Eagles State of the franchise 2014

[Dutch 874]

Our rookie head coach Chip Kelly and his offense with 2nd year first time starter Nick Foles took the league by storm last year. However, that electric season came to an early close in the first round of the playoffs. The Eagles underwent the most change in the league last year going through the most personnel and scheme changes. Especially a struggling defensive unit in a 3-4 that was plain and simple; horrible. However, throughout the season they begin to find their way and improved to from being below average to average. Our defense was very opportunistic creating 31 turnovers which was 3rd in the league. With an offense that appears primed and ready with offensive play makers, a crafty head coach and an improving defense (that can get solid with a good draft and free agent acquisitions), the leagues eye will be on the Eagles and see how they respond in year 2 with a blue print from year 1.

 

Here are the transactions:

 

 

 

 

04/04/2014 LB Jake Knott suspended for the first four games of the 2014 regular season for violating NFL policy on performance enhancing substances

03/31/2014 Signed T Andrew Gardner to a contract

03/28/2014 Released WR DeSean Jackson.

03/28/2014 Signed QB Mark Sanchez to a one-year deal

03/17/2014 Re-signed S Nate Allen to a 1 year deal

03/14/2014 Released WR Joe Anderson

03/14/2014 Agreed to terms on a two-year extension with RB Darren Sproles

03/14/2014 Acquired RB Darren Sproles from New Orleans in exchange for a 2014 fifth-round draft pick. Agreed to terms with CB Nolan Carroll on a two-year deal.

03/12/2014 Agreed to terms with LB Bryan Braman on a two-year deal.

03/12/2014 Agreed to terms with S Chris Maragos on a three-year deal

03/11/2014The Eagles have agreed to terms on a three-year contract with safety Malcolm Jenkins, formerly of the New Orleans Saints.

03/11/2014Re-signed P Donnie Jones to a three-year deal and released S Patrick Chung

03/04/2014Released WR Jason Avant

03/03/2014Signed DE Cedric Thornton to a one-year contract

02/28/2014Agreed to terms on a one-year deal with WR Jeremy Maclin

02/27/2014Signed WR Riley Cooper to a five-year contract. Signed C Jason Kelce to a seven-year contract.

02/26/2014Agreed to terms on a five-year contract with T Jason Peters

02/07/2014Signed WR Joe Anderson

01/27/2014Announced the hiring of Bill Musgrave as quarterbacks coach and Michael Clay as defensive quality control coach. Promoted Mike Dawson to assistant defensive line coach.

01/15/2014Erik Chinander - Hired by the University of Oregon to become outside linebackers coach

01/15/2014Bill Lazor - Hired by the Miami Dolphins to become offensive coordinato

r01/09/2014Signed C David Molk.

01/07/2014Signed LB Josh Kaddu and WR Ifeanyi Momah, re-signed WR Will Murphy

01/06/2014Re-signed LB Emmanuel Acho, DE Brandon Bair, T Michael Bamiro, WR B.J. Cunningham, TEEmil Igwenagu, QB G.J. Kinne, and LB Travis Long

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2014 by dutchff7

[Dutch 874]

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/443492047832371201

 

Malcolm Jenkins wasn't the best safety on the market and may not be "the" answer, but he may have potential to fit in our scheme. He's definitely an upgrade from Patrick Chung so that's already a move in the right direction. I'd still like to see the Eagles to draft a safety after we address a pass rusher and ILB.

Edited March 12, 2014 by dutchff7

[Dutch 874]

Resigning Jeremy Maclin was huge. I'm also glad we kept Riley Cooper. Our offense was explosive without Maclin last year so with him (healthy), I believe that having him will open up a lot more things on our offense and make us more dangerous. Maclin was our go to guy possession receiver and was definitely a play maker. He was never quite a number #1 receiver but puts up very solid and consistent #2 receiver numbers and can make a big play. Hopefully he can stay healthy. None of our receivers are true #1 receivers but they are all viable weapons and if Foles can distribute the ball like he did last year, that shouldn't be a problem. Resigning Donnie Jones was a no brainer. He was our all star special teams player last year and was amazing pinning opponents deep in their own territory. He made a huge impact and helped out our suspect defense out that much more. Good resignings so far. Haven't been bothered with anyone they let hit the market.

