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Latest On Eagles HC Nick Sirianni

July 22nd, 2024 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of attention will be paid to how the Eagles fare at the start of 2024 given the way in which last season ended. Success in rebounding from a second-half collapse and a wild-card exit (or a lack thereof) will of course have implications for head coach Nick Sirianni.

The 43-year-old guided Philadelphia to a 14-3 record and a trip to the Super Bowl in 2022. For that reason, it came as something of a surprise his job security was a talking point at times this offseason despite the poor end to the ’23 campaign. Sirianni was retained, but major changes on his staff were deemed necessary for him to remain in place for a fourth season.

Diving deeper into this situation, Dianna Russini noted on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast that Sirianni had “100 percent” control over the Eagles’ offense during Brian Johnson‘s tenure as offensive coordinator. The latter was fired at the end of the season, one during which (as Russini adds) Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts did not always mesh well with one another on a personal level and issues related to a conservative, run-first approach emerged. Sirianni publicly admitted to the offense’s shortcomings down the stretch in 2023 and said he would take a step back with respect to his influence moving forward.

Russini notes that Sirianni was never truly in danger of being fired, but he did not have free reign when hiring the replacements for Johnson and DC Sean Desai. General manager Howie Roseman “had his hands all over every decision” this offseason, per Russini. Notably, that included the hiring of Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio as offensive and defensive coordinators. Veteran coaches – especially those with a winning percentage as strong as Sirianni’s .667 mark – are typically able to make such staff changes without heavy front office influence.

Much of the Eagles’ offensive success in 2024 will depend on how Moore fares in his next offensive coordinator posting. The 35-year-old spent four seasons with that title in Dallas before a single campaign at the helm of the Chargers’ offense. If Moore can prove to be an effective Shane Steichen replacement, Sirianni could afford to take a less involved approach on that side of the ball. Of course, improvement in the secondary in particular will also be needed as Fangio – who hopes to complete his storied NFL career in Philadelphia – takes control of the defense.

It would come as no surprise if a repeat of last season’s drop-off following a 10-1 start resulted in further changes along the sidelines. As a result, Russini predicts Sirianni will “probably” be on a relatively short leash entering the 2024 campaign. With Bill Belichick looming as a potential replacement, Sirianni’s job status will be worth monitoring closely.

The NFL’s Eight-Figure Dead Money Hits For 2024

July 18th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL moved into new territory this offseason, with one Broncos decision creating a staggering gap between the most costly dead money hits and No. 2 on the all-time list. Beyond Denver’s Russell Wilson release, other teams are taking on notable dead cap hits in 2024. Here are the players who will account for more than $10MM in dead money on teams’ payrolls this year.

  1. Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $53MM
  2. Stefon Diggs, WR (Bills): $31.1MM
  3. Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $28.5MM
  4. Haason Reddick, EDGE (Eagles) $21.52MM
  5. Jamal Adams, S (Seahawks) $20.83MM
  6. J.C. Jackson, CB (Chargers): $20.83MM
  7. David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $18.15MM
  8. Danielle Hunter, EDGE (Vikings): $14.91MM
  9. Carlton Davis, CB (Buccaneers) $14.1MM
  10. Andrus Peat, OL (Saints): $13.64MM
  11. Kevin Byard, S (Titans): $13.36MM
  12. Mike Williams, WR (Chargers): $12.46MM
  13. Aaron Jones, RB (Packers): $12.36MM
  14. Chandler Jones, EDGE (Raiders): $12.27MM
  15. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $12.19MM
  16. Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $11.62MM
  17. Xavien Howard, CB (Dolphins): $11.41MM
  18. Michael Thomas, WR (Saints): $11.19MM
  19. Laken Tomlinson, G (Jets): $10.74MM
  20. Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): $10.64MM
  21. Arik Armstead, DL (49ers) $10.31MM
  22. Quandre Diggs, S (Seahawks): $10.26MM
  23. Byron Jones, CB (Dolphins): $10.1MM
  24. Maliek Collins, DT (Texans): $10MM

Months after trading for Wilson, the Broncos gave the decorated quarterback a five-year, $245MM extension. While Wilson offered something of a bounce-back effort from a shockingly mediocre 2022, Sean Payton‘s team still opted to designate him as a post-June 1 cut. Wilson’s $37MM injury guarantee, which the Broncos attempted to move in an effort that led to NFLPA involvement but no grievance, would have resulted in comparable dead money in 2025 had he remained on Denver’s roster on Day 5 of the 2024 league year and then been released next year.

