Yes, we’re doing this again.

Every year we do the whole ‘Eagles Mt. Rushmore’-thing, and as much as you try and avoid the topic, sometimes you see something that just begs the question: You’re choosing HIM!?

Over the years, my answer to this question has changed, but I feel pretty confident in this year’s choices: Jason Kelce, Brian Dawkins, Doug Pederson, and Howie Roseman.

Full disclosure, I’m still on the fence about putting Howie on this list, but he’s been with the team for over 22 years, endured more than a few ups and downs, and probably has a lot more hits for the organization than misses. If I’m not picking Howie, I’m adding Reggie White or Brandon Graham, and since I don’t want to pick between the two, I’m going with Roseman.

I also don’t disagree with people who put Andy Reid on their Mount Rushmore — I love Big Red. He was a great coach for the Eagles, I root for him and his teams in Kansas City, and I’m glad he won a Super Bowl. But, he didn’t win the Super Bowl for Philadelphia. You know who did? Doug Pederson. If this was a coaching monument, both Reid and Pederson would be on it. But, it’s not, so I pick Pederson over Reid.

My Jason Kelce and Brian Dawkins picks seem self-explanatory.

So, for the 100th time:

Who would you put on an Eagles’ Mount Rushmore?

Sound off in the comments and don’t yell at me for choosing Howie.

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/24/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Alvin Kamara reportedly facing an suspension of at least six games - Canal Street Chronicles
With the next hearing in Alvin Kamara’s criminal case set to take place in August, any reports or ramblings about the case have been relatively quiet. But things have changed in the last couple hours as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that according to league sources, New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara could be facing a suspension of a least six games.

Injury and suspension updates around the NFL that could affect the Eagles - PhillyVoice
The Eagles play the Saints Week 17, but perhaps more importantly, they own the Saints’ first-round pick in 2023. The Saints were 9-4 in games Kamara played in 2021, and 0-4 in games he missed.

Do the Eagles need to have a punter competition? - BGN
The Eagles are heading into training camp with one their most complete rosters in years, but when I asked what position group still needs some depth, several people pointed to the punting unit — which as it stands is just one guy, Arryn Siposs. While Siposs has only played one season in Philadelphia, the punter position overall hasn’t had much competition in recent years. For three seasons, 2018-2020, the job was Cameron Johnston’s, and for the five seasons before that, 2013-2017, the job was firmly Donnie Jones’. Siposs had an uneven 2021, but is it time to bring in a little motivation?

How the Bills, Bears, Chargers and Rams shifted the NFL pass-rushing landscape - The Athletic
Reddick cashed in after betting on himself with a one-year deal with Carolina for 2021. The linebacker picked up 11 sacks with a 10.4 percent pressure rate. Those numbers are actually down from his 2020 season, though. He amassed 12.5 sacks with a 13 percent pressure rate (17th among those with at least 200 pass rushes, 172 players ranked). Reddick’s 11 sacks would have easily led Philadelphia last season. Javon Hargrave (13.6 percent rate, 17th in 2021) and Josh Sweat (11.1 percent rate) tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks. Also remember the Eagles should have Brandon Graham back in the fold. He combined for 16.5 sacks in 2019 (13 percent rate) and 2020 (12.5 percent rate). He only had 30 pass-rush snaps last season. I’d be floored if the Eagles rank 31st in sacks in 2022.

2022 NFL season: 10 biggest remaining roster holes heading into training camp - NFL.com
NEW YORK GIANTS: Defensive back. The release of corner James Bradberry after no trade materialized leaves Big Blue incredibly young on the outside. Adoree’ Jackson is the only vet with vast starting experience. Currently, the Giants are counting on Aaron Robinson (Year 2), Darnay Holmes (Year 3), Rodarius Williams (Year 2), and rookie third-rounder Cordale Flott in their corner group. Don Martindale’s defense relies heavily on being able to match up on the outside. Adding a vet to the crew at either corner or a safety on the cheap would go a long way to solidifying a young group.

Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux said to have minor ‘tweaked hip’ - Big Blue View
Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants was held out of spring practices after suffering a “tweaked hip” early in OTAs, per a report from Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Duggan added that the injury is “considered minor” and that he would expect the Oregon edge defender, selected No. 5 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, to be ready for the July 26 start of training camp. Thibodeaux worked on the side with trainers during the team’s mandatory minicamp. He looked fine while running and doing agility drills. The Giants were cautious with injured or rehabbing players throughout the spring. More than a dozen players spent all or most of the spring in red non-contact jerseys. Some did no on field work at all, others did individual drills only and some mixed in occasionally in team periods or special teams drills.

7 reasons why we shouldn’t be worried about the Cowboys’ wide receiver situation in 2022 - Blogging The Boys
CeeDee Lamb is here. Lamb’s numbers are very comparable to Cooper’s over their first two years in the league. And let’s not forget that even Cooper had a veteran/former first-round pick helping him out as Michael Crabtree had very good seasons during Cooper’s first couple of years in the league. The Lamb factor alone will not allow this current cast to be comparable to the dreaded 2018 season as that group had zero no. 1 wide receivers on the roster. You could even make a compelling case that it was full of no. 3 wideouts. CeeDee Lamb is here and that’s a nice start.

2022 NFL Offseason: Best and Worst Moves, MVPs and More - SI
Which team didn’t do enough this offseason and could struggle this season? Orr: The Cowboys. I’m surprised, somewhat, that the Cowboys did not punch the accelerator this offseason. After watching both the Rams and Buccaneers take home Lombardi trophies in consecutive years, it’s obvious the formula is amassing a talent glut so significant that no other team can compete. The Cowboys’ young core is rounding into their collective athletic prime. Supplement them with a little more than Dante Fowler.

Former 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith calls NFL locker room tradition ‘BS’ - Niners Nation
Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith took to Twitter on Tuesday to criticize a long-held NFL tradition: rookie dinners. It’s a common practice around the league for position groups to go out for dinners with rookies, order extravagant meals and expensive drinks, and force the first-year player (or players) in a position group to pick up the tab. In Smith’s social media post, the eight-year NFL player called the rookie dinner tradition “BS” and thanked Anquan Boldin for ensuring he was not subjected to one during his rookie year with the Baltimore Ravens. Smith wrote, “I’m glad I had an OG that realized teaching me to blow money is STUPID! It does not prove you belong on a team.” Additionally, Smith cited many players’ struggles with managing their finances as an added reason to end the practice, “Dudes come into the league with no financial literacy and real problems, but folks think 50k dinners are cool! NAH!”

NFL Daily Kickoff, Friday- Deshaun Watson settlement talks with NFL break down - The SB Nation NFL Show
Deshaun Watson, the NFL, and the NFLPA can’t agree on a punishment for his alleged sexual misconduct, a Hall of Famer passes away, and Peyton Manning’s nephew picks his college team.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Right now there’s only one punter on the roster, but should another one be added?

The Eagles are heading into training camp with one their most complete rosters in years, but when I asked what position group still needs some depth, several people pointed to the punting unit — which as it stands is just one guy, Arryn Siposs.

While Siposs has only played one season in Philadelphia, the punter position overall hasn’t had much competition in recent years. For three seasons, 2018-2020, the job was Cameron Johnston’s, and for the five seasons before that, 2013-2017, the job was firmly Donnie Jones’. Siposs had an uneven 2021, but is it time to bring in a little motivation?

Jones played in 80 games for the Eagles and averaged 45.4 yards per put during his five seasons. The veteran lost out in 2018 when Johnston was signed and impressed right away. Johnston ended up being one of the league’s top punters during his time in Philly, and was averaged 47.0 yards per punt before signing a multi-year deal with the Texans. Meanwhile, in 2021, Siposs averaged just 43.9 yards per punt.

One thing’s for sure, head coach Nick Sirianni does not shy away from competition. It’s one of his core values. He loves competition and encourages it throughout the ranks, so it wouldn’t be far fetched at all for Sirianni to add someone to compete for the punting job.

At this point of the offseason, there are only a handful of free agents still available at the position — I doubt that Howie Roseman would trade for someone who might ultimately not even make the roster — including Bradley Pinion, Michael Palardy, Dustin Colquitt, Lachlan Edwards, Ty Long, and Hunter Niswander. While a veteran punter might be able to come in and help develop Siposs, Colquitt is 40 and probably not worth it. Palardy and Edwards are 30 and might make sense, and Edwards would be the cheaper of the two.

I’m still not convinced that the Eagles need to have a competition at the punting position, but Siposs does need to make a big leap during training camp and preseason in order to solidify his role.

Do the Eagles need to have a punter competition?

Let us know in the comments!

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/23/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Ranking the top 32 NFL contracts ahead of the 2022 season - PFF
1. T Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles: Four years, $64 million ($40.85 million total guaranteed). The Eagles drafted Mailata in the seventh round in 2018 after a promising rugby career, and the 6-foot-8, 346-pound mountain of a man immediately went to work with Philadelphia offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland on refining his craft. Meanwhile, Jason Peters was still playing at a high level in his late 30s, and the Eagles traded up in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft for left tackle Andre Dillard. Mailata improved each year, and he finally got on the field in 2020 for 733 snaps. That, plus years of practice reps, was all Philadelphia needed to see before extending him on a four-year contract. Given the small sample size of actual gameplay, his $16 million per year extension raised some eyebrows, and understandably so. One year later, the deal is a bargain of the highest order. Mailata earned an 87.4 overall grade with an 83.3 pass-blocking grade and 87.8 run-blocking grade, a true dancing bear with tremendous footwork for his size and lack of experience. Mailata already generated the second-most Wins Above Replacement among all tackles in 2021, behind only San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams, and there’s still more room for him to grow. A very similar situation played out this offseason with Los Angeles Rams tackle Joseph Noteboom, who also found himself on the depth chart behind a future Hall of Fame left tackle playing in his late 30s in Andrew Whitworth. Noteboom will take over on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s blindside and will be a player to keep an eye on for the 2023 list.

Offensive tackle rankings for top 32 NFL OTs heading into 2022 headlined by Trent Williams and Tristan Wirfs - Pro Football Network
9) Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles. Jordan Mailata had never played a down of football before the Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After spending two years on injured reserve, the ex-Australian rugby player took over as a starter in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. Mailata’s performance is a testament to Eagles all-star OL coach Jeff Stoutland, and he’s played so well that former first-round tackle Andre Dillard has become a complete afterthought. A massive man at 6’8″, 365 pounds, Mailata still managed to run a 5.12 40-yard dash at his 2018 pro day. That athleticism is apparent on tape. Mailata suffocates defensive linemen in pass protection, but he’s also magnificent in the run game, which is especially critical for a team that likes to run as much as Philadelphia.

Ranking the Eagles’ 20 best draft picks over the last 20 years - PhillyVoice
4) 2018: Jordan Mailata, OT, no college, 7th round: Mailata was the flier of all fliers, an Australian rugby dude who had never played an organized game of American football in his life when he was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round. You all know the story. Mailata broke out in 2020 with a very encouraging season, and he took his game to the next level in 2021, when he should have made the Pro Bowl but was snubbed. The scary thing is that we don’t know how high Mailata’s ceiling is, because he has shown drastic improvement every year in the NFL so far.