[Dutch 874]

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/444099192206938113

 

McCoy with Sproles in the back field... Insane. I love this move. We had two 5th rounders and the one we gave to the Saints was the one we got from the Pats for Isaac Sopoaga. So we got Sproles for Sopoaga. I can dig it.With the type of player Sproles is and in our scheme, this move was definitely worth it. Good move by our front office. We also have a legit KR threat now. Chip and Foles have a lot of offensive weapons at their disposal. Sproles is should open up a lot for our TE's (Ertz!!). The offense is set and now we should focus on the defense.

 

Speaking of defense

 

https://twitter.com/EaglesInsider/status/444116069888716801

 

More secondary help doesn't hurt. Like Sean said, I hope he plays better than Cary Williams lol.

 

I like the Eagles moves so far. Think we should focus on the draft now.

[McTater 28]

I don't wanna root against Sproles. :/

[seanbrock 1,684]

The way the offseason has gone for the Eagles with the re-signings of their own players and the trades and free agent signings the Eagles have made I would have to say it means they're going to try and either take an elite ILB(Mosely), a NT or a pass rusher. It's what I've wanted the Eagles to do for a while now. The Eagles need to get stronger up the middle and the need to improve their tackling but they also need an edge rusher. I really want Mosely or Ford.

[BradyFan81 404]

Just wondering what Eagles fans opinion of Jason Avant is and if they think he could be a potential 50-60 catch 600-700 yard receiver again? I'm kind of interested in him if we do lose Edelman. Do you guys want Avant back or are you ready to move on?

Edited March 14, 2014 by BradyFan81

[Dutch 874]

Just wondering what Eagles fans opinion of Jason Avant is and if they think he could be a potential 50-60 catch 600-700 yard receiver again? I'm kind of interested in him if we do lose Edelman. Do you guys want Avant back or are you ready to move on?

 

In the right system like a Patriots offense, you may get a 50 reception 500-600 yard season but I still wouldn't bet on it. What I can say is that Avant is a very reliable receiver, with great hands, can catch in traffic and can move the chains (good on 3rd down). Utilized correctly, Avant can be a very effective player in a situational role. I appreciate his time and services to the team but with all the weapons we do have, I think the Eagles chose the right time to move on. Our offense is getting faster. Legion of Zoom baby!

Edited March 14, 2014 by dutchff7

[Dutch 874]

 

 

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/3/13/5504670/chip-kelly-darren-sproles-unbelievable-offensive-weapon

 

Chip Kelly: Darren Sproles is an Unbelievable Offensive Weapon

 

Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman are excited about the new addition of Darren Sproles.

 

When the Eagles traded for Darren Sproles on Thursday morning, it came off as a bit of a surprise at first. The Eagles already have a lot of offense firepower, especially at the running back position. But when Chip Kelly is the head coach of your favorite football team, adding more talent on the offense should never shock anyone.

"Darren Sproles is an unbelievable offensive weapon. He can do it all, run, catch, plus he’s a proven winner," said Kelly. (And I have no way of knowing this but I'm assuming Kelly was smiling as he said that.) Sproles gives Kelly a talent who compares to previous Kelly running backs who can do more than just simply run the ball: players like De'Anthony Thomas and LaMichael James.

I've maintained that the Eagles were looking to add a scatback type of running back this offseason who could provide value as a pass catcher in Kelly's offense. That's why I wondered if the Eagles should look into a trade for LaMichael James, or even take a no-risk flyer on a player such as LaRod Stephens-Howling. But the decision to trade for Sproles tops both of those thoughts.

Sproles is a player that the Eagles reportedly had interest in signing back in 2011, but they ended up with Ronnie Brown instead. Now, three years later, they got their guy. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman admitted as much. "Darren Sproles is a player that we have admired for many years – he’s a proven performer at a high level," he explained.

