EMB Blog: 2021 Training Camp / Preseason

[MillerTime]

3 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Sure.  But was Douglas only responsible for the draft picks?  I thought that Howie had final say?   Douglas had the connection to Jeffery and to Jernigan.   Were they his moves or Howie's?   

 

Who knows? But if we arent giving howie credit then how do we give him credit? If he was that involved he failed after the Super Bowl too.

[Iggles_Phan]

2 minutes ago, MillerTime said:

Who knows? But if we arent giving howie credit then how do we give him credit? If he was that involved he failed after the Super Bowl too.

Point is... everyone is gone now... except Howie.

[austinfan]

A GM is more than the draft, but there's luck and path dependence.

Pederson was the right coach after Chip, where emotional intelligence with a veteran team was more valuable than excelling at Xs and Os. Pederson and Reich turned out to be the perfect combo, and Schwartz knew how to bend not break. When Reich left, Peddy couldn't replace him and I think Schwartz checked out after he wasn't offered a HC job after the SB. I do think Howie tried too hard to recapture the magic, and acquiesced to Doug too often b/c the alternative was to fire his SB HC and rebuild. Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet, which Howie should have done after 2018, or at least after 2019, instead of doubling down.

I think Sirianni is the right coach after Pederson, where a flood of draft picks, UDFAs, SFAs require hands on teaching and guidance.

As far as drafting, the Wentz trade and a couple other moves that helped deliver a SB also meant 10 total picks in 2018-19, four of which are a good bet to start this season, Sanders, Goedert, Mailata, Sweat. Maddox has the inside track for NCB, and Stoutland seems to want to keep Pryor. 2020-21? Check back in 4 weeks for a preliminary assessment.

 

 

[BigEFly]

11 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Sure is.  But, that's why those on the team get all those big checks, right?  Because it's hard.   And when they fail, someone else gets the big money to take their place.  

 

Of course, when I go to a new city, I don't know which restaurant is the best either... but I have to choose one... and if it doesn't meet expectations, I don't return.  And if it does, I might, either on that trip, or perhaps on the next visit. 

I think that as a teacher, you haven’t been in a talent scouting position for executive level talent or a hiring manager.  I have for both.   I did not bat 1.000.  Missing at a talent level position can hurt but failing at an executive level, especially when they brought in their guys is worse.  GM is an executive. And Lurie is a film producer, not a person that built a successful business.  So his experience in executive hiring is from the Eagles.  Some hits and some misses.  Howie is the SS batting .241.  

[MillerTime]

Just now, Iggles_Phan said:

Point is... everyone is gone now... except Howie.

And i agree howie should have been fired too

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

17 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I was once an optimist.  Now I consider myself a realist.  

 

If this team manages more than 6 wins, I'll take back every negative thing I've said over the past months about Howie.

Dang you are gonna be upset when they get 7 lol. 

I was optimistic in 2019 (still hated the Djax move), i thought they could be a super bowl contender. However last offseason in February i said they need to rebuild this team. And not a minor one but a major overhaul because they lacked enough young talent to transition to the next era of eagles football and that core in place. Except for like 3 people on here i got told i was chicken little with the sky falling. And what happened? I turned out to be right because i was honest with what I saw from previous drafts, moves they were making and some bad contracts. My point is some people call it pessimistic i call it i take my eagles fan bias out of it and just look at the entire picture of the eagles compared to the rest of the league in terms of their roster. 

if this team manages to stay healthy i think their ceiling is 9 wins. However i dont think with the age long their oline and defensive line they do that. Plus still unknowns at wr and no clue how the safety play is going to turn out. Also dislike their slot corner and depth at corner besides McPherson who is a rookie so he’ll have growing pains. Plus rookie head coach and DC so growing pains. I see them at 6-7 wins this year. 

[eagle45]

Bad draft picks happen.  Runs of bad draft picks happen.  Bad contracts happen.  While I like to expect perfection, I get that.  

The current FO lost me with the 12 personnel combined with extending Alshon and drafting JJAW.  You don't combine a 2 TE base offense with extremely sluggish possession WRs.  Anyone with any insight into the professional game just doesn't do that.  Sure, some here twisted themselves into knots explaining how it would be innovative and difficult to defend....but it was a predictable disaster.  It's so contrary to common sense that I can't trust anyone that would do it.

I think that approach was unforgivable.  Busts, bad contracts, bad seasons, sure.

[Sack that QB]

 

 

[BigEFly]

19 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Very few kickers prove their worth to stay on a team for 4 years, even fewer who are drafted.  The Eagles' best kicker was a FA signed away from Washington.  Their current kicker is a guy that they poached from a PS.   Kickers are easy to find.  Great kickers are often lucked into much more than they are specifically targeted in the draft.   I wouldn't use draft capital on a kicker.  On a guy to primarily play ST, sure.  But, not a kicker.  They are just too hot and cold.

Well punters kick too.  BTW, Elliott was a fifth round draft choice.   I want a draft choice to be a player that makes the team better.  So Donnie Jones was a seventh round pick. No disrespect to Patrick Johnson but with Johnston gone and Siposs a huge question, if Donnie Jones was available or Patrick Johnson, you tell me you would have taken Johnson over Jones?  That is Howie level flawed thinking. (I have just blessed Johnson into becoming the next James Harrison).  I think Smith has Donnie Jones potential. As an UDFA, he was free to sign with the team of his choice.

