EMB Blog: 2020 Training Camp

[LeanMeanGM]

Interesting thought. Is it better to cut guys now while other teams are figuring out their own roster or try to hide guys in the flurry of moves Saturday?

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 hours ago, DEagle7 said:

Peters is a future hall of famer who has been with the team for over 10 years.  Mills and other players know they don't have the same negotiation leverage that he does.  I really don't see this being the slippery slope that people think it will be.

You're right... He's already taken $100M from the organisation. As a fan favorite and future HoF player you'd think he could do them one solid. 

[EaglesfanfromND]

3 minutes ago, Allhaildawk said:

No

If he won't resign here for what we are willing to pay we need to get something for him.

[jsb235]

29 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

 

Burnett getting waived means they will probably keep a fourth rb.

[eagle45]

6 minutes ago, schuy7 said:

I don't disagree, but let's not act like Watkins is some gem. He's a 6th round pick. 

As much as I like Greg Ward, Burnett is better as a deep threat. Doesn't have the speed, but he adjusts to the ball well. Something Agholor, for example, was terrible at.

I actually have a much lower opinion of Greg Ward than most.  As a player, I actually don't like him at all.  He's not going to get open.  He's not going to use a good frame to justify his lack of separation as a box-out possession WR.  He's going to run the right route and catch the football.  That made him our #1 WR at the end of last season.  So the coaches trust him and Wentz trusts him.

If it ever came down to Ward or Burnett vs. Watkins/Hightower, I'd always want our own draft picks who still have that rookie luster and promise.  But this is why Ward is untouchable...Desean is going to be in and out of the lineup.  Reagor is a rookie who was handed a starting spot and is out indefinitely.  Watkins/Hightower/JJAW are pure hope and speculation.  Ward is the only known commodity on the entire roster.  It would be nearly impossible for Burnett to take a spot from him.  

 

[Alphagrand]

7 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

You're right... He's already taken $100M from the organisation. As a fan favorite and future HoF player you'd think he could do them one solid. 

I actually don’t fault Peters all that much, if it is in fact his stance.  You tell me you’re going with Dillard so you’re not resigning me, then you say okay you can come back and play RG since we lost Brooks, but we see your value at $3M and we’ll throw in some incentives so maybe you can make $6M.  Now you want me to save your bacon because my replacement has disappeared, but you want me to step over there for 1/3 of what I was just earning a few months ago?
 

I’d throw him at bit extra if Stoutland says we need him at LT, but I’d only pay him around the same rate as Andrew Whitworth is playing for — $6.7M against the cap

[DeathByEagle]

1 minute ago, jsb235 said:

Burnett getting waived means they will probably keep a fourth rb.

That was a given. They always keep 4 RBs

[Guest]

1 minute ago, jsb235 said:

Burnett getting waived means they will probably keep a fourth rb.

I do not see that.  Djax, Reagor, Ward, JJ, Hightower and Watkins.  Alshon will come back at some point.  There was never a spot for him.

[RLC]

Zach Ertz is a Stanford grad and is a smart, thoughtful guy. He must know he's not Kittle. Asking for it is crazy. If he wants to be stubborn, trade him. We'll get lots of suitors.

[Green Dog]

6 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Interesting thought. Is it better to cut guys now while other teams are figuring out their own roster or try to hide guys in the flurry of moves Saturday?

The new IR and PS rules totally change things up.  Who knows what they are thinking.

[schuy7]

2 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

I actually have a much lower opinion of Greg Ward than most.  As a player, I actually don't like him at all.  He's not going to get open.  He's not going to use a good frame to justify his lack of separation as a box-out possession WR.  He's going to run the right route and catch the football.  That made him our #1 WR at the end of last season.  So the coaches trust him and Wentz trusts him.

If it ever came down to Ward or Burnett vs. Watkins/Hightower, I'd always want our own draft picks who still have that rookie luster and promise.  But this is why Ward is untouchable...Desean is going to be in and out of the lineup.  Reagor is a rookie who was handed a starting spot and is out indefinitely.  Watkins/Hightower/JJAW are pure hope and speculation.  Ward is the only known commodity on the entire roster.  It would be nearly impossible for Burnett to take a spot from him.  