Adding Sproles to an offense already stocked with talented players such asLeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Brent Celek, Zach Ertz, and other depth players almost seems unfair. Think about how good the Eagles offense was in 2013. With the addition of Sproles, it has the potential to get even better. Opposing defenses will now have to worry about the threat of Sproles catching passes while LeSean McCoy is also on the field. Sproles lined up as a slot receiver is infinitely more dangerous as compared to last year when Jason Avant filled that position. 16.4% of Nick Foles' total passing yards came off of screens last year, which was the highest rate in the NFL. Sproles' prowess in the screen game makes him a perfect fit in that regard.

Some will complain that the Eagles gave up too much for a player that the Eagles didn't need and is too old, but I couldn't disagree more. If there was anything to take away from the 2013 season, it was that Chip Kelly clearly knows what he's doing on the offensive side of the ball. Let him have the weapons he wants. Especially when he describes their value as "unbelievable."

The possibilities and options that our offense is appearing to have is blowing my mind right now... I'm very happy with how the Eagles executed in free agency. No big time names but made some solid additions to our football team that I believe made us better in all 3 phases of the game. Now I'm just waiting for the draft and hope we get some good talent to improve on defense. I want the Eagles to address OLB (pass rusher), ILB, and a Safety; in that order. Whatever they do, I have trust in Howie and think him and Chip will make good choices for our football club.

[Dutch 874]

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/444524103974649856

 

Glad we are protecting our investment considering Sproles was on the last year of his contract. I figured the Eagles would do this so they wouldn't have given up a 5th round draft pick for a 1 year rental.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I haven't had time to summarize my thoughts, but here it goes.

 

I must say, I really like the approach our front office has. They very easily could have unloaded the bank for Jairus Byrd, but they didn't. It may seem dumb to miss out on big name free agents at positions of need, but signing a guy like that is taking a risk. I prefer the Eagles' low-risk strategy of adding mid-level guys with cheap, expendable contracts. I personally, having seen many Dolphins games last season, think Nolan Carroll sucks, but I like the style of signing guys like him, if that makes sense.

 

I'd much rather try to build through the draft than take a chance on a big money free agent and risk getting stuck with a horrible contract eating up cap space. Ultimately, though, if the Eagles want to be a Super Bowl team, they're going to have to draft some all-pro players on defense. There's just no alternative. Maybe this is the year they do it.

[seanbrock 1,684]

The Eagles haven't reached the point where they're playing in the conference championship game or something and they maybe need that one guy to put them over the top. That's when it makes sense to take a gamble in free agency. The Eagles are still a young and ascending team. Lets allow them to gel and reward our own players before we go out and make locker room shake ups.

[Dutch 874]

2014 NFL Draft: How The Eagles Can Get More Draft Picks

 

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/3/14/5507522/2014-nfl-draft-eagles-draft-picks-trade-rumors

 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles made a bit of a surprise move on Thursday when they traded a fifth round draft pick for Darren Sproles. While Sproles is a valued addition to the roster, the trade left some feeling concerned. Trading away a draft pick now only leaves the Eagles with a total of six heading into the 2014 NFL Draft. What makes this especially concerning is this upcoming draft class has been lauded as "the best draft class in ten years." Here are the picks the Eagles currently own:

Round 1 - 22
Round 2 - 54
Round 3 - 86
Round 4 - TBD
Round 5 - TBD
Round 7 - TBD

The pick numbers beyond the third round are yet to be released. They will be determined when compensatory picks are awarded. The Eagles are not projected to get a compensation pick. So how can they acquire more? Let's take a look at their options. As I see it, there are three main options.

Trade Players

The Eagles have a few players who could be on the trade block this offseason.

Brandon Graham - Graham proved he can rush the passer and defend as the run really well as a 4-3 defensive end in 2012. The worst kept secret is that the doesn't seem to be an ideal fit in the 3-4 as an outside linebacker, however. Graham saw the field in limited time last season. Perhaps he could see more time on the field this year if they put him in rotation with Trent Cole. If he's not in the Eagles' long-term plans, however, it would make sense for them to trade him to a 4-3 team in need of a defensive end. Jeff McLane of the Inquirer has noted Graham does indeed have trade value.

