EMB Blog: 2021 Offseason

[greend]

12 hours ago, eaglesflyers#1 said:

Hot take: Eagles win NFCE this year. Hotter take, they win a playoff game too. Fire away.

Hot take. That would be great, but no way in hell it happens

[Iggles_Phan]

6 hours ago, TEW said:

False.

1 - your picks are earlier in every round.

2 - every position is a "need", so BPA vs need isnt even a major concern

3 - expectations are lower and marginal improvement is magnified

 

Besides Ive been informed countless times about how picking in the 20s is a handicap.  So if that is true... than picking earlier is an advantage.

[bpac55]

7 hours ago, ManuManu said:

Something I’ve been thinking about in the aftermath of the draft and our moves (or lack thereof) in FA in terms of how our defense is being built.

* We added a single high safety and a coverage-first LB from the Zimmer defense. Avery, an afterthought, was moved to LB.

* In the draft, our lone premium resource was a pass-rushing 3T who can play some DE. Later we added a DT who some project as a 3T and others suggest he’s more of a nose.

* With our lottery ticket picks, we added a DE who’s at his best as an inside rusher, a safety-turned LB and a DE who has some experience as an over hang backer and could be described as a homeless man’s Anthony Barr. 

* The only cornerback we added is a fourth-round pick who has experience both outside and in the slot. Gannon is said to value intellect and technique over height-weight-speed. Does that suggest zone over man?

All of this might be just be coincidental due to how the board broke or our lack of cap space, but I wonder if the plan is to have a defense full of hybrid players we can mix and match against based on opponent. And going further, could this be more of a zone-based, blitzing front seven that Gannon believes he can scheme up coverage behind, meaning he doesn’t need to invest as heavily in corner as Zimmer does?

I suggested this last weekend after the draft, especially after JaCoby Stevens interview when he talked about the NBA being more positionless than ever.  

It sure sounds like the Eagles are just going to have a bunch of hybrid guys out there trying to get the best matchups. 

[Freshmilk]

12 hours ago, Casey @ Bat said:

Totally disagree. He came back on an injured ankle for the end of a lousy season, then had surgery on it when season ended.

Bad season - yup. Didn’t care - nonsense.

He’s  still a solid player. Why give him away for a pick that probably won’t make team anyhow. He’s one of our 2 best tight ends and if he walks next year he’ll bring a comp pick that’ll be the equivalent of a trade.

The comp pick theory for Ertz is not as firm as some think.  Any comp pick we could get for him would depend upon 2 factors: value of.the FA contract he signs and the value of FA contracts the Eagles sign.  I think it is far more likely the Eagles don't receive a comp pick for Ertz next year.

[bpac55]

5 hours ago, devpool said:

Fair, but mailata has shown more than dillard has in 3 years. Blame injuries or whatever, but dillard isn't really a reason to feel good about trading mailata. Add in that while mailata has been good, he hasn't been good enough to command a ton of money. They can lock him up on a bridge contract for a lower hit soon during which time he can either get really good or plateau and they can move on.

The money aspect is really close to negligible considering age and he has proven to be, at the very least, a capable starting LT and any first round pick you get isn't guaranteed to be anything. Plus the salary you may save isn't really a lot. IMO mailata is closer to a no-move player than anyone on this team not named devonta smith, all things considered.

The only reason Howie wants Dillard to start and succeed is so he can save face for trading up to draft him.  Yes, the Mailata chatter in here can go overboard here at times, heck I'm one of the main culprits, but to think Dillard should be the unquestioned starter is just silly.

Howie should have said "we're lucky to have 2 talented young players at LT and we're excited to see who wins the battle".

To say it starts with Dillard is honestly a huge slap in the face to Mailata.  Then again, I think Dillard is a little boy with his mentality whereas Mailata can handle it.  

[greend]

10 hours ago, CaliEagle said:

Howie was on Rich Eisen's show today.

 

Great interview imo

[greend]

7 hours ago, devpool said:

If someone offered a first for dillard they should do that in a heartbeat 

agree

[RLC]

1 hour ago, DumbleBear said:

Really I gotta come in here to find out the latest Genius idea is to trade Fletcher Cox? 

No one wants to trade Cox. We simply think it's a bad idea to pay him 20M/Y.

[TorontoEagle]

11 hours ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

 

It doesn't matter who is great because that is how far the Eagles are from great this upcoming season. 

 

The only way it is possible for the Eagles to win the di vision and a playoff game this year is if Hurts takes a massive leap forward and is a Pro Bowl QB.  But you're on the anti-Hurts crowd so I don't know how you suddenly have this insane optimism that this team is good enough to win the division and a playoff game.  Have we just hit that point of the offseason? 

 

The Eagles were the 6th worst team in the league last season record wise.  The team really did next to nothing in free agency except a few bargain bin one year deals and letting guys on the team go to clear cap space.  Everyone in the league feels like their team improved after the draft but this team was bad and this team will very likely not be good this season either.  They are absolutely in the midst of a rebuild.  

Oh you know, except replace a terrible coaching staff (that was once good). 

While I don't think the Eagles will contend for a playoff spot next year, just because you're in a rebuild doesn't mean it can't happen. Miami last year for example, though they just missed out on the playoffs, were right in the thick of it. 

[Iggles_Phan]

1 hour ago, greend said:

Great interview imo

Meh.  Howie can talk.  Talk is cheap.

[bpac55]

17 minutes ago, RLC said:

No one wants to trade Cox. We simply think it's a bad idea to pay him 20M/Y.

I love when people see trade discussion they don't read the context of why things are being discussed.  I'd love to hear someone tell me that Fletcher Cox's play is deserving of that salary.  

FWIW, I would trade Cox, BG, Hargrave, Dillard, Slay, Johnson, Brooks and McLeod if someone offered anything above a 3rd for any of them. 