Yeah, Ward is definitely in the clear. I like him more than you do because I think there's a larger role for someone of his ability than some people think. Has a quickness and intelligence about him and that'll be reliable. But yes, there's no doubt he's no game-breaker. Hightower and Watkins could be. I like Hightower a good bit more than Watkins.

[ManuManu]

11 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Interesting thought. Is it better to cut guys now while other teams are figuring out their own roster or try to hide guys in the flurry of moves Saturday?

I wondered the same thing. Gamesmanship with a lack of preseason. 

[UK Eagle]

I suspect this off-season with a lack pre-season games, teams will look to retain their own players on the PS over other teams.    Known commoditises, and all that

[eagle45]

3 hours ago, DEagle7 said:

 

Peters is a future hall of famer who has been with the team for over 10 years.  Mills and other players know they don't have the same negotiation leverage that he does.  I really don't see this being the slippery slope that people think it will be.

A future hall of famer based on past accomplishments.  Presently, he's on out of shape interior OL, who no one wanted to sign as a starter, who can't finish games, who is now disgruntled and screwing over the team he's been with for over 10 years out of desperation.

 

[Ace Nova]

11 minutes ago, Green Dog said:

Also, Manu has said it multiple times, Burnett has only been playing the slot position, whereas almost all of the other guys have been moving around.

From my understanding, Watkins is likely Jackson's backup at Z.   I'm sure they'll move them around in various sets throughout the season, etc but coming out of camp, (especially with Reagor hurt) Watkins looks to be the primary vertical threat behind Jackson.  Based on what the team has gone through over the past 2-3 years trying to solidify that position, it makes sense that they keep Watkins on the active roster, imo.

[DeathByEagle]

7 minutes ago, RLC said:

Zach Ertz is a Stanford grad and is a smart, thoughtful guy. He must know he's not Kittle. Asking for it is crazy. If he wants to be stubborn, trade him. We'll get lots of suitors.

Only way you trade him this year is if you get a player. I would not trade him for picks cause this draft is a crap shoot. Options would be trade him for a player of need or wait and trade him next season for 2022 picks

[Green Dog]

1 minute ago, Ace Nova said:

From my understanding, Watkins is likely Jackson's backup at Z.   I'm sure they'll move them around in various sets throughout the season, etc but coming out of camp, (especially with Reagor hurt) Watkins looks to be the primary vertical threat behind Jackson.  Based on what the team has gone through over the past 2-3 years trying to solidify that position, it makes sense that they keep Watkins on the active roster, imo.

This was also my thought the moment I saw his college tape.

[DeathByEagle]

9 minutes ago, downundermike said:

I do not see that.  Djax, Reagor, Ward, JJ, Hightower and Watkins.  Alshon will come back at some point.  There was never a spot for him.

Eagles under Doug have kept a 4th RB every year so it didnt matter how many WRs they kept. They will keep 4 anyways at the RB spot. 

[Ace Nova]

8 minutes ago, RLC said:

Zach Ertz is a Stanford grad and is a smart, thoughtful guy. He must know he's not Kittle. Asking for it is crazy. If he wants to be stubborn, trade him. We'll get lots of suitors.

Why?

Based off performance and future potential, Ertz is in line to receive (maybe) less than Kittle but around what Kelce is getting.  I'd be surprised if Ertz' camp wouldn't agree to a deal similar to what I posted earlier. 55 mil, 4 years, 26 mil guaranteed.  Averages out to 13.75 per year with 26 mil guaranteed.   (He already has 13 million guaranteed left on his current deal)  The Eagles would only be guaranteeing 13 mil more over the course of 4 years.

[ManuManu]

31 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

This phase has a lot to do with "claimability".  Not sure if Burnett will turn many heads in other front offices, whereas Watkins may have been liked by a few during the draft.

I also wonder if this season, because the lack spring evaluation, teams have an informal agreement not to do too much poaching after roster cut downs.

