Jason Peters discussion: will start at LT

[Penn7980]

Peters brings more than to man the RG position.  He can slide to OT in a heart beat.  He is a mentor to all the linemen and leader in the locker room.  All good.

[EazyEaglez]

1 hour ago, NOTW said:

I think they just really like JP and wanted him back somehow and this gave them a reason.  I think it was tough for them to let him go in free agency. You don't often see a team let someone go but basically stay in touch and keep talking.  Sometimes they let the person "test the waters" then sign them shortly after.  COVID has certainly affected things this year but still, this was an odd one.  I think it comes down to they love JP, he has a lot of influence and they like the idea of him being around to continue to mentor everyone.  Even Kelce said he learns something ongoing from Peters, he's great to have around to learn from.  I think there's some emotion that comes into play there.  I don't know if it will work, and JP has some injury history and without a normal offseason it will be interesting to see how his health goes.  

I don't mind looking at it like bringing in some depth and an extra body but not necessarily slotting him in as starter at RG immediately.  But things can change.  If he struggles at all or Pryor just looks better you never know.  You do get versatility of course if they need to move him to Tackle.  Pryor is versatile, Seumalo played some center, the OT Driscoll they drafted can play other positions so under Stoutland he can make it work so we'll see.

I have believed  for a long time JP would be back. The Eagles left the door open for him to come back. I figured the closer we got to camp the likelihood it would happen though I thought it would be during preseason games. Since he’s moving positions I guess the want to get him in earlier so they can work with him, but not surprised he’s back. With that being the case I would like to see them do more. 

[time2rock]

I'm OK with having him back.  I really wish he would have retired and came back to join the coaching staff as an assistant OL coach or something, but since he wishes to play still, having him compete at RG and serve as OT depth isn't a bad deal.  

[SNOORDA]

Im all for a strong run game and balanced offense.   Especially when we need wentz to get another year under his belt w/o an injury.  

this would be a good season to run heavy.  

[Skitoe]

to me this is really a no brainer. Even if brooks was healthy wouldve been the right move. Not too expensive, coach on the field still a leader and well respected. Him at rg will help the loss of brooks. not replace brooks but help ease his loss

[Jeep_man]

This surely cant be the big move which Baldy was talking about. 

[EagleJoe8]

4 hours ago, Jeep_man said:

This surely cant be the big move which Baldy was talking about. 

Yup. It is. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

4 hours ago, Jeep_man said:

This surely cant be the big move which Baldy was talking about. 

Unfortunately so my friend, unfortunately so. No big exciting news for us Eagles fans this off season. 

[QBhunter58]

Glad he is back, makes me feel better about the guard spot and LT depth. I have always found it hard to like JP because of his hard line approach to position change and his stubbornness during contract negotiations. It is good to see him show a little flexibility

[UK_EaglesFan89]

17 minutes ago, QBhunter58 said:

Glad he is back, makes me feel better about the guard spot and LT depth. I have always found it hard to like JP because of his hard line approach to position change and his stubbornness during contract negotiations. It is good to see him show a little flexibility

Do you think he'll actually play RG? That's a genuine question not a leading one. I mean I'm not sure either way. I think he possibly can play RG but it won't be easy for him. 

[QBhunter58]

18 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Do you think he'll actually play RG? That's a genuine question not a leading one. I mean I'm not sure either way. I think he possibly can play RG but it won't be easy for him. 

I think they roll dillard out at LT and give him a shot. Hopefully Peters can switch to RG (he does have some help over there to help if he needs left/right adjustment). If Dillard is a flop, i can see them bringing Peters over to his old spot. The difference between right and left may be the tricky part, I almost wish Seumalo could hop over to the right side because I think left guard would be a better spot for JP.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

32 minutes ago, QBhunter58 said:

I think they roll dillard out at LT and give him a shot. Hopefully Peters can switch to RG (he does have some help over there to help if he needs left/right adjustment). If Dillard is a flop, i can see them bringing Peters over to his old spot. The difference between right and left may be the tricky part, I almost wish Seumalo could hop over to the right side because I think left guard would be a better spot for JP.

