Eagles Aiming To Trade Into Top 10
The Eagles have made trades to move their first-round pick ahead of the past two drafts; they might not be done changing their Round 1 slot this year. They are trying to trade up from No. 15 overall, James Palmer of NFL.com notes (video link).
Philadelphia is aiming to move into the top 10, per Palmer, who adds the team’s pass rush may well be the focus of such a trade. More specifically, the Eagles are interested in Kayvon Thibodeaux, a defensive end once viewed as the top overall prospect. His value has since become one of this draft’s top subplots.
[RELATED: Thibodeaux Re-Establishing Momentum?]
Given the volatility of Thibodeaux’s stock, the Eagles will almost certainly need to wait until the draft begins to orchestrate a trade. Thibodeaux has been connected to a top-five destination and has also been mentioned as a player who could fall out of the top 10. The talented edge’s landing spot may be somewhere in between, giving the Eagles a potential target range.
After entering April with three first-round picks in the teens of this year’s draft, the Eagles parted with one of those picks and moved into the Saints’ No. 15 slot. Philly holds the Nos. 15 and 18 picks this year and has two more first-rounders next year. The Eagles have been linked to wide receivers throughout the pre-draft process, despite having selected one in each of the past two first rounds, and cornerback could loom as a position of interest as well. But the team finished 31st in sacks last season.
The Eagles re-signed 2017 first-round pick Derek Barnett and added Haason Reddick in free agency. They also extended Josh Sweat months ago. Brandon Graham, however, is coming off an Achilles tear and entering his age-34 season. Thibodeaux would further beef up this stable and give the team an interesting depth chart featuring usable edges beyond its two-deep.
NFC Draft Notes: Giants, Lions, Falcons, Vikings, Eagles
We took a look at draft notes out of the AFC earlier this evening. In anticipation of Thursday’s draft, let’s pivot to the NFC:
- The Giants are currently sitting with picks No. 5 and No. 7, but there’s a chance they move back in the first round. If they end up finding a trade partner, Dan Duggan of The Athletic believes the organization could be targeting Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum later in the first round. Staying in New York, Peter King of Football Morning in America writes that the Giants could select Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 7. Some recent reports indicated the Giants front office was down on the prospect, but King says the team has “done a ton of work on him since his Pro Day.” The Giants are also “extremely interested” in Florida State pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II and Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com.
- Speaking of Thibodeaux, there’s a chance the edge jumps all the way to No. 2. While King has the Lions selecting Michigan edge Aidan Hutchinson with the second-overall pick, the reporter cautions that Detroit is “smitten” with the Oregon defender and could shake up the draft board by selecting him earlier than expected. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Todd McShay doesn’t see Thibodeaux falling pass the Falcons at No. 8.
- Wrapping up King’s notes, the reporter writes that the Falcons like Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral. King has Atlanta trading up to select the signal-caller at No. 32, but there’s a chance Corral ends up falling to them anyway at their current selection at No. 43. Meanwhile, there hasn’t been much buzz connecting the Falcons to a quarterback at No. 8, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
- The Vikings are eyeing cornerbacks at No. 12, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. The reporter hints that a team outside of the top-12 could look to jump the Vikings in pursuit of one of the draft’s top cornerbacks.
- McShay had a handful of notable tidbits about some NFC squads. The Seahawks are taking a “hard look” at Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis at No. 9, and the front office is also intrigued by LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.. Meanwhile, the Eagles “preference” at No. 15 could be Alabama wideout Jameson Williams, and there’s little chance the receiver falls past the Saints at No. 16. Albert Breer of SI.com shares a similar sentiment about the Eagles, with sources telling him that the Eagles are seeking a pass rusher.
- Continuing in Philly, the Eagles may not end up even selecting at No. 15. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggests (on Twitter) that the Eagles could be a candidate to move up in the first round. The reporter suggests that the front office could be targeting a cornerback or edge rusher.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/25/22
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Waived: DL Ron’Dell Carter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed RFA tender: OL Nate Herbig
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed RFA tender: LB Azeez Al-Shaair
Seattle Seahawks
- ERFA tender rescinded: DB Nigel Warrior
NFC Notes: Poles, Eagles, Garoppolo
It has been a slow offseason for the Bears with plenty of losses and misses, but new general manager Ryan Poles isn’t panicking. According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, Poles is preaching patience to the franchise. Patience is something of which Chicago-fans have likely run plum out, but, with the current state of the Bears’ roster, it’s a wise path to take.
We’ve seen other rebuilding franchises take wild stabs through trades and free agency, making expensive, headline-grabbing moves that leave them little room to work with when addressing other roster holes. The Rams won a Super Bowl making flashy moves, but did so when those moves were the difference between winning or losing a Super Bowl. Teams like the Bears and Jaguars currently have too many holes on their roster for one offseason-worth of moves to elevate them to a Super Bowl-level.
