I’ve always been very high on Dean you all know. He is a hard worker with high football IQ and natural leadership. But have to admit his durability is a clear question mark. 

Thank goodness Ellis is having a strong start to this season. 

10 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

Weather is fantastic inside. But it’s outside practice tonight ….AT THE LINC!

How is traffic there?

2 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

Thank goodness Ellis is having a strong start to this season. 

When did the season start?   I missed it.

Even with those two new LB additions…I don’t think the position is fixed. I can understand prioritizing certain positions over others. Rosie’s arguably biggest flaw currently is just ignoring the lower priority positions almost completely though. We saw it with S last season. On the positive he did bring in Blankenship off the street. He was pretty crucial part of that position. Plus the obvious break in case of emergency trade last second for Ceedy Duce. Both starting LB left this offseason though. Adding Murrow was a weak attempt to get by. We need a complete team. Whatever the philosophies on paper are….gotta have guys that can do the job. Always love cheap players that perform well. Works at any position. But unless you can find that cheap option you gotta pay for somebody that actually works. Looks to me like we need to make a trade for a real LB.

Just now, cunninghamtheman said:

Even with those two new LB additions…I don’t think the position is fixed. I can understand prioritizing certain positions over others. Rosie’s arguably biggest flaw currently is just ignoring the lower priority positions almost completely though. We saw it with S last season. On the positive he did bring in Blankenship off the street. He was pretty crucial part of that position. Plus the obvious break in case of emergency trade last second for Ceedy Duce. Both starting LB left this offseason though. Adding Murrow was a weak attempt to get by. We need a complete team. Whatever the philosophies on paper are….gotta have guys that can do the job. Always love cheap players that perform well. Works at any position. But unless you can find that cheap option you gotta pay for somebody that actually works. Looks to me like we need to make a trade for a real LB.

How did he ignore S last season?

32 teams...how many of them had a better situation at S in 2022 than the Eagles?

Ham, are you allowed to film some practice for us while you are in there?   From your observations of the linebackers during camp... what would you say has been their biggest weakness so far?

Jermaine Johnson for the Jets stepped on ARod’s toe. Non padded practice. ARod will be fine. But even with no pads on practicing…with the highest protected player arguably in the league ….stuff like this can happen. Just something to keep in mind with underestimating how quickly and easily things can go south for any team. 

41 minutes ago, joemas6 said:

How did he ignore S last season?

32 teams...how many of them had a better situation at S in 2022 than the Eagles?

Answered that in the post you quoted very clearly

4 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

Answered that in the post you quoted very clearly

I didn't see your ranking?   What was the number you used in your post?

We had Epps as the only real S option up until the last week before the season started. Brought back Harris which the whole league had already judged had lost his game to age…the season before. Watched him in person the season before struggle. Still looked to him as the starting option as the offseason plan. Blankenship was probably right on the cut line at the end of PS. Thankfully made an excellent call not exposing him to be poached and rostering. One legit S…and Epps is not some Pro Bowler. In today’s game where three S is fairly commonly on the field at one time….that was blatant ignoring of a position Rosie clearly hasn’t prioritized. Looks like it showed him a lesson learned at S at least. The positive that resulted in such negligence of the position last season was it was so glaringly undermanned he was forced to make a trade. Which worked out fairly well.

Mailata got married. He will be distracted,so no way can we shoot for a SB

50 minutes ago, joemas6 said:

Ham, are you allowed to film some practice for us while you are in there?   From your observations of the linebackers during camp... what would you say has been their biggest weakness so far?

First observation is both starters left.

51 minutes ago, joemas6 said:

Ham, are you allowed to film some practice for us while you are in there?   From your observations of the linebackers during camp... what would you say has been their biggest weakness so far?

Taylor was dropped. Dean got injured. 