 

Maybe, but I doubt it in this case. It really doesn’t make sense to roster two slot-only types. When half of our snaps are out of 12 personnel. Plus we’re going to rotate DJax and Reagor in there as well. 

[eagle45]

8 minutes ago, RLC said:

Zach Ertz is a Stanford grad and is a smart, thoughtful guy. He must know he's not Kittle. Asking for it is crazy. If he wants to be stubborn, trade him. We'll get lots of suitors.

I think most people are on the same page re Ertz.  It's a touchy debate because we get caught up in semantics.

No one wants to "get rid of Ertz."  No one wants to pay Ertz $>13m per year for the next 5 years either.  So we are all coming from the same place here.  

For me, I'd trade Ertz for a 2nd round pick.  Not a 3rd.  

I break from the pack on what I'd be willing to extend him for simply because I do not like the 12 personnel.  This offense has gotten worse and less explosive as we've leaned on 12 personnel more and more.  Many thought they were going to take the league by storm and have mismatches everywhere.  They have not.  And their investments in the TE position have come at the cost of the WR position as well.  So they chose this direction.  I'd start to backtrack, rather than double down with extensions to both Ertz and Goedert.

[RLC]

2 minutes ago, Ace Nova said:

Ertz is in line to receive (maybe) less than Kittle but around what Kelce is getting.  I'd be surprised if Ertz' camp wouldn't agree to a deal similar to what I posted earlier. 55 mil, 4 years, 26 mil guaranteed.  Averages out to 13.75 per year with 26 mil guaranteed.   (He already has 13 million guaranteed left on his current deal)  The Eagles would only be guaranteeing 13 mil more over the course of 4 years.

They offered him the Kelce deal. He said no. So he wants a lot more than that.

Kittle is younger, healthier, more explosive and a better blocker. Ertz should be making more than both Kelce and Kittle; we're already overpaying Ertz by offering him Kelce's deal!

[ManuManu]

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

I think most people are on the same page re Ertz.  It's a touchy debate because we get caught up in semantics.

No one wants to "get rid of Ertz."  No one wants to pay Ertz $>13m per year for the next 5 years either.  So we are all coming from the same place here.  

For me, I'd trade Ertz for a 2nd round pick.  Not a 3rd.  

I break from the pack on what I'd be willing to extend him for simply because I do not like the 12 personnel.  This offense has gotten worse and less explosive as we've leaned on 12 personnel more and more.  Many thought they were going to take the league by storm and have mismatches everywhere.  They have not.  And their investments in the TE position have come at the cost of the WR position as well.  So they chose this direction.  I'd start to backtrack, rather than double down with extensions to both Ertz and Goedert.

You’re basing a lot of your 12 personnel hate off a season in which we rarely had NFL receivers on the field. 

[Guest justrelax]

2 hours ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

Howie is the problem.  Well Lurie and Howie.  He created this mess.  I would much rather he not be involved in cleaning it up.  But that’s where Lurie’s loyalty comes into play.  

Nonsense.

[DeathByEagle]

4 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

I think most people are on the same page re Ertz.  It's a touchy debate because we get caught up in semantics.

No one wants to "get rid of Ertz."  No one wants to pay Ertz $>13m per year for the next 5 years either.  So we are all coming from the same place here.  

For me, I'd trade Ertz for a 2nd round pick.  Not a 3rd.  

I break from the pack on what I'd be willing to extend him for simply because I do not like the 12 personnel.  This offense has gotten worse and less explosive as we've leaned on 12 personnel more and more.  Many thought they were going to take the league by storm and have mismatches everywhere.  They have not.  And their investments in the TE position have come at the cost of the WR position as well.  So they chose this direction.  I'd start to backtrack, rather than double down with extensions to both Ertz and Goedert.

2022 2nd, not 2021. I barely trust this team to draft when they can scout the players. If Im the Eagles Im trading those 2021 picks, lol 

But personally Id rather them trade for a player with talent and a late pick. Someone on a rookie deal with a few years left cheap that has had success.