2 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

Well, it was a wife not a side chick.

Wasn't there one with Carter and Hartnell but another one before that involving the Lindros era flyers?

I’m glad Howie understands this simple concept.

Just now, ManuManu said:

I’m glad Howie understands this simple concept.

The year matters in more ways than one...but in less predictable ways than more traditional GM's than Howie view it.

Traditionally, they look at draft picks like investible money. $10 now with compound interest is work more than $10 later. But draft picks don't work that way. Even though legit NFL FO professionals irrationally used to say that a pick 1 year later is worth 1 round lower.

Then there is the job security element. Most GMs don't want to stack the deck with good picks in the future for their replacement. It's to the detriment of their franchise, but I sympathize with that pressure. That doesn't exist as a concern for Howie.

So it does matter...it just shouldn't matter. I realize it's semantics, but I think it's an important distinction.

All that said...there are strong drafts and there are weak drafts. Deferring picks doesn't matter...but stacking them in strong drafts does. That's quite a bit harder to play 3D chess on because it's very tricky to reliably identify the strength of the draft 2 college football seasons in advance. 1? Sure, maybe. As an example...in January 2026, I think it was possible to identify that the 2027 draft figured to be stronger and more talented in round 1 than 2026. 2028? We really can't speak to that one yet. They've got 2 college seasons to play before that one is projectable. Howie just took the pick he could get.

F it bring back Haason Reddick

.

1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

Wasn't there one with Carter and Hartnell but another one before that involving the Lindros era flyers?

Lindros and Brind'Amour's wife.

The rams are all in. I know verse is hot. Cleveland

6 hours ago, eagle45 said:

There are so many different angles from which to view the AJ Brown trade.

In regards to AJ's legacy:

1. He was an elite player who contributed to 2 SB appearances and 1 SB title. The memory of 2025 should (and likely will) soften over time.

2. Any player who forces their way out of town and has their effort questioned still has a stigma that will be difficult to shake. I still argue that he's really slowing down and that confounded the effort debate.

In regards to the trade:

1. Getting a first round pick that is deferred 2 (and in a way, 3, considering he could have been traded pre-draft) years is not fun. It doesn't feel like a win. The 2027 capital is negligible. Waddle, an inferior player, generated a seriously superior return.

2. AJ Brown is CLEARLY on the decline. I've said for years his playing style will not age well. 2023 AJ Brown was gone weather we kept AJ or not.

3. The Eagles traded a 1st and a 3rd for AJ Brown. In 4 years, they went to 2 SBs and won 1 with him as their #1 WR. He went to 2 pro-bowls. And then they traded him for a 1st and a 5th. This return was mildly disappointing today, but the zoomed out sequence is fantastic.

In regards to the Eagles:

1. It's so true that replacing 2025 AJ Brown isn't all that daunting.

2. It's equally true that replacing 2025 AJ Brown isn't the freaking task at hand. The 2025 offense sucked. Subtracting their leading receiver, in decline or not, and adding a rookie slot and rookie TE2 to a lousy offense is EXTREMELY concerning. If you buy into the notion that swapping out OC's while the personnel on offense continues to age and decline will magically change things, then I've got multiple bridges in multiple cities to sell you. You have to acknowledge that any smart money is aligning itself with the offense royally disappointing next year. The personnel just isn't there.

A combo of 2022 Jalen and something that is closer to 2024 Saquon / OL rather than 2025 fixes a lot of their O issues - and likely our best shot of getting back to where we were.

Both of those are big IFs right now

11 hours ago, Sack that QB said:

Jeff McLane said the personal beef Hurts had with AJ Brown was football related. He said when friends work together and they don't agree on things regarding the work, it can lead to a divide.

If the Hurts stories are any indication, I think Hurts reluctance to run certain types of things probably alienated a lot of teammates and AJ Brown more than the others.

So Hurts appears to have taken the coach’s son approach this offseason with his new OC, also a coach’s son. Mannion seems to be explaining the why in his approach. Nothing has leaked that Hurts is resistant to what Mannion is proposing. Of course, with that 2028 first in hand, Hurts has to realize this is a make or break season for him. Meanwhile, AJ pouted and then dogged it to get his way.

Overlooked by some but not players and agents is Howie appears to have accommodated AJ’s wish to be reunited with Vrabel. They won’t overlook the likelihood that AJ was probably aware he wasn’t playing on his 2027 contract here because there would be no extension from Howie and the cost in the next years of his contract are prohibitive.

11 hours ago, just relax said:

While it feels like the Rams got the better of the deal in terms of today’s pure talent. I agree that the Browns did well. They’re two years away even keeping Garrett. Now they’re two years away but figure to be significantly better than with this trade.

No pressure on the Rams now. They better win at least one SB in the next two years or this trade is a mistake. Kinda like GB/Dallas with Parsons. That was a trade both teams lost.

Interesting perspective. Kind of what I was thinking. Cleveland is at least a year away but is making solid moves in their rebuild. I really like Verse for them. Garrett is an All Pro but the value is just too great. That 2028 second and 2029 third are when the Rams probably fall off a cliff. Making the Greenard trade by Howie look like a steal.

Hurts' stats without AJ Brown since he no need the Eagles, which is 4 games in 2024-2025:

--Average Passer Rating: 101.3

--Individual Game Passer Ratings: 141.5, 88.8, 88.6, and 85.1

Jalen will be just fine, people are downplaying the addition by subtraction effect where Hurts doesn't have to cater his decision-making to make the man child feel better.

Hurts will have a better year than AJ Brown will.

4 hours ago, pisceschica said:

The rams are all in. I know verse is hot. Cleveland

IF the AJ Brown to Rams rumors were true I wonder if Verse was going to be a part of the trade back to us - Rams definitely have pushed the chips to the middle and they don't seem to value draft picks very much..........

