time2rock

If they weren’t all in on Hurts it wouldn’t make sense to let that be known. If they were interested in targeting someone in the draft other teams that may be interested in the same player could jump us to get him. Not to mention the problem it could create with Hurts if we failed to land the player we targeted.

My gut says he won’t go top 10 but will go before 15 but even if he oldies slide to 15 we won’t go CB … I am 95% sure Howie will go DE there (or QB if a guy he likes falls). I can see us going CB with 19 but am further guessing that the choices then will be Booth (who I like quite a bit) and McCreary.

I like Miles but I don't think I would extend him either. I'd either let him play out his rookie contract then walk in FA (and hope for a comp pick) or see if they can find a team willing to give up a late day 2 or early day 3 pick for him this offseason and move him. Draft another and play Gainwell more. It just doesn't make much sense to me in today's NFL to pay RBs much unless you have someone elite which he is not (and even elite, not sure if it is worth paying premium $).

Well, IF Gannon stays (I tend to think he will ... I don't think he'll get hired on as a HC just yet and I don't think Sirianni is going to can him), then perhaps part of the reason our defense didn't play as well as hoped is because we just didn't have the right personnel for this scheme. So maybe it is good that we have a decent amount of turnover. Also, I am hoping for a defense heavy draft and that many will be given opportunities to see significant play time as rooks. I'd like to see a young defensive unit grow together (not filled with band aids like Harris or Nelson). Those young, hand picked players are usually hungrier. So count me in for letting them all walk and replacing them with young draft picks.

Indeed! Truer words have never been spoken.

Agreed. Since signing his most recent contract extension (Nov 11, 2019), he has played in only 10 games - 8 games to finish out the 2019 season and 2 games this past season. That's not a lot of bang for the buck.

My only criticism is, I wish Howie would focus that approach more on younger players and try to avoid those getting long in the tooth since the latter are more likely to start dealing with injuries as we have seen with Brooks (and to a lesser extent Johnson).

Howie is doing his best now to work his way out of the poor cap situation that we were faced with from the strategy he employed to keep the band together following the championship season thinking our window was wide open and that was the best way to try to capture another. We had a few key players leave via free agency and needed to free up cap to use to replace them so he made moves (usually restructuring deals of some of our core players that were nearing the end of their prime or were already past). With how bad the cap situation was a couple years ago, we knew it would take a few seasons to right the ship (following a slow steady process ... which involves using post June 1 designations in order to defer a large % of the dead money to the following year's cap). We did that with Malik Jackson and Alshon Jeffery last year and this year with Brandon Brooks.

