The Linc – Jeffrey Lurie says Eagles are “committed” to Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 3/30/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Jeffrey Lurie: Eagles are “committed” to Jalen Hurts – PFT
“We have a young, 23-year-old, playoff QB who gets better every year in college and in the pros,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said at the annual league meeting this week, via Zach Berman of TheAthletic.com. “He’s had, really, one full year. No one knows where that’s going to end up, but I think what you do know is you have a guy that is incredibly dedicated, excellent leader of men. Players around him gravitate to him. He will do anything and everything to get better and work on every weakness he has to try to maximize every strength he has. And that’s why we’re committed to Jalen at age 23. Who knows what the future holds, right?”

Wulf: One year since his last news conference, it’s good to be Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie – The Athletic
Despite several rounds of public support for Jalen Hurts this offseason, including Lurie’s declaration Tuesday that the team is “committed” to the third-year quarterback, the team has not denied reports of its pursuit of Wilson, the one who got away, and Deshaun Watson, the recently acquired Cleveland Browns quarterback who is facing 22 civil suits for sexual assault and misconduct. When first asked about Watson, Lurie said the team’s policy is to do its “due diligence” on every available player. Pressed if the Eagles would have welcomed Watson had the quarterback coveted Philadelphia as a potential destination, Lurie demurred. “I’ve never commented on another contract that another team made with a player,” Lurie said. “Every team has to operate the way they think is best for them. I don’t want to be presumptuous. I don’t have all the answers, so I just can’t comment.” When a simple “no” would have sufficed, it’s OK to read his answer as “yes.” On this front, the only difference between Lurie and the likes of Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is that Lurie and the Eagles weren’t able to get a meeting.

Five highlights from Jeffrey Lurie’s owners meetings press conference – PhillyVoice
Lurie then took the opportunity to shoehorn in three example of players that he really, really wanted the team to draft. And, oh my gosh, as luck would have it, those three guys are all excellent players! What are the odds?!?

Eagles’ Jeffrey Lurie says he isn’t a meddler, just a responsible CEO – NJ.com
Lurie cited three examples of times he felt he might have “overextended” himself at the draft “in terms of what you wanted to see happen.” Lo and behold, his enthusiasm turned out to be warranted in each of those cases. One was quarterback Russell Wilson, then-coach Andy Reid’s target in the 2012 draft, in which the Eagles thought they could wait for the third round, only to see Seattle tap Wilson in the second. Another was right tackle Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ selection fourth overall in the 2013 draft. The third was the seventh-round shot at Australian rugby player Jordan Mailata, now the team’s standout left tackle. You are free to wonder whether those really are the only three times Lurie “made my opinions known.”

Maybe the 2022 Eagles ARE in purgatory – BGN
The mixed messaging all comes down to this: the entire 2022 Eagles are in purgatory. The NFC is mediocre enough that a team like the Eagles can make the playoffs next season. Even with a slightly tougher schedule, Hurts is good enough, and the rest of the division/conference is weak enough, to allow the Birds to sneak in as a wild card in the new expanded postseason. But given their inability to upgrade at QB and WR and their willingness to bring back unproductive veteran players, it’s hard to call them Super Bowl contenders, and yet, they’ve potentially created a situation in which they will deprive young, developing players of playing time in favor of established veterans who don’t provide much on-field productivity.

NFC East Mixtape Vol.50: Draft Things – BGN Radio
On the latest episode, RJ Ochoa and Brandon Lee Gowton touch on the draft needs for each team in the division.

Malcolm Jenkins announces retirement from NFL – Canal Street Chronicles
This move, while disappointing for many Saints fans, was not unexpected. If anything, Jenkins’s upcoming retirement was foreshadowed by a massive contract restructure earlier in the offseason to reduce his 2022 salary to the league minimum. Malcolm Jenkins led a Hall of Fame worthy career both on and off the field, as he was a part of two Super Bowl Champion teams and was active in the communities both in New Orleans and Philadelphia. The departure of Jenkins removes his veteran leadership from the locker room, creates an additional hole the team will need to file via free agency or the draft, and leaves the Saints franchise without a single player from the 2009 Super Bowl team for the first time since the Super Bowl.

Cowboys 2022 free agency: Stephen Jones says the Dallas Cowboys are out on linebacker Bobby Wagner – Blogging The Boys
Bobby Wagner is the name that plenty of people want to see in a Cowboys uniform right now, but he reportedly wants a one-year deal worth $11M. That is way too rich for the Cowboys’ taste (and likely most NFL teams if we are being honest). Stephen Jones reiterated on Tuesday that it ultimately is not going to work out there.