Where do you want the Eagles to add more depth? - BGN
This feels like one of the more well-rounded and robust rosters the Eagles have had in years, and while several guys are on one-year deals, there’s also a lot of key players with several years left on their rookie contracts. If the team does decide to make more moves this offseason, I’d like to see them add some running back depth.

One last offseason move for all 32 NFL teams: Final free-agent signings, extensions and trades to complete training camp rosters - ESPN+
Help and evaluate quarterback Jalen Hurts’ progress. While there are other moves the Eagles will make as part of a push for another playoff bid, it still feels like the progress of Hurts sets the ceiling for the franchise this year and beyond. Hurts is a vastly improved player from when he entered the league, has incredible leadership and checks so many of the boxes you desire in a starting quarterback. However, in a league in which explosive passing offenses have become a more common formula for winning teams, Hurts still has work to do as a pure passer — he has completed just 59% of his 580 career passes and was overmatched in his lone playoff start. There are many reasons to have optimism in Hurts, but the fact that Philly owns two first-round and two second-round picks next year is worth monitoring.

5 Eagles on offense with something to prove in 2022 - NBCSP
The Eagles have been pretty clear — at least publicly — all offseason that Hurts is their guy going into the 2022 season. But after that? Well, that’s what Hurts will have to prove this season: That he’s a real franchise quarterback. Hurts definitely did some good things last year, his first as a full-time NFL starting quarterback. But there are also plenty of areas that he needs to improve. If he doesn’t, then there’s a very good chance the Eagles won’t give him an extension and will likely look elsewhere to find their franchise quarterback. So there’s an awful lot riding on the 2022 season for the 23-year-old quarterback. The Eagles have been impressed by Hurts’ work ethic and the approach he’s taken this offseason. They truly believe that Hurts will maximize his potential, but they might not know how good he can be. With the addition of A.J. Brown this offseason, Hurts has some impressive weapons (Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Miles Sanders, Quez Watkins, etc.) as well as an offensive line considered to be one of the best in the entire league. That also means there will be no excuses if Hurts can’t perform at a higher level in 2022. Of all the players on this list, he’s the most obvious.

2020 NFL Draft rewind: Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert are stars, but who are the busts? - The Athletic
Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 21). The Eagles took Reagor one spot before the Vikings took Justin Jefferson. That’s not Reagor’s fault, but for the Eagles, this one might always be impossible to defend. Reagor has the tools to be an impactful slot receiver, but No. 21 felt a bit high for him in 2020 and it still does today. Reagor’s eye discipline and overall issue with drops were real problems in college, and while both have improved in the NFL, he’s still had situational issues in the NFL. Reagor’s size (5-10, 206) limits his route tree, and his vertical impact in the pass game almost has to be via a complete downfield win, as he’s not going to beat many defenders in the air with consistency. He can be a good player in Philly. Maybe he climbs out of this category soon. But with 62 catches for 676 yards and three touchdowns to his name, this feels like a reach pick.

Eagles’ Lane Johnson says A.J. Brown reminds him of a former All-Pro wide receiver - NJ.com
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Johnson said that he was excited to see that the Eagles made the draft-night trade for Brown, comparing Brown to a former Houston Texans wide receiver who was twice named an All-Pro and made seven Pro Bowls teams. “I was surprised, and then I was very happy,” Johnson said of learning about the trade. “He’s a physical specimen. When you look at him, he has an Andre Johnson-type build. He’s explosive, so I’m excited to have him to pair with DeVonta (Smith) and the rest of our receiving corps.”

Davion Taylor: ‘I’ve got to earn it, every bit of it’ - PE.com
But in the late-November win against New Orleans, only seven snaps into the game, Taylor suffered a sprained knee and was placed on Injured Reserve, ultimately for the remainder of the season. His promising second year ended on the sidelines. A third-round draft choice in 2020, Taylor set out to make sure the injury bug wouldn’t bite him anytime soon. “It’s a physical game so you know that things are going to happen, but my focus now is to do everything I can do to stay on the field and stay healthy,” Taylor said shortly before the Eagles finished their Organized Team Activities in the spring. “I feel I’m doing what’s right. I’m ready to be at my best and to compete, because I know nothing is going to be given to me. I’ve got to earn it, every bit of it.”

5 bold predictions for the Dallas Cowboys prior to training camp in 2022 - Blogging The Boys
Tony Pollard shines in versatile RB/WR role. Tony Pollard may or may not be the next Deebo Samuel, but the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to finally use him in a similar type of running back/wide receiver role in 2022. Already in minicamp and OTA practices he’s been spotted split out as a WR in the slot more often, which hints to him being involved more offensively. But, how much and how often remains to be seen. After putting up a total of 1,056 total yards as a runner and receiver last season, the expected increase in touches should make No. 20’s production skyrocket in 2022. Don’t be at all surprised to see him performing as one of the best playmakers the Cowboys have in training camp and preseason games. We all know what he’s capable of doing, so maybe predicting him shining in a versatile RB/WR role isn’t much of a bold prediction after all.

Playing to Saquon Barkley’s strengths in 2022 - Big Blue View
Much of the discussion surrounding Saquon Barkley centers around the New York Giants’ decision to draft him at No. 2 four years ago and the injuries that have limited him since his rookie year. Neither of those things matters to Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka. They are in the past, and occurred under a different general manager and coaches. Daboll and Kafka are looking forward, asking themselves how they might best utilize his talents in 2022. Their answers may be exciting, because they seem to recognize that Barkley is not a traditional power, punishing, Derrick Henry-type running back. He is a back who wants to make defenders miss. That means getting him into space.

Five NFL teams that will improve the most in wins in 2022: Broncos lead the pack - NFL.com
3) Jaguars. Net improvement: Five wins. A lack of talent was not the issue for Jacksonville last season; dysfunction at the top of the coaching ladder was. Thankfully for the Jaguars, Urban Meyer and his arrogance are gone. Replacing him is Doug Pederson, a coach who has a history of relating to players. He went to the playoffs three times in five seasons with the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl during the 2017 season. I don’t expect the Jags to hit the ground running in full stride; it will take time to break through the scar tissue associated with only one winning season since 2007 and five last-place finishes in the past six seasons. They also will need time to develop the type of trust that only comes with walking through the fire together. But by the end of the 2022 season, I expect Jacksonville to find its rhythm and be a team that no one wants to play, particularly if that opponent needs a win to reach the playoffs. Look for Pederson to work wonders not only instilling a positive culture, but also helping second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence show why he was considered a generational talent coming out of Clemson. I could go into all the personnel upgrades, including the addition of No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker, but as I previously said: talent was not the issue with this team a year ago.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Thursday - Dan Snyder to be Subpoenaed to Appear before Congress - The SB Nation NFL Show
On today’s episode, the U.S. House Oversight Committee is expected to subpoena Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder to appear before Congress next week.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

The team feels more complete than it has in quite some time heading into training camp.

With just over a month until Eagles training camp starts, things feel a bit slow. It isn’t always like that. Most years, we’re dealing with roster controversies or waiting for news that Howie Roseman finally made a big free agent signing. But this year, there’s a lot of carryover from the 2021 team, and they’ve already addressed some of their biggest needs through free agency and the NFL Draft.

The roster is by no means “done,” but it kind of feels that way. Big-bodied receiver? AJ Brown. Pass rushing weapon? Haason Reddick. Absolute giant yet super athletic defensive tackle? Jordan Davis.

Even at the tight end position, less than a year after Zach Ertz was traded to the Cardinals, the Eagles still have Dallas Goedert as their receiving TE and moved former WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside over to block — a guy who has the size needed and someone Nick Sirianni has praised for his blocking ability.

The offensive line is, and stays, pretty stacked. The secondary was finally addressed, with Roseman signing CB James Bradberry and SAF Jaquiski Tartt, not to mention a lot of the defensive guys throwing their support behind Marcus Epps stepping into the starting role left by Rodney McLeod.

This feels like one of the more well-rounded and robust rosters the Eagles have had in years, and while several guys are on one-year deals, there’s also a lot of key players with several years left on their rookie contracts. If the team does decide to make more moves this offseason, I’d like to see them add some running back depth.

Currently Miles Sanders is RB1, with Kenny Gainwell getting snaps on third down and in the red zone. Boston Scott is as clutch as they come, and then there’s Jason Huntley and Kennedy Brooks to round out the running back room. But, that’s it. Sanders is good, but needs to be great. Gainwell has potential, but needs more experience. And Scott is more often ‘the guy’ than the guy who is supposed to be ‘the guy’. Still, as much as I’d like to add to the group, quarterback Jalen Hurts is a huge part of the run game and they don’t really need another rusher.

Where do you want the Eagles to add more depth?

Let us know in the comments!

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/22/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Which NFL players will level up in ‘22? CeeDee Lamb, Pat Surtain, Jalen Hurts top my GUARANTEED risers - NFL.com
3) Jalen Hurts. I believe. I love the arm, the smarts, the athleticism. And now I love the talent around him, with A.J. Brown joining DeVonta Smith to comprise quite a 1-2 punch at wide receiver. Brown’s catch-and-run ability and Smith’s pristine route-running will mitigate Hurts’ inaccuracy issues. And now that the quarterback has a full year’s experience as an NFL starter — as well as coaching continuity, with head man Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen back for Year 2 — I think his clutch play will skyrocket. Hurts is a winner and a natural born leader. This fall, I see him guiding the Eagles to an NFC East title. And you better believe this team will be a tough out in January.

Fantasy football 2022: One burning question for all 32 NFL teams heading into the season - The Athletic
Despite an uneven 2021, Jalen Hurts finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in his first full season as a starter in 2021. With A.J. Brown joining second-year player Devonta Smith in the receiving corps, how realistic is a top-five fantasy QB campaign for Hurts? If Hurts was a top-10 quarterback last season as an inconsistent passer in an offense with underwhelming weapons, it’s reasonable to expect Hurts to make a major jump — and perhaps emerge as a top-five fantasy quarterback — this season. The passing options should be considerably better with Brown, Smith entering Year 2 and Dallas Goedert entrenched as the top tight end. Hurts believes he’ll benefit from having the same scheme and play caller for the first time since high school. The Eagles should pass the ball more this season, and they should also run more plays than they did in 2021. Hurts will remain productive running the ball, so the improved passing and offensive efficiency will help his overall statistics. He also missed two games last season and was hindered by an ankle injury in December. If he can stay healthy in 2022, his numbers should also improve. The top-five plateau is difficult to reach, but Hurts’ running ability helps his candidacy.

NFC East Mixtape Vol.62: Most overrated players in the division - BGN Radio
Last week RJ Ochoa and Brandon Lee Gowton discussed the most underrated players in the NFC East and this week they are back to make their picks for the most overrated players in the division.

Bottoms up: Newly-retired ex-Eagles star (and N.J. native) has big business plans with a grain of truth - NJ.com
Bottoms up! Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins is getting into the alcohol industry. Philadelphia Business Journal reports Jenkins is “is teaming up with New Liberty Distillery parent Millstone Spirits Group to launch a new whiskey sourced exclusively from ingredients produced by Black and Brown farmers.”