Eagles: Projecting a contract extension for RB Miles Sanders Glenn Erby January 26, 2022 8:56 pm ET The NFL is all about loading up on young, dynamic talent, and as Philadelphia continues a massive rebuild at key positions, one player on the roster is due for a new contract. We’ve previously discussed the future of star running back Miles Sanders, and depending on whom you ask, the young running back is either a star in the making or a guy that the Eagles should part ways with when his deal expires. A 2019 second-round pick, Sanders won’t have to worry about a fifth-year option and 2022 will be the final year on his rookie contract. The 2021 season was the third straight year that Sanders was unable to amass 1,000-yards rushing, but his overall value to the Eagles can’t be denied. Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia recently took a look at Sanders’ future with the organization, and even without the 1,000-yard season under his belt, the Eagles would be crazy to let Sanders hit the open market. Even amid a historic lack of usage rate, Sanders still averages over 5-yards per carry and he’s the 9th player in league history to amass 750-yards and a 5.0 per carry average in consecutive seasons. Here’s an early look at what a new deal for Sanders would look like. Eagles contract approach to running backs Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports According to Spotrac, only the Bucs, 49ers, and Cardinals are paying out less money to the running back position going forward. That number could increase if Leonard Fournette returns to Tampa. The Eagles have benefited from a running back-by-committee approach over the past few years and the personnel could trend towards that way of playing regardless of Sanders getting a new deal. In 2022, Sanders will earn a base salary of $1,224,569, while carrying a cap hit of $1,704,156 and a dead cap value of $479,587, so there’s no rush for a new deal, but moving early can always add value for Howie Roseman. Highest paid running backs in the NFL 2022 Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Per OVER The CAP Player Team Cap Number Cash Spent Ezekiel Elliott Cowboys $18,220,000 $12,400,000 Derrick Henry Titans $15,000,000 $12,000,000 Alvin Kamara Saints $14,500,000 $11,500,000 Christian McCaffrey Panthers $14,309,500 $8,600,000 Dalvin Cook Vikings $12,001,272 $8,900,000 Joe Mixon Bengals $11,420,588 $8,700,000 Aaron Jones Packers $9,000,000 $5,750,000 Kenyan Drake Raiders $8,250,000 $8,000,000 Saquon Barkley Giants $7,217,000 $7,217,000 Austin Ekeler Chargers $7,000,000 $5,500,000 Chris Carson Seahawks $6,425,000 $4,925,000 Kareem Hunt Browns $6,250,000 $6,250,000 Tarik Cohen Bears $5,750,000 $4,000,000 Nick Chubb Browns $5,213,059 $4,213,059 Nyheim Hines Colts $5,140,000 $3,640,000 Jamaal Williams Lions $4,625,000 $4,000,000 Gus Edwards Ravens $4,500,000 $3,250,000 Josh Jacobs Raiders $3,796,990 $2,122,281 How Nyheim Hines new 3-year, $18.6M extension with Colts impacts Sanders Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports Back in September, the Colts agreed to a contract extension with versatile running back Nyheim Hines, and the trickle-down impact will certainly reach Sanders. Per Field Yates, the 3-year, $18.6 million contract extension with $12 million guaranteed, also included $6.2 million a year in new money per season making Hines one of the top 10 highest-paid running backs in the league, while tying him to Indianapolis through 2024. A terrific dual-threat running back, Hines was drafted by the Colts in the 4th round, 104th overall of the 2018 NFL Draft, and compares significantly with Sanders. Over his first three seasons, Hines has logged 893 rushing yards and 1,227 receiving yards, with 13 total touchdowns over that span. Over his first two seasons, Sanders logged 1,685 rushing yards, 706-yards receiving, and 12 total touchdowns. During the 2021 NFL season, Sanders logged 754 rushing yards on 137 attempts, with 26 catches for 158-yards. Projecting a Sanders deal Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Using the franchise tag on Sanders would cost the Eagles between $12M-$16M, while a fair value extension would be less taxing on the salary cap. From a production and value standpoint alone, Sanders’ first three years of work should get him a fair deal that averages somewhere in between the $7.0 million per year Austin Ekeler earns from the Chargers, up towards the $8 million per year that Kenyan Drake is getting from the Raiders. A monster 2022 season for Sanders could force Philadelphia into the $12 million per season that Nick Chubbs (Browns), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Derrick Henry (Titans), Aaron Jones (Packers), and Dalvin Cook (Vikings) all make. It’s unlikely and with the Eagles rebuilding, Howie Roseman will likely aim more for the 3 years, $18.5M that would put Sanders in the company of Hines and other dual-threat backs without breaking the bank. https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/lists/eagles-miles-sanders-projecting-contract-extension-nfl/

Salary cap ramifications of Brooks’ retirement Eagles three-time Pro Bowler Brandon Brooks announced his retirement on Wednesday morning. But the Eagles were already prepared. The Eagles last week restructured Brooks’ contract, limiting his salary cap hit in 2022, a league source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. That was a clear sign both sides were moving on. This will end up being a cap savings of just under $12 million for now and the Eagles drop his non-guaranteed base salary of just over $1 million after June 1. In the restructure, the Eagles reduced Brooks’ base salary from $13.4 million in 2022 to $1.12 million. Brooks, 32, will file his retirement paperwork after June 1. The Eagles will carry his current cap hit through that date before shedding his base salary. Initial cap hit: $19,439,235 Current cap hit: $7,059,235 This will leave some dead money for the Eagles as they move on from Brooks: 2022: $5,939,235 2023: $9,797,237 Basically this is a way for the Eagles to limit Brooks’ cap hit in 2022 and to spread out the remaining dead money on his contract between this season and next. As it stands, the Eagles will have around $24 million in salary cap space when free agency begins in March. Brooks signed a four-year, $56 million contract extension in November of 2019. At the time, it appeared to be a good signing for the Eagles, locking up one of the best guards in the NFL. But since then, Brooks has struggled to stay healthy, playing just two games in the last two years. In 2020, Brooks missed the entire season after tearing his Achilles. In 2021, he played the first two games but tore his pec against the 49ers in Week 2. He was initially expected to return but never did. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-brandon-brooks-retires-salary-cap-ramifications