The Broncos will receive a small cap credit — due to Wilson’s veteran minimum Steelers deal — in 2025, but the team will take on more than $83MM in total dead money from the release. This shatters the NFL record for dead money, which the Falcons previously held by trading Matt Ryan ($40.5MM), and the contract will remain on Denver’s books through the 2025 season. The Broncos opted to take on more dead money this year than next, separating this post-June 1 cut from most teams’ strategies.

The Bills’ decision to trade Diggs less than two years after giving him a four-year extension broke the non-QB dead money record. Unlike the Wilson matter, Buffalo will take on the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s full dead cap hit this year. Ditto Green Bay, which passed on a Bakhtiari post-June 1 designation. The Chargers will also be rid of the Allen and Williams responsibilities after 2024. The Seahawks also passed on post-June 1 designations with Adams and Diggs.

New Orleans has Thomas set to count more than $9MM in dead money in 2025 as well due to using the June 1 strategy. The Dolphins are still paying out the Jones contract from a 2023 post-June 1 designation, while Howard’s post-June 1 status will create a $15.7MM dead money penalty in 2025.

Void years created the Vikings’ Cousins cap hit. After attempting to negotiate a fourth contract with the veteran quarterback last year, the parties failing to come to terms resulted in void years being added in a restructure. The Falcons came in much higher than the Vikings were willing to go, guarantee-wise, leading Minnesota to a new QB path and significant Cousins dead money.

The Eagles also included three void years on Reddick’s contract, and the Buccaneers will eat some Evans dead money — despite re-signing the 11th-year wide receiver just before free agency — due to a void year-driven trigger before the latest contract was signed.

John Mara Voiced Support For Giants Retaining Saquon Barkley, Did Not Force Re-Signing

July 17th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Sam Robinson

HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut has included John Mara cameos, with the owner staying involved in the team’s effort (or lack thereof) to retain Saquon Barkley. After GM Joe Schoen ran down the team’s priorities, Mara still makes it somewhat clear he wants his staff to keep the door open for a return.

As the legal tampering period began, the Giants‘ front office — after passing on a second franchise tag and informing Barkley no offer will come before he hits the market — braced for a departure. After Schoen informed Mara of a text he received that the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price, the owner voiced his long-held preference for the seventh-year veteran to be re-signed. Though, Mara ultimately did not stand in Schoen’s way.

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Schoen. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”

The Bears made D’Andre Swift the first commitment of this year’s tampering period, giving the former Eagles and Lions starter a three-year, $24MM deal. That ended up being second among RBs this offseason, with Barkley’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal ($26MM guaranteed at signing) the runaway winner. Swift’s price tag ultimately led to the Eagles pursuing Barkley.

While Barkley’s agent indeed brought the RB’s Philly offer back to the Giants, Schoen did not receive assurances the two-time Pro Bowler would return if the team matched it.

“I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant,” Schoen said in a conversation with Mara on March 11. “And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that; we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.'”

This led to Schoen confirming to Barkley’s agent that the team would not match, keying a separation after six years. Upon receiving the news of the offer Barkley fetched, Schoen told Barkley’s agent the team was out. Barkley’s agent did not initially tell Schoen who made the offer, but the Giants belatedly learned the Eagles did so. Barkley confirmed months ago the Giants did not submit him a proposal to stay, indicating four teams made formal offers. It is fair to assume the Bears, along with the Texans, joined the Eagles in doing so.