Poles won’t let moving star pass-rusher Khalil Mack or losing defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi to a failed physical or watching the Bills match the offer sheet on guard Ryan Bates force him into desperately grasping at whatever other players are available. He’ll continue to stick to his plan and his assessments. He’ll wait for an appropriate time, like the Draft or the post-June 1 period, to utilize the team’s accumulated cap space. Poles may just have the patience and demeanor to lead Chicago out of the NFC North basement.
Here are a few other notes from around the NFC, starting in the city of brotherly love:
- The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia enlisted the help of salary cap and contract expert Jason Fitzgerald, who operates OverTheCap.com, to help her analyze confusing offseason moves from each franchise. When they got to the Eagles, Fitzgerald had some interesting things to say. Fitzgerald asserted that Philadelphia is doing something no other NFL team is. The Eagles have been employing void years in contracts to push salary cap charges to future years. Essentially, if a player holds a $10MM cap charge, the team will eventually pay the $10MM cap charge. By using the void years, the team can take part of that $10MM and move it to later years. Say they take $5MM of that cap hit and move it to the following year. They’ll still be applying that $5MM to their cap space, but, after the league raises the salary cap (as they do every year), that $5MM will represent a smaller percentage of the total cap space in the following year than it would in the current year. The Eagles’ manipulation of the constantly inflating salary cap is nothing short of genius and soon other teams will likely catch on and follow their lead.
- Earlier this month, Mike Sando of The Athletic went over some of the moves each franchise made this offseason. His take on the 49ers was centered on their handling of the future of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo’s shoulder rehabilitation, combined with a 2022 base salary of $24.6MM, made it hard for San Francisco to move the former starting quarterback. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Garoppolo and the 49ers mutually agreed to have him rehabilitate his shoulder off-site, away from the team, so, at this point, second-year quarterback Trey Lance has effectively taken over as the team’s first-string passer. Sando asserts that the best solution would be a compromise wherein Garoppolo would stay for the time-being on a guaranteed deal with some “dummy years” added onto it, either until San Francisco knows for a fact that they can move forward with Lance or until they know they can get a better value out of moving Garoppolo than they’re getting right now. This would provide the opportunity for the 49ers to reinsert Garoppolo back into the starting job they know he can handle if it turns out that Lance can’t.
Eagles Moving J.J. Arcega-Whiteside To TE
As several wide receivers from the 2019 draft class are moving toward big-money extensions, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is well off that tier. The former Eagles second-round pick drifted off the radar during his first three seasons, leaving him on unsteady ground going into his fourth.
But the Eagles will experiment with an Arcega-Whiteside position change when their offseason workouts begin Monday. He is moving to tight end, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. Already a big wideout, Arcega-Whiteside has added weight to his 225-pound frame and has embraced the move.
The Eagles chose Arcega-Whiteside 57th overall three years ago. The Stanford product posted a 1,059-yard, 14-touchdown season in 2018, vaulting him onto the Day 2 radar. Despite the Eagles’ starting wideouts running into widespread injury trouble during much of Arcega-Whiteside’s career, he has not capitalized on any additional playing time. In three seasons, Arcega-Whiteside has caught just 16 passes for 290 yards and one touchdown. He underwent offseason finger surgery as well, McLane adds.
Dallas Goedert signed a lucrative extension last year, doing so shortly after the Eagles traded Zach Ertz to the Cardinals. Although Richard Rodgers remains on Philly’s roster, there is room behind Goedert. And the Eagles have tried tight end conversions in the recent past, using former college quarterback Tyree Jackson at the position and attempting to shift ex-Cardinals receiver draftee Hakeem Butler there as well. Butler played in two games as an Eagle in 2020, and Jackson suffered a torn ACL in Week 18, leaving his availability for the start of next season uncertain.
Latest On DL Prospects Jordan Davis, Logan Hall
Quarterbacks have remained central to the storylines leading up to this year’s draft, but the class is dominated by its defensive talent. Two of the top prospects with regard to defensive linemen are Georgia’s Jordan Davis and Houston’s Logan Hall. 
As noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Davis has had pre-draft visits with a number of teams. Included among those are the Ravens and Eagles, two clubs which could very well find themselves within range of drafting him. Baltimore is set to pick 14th, while Philadelphia owns selections No. 15 and 19.
The Ravens reunited with Michael Pierce this offseason, signing him to occupy the nose tackle position. His addition points to the departure of Brandon Williams, leaving room for at least depth in that role. The Eagles, meanwhile, released, then re-signed Fletcher Cox, an anchor on the team’s defensive line throughout his career. He only inked a one-year deal, though, so the position should be a point of emphasis in the draft.
