Great news they are keeping DG. Keeps the offense together and one less thing for Hurts to worry about or Howie for that matter trying to patch that hole. I'd sign Cooper to have some more depth at WR since they didn't draft one high and they should be good to go on that side of the ball.

6 minutes ago, paco said:

There's a name I haven't thought about in a while. Dude got 1/3 of his career touchdowns in one game against us.

Nate Gerry is not one of us

17 minutes ago, Joe Ball said:

Well, I agree with mostly everything here. Hopefully (hope is not a strategy btw) the existing leadership in the locker room (Micah & Dak) can make a difference in Pickens mental approach and prevent any distractions. Pickens is not looking for a long term deal according to reports. He wants to prove he is a #1 WR, maybe that will also make a difference in his on & off the field behaviors/decisions, he will never be a #1 without significant attitude changes. Schottenheimer has already made significant locker room changes and the players had zero input, he appears thus far to be a strong personality and if he fails it is going to be based on his decisions, I think that change is necessary and has been for a while.

Ditto on the DLine...seems like it's been a problem for over a decade now. Guyton is a bust at this point, possibly worse than Mazi Smith, but not as bad a Taco Charlton. I think they have found Martin's replacement, he was at least the highest rated guard in the draft, not as athletic as Martin but a bruiser in the run game, which what Schotty wants to do, run the damn ball. Dak is Dak and they will have to live with that abortion of a contract until its completed in '28 barring some miracle of a team desperate and stupid enough to take him off their hands.

The counterpoint on Pickens is we know that Tomlin is a guru when it comes to controlling mercurial wide receivers -- see Brown, Antonio. He might want to get paid, but I feel like most of his issues are blowing up when he doesn't get targets. Well, without a contract, he's going to want stats but he is on a team that force feeds the number one guy. Feels very dangerous.

I actually don't think the Eagles currently have a roster spot. So they may have to wait til after June 1st to sign someone when those cuts become official.

As for George Pickens, where I really lost a lot of respect for him was him flat out giving up in games when he wasn't getting the ball. Him dogging routes, sometimes not even running his routes. Forget the personality clash aspect of it, the guy is just a flat out loser.

4 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

The counterpoint on Pickens is we know that Tomlin is a guru when it comes to controlling mercurial wide receivers -- see Brown, Antonio. He might want to get paid, but I feel like most of his issues are blowing up when he doesn't get targets. Well, without a contract, he's going to want stats but he is on a team that force feeds the number one guy. Feels very dangerous.

Jerruh says...

Great news about Goedert. When they didn't draft a TE, it gave me a little hope. But man, every time Siri or Howie answered questions about him, it sure sounded like he was on his way out. Now it'll be interesting to see how the competition behind him settles out...Calcaterra, Bryant, Granson....one will be gone.

I imagine TE will be high on the draft list next year.

2 hours ago, BigEFly said:

Watched some All22 from last season watching Dotson. The quality of his routes was much better at the end of the season compared to the beginning. He suffered from what I call Fast WR Syndrome. Those WRs with speed that lazy college coaches only teach speed routes. Thus lazy turns instead of cuts, stops of two steps or more, concentration drops etc. His cuts were much crisper towards the end of the season.

This is a contract year for Dotson, so I anticipate he will be better still playing for that second contract but he is still #6 on getting the ball on offense. (In order Saquon, Brown/Smith depending on the other team’s back seven, Hurts, Goedert, Dotson, second RB being either Shipley or Dillon, Wilson/Calcaterra, whoever the #3 TE is or the Ainias Smith spot - spot because I have real doubts it is Smith, who Parris Campbell kind of beat out.)

I found that odd watching him too. I absolutely loved him coming out of Penn State…granted watching PSU tape is generally like watching paint dry (outside of how they got Warren involved recently). He was quick, decisive, effective running routes, great hands and body control. Washington’s previous regime was terrible for his development, glad to see he came around last year.

1 hour ago, Mike030270 said:

The head case that was Brown. That was such a nose dive of a career

Hurts wasn't part of the choices...

Agree to disagree on the rest

Honestly they’re all head cases. Add Ju Ju into that mix too.

