8 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

I'm very excited for Dean in this defense.  I don't like Morrow.  He was signed here to start, but I'm secretly hoping that a light goes on for Bradley after 3 years in this defense.  Local kid, still a young draft pick, great athleticism, and has officially been in this defense longer than any LB on the team.  At worst, I do think Bradley and Elliss should make for adequate depth.  I'm just worried about the starter next to Dean.

Why not Nolan Smith playing with Nakobe Dean in 2 LB formations?  Or is Smith only an undersized pass rusher ala Reddick?

Just now, Arsenal79 said:

Why not Nolan Smith playing with Nakobe Dean in 2 LB formations?  Or is Smith only an undersized pass rusher ala Reddick?

I don't think any of us know the answer to that.  That's why our new DC is critical.  They need to evaluate Smith's progress very carefully.

If he's swimming and struggling to adjust, then he needs to exclusively focus on being Reddick.  Learn from him, rotate with him, ideally they find some packages to get both of them on the field at the same time doing the same thing.

If it seems like he can handle it, then let him be a read and react LB too, I suppose.  But that's a big ask for a rookie edge rusher.  

4 minutes ago, Arsenal79 said:

Why not Nolan Smith playing with Nakobe Dean in 2 LB formations?  Or is Smith only an undersized pass rusher ala Reddick?

I think the issue is coverage. He’s a good run defender, obviously was drafted to develop as a pass rusher, but I don’t think he’s done much, if any, work in coverage.

He has the athleticism obviously, but it’s a lot to learn while you’re also trying to improve as a pass rusher and learn the playbook.

7 minutes ago, Arsenal79 said:

Why not Nolan Smith playing with Nakobe Dean in 2 LB formations?  Or is Smith only an undersized pass rusher ala Reddick?

Cosell mentioned that Smith has played stack LB. It would be a sometimes option perhaps.  Not an every down thing but a way to get him on field more

Can’t wait until that 7th round DT turns into something special, and someone here tries to look up his draft pick thread… only to realize no one ever bothered to make one

2 minutes ago, TEW said:

I think the issue is coverage. He’s a good run defender, obviously was drafted to develop as a pass rusher, but I don’t think he’s done much, if any, work in coverage.

He has the athleticism obviously, but it’s a lot to learn while you’re also trying to improve as a pass rusher and learn the playbook.

Agreed.  But his upside value is as a chess piece that can fill multiple roles.  If they can develop him into a 3 down LB that can cover in space and also rush the passer, it's a huge advantage for our defense.

More speed and athleticism is always better, but I don't really think of an off-ball LB as a position where RAS-type athleticism is a high priority.  A 4.8 LB with elite instincts is going to hit the hole faster and get to the right spot faster than a hyper-elite athlete.  One false step forward and you are out of the play.  Fluid hips and average athleticism allow you to hang when turning in coverage longer than a stiff 4.4 40" vertical guy like Kendricks.  I definitely want Nolan Smith on the field, but I also don't want to waste his athleticism on a read and react position in this defense.

I don't get into the jersey thing but Swift should take 0.  Swift 0 seems like a good combo

I think they could use another LB, S, WR but other than that they’re pretty well set. I can’t imagine they go into the season this light at LB. The starters are probably the weakest position as it is. One injury and Shaun Bradley could be starting. Or Elliss.

And I still think safety could be. One injury there and Evans could be starting. And who knows if Brown comes out of the gate ready to play. Johnson is still out there for more depth. Could be a guy to compete in camp and let the best man win.

1 minute ago, Sack that QB said:

I think they could use another LB, S, WR but other than that they’re pretty well set. I can’t imagine they go into the season this light at LB. The starters are probably the weakest position as it is. One injury and Shaun Bradley could be starting. Or Elliss.

And I still think safety could be. One injury there and Evans could be starting. And who knows if Brown comes out of the gate ready to play. Johnson is still out there for more depth. Could be a guy to compete in camp and let the best man win.

I think they'll see what they have at S. Edmunds, Reed, Evans, Wallace & Brown along with maybe a convert from all the CBs.   LBs for sure is weak

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023-nfl-draft-grades-for-all-32-teams

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

R1 (9): DI Jalen Carter, Georgia
R1 (30): EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
R3 (65): OT Tyler Steen, Alabama
R3 (66): S Sydney Brown, Illinois
R4 (105): CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
R6 (188): QB Tanner McKee, Stanford
R7 (249): DI Moro Ojomo, Texas

Day 1: Landing the No. 2 overall player on the  PFF big board at Pick 9 is a huge win for the Eagles. Carter played 392 snaps in 2022 and earned a 92.3 PFF grade that led all Power Five interior defenders. He registered 32 total pressures from 273 pass-rushing snaps. The Eagles had to give up just a 2024 fourth-round pick to make this happen.