Vinny Curry - The Eagles also drafted Curry as a 4-3 DE but he switched to being a 3-4 DE last season. He rushed the passer well last year despite starting off the season as an inactive. Some will argue that Curry doesn't fit the Eagles' system, but the numbers tell a different story. In limited playing time last season, Curry led all Eagles 3-4 DEs in sacks. Unless the Eagles receive an offer they can't refuse, keeping Curry makes sense.

Bryce Brown - With the addition of Sproles, the Eagles' running back picture is more crowded than it was expected to be. Some immediately speculated Brown could be gone. Brown has flashed potential and is still very young. He's only 22! Then again, Dion Lewis was also young and showed potential before the Eagles traded him away last offseason. There could be a market for Brown.

Chris Polk - McLane reported that Polk is expected to have a bigger role in the Eagles' 2014 offense. So unless that changed with the Sproles trade, I don't see him being gone.

DeSean Jackson - Now, wait a second before pulling your hair out here. I've already written multiple times that it doesn't make sense to trade Jackson unless there's some kind of underlying issue that's not privy to public knowledge. It's been reported that the Eagles are not shopping Jackson. Even still, some Jackson trade speculation has popped up this offseason. Check out this line from Paul Domowitch of the Daily News in a recent column:

 

After re-signing Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, and now adding a unique weapon like Sproles, who caught 71 passes last season and had seven touchdown catches in two of the last three seasons, and a draft coming up that includes one of the best and deepest wide-receiving classes in recent history, might the Eagles be willing to trade Jackson for more picks? Believe me when I tell you it’s been talked about on the second floor of NovaCare.

It's interesting that this speculation just won't die.

Trade Down

This one is simple. If the Eagles don't like who's at pick No. 22 or even later in the draft, they could easily decide to trade down to get more picks. Given that the Eagles maintain they don't draft for need and instead focus on "Best Player Available", it makes even more sense for them to do this.

Sit Tight

If worst comes to worst and the Eagles don't add any more picks, it might not be the end of the world. Last year, the Eagles drafted eight players. Of those eight, only six remain with the team. And one of those six players one spent the entire year on injured reserve. So the Eagles only kept five players on their regular season regular who were 2013 draft picks. If the Eagles hit on all six picks from this year's class, that would already be more than they had on the roster last year. Then there's the matter of undrafted free agency. Last season the Eagles added a few UDFAs who made the regular season roster: Jake Knott, Damion Square, Matt Tobin, and Matthew Tucker. The Eagles ending up cutting their seventh round picks Jordan Poyer and David King, but adding talent through UDFA kind of makes up for that difference.

Bottom Line

Ideally, the Eagles will be able to add more picks before the draft this year. I would be a little surprised if they didn't. They have some trade pieces. But even in the worst case scenario, it's not the end of the world if they can't add any more. While quantity is nice, and the Eagles could certainly stand to add more talent to their roster, the most important thing is that the Eagles continue to hit big on the picks they do own.

 

Going into the season with only 6 draft picks is unusually low for the Eagles. We generally always have more then 7. I can definitely see the Eagles front office making some moves to acquire some draft picks.

 

Brandon Graham- As high as I am on Brandon Graham, he's out of scheme in the 3-4 and is much more suited for a 4-3. So I would expect for the Eagles to try and trade him. I think we can get a 4th or maybe a 5th for him. I wouldn't want anything lower than a 5th though. Graham would be a nice addition to a team like the Bengals or Bears. He would probably be a great fit with the Giants but I'd hate to see him there. Same with the Cowboys.

 

Vinny Curry- Please free Curry! Release this monster on the field. I want us to keep Curry AND to give him much more playing time. His impact while he is on the field is undeniable and I would be upset if the Eagles let him go or continue to under utilize him.

 

Bryce Brown- This is interesting. While Bryce Brown does show potential, I'm not attached to him too hard especially with the signing of Sproles. I understand Sproles is 31 and won't be utilized like Brown would but I kind of like the way Chris Polk runs. I'd like to see him get more opportunities.

