Eagles News: ESPN names Philadelphia’s best offseason addition

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Best offseason acquisition for all 32 NFL teams - ESPN
Per ESPN Stats & Information, Eagles receivers dropped a league-high 5.8 percent of their targets and finished second-to-last in receiving yards (1,849). Jeffery, when healthy, gives QB Carson Wentz a legitimate No. 1 wideout. "He's exciting to watch," head coach Doug Pederson said. "He's a big target, obviously, and we've just got to get him and Carson continuing to stay on the same page as we go throughout the whole offseason." -- Tim McManus

11 early thoughts about the Eagles - BGN
Alshon Jeffery, as has been widely reported, is exactly what the Eagles need in the passing game. Huge target. Goes up and gets the football. Has great hands. Uses his body well. Should be a tremendous threat in the red zone. He and quarterback Carson Wentz have established a very strong early chemistry. Jeffery is healthy, he’s motivated and he is clearly the go-to target in this passing game.

Thoughts on how Carson Wentz has looked at Eagles practice - BGNRadio.com
It’s only OTA's, but Carson Wentz has been up and down in practice. Not as sharp as you’d like him to be, still missing receivers by throwing his passes too high and sailing them. What’s your level of concern? Jim Schwartz had an interesting quote that might explain why Wentz doesn't look so perfect.

Every NFL Team's Smartest Move so Far This Offseason - B/R
Jeffery was signed by the Eagles because his specialty is skying high and securing balls placed in tough areas. He established himself in the NFL with high-flying acrobatics and has recorded two seasons with 1,100-plus receiving yards. He'll now lead the support system for a young quarterback after Jordan Matthews was unreliable in 2016 and finished with a drop rate of 8.75, per PFF.

Mailbag: Eagles 2018 free agents: An early stay or go? - PhillyVoice
Nigel Bradham: This is an interesting one. Whether the league disciplines Bradham will all depend on the outcomes of his pending court cases, obviously. Last year, Bradham was an effective linebacker, so the Eagles would probably like to keep him, and I think they will on a modest deal.

Schwartz Talks - Iggles Blitz
Schwartz offered some good thoughts on Vinny Curry, who disappointed in 2016. Schwartz opened by talking about the fact Curry was more disruptive than people realize and praised his DE for getting pressure. He didn’t leave it at that. Schwartz talked about how this year they need Curry to do a better job of finishing plays. Getting near the QB or getting a hand on him isn’t the same as sacking him. There needs to be more sacks.

So what happens to Vinny Curry now? - Daily News
Curry will count $9million against the Eagles' salary cap this season, up from $3million a year ago. It's the fifth-highest cap number on the team, behind only left tackle Jason Peters ($11.7million), right tackle Lane Johnson ($9.8million), wide receiver Alshon Jeffery ($9.5million) and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox ($9.4milion). While Curry's $7million base salary for 2017 is guaranteed, his playing time isn't. The Eagles wisely beefed up the defensive-end position this offseason, signing 32-year-old veteran Chris Long and selecting Derek Barnett in the first round of the draft.

Healthy Now, Aaron Grymes Makes His Case - PE.com
All of these months later, Grymes is well aware of reality of the league: It's a business. His strong play in the spring and through the preseason put Grymes in position to situate himself right on the "bubble" of the 2016 roster, but a spectacular diving interception in the end zone ended with a painful landing, and a ticket off the roster. Grymes made the play with the interception in the team's second preseason game against the Steelers, but he suffered a sprained AC joint in the process and was waived/injured a couple of days later. "It was so hard to accept, because I was playing well and really thought I had a chance to make the team," Grymes said. "But that's how it goes in this game. You can't take anything for granted. I just had to work hard to make my way back.

Adding Winners Like Blount And Long Will Pay Dividends For Eagles - CBS Philly
Blount not only brings 18 touchdowns and 1,161 yards rushing from last season, he also brings a mentality that hopefully will be infectious among his new teammates. Same with Long, who for the first eight years of his career was mired in a mind-numbing, losing situation with the then-St. Louis Rams. One step into Bill Belichick land is enough to transform anyone into a winner. Now, depending on how comfortable Blount and Long feel about speaking up, they can have a big impact on what is a fairly young Eagles team.

With 3rd team in 4 years, Torrey Smith hopes to find stability with Eagles - CSN Philly
“It’s tough," he said. "It’s not the most ideal thing in the world, but now for me, it’s just about making that stability happen. I think there’s stability here within the organization from the top down, and that helps, there’s stability in that quarterback room, which is huge as well, and it’s up to me to be as consistent as I can be to add to that stability. Very happy to be here. Thankful they gave me a shot here and everything I’ve been involved with so far has made me feel great about my decision."

2016 Receiving Plus-Minus - Football Outsiders
However, that conservative type of passing game still led to the best receiving plus-minus of 2016, courtesy of Zach Ertz in Philadelphia. Carson Wentz may have struggled with his suboptimal cast of wideouts, but Ertz was at his best last year in his fourth season. Teammate Trey Burton was one of the least effective tight ends of 2016. A year ago, Brent Celek was at a ridiculous +20.2% in C%+, but the veteran only had 18 aimed targets in 2016.

Biggest remaining weak spot of each NFC team - NFL.com
Philadelphia Eagles: Is going cheap at cornerback the new moneyball? Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will have earned his money if this group performs adequately. The team essentially only returns Jalen Mills and Ron Brooks as key pieces and will need journeyman Patrick Robinson and rookie third-round pick Rasul Douglas to play quality snaps, or the whole secondary could fall apart.

You shouldn't care if NFL players miss OTAs, even if they are important - SB Nation
With only nine weeks of offseason work, every rep counts. However, as retired NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz explains, it’s okay when a player misses that time, too.

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