Eagles News: Philadelphia earns best NFL Draft grades in the NFC East

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NFC East draft grades: Eagles round out offseason with defense - NFL.com
After devoting their free-agent resources to offense, the Eagles committed their draft capital to defense. Barnett gives the Eagles one of the best pass rushers in the draft. He is a "Call of Duty" player -- that is to say, he has exceptional hand-to-hand combat skills -- with the potential to be a double-digit sack producer as a rookie. Jones isn't expected to make a major contribution as a rookie, due to his lengthy recovery from a torn Achilles tendon suffered at his pro day in March. If he fully recovers, he gives the Eagles a Pro Bowl-caliber corner on the island. Hollins is a slick vertical pass catcher with A-plus skills as a special teams demon. He could blossom into an impact player in that underrated phase of the game. GRADE: A-

How Eagles fans graded Philadelphia’s draft picks - BGN
High marks for the Eagles.

BGNR on SportsRadio 94WIP: Day 3 of the NFL Draft - BGNRadio.com
Ben Natan makes his radio debut (with John Barchard and James Seltzer) as the BGN Radio crew breaks down the Day 3 picks LIVE from the NFL Draft. Plus, Pat Gallen and Sales Guy John hop on the show to discuss the draft experience and much more.

A doctor's opinion of Sidney Jones' likelihood of playing in 2017 and returning to 100 percent - PhillyVoice
"The question would be, will he be 100 percent, and I guess the answer to that is, he could be," Dr. Miller explained. "He’s got all the time in the world to rehab and focus on it, and get his leg strong, and like Roseman said, he is young. With a 45-year old, they never get back absolutely perfect. They always have a little bit of atrophy, but they do really well. The best chance to get back to sports is to operate on it, and that’s the treatment that he got, so it gives him the best opportunity. There’s a good chance that he’ll do very well. Whether that will be as good as if he never hurt it is another question."

Will Eagles draft pick Sidney Jones fully recover from his Achilles tendon injury? - Philly.com
However, returning to sports following Achilles tendon rupture can be difficult. A 2009 study by Parekh et al showed that 30 percent of NFL players did not return to play following this injury. A more recent article from 2016 in the American Journal of Sports Medicine reported on 80 Achilles tendon ruptures from March 2003 to 2013. They found a return to play rate of 72.5 percent with a return to play time frame of one year +/- four months. The study showed a significantly higher proportion of defensive lineman who sustained the injury. Their results showed a 9.3 percent decrease in return to play with each increasing year of age and 6.3 percent decrease with each increasing year of experience.

Sorry, Browns: Eagles still winning the Carson Wentz trade - ESPN
Impressive in terms of volume, but to be determined what this group will amount to. Peppers and Kizer will be key to how this group, and this trade, is viewed. The Eagles, of course, got Wentz, who has impressed enough during his one year at the facility to convince management that it has a franchise quarterback on its hands. And they turned that Cleveland fourth-rounder into Donnel Pumphrey, the most prolific running back in FBS history, after trading up in a deal with the Minnesota Vikings.

Updated Look at RB - Iggles Blitz
Not overpaying for a RB also felt very much like a Ravens move. Ozzie Newsome never panics. He lets the board come to him. He knows there will be weak spots on his team, but is willing to take a chance on the guys already on his roster. He also knows there will be moves to be made in July, August and September. No one is going to see a lineup of Wendell Smallwood, Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey and Corey Clement/Terrell Watson and think the Eagles are done. They would love to upgrade. That could mean a trade for Mark Ingram. That could mean signing a veteran like Rashad Jennings. The Eagles could also sit tight and see how the young guys play this spring and summer.

Three Days On The Parkway - PE.com
Growing up in Northeast Philadelphia, I felt like I’ve spent a good portion of my life sticking up for my hometown. I went to college in New York and whenever my Philly roots came up so did my need to defend the city. I always had to make the case that Philly wasn’t just a “little brother” to other, bigger cities. But this weekend made all that defensiveness fade away. As 250,000 people filled the Ben Franklin Parkway and millions more watched from home, Philadelphia – my city – shined so very brightly. As the host of the 2017 NFL Draft it was on a large stage and took advantage of every star-struck moment.

Has Howie Roseman really addressed the Eagles' biggest needs? - NJ.com
Do they return an improved team? In some ways they do. They are stronger along the defensive line and at receiver. Overall, however, the issues laid out above have in a large part not been solved -- a problem that, if this team struggles next season, will fall directly on the shoulders of executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman.

Eagles 2017 draft picks all have one thing in common - CSN Philly
There was a trend with the Eagles' choices in the 2017 NFL draft, from the first pick down to the last. There were no workout warriors taken solely on the basis of insane measurables, no "raw" athletes still learning to play their position or the game of football. Every single selection had the same thing in common. They produced in college, frequently at a historic level, or least among the leaders in the nation.

Eagles may have to add another running back - Morning Call
Add to this the following statement from Pederson: "You know as well as I do, when [Ryan Mathews] is right, he's right. He's a big, powerful back and I loved watching him run last year, obviously. But with the second year of Wendell now coming, it's going to be a big year for him, getting back out there feeling comfortable with the system and just continuing to develop his role. You mix Darren in there ... and there was a couple of games where we increased his load last year, and I think he's capable of doing that. And now with Donnel, adding another Darren Sproles-type back, he's got another skill set that we can utilize. So I don't want to say running back by committee, but at the same time, I feel like we've got enough to get the job done, especially with our offensive line and our tight ends too."

Will Corey Clement make an impact with the Philadelphia Eagles? - Bucky’s 5th Quarter
Bleeding Green Nation’s Brandon Lee Growton previewed what’s to come for the Wisconsin product and New Jersey native with the historic NFC East organization.

Can this man earn an NFL linebacker’s friendship with breakfast tacos? - SB Nation
At this point in my life, I go through most days without making a new friend. Sure, an acquaintance or associate here and there, but fewer opportunities to connect with individuals in meaningful, emotional ways. So when I was presented with the chance to build a special friendship with Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks, I jumped in my car and set forth on a journey neither of us will soon forget.

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