39 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Question for the all-22 and secondary crowd…because this really matters for the personnel decisions at safety. Doesn’t Vic typically use a single high safety and a down safety? And, in 2025, wasn’t Blankenship usually the high safety with Mukuba/Epps down?

Mukuba has some comfort functioning as a slot CB, which creates some matchup utility as a down safety, but his profile coming into the league strongly, strongly favors placement as the high safety.

Exactly where Mukuba will be next year impacts what kind of safety we might want to be looking at…

Granted, I was not breaking down all 22, but from what I saw we played a sort of double shell most of the time; the safety opposite of DeJean may have cheated down a bit, but from what I've seen Cooper is the "strong safety" in addition to the NCB while the two traditional safeties mostly stay deep and keep everything in front of them. Usually both LBs (in the base nickel personnel) will drop into coverage as well, so you end up with what I can only describe as an inner and outer ring of semi circle coverage. The outside corners and safeties are the outer ring while the LBs and DeJean are the inner ring. Obviously as receivers enter their respective zones the defenders will shift towards them and either pick them up in direct man or position themselves to break on a pass depending on the coverage/play call. But, to my eye, no, we did not have a designated "box safety" and single high safety.

I'd be interested if my assessment is correct from someone who is watching all-22 because I do agree it would impact who we might target in the draft if I'm wrong. In any case, I would prioritize coverage as a skill... though if we could get someone with a bigger body that would be nice. AJ Haulcy from LSU is the 2nd/3rd rounder who fits the mold I'd like -- 5'10" 215 lbs but with legit coverage instincts and ball skills. You do give up some speed with him, so a two high zone heavy system suits him.

Last year I nailed the safety pick as Mukuba was the most alike Gardner-Johnson.

This year if you are searching for a Reed Blankenship to draft, its Taaffe from Texas. He won't be a UDFA but he is the unheralded kid who walked on, earned a scholarship and became a leader. Not quite the come from nothing story Reed had but similar, and very similar play style.

Hes the communicator in the secondary, high IQ instincts guy. Adequate unspectacular 4.50 40 time. Not gonna be a man coverage safety. He's basically Reed. Probably no earlier than round 4. I think you can wait till round 5.

@Waiting4Someday has him in his sig for a long time now.

Personally, in this draft id aim higher, and Haulcy doesnt qualify as assuming higher either. It's a nice safety draft and you can do better.

6 minutes ago, NOTW said:

Bring tissues possibly

Looking at available DE FA and it is pretty slim pickings. Reddick and Epenesa basically have the same stats. I loved Reddick in his time here and I think he can still get after the qb in this defense. Epenesa has always been unspectacular but solid.

Oddly enough, the ancient Cam Jordan probably is the best pass rusher with 10 5 sacks last year. Don't know if you can roll with BG and Cam + draft pick.

I would think those options are better than Ojulari and Uche as depth but it really would be nice to have a game changer there.

57 minutes ago, Cliftoma said:

Looking at available DE FA and it is pretty slim pickings. Reddick and Epenesa basically have the same stats. I loved Reddick in his time here and I think he can still get after the qb in this defense. Epenesa has always been unspectacular but solid.

Oddly enough, the ancient Cam Jordan probably is the best pass rusher with 10 5 sacks last year. Don't know if you can roll with BG and Cam + draft pick.

I would think those options are better than Ojulari and Uche as depth but it really would be nice to have a game changer there.

They need to trade for Crosby or Greenard. None of the free agents left are good enough. The top five guys are probably Ebiketie, Epenesa, Bosa, Reddick, and soon to be 37 year old Cam Jordan. None of those guys will come in and be a clear cut starter let alone number 1 edge rusher. It is by far and away the biggest need for this team right now.

44 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

They need to trade for Crosby or Greenard. None of the free agents left are good enough. The top five guys are probably Ebiketie, Epenesa, Bosa, Reddick, and soon to be 37 year old Cam Jordan. None of those guys will come in and be a clear cut starter let alone number 1 edge rusher. It is by far and away the biggest need for this team right now.

Sweat may be available after June 1st, but in the SB it was him, Hunt, and Smith with BG using one arm and they dominated because of the inside guys who they are now giving big contracts.

I don't think Greenard is worth a 3rd and 25-30 million. I'd rather use two of their first 4 picks and draft cheaper options with high upsides. Maybe another becomes available after June 1st.

