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NFC Links: Giants, Bucs, Eagles, Mathieu

By | at July 22, 2014 3:55 pm

After rounding up a few odds and ends from out of the AFC earlier today, let’s shift our focus to the league’s other conference, and check out the latest from around the NFC….

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Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Eagles

By | at July 20, 2014 8:57 pm

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Darren Sproles from the Saints in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 169). Extended Sproles through 2016. Two years, $7MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. Reduced cap hit for 2014.
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 26) and a third-round pick (No. 83) from the Browns in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 22).
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 42) from the Titans in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 54) and a fourth-round pick (No. 122).
  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 101) and a fifth-round pick (No. 141) from the Texans in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 83).
  • Acquired a a seventh-round pick (No. 224) and an additional draft pick that will be either a 2015 fourth-rounder, a 2016 third-rounder, or a 2016 fourth-rounder from the Bills in exchange for Bryce Brown and a seventh-round pick (No. 237). Conditional pick dependent on Brown’s and Stevie Johnson‘s performance.

Draft picks:

Other:

In March 2012, Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson sat at the podium to talk about his recent five-year extension. The star wideout didn’t want to discuss the value of the contract. Instead, he wanted to focus on his desire to stay in Philadelphia.Chip Kelly

“The relationship I had with the Eagles, I would rather take the opportunity than go anywhere else,” Jackson said (via Bob Grotz of DelcoTimes.com). “So, regardless of what money I thought I could have got, or how much more, I’m comfortable. I’m not greedy. I feel good where I’m at here and like I said, I still have ways in my contract of making whatever I’m worth in that contract.”

Considering the questions regarding Jackson’s character and attitude, general manager Howie Roseman assured the doubters that the team wasn’t worried.

“We have no questions about DeSean as a person or a player,” Roseman said. “And I think his contract reflects that.”

Oh, how things have changed. Jackson was released in late March amid allegations of
“continued association with reputed Los Angeles street gang members.” That NJ.com piece by Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez also pointed to the player’s “bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, missed meetings and a lack of chemistry with head coach Chip Kelly.” Meanwhile, Kelly attributed the release to “football reasons.”

Regardless, the Eagles will be without their cornerstone receiver in 2014. Jackson’s production is practically irreplaceable – he was responsible for more than 30 percent of his team’s receiving yards last year. His 2013 season is among the best single-season performances in team history (as are his 2009 and 2010 campaigns). If fans were pessimistic following the Jackson move, they probably didn’t feel much better about the release of eight-year veteran Jason Avant. So, with all those departures, the dynamic offense will certainly take a step back in 2014, right? Not so fast.

Let’s not forget that the Eagles re-signed wideouts Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Maclin has shown flashes of potential since he was a first-rounder in 2009, but it would be tough for him to single-handedly fill the void left by Jackson. The 26-year-old hasn’t played since 2012 and is coming back from an ACL injury, so expecting immediate production might be unfair. Cooper had his best statistical season in 2013, finishing with 835 yards and eight touchdowns. The duo will likely top the depth chart, but there’s also two promising rookies backing them up. The Eagles used their second and third picks on receivers, taking Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews and former Chip Kelly product Josh Huff. Matthews could certainly make an impact immediately; he finished his senior season with 112 catches for 1477 yards and seven touchdowns. While the group may lack the star power, it is certainly a deeper receiving squad than last year’s crew.

To help make up for Jackson’s loss, the Eagles also traded for Saints running back Darren Sproles. The team didn’t need much help in the running game after finishing with a league-leading 2566 rushing yards last season. However, Sproles is an elite receiving halfback, and the veteran will certainly be one of Nick Foles’ favorite targets. Bryce Brown was a solid, young running back, but Sproles universal impact on offense made the 23-year-old expendable.

The team extended two key members of the offensive line, Jason Peters and Jason Kelce. Peters earned his second First-Team All-Pro selection in 2013 and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Peters as the fourth-best overall tackle in the league. Dishing out a four-year contract to a 32-year-old lineman certainly has some risk, but Peters should at least contribute at an all-star level in 2014. The team also locked up the 26-year-old Kelce for six more years. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the best center in 2013, and he will now be among the five highest-paid at his position.

The team’s other “big” offensive move shouldn’t make much of an impact on the field, as the team replaced Michael Vick with former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. The offense is clearly in the hands of Foles, and it will be interesting to see whether the sides come to an agreement on an extension or hold off until next offseason.

