Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
Why ex-Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant believes Carson Wentz’s mindset changed in 2018 – NJ.com
Avant spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark on Wednesday and explained that the disconnect between the former franchise quarterback and the organization began in 2018 when Wentz was shut down due to a fracture in his back. Fellow quarterback Nick Foles would go on to replace Wentz for a second consecutive season. In turn, Foles led a follow-up playoff run just one year after the team’s Super Bowl LII push. “In 2018, this is where the mindset of Carson — to me — with the organization changed,” Avant said. “They were not going to the playoffs, Carson was dealing with the back issue and he was playing through injury. Carson wanted to play. The organization chose against Carson’s wishes to play Nick Foles. Nick Foles (then) revives the season.” [BLG Note: The Eagles never actually put Wentz on injured reserve in 2018. I’ve heard some use the term ‘stealth benching’ to describe that 2018 situation.]
Malcolm Jenkins Expands on Carson Wentz Take, Says He Was “Not a Locker Room Cancer” – Crossing Broad
Long explained that Nick Foles was social and assertive, and would reach out to the entirety of the locker room, which is an area where Wentz lacked. But listening to that exchange pretty much confirms what rational and sane people already believe. Carson had some issues, and there are things that seriously needed to be worked on. The coaching staff was too soft on him. However, he was not a raging asshole, nor was he the worst person on the planet, which is what some people would have you think.
8 things I think about the Eagles after the Carson Wentz trade – BGN
Although I prefer the Eagles to ride with Hurts, I’m not opposed to them selecting a quarterback high in the 2021 NFL Draft. A team without a sure-fire answer at quarterback must do all they can — even if it might be overkill — to secure that solution. With that said, the Eagles should NOT draft a quarterback just to draft one. I think the Eagles would be mistaken to draft a player merely because he’s a better prospect than Hurts. That basis alone isn’t good enough. They should only draft one if they truly believe the player possesses elite potential.
FROM THE SB NATION NFL SHOW: Why the Eagles won’t regret the Wentz trade – BGN Radio
The SB Nation NFL Show brings together the greatest fan-alysts from across SB Nation’s NFL team communities in one place for the first time ever. Expect deep analysis, irreverent jokes, and plenty of bickering between rivals. It’s a show for NFL fans, by NFL fans.
Eagles 2021 draft prospect review: BYU QB Zach Wilson – PhillyVoice
There are some who have compared Wilson to Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. To be clear, he is not Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers, but he certainly has his moments of brilliance when he makes a play that combines a slew of his positive traits noted above. For example, on this play against UTSA, you can see his pocket awareness, accuracy, arm strength, and his ability to throw on the move, while also moving the defense with his eyes. I mean…
Mailbag: What Would a Jeff Bezos Ownership Mean to the NFL? – Sports Illustrated
As for Philly, my understanding is they’ll take a very hard look at the quarterbacks who might slip to them at No. 6. I don’t know that they’ll feel strongly enough about any of them to deal up for one, particularly with the need to infuse the roster with young talent and cheap labor, which would make them a little more hesitant to part with draft picks.
Daring moves for all 32 NFL teams in the 2021 offseason – ESPN+
Philadelphia Eagles: Don’t pay to fix the offensive line — The Eagles will have to make sacrifices, and the offensive line could be a good choice given Hurts’ mobility in the pocket and scrambling. Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson echo those skills, and they have ranked in the top 10 in DVOA on their dropbacks with pressure every year since 2017 and have done so behind consistently porous offensive lines. Hurts started just four games in 2020 but teased that potential with what would have been a 13th-place finish in DVOA under pressure had he qualified. And if he can continue that success with pressure, then the Eagles can spend their limited resources to address their other deficiencies such as linebacker and wide receiver.