With the crazy contracts flying around at edge and the draft being deep it's a good time to add to the room IMO.

Has anyone been around long enough to remember when Spadaro blew a fuse and told a poster he would "deck his puss??!!”

5 minutes ago, no1birdsfan said:

Has anyone been around long enough to remember when Spadaro blew a fuse and told a poster he would "deck his puss??!!”

I've been around since the first board before the one where we had numbers, but I don't remember that.

Glad they let Dean go

Howie slept all day yesterday. Hope he reports to work today.

So no Chubb?

7 hours ago, TEW said:

Granted, I was not breaking down all 22, but from what I saw we played a sort of double shell most of the time; the safety opposite of DeJean may have cheated down a bit, but from what I've seen Cooper is the "strong safety" in addition to the NCB while the two traditional safeties mostly stay deep and keep everything in front of them. Usually both LBs (in the base nickel personnel) will drop into coverage as well, so you end up with what I can only describe as an inner and outer ring of semi circle coverage. The outside corners and safeties are the outer ring while the LBs and DeJean are the inner ring. Obviously as receivers enter their respective zones the defenders will shift towards them and either pick them up in direct man or position themselves to break on a pass depending on the coverage/play call. But, to my eye, no, we did not have a designated "box safety" and single high safety.

I'd be interested if my assessment is correct from someone who is watching all-22 because I do agree it would impact who we might target in the draft if I'm wrong. In any case, I would prioritize coverage as a skill... though if we could get someone with a bigger body that would be nice. AJ Haulcy from LSU is the 2nd/3rd rounder who fits the mold I'd like -- 5'10" 215 lbs but with legit coverage instincts and ball skills. You do give up some speed with him, so a two high zone heavy system suits him.

It’s not exactly a 2 shell in a conventional sense. That’s the disguise. It’s a mix and match zone, and a true evolution of the Saban 7. If you do get a chance to watch the All 22, you will see the brilliance of Fangio’s mind. He has evolved the Saban 7 into his own Frankenstein and it’s like no other back end in the league.

12 minutes ago, greend said:

So no Chubb?

Not the way this FA is going. Not even a semi.

I love how the Ravens are doubling down on their obvious lie. They need to issue a major fine to Decosta, he is a scum bag

On paper so far, we have become weaker and most of our division stronger. Still time left but not very many good options out there for edge.

Putting aside that Fangio is routinely off/wrong about injuries, it's funny that people are freaking out about Campbell to the point they wanted to extend an even more injury-prone player in Dean. Campbell has yet to miss a game in the NFL.

The Fangio comments about Phillips vs. Dean/Reed speaks volumes. He's fine with Campbell over Dean. He'll be fine at S2. He knows he needs another pass-rusher off the EDGE. Hopefully the Greenard contract isn't too bad. If we trade for Greenard, and sign Epps or Brisquer, the defense will be top 8 again.

7 hours ago, NOTW said:

Howie gave them the go ahead to unveil the Eagles’ next FA signing — a white dude to replace Blankenship.

5 minutes ago, Mike31mt said:

I love how the Ravens are doubling down on their obvious lie. They need to issue a major fine to Decosta, he is a scum bag

Wish we could get our pick back.

Yea so Campbell did have surgery last offseason…so this wasn’t a situation where they held off until this offseason to take care of it. It’s the definition of recurrent.

4 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Yea so Campbell did have surgery last offseason…so this wasn’t a situation where they held off until this offseason to take care of it. It’s the definition of recurrent.

Might have to be a one-contract player.

2 hours ago, Diehardfan said:

Glad they let Dean go

All the rumblings about his shoulders around draft time last year and now still dealing with it this offseason feels like a cause for concern. That said, if the Eagles were that concerned about it I imagine they would have just kept Dean. On the other hand, there was a rumor/report saying Howie checked in on Patrick Queen and a possible trade. So...who knows. Either way, Campbell's health seems like it could be an ongoing issue.

Looking at the depth chart, I did expect one veteran backup OL. OL at #23 still looking strong.

Edge LB can be addressed in draft we are probably not going to the SB this year let’s be real. Right now is make sure we can afford Davis Carter Cooper Mitchell

I'm hoping once Goedert is settled it opens up other moves