Receiving Brian Daboll‘s recommendation, Schoen pivoted to Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti read the news of the Eagles’ deal with Barkley, Schoen told Mara, “We’re gonna be fine.” As Mara walked out of the meeting with Schoen and Rossetti upon hearing the news of Barkley’s Philly pledge, it appears he agreed.

Mara not strong-arming Schoen to keep Barkley reflects a belief in the third-year GM, and it was not made clear the Penn State alum would have passed on a Philly deal even if New York matched the terms. The Giants did not reach $26MM fully guaranteed at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline, and Schoen’s comments leading up to free agency prepared Mara for Barkley’s exit. Based on Mara’s comments during the early hours of free agency, is safe to assume the owner will be closely monitoring how Barkley fares with the Eagles. This will obviously be a key determinant in Schoen’s long-term Giants future.

Eagles’ Saquon Barkley On Career Outlook, Injury History

July 15th, 2024 at 1:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Several running backs quickly landed free agent deals this offseason, including Saquon Barkley. The six-year Giant joined the Eagles on a deal featuring $26MM fully guaranteed. Lucrative investments at the position are rare in large part due to the risk of injury and the drop in performance seen as running backs age.

Barkley is entering his age-27 season, a point where many backs struggle to land long-term commitments. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year’s resume also includes a number of injuries, adding to the risk incurred by the Eagles in signing him. Barkley is confident, however, that he will be able to remain productive well into the second chapter of his NFL tenure.

“Marcus Allen played until he was 36, 37 years old,” the former No. 2 pick said (via EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “Barry [Sanders] left at 29, 30 and he left in his prime. It’s what you put in, what you put in is what you get out. That’s any position. There’s this weird thing with running backs right now. Is it a difficult position to play? Yes. Do you take wear and tear? Yes. But who are you or anyone else to tell me how long I can play the game? I call [BS].

“When it’s over for me, it’s over for me. But I feel like if I continue to put the right stuff in my body and do the right things, there will be a day when I’m 32 or 33 and I want to hang it up, and I’m going to do it just because.”

Barkley will be counted on to handle a large workload with the Eagles as their lead back, although the team’s skill position group should lower his usage relative to his Giants tenure. The Penn State product voiced a desire to finish his career in New York, but an offer similar in value to Philadelphia’s did not emerge this offseason. Barkley – who is under contract through 2026 – will need to remain healthy for his Eagles tenure to be productive. After an ACL tear and multiple ankle sprains, questions have been raised about his durability. Barkley does not attribute those to poor conditioning, though, so further injury issues are not a concern on his part.

“I’ve been trying to control everything,” he added. “Like, ‘I have to do this so I won’t get hurt.’ I can’t control that. My three or four injuries I’ve had in the NFL are flukes. There was nothing I could do to change them.”

Plenty of attention will be placed on Barkley’s Philadelphia tenure and his overall longevity. If he manages to produce as expected, his addition will prove to be an effective one from the team’s perspective while allowing him to enjoy a strong second phase in his career.

Latest On Eagles’ RG Position Battle

July 14th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

With the retirement of long-time center Jason Kelce, the Eagles now have an open starting spot to fill on the offensive line. While Kelce is vacating the center spot, Cam Jurgens was drafted out of Nebraska back in 2022 with the sole purpose of eventually replacing Kelce in that middle role. In order to play center, though, Jurgens will need to move over from last year’s starting right guard role, opening up a starting position at that spot.

Jurgens was too talented to keep off the field for too long, and after Isaac Seumalo departed for Pittsburgh following Jurgens’ rookie year, the former Cornhusker was asked to step into Seumalo’s starting job at right guard. Jurgens did miss six games in 2023, but in those games, he was replaced by Sua Opeta, who departed for Tampa Bay in free agency.

