Workouts today. 

I see it's that time of year where people complain about the Eagles' draft history, when they've been mostly fine in that area.

5 minutes ago, RLC said:

I see it's that time of year where people complain about the Eagles' draft history, when they've been mostly fine in that area.

That’s a quite a stretch. Howie’s draft record is objectively sub par. The defense wouldn’t be in the state it is if Howie could draft on defense. 

6 minutes ago, Blazehound said:

That’s a quite a stretch. Howie’s draft record is objectively sub par. The defense wouldn’t be in the state it is if Howie could draft on defense. 

It seems it would be because we have had coordinators keep using guys out of position, or misuse their skillsets. We have seen misuse of our personnel constantly. We have also seen, for years and years, failed defensive players here go on to have very successful careers elsewhere. 

Just now, HazletonEagle said:

It seems it would be because we have had coordinators keep using guys out of position, or misuse their skillsets.

That’s fair too. But the talent on defense is undeniably bad, and paper thin in terms of quality depth.

3 minutes ago, Blazehound said:

That’s a quite a stretch. Howie’s draft record is objectively sub par. The defense wouldn’t be in the state it is if Howie could draft on defense. 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33297949/nfl-draft-which-teams-gotten-best-value-2012-rank-all-32
Eagles at 6. 2010 to 2022.

You can find other models that have us in the middle of the pack. 

I'm not going to say we're as good as Dallas, GB or Baltimore (we're not), but we're not the Panthers, Browns, etc that some people think we are.

Just now, Blazehound said:

That’s fair too. But the talent on defense is undeniably bad, and paper thin in terms of quality depth.

I deny that the talent is undeniably bad. depth was an issue at LB. It was thin at DE but we luckily stayed healthy there and even traded one away. It was excellent at outside CB. There was none at nickel which hurt us for a few weeks but Roby was a solid signing when healthy. The safety position was deep, but unproven and even with its depth it was severely tested with injuries. Evans in the first game, Blankenship and Brown both missed time. Traded away Edmonds. Byard came on board... Lot of guys capable of playing there. But had to cycle through all of them.

supposedly the eagles offered a 1st round pick for Derrick Brown last draft. According to Charlie Campbell.

I reported that the Eagles wanted to do a slight move up for Jalen Carter, and that is what they did on draft night. The year before they moved up for Jordan Davis. Interestingly, prior to moving up for Davis, the Eagles had their eye on a similar freaky athlete defensive tackle. Per sources, prior to the 2022 NFL Draft, the Eagles offered the Carolina Panthers a first-round pick for Derrick Brown.

The Eagles had decisions on getting better in the trenches, and Brown certainly would have helped there. After being the seventh-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Brown has turned into an excellent interior defensive lineman. Then Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer turned down the offer. Brown was viewed as one of Carolina’s long-term building blocks, and new general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales will have to decide if the organization is going to sign Brown to a long-term extension.

After not getting the Panthers to trade Brown to them, the Eagles set themselves up with the Bulldogs duo of Davis and Carter, which should work for many years to come. Carolina is faced with some huge decisions now on paying Brown as well as a difficult situation regarding defensive end Brian Burns. The Panthers have to decide to extend, franchise tag, or tag-and-trade Burns over the next few days. Every year, there are many trades that are turned down, and the Eagles getting turned down for Brown has left a big impact on both franchises.

Leonard Taylor football character.

One talented player who needs to ace the interviews is Miami defensive tackle Leonard Taylor. Team sources from around the NFL said that while Taylor has a nice skill set, they had given him a late-round grade because of his football character.

Sources said Taylor has a bad work ethic and doesn’t love football. That’s what they shared they saw, and it sounds like that was confirmed in conversations with staff from Miami. 

5 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

supposedly the eagles offered a 1st round pick for Derrick Brown last draft. According to Charlie Campbell.

I reported that the Eagles wanted to do a slight move up for Jalen Carter, and that is what they did on draft night. The year before they moved up for Jordan Davis. Interestingly, prior to moving up for Davis, the Eagles had their eye on a similar freaky athlete defensive tackle. Per sources, prior to the 2022 NFL Draft, the Eagles offered the Carolina Panthers a first-round pick for Derrick Brown.

The Eagles had decisions on getting better in the trenches, and Brown certainly would have helped there. After being the seventh-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Brown has turned into an excellent interior defensive lineman. Then Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer turned down the offer. Brown was viewed as one of Carolina’s long-term building blocks, and new general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales will have to decide if the organization is going to sign Brown to a long-term extension.

After not getting the Panthers to trade Brown to them, the Eagles set themselves up with the Bulldogs duo of Davis and Carter, which should work for many years to come. Carolina is faced with some huge decisions now on paying Brown as well as a difficult situation regarding defensive end Brian Burns. The Panthers have to decide to extend, franchise tag, or tag-and-trade Burns over the next few days. Every year, there are many trades that are turned down, and the Eagles getting turned down for Brown has left a big impact on both franchises.

Derrick Brown rules and that would have been a great trade for us.

Carolina is also dumb and the still haven't extended him. What a bad franchise.

8 minutes ago, RLC said:

I see it's that time of year where people complain about the Eagles' draft history, when they've been mostly fine in that area.

I know, right?

Sorry, I can't do it.    They have NOT been 'mostly fine' in that area.    At the WR position, they have swung and missed so many times that they basically surrendered and gave up a first round pick and $100M to bring in a true WR 1.   Glad they did finally find a nugget with Davonta Smith just the year before... but the WR draft pick graveyard over the years of the likes of Nelson Agholor, Jalen Reagor, Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff... just abysmal.  So much so that they ended one year with Greg Ward as the leading receptions leader and Travis Fulgham as the top yards producer.    That's not just bad, that's blatant incompetence.