 

Desean Jackson- This rumor nonsense needs to stop. It would be so idiotic for the Eagles to trade Jackson. Jackson is one of the most dangerous weapons we have on offense; especially receiver wise. He's a top deep threat in the league and is a play maker. He just had his best season in his career with Foles. You don't trade guys like this away in their prime. Then also for the sake of depth incase a receiver gets hurt. Having Jackson, Maclin, and Cooper as our top 3 WRs along with Shady, Sproles, Celek, and Ertz sounds really good

Edited March 16, 2014 by dutchff7

[seanbrock 1,684]

I really think Brandon Graham has earned his shot to play. He's a great guy to have in the locker room. He loves to play football and he plays hard but he just doesn't fit this defense. Unloading him for a mid round pick to a 4-3 team could be a real win-win scenario for the Eagles but like dutch, I'd be weary of trading him within the division.

 

I like Cedric Thorton a lot but signing him likely means that Curry won't be getting more snaps anytime soon. I still wouldn't want to trade him though. If you look at the tape and the numbers you can see that Curry can play 3-4 DE and even though he might not be a conventional 5 tech DE he was our best pass rusher when he was on the field last year and we need to find a way to get him snaps. Really really don't want to trade him.

 

I wouldn't want to trade Bryce Brown unless we get a good mid rounder for him. I feel like trading him means we have to take a RB anyway tbh. I like Polk too but I don't want to just hand him a job, idk. I think Brown is a really cheap but also really quality back up RB. I wouldn't be mad if we traded him but I only want to do it if it makes us a better team.

 

I wouldn't move DeSean for anything less than a mid first round pick. He was a huge part of our offense last year and with the injury concerns of Maclin, we need to keep Jackson around because he really stretches the field for us, but the reason I'd be open to trading him is because I feel like we could bring in a guy with a similar skill set and no history of head injuries in the draft for a lot cheaper. Like with Brown, the only way I trade Jackson is if it makes us a better team and with how deep this class is at WR I just don't see a market for a guy like Jackson anyway, but to me, he's not untouchable but you'd have to blow me away to trade him. He's too important to this team.

 

Really excited to see this offense with all the weapons we have. We have the personnel to do anything on offense. We can run the ball against anyone and with the diversity of skill sets we have for our pass catchers we can hurt anyone, at any spot on the field. Deep, intermediate, short, screen game, anything. Gonna be a lot of fun to watch this team next year.

Edited March 16, 2014 by seanbrock

[Dutch 874]

Yeah, I agree with you Sean about Bryce Brown. I wouldn't be angry if they did trade him but he is a good quality back up. Now since I think about it, if Mccoy goes down (God forbid), Bryce may handle that starting role carrying the load better than Polk. As far as Cedric Thorton, he is one of the golden aces of the Howie Roseman era. I don't want him to go anywhere. Thorton is a talented player and is the anchor in our run defense. He's our back field stuffer. As much as I'd like Curry to start, he probably won't but that shouldn't prevent us from rotating him a lot getting him some field action. Curry should always be on the field on passing downs. As far as our offense, we have the weapons to play against anyone. The outcome of our success rest solely on Foles.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Yeah, I agree with you Sean about Bryce Brown. I wouldn't be angry if they did trade him but he is a good quality back up. Now since I think about it, if Mccoy goes down (God forbid), Bryce may handle that starting role carrying the load better than Polk. As far as Cedric Thorton, he is one of the golden aces of the Howie Roseman era. I don't want him to go anywhere. Thorton is a talented player and is the anchor in our run defense. He's our back field stuffer. As much as I'd like Curry to start, he probably won't but that shouldn't prevent us from rotating him a lot getting him some field action. Curry should always be on the field on passing downs. As far as our offense, we have the weapons to play against anyone. The outcome of our success rest solely on Foles.

Yeah, absolutely and it's still not a guarantee at this point that he's the same guy he was last year,,but if he is our offense is going to be great.

[Dutch 874]

 

Nate Allen Re-Signs with Philadelphia Eagles

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/3/17/5499398/nate-allen-re-signs-philadelphia-eagles-free-agency-2014

 

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially confirmed the re-signing of safety Nate Allen. It's a one-year deal worth $1 million.

Allen, 26, has been a free agent since the new league year began on Tuesday last week. The Eagles seemingly made no strong effort to re-sign Allen prior to that date. The team felt comfortable letting Allen test his value out on the open market. Now, he's back in Philadelphia on a short-term deal.