Philadelphia already has a pretty good idea of who will be filling the vacant role, though the competition remains “open” for now. The team drafted Tyler Steen in the third round out of Alabama last year with the belief that he may have been able to push Jurgens for the starting right guard job as a rookie. While Steen did start one game at the position in his first season, it was as an injury replacement for Opeta, who was already filling in for Jurgens. With Opeta gone and Jurgens sliding further inside, Steen seems the obvious choice for the job now. According to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports, the Eagles “even moved his locker into the starting right guard spot in the locker room” to potentially indicate that the job is his to lose.

One player he could potentially lose it to is veteran tackle Mekhi Becton. Once seen as a sure left tackle in the sport, the former first-round pick was signed by Philadelphia this offseason with the intention that he would serve as a swing tackle. Since then, Becton has been utilized consistently throughout the spring at right tackle and left guard. The Eagles tend to like big guards, and while Steen stands at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, Becton stands over him at 6-foot-7, 363 pounds. Should Becton’s versatility continue to expand, Steen may find a challenge in winning the starting job.

The other veterans on the interior line include Matt Hennessy and Max Scharping. Both players have extensive experience as starters. Hennessy has mostly been a center but does have guard experience, as well. He’s been working as the second-team right guard for most of the spring. Scharping has 33 starts to his name but hasn’t made a regular season start since the 2021 season.

The team also drafted two rookies, but neither seem to be serious contenders to challenge Steen. Trevor Keegan, a fifth-round pick out of Michigan, made all of his starts on the left side of the line in college. Making the jump to the NFL is one thing, but throwing in a switch from one side of the line to the other is another thing altogether. Dylan McMahon was the other selection, getting taken in the sixth-round out of NC State. McMahon seems to be on a center-only track right now and should slot in behind Hennessy as the third center on the depth chart as a rookie.

The job isn’t Steen’s for sure, right now, but it sure seems like a lot would need to happen in order for him to lose his hold on the gig. Steen would likely need to struggle through training camp, and one of the others would need to step up and seize the role themselves. It’s not impossible for someone else to take it, but it appears to be Steen’s job to lose at the moment.

Eagles CB Darius Slay Addresses Playing Future

July 12th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles made a number of cornerback additions this offseason, highlighted by the selections of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the draft. The team still has James Bradberry and Darius Slay in the mix, although those veterans are no doubt closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.

In the latter’s case, two years remain on his deal. Slay’s Philadelphia future came into question last offseason when the team appeared to be prepared to release him. An extension was worked out, though, and the 33-year-old is now set to continue as a starting perimeter corner on an Eagles defense which struggled down the stretch in 2023. Slay is aware, however, that his time in the NFL is nearing an end.

“Ahh s—. Not too many,” he said when asked about about more years he intends to play (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “I’m not going to just keep playing. I’m going to let these young guys eat. That’s what I’m here for, to make sure these guys get there. And when my time is up, It’s up. I’m ready to be a full-time daddy and stuff.”

Slay has been a full-time starter throughout his four-year Eagles tenure. That could remain the case in 2024 with Bradberry facing the possibility of transitioning to safety in the waning stages of his career. Mitchell, DeJean and free agent addition Isaiah Rodgers are among the contenders for notable defensive playing time this season. Given their collective lack of experience at the pro level, Slay is a natural fit in a mentorship role.

The former Lion has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past three seasons, collecting eight interceptions during that span. Slay will be counted on to remain a productive member of the Eagles’ defense – a unit now led by Vic Fangio – for at least the coming campaign. He could stay in the fold for 2025 (a year in which he is scheduled to receive $16MM) but beyond that questions will linger about his playing future. Considering his remarks, Slay should not be expected to target a deal allowing his NFL tenure to continue deep into the 2020s.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  16. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
  17. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  18. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  19. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
  20. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  21. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  22. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  23. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  24. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  25. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  26. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  27. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
  28. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  29. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  30. Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
  31. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  32. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Joe Schoen, Saquon Barkley Discussed Giants Matching FA Offer

July 10th, 2024 at 1:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Antonio Brown-Raiders saga from 2019 brought some notable content, Hard Knocks‘ traditional training camp format rarely crosses into PFR’s purview. HBO’s offseason effort surrounding the Giants certainly has, and after three years of Saquon Barkley rumors, the divorce is being chronicled.