Oddsmaker puts Giants’ over/under at 7 victories – Big Blue View
How many games will the New York Giants win in 2022? It seems apparent that expecting a massive, quick turnaround into becoming a team that makes a deep playoff run would be foolish. But, will the Giants at least be better under the direction of GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll than the 4-13 team the Giants fielded a season ago? Co-owner John Mara admitted this week that “I don’t think it’s a very high bar to improve over last year.” DraftKings Sportsbook has set the Giants over/under for 2022 at seven victories. Not a high bar. Can the Giants reach or surpass it?

A (really quick) update of the Commanders current cap space, depth chart and comp picks – Hogs Haven
The situation has not changed since the last update was published, and, frankly, I don’t expect it to change. I believe the front office is trying to ‘protect’ the two compensatory picks it is currently projected to receive in next year’s draft: a 3rd round pick for losing Brandon Scherff to the Jaguars, and a 7th round pick for Tim Settle signing with the Buffalo Bills.

NFL draft quarterback class 2022: Do the stats match the tape for Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis, others? – ESPN+
McShay: Corral’s fantastic accuracy numbers here are obviously what jumps out. And this is his game. He has a snap delivery and gets the ball to receivers in the short-to-intermediate range on a rope. It’s like he places it on a conveyor belt directly to a pass-catcher’s hands. It’s automatic for him in that range, and it was really fun to see on display at his pro day last week. I’d love to see him land in a West Coast, precision-based offense in the NFL. Parolin: On short throws in particular, he cut the FBS average miss rate in half. How elite was Corral’s short-range accuracy? There were only two other quarterbacks in this exercise over the past three years to miss on less than 3% of short throws — Joe Burrow and Jacob Eason.

NFL owners approve modified overtime rule ensuring possession for both teams in playoff games – NFL.com
The NFL has heard your cries and adjusted accordingly — in the postseason. The league’s owners approved a change to overtime rules on Tuesday that will ensure both teams will receive a possession in overtime, the NFL announced. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport later added that the vote in favor of the rule change was 29-3. This rule change will only apply to the postseason, where the advantage has statistically been more skewed toward the team winning the overtime coin toss (they’re 10-2 in such contests since the previous OT format began in 2010) than in the regular season.

Treash: Top five prospects at every position in the 2022 NFL Draft – PFF
Christian Watson has been one of the biggest risers in the past few months. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound wideout earned an 89.5 receiving grade while generating an astounding 4.33 yards per route run playing in a run-heavy Bison offense last year. He followed that up with one of the best Senior Bowl showings at the position, finishing in the top three in PFF grade during one-on-ones. Watson caught the attention of coaches, scouts and executives at the event and generated even more hype with an elite combine performance. Those testing times and measurements at his size are unbelievable. Watson’s all-around athleticism paired with his size, ability to get off press and continued ball skills improvement should have NFL teams excited about his potential. He can be a true X and also used in creative ways, like the San Francisco 49ers do with Deebo Samuel.

How Malik Willis’ rise can shake up the 2022 NFL Draft – SB Nation
Nobody has any idea where Malik Willis will land, but it’s more than that. Nobody can agree on how the Liberty QB even projects at the next level. He’s a bizarre case of having every physical tool you could possibly want in a quarterback, but without the reassuring college resume that makes a team feel comfortable in selecting him. It’s for this reason we saw Willis hover around the late 20s, or even early second round, prior to the Senior Bowl before rising up the board with a strong week, and then rising again at the NFL Scouting Combine. Time and reps made scouts feel more comfortable, but that still doesn’t mean Willis is a guaranteed home run. Make no mistake, the lacking college resume is really the sticking point here. If Willis put up the same numbers, but in the SEC, there wouldn’t be a discussion about how good he is. He would be the hands-down No. 1 overall pick, and teams would be clamoring to trade up with Jacksonville. Instead we have a solid college season against sub-par competition with below-average talent around him at Liberty. It makes this all a leap of faith, but who’s going to take it?

Off Day Debrief #82: Which teams aren’t being honest with themselves + Dumb NFL OT proposal – The SB Nation NFL Show
Rob “Stats” Guerrera and Brandon Lee Gowton point out which teams aren’t being honest with themselves (and fans) this offseason. Plus, there’s an OT idea that could get voted on this week that has Stats up at arms. Why the Eagles aren’t being honest with themselves (4:50). The 49ers can’t get out of their own way (10:45). What is Pete Carroll doing in Seattle this year? (16:55). Are the Panthers really fooling anyone? (20:11). The Commanders are down again, and Ron Rivera is tired of it (23:04). The possible new NFL OT rules that Stats hates (28:27). Who you got: Will Smith or Chris Rock? (40:51).

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