Former Eagles WR says Jalen Reagor needs a change of scenery Through two NFL seasons, Jalen Reagor has not approached playing up to the billing of the 21st overall pick in the 2020 Draft. His career averages through 28 games of a bit more than two catches for 25 yards reads more like a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver on an NFL team, at best. Factor in the handful of times where he has come up small in big situations -- the most recent being the muffed punt in the Wild Card game against the Buccaneers -- and many Eagles fans would rather he takes his talents elsewhere. Former Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant played in Philadelphia for eight seasons, and is remembered for being one of the most sure-handed, if not prolific, pass-catchers in recent memory. Avant knows what it means to play in Philadelphia, and on the Take Off with John Clark Podcast, he shared that the City of Brotherly Love may be too much for the 23-year-old from Waxahachie, Texas to handle. "I think that Jalen Reagor may need a change of scenery. I just do, I think that this city is tough, in and of itself. I just think it has gotten to him in Philadelphia, and I don’t necessarily know if this is the best, you know, city for his personality type. "Now, that city could be somewhere else, where he can thrive and be a better player, but the truth of the matter is that there’s a lot of growth and development that has not occurred with Jalen Reagor. "I think that some of it is confidence, but also… he has been able to get away with being the best athlete for so long. When you get to the NFL, being the best athlete is impossible. It’s the upper echelon, the most elite of the elite. You have to have technique, you have to have some subtleties, some tricks, you have to have a bunch of development. I think it’s just caught up to him. The lack of preparation… has caught up to him now.” That last bit is very telling. Reagor was drafted where he was because of the athletic gifts he showed at TCU, on big stages in the Big 12. But most NFL players know that the work doesn’t stop once you are drafted, regardless of which round you were taken. The fans in Philadelphia are demanding, especially for big-name free agents and highly-selected draft picks. And fair or not, if you don’t produce, or show measured development, you will draw plenty of negative attention. Reagor has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal. It would be a surprise if he is not on the team for 2022. It would cost the team more than twice as much to release him than to keep him. But barring a serious turnaround next season, he will have to find his game somewhere else. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/jalen-reagor-change-of-scenery-jason-avant-eagles

IINM, the only money that "goes away" would be his base salary and any roster or workout bonuses. The prorated bonus that was spread out through the life of the contract would accelerate into 2022 (under normal circumstances ... well, actually they still do initially ... the $9.8M in dead money that pushes into 2023 won't be realized until June 1).

Eagles end up with another Pro Bowler after all Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave officially became a first-time Pro Bowler on Wednesday. Hargrave, 28, was an alternate but will replace Packers DL Kenny Clark, who is out with an injury. Really, you could have made a strong case that Hargrave should have been voted in ahead of Clark in the first place. Take a look at their stats from 2021: Clark: 16 games, 4 sacks, 48 tackles, 7 TFLs, 14 QB hits Hargrave: 16 games, 7.5 sacks, 63 tackles, 9 TFLs, 18 QB hits Hargrave, who will turn 29 the day after this year’s Pro Bowl, got off to a white hot start in 2021. He had six sacks in his first five games before the production waned. After the way Hargrave began his season, opposing offenses began to give him the extra attention that used to go to Fletcher Cox, whose streak of six straight Pro Bowls ended this year. "I think I had one of my best seasons so far in my career,” Hargrave said after the Eagles’ season ended the playoffs. "As far as the defense, we kept growing at the season progressed and kept getting better. Some of the young guys got better and contributed. We just got better as a unit.” Hargrave signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Eagles before the start of the 2020 season. He got off to a slow start with the Eagles thanks to an injury in his first training camp but came to camp healthy in 2021 and it made a huge difference. The Eagles now have three Pro Bowlers from the 2021 season: Hargrave, Darius Slay and Jason Kelce. Kelce was also named an All-Pro by the Associated Press. In addition to Hargrave, the following Eagles were also alternates: Jake Elliott, Dallas Goedert, Shaun Bradley, Jalen Hurts, Josh Sweat. The Pro Bowl will be held on Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. EST from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-javon-hargrave-finally-named-pro-bowl

