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Let's get to the links...
That mock draft you read today was insanely inaccurate - JimmyK, Philly.com
With the Super Bowl over and the NFL offseason beginning, the Internet is going to be overrun with mock drafts from now until the NFL draft in May. Unfortunately, this early in the offseason, they are not only inaccurate, they're not even close. For this exercise, I chose 5 experts from 4 media outlets: ESPN, CBS, FOX, and Sports Illustrated. I then found mock drafts done by those experts at a time somewhere in between last year's Super Bowl and the NFL Combine. ESPN, CBS, and FOX all carry NFL games on their networks, and SI has been around forever, so they seemed like logical choices. The experts for each media outlet who did mock drafts in the above time-frame were as follows.
Former 1st Rounders - Tommy Lawlor, Iggles Blitz
A couple of strong draft classes in a row have helped the Eagles build a strong core. This might be the offseason to bring in a talented project. I’m not going to list every potential candidate, but think about someone like Hakeem Nicks. He looked very good in the past, but was a huge disappointment this past season. I’d rather bring back Maclin and Cooper, but if they leave, the Eagles will have to consider signing a veteran receiver. Hicks could be a real interesting target. If he gets back to top form, he’s a tough, physical receiver who could thrive in Chip Kelly’s system. But…can he stay healthy? Can he stay focused?
To become super, Eagles need to continue building an elite offense - Rich Hofmann, Daily News
The worst mistake an NFL team can make is to try to be pretty good at everything. That never works. It felt as if the Eagles tried to do that at times during Andy Reid's tenure, and it just isn't the way to go. Resources in the sport are limited by the salary cap, and spreading them out evenly only raises a team so far. Better to tilt heavily in one direction or the other - but not so far as to leave the other side bankrupt. In the NFL in this period, that calculus decides everything.
Offseason Outlook: Inside Linebackers - Birds 24/7
We know the coaches love Ryans, and so do his teammates. The 29-year-old sets the tone in the locker room, gets everyone lined up correctly before the snap and is an effective player against the run. We also know that Ryans is due $6.8M for the upcoming season. The problem is he’s not great against the pass – either in coverage or as a blitzer. And he was on the field for more snaps than any front-seven player in the league last year. The guess here is that the Eagles will look to restructure Ryans’ deal and keep him around. What we don’t know right now is how the Howie Roseman/Chip Kelly regime feels about making sure the guys who are locker-room leaders stay happy. Clearly, they’ve tried to separate themselves from the Joe Banner mentality as much as possible.
Roseman: 'Complicated' dilemma at wide receiver - Geoff Mosher, CSN Philly
On the surface, the decision seems simple. The Eagles drafted and developed receivers Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. They watched Maclin, the 18th pick in 2009, blossom into a consistent receiver with a double-digit touchdown season and two near 1,000-yard years before tearing his ACL last camp. They watched Cooper, a 2010 fifth-round pick, step into Maclin’s role and break out for 835 yards and eight touchdowns. In an ideal world, general manager Howie Roseman would prefer that both receivers come back in 2014 to pair with Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson and veteran Jason Avant. The NFL isn’t an ideal world.
Where Does Offense Go Next? - Dave Spadaro, PE.com
There were franchise records for most points scored and yards gained in a single season. Quarterback Nick Foles and running back LeSean McCoy had NFL-best years. Don't you think, though, that Chip Kelly wants more in 2014?
Five reasons why Philadelphia should host a Super Bowl - ESP, NJ.com
Goodell and the Super Bowl committee might want to talk to Jay-Z when deciding if Philadelphia can host a big event. A New York native, Jay-Z picked Philadelphia to host his annual "Made in America" festival, which draws tens of thousands of fans. Two years in, the event has gone off without a problem. In addition to "Made in America," Philadelphia has been the host to many big events, including the Live Eight concert years ago, the NBA All-Star game, and the biggest Fourth of July party/concert in the country. Sure, the Super Bowl is a monster like non-other, but Philadelphia has a proven track record of hosting huge events.
