Broncos Notes: Heckert, Kelly, Leary
On Monday, the Broncos announced that former personnel executive Tom Heckert has died. Heckert, who also served as the GM of the Eagles and Browns, was widely beloved in the football world. After battling amyloidosis for a lengthy period, Heckert passed away peacefully on Sunday night in the company of his family.
“Tom was an integral part of our organization and we’re all incredibly saddened today,” GM John Elway said in a statement. “With his many years of experience and time as a GM, Tom was a tremendous resource and a key member of our team. He was a very good evaluator—He had an eye for talent, and we always trusted his voice. It’s easy to see why Tom was widely respected and had so many great relationships across the league. I’ll always be grateful for how he helped me transition into this position. My prayers go out to Tom’s family, friends and everyone he worked with during his career.”
With Heckert’s memory in mind, here’s more from Denver:
- Former Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly could wind up as the team’s backup quarterback behind Case Keenum, coach Vance Joseph told reporters on Sunday. For now, former first-round pick Paxton Lynch is taking practice reps with the second-team offense, but it’s a situation to keep an eye on. In theory, if the Broncos feel confident in Kelly’s ability, they could shop Lynch to other teams. Although Lynch hasn’t done a whole lot in his NFL career, he was on the radar of several teams before the Broncos selected him No. 26 overall in 2016, so the Broncos might be able to get something in return for him.
- This week, Joseph told reporters that Broncos left guard Ronald Leary underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in late May (via Mike Klis of 9News). It appears that Leary is still dealing with some effects of the procedure, and he was held out of Sunday’s scrimmage as a precaution.
- The Broncos and center Matt Paradis are discussing a new deal.
Eagles Extend Roseman, Pederson
In two years as a decision-making duo, Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson lifted the Eagles to never-before-seen heights. And ownership wants no part of a near-future breakup.
The Eagles extended both the GM and their third-year head coach on Sunday, with these new deals running through the 2022 season.
“We are thrilled to solidify continuity in our organization’s leadership with the extensions of Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman, whose collaborative partnership helped deliver our city its first Super Bowl championship,” Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie said. “Doug and Howie are committed to the success of our franchise by ensuring that we remain competitive, both in the short and long term. That unified vision for the future of our team is what gives us the best chance to win moving forward.”
Pederson’s initial Eagles contract ran through the 2020 season, and the team picked up the HC’s fifth-year option recently (per Jeff McLane of Philly.com, on Twitter). So it’s not a big surprise to see the franchise extend that for two more years. In his second season as a head coach, Pederson guided Philadelphia to its first Super Bowl championship and first NFL title since 1960. And he did so after the team’s starting quarterback was lost for the season in December.
Roseman’s path may be even more stunning. Demoted in 2015 in order to give Chip Kelly decision-making power, Roseman returned in 2016 and set out to fortify the team’s core with a slew of extensions that year. That helped lead to the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, and Roseman’s 2016 deal to move into position to draft Carson Wentz has the franchise set up long-term at sports’ premier position. Roseman earned multiple executive of the year honors for his 2017 work.
Pederson, 50, rejoined the Eagles after three years as Andy Reid‘s offensive coordinator with the Chiefs. And after a 7-9 season in Wentz’s rookie year, the Eagles stormed to the NFC’s No. 1 seed and notched three upset (by point spread) victories to secure the Super Bowl LII championship. Roseman, 43, has been with the Eagles since 2000 as a salary cap staffer. He ascended to the GM role in 2010 and was reinstated in that position after Kelly’s ouster late in 2015.
With Wentz back and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles serving as the NFL’s top insurance policy, Roseman and Pederson have the Eagles positioned as a top threat to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 Patriots.
Eagles Sign Corey Graham
The Eagles have re-signed free agent safety Corey Graham, as Adam Caplan of SiriusXM was first to report (via Twitter). Graham signed a one-year pact with the eventual Super Bowl champs almost exactly one year ago, so this has become something of an annual tradition.
Graham, who is entering his 11th NFL season, was a solid third safety for Philadelphia last season, playing 35% of the team’s regular season defensive snaps in support of starters Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins. He was a key special teams contributor as well, as he posted the second-most special teams tackles on the club, and he added two interceptions and four passes defensed. We ranked him as one of the ten best available free agent safeties in March, and now that the safety market has finally started to move a bit, Graham was able to land another one-year deal with the Eagles.