The team will also see a bit of a makeover defensively. The majority of the team’s departed defenders had their roles reduced once Kelly took over. The Eagles lost a solid run-defending safety in Patrick Chung, but the rest of the team’s departures only accounted for a combined 368 snaps last season. While the team didn’t lose much defensively, they certainly gained some reinforcement, notably safety Malcolm Jenkins. The 26-year-old finished 2013 with 68 tackles and two interceptions. Newcomer Nolan Carroll, who proved to be a solid cornerback with the Dolphins last season, will also help out the secondary along with veteran Nate Allen, who was brought back on a reasonable one-year deal.

The team also focused on defense in the draft, selecting Louisville defender Marcus Smith with the 26th pick. Smith finished last season with 42 tackles, including 18.5 for a loss, and 14.5 sacks, earning him AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’ll likely be stuck in a rotation with Connor Barwin and Trent Cole, but Kelly could capitalize on the rookie’s versatility to keep him on the field. The team also selected Florida’s Jaylen Watkins in the fourth round, and the cornerback could contribute immediately as a nickelback.

It’s hard for any team to win 10 games in the NFL and even harder to do it in consecutive seasons. However, Kelly’s system clearly succeeded, and the coach spent the offseason constructing a roster that reflected his game plan. We’ll see if it works again in 2014.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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East Notes: Bills, Coughlin, Ryan, Eagles

By | at July 20, 2014 3:07 pm

The Toronto-based group bidding on the Bills, which involves rocker Jon Bon Jovi, Larry Tanenbaum of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and the Rogers family, would keep the team in Buffalo, sources tell John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. While neither of the parties mentioned has even publicly confirmed interest in purchasing the team, it sounds like the group is not planning on relocating the franchise to Canada. However, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes, any talk of moving the team would be pointless as of right now, since the Bills can’t be relocated until at least 2020; anything potential buyers say in 2014 could just be lip service to placate Buffalo fans. More from the NFL’s two Eastern divisions:

  • Giants owner John Mara on whether head coach Tom Coughlin has earned the right to leave on his own terms: “Does anybody ever earn that right? That’s just not the way this business is in this day and age. Let’s hope that it goes that way, but we haven’t even had that discussion yet,” Mara told Steve Serby of the New York Post. “We’re just looking forward to the next couple of seasons.”
  • Jets head man Rex Ryan is never lacking confidence, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. “Do I think that I’m a great coach? I absolutely know I’m a great coach,” said Ryan. “But it’s not just about me. What makes a great coach is the people that surround you, the people that are with you every day.”
  • Chip Kelly is more of a strict disciplinarian than previous Eagles coach Andy Reid, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the new team attitude is showing itself during year two of Kelly’s reign.
  • As Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland tells Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, center Jason Kelce might be the most under-appreciated player in Philadelphia.
  • Zuri Berry of the Boston Globe looks at some key questions for the Patriots as they head to training camp, including Rob Gronkowski‘s health and depth at receiver.
  • The New England previews continue, as Tom Curran of CSSNE.com examines the Patriots’ offensive identity.
0 comments Buffalo Bills New England Patriots New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Uncategorized

NFC East Notes: Robinson, Sanchez, Escobar

By | at July 20, 2014 9:39 am

After running through some AFC East notes this morning, let’s run down the NFC East:

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East Notes: Wilkerson, Snee, Ertz

By | at July 19, 2014 9:00 am

Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson will make a “ridiculously low” $1.2MM this season, writes ESPNNewYork’s Rich Cimini: “[Wilkerson] won’t become a Darrelle Revis-type distraction — Wilkerson vowed not to stage a holdout — but the topic is bound to come up in his dealings with the media. He has two years remaining on his deal…The Jets have time (and leverage) on their side, so they won’t do a deal unless it makes sense for them. With more than $20 million in cap room, why not do it now? It would send a positive message, showing the organization is committed to keeping its own. That hasn’t always been the case. See: Revis.”

