The Linc – Washington “preparing to take a big swing at a quarterback”

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/1/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

MAQB: The Washington Football Team Has Plenty to Pitch to a Veteran Quarterback – SI
We’ve got another team for you that’ll be all the way into the 2022 quarterback derby. The Washington Football Team is preparing to take a big swing at a quarterback this offseason, per team sources. The team has just one quarterback, veteran Taylor Heinicke, under contract for next year, more than $40 million of cap space to work with and the 11th pick in the draft to potentially dangle in a trade. Last year, Washington threw its hat into the ring on Matthew Stafford, initially offering the 21st pick and a third-rounder for him, then upping its offer (talks stalled when the Lions asked for players in return) before the Rams got more aggressive. From there, Washington turned to Plan B: signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal. Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending hip injury in Week 1, and Heinicke took over from there. As to the effort to find its next franchise quarterback, with big names like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson potentially out there, Washington feels like it has plenty to pitch such a veteran. While Brandon Scherff’s free agency looms (it’ll be open-minded approaching a new contract), WFT had the NFL’s sixth-ranked offensive line per PFF last year, and its depth was proven through significant absences that led to the coaches going to their fourth center, fourth tackle, and fourth and fifth guards. [BLG Note: Washington is SO going to end up with Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been to two NFC Championship Games in the last three years. Whereas Washington haven’t been to an NFCCG since 1991.]

What the Eagles should do at quarterback – BGN
Russell Wilson to the Eagles is a possibility that’s been rumored dating back to last year. One NFL executive said “would put Philly in the driver’s seat” for Wilson. Then, in November, Chris Mortensen said “there’s no question in my mind that Russell Wilson would top their list.” There’s already been a lot of debate whether the Eagles should trade for Wilson and those discussions will only rage on until there’s clarity about his future. We’ll save our lengthy arguments for/against acquiring Wilson for a separate article(s) but the short take here is … they should absolutely be pursuing a perennial MVP candidate and future Hall of Famer who could be the best QB in the conference with Tom Brady (and maybe Rodgers) leaving the NFC. Watson is a player that many understandably don’t enjoy seeing the Eagles connected to. The Houston Texans quarterback still faces an unresolved legal situation regarding 22 lawsuits involving allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct. Whether you want him on the team or not, though, I fully expect the Eagles to revisit acquiring Watson; they showed a ton of interest in him last offseason. Especially now that Miami might no longer be the obvious destination for him with Brian Flores gone. The Eagles might very well strike out on trying to trade for a top quarterback. But one would be naive to believe they’re not going to seriously gauge the market.

Playoff Lessons – Iggles Blitz
Some people see Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers losing as proof you don’t need an elite QB. That’s not my read at all. The two Super Bowl QBs were both drafted number one overall. Matt Stafford was outstanding at Georgia and then played well for a bad franchise in Detroit. Joe Burrow won the Heisman and National Championship in 2019 and has played well since coming to the NFL. The question you have to ask…can Jalen Hurts do the things you seeing Stafford and Burrow do? Hurts will get better, but will he get to their level. I know Jimmy Garropolo got to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago and was in the NFC title game on Sunday, but he’s an anomaly, carried there by a stout defense, top shelf run game and some special skill players (Deebo, Kittle). As we talk about the QB situation, I can’t stress this enough. The Eagles might stick with Jalen Hurts for 2022, but that doesn’t mean he’s the guy long term. He might be the best option for now. You can’t make a great QB be available. That’s not how it works. Don’t make a change for the sake of making a change.

2022 offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams – PFF
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: CB, LB, S, EDGE. Several starters on the Eagles defense are slated to hit free agency, including safeties Anthony Harris and Rodney McLeod, edge defender Derek Barnett, off-ball linebacker Alex Singleton and cornerback Steven Nelson. All of these players posted PFF grades below 65.0 in 2021, so an upgrade is in order at every position. The bright side is that Philadelphia owns three top-20 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to replenish whatever position it needs.

Why the Eagles shouldn’t try to find a WR in the draft – NBCSP
2. I don’t trust Howie to draft another receiver in the first couple rounds. I don’t even like using the word bust, but J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor are failed draft picks on a historic level. JJAW is only the 4th WR in NFL history – and first since the late 1980s – drafted in the 1st or 2nd round to play in at least 40 games in his first three seasons and have fewer than 300 yards. Reagor is only the 4th WR in NFL history drafted in the 1st round to start at least 24 games in his first two seasons and have fewer than 700 yards. These aren’t just disappointing picks. They are all-time catastrophes. Smith looks great, but he was a top-10 pick, and the farther down in the round you go, the less I trust this front office to nail a WR pick. Roseman’s record drafting on defense is better. Guys like Derek Barnett and Rasul Douglas had disappointing Eagles careers, but at least they were functional starters. Reagor and JJAW aren’t even that.

Ex-Eagle Jon Dorenbos recounts saving the life of restaurant owner who caught on fire – PhillyVoice
It’s why Jon admires players like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, because, he says, they’re able to process intense pressure situations in nano-seconds. It’s one thing to do it on the football field. It’s another thing entirely to throw yourself in harm’s way without hesitation. “Pressure hits and you execute, and then you freak out later,” Jon said. “I’m happy with what I did. But Ana’s recovery is my priority. I’m making calls and trying to reach out to see what we can do to help her out. It’s going to be a long recovery and I want to help this family out. “We’re very happy Ana is alive. It’s why I wanted to bring attention to this story. It’s why it came out later than it did, because Ana and her family need help.”

