NFC East Notes: Eagles, Guice, Giants
The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson for a while. They placed their Pro Bowl right tackle on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Teams are not permitted to disclose whether a player tested positive or if he was placed on the list for other reasons, but Johnson tweets he did indeed test positive for COVID-19. The eighth-year right tackle will be on the shelf for a bit because of the roster designation. The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. Players must pass three coronavirus tests to return to action. Fellow tackle Jordan Mailata and linebacker Nathan Gerry also landed on Philadelphia’s reserve/COVID list.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- Ahead of what could be a make-or-break season, Washington running back Derrius Guice is healthy again. The third-year player tweeted that he has been fully cleared for participation in football activities. Guice missed all of 2018 with an ACL tear and encountered multiple bouts of knee trouble last season as well. The former second-round pick has played in five of a possible 32 regular-season games and now will attempt to carve out a role for a new Washington regime.
- Although rookies have come in at slot deals since 2011, the Eagles sweetened their second-round quarterback’s deal a bit. Jalen Hurts‘ four-year, $6.02MM rookie contract includes a $75K workout bonus in 2022 and a $100K workout bump in 2023, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Broncos included workout bonuses in 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock‘s contract.
- The Giants and Leonard Williams were not close on a long-term deal, and an NFL executive believes Big Blue overpaid the sixth-year defensive lineman on the $16.1MM franchise tag, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Williams has an interesting trait of almost sacking quarterbacks, ranking 12th in QB hits (101) since 2015 but 84th in sacks in that span. As a result of the pricey tag, which makes Williams the Giants’ highest-paid player this season, an agent told Raanan that the team raised Williams’ asking price. Despite registering a half-sack in 15 games last season, Williams sought an $18-$20MM-per-year deal.
- Ten-year veteran defensive lineman Ziggy Hood is moving into the coaching ranks. The former defensive tackle will be a Washington coaching intern this season, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Hood, 33, played in Washington from 2016-18.
Eagles Sign Jalen Hurts, Wrap Draft Class
That’s a wrap. On Monday, the Eagles formally announced the signing of second-round quarterback Jalen Hurts, plus five other draft picks. With that, the Eagles have formally inked all ten of their rookies in advance of training camp.
[RELATED: Eagles, Jalen Reagor Agree To Terms]
The Birds surprised everyone with their selection of Hurts at No. 53 overall. Few saw the QB2 role as a priority, but Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson couldn’t pass up the chance to grab the Oklahoma star.
“I think this player, obviously with Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skillset and you see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans,” Pederson said earlier this year. “And now he and Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there. You look at with (Joe) Flacco and Lamar (Jackson) in Baltimore in the short period of time, how they gelled together. It’s just something we’re going to explore.”
During his lone season at Oklahoma, Hurts ran for 1,298 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 233 carries. He also had five receptions during his collegiate career, including two for 25 yards and a score during the 2019 campaign. His versatility is a major plus, and so is his salary – he’ll make just $6.025MM over the course of his four-year deal, allowing the Eagles to spend elsewhere and save in advance of their 2021 cap crunch.
The Eagles also inked deals with third-round linebacker Davion Taylor, fourth-round guard Jack Driscoll, fifth-round receiver John Hightower, sixth-round linebacker Shaun Bradley, and seventh-round linebacker Casey Toohill to round out the group. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s Tracker:
1-21: Jalen Reagor, WR (TCU): Signed
2-53: Jalen Hurts, QB (Oklahoma): Signed
3-103: Davion Taylor, LB (Colorado): Signed
4-127: K’Von Wallace, S (Clemson): Signed
4-145: Jack Driscoll, G (Auburn): Signed
5-168: John Hightower, WR (Boise State): Signed
6-196: Shaun Bradley, LB (Temple): Signed
6-200: Quez Watkins, WR (Southern Miss): Signed
6-210: Prince Tega Wanogho, T (Auburn): Signed
7-233: Casey Toohill, DE (Stanford): Signed
Latest On Eagles’ Plans For QB Jalen Hurts
The Eagles had the most surprising pick of last night’s portion of the draft, selecting Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts with the No. 53 pick. While Eagles fans were rooting for something other than a backup to Carson Wentz, it sounds like Hurts could be doing more than holding a clipboard during his rookie year.
Head coach Doug Pederson told reports that the Eagles will explore using Hurts similarly to how the Saints use quarterback Taysom Hill.
“I think this player, obviously with Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skillset and you see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans,” Pederson said (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “And now he and Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there. You look at with (Joe) Flacco and Lamar (Jackson) in Baltimore in the short period of time, how they gelled together. It’s just something we’re going to explore.