Allen was originally drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The draft pick the Eagles used to select Allen came from Washington via the infamous Donovan McNabb trade. Allen showed some potential in his rookie year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The next two years of Allen's careers weren't so encouraging. Allen really seemed to struggle behind the Eagles wide-nine defensive line front. With a new coaching staff in place, the Eagles switched to a 3-4 defense in 2013. Despite a rough start to the season, Allen seemed to struggle less than he had in the past. He was actually a solid starter.

This re-signing has the makings of a good move. The Eagles boost their safety depth by bringing back a player who already has experience in their system on an inexpensive, short-term deal. With Allen under contract, the Eagles have a total of five safeties on their roster: Malcolm Jenkins, Earl Wolff, Chris Maragos, Keelan Johnson, and Allen himself.

In all actuality, I'm fine with this move. We have upgraded at safety with Malcolm Jenkins and I'm not proclaiming him a savior by any means but we did get better in that area. He's versatile and has play make ability. Just like the rest of our defense adjusting to our new 3-4 scheme, Nate Allen begin to play better as the season went on. That's the only reason I'm not raging right now because I've wanted Nate Allen to get cut for about 2-3 years now. He's earned another shot for a 1 year deal. This also adds competition and the race for the starting spot even more scarce so hopefully it brings the best out in these guys. Not to mention we have some depth at the position now.

[seanbrock 1,684]

I love this deal. Nate Allen is far from a stud, but he knows the system and showed a lot of progress last year. We're now going into next year with the same defensive coordinator we had last year, which is huge. He knows the system, provides depth and allows Jenkins to play some corner in sub packages and it's only going to cost us a mill. Only thing I will say though is that we still need to address the safety position in the draft. We have 4 safeties now, but competition is always a good thing.

[funnygunny 521]

Desean Jackson- This rumor nonsense needs to stop. It would be so idiotic for the Eagles to trade Jackson. Jackson is one of the most dangerous weapons we have on offense; especially receiver wise. He's a top deep threat in the league and is a play maker. He just had his best season in his career with Foles. You don't trade guys like this away in their prime. Then also for the sake of depth incase a receiver gets hurt. Having Jackson, Maclin, and Cooper as our top 3 WRs along with Shady, Sproles, Celek, and Ertz sounds really good

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000335079/article/philadelphia-eagles-open-to-desean-jackson-trade

 

Make it happen Billy. Unless the Raiders buy him out

Edited March 19, 2014 by funnygunny

[seanbrock 1,684]

Usually where there's smoke there's fire. I hope we can at least get a 2nd for him. I feel like we have a real shot at getting some value for him with a 2nd in this draft. He was huge for us last year though. It'd be a blow to trade him, especially to San Fran, who we could see in the playoffs.

[Dutch 874]

There's a lot of smoke surrounding our franchise right now with rumors of Desean Jackson being traded or released. Now there's more with reports of Evan Mathis being put on the trade block. I don't believe there is any real fire though. Just the media being bored during the offseason.

 

Evan Mathis Available For Trade, According to Report

 

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/3/26/5548882/evan-mathis-trade-rumors-eagles-available-report

 

Huh?

According to a report from NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Eagles' Pro Bowl offensive guard Evan Mathis is available for trade.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/448770797243736064

 

What the heck, Eagles? Mathis is a pretty good player and he's an awesome guy. So what's the deal here?

 

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/448771595264614400

 

Ah. It can be argued that Mathis is underpaid. He originally signed a 5-year, $25 million deal after the 2011 season. As it stands, he isn't even scheduled to be paid as a top 10 guard this year. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus ranks Mathis as the best offensive guard in the league and the best overall offensive lineman. His run blocking is especially valuable in Kelly's offense. It would be nice to see if the Eagles could come to an agreement with Mathis. He's more than a solid starter and losing him would create a big gap on the Eagles offensive line.

The issue is that Mathis will turn 33 this season. It could be argued that Mathis has less "tread on the tires" due to him bouncing around the league earlier in his career. It wasn't until Mathis came to the Eagles in 2011 that his game really took off. Mathis finally earned some well-deserved national attention last season with Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for the first time in his career.