[Iggles_Phan]

9 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

I think that as a teacher, you haven’t been in a talent scouting position for executive level talent or a hiring manager.  I have for both.   I did not bat 1.000.  Missing at a talent level position can hurt but failing at an executive level, especially when they brought in their guys is worse.  GM is an executive. And Lurie is a film producer, not a person that built a successful business.  So his experience in executive hiring is from the Eagles.  Some hits and some misses.  Howie is the SS batting .241.  

I'm not asking that Howie bat 1.000.  But, to hit 0.241 is abysmal in his position.  

 

I have been part of job interviews as part of my job for filling positions within my department.  No one will ever hit 1.000.  Some interview great, but can't teach a lick.  Some couldn't do either, but were hired because we were desperate.

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

Bad draft picks happen.  Runs of bad draft picks happen.  Bad contracts happen.  While I like to expect perfection, I get that.  

The current FO lost me with the 12 personnel combined with extending Alshon and drafting JJAW.  You don't combine a 2 TE base offense with extremely sluggish possession WRs.  Anyone with any insight into the professional game just doesn't do that.  Sure, some here twisted themselves into knots explaining how it would be innovative and difficult to defend....but it was a predictable disaster.  It's so contrary to common sense that I can't trust anyone that would do it.

And now we have a QB who is notorious for not passing well...after going over the top investing in WRs.

It wasn’t so much the extending of alshon as it was his ridiculous restructuring of his contract.  I would argue that Malik Jackson’s contract Was worse because he was coming off a really bad 2018 season. They overpaid and just banked on the fact he’d revert back to 2017 form. Then how it was structure basically boned the eagles if he didn’t return back to 2017 form. 

I am not sure their intention was they wanted to be more of a 12 personnel team or because they lost burton and celek retired they thought it was imperative they take a tight end early 

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

12 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

 

 

 

@4for4EaglesNest 

[Iggles_Phan]

Just now, BigEFly said:

Well punters kick too.  BTW, Elliott was a fifth round draft choice.   I want a draft choice to be a player that makes the team better.  So Donnie Jones was a seventh round pick. No disrespect to Patrick Johnson but with Johnston gone and Siposs a huge question, if Donnie Jones was available or Patrick Johnson, you tell me you would have taken Johnson over Jones?  That is Howie level flawed thinking. (I have just blessed Johnson into becoming the next James Harrison).  I think Smith has Donnie Jones potential. As an UDFA, he was free to sign with the team of his choice.

Elliot has the yips right now, and wasn't acquired at the cost of a draft pick by this team.  Same is true for Donnie Jones.  Let other teams spend their draft picks on the punters and kickers.   

 

7 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

 

 

sigh

[BigEFly]

6 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

https://twitter.com/ChrisTrapasso/status/1423114757637292032?s=20

 

CBS draft writer with no connections to either team.  Would have credibility if source more identified.

[Sack that QB]

I'm not sure I buy it. I've been vocal about wanting him, but I don't think the Eagles can or will make the move until the legal stuff is settled. Unless they're getting him dirt cheap. Like one first rounder or possibly less. And it makes no sense for Houston to deal him now while his value is rock bottom.

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

1 minute ago, Sack that QB said:

I'm not sure I buy it. I've been vocal about wanting him, but I don't think the Eagles can or will make the move until the legal stuff is settled. Unless they're getting him dirt cheap. Like one first rounder or possibly less. And it makes no sense for Houston to deal him now while his value is rock bottom.

The only way they would do it right now in my opinion is if they had conditions on those picks. Where those picks don’t convert if legal issues go sideways. 

[BigEFly]

6 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Elliot has the yips right now, and wasn't acquired at the cost of a draft pick by this team.  Same is true for Donnie Jones.  Let other teams spend their draft picks on the punters and kickers.   

Just a difference of position between you and me.  AFan correctly identifies sevenths and even sixths as basically the equivalent of designating priority UDFAs to the team.  We designated a priority Australian football player at OT with a choice. I would designate a high likelihood of success P or K with one as well. 

[LeanMeanGM]

20 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

 

 

Just some pesky legal hurdles to get over 

[BDawk_ASamuel]

I can’t imagine a trade for Watson would fly well at least from a locker room standpoint. Especially with the allegations. The players seem to be behind Hurts, trained with him all offseason, etc. Watson is clearly the better player, but there is more to that from a leadership standpoint. 

[LeanMeanGM]

I do find it odd Watson was playing scout team and then magically disappeared when practices became padded and more physical. Not saying a trade is imminent but no way that’s just a coincidence 

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

1 minute ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Just some pesky legal hurdles to get over 

[Iggles_Phan]

6 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Just a difference of position between you and me.  AFan correctly identifies sevenths and even sixths as basically the equivalent of designating priority UDFAs to the team.  We designated a priority Australian football player at OT with a choice. I would designate a high likelihood of success P or K with one as well. 

Payoff on the uber athlete to play LT is worth the risk of a 7th, even 2 7ths, IIRC.   But, few PKs or Ps have anywhere near the longevity a top OT can offer.  Even 'good' ones bounce around a lot.  And, because they didn't spend those late picks on kickers, they had the ability to take the chance on the uber athlete to convert to OT.  

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

2 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

I do find it odd Watson was playing scout team and then magically disappeared when practices became padded and more physical. Not saying a trade is imminent but no way that’s just a coincidence 

Also curious and maybe it’s nothing but a coincidence but the eagles make $14 mil in cap space same day then have a powwow meeting on the far field after practice. 

[T-1000]

So what do we think the cost will be for Watson. Hurts and two first round picks.....more.....

[LeanMeanGM]

2 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

So what do we think the cost will be for Watson. Hurts and two first round picks.....more.....

Hurts, Goedert, Eagles 2022 and 2023 first round picks, 2022 2nd round pick