End of the month off-season prediction/wish

[Rob331]

One thing I can’t predict is Kelce so let’s assume he’s back for one more year.

Our own free agents:

         Resign – Swift, Mann, Lovato, BG, either Driscoll or Opeta, Zaccheaus

Let walk – Cox, Roby, Josiah Scott, Shawn, Bradley (great special teamer, but they stunk when he was healthy and good when he was injured), Morrow, Cunningham, Mariota, Penny, Boston Scott, Watkins, Julio Jones

Cut – Byard, Leonard, Bradberry (post June 1)

Restructure – Maddox, can’t pay him the $8M he’s on the cap for this year and Reddick when he can’t find a better deal either money for him or trade to compensation to the Eagles or both.

Free agency:

Edge – Jonathan Grenard. Replaces Barnett who was never replaced. Roster = Reddick, Sweat, Greenard, Smith, and BG

CB - Jeff Okudah. Can’t afford Johnson. Replaces Bradberry. Insurance if our draft pick isn’t ready to start

S – Jeremy Chinn. Other choices are Savage, McKinney, Stone, Fuller, and Dugger, but I’ve liked Chinn since his draft year. Replaces Byard

LB – Al-Shaair. An actual starting quality linebacker. Replaces Morrow.

WR – Darnell Mooney. Has speed to replace Watkins but can actually catch. Replaces Watkins

Draft:

1. Howie always trades, usually up but this time down since we have so many needs. Trade #22 to Detroit for 1^st (29) and 3^rd (73). We take S/CB Cooper DeJean Iowa State, 6’1” 209 4.52. #3 rated corner and #2 rated safety. Could start at corner this year and replace Blankenship down the line
2. S Kamren Kinchens, Miami(Fl) 5’11” 202 4.49 replaces Byard

          LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M 6’2” 230 4.56 replaces Cunningham

3. RB Will Shipley, Clemson 5’10” 205 4.52 replaces Boston Scott

          OL Dominic Puni, Kansas 6’5”320 replaces either Driscoll or Opeta

4. Don’t have one
5. WR Luke McCaffery, Rice 6’2” 195 4.52 replaces Julio Jones

           RB Dillon Laube, New Hampshire 6’1” 225 4.55 Replaces Penny

          OL Kiran Amejadije, Yale 6’5” 318

       QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame, 6’1” 205 4.9. McKee is #2 replaceing Mariota and Hartman is #3

[Ray75]

Rob,

Not interested in Okudah. Bust…

Why sign a safety and use your first two picks on the same position. Blankenship is okay as a 3rd or 4th option while Brown showed potential. Rather use that first rounder on a true corner like McKinstry or Rakestraw. Love DeJean but think he’s best suited to play safety at the next level.

Free agency is fine. Too many RB’s and Safeties in the draft IMO.

[Rob331]

19 hours ago, Ray75 said:

Why sign a safety and use your first two picks on the same position. Blankenship is okay as a 3rd or 4th option while Brown showed potential. Rather use that first rounder on a true corner like McKinstry or Rakestraw. Love DeJean but think he’s best suited to play safety at the next level.

Free agency is fine. Too many RB’s and Safeties in the draft IMO.

Should have been more clear. I'd use DeJean as a corner in year 1.

Total of 4 running backs for the roster - Swift, Gainwell and the two drafted rookies

As far as safety goes - early year starters are Kinchens and Blankenship since we have no idea if Sydney Brown will be recovered.  As of now Tristan McCollum would be S4.

I don't see any young free agent CB's within salary reach for the Eagles. Even with a 1st round corner as you suggest who would you sign as a veteran backup at corner. My view the roster corners would be Slay, Okudah,  DeJean, Ringo, Ricks, Rogers (slot), McPhereson (slot). 

Waiting for youn next one to trigger more conversaton. 

[Ray75]

1 hour ago, Rob331 said:

Should have been more clear. I'd use DeJean as a corner in year 1.

Total of 4 running backs for the roster - Swift, Gainwell and the two drafted rookies

As far as safety goes - early year starters are Kinchens and Blankenship since we have no idea if Sydney Brown will be recovered.  As of now Tristan McCollum would be S4.

I don't see any young free agent CB's within salary reach for the Eagles. Even with a 1st round corner as you suggest who would you sign as a veteran backup at corner. My view the roster corners would be Slay, Okudah,  DeJean, Ringo, Ricks, Rogers (slot), McPhereson (slot). 

Waiting for youn next one to trigger more conversaton. 

One off topic;

What if Eagles do trade Reddick?! In that case I lean towards Eagles taking an edge rusher in the first. 
 
Pass rushers like Darius Robinson, Chop Robinson and Bralen Trice come to mind at No.22.

Although I would love the Eagles to draft a DB in the first, with or without Reddick on the roster, I believe Howie will again address the trenches with the Eagles first pick. Another DT, pass rusher or an OT.

[Rob331]

21 hours ago, Ray75 said:

What if Eagles do trade Reddick?! In that case I lean towards Eagles taking an edge rusher in the first. 

Assuming they get a 2 and a 4 for Reddick, I'd draft edge in the 1st and CB in the 2nd. I'm high on Max Melton and he's be my day 2 target. Adding that trade to my day 1 trade of a 1 for a 1 and a 3 gives us 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 which helps fill most of the holes. 

[Ray75]

2 hours ago, Rob331 said:

Assuming they get a 2 and a 4 for Reddick, I'd draft edge in the 1st and CB in the 2nd. I'm high on Max Melton and he's be my day 2 target. Adding that trade to my day 1 trade of a 1 for a 1 and a 3 gives us 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 which helps fill most of the holes. 

We’re on the same page here.

Chop Robinson in the first and someone like Melton (love the athleticism and feistiness) in the 2nd (wait for my post combine mock).

[Cheesteakitis]

8 hours ago, Rob331 said:

Assuming they get a 2 and a 4 for Reddick, I'd draft edge in the 1st and CB in the 2nd. I'm high on Max Melton and he's be my day 2 target. Adding that trade to my day 1 trade of a 1 for a 1 and a 3 gives us 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 which helps fill most of the holes. 

2) Stock boost to the Max! The pre-draft process is about checking boxes, and it's hard to say anyone's doing a better job of that than Rutgers CB Max Melton.

After turning heads with his inside/outside versatility, footspeed and overall competitiveness at the Senior Bowl, Melton hit Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday and put on a dazzling display in his field workout. Checking in at a densely packed 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, the former Scarlet Knights standout posted elite numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds), vertical leap (40.5 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-4). He also received plaudits for his position work throughout the NFL Network broadcast.

"He could be a second-round pick when it's all said and done," NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said.

Melton's older brother and former Rutgers teammate, wide receiver Bo Melton, was a seventh-round pick of the Seahawks after blazing a 4.34 40 at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, and he emerged as a threat for the Packers this past December. But yes, the younger Melton is trending toward a far higher draft slot.

"Just moving around, he looks like a top-50 player," Jeremiah said.

In addition to the explosive athleticism showcased at the combine, Melton offers a wealth of experience (40 starts over four college seasons) and legit special teams value (SEE: four punt blocks as a dynamic gunner). But the biggest selling point with this prospect is his ability to hold his own on the island as an outside corner OR slide into the slot and deftly handle the different responsibilities on the inside. Unlike some cornerbacks who view a shift to nickel as a downgrade, Melton fully embraces the role.

"Man, I look at that inside position -- it's a fun position," Melton said during his podium session on Thursday. "You get to blitz, you get to be in coverage, man, zone ... You get to do a lot more on the inside, so I look at it as an opportunity. That's a fun position to play."

-- Gennaro Filice
 

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