As we all know, Mathis isn't the only Eagles player to be on the trade block this offseason.DeSean Jackson's name has also come up in that regard. I'm just really not sure how great of strategy it is for the Eagles to trade away their best players.

 

 

 

Like I said, a lot of smoke but I believe it's all media created. However, it does make sense if Evan Mathis wanted a new contract. He's only making 5.15 mill this season and he's coming off a few great seasons being one of the top guards in the league. I think it's ridiculous though that the Eagles would rather put him on the trade block rather than pay him considering his impact and value to our offensive line and with the amount of cap space the Eagles have. Mathis is also a stand up guy and a good team player. The Eagles always pay guys like that. This is a prime example of the media stirring up nonsense in the offseason and that Rapport clown has no credibility. I refuse to be a slave to the media. I'll just wait and see what happens.

Edited March 26, 2014 by dutchff7

[seanbrock 1,684]

If it is true that the Eagles put Mathis on the block I'll be pissed, but we'll just have to wait and see.

[Dutch 874]

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/3/26/5549072/chip-kelly-evan-mathis-trade-pass-rusher-eagles-quarterbacks-media

 

Chip Kelly on Evan Mathis Trade Talks, The Need for a Pass Rusher, Eagles QBs, and More

 

The main focus of Chip Kelly's Wednesday morning media season was, as expected, DeSean Jackson. BGN already covered what Kelly had to say on that subject. But Kelly also spoke on a number of other interesting topics. Here are the highlights of what the Eagles' head coach had to say.

Evan Mathis

A report emerged early on Wednesday morning that the Eagles are willing to listen to trade offers for Mathis. This is because Mathis is reportedly seeking a new contract despite having three years left on his current deal.

Kelly was quick to downplay any concerns. He said he's not concerned with Mathis being worried about trade rumors. "He's a hard worker. Since day one, Evan has been outstanding. He brings it everyday since I've been here," Kelly explained. While he said he hasn't yet talked to Mathis about new deal, Kelly said he's not worried about Mathis causing problems.

A few reporters noted the difference between Kelly's response to Mathis trade questions compared to Jackson trade questions.

Quarterbacks: Nick Foles, Matt Barkley, and Mark Sanchez

Have any doubt that Nick Foles is Kelly's QB this year? Lay your concerns to rest with this quote: "Nick is our quarterback. He is the quarterback of our franchise. He is our franchise quarterback."

On Matt Barkley: "We're excited about where he is." Barkley figures to compete for the number two job this offseason.

On Sanchez, who has not officially signed with the team yet but is expected to according to reports: Sanchez is a "very good athlete" and has lots of experience.

Kelly reiterated that the team is always looking for more competition at quarterback. He specifically referenced the Eagles' need to use three quarterbacks last season to illustrate the importance of QB depth.

Darren Sproles

Kelly was no stranger to express his excitement when the Eagles acquired Sproles a few weeks back. He echoed that sentiment again today by saying he's "real excited" to add Sproles to the team. Regarding the decision to trade a pick for Sproles, Kelly replied: "If Darren Sproles was available in the 5th round of this year's draft, would we take him? Heck yeah." Unlike a young draft pick, however, Sproles will turn 31 this offseason. Kelly suggested that age is only a guideline and isn't a major concern with Sproles due to his recent production. Kelly said Sproles' role in the Eagles offense won't be determined until OTAs.

Eagles Defense

The Eagles' biggest need on defense at this point is a pass rusher, according to Kelly. (The majority of BGN agrees!) The free agent pass rusher market wasn't all that great but the Eagles will have the chance to add talent through the draft. Kelly said the biggest challenge with finding pass rushers is projection: can a 4-3 defensive end transition to a 3-4 edge rusher?

At safety, Kelly lauded the signing of Malcolm Jenkins in free agency. He called Jenkins the "Number 1" target.

As far as cornerbacks go, Kelly echoes what I have maintained all offseason: the Eagles are content with their starters. They are not spectacular, but they are solid. "I think our two outside corners are very good football players," Kelly said. The Eagles also added CB Nolan Carroll this offseason, who figures to compete for a starting job.