Davis was a mainstay on the Bulldogs’ defense during his four seasons with Georgia. Playing in a run-stopping role, the six-foot-six, 340 pounder totalled seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Those numbers, along with eye-popping athletic testing at the combine, leave the door open to his development as a three-down player.
While Davis – who finished top-10 in Heisman voting last season – is viewed as a first-round lock, Hall may join him on Day 1. Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network recently reported that the list of teams to have met with him includes the Giants, Cowboys, Texans, Buccaneers, Bears and Titans (Twitter link). His draft ranking places him in a range from late in the first round to early in the second, so the interest from those teams comes as no surprise.
In four years with the Cougars, Hall put up almost identical numbers to Davis. His potential versatility in terms of where he can line up on the field (at 260 pounds, many view him as a defensive end at the NFL level), and overall pre-draft process have helped his stock. He could find himself at the top of the second tier of d-linemen, behind Davis and Devonte Wyatt.
These two have certainly generated plenty of interest, making their ultimate destination next week one of the many things to keep an eye on at the draft.
NFL Draft Rumors: Howell, McDuffie, Texans, Eagles
Scouts aren’t wild about this year’s crop of quarterbacks, but North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell tells Albert Breer of SI that he’s not bothered by the negativity.
“We all hear it,” Howell said. “I don’t really take it personally. People are going to say what they believe, and that’s what they get paid to do. Whether they’re right or wrong, it doesn’t really matter. I can speak for myself, I truly could care less what anyone says about me. They try to judge all these draft guys before the draft every single year, and then they go in the league and they’re either going to play well or they’re not.”
“And they’re going to guess, and 50% of the time they’re going to be right, and 50% they’re probably going to be wrong.”
On that note, here’s the latest buzz from Breer as we head into the 2022 NFL Draft:
- Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie has impressed throughout the pre-draft process, Breer hears. From coach and scout meetings to his 4.4-second 40-yard-dash, McDuffie seems to have slotted himself as the No. 3 CB in this year’s crop, behind Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner and LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr.
- Texans head coach Lovie Smith has been vocal about his desire to remain his cornerback group and the rest of the league is taking him at his word. Smith, known for running the Tampa 2 defense, may push his club to pounce on a top-end CB with at either No. 3 or No. 13 overall.
- The Eagles have prioritized wide receivers in each of the last two drafts, but rival scouts and evaluators aren’t ruling out the possibility of Howie Roseman going for three in a row. This year’s WR class is headlined by the likes of Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Alabama’s Jameson Williams, Georgia’s George Pickens, and USC’s Drake London.
This Date In Transactions History: Tim Tebow Joins The Eagles
On April 20th, 2015, quarterback Tim Tebow joined Eagles. At the time, this was presumed to be the two-time BCS national champion’s last chance in the NFL. 
Tebow inked a one-year deal, seemingly settling for a backup gig in Philly. It was a reminder of how far the former first-rounder had fallen in only a few years’ time. In 2011, Tebow appeared in 14 games (11 starts) for the Broncos, completing 126 of his 271 pass attempts (46.5% completion percentage) for 1,729 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six picks. He also added 660 rushing yards and six scores on 122 carries. The Florida product also appeared in two playoff games that season, including a dramatic overtime win over the Steelers.
However, after Denver inked Peyton Manning to a contract prior to the 2012 season, Tebow was traded to the Jets. The quarterback ended up making 12 appearances (two starts) for New York that year. While he only attempted eight pass attempts, he did compile 102 rushing yards on 32 carries. His season ended prematurely after he suffered two broken ribs.
Tebow was released by the Jets following that season, and he caught on with the Patriots during the 2013 preseason. Ultimately, New England let him go prior to the regular season, and Tebow transitioned to a broadcasting gig. However, on this date, he received a new NFL opportunity.
When the Eagles signed Tebow, they were hoping he’d compete with Matt Barkley to be the team’s third-string signal-caller behind Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez. Tebow ended up getting action in all four of Philly’s preseason games, completing 21 of his 36 attempts for 286 yards, two scores, and one pick. He also added another 82 rushing yards. However, after nearly two years away from football, Tebow was clearly a step behind the other signal-callers on the Eagles’ depth chart, and the team released him prior to the regular season.
Tebow later moved on to a new sport and joined the Mets’ farm system before retiring from baseball in February of 2021. That wasn’t a wrap on his playing career, however. In 2021, old pal Urban Meyer signed Tebow to the Jaguars’ 90-man roster as a tight end. Tebow was released midway through the preseason, bringing his pro football career to an end — we think.