Here’s some more AFC and NFC East reading:

  • Center Nick Mangold carries the second-highest cap hit on the Jets, and while his play has slipped a bit, he remains invaluable, says Brian Costello in the New York Post.
  • The rookie season of Bills first-round quarterback EJ Manuel was scrutinized by Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo. The results? Manuel struggled with deep passing, but perhaps more worrisome is that Manual struggled with a clean pocket.
  • The Bills are unlikely to keep two fullbacks, meaning bubble players Frank Summers and Evan Rodriguez will compete for the job. ESPN’s Mike Rodak makes the case for both players, saying Summers “contributed on both offense and special teams and remains the Bills’ best option as a lead blocker in goal line situations,” while Rodriguez “offers more of that ‘triple threat.'”
  • Veteran Chris Snee will be the Giants’ right guard if he’s healthy enough to handle the job, but his elbow injury prevented him from getting through OTAs and minicamp. Accordingly, NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan views Brandon Mosely as the “healthiest and strongest candidate heading into camp.”
  • The Eagles are anticipating a breakout season from second-year tight end Zach Ertz, who produced 36 receptions for 469 yards and four touchdowns in 450 snaps last season.
  • Redskins safety Bacarri Rambo started three games as a rookie last season, but he sounds like a player on the bubble in the eyes of ESPN’s John Keim: “Rambo did such a poor job in this area last year and there’s no way you can be a backup safety and not contribute on special teams. He will not bump Ryan Clark from the starting job so Rambo had better improve on special teams.”
0 comments Buffalo Bills New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Washington Commanders

NFC Notes: 49ers, Suh, Eagles, Packers

By | at July 18, 2014 4:41 pm

Commissioner Roger Goodell raised the idea of the 49ers and the Raiders possibly sharing Levi’s Stadium but one reader reminded Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News that such a plan would probably be unrealistic. The personal seat licenses that 49ers fans had to pay into entitles them to first dibs on events at the stadium, which certainly wouldn’t fly with the Raiders or their fans. Here’s more out of the NFC..

  • Now that agent Jimmy Sexton has finished negotiating Jimmy Graham’s deal with the Saints, he can concentrate fully on a new deal for his other high-profile client, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press writes. Of course, that’s assuming the two sides want to hammer out a new contract. Earlier this week, Justin Rogers of MLive.com wrote that Detroit still wants to work out an extension with Suh this offseason and suggested that a five-year, $63MM deal could make sense.
  • John Clayton of ESPN.com looks at ten under-the-radar camp battles going on, including the Eagles‘ logjam at outside linebacker. Brandon Graham, a former first-round pick from the Andy Reid era, could be on the outside looking in when all is said and done.
  • Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com takes a crack at predicting the Packers‘ 53-man roster. Demovsky projects tight ends Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick, and Ryan Taylor to make the roster, but undrafted rookie Colt Lyeria is a wild card that could shake things up. McCarthy has also carried five TEs in the past.
  • Some people have questioned whether Falcons rookie Jake Matthews has the physical strength to succeed at the next level, but his father Bruce Matthews isn’t concerned in the least, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “Floyd Reese, he was our GM when I was with the Tennessee Titans,” the elder Matthews explained, “and we drafted a guy — it might have been my last year — and Floyd goes, ‘This kid bench-presses like 700 pounds.’ And I go, ‘Damn, it’s a shame you can’t play with a bench on your back.'”‘
0 comments Atlanta Falcons Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Las Vegas Raiders Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Uncategorized

East Notes: Brady, DeSean, Eagles

By | at July 18, 2014 12:05 pm

Many have been critical of the NFL’s Thursday night games, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn’t among them. Pats owner Robert Kraft says Belichick “likes the Thursday night games and would be happy to have more than one in a season,” writes Sam Galanis of NESN.com. Perhaps if Belichick was playing in the games rather than coaching them, he’d feel differently. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..

  • Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com writes that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is at a crossroads. While Curran says that Brady is far from finished, Belichick has openly acknowledged that rookie Jimmy Garoppolo was drafted with an eye on the future of the club’s QB position.
  • Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com finished their top-to-bottom rankings of every player on the Redskins and high-profile newcomer DeSean Jackson lands at the No. 2 spot, second only to Robert Griffin III. If the 27-year-old speedster stays healthy and focused, they write, he’ll add another dimension to an already talented offense. That speed was enough for Jackson to zoom past last year’s No. 1 target, Pierre Garcon (ranked No. 5).
  • Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine looks at Eagles‘ inside linebacker roster crunch. Najee Goode has the inside track on one of the backup spots while the other will likely come down to Jason Phillips, Jake Knott, and Emmanuel Acho and special teams will probably be the determining factor. Knott was an undrafted free agent last year and will miss the first four weeks of the season for violating the league’s PED policy. Phillips was signed last offseason to provide a special-teams boost, but tore his ACL during training camp. If he’s healthy, he could have the edge. If not, Acho could steal the spot.
0 comments New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Uncategorized Washington Commanders