Eagles back Jalen Hurts as their 2022 starter, but should we believe them? Tim McManusESPN Staff Writer PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni sent a clear message Wednesday they're heading into the offseason with the intention of building around quarterback Jalen Hurts rather than looking for his replacement. "Jalen knows where he stands with us," Sirianni said. "There's no secrets there. He knows he's our guy." That's a pretty solid endorsement of Hurts, who at age 23 became the youngest quarterback in franchise history to start a playoff game. He bumped his completion percentage up nearly 10 points from his rookie year to 61.3%, showed growth as a pocket passer and decision-maker, and led all quarterbacks with 784 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He is a strong leader with an exceptional work ethic who is obsessed with improving at his chosen craft. This was a transition year for the Eagles, and he helped them overachieve by guiding them into the postseason with a 9-8 record. On the flip side, Hurts ranked 26th in completion rate despite those improvements as a thrower. He was a critical component to a ground game that finished tops in the NFL (159.7 rush yards/game), but the offense often faltered when the Eagles had to rely on the pass, as seen in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' convincing 31-15 win over Philadelphia in the wild-card playoff game Sunday, in which Hurts went 23-of-43 for 258 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The Eagles were 0-7 against playoff teams in 2021 and were outscored by a combined 96 points in those games. Hurts went 8-8 as the starter and beat one team that finished the season with a winning record -- the Saints, who had third-string QB Trevor Siemian at the controls. Quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson, who have all been to multiple Pro Bowls, could potentially be available by trade this offseason. The Eagles have three first-round picks in April's draft (Nos. 15, 16 and 19 overall). They are as well-positioned as any team from a capital perspective to land a standout veteran, and could also use those assets to move up to select one of the top quarterbacks in this draft class. Why did they send such strong signals that they're rolling with Hurts? And could there be another twist ahead in this storyline? Let's explore. Acquiring a veteran The Eagles have already told us through their actions that they're intrigued by Wilson and Watson. Wilson, 33, is the one who got away. Management has not been shy in expressing how high they were on him coming out of Wisconsin, and how much they kick themselves for not being more aggressive during the 2012 draft. They thought they would have a chance to take him with their third-round selection, 88th overall, but he was plucked by the Seattle Seahawks with the 75th pick. Philadelphia ended up taking Nick Foles, and while their relationship with Foles certainly worked out, missing out on Wilson remains a sore spot. It changed the way the Eagles think about quarterbacks: If there's one you really believe in, it's better to deviate from the value chart to go after him than live with regret. That's part of the reason they took Hurts in the second round in 2020 even with Carson Wentz in place. Philadelphia showed interest in Watson before. One league executive described the Eagles as being in "active pursuit" of Watson leading into the 2021 season, if not later, though he remained on the Texans' roster through the Nov. 2 trade deadline. Watson faces 22 civil lawsuits by women accusing him of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. As for Rodgers, what team wouldn't be interested in acquiring the three-time MVP? Quarterbacks, though, have more sway than ever over where they end up, and to this point, there's no evidence any of the top quarterbacks view Philadelphia as the most desirable destination. Watson was reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause for the Miami Dolphins but not the Eagles before the deadline. Meanwhile, the only teams Wilson would have waived his no-trade clause for last year were the Cowboys, Saints, Bears and Raiders, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Even if Wilson and Watson were to expand those teams to include Philadelphia, there's bound to be competition. If Wilson wants the Giants, say, and the Giants want Wilson, New York has two top-10 picks in April's draft to offer Seattle. Beyond Rodgers, Wilson and Watson, the next tier of quarterbacks who could theoretically become available include Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins. It's debatable how much of an upgrade those signal-callers would be over Hurts, whose contract is considerably less expensive than all of them with base salaries of $1.1 million and $1.3 million over the next two seasons. Drafting a QB This is not considered a strong quarterback class, and there is little separation currently among the top prospects. "This year’s quarterback race is a little bit different from what we have seen in years past," ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid said. "There hasn’t been that top quarterback who has really grabbed your attention and [positioned] himself to be the No. 1 overall pick like we’ve seen with Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow or even Kyler Murray going back to 2019. I think this quarterback race is going to [continue] up to draft day." Reid currently projects Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, Mississippi's Matt Corral and North Carolina's Sam Howell as first-round picks, with Liberty's Malik Willis and Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder as wild cards. Pickett, 23, is considered the "safe option" in draft circles right now, Reid said, heightening the odds he is the first quarterback taken. Reid believes Pickett and Corral will be gone by the time the Eagles get on the clock with their first pick at 15, but that they're well-positioned if one of the other quarterbacks is to their liking. "They are probably in the wheelhouse if they want one of those guys. It will probably be between Willis or Sam Howell,” he said. Reid called the big-armed, fleet-footed Willis "my favorite of the group right now" and thinks his skill set best matches what Sirianni wants to do on offense. But he's raw and would probably need a year or two to develop behind a veteran. As for QB prospects later in the draft, Reid said you could likely get Western Kentucky's Bailey Zappe, who broke Burrow's NCAA record with 62 passing touchdowns this past season, in the third or fourth round. If it were Reid's decision, he would roll with Hurts for another year as opposed to selecting a quarterback high in this year's draft, especially considering the question marks surrounding each prospect. "If I were a betting man, I don't think the Eagles make all three of those picks in the first round," he said. "I think they try to trade back for one more pick in next year's draft so they can have two first-round picks in 2023 in case they want to move up and get a quarterback of their liking." Building around Hurts Hurts is very young. His top receiver this year, DeVonta Smith, was a 23-year-old rookie. He didn't have a single primary wideout over 25. There's a strong case to me made that the right course of action is to use the bulk of that draft capital to build the roster up around Hurts and his green supporting cast. "We have to do whatever we can to continue to help him develop," Roseman said. "And how do we do that? By surrounding him with really good players -- players who continue to grow." Roseman knows it's a lot easier to construct a championship-caliber roster with a starting quarterback on his rookie deal. Hurts carries a cap hit of $1.6 million and $1.9 million over the next two seasons. A player like Wilson, in contrast, carries cap hits of $37 million and $40 million. There are benefits to growing this thing organically, and some evidence Hurts would be an ideal tone-setter for such a venture. "I want to follow that dude," said 6-foot-8, 365-pound left tackle Jordan Mailata. "He wants to fix his mistakes. When I see my captain doing that, I want to do the same thing.” Hurts was on his sixth playcaller in as many seasons in 2021, an unfortunate streak that dates all the way back to his freshman year at Alabama. And Sirianni overhauled the offense at the midway point of the season after realizing it wasn't maximizing his personnel. Still, Hurts showed marked improvement as a pocket passer over the course of the year. He suffered a high ankle sprain against the New York Giants on Nov. 28, missed a pair of games and wasn't the same as a runner the rest of the way. Hurts, who appeared at the postgame news conference Sunday in a walking boot, said he "wasn't able to get freaky like usual" down the stretch. Sirianni remains focused on Hurts' footwork and believes his accuracy and decision-making will continue to improve as he learns through experience and film study. If he can combine a more efficient passing game with his "freaky" ground attack, the Eagles will really have something. Could the Eagles throw us a curveball? Of course. It's always best to watch what an organization does rather than listen to what it says. Case in point: Last January, Roseman likened Wentz to a finger on his hand. "You can't imagine that they're not part of you, that they're not here. That's how we feel about Carson," he said. A little over a month later, he traded Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. Even amid his backing of Hurts on Wednesday, Roseman did not entirely discount the possibility of trading for a quarterback, saying his job is to "look at everything, evaluate every position and every player." If Wilson became available at a reasonable price and wanted to play in Philly, would the Eagles consider it? You would think so. Wednesday wasn't the end to this story. There are likely to be rumors that pop up between now and the start of the league year, in part because the Eagles are famous for exploring every option, no matter how feasible. But the most likely outcome is Hurts is the starter in 2022, as reflected in Roseman and Sirianni's messaging Wednesday. https://www.espn.com/blog/philadelphia-eagles/post/_/id/32565/eagles-back-jalen-hurts-as-their-2022-starter-but-should-we-believe-them

