21 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Disagree. The general consensus of the media after the fact was that a) Patullo was a bad OC and b) the largest contributor was the play of the OL. Both can be true.

The health of the o-line was a big factor. I think, though, that a competent OC is able to work on a fix to help hide the flaws in the o-line. Patullo wasn't capable of doing that part of the job. If I was going to I was listing the top 5 problems with the offense last season, I think inability to execute because of the health of the oline is fourth. The first 3 are the: 1) lack of creativity in the passing game, 2) failure to intetgrate run and pass concepts 3) predictability of the play calling. If the defense knows what you are going to run, it's really hard to routinely beat NFL players especially if the skill advantage you have is negated by injury. The Eagles, for a lot of last season, played like a HS Team that just thought their talent would out play the competition.

4 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

who do you think he is?

Because he’s a 29 year old edge who had 3 sacks last year and wasn’t healthy and isn’t healthy this year.

Miles frrom Garrett?

1 minute ago, NOTW said:

AJ Brown was a great receiver and will do well in New England. There were issues that led them to part ways, it is what it is. It's silly to downplay him and rewrite history as if he was a bad receiver or won't be missed at all. They have to replace his production, and they're going to do that with Smitty getting bigger numbers than he's used to, and spreading the ball around to other receivers.

The issue isn't Brown -> Smith at WR1, it's Smith -> ??? at WR2.

3 hours ago, HazletonEagle said:

3 safeties is crazy.

CB lack of depth is a major problem.

The lack of depth in those 2 positions will affect the season if its not fixed. But Im sure Howie knows that.

My question is- did we keep the best 53? Or did we keep a few guys we just hoped we could trade? And if they werent our best 53, then is the trade market even there?

Maybe we would be better off if we had Gushiken or Wisniewski on the team rather than Dalton and only 3 safeties.

Maybe the upside of Weru, or the play of Jake Majors made those guys more appealing than a backup blocking TE4.

And what the hell is Mondon still doing here?

Some combination of Gush, Wiz, and Pulley WILL be on the 71-man roster.

5 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

The defense will be fine and them some with or without Greenard producing at a high level. I tend to think it will be without and could actually see him being the 3rd best edge on the team by the end of the year if Nolan Smith can stay healthy.

I understand how good he was 2023-2024, but you certainly understand the odds are against reversing a downward trend at 29, especially considering that he's not even starting off healthy.

I'd argue looking at the sacks number, as opposed to the consistent pressure rate, overstates the "decline."

But I also think Hunt and Smith are poised for big years. Feels like we should have 3 very good edge rushers, and solid depth with Ebiketie and Epenesa. Our edge group is better than last year or 2024 (didn't have good depth and Huff was a zero).

5 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

Who also had double digit sacks the 2 years prior, and had a 13.5% pressure rate last year (7th in the NFL). If he has that same kind of pressure rate this year, then he will be a very good edge.

He's an adequate replacement for Phillips last season. I like the depth with Epenesa and Ebiketie vs. Ojulari and Uche last season. If Hunt improves and Nolan just stays healthy, this can be a very good group.

The Eagles have rolled with 3 safeties (for week 1) more times than I can recall over the last decade. While their starting safeties haven't always been awesome over that time frame, I can't remember them EVER being burned by a lack of depth at safety. When called upon, they've usually had a backup step in and perform adequately at worst.

Whether it has been Cooper or Maddox before him, they've usually had a CB who shifts over to safety pretty easily when needed.

Just now, NCiggles said:

He's an adequate replacement for Phillips last season. I like the depth with Epenesa and Ebiketie vs. Ojulari and Uche last season. If Hunt improves and Nolan just stays healthy, this can be a very good group.

That's where I'm at. Greenard = Phillips (who also didn't get a lot of sacks and had an injury history) at a better price. Hunt seems to have dominated camp, and I think people are sleeping on what a healthy Nolan will be. Ebiketie and Epenesa are way better depth than 2025 or 2024.

2024 was Sweat, Nolan, rookie Hunt. That was it down the stretch.

3 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

I'd argue looking at the sacks number, as opposed to the consistent pressure rate, overstates the "decline."

But I also think Hunt and Smith are poised for big years. Feels like we should have 3 very good edge rushers, and solid depth with Ebiketie and Epenesa. Our edge group is better than last year or 2024 (didn't have good depth and Huff was a zero).

2 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

He's an adequate replacement for Phillips last season. I like the depth with Epenesa and Ebiketie vs. Ojulari and Uche last season. If Hunt improves and Nolan just stays healthy, this can be a very good group.

IMO, I'd say better than 2025 and lesser than 2024, but we'll see. I think more rests on Hunt and Smith who are the homegrown talents than on Greenard. I don't expect Greenard, at this point and given that he is already dinged, to approach the quality of play or contribution that you'd anticipate from a double digit sack guy...whether you want to look at stats or pressure rate. I think a 2025 Phillips-like contribution feels about right.

2 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

That's where I'm at. Greenard = Phillips (who also didn't get a lot of sacks and had an injury history) at a better price. Hunt seems to have dominated camp, and I think people are sleeping on what a healthy Nolan will be. Ebiketie and Epenesa are way better depth than 2025 or 2024.

2024 was Sweat, Nolan, rookie Hunt. That was it down the stretch.

Yes. And Sweat was very up and down his whole career. The issue is that, down the stretch, Sweat and Nolan were playing like all-pros and even rookie Hunt was very effective.

Sort of like having a career .250 hitter just Reggie Jackson one random October. They were ferocious at the edge in the playoffs (and for most of December, IIRC).