Dick Vermeil’s ‘burnout’ turned into an unconventional Hall of Fame career - ESPN
At any of several points during a 30-year NFL head-coaching career, it would have been impossible to predict Dick Vermeil getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Vermeil got his first NFL head coaching job with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976, just after leading UCLA to a Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State. The Eagles had gone nine straight seasons without a winning record when Vermeil arrived. But Vermeil had them in the playoffs in his third year and in the Super Bowl in his fifth. It came at a cost. The Eagles had become winners with a coach who conducted long, physically demanding practices, almost always in pads. Vermeil kept a hand in the Eagles’ offensive, defensive and special teams game plans and worked long hours to stay on top of it all. “He used to upset all of us assistant coaches because he could survive on four hours of sleep a night,” said Carl Peterson, who coached for Vermeil with UCLA and the Eagles and later hired Vermeil as general manager of the Chiefs. “The rest of us needed more. We all had pullout beds in our offices with the Eagles. We had to. Meetings started early and they lasted late.

The House Oversight Committee will subpoena Dan Snyder to testify next week - Hogs Haven
Chairwoman Carolyn Maroney announced her plans to subpoena Dan Snyder to testify next week. This was the logical next step as Snyder continues to avoid direct questioning from the Committee, and Washington and the NFL refuse to release the Beth Wilkinson report.

3 free agent wide receivers still available that could make sense for the Cowboys - Blogging The Boys
As we get later into the offseason the options to add to the roster get lesser, however Will Fuller has made a lot of sense for the Cowboys since the offseason began. Fuller is a speed threat who is still only 28 and has the ability really take the top off a defense when available. Fuller has had his fair share of injuries and staying on the field is always a concern with him, but with it being this late into the offseason the money would be reasonable and we know that the Cowboys look at that first and foremost. Secondly, the risk would be minimal, you bring him in to compete. If the talent is there, if he is healthy and able to impress it’s a small price to pay to upgrade the position. If a move for Fuller was made one could assume it would be a this or that decision between him and James Washington and one could make a real case that Fuller is the better, more complete player. However with the rehab of Gallup still unknown it might allow for both to be available early on.

You can’t win a Super Bowl without a quarterback ... - Big Blue View
Seven of the 10 account for a larger chunk of their team’s cap space than any previous Super Bowl winner ever has. Maybe one of them can set a precedent this year and win despite the smaller amount of money available for the rest of the team. Time will tell. Every percent that goes to the QB is $2M+ not available for another position. The Chiefs drafted Skyy Moore and signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Packers drafted Christian Watson and traded for Randall Cobb. The Titans drafted Treylon Burks and traded for Robert Woods. Will these moves make up for the loss of Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, and A.J. Brown? Perhaps this is the new strategy for building a Super Bowl team: Jettison elite wide receivers due for a big second contract and replace them with lower-cost options to compensate for the money paid to the QB. But if it works, it will be the first time.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Wednesday - Rob Gronkowski is retiring for the second time - The SB Nation NFL Show
On Tuesday, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE announced his retirement on Instagram. The question that remains is will this retirement be his final retirement.

Yes, you should test for Covid before going to a gathering - Vox
Sorry to disappoint, but Covid-19 is still a present and persistent threat. The United States is amid a months-long ascent of confirmed cases — with no sign of leaders reimplementing mask mandates and two new, potentially more infectious omicron subvariants rearing their ugly heads — just as summer party season is in full swing. Among the tried-and-true mitigation efforts, like masking and ventilation, testing remains essential, regardless of vaccination status, particularly if you plan on gathering in any capacity. (While risk of infection is much lower for outdoor events, testing is important regardless of whether your party is inside or outside.) “Testing really, really matters,” says Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician and researcher at Stanford University. “The problem is, as time goes on and people are more fatigued, they may not think that it matters.” Testing fatigue can materialize during large events like concerts, Karan says, primarily because you’re not as likely to see other attendees again. It’s highly unlikely you’d ever know if other concertgoers got sick.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/21/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Re-drafting the 2019 NFL Draft: Four WRs go in top 10, including A.J. Brown to Jets and Terry McLaurin to Giants - PFF
3. New York Jets: WR A.J. Brown. Actual pick: DI Quinnen Williams. Though I don’t hate the original Quinnen Williams pick, and believe his best football is still ahead of him, with the benefit of hindsight, one of the elite receivers in this class would have been a better choice for the Jets. We’ve seen recently how aggressive the team has been in attempts to improve its passing weapons. Brown may have missed some time over the past three seasons due to injury, but his cumulative 91.7 offensive grade over the past three years is the highest of any receiver in this class. [...] 25. Philadelphia Eagles: S Amani Hooker. Actual pick: WR Marquise Brown (to Baltimore Ravens). To this very day, the Eagles are still searching for reliable play on the back end of their secondary. At the time, they still had Malcolm Jenkins, but the following year would be his last in Philly. Hooker has blossomed into one of the better and more versatile young safeties in the league. He recorded a 75.2 run-defense grade, 83.4 coverage grade and 83.3 overall grade in 2021. He would be a welcomed building block for the Eagles — both in 2019 and now.

IGN Plays MLB The Show 22 with Eagles Wide Receiver A.J. Brown - IGN
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown joins IGN’s Jesse Gill to play some MLB The Show Diamond Dynasty! Will his dream team be able to take on Jesse’s powerhouse squad? Find out in this let’s play.

Jets tried to trade for Pro Bowl receiver before drafting Garrett Wilson, report says - NJ.com
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports the New York Jets “looked into” trading for Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown before selecting Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. That news comes as no surprise, as the Jets previously were linked to Tyreek Hill before the Kansas City Chiefs traded him to the Miami Dolphins. Cimini also reports the Jets “made an offer” for San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel.

Ranking the Eagles’ worst 20 draft picks over the last 20 years - PhillyVoice
2) 2020: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU, 1st round: Reagor was probably more of a second- or third-round prospect that the Eagles reached for because they felt they needed to add more speed to their offense. Worse, they selected Reagor over a clearly more talented receiver in Justin Jefferson, who some with the team perceived to be a high-volume slot receiver. Oops! Sometimes in hindsight fans will look back at past drafts and say, “They should have taken (fill in stud player) instead of (fill in the bust the Eagles selected),” when it wasn’t exactly like they were ever pining for that stud player on draft day. In this case, criticism of the Eagles’ selection of Reagor over Jefferson was immediate. In 2021, Reagor had eight games in which he had fewer than 10 receiving yards, two games in which he had zero yards, and two games in which he had negative yards.

One Less Hole - Iggles Blitz
K’Von Wallace has been given every chance to play the past two years and he’s struggled to get on the field. He has 6 starts. His career highlight is a fumble recovery. Listen, I would love for the light to go on for Wallace and for him to become a good safety, but we’ve seen virtually nothing from him to this point in his career. If the Eagles really trusted him, I doubt they would have added Tartt. The good news for all the safeties is that any of them could emerge. No one has to beat out Brian Dawkins, Wes Hopkins or Malcolm Jenkins. This really is an open competition.

Veteran NFL CB says he almost joined Eagles this offseason - NBCSP
Veteran NFL cornerback Trae Waynes is unofficially retired but recently revealed that he almost joined the Eagles this offseason. That seems to make some sense given his connection to defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. “I actually almost went to Philly, to go back with JG (Jonathan Gannon) and Ant (Anthony Harris) but at that point I was like, ‘I’m ready to be done,’” Waynes said on the Geary & Stein Sports Show podcast (h/t NFL Trade Rumors). “Could I easily keep playing several more years? Yes. But I got a family, I want to be around with my kids more.” Waynes, 29, was the Vikings’ first-round pick (No. 11) out of Michigan State back in 2015 and played the first few years of his career under Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was an assistant coach in Minnesota back then.

Evaluating which Cowboys offensive player has the biggest chance of losing his starting spot - Blogging The Boys
Tyler Biadasz. Oddly enough, Biadasz was the only Cowboys offensive lineman who started all 17 games last year. While it would be nice to see an upgrade at the position, the Cowboys’ only new center addition is UDFA Alec Lindstrom. The team also has Connor McGovern and Matt Farniok on the roster who have center flex. While neither of those guys is a big threat to steal the starting center job, they do serve as safety jackets should Biadasz struggle.

Can Kenny Golladay be a valuable piece of Giants’ 2022 offense? - Big Blue View
Will the 2022 version of Golladay resemble the injury-plagued, under-productive player who has only 859 yards of receiving production the past two seasons? Or, will be resemble the 2018-19 Golladay? That player caught 135 passes, gained 2,253 receiving yards, scored 16 touchdowns and was named to the 2019 Pro Bowl. That is the player the Giants hoped they were paying for. Golladay’s spring, honestly, was not encouraging. He spent nearly all of it in red non-contact jersey with an undisclosed injury and did very little on-field work. During mandatory minicamp he caught a few passes during individual drills, but for the most part he spent the on-field portion of the spring standing and watching. That’s not good for a player who said last season that one of his issues was that he simply did not get enough practice reps with Jones. Still, things have to be better for Golladay in 2022. Don’t they? You have to believe that head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, coming from teams with highly successful offenses, will have a better idea of how to get the ball to Golladay than did Joe Judge, Jason Garrett and Freddie Kitchens.

Dan Snyder’s Latest Act of Cowardice Shows His True Colors - MAQB
Count me among those rolling eyes at Dan Snyder’s attorney’s contention that a scheduling conflict, as well as the weird idea that testifying virtually would prevent his lawyers from being present, is keeping him from appearing before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Here’s what a committee spokesperson told ESPN on Monday: “If Mr. Snyder was truly committed to cooperating with the Committee’s investigation, he would have accepted the Committee’s invitation to testify about the Commanders’ toxic workplace culture. As the Chairwoman’s letter made clear, the Committee has been more than accommodating—even allowing Mr. Snyder to testify remotely from France. His refusal to testify sends an unmistakable signal that Mr. Snyder has something to hide and is afraid of coming clean to the American public and addressing major worker protection concerns facing the NFL. The Committee will not be deterred in its investigation to uncover the truth of workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders.” It’s way past time to call Snyder what he’s been the last two years—completely gutless.

Monday Football Monday #93: 10 things we forgot happened this offseason - The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa is joined by special guest Michael Peterson from SB Nation’s Bolts from The Blue. The two unload their list of things that happened this offseason that got buried by major headlines.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/20/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Jalen Hurts applies for “Hurts So Good” trademark - PhillyVoice
So Jalen Hurts is trying to get a clothing line off the ground. The trademark application for “HURTS SO GOOD” was filed by the Eagles QB on Monday and would be used to brand “Mens, womens and children’s clothing, namely shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, pants, shorts, vests, gloves, socks, sweaters, underwear, skirts, hats and belts” according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registry. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben spotted the application Friday morning and tweeted it out.

Eagles All-22 Film Review: Grant Calcaterra could become a useful role player - BGN
Well... this was a fun one to write. I obviously didn’t have huge expectations considering Grant Calcaterra was a 6th round tight end, but the film is actually pretty fun! The Eagles seem to be shooting for high upside guys in the late round and in free agency this year and I am on board. We all know the medical history and who knows how long he plays in the league, but I would rather take a chance on a high upside guy than always taking a solid special teamer who can’t do a let else.