“I want to make a point here: First and foremost, Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback. He was drafted as a quarterback and he was a quarterback first. But he has a unique skillset. He’s a great runner, obviously. He throws well on the run. He has a unique set of skills that we’re going to take a look at as well as we keep developing this offseason and this advancement as we get ready for training camp.”
Hurts has the talent in the open field to match Hill’s seven total touchdowns from 2019. During his lone season at Oklahoma, Hurts ran for 1,298 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 233 carries. He also had five receptions during his collegiate career, including two for 25 yards and a score during the 2019 campaign.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport also provided some insight into the Eagles’ thinking with the pick. Garafolo notes that while fans may be clamoring for help at other positions, this selection may actually help in that pursuit. Instead of spending significant money on a backup for the injury-prone Wentz, the team now has the ability to trust their inexpensive second quarterback. This vicariously allows the organization to go out and spend money elsewhere.
Further, while fans may want a player with more upside than Taysom Hill in the second round, Rapoport notes that the comparison implies the best-case scenario for the Eagles. If Hurts indeed turns into a Swiss Army Knife on offense, that means Wentz managed to stay healthy and/or have playoff success. Alternative scenarios see Hurts emerging as a starter in place of an injured Wentz or the Eagles dealing Hurts down the road (à la Patriots and Jimmy Garoppolo).
Eagles Draft QB Jalen Hurts
The Eagles (ahem) selected quarterback Jalen Hurts with the No. 53 overall pick. Few could have predicted that the Eagles would use significant draft capital on the QB position, but they apparently see him as a potential heir to Carson Wentz.
To say it’s a shocking pick would be a pretty big understatement. Wentz has been injury-prone during his time in the pros, and it’s possible the Eagles just wanted a reliable backup the next time Wentz has to miss games. Regardless of their reasoning, this is going to cause some waves in Philly. Hurts had a very unique and decorated college career, leading Alabama to a national championship before transferring and becoming a Heisman finalist at Oklahoma.
Originally not regarded as an elite pro prospect, Hurts became a late riser after putting up gaudy numbers under Lincoln Riley with the Sooners. After Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, he’s now the third straight Oklahoma passer to be drafted early. Wentz tore an ACL and LCL in 2017, then missed significant time with a back issue in 2018.
He started all 16 regular season games last year, but was knocked out of the Eagles’ playoff loss to Seattle early on. Hurts showed well at the combine, and did enough to thrust himself firmly into Day 2. Last week we heard the Packers and Chargers were interested, both teams that ended up drafting signal-callers in the first-round.
Hurts averaged a ridiculous 11.3 yards per attempt last year, tossing 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. A dynamic threat with his legs as well, he also added 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. It’s anyone’s guess as to what Howie Roseman had in mind with this pick, but it’ll be very interesting to see how it all plays out. Wentz is under contract through 2024 after signing a four-year, $128MM extension last offseason.
Draft Rumors: Hurts, Giants, Jags, Tua
With the draft in less than 24 hours, several names have started to surface as potential first-round upsets. It would not surprise some around the league to see TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor and Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet end up as first-round picks, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes. The Eagles have surfaced as a Reagor candidate; the TCU product clocked two sub-4.3-second 40-yard dashes recently. The tight end class is not viewed to be nearly as strong, but an AFC coach said Kmet’s landing spot will likely be in the back end of the first round or start of the second.
Notre Dame pass rusher Julian Okwara and Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette profile as players who could sneak into Round 1, per Pelissero. One exec compared Romeo Okwara‘s younger brother to an Anthony Barr type who could rush passers and drop into coverage. Julian Okwara registered 12 sacks over the past two seasons. Arnette would join Jeffrey Okudah as a first-rounder in this instance and follow a host of recent Buckeye corners by being a Thursday-night draftee. Arnette started 38 games in his Ohio State career.
Here is the latest from the draft world:
- While Jalen Hurts is not expected to creep into the first round, Pelissero notes some NFL personnel believe he will go higher than most predict (Twitter link). So will Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Pelissero adds. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Hurts going off the board at No. 49 overall to the Steelers; Scouts Inc. grades the dual-threat quarterback as its No. 94 overall prospect. The Packers, Chargers and Raiders are among the teams believed to be interested. Winfield (29th per Scouts Inc.) is a second-generation NFLer, the son of former Vikings Pro Bowl corner Antoine Winfield. The younger Winfield intercepted seven passes last year and is also seen as a player who, like his father, could move into the slot.
- Ex-Hurts teammate Tua Tagovailoa is “very well-regarded” in New England, per Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston. However, Curran also believes the scenario NBC Sports’ Peter King suggested of the Patriots moving up to No. 13 (the 49ers’ slot) to draft a falling Tagovailoa doesn’t make much sense for the team, due to the Pats’ various other needs. Tagovailoa may now be back in play for the Dolphins at No. 5 anyway.