Groundbreaking donation aids launch of girls flag football league – PE.com
Football is the most popular sport in the nation as millions of people have grown up following a team and falling in love with the game. For young girls watching their favorite athletes, they crave to play the game of football. And finally, they can with girls flag football. To help grow the sport, the Eagles have been working with high schools around Philadelphia to bring girls flag football onto their campuses. After standing in the stadiums, girls can get on the field, and more young women are joining in on the fun. “Football to me is the best sport out there,” said Christine Donnelly, school counselor at the Academy at Palumbo and head varsity girls basketball coach. “The idea of offering it (girls flag football), and so many girls have had an interest in playing sports over the years, but they have that fear of tackle football. They like football but the boys are just bigger and stronger.” A new opportunity will allow girls to get involved in flag football at the high school level. The Eagles have been working closely with the Philadelphia Public League and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools to launch the first Girls Flag Football League for high schools in Pennsylvania. The girls will be in action this spring.

Update: Joe Theismann says he doesn’t know new name; if it’s Commanders people will get excited about it if they win – Hogs Haven
Joe Theismann was interviewed by Damon Amendolara for CBS Sports and seems to have spoiled the Washington Football Team’s plans for the new name reveal on the Today Show, which is scheduled for Wednesday(2/2/22!). Below is the transcript and the audio. Judge for yourselves. Go Commanders?!?! JT: I think the Commanders is a name that is going to be one that hopefully people like going forward.

Colts the latest team to request interview with Cowboys Joe Whitt Jr. for defensive coordinator position – Blogging The Boys
Earlier today we noted that the future of Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is still up in the air as the Miami Dolphins decide on their head coach. But Moore isn’t the only Cowboys coach who still may not be settled at the Star for 2022. Cowboys passing game coordinator/secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. has drawn interest from multiple teams, and another has jumped into the mix. The Indianapolis Colts lost defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus (an ex-Cowboys linebacker coach) to the Chicago Bears as they made him their new head coach. As such, the Colts are looking for a replacement defensive coordinator and they want Whitt to be in that mix.

Grading NFL head-coach hires in 2022: Josh McDaniels to Raiders, Brian Daboll to Giants, Matt Eberflus to Bears, more – ESPN+
Graziano: B-. I’ve been trying to be consistent and take some points off when guys are hired who haven’t done the job before, because we really don’t know how he’s going to do until he does it. But I did give Daboll a little bump over the first two guys who were hired this cycle (Hackett and Eberflus) because of how important Jones is to the Giants’ future. Daboll has also worked for both Bill Belichick and Nick Saban — though the last Giants head coach did as well.

The single reason the Jaguars coaching search is a disaster – Big Cat Country
Regardless of what the truth is in the coaching search for the Jaguars right now, the optics of it are an abject disaster. It appears no worthwhile candidates want to work with Trent Baalke at the top, with good reason. It also appears the Jaguars are seemingly being stubborn to a fault with keeping Baalke on hand, who’s track record as a general manager in the NFL is actually awful. I don’t know where this is going to end, but the Jaguars are now over 40 days in their coaching search where they had a head start on everyone in the NFL, but it appears as if they’re starting over from scratch. The coaching search is a complete disaster because of the Jaguars insistence on keeping a bad general manager with a bad reputation around the league.

Tom Brady ‘still going through the process,’ has made no decision on playing future – NFL.com
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said Monday that he has yet to make a decision on his playing future. “I’m still going through the process that I said I was going through,” Brady said on the Let’s Go! podcast. “Sometimes it takes some time to really evaluate how you feel, what you want to do and I think when the time is right I’ll be ready to make a decision one way or the other.” Brady’s comments are his first since NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback plans to retire, according to multiple sources close to the QB. Saturday’s news was met by Brady’s agent Don Yee stating that, “Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy,” while Tom Brady Sr. told NFL Network’s Mike Giardi that his son “has not made a final decision one way or the other.”

The Rams and Bengals Are Going to the Super Bowl Because They Got the QB Question Right – The Ringer
Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford both elevate, and occasionally save, their offenses. And together they’ve shown that no agent of change in the NFL is more powerful than the right quarterback.

Joe Burrow can hit first ever quarterback Triple Crown with Super Bowl win – SB Nation
Joe Burrow has been on a rocket ship to success since the start of his season senior at LSU. Burrow went from a pretty average quarterback as a college junior to historically good as a senior with the Tigers, powering an undefeated season that included a national championship, Heisman Trophy, and one of the best statistical passing seasons in the history of the sport. When his smell of his victory cigar with LSU cleared, Burrow became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was inheriting a team coming off a 2-14 season. Only 10 games into his rookie year, Burrow suffered a torn ACL. He came back with a vengeance this year, leading the Bengals to an unlikely AFC North championship. Burrow then won three straight nail-biters in the 2022 NFL Playoffs, capping his team’s Cinderella run with a come-from-behind upset win over Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

The worst blackjack player ever loses at Sixers game – DraftKings Nation
I can’t believe what I just saw. The Philadelphia 76ers had a timeout contest during their game tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. And the Parx Casino in Bensalem, as a sponsor of the contest, had someone choose to play a hand of blackjack agasint Franklin, the Sixers team mascot. It ended… poorly.

Monday Football Monday #73: Matthew Stafford was the difference, Is Joe Burrow elite? – The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa and Pete Sweeney break down all of the NFL’s Conference Championship Sunday action. The guys discuss whether or not Joe “Cool” Burrow is elite, explain why Matthew Stafford was the difference for the Rams and share their Super Bowl LVI picks.

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