I hope you are right. I mean the good thing is they have Pryor who, though a limited sample, did play well when he stepped in at RG against Seattle last year so there is hope there. I think the big question is whether Dillard can handle the pressure. Now of course he needs to if he wants to make it at the top level and be our long term LT but it's a lot of pressure knowing that the former incumbent of the LT position is only a few players away to his right hand side.

[time2rock]

16 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I hope you are right. I mean the good thing is they have Pryor who, though a limited sample, did play well when he stepped in at RG against Seattle last year so there is hope there. I think the big question is whether Dillard can handle the pressure. Now of course he needs to if he wants to make it at the top level and be our long term LT but it's a lot of pressure knowing that the former incumbent of the LT position is only a few players away to his right hand side.

You have players that embrace the competition - they know someone is on their heels to take their job and in response work harder to be better.  Then you have players that succumb to the pressure of having that kind of pressure on them.  Sure hope we drafted the former with the 22nd pick last year.  We've had too many misses with our 1st rd pick over the past 10 years - the only surefire hits are Wentz, Johnson, and Cox.  

[weko]

21 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I hope you are right. I mean the good thing is they have Pryor who, though a limited sample, did play well when he stepped in at RG against Seattle last year so there is hope there. I think the big question is whether Dillard can handle the pressure. Now of course he needs to if he wants to make it at the top level and be our long term LT but it's a lot of pressure knowing that the former incumbent of the LT position is only a few players away to his right hand side.

It's pro football.  Every year new guys will come in to try and take your spot.  Time for Mr Softie to step up and embrace the challenge.  Hopefully he's up to it

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, weko said:

It's pro football.  Every year new guys will come in to try and take your spot.  Time for Mr Softie to step up and embrace the challenge.  Hopefully he's up to it

I think it is a little different. Peters is not only the former long term resident at LT but he's also a HoF player, a huge presence in the locker room and friends with the owner. 

[weko]

21 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I think it is a little different. Peters is not only the former long term resident at LT but he's also a HoF player, a huge presence in the locker room and friends with the owner. 

Yes but this snowflake, as a #1 pick, has been handed the job.  It's his to lose.  You need confidence to succeed at this level.  You believe in yourself or you don't.  He's set for life financially.  He's had a year on the bench to develop.  It's sink or swim time.  The team is obviously concerned about his mental make up.  Hence the announcement that Peters is coming back to play OG.  Peters is returning to be an insurance policy at LT.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, weko said:

Yes but this snowflake, as a #1 pick, has been handed the job.  It's his to lose.  You need confidence to succeed at this level.  You believe in yourself or you don't.  He's set for life financially.  He's had a year on the bench to develop.  It's sink or swim time.  The team is obviously concerned about his mental make up.  Hence the announcement that Peters is coming back to play OG.  Peters is returning to be an insurance policy at LT.

And the fact they've brought Peters back is a worry. Whether it's to be RG or not the questions will be there now. What concerns me is that the FO didn't really spend too many resources on Dillard prior to the draft as they didn't think he'd be there. Would they have drafted him if they'd have spent real time with him?

[weko]

1 hour ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

And the fact they've brought Peters back is a worry. Whether it's to be RG or not the questions will be there now. What concerns me is that the FO didn't really spend too many resources on Dillard prior to the draft as they didn't think he'd be there. Would they have drafted him if they'd have spent real time with him?

You are 100% right.  That is a key issue. I remember reading an article where Stoutland didn't work him out as they didn't think he'd be available.  I not sure but i don't think he or anyone in the organization either met Dillard or if they did, spent any time with him.  The best LT in any draft should be off the board by pick 7-12.  I think it's telling that not only did the first 21 or so teams pass him up, but no one else thought it was worth a 3 or 4 to go up and get him.  Tells me that the teams that did their due diligence didn't like what they learned. 