Reports detailing the split between the Giants and their biggest star of the post-Eli Manning period pointed to the Giants never actually making an offer this year. The Giants memorably made multiple offers in 2023, following an initial proposal during their 2022 bye week, only to see the franchise-tagged running back not agree to terms. GM Joe Schoen took a more passive approach this offseason.

[RELATED: Eagles Cleared Of Saquon Barkley Tampering Charges]

After meeting with staffers to assess the potential RB market, Schoen made it clear to John Mara the team would not apply the tag — which would have checked in at $12MM — for a second time. The third-year Giants GM then contacted Barkley to communicate the team’s plan of letting him test free agency. This otherwise cordial conversation featured a point in which Schoen directly asked the two-time Pro Bowler to provide his word he would give the Giants a chance to match the best offer he received.

“Can you give me your word on that, or you not going to give us a chance?” Schoen said to Barkley in a phone conversation, with the seventh-year veteran replaying, “I already told you where I want to be.”

An offseason report indicated the Giants would likely wait for Barkley to come back to them with an offer to match. Barkley, 27, had said on several occasions he wanted to finish his career with the Giants. Big Blue resisted trade interest in the tagged RB at last year’s deadline. Doing so seemingly would have pointed to the Giants displaying genuine interest in retaining him for 2024. This Hard Knocks offering suggests otherwise, and Schoen’s discussions with his staff did not seem to indicate the Giants’ front office boss expected Barkley to fetch the contract he did from the Eagles.

Philly gave Barkley a three-year, $37.75MM deal that included $26MM fully guaranteed. The Giants’ final offer to Barkley at the July 2023 tag deadline featured a guarantee of around $22MM, with the sides being less than $2MM apart in terms of AAV. It is unclear if that was the full guarantee. Despite coming off another season that featured a notable injury (a high ankle sprain), Barkley pocketed the money from the $10.1MM tag and will collect an additional $26MM from the Eagles. Even after 2023 painted a bleak picture for RBs, the former Offensive Rookie of the Year came out way ahead of where he would have been financially had he accepted the Giants’ 2023 extension offer. ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan confirms the Giants never offered Barkley terms on the level of the Eagles’ proposal.

Schoen made multiple references this offseason to RB production falling off around age 27; the Eagles will bet on their superior offensive line and weaponry keeping Barkley in prime form. The Giants signed a soon-to-be 27-year-old replacement, giving Devin Singletary a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. Though, to be fair, the ex-Brian Daboll Bills charge has logged 426 fewer NFL touches.

As the Eagles bet big on Barkley, the Giants will hope their midlevel solution — a player who has proven more durable by comparison, having missed only one game during the 2020s — can offer reasonable production.

WR Notes: Texans, Patriots, Eagles, Cardinals

July 8th, 2024 at 9:01pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s easy to be excited about the Texans wide receiver corps in 2024. After Tank Dell and Nico Collins established a connection with C.J. Stroud in 2023, the organization added another major name in Stefon Diggs. With the Texans hoping to take a major step forward in 2024, the team can now boast that they’re armed with one of the best WR trios in the NFL.

One of the other players on the depth chart, Steven Sims, has gotten a first-hand look at his talented teammates, and he believes Houston’s wideouts are ready for some big plays during the upcoming campaign.

“We’ve got a great group,” Sims told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. “I can’t wait to get back to camp. It’s going to be so much fun. I feel like there’s going to be a lot of big plays, a lot of fun, but it’s a business and it’s work. It’s time to get back to work and I’m excited to go back to work with the group we’ve got I feel like from top to bottom everybody can get it done.”

Sims re-signed with the Texans this offseason after getting into three games with the team in 2023. He’ll be competing with the likes of John Metchie III and Ben Skowronek for reps behind the team’s top-three WRs.