4 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

his issues are blowing up when he doesn't get targets

This was my first thought when I read about the trade. Not to mention Schotty wants to run the ball. Targets/distribution will be interesting this season but if he is not on his best behavior he is not getting a big contract next year with anyone. As bad as Dak can be, he can also be very good, at least better than what Pickens has had in PIT. It is what it is, when I first read about DAL interest in him I was like "Hell no!". Like I said earlier, the needle still doesn't move unless DAL makes a NFCCG, which I do not see happening anytime soon.

11 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

I actually don't think the Eagles currently have a roster spot. So they may have to wait til after June 1st to sign someone when those cuts become official.

As for George Pickens, where I really lost a lot of respect for him was him flat out giving up in games when he wasn't getting the ball. Him dogging routes, sometimes not even running his routes. Forget the personality clash aspect of it, the guy is just a flat out loser.

The cuts are already official. The only thing that changes after 6/1 is their cap commitments come off the books.

1 hour ago, Mike030270 said:

The head case that was Brown. That was such a nose dive of a career

Hurts wasn't part of the choices...

Agree to disagree on the rest

Disagree about what? Hurts 2 SB, arguably the MVP of both. Burrows and Allen, zero SB combined, zero SB MVP.

Hurts regular season record: 49-27; playoffs: 6-3; SB: 1-1

Burrows: 34-30; 5-2; SB: O-0

Allen: 76-35; 7-6; SB:O-0

I was not in on Hurts and was saying early last season he isn't the guy. But I'm a results person, and he delivers. 4 years as the starter, playoffs each year as a starter, 2 SB. He convinced me.

Just now, LeanMeanGM said:

The cuts are already official. The only thing that changes after 6/1 is their cap commitments come off the books.

Yep only thing that becomes official on June 1 is BG retirement to open a spot. If they really wanted someone they'd cut a guy, they just did that and I'm sure there are other guys of the 90 they'd be willing to part with

6 minutes ago, Wentz_Era said:

I found that odd watching him too. I absolutely loved him coming out of Penn State…granted watching PSU tape is generally like watching paint dry (outside of how they got Warren involved recently). He was quick, decisive, effective running routes, great hands and body control. Washington’s previous regime was terrible for his development, glad to see he came around last year.

I really hope they find a way to get Dotson more involved. I've always kinda hated how Sirianni would say "the offense runs through Brown, Smith and Goedert" or whatever it was. How about instead of declaring that as a mentality, actually spread the ball around a little more? Dotson is capable, we just have to utilize him. And that includes Hurts not being afraid to look his way.

18 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

I actually don't think the Eagles currently have a roster spot. So they may have to wait til after June 1st to sign someone when those cuts become official.

As for George Pickens, where I really lost a lot of respect for him was him flat out giving up in games when he wasn't getting the ball. Him dogging routes, sometimes not even running his routes. Forget the personality clash aspect of it, the guy is just a flat out loser.

Yeah, but I'm sure there are a few scrubs who won't make the team they could let go.

I wonder how close the Eagles Georgia guys are with Pickens. At least Ringo and the other guys should have some familiarity with how to defend him.

9 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

The cuts are already official. The only thing that changes after 6/1 is their cap commitments come off the books.

I think it's the BG retirement that becomes official then. As of today he still counts as on the roster

1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

To be reflective for a minute, TE is one of the more interesting positions in football.

It ranges from a non-premium position that doesn’t get drafted high to one of the most important non-qb positions on your offense, depending on scheme and utilization. Prime Gronk/Kelce/Graham were the second most critical players on elite, elite offenses. And then there are great offenses where the TE can be an afterthought.

And utilization…with the 12 personnel failure from 2017-2020, defenses started to treat Zach Ertz as a WR, not a TE. So in function it was really 11 personnel with Ertz as the slot. His blocking and our running game were not good enough to dictate otherwise. And he’s a lot easier to cover in that scenario.

The more viable a TE is as a blocker, the trickier it is to match up against them in coverage. If you respect them as a receiving threat and sell out to stop that, their blocking ability may really allow your offense to push the defense around.

