The Linc – Eagles should be looking for a long-term answer at safety

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/24/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Making NFL offseason moves for NFC teams: How to improve all 16 and fill needs in free agency and 2022 draft – ESPN+
Find a long-term replacement at safety. Sounds familiar, right? Well, just like their division rivals in Dallas, the Eagles are going to be in the market for safety help this offseason. Anthony Harris and Rodney McLeod are both free agents, and while the Eagles could turn to Marcus Epps or 2020 fourth-rounder K’Von Wallace for more snaps in 2022, this is a position in which defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will probably want two new starters. Unlike the Cowboys, though, the Eagles have the resources to make a more significant splash at the position. They will need to address wide receiver, edge rusher and possibly the interior of their offensive line this offseason if center Jason Kelce doesn’t come back, but they have three first-round picks and ample cap space to take a swing at one of the top options in free agency. The safety class could include Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye, Marcus Williams, Quandre Diggs, Terrell Edmunds, Justin Reid and even Bengals standout Jessie Bates, although I’d be shocked if Cincinnati didn’t franchise him. The Eagles have made significant investments at safety under general manager Howie Roseman in the past, and I would expect them to sign one of the top players available at the position.

Handing out NFC East awards and predicting next year’s winners – BGN
Rabbit season! Duck season! Nope. Wrong. It’s award season! NFC East Mixtape award season, that is. On the latest volume of the most ambitious crossover collaboration in the history of universe, RJ Ochoa from Blogging The Boys and I handed out some honors in the scope of the NFL’s most important division. If you’re tired of talking about the 2021 season, well, then you’ll be happy to know we looked ahead to predict next year’s winners as well.

Eagles stay or go: Howie Roseman – PhillyVoice
Obviously as last offseason proved, if Roseman was able to survive three consecutive bad offseasons, he isn’t going anywhere now. So, stay. He had an excellent 2021 calendar year overall, helping mend a bad, old, expensive, boring roster that, well, you know, he created. We’ve seen Roseman pull the Eagles out of the gutter in the past, and perhaps he’s on his way toward doing that again. He’s definitely more of a builder than a sustainer.

No Blank Check – Iggles Blitz
Adding a star QB to this team would make a difference. Jalen Hurts did some good things this year, but he didn’t play well against good teams or in the biggest games. Wilson, or some other star, could change that. A top flight QB would help DeVonta Smith become a star receiver. I think Quez Watkins would improve as part of a more consistent passing game. Dallas Goedert would also benefit. If the offense was equally dangerous when passing and running, the Eagles would be a bigger challenge for opposing defenses.

2022 NFL offseason: All 32 teams’ QB situations ahead of free agency, draft – NFL.com
Splash move in play? The Eagles insist Hurts is the starter in 2022. Of course, GM Howie Roseman said similar things about Carson Wentz last January, before changing gears. Hurts displayed impressive dual-threat ability when the Eagles’ ground game was churning, and they could do a whole lot worse than riding the 2020 second-rounder for another season. But the QB needs to improve his downfield accuracy and fundamentals in the pocket to quell the questions about whether he’s the answer under center. Minshew remains under contract and is a good plug-and-play option or trade chip. Roseman is always looking to add to the QB room, so a big move that shuffles the deck should never be ruled out in Philly.

Eagles mailbag: Price for Russell Wilson, free-agency plans, top draft options and more – The Athletic
How much would I pay? I’d offer two first-round picks and a conditional pick next year — a third-rounder that becomes a second-rounder if he hits a certain playing time threshold. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah offered the discussion of three first-round picks and next year’s second-round pick. As far as a fair price? That depends on who else is involved. If there’s a bidding war, Seattle has the leverage. But the idea of two first-round picks and a pick next year means the Eagles would still have a first-round pick and second-round pick this season, and it would give them the chance to try to get next year’s pick back. Remember: In this scenario, Jalen Hurts could be attractive to a quarterback-needy team. Of course, this is all speculative and hypothetical. If the Seahawks aren’t willing to trade Wilson, then the point is moot. And the Eagles are comfortable keeping Hurts as their starting quarterback, so that could affect whether they’re willing to surrender valuable assets. But my opinion is if Wilson is available, the Eagles should be aggressive.

2022 NFL Scouting Combine Preview: Tight End – PE.com
Trey McBride, Colorado State – Viewed by many as the top tight end in the class, McBride catches everything that hits his fingers and works hard as a blocker. … Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State – Regarded as one of the best blockers in the class. He caught 54 passes in four seasons, but looked smooth as a receiver at the Senior Bowl. … Cade Otton, Washington – A four-year starter who missed out on a Senior Bowl invite due to injury, but presents one of the more well-rounded games of the group with strong hands and a finisher’s mentality in the run game. … Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin – Ferguson went to the Senior Bowl and has proven over his career to be a viable two-way threat at the position, rarely putting the ball on the ground while also serving as a strong, tenacious blocker.