- Buzz has surfaced about the Giants having a trade partner. While it is not certain the Jaguars are that team, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets several GMs have pointed to the Giants moving down from No. 4 and the Jags climbing up from No. 8. The Giants are believed to be serious about wanting to move down. Although the Jaguars are believed to be planning to give Gardner Minshew a legitimate opportunity, JLC speculates a move up would be for a quarterback.
- This draft could well see five tackles taken in the first round. With Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt listing Ezra Cleveland as a player who will go higher than expected, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds that the Boise State tackle is a “mortal lock” to be chosen in Round 1 (Twitter link). The Browns were believed to be eyeing Cleveland, which would be a fun fit. If they pass on a tackle at No. 10, the Browns may need to consider making an early move back into Round 1 for the rising player.
Packers, Chargers Interested In Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts
The Packers and Chargers have been “in touch with and monitoring” Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Both teams have veteran QBs in place, but they could be eyeing Hurts as a developmental option further down the board.
So far, most projections have Hurts going in the second or third round. The Cowboys and Raiders have also been connected to the dual-threat passer in recent weeks.
Obviously, the Packers are set under center with Aaron Rodgers, who has four years to go on his contract. Rodgers, 36, has also indicated that he would like to play into his 40s. Still, Rodgers did not look like his usual self last year. The two-time MVP completed just 62% of his throws and this upcoming season could be an indicator of how much he has left in the tank. Behind Rodgers, the Packers are lacking in proven options. There’s Tim Boyle, who doesn’t have much of a track record beyond his solid 2019 preseason. There’s also fellow UDFA Manny Wilkins, the Arizona State product who spent all of last year on the taxi squad.
The Chargers say they’re comfortable with Tyrod Taylor, but they haven’t dismissed the possibility of exploring Cam Newton or other veteran QBs. Assuming they stick with Taylor and his extremely reasonable contract, they could pair him with a prospect like Hurts to hedge their bets for 2021 and beyond.
Hurts, the 2019 Heisman runner-up, threw for 3,851 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions at OU. Before that, he spent two years as Alabama’s starter, and one year as a backup to Tua Tagovailoa.
NFC Notes: Slay, Hurts, Cowboys, Bears
The Eagles were eyeing Darius Slay for a long time. In March, they finally got him for the cost of a third-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and a brand new three-year, $50MM deal. We heard all the way back in January that upgrading the secondary was a priority for Philly, and it looks like they could change their style of play a bit on defense. The Eagles traditionally play strictly zone under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, without a number one corner shadowing the opponent’s top receiver. Slay apparently wants to change that. “I love the challenge,” Slay said of shadowing during his introductory press call, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
“I kind of ask for it a lot because the fact that I want the game on me, and I want to help win the game, and if the best route to go about it is me traveling with a guy, then I’ll do it,” he continued. “I’ve been doing it the past four or five years,” the former Lion explained, “and I’ve been very, very successful at it. If they need me to continue to do it, that’s what I’ll continue to do.” Most observers seemed to agree that the Mississippi State product’s play dropped off a little bit last season as he dealt with injury, but the Eagles’ new top corner rejected that assertion. “I had a great year, in my opinion,” Slay said of 2019. “I think I played freaking fantastic. … It was dang sure good enough to make a Pro Bowl third season in a row.”
Here’s more from the NFC:
- The Cowboys are still waiting to close an extension with starting quarterback Dak Prescott, and while those negotiations continue they’re apparently taking a look at some of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. Dallas owner Jerry Jones conducted a video interview with Oklahoma passer Jalen Hurts, via a post on the team’s Instagram page. The Cowboys’ post offers a cool behind the scenes look at what the pre-draft process is looking like for teams in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hurts is expected by many analysts to go off the board sometime in the second or third-round, which would be pretty early for the Cowboys to be taking a backup. If they do end up picking Hurts and still don’t have a deal done with Prescott, that would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows.
- Yesterday we passed along word that the Bears were planning on using free agent acquisition Germain Ifedi at guard, and now we have the details on his contract. Ifedi got a $137.5K signing bonus and a $910K base salary on his one-year deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. We figured Ifedi didn’t get too much, but this is still pretty cheap for a 25-year-old with versatility who has started 60 games the past four seasons. A first-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2016, Ifedi became a full-time starter but always underwhelmed and never lived up to his draft status. He played both tackle and guard extensively for Seattle.
- In case you missed it, the Seahawks may only be willing to pay between $13-15MM for Jadeveon Clowney.
Raiders Eyeing Early-Round QBs?