Overall, Kelly was excited about the progress the Eagles' defense made in 2013 and said he expects that it "will continue to improve in Year 2."

Player Leadership

The Eagles lost two leadership figures this offseason now that Jason Avant and Michael Vick are no longer with the team. Kelly says he sees players such as Connor Barwin,Jason Kelce, Malcolm Jenkins and Darren Sproles to be part of the team's leadership moving forward.

Draft Strategy

GM Howie Roseman often stresses the Eagles' strategy of sticking to their board and taking the highest rated player (AKA best player available). Kelly had similar things to say in that regard. "I don't think we're fine at any position."

Eagles Offense

This Kelly quote is my favorite considering just how good the Eagles offense was last year.

"Can our offense can improve? I think it can improve a ton."

That puts that Mathis trade talk to rest. However, it is interesting to note that Chip was more clear about about Mathis's status with the team than Desean lol. But I still wouldn't put much stock into that.

I love that Chip called Nick our franchise QB. It's evident at this point obviously but hearing it be said shows the faith and confidence he has in Nick. I've been high on Foles since his rookie preseason year and I've seen some great traits pertaining to his game and believe he does have what it takes to be a top QB in this league. His decision making, anticipation, mobility and throw on the run, pocket awareness, and the way he goes through his progressions. He's pretty accurate too and he's gotten a little bit better with his deep ball. Next year will tell the tale though seeing how he adjust to defenses tape on him.

Now addressing the Eagles possibly inquiring about Sanchez (lol), it's not as bad as most make it seem in my opinion; especially as a 2nd or 3rd. I always thought Sanchez could be a bit better in the right system and situation; a running team with some actual passing weapons. The Jets situation offensively was a mess. Also considering Chip is our HC, I have faith that he could get a little more out of Sanchez. So if this signing were to happen, I wouldn't be mad.

As far as Sproles, I totally agree with Chip. Yes, we spent a 5th round draft pick on a 31 year old RB. However, Sproles doesn't have the wear and tear that RBs that age generally have. He's not an every down back and will be used sparingly. Just his presence on the field demands attention which is effective in itself especially considering we have McCoy in our back field too. I'm excited to see how Sproles impacts our offense and definitely our special teams. Sproles can definitely add a spark in that area. (side note; I love how Chip has been addressing special teams altogether as a vital phase of the game; as it should be). I'll probably be the hypest (yes) man alive if Sproles returns a kick off. Our return game has been historically dry for a long period of time lol.

Our defense made some big strides throughout the season adjusting from a 4-3 to a 3-4. We became a very opportunistic defense amassing 31 turnovers. However, we got scorched often in our back field due to horrible safety play and a lack of pass rush. I like the Malcolm Jenkins pick up and the resigning up Nate Allen who improved in our system last year. I wouldn't mind the Eagles still looking at a safety in the draft. I definitely want a pass rusher in the draft but I hear unfortunately that's the thinnest position in the draft. I'm no draft expert by any means because I don't watch college football. However though, I've been checking out C.J Mosley (because of Sean) and I really liked what I saw from him. Our LB core needs a stud play maker whether it's a pass rusher or ILB. DeMeco is getting old and Kendricks is (talented) but very inconsistent streaky player.

Regardless of how the draft plays out, I trust in our GM Howie Roseman and Chip Kelly. I think they are really in sync together, communicate, and are on the same page trying to better our football team and organization. I know they are looking out for the best interest of our football team and have a plan, a vision in mind of what they want to build. I'm really excited in the direction that our football team is headed in and believe we are primed for success in the near future.

Edited March 26, 2014 by dutchff7

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Reportedly, the Eagles are only looking for a 3rd or 4th for Mathis... I mean, taking in account his age and salary, I guess you have to cheapen the asking price a little... but even if a team only gets 2-3 years out of Mathis -- I think that's a steal. You could argue he's the best guard in all of football.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Broncos try to work this out. We're pretty thin on the cap but Mathis would be a perfect fit. Mike Sullivan is a cap god, we would make it work.

Edited March 26, 2014 by theMileHighGuy