More wideout notes from around the NFL…

  • Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston explores some of the Patriots wideout scenarios for the 2024 campaign, including the best-case scenario (which sees rookie Ja’Lynn Polk and second-year wideout DeMario Douglas break out) and the worst-case scenario (the team’s over-reliance on veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne). Curran believes the most-likely scenario is a bit of both, with the organization allowing the young players to show their stuff, especially as Bourne works his way back from a torn ACL. Curran says the team’s main wildcard at the position is free agent acquisition K.J. Osborn, who has already developed chemistry with presumed starting QB Jacoby Brissett.
  • Joseph Ngata spent the majority of his rookie campaign on Philly’s practice squad, and Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia believes the former UDFA is set to make the Eagles 53-man roster in 2024. As Zangaro notes, Ngata got some first-team reps during the spring,and he’s clearly ahead of some of the team’s other young wideouts. Parris Campbell is the likeliest of Philly’s non-star WRs to emerge, but Ngata should have an upper hand on fifth-round rookie Ainias Smith and sixth-round rookie Johnny Wilson.
  • Jess Root of Cards Wire notes that Cardinals undrafted rookie WR Xavier Weaver is likely to stick with the organization by virtue of his contract. The Colorado product got $225K in guaranteed money from Arizona, the equivalent to 18 weeks of practice squad salary. If the rookie is eventually waived, it’s unlikely a cash-strapped suitor would willingly add him to their 53-man roster. With four WR spots locked up in Arizona (Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Zay Jones), Weaver will be hard pressed to earn a regular roster gig, but the Cardinals’ financial commitment shows they plan to keep the WR around their practice squad for the 2024 campaign.

Jeffrey Lurie Considering Sale Of Minority Interest In Eagles

July 7th, 2024 at 9:33am CST by Rory Parks

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is considering selling a minority stake in the club, as Bloomberg’s Gillian Tan reported last month. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk makes plain that the size of the stake is uncertain, and that there will be no path to a controlling interest.

As such, it is eminently possible that the sale will not happen at all. The club will be valued at $7.5 billion in any transaction (an 11-times multiple of annual revenue), so it will be a pricey endeavor for any buyer, especially since their prospective purchase would not guarantee them a chance to acquire a more significant share.

After all, it appears that the plan is to keep controlling ownership of the Eagles within the Lurie family. Jeffrey Lurie’s son, Julian, participated in the NFL’s two-year program for prospective executives upon his graduation from Harvard, he took part in the Eagles’ head coaching interviews in 2021 — ultimately advising his father as the team transitioned from Doug Pederson to Nick Sirianni — and even spearheaded the interviews for the team’s analytics department. Julian Lurie, now 29, appears poised to someday succeed his 72-year-old father at the top of the franchise.

The NFL currently does not allow private equity or other institutional investment in its clubs, and while that has not yet prevented owners who wish to sell from finding deep-pocketed buyers, the skyrocketing value of NFL teams could soon necessitate a relaxation of the rule. As Brendan Coffey of Sportico.com writes, the league recently retained an investment bank, PJT Partners, to explore the possibility of private equity partnerships.

Naturally, Jeffrey Lurie’s efforts to sell a share of the Eagles would be aided by a revised private equity rule, and as of the time of Tan’s report, those efforts were still in their early stages. Lurie is working with BDT & MSD Partners, a private banking company, to locate potential buyers.

Lurie purchased the Eagles for $195MM in 1994. Under his stewardship, Philadelphia has appeared in three Super Bowls, winning one and dropping the two others by three points. Like many owners of major sports franchises, Lurie has sometimes been accused of meddling too much in matters of on-field personnel, to the point that some saw GM Howie Roseman as a mere conduit for Lurie’s wishes. Of course, Lurie’s push to keep QB Jalen Hurts as the unquestioned starter heading into the 2021 campaign — even when Roseman had doubts about the young passer’s ceiling — turned out to be the right call.

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