd_rsn_phi_fb_mn&fbclid=IwAR1mMI7TJCO59yNKyBV7SP7o0PeFjXCDz0vaLtwZzJpuQO0wY6oXRv-0sYI

I’ve been saying the exact same since the deal first went down to anyone suggesting Indy may bench him to protect that pick. I feel pretty good about getting that 1st (unless ***knock on wood*** he gets injured again).

Still too early in his career to make any kind of solid judgement or comparison but from the little we have seen seems his ceiling would be about what Agholor was.

Reagor explains the next step for him after good start in Year 2 It was a good start. Jalen Reagor isn’t making it out to be any more than that. After a disappointing rookie season, the 2020 first-round pick was healthy entering Year 2 and put together a strong opener in Atlanta on Sunday. It doesn’t take the pressure off, he said, but it’s a step in the right direction. "Of course it’s good,” Reagor said. "It’s ultimately what you build on. You try to be consistent and that’s what I’m focusing on, being consistent and not just do it in spurts but do it a lot.” In the Eagles’ 32-6 win on Sunday, Reagor had 5 catches for 49 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the fourth quarter. Not mind-blowing numbers but definitely a good sign. Because even though the Eagles drafted DeVonta Smith with the No. 10 pick this year, they still really need Reagor to pull his weight in Year 2. If Smith turns out to be what we expect and Reagor can put a disappointing rookie season behind him, all of a sudden, the Eagles have an impressive young nucleus to build with. Of course, it has to be more than flashes for Reagor. We saw some of that in training camp. In 1-on-1 drills this summer, Reagor had two of the most spectacular catches you’ll ever see. But the next step in the summer is the next step in the season: He has to do it play after play, week after week. That’s where the success is. It’s about turning those flashes into consistent productive. As for the 23-yard touchdown, it was a nice one. Reagor caught a screen pass from Jalen Hurts, got a tremendous block from Jordan Mailata and then showed off his explosion as he sped into the end zone. After the game, the talk was about that block from Mailata, just a day after he signed a four-year contract extension. "That’s what made the play work,” Reagor said. "Him and our great offensive line. You see, that’s why he got paid. That’s ultimately what made the play work.” But let’s not lose sight of Reagor’s explosiveness on the play. It’s the reason the Eagles drafted him in the first round last year. It’s the reason he’s now their primary punt returner. And it’s also the reason we can expect to see the Eagles get him the ball quickly after the snap. Nick Sirianni’s offense is predicated on getting the ball to his playmakers and letting them create. That seems perfect for Reagor. "That’s the plan,” Reagor said. "Coach is trying to get us the ball in space.” After the game on Sunday, Reagor posted a couple photos of himself from Atlanta with the caption "Revitalized.” On Wednesday, he was asked what he meant. "It’s like new life,” Reagor said. "That’s what I feel like. That’s what I’m preaching. Just positive and having a different outlook on things.” A new outlook after a string of disappointments as a rookie is probably a good idea. But what is the different outlook? "You just gotta look at the best in things because every game is not going to be what you want it to be,” he said. "You just gotta look at the best in every situation. That’s what I feel like I’m focusing on, having a clear soul, clear mind and just going into every week excited and grateful to be here in the position I am.” https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-jalen-reagor-explains-next-step-him-after-good-start-year-2