The Eagles land the 13th overall player on the PFF big board with the 30th pick in the draft as Philadelphia retools its defensive line once again with elite talent. Smith might be undersized at 238 pounds, but he earned a 90.0 PFF run defense grade over the past two seasons and is an incredible athlete.

Day 2: Steen transferred from Vanderbilt to Alabama to finish his college career protecting No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young‘s blindside, and he earned a 74.4 pass-blocking grade over the year. Steen’s arms are under 33 inches, a common NFL threshold required to play tackle, so he may move inside at the outset. Steen was a steady riser throughout the process and is the newest student at Stoutland University in Philadelphia.

Brown is the first true safety off the board — Alabama’s Brian Branch is more of a tweener — and Philadelphia gets him right around his consensus ranking. Better yet, Brown fills a position of need, as Eagles starters Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps left the team in free agency. Brown earned a stellar 89.4 coverage grade in 2022 as a rangy deep safety who can cover a ton of ground, and his testing was off the charts. His 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump were all above the 90th percentile among safeties.

Day 3: The Eagles continue in their quest to recreate the back-to-back National Champion Georgia Bulldogs defense, trading up for a straight-line athlete in a very young cornerback that showed inconsistency after a breakout 2021 season. Ringo is a bit stiff moving laterally, which may have caused his drop here, but at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds he could line up out wide or perhaps transition to safety.

McKee isn't a great athlete and won't create much outside of structure, but his size and accuracy give him potential as a developmental backup who can win from the pocket. The scheme and supporting cast did him few favors, which contributed to his underwhelming production at Stanford.

The rich get richer in Philly. Ojomo is ranked 93rd on the PFF big board. He is an excellent run defender (91.4 in 2022) who can fill two gaps up front. An improvement to his pass-rush arsenal could make him a seventh-round gem.

DRAFT GRADE: A+

Ive still only seen 8 UDFAs reported and we supposedly had room for 12.

Tavion Thomas seems to be still out there. 

Last year, the Eagles were paying top dollar for UDFA.

Are they back to regular pay now, what ever that means?

 

20 minutes ago, Arsenal79 said:

Why not Nolan Smith playing with Nakobe Dean in 2 LB formations?  Or is Smith only an undersized pass rusher ala Reddick?

The issue is coverage which he did not do a lot of. His main goal was as an athletic run stuffer, with pass rushing as a secondary function. I think the main goal with him is Reddick 2.0, as Reddick’s contract is up after 2024. 

10 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I don't get into the jersey thing but Swift should take 0.  Swift 0 seems like a good combo

I’d say Swift or Reddick are the most likely 0’s. I’d love to see Nolan Smith take it though. 

Just now, HazletonEagle said:

Ive still only seen 8 UDFAs reported and we supposedly had room for 12.

Tavion Thomas seems to be still out there. 

With Penny, Swift, Gainwell, Scott, Sermon, and Brooks on the depth chart at the moment I don’t see another back coming in for now. 

1 hour ago, RLC said:

JJAW as a UDFA would have been fine. JJAW just couldn't finish contested catches.

My other big JJAW issue was he just didn't have that "dog" in him. Not saying he's soft, but he definitely didn't play with an edge.

Note Ngata’s 3 cone and Short shuttle.  Almost identical to JJAW.  Bugler hints at this: "Ngata has a long, angular frame with acceleration out of his stutter-step release to challenge cornerbacks on the outside. Though his catch radius belongs on the NFL level, his lack of runaway speed or short-area burst hinders the snap out of breaks. Staying healthy is the key question mark. Overall, Ngata naturally uses his body length to make full-extension grabs over defenders, but his struggles to create his own separation will be a challenging mountain to climb.”

Haselwood looks better but probably is a PS level player at this point. Bugler had this to say (“Gliding” is scout talk for rounded corners on routes).: "SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Arkansas, Haselwood operated primarily out of the slot in former offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ up-tempo spread attack. The former No. 1 wide receiver recruit in 2019 (one spot ahead of Garrett Wilson), he struggled to live up to expectations over his career (only one career 100-yard receiving game), but his fresh start at Arkansas helped show NFL scouts his talent. Haselwood is tall and long with the physical toughness and foot quickness to give his quarterback a target. He accepts the football with soft hands, although his success rate plummets when crowded. Overall, Haselwood is a gliding athlete with the short-area quicks to defeat press, but his separation is usually short-lived, which highlights his lack of desired speed and strength. His best college tape came as a "big slot,” and that is how he projects in the NFL.”