Goedert isn’t a great receiver or great blocker, but that balance of being good to very good at both has always been his best asset. I’m not sure how much our running game depends on him, but we did just lose Becton, so I’d rather not find out this year..

He isn't a great WR? What? He routinely makes great catches.

12 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

Disagree about what? Hurts 2 SB, arguably the MVP of both. Burrows and Allen, zero SB combined, zero SB MVP.

Hurts regular season record: 49-27; playoffs: 6-3; SB: 1-1

Burrows: 34-30; 5-2; SB: O-0

Allen: 76-35; 7-6; SB:O-0

I was not in on Hurts and was saying early last season he isn't the guy. But I'm a results person, and he delivers. 4 years as the starter, playoffs each year as a starter, 2 SB. He convinced me.

Disagree that Hurts is better. You listed team stats

10 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

Disagree about what? Hurts 2 SB, arguably the MVP of both. Burrows and Allen, zero SB combined, zero SB MVP.

Hurts regular season record: 49-27; playoffs: 6-3; SB: 1-1

Burrows: 34-30; 5-2; SB: O-0

Allen: 76-35; 7-6; SB:O-0

I was not in on Hurts and was saying early last season he isn't the guy. But I'm a results person, and he delivers. 4 years as the starter, playoffs each year as a starter, 2 SB. He convinced me.

Burrow (not Burrows) went to a SB and lost to the Rams. Burrow (not Burrows) played well in that game. Both QBs also have a more difficult path to the SB while in the AFC.

Hurts is a successful QB in the offense we run here. Burrow (not Burrows) and Allen are better, though.

5 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

I think it's the BG retirement that becomes official then. As of today he still counts as on the roster

Yea, he's taking up a spot so they can file the papers after June

14 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

Disagree about what? Hurts 2 SB, arguably the MVP of both. Burrows and Allen, zero SB combined, zero SB MVP.

Hurts regular season record: 49-27; playoffs: 6-3; SB: 1-1

Burrows: 34-30; 5-2; SB: O-0

Allen: 76-35; 7-6; SB:O-0

I was not in on Hurts and was saying early last season he isn't the guy. But I'm a results person, and he delivers. 4 years as the starter, playoffs each year as a starter, 2 SB. He convinced me.

Burrow is 0-1 in the Super Bowl. He lost to the Rams in the Super Bowl in the 2021 season.

Just now, Connecticut Eagle said:

Burrow (not Burrows) went to a SB and lost to the Rams. Burrow (not Burrows) played well in that game. Both QBs also have a more difficult path to the SB while in the AFC.

Hurts is a successful QB in the offense we run here. Burrow (not Burrows) and Allen are better, though.

There's certainly an argument for Hurts over Burrow and Allen. Burrow played well in the Super Bowl but both of Hurts Super Bowl performances were much better.

One week until schedule release.

When do you think they start leaking opening weekend games?

28 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

The counterpoint on Pickens is we know that Tomlin is a guru when it comes to controlling mercurial wide receivers -- see Brown, Antonio. He might want to get paid, but I feel like most of his issues are blowing up when he doesn't get targets. Well, without a contract, he's going to want stats but he is on a team that force feeds the number one guy. Feels very dangerous.

I’m not sure you can say we know Tomlin is a guru…actually i think it’s the exact opposite. Honestly it seems like he doesn’t GAF until it gets bad and they cut bait. Barring a miracle this year, he’s gone after this season anyway. Then we won’t have to hear endless glazing over a wildly overrated coach. He’s basically Jon Gruden in my eyes.

Just now, Wentz_Era said:

I’m not sure you can say we know Tomlin is a guru…actually i think it’s the exact opposite. Honestly it seems like he doesn’t GAF until it gets bad and they cut bait. Barring a miracle this year, he’s gone after this season anyway. Then we won’t have to hear endless glazing over a wildly overrated coach. He’s basically Jon Gruden in my eyes.

I meant he was the only one who was able to keep AB somewhat normal. Once Pitt dumped him, the wheels came off. He pulled it together for a playoff run with Brady, and then he even blew himself up there.