Case in point...from your sophomore/junior year you know you're getting drafted fairly high.  You're not intellectually curious about what it would take to play the right side of the line?  You never once ask the line coach to teach you anything about that side of the line?  In your O line meetings you don't learn anything about playing RT when you're in film study?  It's common knowledge that NFL teams place a very high value on Olinemen playing multiple positions, but you never make any effort to learn RT?  Many LTs in college start at RT or are converted to RT after being drafted.  I would bet that a majority of NFL RTs played LT in college. 

Prior to that game at RT, Dillard told everyone that he was going to fail, that he couldn't play the position.  That is the snowflake Pac 12 soft as Charmin attitude that winners don't have.  Adapt improvise overcome.  Hopefully the kid can make it at LT, but he's officially on the clock.  Has to come out strong right away.  Another in a long line of Howie picks i wouldn't have made.  We can only hope he gets his head right and decides to step up.  If not Peters will take over and we will draft another LT fairly high next year.

[EagleVA]

On 7/14/2020 at 10:26 AM, EaglesfanfromND said:

Cheap insurance, hope Pryor gets a shot to compete for the starting position. JP can't play every snap any more, I'd rather go with a younger guy who'll be there every snap then the in and out of an aging vet. It's disruptive to the overall line play IMO.

Yeah, personally I'd play play him at LG and give Pryor his shot at RG.......that organization can't seem to figure out anything, I mean think about, they're just coming to the conclusion that you want speed at the WR position, hopefully they'll figure out you also want speed at the CB position some time this decade.

[time2rock]

Those of you suggesting we used a 1st round pick (and change ... to move up) on Dillard without having done a great deal of due diligence on him as a prospect beforehand are delusional.  You can argue all you want about Howie’s overall abilities as a talent evaluator and you wouldn’t be wrong about his shortcomings, but to consider he (and his scouting team) would not have done a thorough evaluation of Dillard leading up to the draft is ridiculous.  

 

[weko]

17 hours ago, time2rock said:

Those of you suggesting we used a 1st round pick (and change ... to move up) on Dillard without having done a great deal of due diligence on him as a prospect beforehand are delusional.  You can argue all you want about Howie’s overall abilities as a talent evaluator and you wouldn’t be wrong about his shortcomings, but to consider he (and his scouting team) would not have done a thorough evaluation of Dillard leading up to the draft is ridiculous.  

 

You may be right but it's a fact that Stoutland never worked him out.  He works our every Olineman we draft, except Dillard I guess.

[Penn7980]

If Peters is the mentor to Dillard on and off the field, it should only help the young OT to develop.  But if JP is there as a constant threat to take back his position, then it would be a big problem.  Hopefully, it is the former and not the latter.  Doug must make sure that is the case.

[NOTW]

On 7/17/2020 at 6:28 PM, time2rock said:

Those of you suggesting we used a 1st round pick (and change ... to move up) on Dillard without having done a great deal of due diligence on him as a prospect beforehand are delusional.  You can argue all you want about Howie’s overall abilities as a talent evaluator and you wouldn’t be wrong about his shortcomings, but to consider he (and his scouting team) would not have done a thorough evaluation of Dillard leading up to the draft is ridiculous.  

 

 

On 7/18/2020 at 12:20 PM, weko said:

You may be right but it's a fact that Stoutland never worked him out.  He works our every Olineman we draft, except Dillard I guess.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/how-jeff-stoutland-last-minute-phone-call-helped-eagles-land-andre-dillard

 

Quote

 

How Jeff Stoutland's last-minute phone call helped the Eagles land Andre Dillard

It was the Saturday before the first day of the NFL draft, and Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland had some unanswered questions.

He knew the Eagles were very interested in drafting Andre Dillard in the first round if he dropped down into the 20s.

But because Dillard was projected to be gone long before the Eagles picked at 25, Stoutland never had a chance to visit him at Washington State.