With the NFL banning pre-draft visits for the remainder of the 2020 cycle, the market for this year’s top quarterback prospects will be murkier than usual. As this new reality begins, though, some Raiders news on this topic has emerged.
The Raiders hold two first-round picks — at Nos. 12 and 19 — and growing buzz has surfaced regarding the team using the second of these picks on a quarterback, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
Should Jordan Love fall to No. 19, the Utah State prospect staying in that region and trekking to Las Vegas could be in play, per Tafur. The Dolphins got in a last-minute visit with Love before the NFL nixed such meetings Friday, so teams’ Love interest may be more difficult to pin down. He’s been linked to both teams in the top 10 and mentioned as a candidate to fall in the first round. Love will be one of this year’s most intriguing prospects.
The Raiders are “very high on” Oklahoma dual-threat passer Jalen Hurts, Tafur notes. It would almost certainly not require the No. 19 overall pick to nab the ex-Alabama starter, but a trade-back plan for Hurts could be in play come Day 2 of the draft.
It seems the Raiders have backed off in the Tom Brady pursuit, being since linked to a Derek Carr–Marcus Mariota position battle. An early quarterback pick would be an interesting decision if the Raiders land Mariota in free agency, but this team has been frequently mentioned in quarterback rumors for most of Jon Gruden‘s two years back at the helm.
After two years of Carr going unchallenged, and with the Raiders not using any draft capital to bolster the position, it appears the team will make a move to add to its QB depth chart in the coming months.
Extra Points: Harrison, Hurts, Dunn, Texans
Damon Harrison got cut by the Lions, but he’s not quite ready to call it a career. ‘Snacks’, as he’s affectionately known, had publicly contemplated retirement back in December. He won’t be returning to Detroit but Harrison doesn’t want to hang up his cleats and wants to continue playing, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Back in December Harrison revealed that injuries were taking their toll on him. “I got too much pride, man. I’ve been doing this too long. So if I can’t be the player that I’m used to being, I think my teammates deserve better, my family deserves better … I never cheated the game a day of my life, man,” an emotional Harrison said as he reportedly fought back tears.
“My mind’s still telling me I can do it,” he said, “but my body’s just not good.” Harrison is apparently feeling better now, and is ready to test the open market. His play fell off last year as he dealt with health issues, but just a couple years ago the defensive tackle was one of the best run stuffers in the league. 31 now, Harrison was a first-team All-Pro in 2016 with the Giants. He released a statement on Twitter thanking the Lions, and calling the split a mutual parting of ways. He won’t get a huge contract, but he’ll draw some interest in free agency.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Seemingly every year now there’s a minor controversy about a dual-threat quarterback being asked to work out at another position at the combine, and Oklahoma passer Jalen Hurts put that talk to rest early. The former Alabama quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist won’t work out for teams at any position other than quarterback, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. A threat with his legs as well as his arm, Hurts has been working out in Atlanta in preparation for the combine. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller had him as a late third-round pick in his recent mock draft.
- Brandon Dunn got an extension from the Texans earlier this week, and now we have the details. It’s a three-year, $12MM deal with $4MM guaranteed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). He got a $1.5MM signing bonus and a guaranteed $2.5MM salary for 2020, with the next two years of the deal being non-guaranteed. A former UDFA from Louisville who struggled for playing time his first couple of years in the league, the defensive tackle has now started at least six games for the Texans in each of the past three seasons.
- In case you missed it, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy turned down a chance to become Colorado’s new head coach.
Latest On Top QB Prospects
A long list of teams have question marks at the quarterback position heading into the offseason. Well, one executive believes many of the organizations will solve their predicament via the draft. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller talked to a personnel executive who believes five quarterbacks will be selected in the top-15 of this year’s draft.
This might not sound all that shocking; among the teams with top-15 picks, only five of those organizations have used first-round capital at the position in the past two drafts. You could easily talk yourself into one of the other 10 teams selecting a quarterback, and a team outside the top-15 could easily trade up. However, it is notable that the executive was willing to speak so definitively.
As Miller explains, there’s a pretty clear pecking order atop the quarterback draft board: Joe Burrow (LSU), Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), some combo of Jordan Love (Utah State) and Justin Herbert (Oregon), Jacob Eason (Washington), and Jake Fromm (Georgia). Miller notes that the Chargers, who are selecting sixth-overall, are particularly interested in Love.
Miller himself believes six quarterbacks will be selected in the top-50, and he notes that part of the urgency to select a signal-caller could be attributed to the falloff after the top-six options. The next-best prospect, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, struggled during Senior Bowl practice this week, and Hawaii’s Cole McDonald projects as more of a fifth- or sixth-rounder.