Philadelphia Eagles rework Brandon Brooks' deal with reduced salary, create over $12M in cap space, source says 10:05 AM ET Field Yates ESPN Insider The Philadelphia Eagles and guard Brandon Brooks recently agreed to a reworked contract that includes a reduced salary for the 2022 season, a league source told ESPN. The move gives the Eagles an additional $12.38 million in 2022 salary-cap space entering an offseason during which they own three first-round draft picks and are positioned well to upgrade their roster. Brooks' future with Philadelphia remains unclear, but Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman was effusive in his praise for the three-time Pro Bowler and focused on his health during his end-of-season news conference earlier this month. Brooks, 32, was previously due a base salary of $13.4 million for 2022, $9 million of which was due to become fully guaranteed on March 18. He is now due a minimum base salary of just $1.12 million, and it is not guaranteed. In addition, Brooks' annual workout bonus of $100,000 has been removed, as have his $2 million training camp reporting bonuses due in 2023 and 2024. His total compensation for the next three years has been reduced to $16.58 million. Brooks, who is scheduled to address reporters Wednesday morning, has played in just two games since the end of the 2019 season because of multiple injuries. He missed the entire 2020 season because of a torn Achilles tendon and suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 2 of this past season. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33151594/philadelphia-eagles-rework-brandon-brooks-deal-reduced-salary-create-12m-cap-space-source-says