The Linc – Should the Eagles bring Rodney McLeod back?

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/19/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

2022 NFL free agency: One free agent each NFC team must keep – NFL.com
Rodney McLeod. The Eagles’ crop of free agents doesn’t present many no-doubt return candidates. McLeod is 31, but he ranked second on the team in targeted EPA (-9.5), per NGS, and had two picks, making him one of two Philadelphia players to log more than one interception on the season (joining Darius Slay, who had three). He’s a good fit as a veteran presence on a defense that ranked 10th overall and 11th against the pass in 2021.

Eagles Stay or Go 2022: Tough decisions at the safety position – NBCSP
Dave: This is one of the toughest in the entire Stay or Go series. On one hand, McLeod will be 32 at the start of next season and Howie Roseman has warned against sentimentality before. You can just keep McLeod around because you like him and because he’s a good leader. But as he got further away from the ACL tear in 2020, McLeod played much better down the stretch. If the price is low enough, it would be worth bringing McLeod back on a one-year deal while also improving the position. I’m on the fence about this one but as long as he doesn’t break the bank — and I don’t think he will — the Eagles could get one more year out of McLeod before moving on.

Way too early look at the Eagles’ 2023 Super Bowl odds – BGN
Less than a week removed from the Los Angeles Rams taking home the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 56, the odds are already out for next season’s Super Bowl — and the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t exactly leading the pack. This is a way too early look at what bettors are expecting from the 2023 season, but with free agency, the NFL Draft, and the entire regular season still to play out, there’s no doubt these odds will change significantly in the coming months.

Eye on the Enemy #85: Biggest NFL Offseason Storylines with Rob Maaddi – BGN Radio
This week, John Stolnis welcomes NFL writer/reporter for the Associated Press Rob Maaddi to get his thoughts on Super Bowl 56, whether Sean McVay is overrated, the Eagles and Russell Wilson, the future of Carson Wentz & Aaron Rodgers and many other off-season storylines! Also, did the Cowboys window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl close? And where do the Eagles rank in end-of-year power rankings?

5 Questions with Bleeding Green Nation: What to expect from Doug Pederson – Big Cat Country
The Jacksonville Jaguars officially hired Doug Pederson as head coach on Feb. 3. Since then, Pederson has built his coaching staff and has been trying to get a sense of the “lay of the land” with his new surroundings. While Jaguars fans are certainly aware of Pederson’s track record as a head coach — in which he brought a championship to the Philadelphia Eagles with a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, the franchise’s only Super Bowl title in its history — there are still plenty of things to learn about Pederson. With that in mind, I reached out to one of the best sources I know for all things Eagles — Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation. Brandon is certainly familiar with what Pederson brings to the table as a head coach, and is honest about what expectations should be like in Jacksonville. He explains why Jaguars fans should be excited about Pederson, and why there might be reservations to consider as well.

Should the Eagles use all 3 of their first-round draft picks, or will there be a trade? – Inquirer
The Eagles trade at least one of their first-round picks for a first-rounder in next year’s draft. Reason: There’s plenty of logic in trading back with one of these picks to get more draft capital for next offseason. It kicks the can down the road another year for Jalen Hurts without sacrificing too much. If Hurts takes strides as a passer, the team has two high picks to continue building around him. If he struggles, an extra first-rounder next year gives the team an outside chance of getting into the top 5 of the 2023 draft for a quarterback. It’s important to remember, having the ammunition to trade up only matters if there’s multiple top-tier quarterback prospects. If a quarterback-needy team gets the first pick with a clear-cut franchise quarterback prospect like the Jaguars with Trevor Lawrence or the Bengals with Joe Burrow, the Eagles’ draft assets will be a moot point. Still, next year’s class is expected to have a few high-level guys, so trading for a future one this year seems like a high likelihood. If the Eagles go that route, a trade like the one the 49ers made for Trey Lance, going from No. 12 to No. 3 in exchange for two future firsts and a third-rounder, is the framework.

Washington TEs Coach Pete Hoener retires, Juan Castillo hired – Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders have reportedly already hired Hoener’s replacement. Juan Castillo will be the new Tight Ends coach, and he has a history with Head Coach Ron Rivera. They worked together on the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff from 1999-2003. Rivera became the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator the following year, but Castillo stay with the Eagles until 2012. Castillo spent one year with the Eagles as their TEs coach(1997), but also coached the offensive line(1998-2010) and was their defensive coordinator(2011-12).

Which version of 2021 Dak Prescott you should expect next season depends on which stats you trust more – Blogging The Boys
So, here is what we know for certain, weeks one through six Dak was likely an anomaly, but it is equally likely that weeks nine through eighteen Dak was truly underperforming. Outside of that, it is up to personal opinion if you believe 2019 or the career average is a better measure of the “real Dak Prescott.” Maybe this isn’t the resolution you expected, but no one can answer this question confidently. Cowboys fans just have to wait and hope for the best.

Giants reportedly add Angela Baker as second woman on coaching staff – Big Blue View
The New York Giants have reportedly added a second woman to their coaching staff, hiring Angela Baker as a minority coaching fellow and offensive quality control coach. Field Yates of ESPN was first with the news. Baker had previously interned for the Cleveland Browns as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. The New York Post reported that Baker had most recently several roles on the coaching stafs at the University of Redlands, a Division III school. She was coach kickers and punters, special teams and defensive quality control. Baker is also a seven-time All-American for the Pittsburgh Passion in the full contact Women’s Football Alliance, per her University of Redlands bio.

Raiders sign free agent DB Cre’Von LeBlanc – Las Vegas Raiders
The DB is going into his seventh NFL season, having played 52 career games – starting in 16. He was last on the Houston Texans practice squad in 2021. [BLG Note: Strap is still kicking.]

Roster Moves: Dolphins sign DE Daeshon Hall and FB John Lovett – Miami Dolphins
Hall has played in 13 NFL games, totaling six career tackles (four solo) and 1.5 sacks. He played in one game for Carolina in 2017 and 12 games for Philadelphia from 2018-19. He also has three career special teams tackles (two solo). Hall originally entered the NFL as a third-round pick (77th overall) by Carolina in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Roster Moves: Dolphins sign WR River Cracraft – Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins today announced they have signed wide receiver River Cracraft. Cracraft has played in 24 games with one start in his NFL career, making stops in Denver (2018-19) and San Francisco (2020-21). [BLG Note: Cracraft spent time with the Eagles from late December 2019 until April 2020.]

What is the HBCU Legacy Bowl? Which colleges will be represented? – DraftKings Nation
The inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl is set to kick off from Yulman Stadium in New Orleans at 4 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, the game was created to showcase NFL Draft eligible prospects from programs representing historically black colleges and universities across the country. The game itself will feature Team Gaither, led by South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough, taking on Team Robinson, led by Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson. Several schools will have players participating in this all-star game, from Division I powers like Jackson State, Florida A&M, and South Carolina State to Division II powers like Albany State and Virginia State. Many of these players have already gotten exposure in front of NFL scouts via last month’s HBCU Combine in Mobile, AL.

NFL Reacts #28: offseason quarterback carousel – The SB Nation NFL Show
Welcome to another edition of NFL Reacts! Stephen Serda, Kate Magdziuk, and Justis Mosqueda are wrapping up the 2021 NFL season. With the year in the books, we’ve got some NFL Reacts polls that look toward the future, and we take a deep dive into the upcoming offseason quarterback carousel.

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