Eye on the Enemy #97: Eagles Sign a Safety and NFL Summer Storylines - BGN Radio
On this week’s episode of Eye on the Enemy, host John Stolnis starts off the show with his weekly segment “Check the Papers” for the latest news/notes on the division rivals, the Eagles sign a new safety, PFF ranks the Eagles’ offensive line No. 1 in the NFL, and a couple key NFL storylines to watch in the NFL this summer.

NFL power rankings ahead of the 2022 season - PFF
13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES. I’m not sure any franchise had a better offseason than the Eagles when all is considered. Trading for A.J. Brown gives them the No. 1 receiver they have been searching for, and it also allows DeVonta Smith to concentrate on doing what he does well as the No. 2. Adding Haason Reddick and Jordan Davis reinforces a defensive front that was eroding from its peak, and grabbing James Bradberry late in the day is a really shrewd signing that could make a real difference. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean could also prove to be one of the biggest steals of the draft if he’s the same player in the NFL that he was in college.

2022 NFL rookie updates: Offseason notes, impressions on all 32 first-round draft picks - ESPN
How he has fared so far: Davis, who weighed in at around 340 pounds at the combine, said he has slimmed down some this spring — the result of putting in the work at the practice facility and paying a little more attention to what he eats. It hasn’t affected his strength according to veteran Brandon Graham, who said Davis is “pushing big weight like it’s nothing” in the weight room. Davis is expected to be a part of the defensive line rotation right away. The coaching staff believes he has what it takes to be a three-down lineman. “He’s a big, explosive man who can win one-on-one, so yes, he will definitely have a role in the passing game,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said.

Highlights: The Interlude - PE.com
With OTAs wrapped up, the Philadelphia Eagles reflect on the hard work and progress they put into this offseason. From the 2022 NFL Draft to free agency, the offseason has been a time for growth and opportunity for the Eagles. Watch as players like quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver A.J. Brown, cornerback James Bradberry, defensive end Brandon Graham, and offensive tackle Lane Johnson step up and climb to greatness.

10 new NFL head coaches: Who’s in the best situation for 2022? The worst? Let’s rank ‘em! - NFL.com
8) Despite taking over a franchise with one winning season over the past 14 years, the Super Bowl-winning head coach has a solid chance to reverse the course of these Jaguars and swiftly put the Urban Meyer disaster in the rearview mirror. As a quarterback guru with a proven track record of developing young players at the game’s most important position, Pederson inherits one of the most hyped QB prospects in memory in Trevor Lawrence. While it could take some time for the coach to surround his second-year signal-caller with enough talent for him to realize his full potential, the additions of Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram should help Lawrence showcase his talent as a dart thrower from the pocket. In addition, Pederson has to show everyone inside the building how to think, act and perform at a championship level. There are some intriguing pieces in place to build around, but the fearless head coach has to flip the mindset in Duval.

Cowboys no longer have several players who are one of the most expensive players at their position - Blogging The Boys
Zeke’s contract is repeatedly scrutinized as it remains a costly endeavor. Paying premium money for a running back isn’t a popular trend in the NFL which is why his rank hasn’t changed in the last year. With 80% of his guaranteed money off the books after the 2022 season, the Cowboys will be in a much more favorable position a year from now as the team could choose to move away from one of its top financial burdens.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Monday - Cleveland Browns may be looking to develop a new stadium - The SB Nation NFL Show
Over the weekend a report surfaced stating that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is eyeing a new stadium in a new location rather than renovating FirstEnergy Stadium.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

A closer look at Philadelphia’s second sixth-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft.

With the 2022 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on this year’s rookie class. I will try and get to all the players and some UDFAs over the next few weeks. There are obviously a million scouting profiles out there so this is just my opinion but I’ve tried to backup basically everything I have said with film clips. This is the final one for a drafted player this year, thanks for checking out these articles the past few weeks! If you have any ideas for articles over the remainder of the offseason, feel free to comment below or tweet me. (Previously: Jordan Davis and Cam Jurgens and Nakobe Dean and Kyron Johnson.)

STRENGTHS

+ Good size and very fluid athlete. Pretty quick in a straight line and fluid on in/out breaking routes

+ Can find space against zone coverage

+ Good body control and has the ability to high point the football and make tough catches

+ A real threat in the redzone, especially on fade routes

+ Can create matchup problems as a ‘big slot’

+ Has the ability to stretch the seam and get over the top

+ A willing blocker, both in pass protection and as a run blocker

WEAKNESSES

- Not the best hands. Catches with his body and not his hands too much which causes him problems at the catch point

- Probably never going to be a traditional inline tight end due to his lack of power when blocking

- Slow coming back to the ball which means he has to push off a lot and gets called for pass interference too much

- The concussions are obviously a huge problem and a big reason why he fell to the 6th

OVERALL

Well... this was a fun one to write. I obviously didn’t have huge expectations considering Grant Calcaterra was a 6^th round tight end, but the film is actually pretty fun! The Eagles seem to be shooting for high upside guys in the late round and in free agency this year and I am on board. We all know the medical history and who knows how long he plays in the league, but I would rather take a chance on a high upside guy than always taking a solid special teamer who can’t do a let else.

The most recent film is not that good if we are being honest. The concussions have obviously taken a toll on him as a player and there is absolutely no guarantee that he will ever be as good as he once was. The film under Kyler Murray is pretty impressive though. Obviously, it helps playing with an exceptional college quarterback, but he looked like a legitimate weapon who could play the role of a ‘big slot’ or split tight end. He has some good pretty reps on film.

He was consistently asked to play the ‘X’ position and college coaches would not ask a tight end to do that unless they thought he had the ability to separate and win against cornerbacks. You saw that he had good body control and the ability to go up and get it in the redzone. He is also pretty fast and will fancy his chances against linebackers if you can get him lined up on them.

He is a decent and willing blocker, but I don’t think he will ever be an inline blocker at the next level. If he has a chance to make it, he will have to be a big slot style tight who is mainly a receiver. I don’t think he will ever be a starting tight end (which is fine for a 6^th round pick) but I think he has a decent shot of becoming a useful role player who can make a few catches here and there and contribute in the red zone.

I have no idea what his role on special teams will be, but I think he will have a decent shot to make the roster. Jack Stoll is much more of a blocking tight end, so I don’t think he is in direct competition with him. Tyree Jackson will not be healthy at the start of the season, due to a torn ACL in January, so he will not be competing with him either. I think he will be competing with Richard Rodgers and JJ Arcega-Whiteside and I think if he shows some upside in the summer, he should make the roster of these.

Overall, I think all modern NFL teams should simply acquire as many different skill players as possible who can create matchup issues. Adding another potential part-time weapon in the 6^th round could turn out to be a great pick if his concussion issues do not cause any long-term problems.

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/19/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Mailbag: Could the Eagles use rookie DT Jordan Davis at times on offense? - PhillyVoice
Both Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni have been asked in the past about the possibility of giving the ball to Mailata in a goal line situation, given Mailata’s ball-carrying experience playing rugby, and they both sort of laughed it off. But with Davis, I do see the benefit of playing him at tight end in goal line packages. He’d be more effective in there than, say, Andre Dillard, in my opinion, because he (a) would be more aggressive, and (b) can actually move linemen against their will. Yes, I’m saying that I think Davis would be a better goal line run blocker than a former first-round offensive tackle. And as long as he’s in there on occasion in those packages, yeah, why not get him a TD in a blowout like the Eagles did a year ago with Lane Johnson.

28 Eagles over/unders for the 2022 NFL season - BGN
As we pass the time until Philadelphia Eagles training camp begins in late July, Jimmy Kempski and I thought it would be fun to preview the 2022 season with a game of over/unders. And so that’s exactly what we did for the latest BGN Radio podcast episode. Jimmy was last season’s o/u champ after I previously beat him the year prior. We’re tied up in the all-time standings. Can the BGN community get the board with a win? Give us your best shot by voting in the polls.

Another reason the A.J. Brown acquisition could be a home run for the Eagles - TouchdownWire
Brown’s ability to operate against press should have a trickle-down impact on Smith’s ability to produce next season. Not only will Brown slide into the “alpha” role in the Philadelphia offense as noted by Laurie Fitzpatrick earlier this summer, but he can slide into the traditional “X” receiver role for the Eagles. That frees up Smith to operate more out of the slot, or in other formations where he can have an easier release off the line. According to charting data, Smith aligned wide on 877 of his 1,003 snaps last year, in stark contrast to the 97 plays where he lined up in the slot. Using Smith out of the slot more will give him better opportunities in the passing game, and when paired with Brown’s ability against press, that should be a huge boost for the Eagles’ passing attack.

In Roob’s Observations: Did Roseman get a steal in undrafted rookie QB? - NBCSP
1. Devon Allen has understandably gotten the most interest when it comes to the Eagles’ 2022 crop of undrafted free agents. But Carson Strong is a fascinating one, too. There are some obvious concerns with Strong. It’s never a good sign when you have two knee surgeries before your 23rd birthday. There are concerns about how his knees will hold up and whether he can move around enough to survive in the NFL. But as an undrafted free agent? Before his knee injuries he was expected to be a first-round pick. Then he went into this draft projected as a third-round pick. And the Eagles got him for virtually nothing. Strong this past year became only the eighth BCS quarterback in the last 20 years to throw 36 or more touchdowns, eight or fewer interceptions, complete better than 70 percent of his passes and pass for over 4,000 yards. He’s got a huge arm, he’s a smart kid, he’s got great size at 6-3, 225 pounds and his production at Nevada was off the charts. Now, he’s still a long shot. The last undrafted rookie QB to make the Eagles’ roster was Brad Goebel in 1991. The last undrafted QB to even throw a pass for the Eagles was Jeff Garcia. But I love the idea of keeping Strong around as the No. 3, giving him time to get healthy and learn the offense, and taking your time figuring out if you have something. If you don’t? It cost you $320,000, which is a drop in the bucket when it comes to finding a quarterback. If you do? You just stole an NFL QB without using a draft pick. Howie being Howie.

Eagles WR Devon Allen wins third 110-meter hurdles race since June 12 - NFL.com
Devon Allen has made speedy work of the last week. The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver won his third 110-meter hurdles race since June 12, crossing the finish line with a time of 13.16 in Saturday’s Diamond League event in Paris, France. This result comes on the heels of a 13.22-second first-place finish on Thursday and a blazing, 12.84-second performance last Sunday that stands as the third-fastest 110-meter hurdles time in track and field history.

Patience and vision: The Eagles’ plan lands a proven veteran - PE.com
We’ll see how it all plays out as Tartt comes in and learns the defense and works in with Harris and Epps and a large handful of promising young players the Eagles like. This is a 90-man roster, so the spots are precious, valued, maximized. A 17-game schedule taxes every part of the roster and then some, as the practice squad players are extremely valuable and treasured resources as well. It takes a whole lot more than 53 players – really, it’s more like 70 – to make it through a season. I’ve heard Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni address an auditorium of players with the message that every single one is there for a reason. Every single one of them is important. Every single one of them is being counted on to play his best football, with the goal – as lofty as it might be – of having a roster where every player is a starting-caliber player.