5 wide receivers for Eagles to target in free agency – NBCSP
Zay Jones — Jones, 25, was a second-round pick out of East Carolina back in 2017 but hasn’t had a great NFL career. His one good season came with the Bills in 2018, when he caught 56 passes for 652 yards and 7 touchdowns. Aside from that year, his career has been mostly underwhelming, but he has the tools. In 2020 with the Raiders, Jones caught just 14 passes for 154 yards and 1 touchdown. But I like the idea of adding a guy like Jones, who clearly has some talent and would be a low-risk, high-reward type of signing. And with Sirianni’s strong history with receivers, maybe he’d be able to get the most out of Jones.
Futures: NDSU QB Trey Lance – Football Outsiders
After this past year, it is only fitting to kick off the 2021 Futures series with the least normal quarterback prospect in the class. Only one of this year’s top four quarterbacks did not play a full season in 2020. Only one of them has just one year of starting experience. Only one of them did not play at the FBS level. And yet, the very same quarterback to check all three boxes may have the most raw physical talent of the four. That’s right, it is North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Lance only got to play one game in 2020, which was a nonsense showcase game against Central Arkansas put together for no other reason than to say Lance played a game this year. The 20-year-old did not put his best foot forward in that lone game, completing roughly half his passes. The entire concept of that game was unnecessary, but it is easy to see how Lance could slip from the spotlight in a class that also features long-standing stars in Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, as well as 2020 breakout stud Zach Wilson. As expected of a one-year FCS starter, the overwhelming selling point with Lance is potential. Lance sports a sturdy 6-foot-4, 227-pound frame and has a bazooka for a right arm. Both in terms of throwing distance and velocity, there’s a good case for Lance having the best arm strength in the class. Lance can unlock that arm strength in rhythm from inside the pocket, outside the pocket, or any number of platforms while under duress. The raw throwing talent is just mesmerizing.
Could the Dallas Cowboys wind up on this season of Hard Knocks? – Blogging The Boys
While the television show is often enjoyed by football fans everywhere, NFL teams don’t exactly love being on Hard Knocks. It isn’t fun to have a fly on the wall for all of the time that you are trying to implement the thoughts and strategies that you believe are going to help you win a championship. As a result of teams’ reluctance the NFL has implemented rules as to who is exempt from the show. Teams that are coming off of a playoff berth within the last two seasons, were on the show in previous decade, or that are entering a season with a new head coach are all excused from being required to participate. The last time that the Cowboys made the playoffs was 2018 which means that they have gone two years since doing so. 2021 will mark the second, not first, season under Mike McCarthy and the last season in which the Cowboys were on Hard Knocks was 2008. NFL Media’s Dan Hanzus did that math himself and has America’s Team as the top candidate to potentially appear on the show this fall.
Are the Giants “Hard Knocks” bound in 2021? – Big Blue View
Ranked second only behind the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys, the Giants would make for a potentially interesting team to focus on for the show. The Giants are one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the NFL, occupying a massive media market with a bevy of players and personnel who might make for a quality Hard Knocks Season 16. The decision for the Giants to appear on the show would be up to the Mara’s and the Tisch’s to volunteer for. However, Giants co-owner John Mara has previously expressed his opposition to the Giants ever appearing on the show, stating in 2010 to the New York Daily News “that announcement [of the Giants being on Hard Knocks] will come when I’m next to my father in Gates of Heaven cemetery.” If the NFL were to have no volunteers, the league office could force the team’s hand.
The SB Nation NFL Show: Why trading Russell Wilson isn’t as wild as it sounds – SB Nation
Few teams in the NFL have fans as ravenous as the Seattle Seahawks. Even a die-hard 49ers fan myself can admit that playing a football game in Seattle is an intimidating prospect thanks to the deafening roar coming from the stands. As such, I’m sure many in the Pacific Northwest were worried by all the chatter this offseason about Russell Wilson possibly wanting out of Seattle. It would be a tough pill to swallow, for sure, but if GM John Schneider and Head Coach Pete Carroll had to sell it, what would they say? Brandon Lee Gowton and I crafted a case on Tuesday’s SB Nation NFL Show.
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