2 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

We had Epps as the only real S option up until the last week before the season started. Brought back Harris which the whole league had already judged had lost his game to age…the season before. Watched him in person the season before struggle. Still looked to him as the starting option as the offseason plan. Blankenship was probably right on the cut line at the end of PS. Thankfully made an excellent call not exposing him to be poached and rostering. One legit S…and Epps is not some Pro Bowler. In today’s game where three S is fairly commonly on the field at one time….that was blatant ignoring of a position Rosie clearly hasn’t prioritized. Looks like it showed him a lesson learned at S at least. The positive that resulted in such negligence of the position last season was it was so glaringly undermanned he was forced to make a trade. Which worked out fairly well.

So instead of the novel...what's your ranking out of 32?

The biggest weakness at LB is just lack of investment. The position group is so low on paper priorities …the weakest room on the team…after P.

Just now, joemas6 said:

So instead of the novel...what's your ranking out of 32?

Of Epps and Harris in 2022 as the only legit S options? Terrible! So bad…Rosie had to fix his glaring mistake by forcing a trade. If Ceedy Duce wasn’t available? Would have traded for some other player. 

57 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

Even with those two new LB additions…I don’t think the position is fixed. I can understand prioritizing certain positions over others. Rosie’s arguably biggest flaw currently is just ignoring the lower priority positions almost completely though. We saw it with S last season. On the positive he did bring in Blankenship off the street. He was pretty crucial part of that position. Plus the obvious break in case of emergency trade last second for Ceedy Duce. Both starting LB left this offseason though. Adding Murrow was a weak attempt to get by. We need a complete team. Whatever the philosophies on paper are….gotta have guys that can do the job. Always love cheap players that perform well. Works at any position. But unless you can find that cheap option you gotta pay for somebody that actually works. Looks to me like we need to make a trade for a real LB.

Once again,and this has been a pattern for what 10 years? We want the pass rush and the run stuff,the LB's/S's don't need to be pro bowlers. Pressure the QB enough and the mid secondary will have it easy

2 minutes ago, cunninghamtheman said:

The biggest weakness at LB is just lack of investment. The position group is so low on paper priorities …the weakest room on the team…after P.

When have we ever sprung for a LB in recent memory?

8 minutes ago, GreenbleedinNC said:

Once again,and this has been a pattern for what 10 years? We want the pass rush and the run stuff,the LB's/S's don't need to be pro bowlers. Pressure the QB enough and the mid secondary will have it easy

Well that’s flawed logic. Previously we had four Dline strictly one gap penetrating. Gannon and assumptions about Desai are more covering for the LBs to be clean to make plays. Eagles have always prioritized the pass rush to facilitate the D success. But more than just one way to get things done. You know I just am enamored with Fred Warner. Watching any game where he’s on the field and you couldn’t possibly convince a single person that LB don’t matter. But can’t prioritize every position and player. So I can see your point and position about not over investing in the LBs. But how I’m seeing Desai D …it’s designed for the LBs to be the guys free to make the run stuffing tackles. On the passing front: if you have a dominant pass rush going…how would offenses plan on dealing with that? The obvious plan would be quick passing attack getting the ball out before the rush can get there. So the mid level pass coverage becomes absolutely crucial. 

Great pass rush with Bradberry and Slay outside…what would your passing game plan be as an opposing OC?

If I’m planning against our D…I would run at Reddick and any of those LBs. With passing focused on attacking the LB also.

Basically as an OC the whole middle of the field would be the target. Nothing scary about our S either. I’m optimistic about the position group. But nothing proven to scare any O away from going there.

If it’s just a team trying to make the playoffs….then I wouldn’t nitpick as much…like how I was the seemingly only positive voice in 2021. That team did well to just make the playoffs and get that experience for the young new corps of players and coaches.

But last year I wanted to win it all. So I was critical of anything that wouldn’t allow that to be the outcome. This year is similar. Rosie backloaded contract ways I’ve been concerned of the obvious downward trajectory after the SB season. It was an obvious roadblock for 2018. Even more for 2019. 2020 wheels fell off. So situation could be compared now to that.