Eagles Eyeing Andre Roberts
The Eagles are eyeing some reinforcement on special teams. According to Geoff Mosher and Adam Caplan of the Inside The Birds podcast, the Eagles have interest in special teams ace Andre Roberts.
Despite the 2021 campaign being Roberts’ 12th NFL season, the veteran still put forth one of his best professional seasons. Roberts split the season between the Texans and Chargers, finishing with a league-leading 1,010 kick return yards. Roberts also added 20 punt returns en route to a second-team All-Pro nod. Per Caplan, the Chargers were interested in bringing Roberts back, but the organization wasn’t willing to offer much in guaranteed money.
Roberts has earned three Pro Bowl appearances and three All-Pro recognitions throughout his career, thanks in part to six special teams touchdowns. He’s also been relatively productive on offense, including a 2012 season where he had 759 receiving yards and five touchdowns. However, in the past five seasons, Roberts had only collected 223 total yards from scrimmage.
Jalen Reagor was the primary punt returner for the Eagles last season, but the team leaned on a committee for kick returns. Each of Reagor, Kenneth Gainwell, and Quez Watkins had at least eight kick returns, with the trio combining for 530 return yards.
Eagles, 3 Other Playoff Teams Made Run At Gilmore
After discussing deals and meeting with several teams that made the playoffs in the 2021 NFL season, cornerback Stephon Gilmore ended up signing with a team that just missed the playoffs in Week 18 last season joining the Colts. Well, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the teams that pushed the hardest for the two-time All-Pro were playoff teams from last season: the Eagles, Raiders, Rams, and Bills. 
Philadelphia “made a hard play” for the ten-year veteran in their efforts to replace departing starter Steven Nelson. Nelson started alongside Darius Slay in the Eagles’ secondary last season before signing with Houston this offseason. Without Nelson, the Eagles will likely count on Avonte Maddox to take another step in his development after being a strong rotational player for the past four seasons. They may turn to the 2022 NFL Draft to address the position, but, currently sitting at 15th, they would likely miss out on the Draft’s two most exciting cornerback prospects: Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner and LSU’s Derek Stingley. Those two are even less likely to fall to Philadelphia with Baltimore sitting one spot in front of them wanting to add some depth to the position after spending most of last year without starters Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey.
Las Vegas had an impressive showing from their cornerback group last year despite losing Damon Arnette due to multiple lawsuits and behavioral issues and only seeing Trayvon Mullen play five games. The Raiders saw Casey Hayward, Nate Hobbs, and Brandon Facyson step up and contribute to a strong defense. With Hayward going to Atlanta and Facyson joining Gilmore in Indianapolis, the Raiders made addressing the cornerback position a priority. Luckily, despite missing out on Gilmore, the Raiders made strong additions acquiring Rock Ya-Sin from the Colts in exchange for Yannick Ngakoue and signing Anthony Averett, who started much of last year for the Ravens with Peters and Humphrey injured. Ya-Sin and Averett will join a hopefully full-health Mullen and Hobbs to round out a solid cornerback room.
The Rams pursued Gilmore in an attempt to replace departing starter Darious Williams after he signed with the Jaguars this offseason. Los Angeles returns star Jalen Ramsey and role players David Long and Dont’e Deayon, but they likely would’ve preferred to add another bona fide starter opposite Gilmore. Unlike the Eagles, the Rams probably won’t turn to the Draft to fill this role. They’ve made an example in the league trading draft capital for experienced veterans and won a Super Bowl doing so. Not only is it more on brand for them to seek a replacement through the trade and free agent markets, but, even if they wanted to use the Draft, they don’t have a selection in the Draft until the 104th pick.
The Bills would’ve liked to bring Gilmore back home to Buffalo after losing starter Levi Wallace to free agency. Buffalo brings back plenty of contributors from last year in Tre’Davious White, Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson, and Siran Neal, but bringing back Gilmore would’ve allowed them to slip him into the void left by Wallace without asking too much of Jackson or Neal to step up. The Bills could try to slot in another veteran free agent cornerback like Joe Haden, Kyle Fuller, or Chris Harris, or, with a later first-round pick, they could try to take a flyer on one of the Draft’s less elite corners like Washington’s Trent McDuffie or Florida’s Kaiir Elam.
The targeting of Gilmore by these playoff teams speaks to his current value in the NFL. It shows something that teams contending to win it all believe he can add value to their defense. There’s also something to be said that these teams usually have a nearly complete roster, seeking Gilmore to fill in one of their last positions of need. While Gilmore may not be able to anchor a defense by himself on a fledgling defense, he can make strong contributions when surrounded by talented teammates. In Indianapolis, he’ll team up with Kenny Moore and Facyson to lead an otherwise inexperienced group of corners.