Shall we discuss defensive backs next?   Just bleak.  They have had to go out and sign free agent, after free agent for the secondary precisely because their draft picks have been so bad.

Defensively, they have drafted one guy who flashes talent to be a perennial All-Pro in the future.   That means, that they lose Cox, and they replace him with Carter.  That's nice.   But that's it defensively.   Everything else is hoping and wishing.  Dean?  Undersized and may never be able to handle the punishment of playing in the middle in the NFL.  Ringo?  Hope and prayers that he can be serviceable (but that's where I'd put his ceiling) on the outside.  All we can say about him right now is that he's likely better than Bradberry.  Not exactly high praise.  At Safety?  We have a heat seeking missile in Sydney Brown who plays with his hair on fire, but seemingly with his eyes closed.  And we have Blankenship, everybody's favorite... but still likely no better than a #3 S.  Oh.. and Josh Sweat, a guy we hope can keep his knees healthy enough to play, and also hope he can do way more than the nothing he provided in 2023.

 

This team has gone the route of trying to squeeze years out of aging vets on the defensive side of the ball for YEARS now because of how poorly they've managed their draft resources and have selected on that side of the ball over the years.   They have traded away mid-round picks that could have been used on some depth pieces or lottery picks for guys that literally HURT the team... Robert Quinn, Kevin Byard... and have spent pennies on other free agents at important positions because they have over invested offensively and had very little left over for the defense... unless you think spending $8M total on the likes of Cunningham, Leonard, Byard, Evans, and Edmunds... that to go back to years where they targeted guys like Andrew Sandejo, Anthony Harris, etc.    It's been band-aids, chewing gum and duct tape for a while on defense.  And a lot of it has to do with their inability to draft defensive players.... and that includes giving away picks to trade for defensive players that also can't play anymore!    

20 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

It seems it would be because we have had coordinators keep using guys out of position, or misuse their skillsets. We have seen misuse of our personnel constantly. We have also seen, for years and years, failed defensive players here go on to have very successful careers elsewhere. 

Or from a different perspective: The GM did a bad job of projecting these players and how they fit into the coordinators’ schemes. 

4 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

Or from a different perspective: The GM did a bad job of projecting these players and how they fit into the coordinators’ schemes. 

no. coordinators change too much. His job is pretty much impossible. Draft for 1 guy, and its a new guy the next year or 2 years later.

The DL question one is reliable depth vs numbers.

What will be interesting is to see how Fangio's work ethic demands impact a player like Davis.  Clearly, the raw project stuff is done now, so it's time for him to kick it on and a more demanding coach will force him to do that.  Ojomo could be a quietly interesting player watch how he get's on in year 2 - super smart, still only 22 and some room to develop. Tui gets injured enough that he's a struggle to be relied on.  As for Carter, keeping him on the straight and narrow is all that could be needed there.

DE is a hot mess in comparison

18 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

no. coordinators change too much. His job is pretty much impossible. Draft for 1 guy, and it’s a new guy the next year or 2 years later.

Don’t forget your other favorite Howie excuse: He had to pick off Joe Douglas’ board. 

1 minute ago, ManuManu said:

Don’t forget your other favorite Howie excuse: He had to pick off Joe Douglas’ board. 

That one was true too.

1 minute ago, HazletonEagle said:

That one was true too.

Yep. Never Howie’s fault. 

15 hours ago, Alphagrand said:

Bucky Brooks: Giants would offer chance for Russell Wilson to win Super Bowl

 

On the NFL Network program NFL Total Access, analyst Bucky Brooks said that two teams -- the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants -- would offer the Denver Broncos quarterback "a chance for a Super Bowl title."

"He can be a championship-caliber quarterback on the right team," Brooks said. "The New York Giants might be in need of a quarterback that stabilizes the situation."

14 hours ago, NCiggles said:

I am absolutely rooting for this to happen.  

I don't even know how it could.  $69,315,000 dead cap hit for a $22,210,000 net loss for a team with only $30,601,691 free?

 

I mean you COULD but why?  It's not like they are a QB away.

18 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

Yep. Never Howie’s fault. 

Its hard to fault someone when there is nothing to fault them for. Youre talking like there is an issue when there is not.

1 hour ago, HazletonEagle said:

I deny that the talent is undeniably bad. depth was an issue at LB. It was thin at DE but we luckily stayed healthy there and even traded one away. It was excellent at outside CB. There was none at nickel which hurt us for a few weeks but Roby was a solid signing when healthy. The safety position was deep, but unproven and even with its depth it was severely tested with injuries. Evans in the first game, Blankenship and Brown both missed time. Traded away Edmonds. Byard came on board... Lot of guys capable of playing there. But had to cycle through all of them.

Maddox was supposed to be the Nickel and McPhearson his backup. Both were drafted by us and both had major injuries. Maddox' injury history is a shame because of his talent. When you lose both your starter and his backup by week 2, things will be rocky. But it's weird for some to blame "drafting" in this particular case. 

Howie should do contracts and cap management

and nothing else

41 minutes ago, paco said:

I don't even know how it could.  $69,315,000 dead cap hit for a $22,210,000 net loss for a team with only $30,601,691 free?

 

I mean you COULD but why?  It's not like they are a QB away.

Stop killing my dreams.  

4 minutes ago, ToastJenkins said:

Howie should do 

nothing else

FYP  

3 minutes ago, ToastJenkins said:

Howie should do contracts and cap management

and nothing else

Trades and free agents - Howie is great at gathering information and making deals.