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Eagles News: ESPN suggests Chiefs could cut Jeremy Maclin

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/21/17.

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Kansas City Chiefs v Indianapolis Colts Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

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Five moves each AFC West team should make this offseason - ESPN
The big question, as I wrote about last month, is whether the Chiefs decide to cut Jeremy Maclin. Maclin looked ordinary last year as the offense shifted toward Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, and while he's still a useful player as he turns 29, GM John Dorsey could free up $10 million on this year's cap by designating Maclin as a post-June 1 release.

Previewing the Eagles' offseason: Defensive ends - Inquirer
All seven of the Eagles’ defensive ends remain under contract for 2017, but that doesn’t mean each will return. With apologies to Bryan Braman, who is unlikely to be back, Connor Barwin would be most significant departure of the ends who could leave. The Eagles, of course, have yet to make a move, but it’s difficult to see him coming back for a few reasons. For one, Barwin’s cap number is $8.35 million, and based on his production last season, his age (30) and his incompatibility with Jim Schwartz’s scheme, that’s too much cash. The Eagles could release him and trim $7.75 million off the salary cap. Barwin said last month that he would be open to restructuring his deal (read: take a pay cut), but I’m not sure the Eagles could match what he would likely get on the open market. He might not have been an ideal match for the wide-nine, especially since Schwartz had him rush opposite left tackles all season, but Barwin has a versatile skill set that should make him attractive to some teams with 3-4 defenses.

Why the Eagles should ignore big names and buy low at wide receiver - CSN Philly
Looking ahead to the draft, this receiver class is extremely deep. There may not be the elite talent of the 2014 receiver class, but there are plenty of intriguing players to explore. In the first round, Clemson's Mike Williams or Western Michigan's Corey Davis could be available to the Eagles. Oklahoma's Dede Westbrook or Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp could be there in the second. Even in the middle rounds, guys like Louisiana Tech's Carlos Henderson, Western Kentucky's Taywan Taylor and ECU's Zay Jones could be impactful.

Combine Preview: Running Back - PE.com
Stopwatch Shockers: Kareem Hunt (Toledo) - Believed by many analysts to be more of a 4.50-speed rusher, Hunt reportedly has been running closer to 4.40 in the 40-yard dash during pre-Combine workouts (courtesy of our friend Tony Pauline from DraftAnalyst.com). Hunt was also listed in the 230-pound range last fall for the Rockets, but showed up at 208 in January at the Senior Bowl. Can the competitive runner maintain his physical style at the lighter weight? That remains to be seen, but a good 40-yard dash time and, more importantly, an impressive 10-yard split would be a good look for the senior ball carrier. I’d say my "honorable mention" pick for this category would be Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine. His numbers won’t look all that impressive when stacked up side by side with others in this class, but when you factor in that he’s 235 pounds, the numbers will be a bit eye-opening.

Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox finds his escape in drag racing - Fox Sports
“It is really my escape,” admitted Fletcher. “I love the game of football. Honestly. That’s what I live for, that’s what I do. But besides the getaway part with football, I mean it gives you that peace of mind to actually to come drag race and give you time off not to think about football. I could be here and not think about football, and that’s just the way the offseason goes for me. Normally it’s hunting, fishing, and drag racing. Working out, of course, training and getting ready to go for the next season. But this getaway right now is what I look forward to every year.”

Eagles will sit in good draft spot, regardless of coin flip - Morning Call
Going by the quality seen over the last half decade, the Philadelphia Eagles have a reasonably good chance of landing an impact player in the first round of this year's NFL Draft.

NFL Network analysts: How teams won us over in free agency - NFL.com
NFL teams will continue to modify their rosters during the free agency period, which opens at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 9. With hundreds of free agents in the mix, how do organizations win players over? NFL Network analysts discuss their experiences in free agency and share how they were ultimately persuaded to sign.

5 free agents about to get overpaid - PFF
1. Stephon Gilmore, CB, Buffalo Bills - This is not a very strong cornerback group at the top end. You can find capable starters, but if your team needs a true No. 1 cornerback, the cupboard is significantly barer. The only player that realistically fits that billing is Stephon Gilmore, but he is coming off a season that would make you seriously question whether he can be that guy. Gilmore allowed 60.3 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught this past season for 15.6 yards per catch, and while he has often been seen as a shutdown corner for the Bills, he has allowed 16 touchdowns over his career, and 12 over the past three seasons. The lack of other true No. 1 options will likely still see Gilmore’s value pushed up because of the ceiling he has shown at times.

On T.O. Hall of Fame opposition, the goalposts are moving - PFT
In a close case, drops would be highly relevant. Locker-room misbehavior would be relevant, too. In situations where the performance clearly justifies enshrinement, these paper-thin barriers become even more flimsy when they emerge as a reaction to the intense criticism arising from the omission. When Hall of Fame quarterback and Hall of Fame voter Dan Fouts went public with his opposition to Owens, Fouts said nothing about drops. Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, the first voter to reduce his opposition to writing, said not one word about drops. Drops first fell into the discussion after the rejection of the “horrible teammate” and “teams couldn’t wait to get rid of him” narratives began to crumble. The drops-based argument should quickly crumble, too.

Tony Romo and the Quarterback Dominoes - The MMQB
I am stunned that Washington GM Scot McCloughan could pay Cousins the whopper franchise number of $24 million a year, particularly when there’s a sense the franchise likes him a lot but isn’t sold on him. But what’s the alternative? If Washington doesn’t franchise him, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan steals him. The Niners still could still get Cousins after being franchised—and after the draft—by signing him and hoping Washington doesn’t match but rather takes the 49ers’ first-round picks in 2018 and 2019. (If not franchised and signed before the draft, Cousins would fetch a team’s 2017 and 2018 first-rounders, trouble because San Francisco owns the second overall pick in April.) Washington blanches at the thought of paying Cousins $44 million over 2016 and 2017, but it’s more likely than not to happen. The alternative, losing Cousins and not having a remotely sure thing in the wings, is worse.

Tony Romo likely won't play for the Cowboys in 2017. What's his next stop? - SB Nation
The longtime Cowboys starter looks like he’s headed out the door in Dallas. Here’s a look at why and where he might be going next.

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