Year 2 outlooks for Dallas Cowboys 2021 draft class: CB Kelvin Joseph - Blogging The Boys
While we didn’t see much of Kelvin Joseph in 2021, what we did see from him was almost always positive. Joseph only saw 24% of the defensive snaps in his rookie year, but did see 49% of the special team snaps. He was the teams fourth corner and he played well in the limited action he received. Joseph was targeted 17 times in his rookie season, giving up eight receptions for 89 yards, and one touchdown. While those numbers may not seem great for a player with limited action, Joseph’s tape showed a player that didn’t look overmatched in his rookie season. Unfortunately for Joseph, his off-the-field slate received a mark when he was involved in a Dallas, Texas murder investigation this offseason. While we have yet to hear much on if there will be any discipline sent down by the NFL or any charges from the Dallas Police Department, you never want you second-year cornerback to be involved in anything as serious as that. If Joseph is clears all the charges and suspensions from the NFL, he’ll likely slide back in as the teams fourth cornerback, pushing for playing time out of camp.

House Oversight Committee gives Dan Snyder opportunity to testify virtually on Wednesday - Hogs Haven
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is giving Dan Snyder another chance to voluntarily testify on Wednesday, June 22nd. They are holding a hearing as part of their investigation in the Washington Commanders decades of sexual harassment in a toxic workplace, and also the NFL’s handling of it’s investigation into the team. That led to a $10 million fine, Snyder “stepping away” from day-to-day operations, and changes to the organization personnel. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has agreed to appear virtually in front of the Committee, but Dan Snyder has declined, saying he will be out of the country on business. The Committee sent Snyder’s lawyers a letter last night to give him the opportunity to also appear virtually on Wednesday.

Big Blue View mailbag: Offense vs. defense, Nick Gates, Darius Slayton, more - Big Blue View
What happened? Who knows? Maybe Slayton’s rookie performance was a mirage, maybe he played over his head. I’ve heard the theory that he got comfortable and hasn’t put in the work — which I am not saying is the case, I am just saying I have heard theorized. I know Slayton has dealt with some injuries, but you have to catch the ball when it hits you in the hands. Slayton hasn’t consistently done that the past two seasons. The Giants have tried to give players clean slates this spring. Guess what Slayton’s biggest issue has been thus far, though? Dropping the ball. You can’t make a roster as a $2.54 million fifth wide receiver who doesn’t play special teams if you don’t consistently catch the football.

Juneteenth, explained - Vox
A portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth,” Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were free from the institution of slavery. But, woefully, this was almost two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. As much as Juneteenth represents freedom, it also represents how emancipation was tragically delayed for enslaved people in the deepest reaches of the Confederacy. The first Juneteenth in 1866 was celebrated with food, singing, and the reading of spirituals — and it commemorated newly freed Black people taking pride in their progress. Today, Juneteenth celebrations span the world, with the global diaspora adopting the day as one to recognize emancipation at large.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Join the action by voting in our polls!

As we pass the time until Philadelphia Eagles training camp begins in late July, Jimmy Kempski and I thought it would be fun to preview the 2022 season with a game of over/unders. And so that’s exactly what we did for the latest BGN Radio podcast episode.

Jimmy was last season’s o/u champ after I previously beat him the year prior. We’re tied up in the all-time standings. Can the BGN community get the board with a win? Give us your best shot by voting in the polls below. (Note: Polls may not show up in Google AMP view so try switching that off for this article.)

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

POLLS

Here we go.

1 - JALEN HURTS PASSER RATING: 97.7

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

2 - JALEN HURTS COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: 64.0%

JIMMY: O, BLG O

3 - EAGLES PASSING PLAY PERCENTAGE RANKING: 16TH

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

(Over = 1-15, Under = 17-32nd)

4 - FIRST TIME NICK SIRIANNI IS ASKED WHY HE DIDN’T RUN THE BALL MORE: WEEK 2

JIMMY: U, BLG: O

(Over = beyond Week 2, Under = before Week 2)

5 - GARDNER MINSHEW STARTS: 1.5 GAMES

JIMMY: O, BLG: O

6 - EAGLES QB STARTS BY PLAYERS NOT NAMED JALEN HURTS OR GARDNER MINSHEW: 0.5 GAMES

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

7 - MORE RECEPTIONS: ZACH PASCAL OR KENNETH GAINWELL?

JIMMY: Gainwell, BLG: Pascal

8 - MILES SANDERS RUSHING YARDS: 999.5

JIMMY: U, BLG: O

9 - DEVONTA SMITH RECEIVING YARDS: 999.5

JIMMY: O, BLG: O

10 - WHO LEADS EAGLES WIDE RECEIVERS IN RECEIVING YARDS: A.J. BROWN OR DEVONTA SMITH?

JIMMY: DeVonta, BLG: DeVonta

11 - JALEN REAGOR RECEPTIONS: 16.5

Note: Must occur while on the Eagles’ roster. Doesn’t count if he produces for another team.

JIMMY: O, BLG: U

12 - JALEN REAGOR SNAPS: 170

Note: Must occur while on the Eagles’ roster. Doesn’t count if he plays for another team.

JIMMY: O, BLG: U

13 - MORE SNAPS PLAYED: GRANT CALCATERRA OR JACK STOLL?

JIMMY: Calcaterra, BLG: Stoll

14 - CAM JURGENS STARTS: 1.5 GAMES

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

15 - WEEK 1 STARTER AT RIGHT GUARD: ISAAC SEUMALO OR SOMEBODY ELSE?

JIMMY: Seumalo, BLG: Seumalo

16 - ANDRE DILLARD SNAPS PLAYED FOR THE EAGLES THIS SEASON: 0.5

JIMMY: O, BLG: O

17 - HAASON REDDICK SACKS: 10.5

JIMMY: U, BLG: O

18 - MORE SACKS: JORDAN DAVIS OR MILTON WILLIAMS

JIMMY: Davis, BLG: Davis

19 - ARE THE WEEK 1 STARTING SAFETIES ANTHONY HARRIS AND MARCUS EPPS OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Note: This prompt was made before the Jaquiski Tartt signing.

JIMMY: Something else, BLG: Something else

20 - EAGLES UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENTS ON THE WEEK 1 ROSTER: 1.5

JIMMY: O, BLG: U

21 - OPPOSING QUARTERBACKS WITH AT LEAST 80% COMPLETION AGAINST THE EAGLES: 1.5

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

22 - EAGLES WIN TOTAL: 10.5 GAMES

JIMMY: U, BLG: O

23 - EAGLES 2022 NFC EAST CROWNS: 0.5

JIMMY: O, BLG: O

24 - IN-SEASON CONTRACT EXTENSIONS SIGNED: 1.5

Note: value must be at least $5 million annually.

JIMMY: O, BLG: U

25 - SAINTS 2023 FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK POSITION: 14.5

Note: Over meaning 1-14, under meaning 15-32.

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

26 - EAGLES PUNTERS IN TRAINING CAMP: 1.5

Note: Before final joint training camp practice against the Miami Dolphins.

JIMMY: U, BLG: U

27 - EAGLES COORDINATORS LOST TO HEAD COACH JOBS IN 2023 HIRING CYCLE: 1.5

JIMMY: U, BLG: O

28 - NAKOBE DEAN SNAP COUNT PERCENTAGE: 63.94%

JIMMY: O, BLG: U

Don’t forget to use promo code BGN15 to get 15% off snacks at www.righteousfelon.com! Perfect for your summer snacking. Same discount code works at www.wildnaturepet.com for 15% off high-quality dog treats.

Support the pod: If you enjoy BGN Radio, please consider leaving a 5-star RATING and REVIEW on Apple podcast. It doesn’t take long and it helps grow our BGN community!!

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also, follow @BGN_Radio on Twitter.

LOOKING FOR EVEN MORE PODCASTS?

THE NFC EAST MIXTAPE

Check out the latest episode of the NFC East Mixtape, which airs weekly on the Bleeding Green Nation, Blogging The Boys, Big Blue View, and Hogs Haven podcast feeds. RJ Ochoa and I discuss the division’s most underrated players. (Most overrated coming next week!)

THE SB NATION NFL SHOW

I filled in on The Look Ahead to help predict the top 10 order of the 2023 NFL Draft. Spoiler alert: two NFC East teams made the cut!

Video version:

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/18/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Eagles sign Jaquiski Tartt to a one-year deal - Niners Nation
Tartt was one of my favorite players to watch during the past few seasons. The former second-round pick in 2015 had issues staying healthy, but there was no doubt he made a difference when he was on the field. Simply put, the 49ers didn’t give up big plays, or anything, really, when Tartt played. There is so much more to playing defensive back than interceptions that Tartt will never get his due. He makes the plays that don’t show up in the box score and does a lot of the dirty work that allowed the Niners’ defense to be so successful the past few seasons. I hope everyone knows Tartt going to Philly means he’s going to stay healthy, probably start generating turnovers and become a Pro Bowler. That’s usually how these things work—either way, wishing Tartt the best and healthy rest of his career.

The Eagles signed a safety! - BGN
When previously asked about the Eagles’ safety position, Roseman said that the team is higher on that room than outsiders are. But clearly not to the point where he was ready to stop looking for help. While not a home run signing by any means, it makes sense for the Eagles to add more competition at an unsettled position. Tartt brings experience to the table with 64 starts in 80 games played for the 49ers after being the No. 46 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He hasn’t exactly been a play-maker with just 18 passes defensed, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles to his name. Durability has also been an issue considering he’s never played a full season and he’s been available for just 50 of San Fran’s last 81 regular season games.

Above the Nest with Raichele #53: Eagles sign veteran safety Jaquiski Tartt - BGN Radio
Raichele Privette breaks down what you need to know about the Eagles newest safety Jaquiski Tartt and shares her thoughts on the Eagles new wordmark.

Eagles player review: Le’Raven Clark edition - PhillyVoice
Clark has some guard/tackle versatility, but I like him better as a guard, as I would not want him playing on the edge against anyone with speed. Given that major deficiency in his game, I would not feel comfortable trading Dillard at a discount on the premise that Clark can do just as good a job in a backup tackle role. I do think he showed enough positives that he is likely to make the team out of training camp as a backup lineman.

Ten best new veteran QB-WR combos heading into the 2022 NFL season - NFL.com
Brown’s presence will make life easier for Hurts, who enters a pivotal season attempting to prove he’s the long-term solution under center. Hurts displayed a dual-threat ability in 2021, his first season as a full-time starter, but he missed too many throws, generating a passer rating of 87.2. Brown’s ability to win in tight spaces and generate yards after the catch adds a dimension to the offense that was missing last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown has averaged 6.0 yards after the catch since 2019 — second among WRs, behind only Deebo Samuel (minimum of 150 receptions). Getting those extra yards will make the entire operation run smoother and make Hurts more dangerous when he decides to use his legs. Much like Tua, Hurts needs a strong season. The pairing of Brown and Smith ratchets up the passing game to make Philly one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL if everyone stays healthy.

Jerry Jones once again deflected when asked about putting Jimmy Johnson in the Ring of Honor - Blogging The Boys
It has been a year. And even then we were still two decades overdue. Invariably Jerry will take another opportunity in the near future (perhaps at the opening ceremonies out in Oxnard) to re-light this flame and will again proclaim that Jimmy Johnson will enter his team’s Ring of Honor. Enough with the empty words. It is time for a real answer here.