I like when you go out to the school, you get a chance the night before you go sit down with him, you sit in the classroom, the next morning you wake up, you do the workout, and if there’s anything else you need to do you hang around a little longer,” Stoutland said. "I didn’t have that chance to do that with him. … You try to make sure you know everything about every player, but to be honest with you, everybody thought he was kind of out of our reach. You can’t go everywhere. You can’t go out and visit all the players and work them all out. It’s impossible. There’s not enough time.

But Stoutland wasn’t comfortable enough to really go to bat for him. Not yet.

If the Eagles were on the clock and owner Jeff Lurie or executive vice president of football operations suddenly asked Stoutland some crucial questions about Dillard, did he truly have the answers?

When Mr. Lurie or Howie asks me a question about a particular player, I better have an answer, that’s my job,” Stoutland said Monday. "With (Dillard), I needed more information.

What exactly was Stout looking for? 

"Just the football intelligence part of it and how important is the game, the whole makeup,” he said. "I wanted to just double back on it all.”

It was way too late to bring Dillard into Philly or set up a visit on campus.

So five days before the draft, on what would have been a normal, quiet day off for the veteran offensive line coach, Stoutland decided to call Dillard and just try to get a better feel for who he was as a person and as a player.

"My wife goes, ‘Where are you going?’” Stoutland recalled. 

"And I said, ‘Look, I’m going in the other room, everybody just leave me alone for a little bit, I need to make one phone call and I’m good for the rest of the day.’”

Most mock drafts and draft analysts had Dillard going in that 12-18 range, with some projecting him a little higher and some a little lower.

Stoutland knew he could be wasting his time, contacting a kid who was projected to be long gone by the time it was the Eagles’ turn to draft.

But he picked up the phone anyway.

I called him, it was early in the morning, he said, ‘Give me half an hour,’ and then he called back and we Skyped and I had a chance to speak to him,” Stoutland said. “(I told him), ‘You never know in the draft what can happen,’ and I said I’m just making sure. We had a nice conversation. … I felt very, very comfortable and very good with that conversation. Never thought anything would come of it, to be quite honest with you.

On draft day, with the legendary position coach now comfortable with Dillard and Dillard dropping, the Eagles moved up three spots to select him at No. 22.

"You’re sitting there watching the draft and they’re selecting all the defensive linemen and now all the (offensive line) quality is getting pushed back and you’re saying, ‘Holy cow, we might have a shot at this,’” Stoutland said. "And it all worked out.”

Stoutland has been coaching offensive linemen at a high level for a long time, going back to the early 1990s at Cornell. 

What did Dillard share with Stoutland during that conversation on April 20?

I just liked the love of football,” he said. "The importance of it to him. Being prepared. I liked the fact that he’s looking for somebody that’s going to challenge him. … I would say also an increased football intelligence, probably better than I thought. I did ask him some detailed questions, which he answered really good. Sometimes when you have a 1-on-1 conversation with somebody when there’s not a lot of people around, you learn a lot more.

It’s too early to tell whether Dillard will carry on the left tackle tradition of Tra Thomas and Jason Peters, but Stoutland said the 23-year-old Dillard so far has been everything he expected in practice.

If Dillard is what the Stoutland thinks he is, the Eagles will be set at left tackle for a decade once Peters finally retires.

All because of that one extra phone call that Stoutland just had to make.

 

 

[time2rock]

41 minutes ago, NOTW said:

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/how-jeff-stoutland-last-minute-phone-call-helped-eagles-land-andre-dillard

 

 

Thanks for posting this.  Other than the phone conversation I’m sure the scouts (and Stout) watched a ton of film on him which IMO would be much more conclusive than a personal workout regarding evaluating him.  

[NOTW]

3 hours ago, time2rock said:

Thanks for posting this.  Other than the phone conversation I’m sure the scouts (and Stout) watched a ton of film on him which IMO would be much more conclusive than a personal workout regarding evaluating him.  

I'm sure the scouts did their review of him and all, the article didn't indicate those specifics.  But they knew enough of him to have him graded much higher than they were picking and they were excited he fell to them and were able to trade up.  Sounds like the piece they didn't do was meeting him in person and Stoutland did that phone call as a last check box but they liked his skills and film.