46 minutes ago, austinfan said:

They were 4-11-1 without most of the veterans that are leaving, DeSean, Jeffrey MIA, Ertz 50% catch rate (horrible for a TE), Peters (2 decent starts), Malik (28 tackles, 2.5 sacks) Curry, Wentz (QBR 49.6).

They probably will keep the other veterans through 2021.

So if they're half-way healthy and have a good draft, the 2021 Eagles may be better than the 2020 Eagles.

I think there's a really good chance they finish with a better record than last year. Especially if Kelce decides not to retire. Relatively healthy -- and there's almost no chance they could be AS UNHEALTHY as they were last season -- this team is still going to be strong in the trenches. Johnson, Brooks, Cox, Graham -- it's unlikely any of these guys are going anywhere based on their contracts. Then there's Sweat, an ascendant Mailata, Hargrave is at least an average to above-average starter.

So based on the lines, you don't have to squint to see a team that will be competitive in most ballgames. Add a terrible NFC East, a last-place schedule and a new QB who will be better than the old one if he simply isn't the worst quarterback in the league and yeah...

I think 5-7 wins is exactly where I would peg things right now. And if Hurts is actually good (this is where it falls apart for me as I see his ceiling at "average" or the 15th best QB in the league) they could even mess around and go .500. 

So in my mind, they really need to take a hard look at the QBs in THIS YEAR's draft because I think it's more likely than not that they wind up in draft purgatory for 2022 -- too far outside the top 5 to get there without mortgaging the future. That was more palatable with Carson because that roster actually had enough young talent to weather a few years with minimal draft capital. If Jalen doesn't totally prove he's the guy to build around this year, which I'm almost certain he won't, we'll just stay stuck in limbo indefinitely. 

3 hours ago, Green_Guinness said:

Good point about college QBs who play on 'stacked' teams and put up great stats in college, but then don't convert well to the NFL.  How many Bama and Ohio St. QBs are currently quality QBs in the NFL?  USC when they were the big dogs back in the day and how many of their QBs did well in the NFL?  Seems Carson Palmer, though I don't think they dominated as much when he was there.  Even OU as I think most people would only consider Mayfield a middle of the road starter at best and Murray, as pointed out multiple times by AZ resident e-a-g-l-e-s eagles, basically struggled the 2nd half of the season.  I wouldn't call him a top end quality starting NFL QB. 

I was thinking about this and if I was a scout/GM I'd first look at QBs in the best conferences who play on the 2nd tier or lower teams of that conference.  They don't have the talent around them that the top tier teams do, but they have to play against them.  So if they play decent/well individually vs 'better' competition IMO that speaks more to their potential than the QB on the 'better' team who is also playing well vs the 'lesser' team.  Mahomes as an example (Texas Tech).  Other examples:  Wilson (NC State and Wisconsin), Rodgers (Cal), Brees (Purdue), Rivers (NC State) and Ryan (BC).  Go back a bit further and you could also include Peyton (Tennessee, never really a powerhouse, always lost to FLA so 2nd tier) and Elway (Stanford). 

Brady is a curious example as he had to work his way up the depth chart and beat out Henson his junior year to win the starting job then the next season had to platoon with Henson the first 7 games before finally being handed the starting job.  So that's molding mental toughness and competitiveness which has probably helped him in his NFL career.

Of course this isn't an exact science or anything close to it as mostly it comes down to the individual and you have to look at pretty much all the players.  But that's where I'd start my search and branch out from there.  These QBs who have to deal with more adversity and not always winning nor having the best talent/coaching around them and play rather well tend to trend as better NFL QBs than the ones on the powerhouse teams.

 

 Pretty much, and since most teams if not all scout regions of the country, like the South East which is basically the SEC and ACC, so some teams may have two for that area just to make sure they hit every college.  The vetting process that’s done especially on QB’s taken in the first round is nuts.  These dudes talk to everyone, girlfriends, janitors, hire PI’s to follow them for a semester, etc.. 

