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Let's get to the links...
Would Earl Thomas have succeeded if the Eagles drafted him, and other Super Bowl notes - JimmyK, Philly.com
Drafting well isn't just about getting the best players. It's also about putting those players in the best position to succeed. Four years into his NFL career, Earl Thomas has unquestionably been the better player, but Brandon Graham has not had the luxury of good health and an ideal fit. Somewhere there's a parallel Universe where the Eagles took Earl Thomas, who was set up for failure in the Wide 9 by having to play deep half while also having "B-gap" responsibility, while Brandon Graham is coming off his 3rd double-digit sack season. And in that parallel Universe, Eagles fans are saying "We should have drafted Brandon Graham."
Some ILB Talk - Tommy Lawlor, Iggles Blitz
Christian Jones – 6-3, 232 – Florida State – If the Eagles want a versatile player, Jones could be of serious interest. Played ILB, OLB and DE for the Noles. Jack of all trades, master of none. The Eagles could use him creatively. Has a good frame and could bulk up to as much as 245 if the team preferred him bigger. His frame and long arms could help him to cover TEs over the middle. Neither Ryans nor Kendricks is ideal vs TEs right now.
A model for Eagles coach and GM: The Seahawks - Jeff McLane, Inquirer
If the Eagles used the Seahawks' head coach-general manager power structure as a basis for the partnership between Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman, they couldn't have done any better. In four years, Pete Carroll and John Schneider have turned the Seahawks from a team that had lost 23 games in two seasons to this Sunday's NFC representative in Super Bowl XLVIII. They did it by hitting on draft picks in the early and latter rounds; by pulling off lopsided trades; and, perhaps most important, by forging a partnership that has them in lockstep even when there is disagreement.
Eagles Wake-Up Call: A Splash In Free Agency? - Sheil Kapadia, Birds 24/7
Asked if he’s going to stay away from big-name free agents, Roseman said: "I think that it’s going to be dependent on the player. You don’t want to make any exclusions, but I think what worked last year was the ability, just like in the draft when you have more picks in the draft, is that the more chances you have to hit on guys, the better your percentages become. "…If you only sign two guys in free agency and you put a lot of resources in them, and for one reason or another a guy doesn’t work out, you’re hamstrung. But if you go after a bunch of guys that you think may fit and a couple don’t work out as much as you want every one of them to work out, you feel like, you know what, as long as I have a good batting average on these guys, I’m improving the quality of our football team. And that helps. And you can use your money in different places. And then you’re also not in a position where if a couple of guys don’t work out, you’re hamstrung in future years and you can’t go back into the markets."
Counting Down the Eagles’ Needs: No. 8, Quarterback - Andrew Kulp, The700Level
Is Foles the long-term answer under center for the Eagles? Probably. Under league rules, drafted players cannot sign a contract extension until they’ve completed three seasons in the NFL, essentially giving the organization another year to evaluate exactly what it has in the 24-year-old. That means the Birds could still decide not to go down this road with Foles at a later date. But even if he takes a step back next season—which some regression to the mean is likely—Foles has already demonstrated he’s a starting quarterback at this level. Teams aren’t in the habit of replacing young, prolific passers with unknowns.
What a long, strange trip it's been for Nick Foles - John Gonzalez, CSN Philly
All the jokes about the Pro Bowl have already been made, but what Foles managed this year wasn’t a gag. It wasn’t something to dismiss. Each time you had that inclination, to doubt the lanky 25-year-old, he threw for more yards and more touchdowns and won more games, and you were left thinking he was better than you thought after all.
Some Young Eagles On Way Up - Dave Spadaro, PE.com
Who is next in line? Who is the next Eagle to take that quantum leap from year one to year two, or from year two to season three, and become a standout player? The list of candidates is promising ...
Super Bowl XLVIII: Secrets of the Seahawks secondary - Danny Kelly, SBN NFL
You probably know them as the Legion of Boom, but there's more to Seattle's historic pass defense than nicknames. Danny Kelly heads to the film room to take a look at how Pete Carroll turns simple concepts into spectacular play.
Michael Strahan: Warren Sapp’s a coward | ProFootballTalk
Warren Sapp revived his long-simmering feud with Michael Strahan on Tuesday, saying once again that he didn’t believe Strahan was worthy of election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sapp, who said Simeon Rice was more deserving of the honor last year, and Strahan have had their issues since Sapp criticized Strahan’s single-season sack record because Brett Favre eased himself to the turf like an old man into a nice, warm bath. On Tuesday, Sapp said Strahan "comes up short" of his standard for the Hall.