NFC East Links: Cowboys, Redskins, Eagles

By | at July 17, 2014 9:02 am

The Cowboys will carry some dead money on their cap this year and next after releasing Kyle Orton, but Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News wonders if the signing of Orton wasn’t “dead money” from the beginning. As Sherrington explains, a pricey, reliable veteran backup makes sense for a Super Bowl contender, but the Cowboys would’ve been better off developing a young quarterback as the No. 2 option behind Tony Romo rather than investing heavily in someone like Orton.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • Count former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman among those who was a little surprised that the team didn’t draft Johnny Manziel with the No. 16 pick in May, as Travis L. Brown of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details. “There’s a lot of other needs, as we saw last year, that this team has, so it was probably the right thing not taking him, but I was a little surprised. I think that had to have been a difficult decision for Jerry [Jones].”
  • The Cowboys have carried four tight ends in the past, but if they do so again this year, it will likely mean adding a blocking tight end that isn’t currently on the roster, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
  • ESPN.com’s John Keim previews a handful of position battles to watch in Redskins training camp, including a pair on the offensive line and two more on special teams.
  • Evan Royster, who has been with the Redskins for the last three seasons, may find himself on the outside looking in this year, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
  • In his latest mailbag, Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com explores what the Eagles would do in the event that Nick Foles takes a step back and struggles in 2014.
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East Links: Pats, Bills, Eagles, Giants

By | at July 16, 2014 1:15 pm

The NFL may have a reason to look into the reported 33 pages of text messages (via Jenny Wilson of the Hartford Courant) between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and former tight end Aaron Hernandez. As ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio writes, the league’s recent labor deal limits the amount of interaction between coaches and players during the offseason. The text messages, which were sent between February and May 2013, suggests some kind of communication.

However, the rule, which states “players’ activities may not be directed or supervised by any coaches,” can be interpreted very broadly and might not suggest a violation. Furthermore, the previous Peyton Manning/Adam Gase controversy proved that the league is willing to ignore some transgressions.

Let’s see what else is happening in the NFL’s East divisions…

0 comments Buffalo Bills New England Patriots New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles

Clayton On Falcons, Gordon, Thanksgiving

By | at July 13, 2014 8:09 pm

ESPN’s John Clayton has been covering the NFL since his high school days in 1972, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable man or woman on pro football. His Sunday mailbags are a treat, full of wit and wisdom, and we’re passing along some of Clayton’s best responses to readers’ questions to you.

Clayton also touches on the Giants and Bills, the two teams meeting in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and thus the first two teams to open training camp.

On the Falcons’ defensive line:

“The Falcons‘ pass rush has to be better. Their nickel defense gave up 6.48 yards per play and 7.75 yards per attempt and had only 23 sacks this past year. The return of a healthy Kroy Biermann will help. Former Dolphin Paul Soliai is a big, physical addition to the defensive line, but it’s unclear how the Falcons will use him. He’s a run-stopper who could draw an extra blocker, but he has only 4½ sacks in his seven NFL seasons. I’ll be intrigued to see if Ra’Shede Hageman can get into a pass-rushing role in the nickel. He might be a pretty special athlete.”

On the ramifications of Josh Gordon‘s impending suspension:

“If Gordon is suspended for the year, his contract would be tolled, meaning his deal would be put on pause and he would still have two years remaining when his suspension is lifted. His salary would not count against this year’s cap. Plus, the team would have the ability to try to get him to pay back the prorated amount for one year of his signing bonus, a total of $518,209. Gordon would count only the $518,209 on this year’s cap if he is suspended. If the Browns get the signing bonus back, they would get a rebate on the amount in next year’s cap. The bigger problem, though, is that the Browns would lose one of the best young receivers in the game.”

On the possibility of a team that plays on Thanksgiving this year — Bears, Lions, Eagles, Cowboys, Seahawks and 49ers — winning the Super Bowl, which hasn’t happened in 18 years:

“I did not realize that. Part of it is because Dallas and Detroit are the two traditional Thanksgiving hosts. The Cowboys have been an 8-8 team for the past three years and most recently won the Super Bowl in the 1995 season. The Lions have made only one trip to the playoffs since 1999 and never have reached the Super Bowl. The addition of a third game in 2006 hasn’t ended the trend, but it might this year. San Francisco and Seattle are two of the best teams in football. The Bears are contenders, and the Eagles might have the best team in the NFC East. Interesting thought.”

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