The Eagles deployed three safeties throughout much of their championship run last season, and Graham played 60% of the club’s postseason defensive snaps as a result. Given that Philadelphia did not do much to bolster the depth chart behind McLeod and Jenkins, it was almost an inevitability that Graham would be back.
In addition to Graham, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles have signed tight end Gannon Sinclar, who has not played in a regular season game since entering the league as a UDFA with the Cardinals in 2015. To make room for Sinclair and Graham, Philadelphia waived safety Ryan Neal and waived/injured tight end Adam Zaruba.
Latest On Carson Wentz
Although Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz wasn’t placed on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp, Philadelphia’s plan for its signal-caller — who tore his ACL in December — isn’t exactly clear, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer details. Wentz participated in last Sunday’s workout in a limited fashion, and then wasn’t involved in on-field activities for the remainder of the week. Although both Wentz and the Eagles have maintained the third-year pro hasn’t suffered any setbacks, Philadelphia will need to balance its attempts to get Wentz ready with the requirement of preparing backup Nick Foles in the event Wentz isn’t ready for Week 1.
Eagles Notes: Hicks, Nelson, Warmack
This is a make-or-break season for Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks, as Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia writes. Hicks is entering the final year of his rookie contract and he’ll have to prove himself after finishing two of his three NFL seasons on IR.
Despite his accomplishments, the Eagles are likely wary about overcommitting to him given his injury history. In college, Hicks suffered a groin injury (2012) and an Achilles tear (2013). Then, in the NFL, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle (2015) and another torn Achilles (2017).
If Hicks continues to perform at a high level and can turn in a full NFL season, he could be in line for a lucrative new deal. The Eagles have shown a willingness to do major extensions during the year – such as the deal they completed with Alshon Jeffery last December – so Hicks could secure his future with the Eagles before the calendar flips to 2019.
- The Eagles signed linebacker Corey Nelson in March with the notion that he would compete for a starting job. However the odds of that happening seem slim as both Kamu Grugier-Hill and Nate Gerry have leapfrogged him on the depth chart, so Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com projects that he will be released before the final cut in September. If the Eagles release Nelson, they’ll save $1MM against the cap.
- Shorr-Parks also writes that offensive guard Chance Warmack could be left off of the final roster, despite signing a one-year extension with the Eagles last fall that has a base value of $2.5MM with a max value of $5MM. Warmack, a former top-10 draft pick, does not offer much versatility and hasn’t been performing well at the guard position this summer.
Eagles Have Tight RB Battle
- The Eagles‘ toughest roster decisions will be at running back, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. Donnel Pumphrey, Matt Jones, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood are likely competing for two roster spots and each player brings something unique to the table. Meanwhile, both Pumphrey and Jones have worked hard to improve their pass-catching ability. If they continue to make strides as receivers, they could both have an edge heading into September.
Eagles Notes: Wentz, Bennett
- After participating fully in training camp, quarterback Carson Wentz looks like a good bet for the Eagles‘ opener, Les Bowen of the Philly News writes. The Eagles won’t put a timetable on Wentz, but offensive coordinator Mike Groh admits that he is encouraged by what he’s seen. “He looks comfortable,” Groh said. “Just settled right back into the saddle … to have Carson there — in some people’s minds ahead of schedule, but I know that was his target date — we’re excited to have him out there and working. It’s only going to make everybody better.”
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if Michael Bennett is willing to take a lesser role with the Eagles‘ defensive line. Bennett, who came over from the Seahawks this offseason, says that he is angling to be the leading defensive producer for the Eagles. Meanwhile, hi usage and production will likely dictate his long-term future with the team. Bennett is under contract with the team through 2020, but he has no guaranteed cash remaining on his deal after 2019. If he stays with the team on his current pact, he’ll carry a $7MM cap number in 2019 and an $8MM figure in 2020.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/18
Here are today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Jack Allen
- Waived: DE Bunmi Rotimi
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Josiah Price
- Waived: OL Chris Gonzales
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR DeAndre Carter
Eagles Will Aggressively Pursue Trades?
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports would be “shocked if the Eagles don’t make at least two more trades” before the start of the regular season. La Canfora thinks that because of the team’s depth at positions like running back and quarterback, they’ll be forced to move some players through trade rather than cut solid players. La Canfora writes that Eagles president Howie Roseman will try to “spin some of that quantity into truly elite quality” and that he will “explore every option to do so.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/18
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed WR Malachi Jones
- Waived: WR Matt Fleming
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Blake Jackson, DL Zaycoven Henderson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Mike Purcell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Adam Reth