4 minutes ago, CouchKing said:

Last year, the Eagles were paying top dollar for UDFA.

Are they back to regular pay now, what ever that means?

 

They paid Ngata a lot. Only numbers that came out

1 hour ago, pgcd3 said:

Isaiah Wynn and he went to Georgia

I'd feel better with another vet or two. They are screwed if any get hurt, but they need something.

This breakdown highlights the traits that the Eagles saw in Steen.  Seems to have good understanding of blocking schemes and awareness adjusting to stunts.  Good anchor against bull rush as well as decent movement. 

 

Projected 2023 Depth Chart – Post Draft

Offense (25)
QB(3): Hurts, Mariota, McKee
RB(4): Gainwell, Penny, Scott, Swift
TE(3): Goedert, Stoll, Calcaterra
WR(6): Brown, Smith, Watkins, Zaccheaus, Covey, Ngata
OL(9) Mailata, Dickerson, Kelce, Jurgens, Johnson
Driscoll, Steen, Opeta, Toth/Reid/???,

Defense (25)
DE(3): Sweat, Barnett, Graham
DT(5): Davis, Cox, Carter, Williams, Ojomo
Stack LB(4): Dean, Morrow, Ellis, Bradley
Rush LB(3): Reddick, N. Smith, P. Johnson/K. Johnson
S(4): Edmunds, Blankenship, Brown, Wallace/Evans
CB(6): Slay, Maddox, Bradberry, Ringo, Scott, Jobe/Williams/McPhearson

Specialists (3)
K: Elliott
P: Siposs/Zentner
LS: Lovato

---

It's very clear why we didn't give out UDFA money this year (so far). The only spots with clear roster holes are CB5, TE3, WR5-6 and OL 9-10. If one UDFA makes the roster, we should be happy.

Also clear that the biggest injury concerns moving forward are Nakobe Dean and AJ Brown/Devonta Smith. At the other spots, even for our good players, we have reasonable backups behind them.

15 hours ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 Wonder what number Jalen Carter ends up going with since Goedert has 88.  Could this be the year they finally give up Brent Celek's number?  

Defensive linemen cannot wear numbers in the 80s. That’s been a rule for about the last forty years, so everyone should know it by now. It appears likely he’ll end up with 98. 

48 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I don't get into the jersey thing but Swift should take 0.  Swift 0 seems like a good combo

There’s enough Os in MO’s name, maybe he deserves the 0. 

We are so lucky to have Ray Diddy here (he can't stay away in retirement) He had some great insight on Ringo. He fell for one big reason. Marvin Harrison Jr abused him in the semis.

 

Marvin Harrison Jr is the next Randy Moss/Jerry Rice type. He my have been a pro bowl NFL receiver if he played in the league last year. Ohio State WRs were drafted at 10, 11, and 20 overall the last 2 years and to a man they will all tell you MH Jr is clearly the best of them. He's that combo of size, speed, quickness, and skill that you almost never see. He is that ultra rare Barry Bonds type who is the child of a HoF player but better than that HoF father.

If Ringo's weakness is he has trouble with a once in a generation WR then I am thrilled to get him in round 4.

 

 

*note Moss was 6'4" and ran a 4.25, I'm not saying Harrison is that freakish  (6'3" ran a 4.44 in high school)

I'm saying he is going to dominate in the NFL like a Megatron or a Moss.

1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

I don't think any of us know the answer to that.  That's why our new DC is critical.  They need to evaluate Smith's progress very carefully.

If he's swimming and struggling to adjust, then he needs to exclusively focus on being Reddick.  Learn from him, rotate with him, ideally they find some packages to get both of them on the field at the same time doing the same thing.

If it seems like he can handle it, then let him be a read and react LB too, I suppose.  But that's a big ask for a rookie edge rusher.  

Not a popular opinion but I say no. We hurt Brandon graham’s development by trying him at various positions, DT looks, stand up looks, in and out of wide 9. Let the kid play to his strengths rather than be a Bandaid for the teams holes 

1 hour ago, Cliftoma said:

I like Steen. I had my eye on him as a 4th round option. He has that inside /outside versatility I was looking for. Good overall size and strength, big program. I think he will be more of a OG, at least that's what I am hoping, but he could be a fill in OT option down the line.