 
Rant OT, sorry.   JaMarcus Russell is an example of someone who the scout said "not before the 3rd” because of his weight issues in college, plus his work ethic and being an all around ****.  He was also terrible at interviews during the combine, but Al Davis didn’t care, Russell was his guy all the way.     Drafting him number 1 was the beginning of the end for Kiffin as coach, and all Davis could say was how Kiffin ruined Russell by destroying his confidence because Kiffin wanted to draft Megatron with the 1st and he reminded Russell and Davis about this for the season. 
 

21 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

Carson is with the Colts now.  Let’s get past whining about players you don’t like who aren’t here anymore.  
 

They are likely going to be watching the Colts just to see if Wentz messes up so they can come back here and complain about another teams QB

1 hour ago, Saltpeter said:

Oklahoma WR Spencer Long. Pretty clear from the video that Jalen Hurts didn't leave the OU program better than he found it. Back to you, Tucker.

This is hilarious. I just read the barstool article too and they tried to paint it like Spencer Long was the peace maker.  He’s literally starting the fight in this video. 😂 

Also, the scumbag human recording this should be thrown in prison. Not because he stood by and did nothing. Because he said bro 347 times in a 58 second clip. 

52 minutes ago, downundermike said:

The Eagles are going to be a disaster next year. Bad cap management and horrible talent evaluation and drafting. Not sure how either of those things have anything to do with Carson Wentz

Nothing. Just adding to a beaten horse. 
 

Eagles may have a bad year coming but if the NFL has shown us anything is possible. I’m hoping for the best as an Eagles fan 

4 minutes ago, bpac55 said:

I dunno.  I look at the Redskins and they have drafted very well over the last 4-5 years.  I think their draft picks are more valuable to them as a team because they actually hit on their 1st rounders.

 

It's because of that I think trading for Wilson makes sense. You stick Russell Wilson on that team and they are instantly contenders in the NFC and should be able to be good for awhile and really just grt better as their young core just gets better with expierence. 

21 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

Carson is with the Colts now.  Let’s get past whining about players you don’t like who aren’t here anymore.  
 

 

15 minutes ago, austinfan said:

With the Rams, Noriega served as a strength assistant (2017-20) and strength and conditioning intern (2016). In 2017, his first full-time season with Los Angeles, Noriega worked under Eagles Vice President of Player Performance and former Rams head strength and conditioning coach Ted Rath, who was named the Strength Coach of the Year by the Professional Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. Additionally, Los Angeles finished as the healthiest team in the NFL based on adjusted games lost due to injury, according to Football Outsiders.

Hopefully, Rath and Noriega can make a difference, Rams have had far fewer injuries than the Eagles the last few years.

The other factor may be preseason, Doug coddled his veterans, Sirianni probably will be tougher on them.

Don't forget Noriega's stint as the Dictator of Panama from 83'-89'.

Just now, RememberTheKoy said:

 

It's because of that I think trading for Wilson makes sense. You stick Russell Wilson on that team and they are instantly contenders in the NFC and should be able to be good for awhile and really just grt better as their young core just gets better with expierence. 

Oh for sure he puts them way up there and it does make sense for the Skins to go all in before all of their defense needs new contracts.  They need to take advantage of the rookie deals before it's too late.  

4 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

Don't forget Noriega's stint as the Dictator of Panama from 83'-89'.

He knows how to get people to do what he wants - though he might be limited in the means of coercion in the locker room.

4 minutes ago, Freshmilk said:

 

Don't forget Noriega's stint as the Dictator of Panama from 83'-89'.

True story, Noriega flew to a meeting with the DEA in a plane given to him by Pablo Escobar. Say what you will about the guy, he had huevos.

 

 

17 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

The few videos I have seen of him and his press conference, none of that makes me think he's going to be any sort of imposing presence that isn't going to take anything for anyone on the roster. 

I'm sure they have the infamous blocking sled in storage. It's not about being Mr Tough Guy, it's about how you conduct practices and PT in exhibition games.