15 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

The Eagles were never getting a 2027 1st round pick for AJ. They wanted A first...they got it. They wanted some 2027 sweetener and they didn't get it. But the first was enough.

I don't think the pick being in 2028 was ever an issue. My guess is that Howie does not discount the value of a 2028 pick like another GM may.

8 hours ago, eagle45 said:

Wasn't there one with Carter and Hartnell but another one before that involving the Lindros era flyers?

Yes, the rumor was that Lindros slept with Rod Brind'amour's wife. In 1999, Lindros had a mysterious collapsed lung injury that required him to be rushed to the ER. The rumor was that Brind'amour beat Lindros with a folding chair for sleeping with his wife. Brind'amour was traded the following season for Primeau.

Hmm, so about that 2028 1st. How about we flip that to the Browns for Verse. Throw in the 5th and maybe the Phillips comp pick. Browns end up with a haul and we effectively trade AJ for Verse.

Going to miss AJ's talent. That said, it's hard to build a career when QB1 is barely throwing for 3k yards. Hope he enjoys a nice career in NE and wish him the best.

4 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

.

Lindros and Brind'Amour's wife.

12 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

I don't think the pick being in 2028 was ever an issue. My guess is that Howie does not discount the value of a 2028 pick like another GM may.

Yes, the rumor was that Lindros slept with Rod Brind'amour's wife. In 1999, Lindros had a mysterious collapsed lung injury that required him to be rushed to the ER. The rumor was that Brind'amour beat Lindros with a folding chair for sleeping with his wife. Brind'amour was traded the following season for Primeau.

I agree that Howie doesn’t devalue deferred picks, nor should he.

However, I would value 2027 over 2028 simply because we already know 2027 is shaping up as a very strong draft. IMO, that definitely adds value.

The Pats being ripe for a SB hangover season doesn’t hurt either.

3 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

I agree that Howie doesn’t devalue deferred picks, nor should he.

However, I would value 2027 over 2028 simply because we already know 2027 is shaping up as a very strong draft. IMO, that definitely adds value.

The Pats being ripe for a SB hangover season doesn’t hurt either.

Their schedule isn’t a cake walk like it was last season either.

A first rounder is a first rounder with Howie. Future optionality is what he lives for, so if its 2028, it doesn't massively matter to him. Next offseason is the parlay time

14 hours ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Howie has spoken

Clearly he reads the board and is copying me

15 hours ago, Mike030270 said:

Would be awkward if our passing game took a nosedive and Pats improved

Though people will just say it's the new offense. Hopefully Lemon and Smith turn out to be a great duo

Eagles had one of the worst passing offenses in the league with AJ Brown. I don't think it's possible to take any more of a nosedive than the trash that was their passing offense last season.

10 hours ago, no1birdsfan said:

Here is what I struggle with..... There was a random clip of AJ and QB1 on the sidelines right before the Super Bowl was all but wrapped up. AJ, not Hurts, was approaching him in a congratulatory, and IMO almost an olive branch, manner. Hurts barely reacted and even tried to turn his back to him.

Maybe AJ was such a PITA he didn't want to hear it. Maybe it was Hurts being locked in until the final whistle (doubtful, since he was hugging Smith and telling him how much he deserved it). But I can't shake the feeling that Hurts was part of the problem too and if maybe he moved a bit, this whole thing could have been manageable if not fixable.

1 hour ago, Mike31mt said:

Hurts' stats without AJ Brown since he no need the Eagles, which is 4 games in 2024-2025:

--Average Passer Rating: 101.3

--Individual Game Passer Ratings: 141.5, 88.8, 88.6, and 85.1

Jalen will be just fine, people are downplaying the addition by subtraction effect where Hurts doesn't have to cater his decision-making to make the man child feel better.

Hurts will have a better year than AJ Brown will.

Just quoting to make it easier to find after the season

10 hours ago, ManuManu said:

I suspect Brown will have a season where the Eagles routinely get clowned for trading him for a 1 so far in the future, but then he fades in 2027 and 2028. It appears he already lost a half-step, and I’m not sure how effective he is if and when he loses another half step.

Honestly, that is what I'm talking myself into liking a 2028 pick over a 2027 pick. It's completely in the relm of possibility that he has one more WR1 type season and falls off a cliff or has an injury plagued season (see: knee). Could make the 2028 pick even higher than 2027.

13 minutes ago, hputenis said:

Eagles had one of the worst passing offenses in the league with AJ Brown. I don't think it's possible to take any more of a nosedive than the trash that was their passing offense last season.

I don't know how much lower than the bottom of the league in 3rd down they could go but apparently they're going there now. Last year was so bad, if the offense even resembles it again I hope they blow it all up by week 3. Hurts should be ashamed of himself with how the defense bailed him out week after week last season. The defense looks primed again to be a contender if it wasn't for the king of 3 and outs...

6 minutes ago, paco said:

Here is what I struggle with..... There was a random clip of AJ and QB1 on the sidelines right before the Super Bowl was all but wrapped up. AJ, not Hurts, was approaching him in a congratulatory, and IMO almost an olive branch, manner. Hurts barely reacted and even tried to turn his back to him.

Maybe AJ was such a PITA he didn't want to hear it. Maybe it was Hurts being locked in until the final whistle (doubtful, since he was hugging Smith and telling him how much he deserved it). But I can't shake the feeling that Hurts was part of the problem too and if maybe he moved a bit, this whole thing could have been manageable if not fixable.

Maybe Hurts was the masseuse?

8 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Maybe Hurts was the masseuse?

Haters will say it's fake.