14 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

The issue isn't Brown -> Smith at WR1, it's Smith -> ??? at WR2.

17 minutes ago, NOTW said:

AJ Brown was a great receiver and will do well in New England. There were issues that led them to part ways, it is what it is. It's silly to downplay him and rewrite history as if he was a bad receiver or won't be missed at all. They have to replace his production, and they're going to do that with Smitty getting bigger numbers than he's used to, and spreading the ball around to other receivers.

Just now, eagle45 said:

Yes. And Sweat was very up and down his whole career. The issue is that, down the stretch, Sweat and Nolan were playing like all-pros and even rookie Hunt was very effective.

Sort of like having a career .250 hitter just Reggie Jackson one random October. They were ferocious at the edge in the playoffs (and for most of December, IIRC).

Sweat has always gotten his sacks in bunches. The real key in the playoffs was it clicked for Nolan. I really think had he not gotten injured in the SB, he takes a leap last year. I think he will be very good this year, and Hunt will be way better than his 2024 or 2025 version.

This group is inarguably deeper and better week 1 than the 2024 group. And has the potential to be better than even the 2024 playoff run group.

3 hours ago, eagle45 said:

This roster has more holes than we have become accustomed to from recent Eagles rosters. And a roster with holes needs to compensate with numbers. It’s actually harder, not easier, to stash guys that aren’t ready.

I’m curious. Where do you think these holes are? IMO we have no holes in the 24 starters (24 includes NCB and Slot WR). Do you agree with that.

So the holes have to exist around the periphery. Last year at this time we had holes along the LOS on both sides. This year, even with Greenard’s PUP status that is not the case. There are no holes at LB and there were none at LB last year either. We have no holes at RB, and arguably RB is stronger (less of a hole) now than it was 12 months ago.

CB2 was a big hole last year. It is not now.

So that leaves CB 4-6, Safety 3-4, TE 3 and WR 2-6 as the only possible holes. That sounds like dents rather than holes.

Here we go

I wonder with the rapid incline of two and three TE sets if Howie was concerned that he couldn’t risk exposing Jenkins to waivers because teams want any all warm bodies at that spot. Calcaterra and Stowers being hurt (and frankly bad players at this point) doesn’t help.

2 hours ago, vikas83 said:

So we can start signing guys to the PS at 1pm EDT - guys I hope to have back: Weru, Bernard, Wilson, Majors, Williams, Wisnewski, Pierce, Covey, Campbell, James-Newby, Hall.

That is now!

3 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Yes. And Sweat was very up and down his whole career. The issue is that, down the stretch, Sweat and Nolan were playing like all-pros and even rookie Hunt was very effective.

Sort of like having a career .250 hitter just Reggie Jackson one random October. They were ferocious at the edge in the playoffs (and for most of December, IIRC).

Sweat had only 1 sack in the eight games prior to the Super Bowl. Smith had seven over the same period.

Sweat was solid, but nothing near all-pro.

Take it for what it's worth

I missed it... who won the Nasty Nate award this year? My fake prediction money was on Steele.

3 minutes ago, NOTW said:

Take it for what it's worth

We took it an hour ago.

Minute 10 of McAfees voice and looking at Aj Hawks head. Send help.

2024 week 1 roster vs. 2026 53 man roster (not necessarily week 1)

QB: Slight edge to 2024, since somehow I'd take Kenny Pickett over the 2026 versions of McKee and Dalton. But it's small.

RB: Edge to 2026 - give me Bigbsy over Kenny G. 1 and 3 on the depth chart same player

WR: Edge to 2024. AJ Brown is a great player, and he was at his peak 2022-2024. I like the depth at WR behind the top 2 better this year (Lemon, Brown, Cooper and Moore > Dotson, Wilson, Campbell, A. Smith), but obviously worse without AJ

TE: I'll call it a wash. Godert + Mundt + Stowers + Jenkins vs. DG + Grant

OL: 2024 slightly better because fewer health questions, but need to remember Jurgens was an unknown going into 2024. Lane older, Dickerson damaged so edge to 2024. I do like the depth in 2026 (Bell, Kendall, Lampkin) better.

Edge: Give me 2026 by a large margin, looking at week 1. In 2024 Hunt wasn't playing, Smith was coming off a disappointing rookie season, and Sweat was back on a reduced contract. Huff was the supposed stud.

DT: It's a push for me, maybe slight edge to 2026. Carter is older and healthy, should be better than 2024. Davis is obviously better. Ojomo vs. 2024 Milt is a wash.

LB: Big edge to 2026, as we had no clue if Baun was any good before week 1

CB: Edge to 2026, because we didn't know about Q and Coop week 1. Slay > Riq though.

S: Edge to 2024, obviously

\

7 minutes ago, judunno said:

I missed it... who one the Nasty Nate award this year? My fake prediction money was on Steele.

or one of the two Africans

At least we'll play a lot of 11 personnel this year. Think we might see some 21.

2 minutes ago, Diehardfan said:

or one of the two Africans

Always PS squad material given the international slot and they've never played football in their lives.

Epenesa can really play. He’s one of those guys who’s such a good all-around player in college that he gets propped up to the 1st-2nd round level, then people say "well if he can give me 6-8 sacks, we’re ok,” then everyone calls him a bust when he doesn’t get a bunch of sacks. He’ll impact games for us in all areas, and an in-game line with Epenesa-Carter-Davis will torture QBs with batted balls. His likely spot in our rotation is the ideal role for him. Win all around.