Dallas just engineered one of the most dramatic defensive turnarounds in recent history – Blogging The Boys
Simply put, the defensive improvement from 2020 to 2021 was incredible, and there have only been a handful of teams that have accomplished what the Cowboys just did. Even considering how volatile defenses can be, the turnaround was entirely unpredictable. There is a lot of credit to go around. Dan Quinn, Micah Parsons, and even players such as Jayron Kearse, Osa Odighizuwa, and Randy Gregory playing an entire season were all a massive reason for the change. We shouldn’t attribute this turnaround to one person only because Dallas wouldn’t have accomplished this without all eleven men on the field plus the coordinator leading them all. But what the Cowboys accomplished on defense this year was incredible. Even without the 24 turnovers, this was one of the best units in the league. If there is one source of optimism for next year, both the coordinator and young pieces will be returning to the defense in 2022. Who knows what another offseason with Dan Quinn will lead to. [BLG Note: Regression alert.]

2022 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: The veteran QB trade mocks have started for the Washington Commanders! – Hogs Haven
We kick off this week’s roundup with a look at some veteran QB trades, and what it will cost the Commanders. Russell Wilson comes home to start, and will cost Washington their first two picks this year and their 1st round pick next year in the first mock. The next one will also give the Seahawks Washington’s 3rd round pick next year and QB Taylor Heinicke. This one seems unlikely, but this is going to be a strange offseason for QB trade ideas so buckle up. The final veteran QB being traded to Washington is Derek Carr. This mock doesn’t give trade details, but notes Carr will likely look for a big time payday if he gets paid, and Washington will trade this year’s 1st and more to get him.

Chiefs’ free agents who could join Mike Kafka with Giants – Big Blue View
This is the type of free agent I think Joe Schoen should be focused on. The 28-year-old Wylie played adequately at right tackle for the Chiefs in 2021, starting seven games and playing 731 of his 737 offensive snaps at that spot. He allowed only four sacks and 31 total hurries, but his 95.4 Pro Football Focus pass-blocking efficiency grade was the lowest of his five-year career. Wylie has 1,943 NFL snaps played at right guard and 574 at left guard. He is the type of inexpensive player who could fill any of three spots for the Giants.

Garrett Wilson: A Prospect of Extremes – Football Outsiders
Wilson is an exercise in beauty being in the eye of the beholder. On the one hand, Wilson is an explosive athlete with real-deal speed, good hands in space, and an eccentric route-running flavor that could be a nuisance for NFL cornerbacks. On the other hand, Wilson is more of a highlight package than someone who wins down after down, and his route-running flashiness is more of a fireworks show than a well-crafted approach. In total, Wilson’s skill set is still generally received as a legit first-round talent because the potential payoff would be exceptional. Wilson’s best trait is his stop-and-start athleticism. He can bring his body to a halt at the drop of a hat and explode in another direction just as quickly. In many ways, that trait alone informs most of Wilson’s best routes and plays. Screens, short crossing routes, stop routes, and vertical routes with the option to hit the back shoulder make up a majority of Wilson’s best clips on film, in large part because they all hinge on his ability to come to a dead stop or explode out of one, or both.

NFL University #29: The Rodgers cleanse, franchise tag candidates, & Tom Brady is making a movie – The SB Nation NFL Show
Welcome back to another edition of NFL University! Stephen Serda and Kyle Posey get into the panchakarma cleanse that Aaron Rodgers just finished, and it sounds like zero fun. Rodgers has yet to make a decision on his future, and the Packers have had zero contract discussions so far with wide receiver Davante Adams. There are several players that are likely to get franchise tagged by their teams now that the window is open, but that might not be the best move. Also, Tom Brady is producing and starring in a movie now that he’s officially retired.

Who wins and who loses when you gamble on sports – Vox
“If you’re an exceptionally talented sports bettor, you’re good 50 and a quarter percent of the time. There’s a reason the house always wins,” said Patrick Keane, CEO of the Action Network, a sports media company. But sports betting, like all gambling, is good business. “It’s recession-proof; it’s withstood the millennia of consumer activity and interest.” Sports betting companies, media companies, and sports leagues appear to believe the sky is the limit on sports betting right now. Grove, from American Affiliate, says he’s keeping an eye out for sports stakeholders such as arenas and teams getting further into the game.

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