Ron Rivera fined $100,000 and the Washington Commanders lose two 2023 OTA practices due to excessive contact - Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders will lose two 2023 OTA practices for excessive contact in practice drills. Head Coach Ron Rivera will also be fined $100,000. The Dallas Cowboys only lost one 2023 practice and their Head Coach Mike McCarthy was also fined $100k yesterday.

PFF: WR Kadarius Toney is one of 10 second-year players under pressure in 2022 - Big Blue View
Is Kadarius Toney under pressure to keep his job this season? Yeah, he probably is. Even before we get to the Giants’ roster construction as a whole, it’s worth remembering that ownership did a clean sweep of the front office and coaching staff. There are very few players on this roster in whom the new regime has any investment. That could mean that everyone on the roster is in a battle for their jobs. Monson points out that the Giants selected a very similar player in this year’s draft. Wan’Dale Robinson had a very similar college career as Toney. Both started out as “gadget” players who weren’t true receivers. They both moved around the offensive formation and were schemed touches on sweeps, bubble screens, pitches, and various “trick play” concepts. They both played much more of a “receiver” role in their senior seasons before going to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Both players are undersized (Robinson more-so than Toney) and base their game around stop-start quickness.

Jaguars won’t conduct traditional mandatory minicamp, give vets time off - Big Cat Country
The Jacksonville Jaguars won’t be business as usual as they set their eyes on the looming five-week break between offseason activities and training camp in July. Instead of a typical three-day mandatory minicamp for the team and its veterans, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson announced on Thursday that most of the team’s veterans would have those three days off, essentially, they’re done for the offseason. Pederson indicated that he made the decision within the last week or so. “I’m still having the mandatory minicamp, mandatory three days, but I’m only doing the rookies, selected veterans and our injured players,” Pederson said in an opening statement on Thursday.

Adam Sandler’s ‘Hustle’ is one of the best basketball movies of all-time - SB Nation
These are the kinds of movies I hope Sandler continues with. It’s an easier watch than 2019’s Uncut Gems, but shows that the comedian is at his best when he tones things back. It’s clear that everyone involved with this project were invested in telling a good basketball story, and that’s what makes it thrive vs. something like Home Team, which was trying so hard to be a comedy that it lost all semblance of humor. Let’s be real: Sandler’s run of Netflix films have been mostly awful, but Hustle is absolutely worth carving out some time and watching. It’s fun, it’s heartfelt, the basketball scenes are awesome, and it’s a breathe of fresh air.

The Look Ahead #93: Predicting the Top 10 Teams in the 2023 NFL Draft - The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa is joined by Brandon Lee Gowton for this week’s edition of The Look Ahead. We’re predicting the top ten teams in the 2023 NFL Draft.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Philadelphia finally did something to address their biggest roster hole.

The Philadelphia Eagles are kicking off this mid-June weekend with a new signing! And one at a big position of need.

The Birds agreed to terms with veteran free agent Jaquiski Tartt on a one-year deal, according to an official team announcement.

Kind of weird timing since a Friday evening is typically reserved for dumping bad news. And this development doesn’t really fit in that category.

Well, maybe it does if you want to really harp on how he dropped a gift-wrapped interception from Matthew Stafford during the fourth quarter of this year’s NFC Championship Game. That was pretty bad.

But Tartt shouldn’t be solely defined by that one bad play. Even some 49ers fans would say as much. Check out this write-up from Niners Nation titled Why Jaquiski Tartt is the most irreplaceable pending free agent for the 49ers.”

“One thing that cannot be disputed is the statistical splits for the 49ers’ defense with Tartt on the field vs. Tartt off of it over the last couple of seasons.

Here are some numbers from the 49ers’ defense when Tartt plays over 50% of the defensive snaps since 2019

Points per game - 18.8

Total yards allowed per game - 289.5

Passing yards allowed per game - 185.3

Now, let’s compare that to when Tartt is not on the field for more than 50% of the defensive snaps.

Points per Game - 26.4

Total Yards per Game - 331.5

Passing Yards per Game - 222.3

That’s over a touchdown difference with him out there compared to when he is not, which is a massive point swing in the NFL. Tartt might not give you the flashy highlight reel that so many fans seem to desire. But what he will give you is a level of dependability that is extremely difficult to replace at the highest level of professional football.

He is a proven commodity that has the physical traits, possesses an incredible amount of cerebral ability, and is someone who is going to come in and give you 100% every time he shows up. A consummate professional with an expansive skillset is something teams scour for every season, and the 49ers have had the pleasure of having one like Tartt be a part of their organization for the last seven seasons.”

Tartt is hardly anything special. The 30-year-old ranked 55th out of 62 safeties graded by Pro Football Focus last season. He allowed a 95.0 passer rating when targeted and logged a career-high 13.2% missed tackle rate.

Still, Tartt gives the Eagles another option at a position where they lack both 1) inspiring starters and 2) any semblance of proven depth. Now the Eagles can have Anthony Harris, Marcus Epps, and Tartt battle it out for two starting safety spots. The likes of Andre Chachere, K’Von Wallace, Jared Mayden, and Reed Blankenship are more likely fighting for backup jobs.

The Eagles have rightfully earned a lot of praise for having a strong offseason. Howie Roseman has done a lot of good things to improve the roster. (On paper, at least.)

One valid criticism, however, is that Philadelphia didn’t do enough to address the safety position.

The Birds reportedly tried to sign top free agent Marcus Williams ... but he went to the Baltimore Ravens instead. There was some thought they were interested in Justin Reid. The possibility of a Chuck Clark trade was mentioned.

When previously asked about the Eagles’ safety position, Roseman said that the team is higher on that room than outsiders are. But clearly not to the point where he was ready to stop looking for help.

While not a home run signing by any means, it makes sense for the Eagles to add more competition at an unsettled position. Tartt brings experience to the table with 64 starts in 80 games played for the 49ers after being the No. 46 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He hasn’t exactly been a play-maker with just 18 passes defensed, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles to his name. Durability has also been an issue considering he’s never played a full season and he’s been available for just 50 of San Fran’s last 81 regular season games.

But, hey, there’s a reason he was still on the market at this time of year.

The Cowboys and Commanders’ OTAs were significantly more physical than the Birds’.

Once again this spring, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni opted to go with a lighter, more player-friendly set of OTAs than Birds’ teams had in years passed. When players gathered at the beginning of the month for these off-season workouts, Philadelphia was one of just two teams to hold as few as six practices, as well as no mandatory minicamp this spring.

Sirianni could have had as many as 13 practices over four weeks — 10 voluntary practices with a three-day mandatory minicamp, but chose to scale it back even more in order to avoid injuries.

Critics argue the lack of contact and time on the field will leave players unprepared when the regular season bell rings, especially now that most starters simply do no play in preseason games. Add in a 17th game during the regular season and some worry it’s just too little off-season work.

It’s a stark contrast to two other teams in their division — the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders — both of whom were fined and disciplined for violating OTA rules outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Dallas coach Mike McCarthy was fined $100,000 for running a practice that was deemed “too physical.”

No one outside the Cowboys knows exactly what it was the NFL deemed “too physical,” but as Blogging the Boys noted recently, there was an altercation between players during one practice session.

For what it’s worth, there was a recent report of rookie defensive tackle John Ridgeway getting into it with second-year offensive tackle Josh Ball. Perhaps that is what set off alarms for the NFL as a whole.

Meanwhile down in DC, head coach Ron Rivera was also fined $100,000 and the team has lost two OTA sessions next year as a result. Last week, Rivera angrily ranted at his players after a hit by safety Jeremy Reaves on WR Dyami Brown.

Brown stayed down on the field for a few minutes but was otherwise OK, a lucky break for the Commanders.

As for the Giants, new head coach Brian Daboll appears, like Sirianni, to be erring on the side of caution with regard to forgoing pads and contact, but conducted 10 OTA practices in all, a handful more than the Eagles.

The Eagles are banking on fewer OTAs and lighter practices without pads will help them avoid situations like this and, as a result, they don’t run the risk of getting fined or losing OTAs next season. Rivera and McCarthy are old-school coaches and are unlikely to change the way they handle the off-season anytime soon, and it remains to be seen if one method is better than the other.

It’s just interesting the divergent paths the Eagles have taken from two of their other rivals in the division.

For more division discussion, check out the latest episode of The NFC East Mixtape.

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/17/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

The World Cup is coming to Lincoln Financial Field! - PE.com
It’s only fitting that soccer’s premier tournament – and one of the grandest events in all of sports – will take place at Lincoln Financial Field when the World Cup returns to North America in 2026. On Thursday, FIFA named Philadelphia as one of 16 host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It’s the first time that World Cup matches will be played on American soil since 1994. “We are thrilled the City of Philadelphia has been selected as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Twenty years ago, when Lincoln Financial Field first opened, we envisioned a world-class venue in a world-class city hosting world-class events. Along the way, we have welcomed some of the world’s most prestigious soccer clubs to our stadium. Now, we are proud to host the game’s highest level of competition in front of a global audience. The City of Philadelphia and Lincoln Financial Field are well-prepared to provide the international soccer community with an unforgettable experience in 2026,” Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie said.

The Eagles have a new wordmark and it doesn’t seem to be very popular - BGN
Can’t say I outright hate it. But it seems like more of a downgrade than an upgrade to me. If social media reaction is any accurate gauge, I’m not alone in not really digging this change. It’s a little confusing because no one was really calling for a new wordmark. I can only speak for myself but I liked the wing elements of the old one. The new one is a little too modern for my taste.

28 Eagles over/unders for the 2022 NFL season - BGN Radio
Brandon Lee Gowton and Jimmy Kempski preview the Birds’ upcoming campaign by making some predictions. The guys discuss expectations for Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and others.

Eagles mailbag: Fletcher Cox’s role, a trade for a safety and can Jalen Hurts be a top QB? - The Athletic
Considering how bullish the Eagles seem to be on Quez Watkins, it’s unlikely Reagor jumps ahead of him to join A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the top three. It’s more likely he’s behind Zach Pascal as the No. 5 receiver, and he could still be a trade candidate.

Devon Allen wins another 110-meter hurdles race - PFT
Eagles receiver Devon Allen won his second race in five days. The world-class track athlete won the Diamond League event in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, running a 13.22 in the 110-meter hurdles.

The Giants could face tough QB-WR pairings down the stretch - Big Blue View
As I said on draft night, I hate it when the Eagles do smart things, and bringing in A.J. Brown certainly seems like a smart move. Giants fans are quick to dismiss Hurts as a quarterback, but he made some impressive strides over the course of his first full season as a starter. Reuniting Hurts with DeVonta Smith was another smart move, and their chemistry certainly seemed to help Hurts. Their decision to lean on their running game obviously helped as well. Their ability to effectively run a zone-read offense could make the addition of Brown even more dangerous. Do defenses play two-deep shells to stop Brown and Smith? Or do they play with heavy boxes to slow down the running game?