[Iggles_Phan]

17 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Oh you know, except replace a terrible coaching staff (that was once good). 

While I don't think the Eagles will contend for a playoff spot next year, just because you're in a rebuild doesn't mean it can't happen. Miami last year for example, though they just missed out on the playoffs, were right in the thick of it. 

I really don't want this team 'in the thick of it'.  I don't think they are remotely close to ready to compete in a real division.  The NFC East is still super weak.  Competing for this division title will just slow down (why can't I use the word 'r e t a r d ' the way it is defined...  ) the rebuild.   

 

And, we have to hope Miami has a huge step back this year as well.  (We own their pick.)   And we want Indy to be 'in the thick of it' and Wentz to play 75% of the snaps, but somehow miss out on the playoffs.  (That's the ideal, though them making the playoffs makes the pick confer with only 70% of the snaps for Wentz.)

[greend]

5 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Meh.  Howie can talk.  Talk is cheap.

Look, I'm no Howie fan, that said it does give some insight into his train of thought.  The man did bring us a super bowl with some great decisions at the time.  In my book he has this year to clean up the mess he made.

[RLC]

7 minutes ago, bpac55 said:

I love when people see trade discussion they don't read the context of why things are being discussed.  I'd love to hear someone tell me that Fletcher Cox's play is deserving of that salary.  

FWIW, I would trade Cox, BG, Hargrave, Dillard, Slay, Johnson, Brooks and McLeod if someone offered anything above a 3rd for any of them. 

Sure. No one is offering a 3 for any of those players except Lane Johnson though. Cox could get a 3 at mid-season once his base salary is lower for the acquiring team.

[Iggles_Phan]

47 minutes ago, greend said:

Look, I'm no Howie fan, that said it does give some insight into his train of thought.  The man did bring us a super bowl with some great decisions at the time.  In my book he has this year to clean up the mess he made.

I hear that.  Your avatar agrees with me though.   

 

Doug did too... but he wasn't afforded that time to fix his mess.  What's good for the goose is good for the gander, in my book.  

[ManuManu]

 

[TorontoEagle]

32 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I really don't want this team 'in the thick of it'.  I don't think they are remotely close to ready to compete in a real division.  The NFC East is still super weak.  Competing for this division title will just slow down (why can't I use the word 'r e t a r d ' the way it is defined...  ) the rebuild.   

 

And, we have to hope Miami has a huge step back this year as well.  (We own their pick.)   And we want Indy to be 'in the thick of it' and Wentz to play 75% of the snaps, but somehow miss out on the playoffs.  (That's the ideal, though them making the playoffs makes the pick confer with only 70% of the snaps for Wentz.)

Agreed with the points you raise. I only raised my point as the other poster left out a pretty major change in this team this off season. 

[RememberTheKoy]

9 hours ago, devpool said:

At some point it makes zero sense to do that. Why trade mailata, a young guy who has proven he can start in this league and play well, for a pick that turns into God knows what? He and smith are the only young players that for sure should not be traded under any circumstance.

Then you have the issue of leadership in the locker room which no one here can attest to. So there's likely a pretty good list of players they would not trade for a first for those reasons.

 

Because as a recent interview shows the Eagles are going to try to make Dillard at LT happen purely because he was selected in the first round. 

I don't want to trade Mailata but if someone offered the Eagles a first for them I'd bet you they would entertain it and likely do it. 

[RememberTheKoy]

5 hours ago, Nivraga said:

Yeah, I think it depends on the first round pick being offered. Most of the roster would be available for a first now but for several they would need to know which actual pick it was - example I don't think they trade Reagor now for an unknown first but before the draft next year - top 5 - top 10 ...

 

Miami has been in rebuild mode for nearly 2 decades. 

[EaglePhan1986]

3 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

Because as a recent interview shows the Eagles are going to try to make Dillard at LT happen purely because he was selected in the first round. 

I don't want to trade Mailata but if someone offered the Eagles a first for them I'd bet you they would entertain it and likely do it. 

Example number 47789215 on why Mailata is the most overrated Eagle in recent memory. 
 

I like Mailata. The potential is there to be a very good to great player but right now he’s a marginal starter/serviceable backup entering season number 4. Therefore, not a chance a team is offering a 1st for him. If they did Howie would say "yes” in seconds. 

[DeathByEagle]

10 hours ago, devpool said:

If someone offered a first for dillard they should do that in a heartbeat 

He actually said that, LOL

[UK Eagle]

Aaron Rodgers told prospective FAs last September that he wasn't going back for the Packers this season. This is going to get good

[Iggles_Phan]

15 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Agreed with the points you raise. I only raised my point as the other poster left out a pretty major change in this team this off season. 

It was a major change.  I just wish they had made all the necessary changes... in my opinion, they fell one short.

[Original Sin]

8 minutes ago, UK Eagle said:

Aaron Rodgers told prospective FAs last September that he wasn't going back for the Packers this season. This is going to get good

I would let him retire , but I think they trade him to WFT or Broncos 

[Utebird]

1 hour ago, bpac55 said:

I love when people see trade discussion they don't read the context of why things are being discussed.  I'd love to hear someone tell me that Fletcher Cox's play is deserving of that salary.  

FWIW, I would trade Cox, BG, Hargrave, Dillard, Slay, Johnson, Brooks and McLeod if someone offered anything above a 3rd for any of them. 

Yup. Every single one of those players are over paid for the level of player they are.

Cox is still good but he's not dominant anymore.

Johnson can still play but with the ankle rarely is healthy.

Hargrave was vastly over paid when they signed him and still is.

While BG is still good he's not a guy that's going to be a building block going forward why it trade him?

Brooks while healthy is good and again has a really high cap.

Mcleod at this point is JAG.