37 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

I don't think we should overlook how young and inexpierenced this coaching staff is for a lot of guys in their current roles.  Gotta be hopeful that Howie and Jeff made the right hired but we won't really know until we see it playout.  It's interesting how there really isn't that veteran coaching staff member for Sirianni to lean on for some guidence in this first year.  Maybe Stoutland is intended to be that? 

 

Going to be a lot of growing pains and learning on the job all around this season. 

i like it!!!! fresh young minds. a total turnover on staff. i will enjoy watching them make a name for themselves

6 hours ago, justrelax said:

I recently re-watched the NO game. On the first play, Hurts ran a read-option and kept the ball, the correct read. On the second he audibled out of the called play. On the third the pocket collapsed and he ran for the first. On the fourth they ran a simple dive play. On the fifth he had a two receiver pattern to the left sideline, picked the right guy, and hit him, which, BTW, was one of those passes he's supposedly not able to complete. Later, on 4th-and-2, he threw a TD pass to Jeffrey in the front corner of  the end zone (drat! another deep out) while getting crushed.

That showed me a lot in a single series.

JR, when I tagged Hurts as a one read and run guy last winter before the draft, I meant that to mean he took a quick read and then ran in college.  He was too fast giving up on the play and trusting his feet.  Both he and Carson were guilty of that last year and this old man would have done the same thing if I was back there.  The protection would disappear quickly from the disjointed OL last year. We need to be cautious judging Hurts by his play last season. That said, he needs to work on his anticipation.  I suspect Johnson may be just the guy to help him do that.

 

That’s a bad pick right there. 

8 minutes ago, DoWorx said:

i like it!!!! fresh young minds. a total turnover on staff. i will enjoy watching them make a name for themselves

 

Me too but all things considering with the staff, the roster and likely another pandemic style offseason I think it could end up looking pretty ugly right out of the gate only to get it together more as the season goes on and everyone settles in throughout the team with major turnover all around. 

 

4 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

That’s a bad pick right there. 

Only played 4 snaps all season. Sounds like a Marcus Smith type of pick.

4 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

That’s a bad pick right there. 

Wow that's messed up. He was a helluva player at my alma mater. Sad to see his career already in jeopardy.

1 minute ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

Wasn’t he just called out by the coaching staff or GM last week?  I seem to remember something.  Wow.  Kids these days.  I bet he plays next year.  

Yes the GM called him out. Didnt help he was arrested for a DUI 3 days before the season started. Dude just never hit the field. Was even a healthy scratch a few times and they stored him on the Covid list a few times as well. 

5 hours ago, Right4thePicking said:

So you're saying miss use of thing english language can get your attention. But my inside information of the task at hand is worthless?

Hadn’t thought of it that way, but yeah.

26 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

JR, when I tagged Hurts as a one read and run guy last winter before the draft, I meant that to mean he took a quick read and then ran in college.  He was too fast giving up on the play and trusting his feet.  Both he and Carson were guilty of that last year and this old man would have done the same thing if I was back there.  The protection would disappear quickly from the disjointed OL last year. We need to be cautious judging Hurts by his play last season. That said, he needs to work on his anticipation.  I suspect Johnson may be just the guy to help him do that.

 

Isnt the knock the hurts is bad in the middle of the field and not the edges?

Pretty good story by arguably the best Xs and Os writer covering the NFL. 

21 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

That’s a bad pick right there. 

Did a Football Guy make it? Jon Robinson, GM of Tennessee for five seasons.

Director of scouting for the Patriots for five years, Director of player personnel for the Bucs for three years.

So how did he possibly make such a mistake?

24 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

That’s a bad pick right there. 

He's only 22 too

2 minutes ago, ToastJenkins said:

Isnt the knock the hurts is bad in the middle of the field and not the edges?

I think that reflects inexperience, and Doug's playcalling (how many crossing routes, rubs, etc. did we run all season?).

Throwing over the middle is scary, bad things happen if you don't know what you're doing. Got to know where the LBs drop, etc. Windows can close quickly.

Throwing sidelines passes one on one is safe if you have and accuracy, which Hurts showed on those throws.