Mike McCarthy fined $100k for too physical of a practice, Dallas Cowboys docked OTA in 2023 - Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys are officially in offseason mode as they will not reconvene until they get set to head to training camp a month and a half from now. This week was the team’s mandatory minicamp which went off fairly smoothly, but was a bit light in nature with Wednesday’s practice being scrapped for a team-building activity and Thursday being cancelled altogether. Apparently that lighthearted sort of activity is not what the NFL saw and heard from Cowboys practice. It was reported on Thursday night that Mike McCarthy was fined $100,000 for the team having too physical of a practice and as a result the Cowboys were docked an OTA for 2023.

Ron Rivera Presser: Curtis Samuel was shut down after Tuesday’s practice due to an abundance of caution... - Hogs Haven
Rivera gave some injury updates on a few players who have been dinged up this week(Saahdiq Charles, Dax Milne), and said other players recovering from season-ending surgeries(Chase Young, Logan Thomas) who will need to be evaluated on 7/26. Rivera was also asked about everyone’s favorite side field participant Curtis Samuel. He said Samuel had a good day of practice on Tuesday, and was shut down out of an abundance of caution...

Deshaun Watson’s sexual assault allegations, explained - SB Nation
Deshaun Watson was accused of more than 20 incidents of sexual assault or sexual harassment from women the quarterback interacted with dating back to 2019, prior to being traded from the Texans to the Browns. Since that time more accusers have come forward. At this point, the NFL’s investigation into the quarterback is still ongoing, and there’s seemingly no end in sight to its probe. The allegations against Watson are now more than a year old, and are on the verge of spanning across two NFL seasons. Here is a full timeline of how claims against Watson unfolded, and continue to progress.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Thursday - Minkah Fitzpatrick gets Paid - The SB Nation NFL Show
On today’s episode, the Pittsburgh Steelers make Minka Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in the NFL.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Meh.

A “dead zone” for all things Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, you say? Nonsense! The Birds gave people something to talk about on Thursday by announcing a new wordmark.

Wordmark is in bold there because the team wants you to realize this is not a new logo. The Eagles head itself is still the primary logo.

So the actual change is that the following image is no longer their wordmark:

And the one below (and above this article) is the new look:

Can’t say I outright hate it. But it seems like more of a downgrade than an upgrade to me.

If social media reaction is any accurate gauge, I’m not alone in not really digging this change. It’s a little confusing because no one was really calling for a new wordmark. I can only speak for myself but I liked the wing elements of the old one. The new one is a little too modern for my taste.

On that note, I liked the following illustration of the Eagles’ even older wordmark with the new one. A comparison of some old Philly rowhomes to a gentrified building:

The new one is more sleek but lacks character. Some have said it reminds them of the Detroit Lions’ wordmark:

The Eagles have had a really good offseason for the most part but this change for the worse doesn’t fit with that theme.

What say you?

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/16/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

2022 NFL defensive line rankings: Los Angeles Rams take top spot, Tampa Bay Buccaneers land at No. 5 - PFF
9. Philadelphia Eagles. The backbone of Philadelphia’s defensive line for years — a 31-year-old Fletcher Cox and 34-year-old Brandon Graham — is aging. However, the Eagles have done a nice job of continuing to add depth and create a deep rotation this offseason. Philadelphia added Jordan Davis and Haason Reddick this offseason while also bringing back Derek Barnett in free agency. As he displayed at the combine, Davis is a truly unique athlete for his size who can single-handedly change a run defense with his power and the way he can hold the point of attack on the interior. Reddick, meanwhile, is tied for 15th among edge rushers in quarterback pressures over the last two seasons (99).

Eagles know you can never be too deep at defensive tackle - PE.com
Many analysts have lauded the Eagles for their offseason moves, and rightly so. The Eagles bolstered key areas on both sides of the ball. Taking Davis, obviously, was important. A deeper peek illustrates the true meaning: The Eagles know there is no such thing as “too deep” at defensive tackle. They’ve got one eye on 2022 and another on the future, so adding Davis to the mix makes perfect sense. Philadelphia wants to have a wrecking crew on defense this season. Coordinator Jonathan Gannon did wonders with the group last year minus some key players – losing end Brandon Graham in Week 2, for example, was a huge blow – as the Eagles held opposing offenses to 18 or fewer points in 10 games. Where the Eagles wanted to improve for 2022 was in their ability to get to the quarterback and in takeaways. Adding another crusher inside at defensive tackle certainly helps both of those prospects.

Terry McLaurin is sitting out of minicamp and the Commanders are crazy - BGN
The Washington Commanders have been a bit of a dumpster fire as of late (to say the least), and their poor decision-making isn’t just limited to off-the-field issues. One of the team’s (few) bright spots, WR Terry McLaurin, is currently sitting out of minicamp as he pushes for a new contract with the team — a team that has one of the league’s top receivers at a fraction of the cost as a third-round draft pick. McLaurin is heading into the final year of his rookie deal, and his base salary is a mere $3 million in 2022. Compared to what happened this offseason to the wide receiver market, McLaurin is looking at big money on his next deal, and the Commanders are absolutely crazy to not just throw their wallet at their most productive offensive weapon to ensure he stays with the team.

Odds and End Zones #23: Reviewing the Philly Netflix Film ‘Hustle’ - BGN Radio
Shamus and Zo discuss the new Netflix film ‘Hustle,’ which is set in Philadelphia and stars Adam Sandler. The duo also talk about the greatest Philly movies ever and what it would be like if a rabid Eagles fan owned the team.

Mailbag: Where do the Eagles’ top three passing game skill position players rank in the NFL? - PhillyVoice
If I’m the Eagles, I couldn’t justify having no competition for Siposs. If you bring in another punter and Siposs beats him out — or if Siposs’ competition is slightly better than him as a punter, but they don’t want to mess with the field goal operation — then fine. But, I mean, you have 90 roster spots. Let’s stop pretending that those spots are so precious that you’re willing to have your near-league-worst punter go unchallenged in camp.

Top 10 skill player groups: Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Mixon, Bengals lead the way - The Athletic
5. Philadelphia Eagles. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith couldn’t be more different in stature and play style. Brown is a hulking receiver who makes his money outmuscling defensive backs in the middle of the field. Smith, appropriately named “the slim reaper,” wins with crafty route running. Together they’ll form one of the better one-two punches in the league. Smith could make the leap toward being a star player, but it’s too early to say he’s there yet. Tight end Dallas Goedert is a borderline elite tight end. He’s always been a plus blocker but took his receiving game to another level last season, leading tight ends in yards per route run (2.33), according to Pro Football Focus. Running back Miles Sanders has struggled with health but can be a very good all-around back when he’s on the field.

Is there room in crowded Eagles’ linebacker room for Taylor? - NBCSP
Since he got hurt, Taylor’s off-ball linebacker position has gotten much more crowded. The Eagles signed Kyzir White, who is mainly a weak-side linebacker, and drafted Nakobe Dean, who is working at both weak and middle. Taylor said he’s been working at both spots as well as he goes into Year 3. “Whatever I have to focus on just to make sure I know the playbook,” he said. “Because I feel like last year I was able to master it for the most part. So now it’s being able to learn multiple positions. Because I don’t want to be focused on just one position because you never know how the game may go. I may have to move to a position at the last minute and I want to be able to know what I’m doing.” Taylor said he’s learned a lot watching White, who’s going into his fifth year, and said he’ll worry about competition when the time comes.

The Dallas Cowboys are clearly going to have competition for Sean Payton if they pursue him in 2023 - Blogging The Boys
The conspiracy theory is what it is. Many people believe the Dallas Cowboys are waiting until 2023 to pursue Sean Payton as their head coach. Obviously this is heavy speculation during June of 2022 considering that Mike McCarthy is the current head coach of the Cowboys. There are enormous expectations swirling around McCarthy’s Cowboys entering his third year with the team, but with the one that got away from Dallas lurking in the pool of availability, it isn’t hard to add two and two together. Part of what makes the Sean Payton thing “interesting” for the Cowboys is the price that they would seemingly have to pay to get him. The New Orleans Saints effectively telegraphed what they may ask for in return for Payton with a would-be trade partner next season, but it is obviously going to take more than that. We are talking about money now.

Dan Snyder declines to testify before House Committee on Oversight and Reform; Roger Goodell expected to appear - Hogs Haven
Dan Snyder, through a letter from his lawyers, has officially declined the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s request for him to appear on June 22nd. They have been investigating the toxic workplace that Snyder oversaw for over two decades, and new accusations of sexual harassment, as well as financial improprieties that came out during their investigation.

Why the New Orleans Saints could hoist the Lombardi trophy, Part II: Secondary - Canal Street Chronicles
What makes this secondary special is that there’s more cream of the crop players, outside of Lattimore. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is arguably the best nickel cornerback in football. He’s getting better with time and finding his groove, and I think he’s due for a year where he’s no longer underrated. You can line him up anywhere. Paulson Adebo had a great year on the opposite side of Lattimore for a rookie, especially knowing the role he was thrown into. Saints basically run different looks of two-man all game, every game and Adebo was reliable more often than not. It took him some time to fully find his rhythm, but he really seemed to find his stride later in the season. I think the sky’s the limit for him. He should be here to stay in the league.

Instead of replacing Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints have given QB best chance to thrive - ESPN
Winston is heading into his eighth season. Depending on your perspective, you could argue this is a make-or-break season for the former No. 1 overall draft choice — or his best chance yet to thrive as a starting quarterback. True, the Saints did consider replacing Winston when they aggressively pursued a trade for now Browns Deshaun Watson, who is face 24 civil lawsuits for inappropriate behavior and sexual assault during massage sessions. But everything they’ve done since has furthered their commitment to Winston, 28, as he recovers from a torn left ACL he suffered on Oct. 31. New Orleans signed him to a two-year deal worth $28 million plus incentives, with $21 million in guarantees. Then, instead of adding a potential long-term replacement in the draft, the Saints bolstered Winston with both wide receiver Chris Olave and left tackle Trevor Penning in Round 1 while trading away their first-round pick in the quarterback-rich 2023 draft class.

NFL University #44: Stafford not throwing, Steelers pay Fitzpatrick, & Best/Worst Case scenarios for the top NFL teams - The SB Nation NFL Show
Welcome back to another edition of NFL University! Justis Mosqueda and Kyle Posey get you caught up on mandatory minicamps across the NFL. Matthew Stafford apparently hasn’t thrown in 3 months, the Steelers pay up to keep Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn might be on the trade market. To finish things up we discuss the top 9 teams with the highest projected win totals in the upcoming season–and what the best or worst case scenarios could be for them in 2022.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

The Washington Commanders have been a bit of a dumpster fire as of late (to say the least), and their poor decision-making isn’t just limited to off-the-field issues. One of the team’s (few) bright spots, WR Terry McLaurin, is currently sitting out of minicamp as he pushes for a new contract with the team — a team that has one of the league’s top receivers at a fraction of the cost as a third-round draft pick.

McLaurin is heading into the final year of his rookie deal, and his base salary is a mere $3 million in 2022. Compared to what happened this offseason to the wide receiver market, McLaurin is looking at big money on his next deal, and the Commanders are absolutely crazy to not just throw their wallet at their most productive offensive weapon to ensure he stays with the team.

I’ve been bitter about McLaurin dropping to the third round since 2019, when the Eagles used pick No. 57 on JJ Arcega-Whiteside instead of nabbing the Buckeye.

But here we are. Over three seasons, McLaurin has 3,090 total receiving yards, averages 13.9 yards per catch, and has scored 16 touchdowns. He was pretty much the entire passing game for Washington in 2021 with 130 targets — no other wide receiver had more than 25 targets all season —, and yet, they’re willing to risk that kind of all-down player hitting free agency.

For three seasons, if you told me McLaurin was on the market, I’d be heading to the NovaCare Complex with a bull horn to get Howie Roseman to pay that man to come to Philly. But now, when it’s a year away from being a possibility, I’m irritatingly not as interested thanks to an Eagles wide receiver room that includes A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins.

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/15/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

2022 NFL offensive line rankings: Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers among Tier 1 teams - PFF
Tier 1: Minor or No Weaknesses. 1. Philadelphia Eagles. Projected Starting Lineup. LT: Jordan Mailata, LG: Landon Dickerson, C: Jason Kelce, RG: Isaac Seumalo, RT: Lane Johnson. There may not be a single below-average starter along the Eagles’ offensive line. Pair that with arguably the best tackle duo in the NFL, and there’s no debate about which team’s offensive line belongs at No. 1 heading into 2022. Jordan Mailata’s incredible development at left tackle can’t be understated. After not playing a snap in his first two NFL seasons, Mailata went from spot starter at left tackle in 2020 to the third-highest-graded player at the position in the NFL last season.

Ranking Eagles’ positional strengths leading into 2022 training camp - NBCSP
1. Offensive tackle. The Eagles have one of the best starting tackle combinations in the NFL with Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, who are both Pro Bowl caliber players. Both were Pro Bowl snubs last year but they played at that level. When he’s healthy, there’s not a better right tackle in the NFL than Johnson. And Mailata is already a very good left tackle and will presumably keep getting better. And after those two guys, the Eagles have solid backups in Andre Dillard, Jack Driscoll and Le’Raven Clark.

NFC East Mixtape Vol.61: Most Underrated players in the division - BGN Radio
RJ Ochoa and Brandon Lee Gowton go team-by-team making their case for underrated players and coaches in the NFC East.

Comparing the Eagles’ 2022 roster with the Super Bowl winning 2017 roster - PhillyVoice
While the 2022 roster has some better positional groups than the 2017 team, particularly at wide receiver and cornerback, the 2017 team has a huge advantage at quarterback, but also at safety as well. The 2017 roster is obviously better than this current roster, but it’s perhaps it’s not so crazy to think it’s closer than you might think?

WCL’s Lefties Sign Ex-NFL Wide Receiver Golden Tate - West Coast League
Today the West Coast League’s Port Angeles Lefties announced that ex-NFL wide receiver Golden Tate has signed as a Lefties player for the remainder of the 2022 season. While Jake Locker and Jordan Poyer both played for WCL teams before their NFL careers, Tate will become the first former NFL player in the league.

4 questions about the Cowboys that the minicamp will not answer - Blogging The Boys
Will the receiving corps be good enough? We know that Michael Gallup is expected to miss multiple games as he continues to rehab. That leaves CeeDee Lamb as the one proven receiver. The likely WR2 and WR3 are rookie Jalen Tolbert and free agent James Washington, and that is another level of uncertainty. Meanwhile tight end now has the shadow of the Dalton Schultz contract negotiations hanging over it. He held out of the latter part of the OTAs. Given the history of such negotiations under Stephen Jones, this may drag out into training camp. With questionable depth behind Schultz, that is not good. That still leaves the team needing to fill out the receiving corps for the regular season. During the OTAs buzz started to build about second-year player T.J. Vasher, who missed last season on the NFI list. That is all well and good, and fits the normal script of an unheralded WR looking good - in practices. Outside of him, there was not much about the rest of the receivers. Admittedly, the OTAs are limited in how much information they provide. Minicamp may give us a little clarity. It will still be of that limited variety. Dak Prescott is a good quarterback. He remains reliant on competent targets. With the questions about his line, he also needs ones that can get open quickly so he can get the ball out. We won’t know if they are good enough for a while.

New York Giants offseason roster analysis: Previewing the offense - Big Blue View
I shouldn’t have to tell you the answer to this one. It is, of course, whether or not Daniel Jones can prove to the Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll regime that they can and should go forward with him at quarterback after the 2022 season. Jones’ first three seasons have been a mixed bag, mostly defined by too many turnovers, not enough points or big plays, too many losses and too many injuries. Yet, there is still the belief from many, including Giants ownership, that Jones can and should be better than what he has been able to show thus far. “We do feel that Daniel can play. We’ve done everything possible to screw this kid up since he’s been here. We keep changing coaches, keep changing offensive coordinators, keep changing offensive line coaches,” Mara said in January. “I take a lot of responsibility for that, but let’s bring in the right group of coaches now and give him some continuity and try to rebuild the offensive line and then be able to make an intelligent evaluation of whether he can be the franchise quarterback or not.” The Giants hope, with Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, a revamped offensive line and a healthy Saquon Barkley that they can do just that.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Wednesday - Deshaun Watson talks with reporters at minicamp - The SB Nation NFL Show
Deshaun Watson spoke with reporters during Browns mandatory minicamp on Tuesday and continued to deny all sexual assault allegations.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/14/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Eagles player review: Quez Watkins edition - PhillyVoice
The Eagles’ trio of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert are going to dominate targets in the Eagles’ offense in 2022. However, Watkins will certainly have a role, and I would look for Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen to scheme up a few plays per game specifically intended for Watkins. When the ball isn’t going Watkins’ way, opposing defenses will still have to respect his deep speed, which could help open up the short and intermediate areas of the field for Brown, Smith, and Goedert to operate. In a way, Watkins is a perfect complement to that trio, in that (a) he’ll open up space for them, (b) he won’t require a heavy target share, and (c) he has proven that he can make big plays when the ball comes his way. Watkins averaged 3.4 targets per game in 2021. Even if that total dips a smidge in 2022 while going from WR2 to WR3, I believe he is being slept on a bit as a playmaker who can have a real impact in some games this season.

If OTA Jalen Hurts shows up in 2022, the Eagles could be Super Bowl contenders - BGN
It’s June and everyone raved about how good Jalen Hurts looked during the Eagles’ organized team activities over the last two weeks. Hurts, who threw 16 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 61.3% of his passes last season, connected on long balls down the sidelines, short passes, short passes in small windows, and showed a good chemistry with his wide receivers. No one was coming at Hurts. No one was blitzing him. He had the chance to roam and throw in a comfortable setting. Here’s the thing: If this version of Jalen Hurts shows up during the season, the Eagles could be viable Super Bowl contenders. That is a big IF. One thing that is unquestionable is that Hurts has improved. His release is better. His confidence appears greater. And for the first time since Hurts played at Channelview High School in Texas, he will be in the same offensive system for the second year in a row. His familiarity with what Eagles’ coach Nick Sirianni likes to do can only spell dividends. “He just has a relentless effort to be great,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said about Hurts. “Every approach he takes — he doesn’t have an offseason. He’s always on it. He’s always thinking about football. We’re always talking football, day in and day out, and he’s continuing to grow as a player, as a leader, every single day.”

FROM THE SB NATION NFL SHOW: How the WR trade/signing frenzy is changing the league - BGN Radio
The SB Nation NFL Show brings together the greatest fan-alysts from across SB Nation’s NFL team communities in one place for the first time ever. Expect deep analysis, irreverent jokes, and plenty of bickering between rivals. It’s a show for NFL fans, by NFL fans.

Philadelphia Eagles bet lighter offseason load will lead to fewer injuries - ESPN
The primary driver for the Eagles is health. They finished 12th in Football Outsiders’ adjusted games lost metric in 2021 (76), a sharp improvement from their ranking of 30th in 2020 (128.1). The Eagles have been in search of answers to their player health concerns since 2017 — a search that has included multiple shakeups to its medical and training staffs in recent years. They modified their offseason schedule last year after consulting with veteran players, doing away with minicamp and team drills during OTAs, in part as a response to the expansion of regular-season games from 16 to 17. Sirianni said in April that the team believes its change in approach was a factor in staying relatively healthy in 2021. There are several arms of the operation that informed the decision to pull back, including the medical staff, strength staff and sports science department.

Are Jason Kelce or Fletcher Cox Hall of Famers? - Football Outsiders
Kelce has an extremely strong Pro Football Hall of Fame case. But it bears mentioning that Pittsburgh Steelers great Dermontti Dawson—a six-time All-Pro, the greatest center of the 1990s, the reason why guys like Stepnoski and Nalen have scant All-Pro selections, and the top-ranked center on the Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame monitor—spent three years as a semifinalist and three more as a finalist before enshrinement. So be sure to slow any “first ballot” rolls. Kelce will face tough competition once he becomes eligible. He may be forced to wait until his brother arrives on the ballot and the committee decides (to the Hall brass’ delight) that a Kelce Brothers class would both be fair and engage national fan interest.

Highlights: Climbing to the top - PE.com
The Eagles continue to push themselves. Spending their offseason working and training, players like quarterback Jalen Hurts, linebacker Haason Reddick, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and more set themselves up for success as the 2022 NFL season approaches. Head Coach Nick Sirianni stresses the importance of perfecting the fundamentals and building upon them so that the Eagles can climb to the top.

NFL Network will air 22 live preseason games - PFT
August 21: Philadelphia at Cleveland, 1:00.

What are the real contract numbers behind 2022 WR salaries? - Hogs Haven
So, A.J. Brown’s deal, in practice, is a low cost first year (rookie deal), plus a 3-year, $22.8M extension. Year 4 of that extension, a $30.3M salary, can be avoided by the Eagles completely, if they so choose. For practical purposes, we’ll call this a $23M AAV extension beyond the rookie deal, for a player who very closely comps Terry’s production.

Report: Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz to report to minicamp, contract talks have ‘picked up’ in recent days - Blogging The Boys
Tom Pelissero also noted that contract talks between Schultz and the Cowboys have picked up in recent days which is obviously the time period that this became a bigger story. It makes sense for Schultz’s camp to fight for a deal worth almost $11M per year given that the tag he is on is worth that, but it also makes sense for the Cowboys to consider all options before agreeing to a deal like that. The Cleveland Browns complicated matters with the tight end market recently when they gave David Njoku (who was also franchise tagged, likely adding to Dalton’s point/feelings) four years worth $57M with $28M guaranteed. For the time being Dalton Schultz is set to be back at work with the Cowboys. We will see what happens next.

PFF: Giants’ offensive line ranks 18th in the NFL - Big Blue View
This is a marked improvement over their ranking from a year ago, when the Giants’ line was ranked dead last in the NFL. Thomas has developed into the player many believed he could be coming out of Georgia, and much of the Giants’ fortunes rest on him at least maintaining that level of play. Likewise, the team is heavily invested in Evan Neal becoming a quality bookend for Thomas on the right side of the line. The NFC East is absolutely loaded with dangerous pass rushers, and no team can really “get by” with just one capable pass protecting tackle.

Monday Football Monday #92: Offseason headlines that matter - The SB Nation NFL Show
With RJ Ochoa out on vacation, Pete Sweeney takes lead of this weeks show with special guest Stephen Serda. The guys discuss the offseason headlines that do and do not matter going into the 2022 season.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message