Eagles News: “There’s a sense” that Brandon Graham contract extension talks have picked up

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Time is right for Eagles, Brandon Graham to strike a deal - ESPN
Now that the first wave of free agency is in the rearview mirror and the NFL draft is still a couple of weeks away, we’re entering what should be considered a sweet spot for negotiations between the Philadelphia Eagles and Brandon Graham, their standout defensive end. Graham, whose strip sack against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots secured the Eagles’ first Super Bowl title in February, is entering the final year of his contract. There is mutual interest in working out an extension. Things had been moving at a glacial pace, though there’s a sense that talks have picked up of late. It now comes down to the willingness on both sides to bridge what’s left of the divide.

Where are you concerned the Eagles might drop off? - BGN
James and BLG discuss where they’re most concerned the Eagles might suffer a drop off next season. The guys discuss the biggest positions of need, potential targets in the draft, who scares them the most in the NFC, and much more. Plus former Eagles tackle Tra Thomas joins the guys in studio for the final portion of the show. And we answer your Twitter mailbag questions!

Mailbag: How many prime time games will the Eagles have in 2018? - PhillyVoice
To begin, Super Bowl winners tend to have something very obvious in common – A great quarterback (or at least one that got really hot in the playoffs), or an elite defense / pass rush. Beyond that, I think that looking at smaller roster-building philosophies and using recent Super Bowl winners as the blueprint isn’t a worthwhile endeavor. As the odd saying goes, there are a lot of ways to skin a cat. Ideally, you’d like to have a running back who can do everything – run inside, run outside, be a weapon in the passing game, and pass protect. Beyond the back just being really good, when you have a guy like that, it makes the offense capable of running anything in the playbook, and thus less predictable, though certainly, the Eagles managed to stay unpredictable despite the lack of such a back.

A Scout’s Draft - Iggles Blitz
Joe Douglas and his staff have need to do a great job this year. This all started last spring, when they started with a master list of prospects to check out. From the spring through winter, the scouts traveled the country, evaluating players and gathering information. Who was fast? Who was coachable? Which TEs could throw passes? Which QBs could catch them? The Senior Bowl, other all star games and Combine gave the scouts a chance to see the players as NFL prospects, outside of their college environment.

Eagles Share Lombardi Trophy with Fans - PE.com
This is not a normal Saturday morning at Lincoln Financial Field in early April. There are dozens of Eagles in line in the Red Zone Suites on the north end of the stadium, all decked out in Midnight Green. Patience. Smiles. Happiness. The fans waited 52 years for an Eagles Super Bowl, so standing for 15 minutes or so before posing with the Vince Lombardi Trophy is nothing but a treat ...

Wide receivers that would make sense for the Eagles in the NFL draft - NBC Sports Philadelphia
Antonio Callaway, Florida, 5-11, 197. He’s a really talented receiver who ran a 4.41 at the Combine, so why isn’t he going to be picked higher? Off-the-field red flags came up before he missed the entire 2017 season for a credit card fraud scandal. He definitely has NFL talent. Would a team like the Eagles feel like they could keep him on the straight and narrow?

2018 NFL Draft prospects with value as special teams returners - PFF
Greg Stroman was a ballhawk in coverage for the Hokies’ defense last season with 13 combined interceptions and passes broken up. He is also a lethal punt returner, with the vision to weave through traffic at full speed and anticipate his path forward. In 2017, Stroman had a 10.6-yard punt return average and two touchdowns to go along with his four career punt return touchdowns. He was only asked to return kicks 23 times in college but averaged 20.2 yards per return.

Panthers’ Torrey Smith says Eric Reid is ‘being locked down’ because of protests - CBS Sports
He is just the latest to suggest that Reid has been overlooked in a market that saw older or less accomplished safeties like Don Carey, Keith Tandy, Da’Norris Searcy, Reggie Nelson, Terrence Brooks and Cody Davis land contracts -- a market that’s also seen little interest in the New Orleans Saints’ Kenny Vaccaro, who, like Reid, protested social issues during pre-game national anthems. Even cornerback Richard Sherman spoke of Reid deserving a job during his introductory press conference with Reid’s old team, suggesting “legal action” could eventually be taken if the safety doesn’t sign somewhere.

Former Eagles coach Dale Haupt dies at 88 - Inquirer
Dale Haupt, the Eagles’ defensive line coach from 1986-94, died at 88, the team announced. Haupt had a 16-year coaching career in the NFL, spending eight years (1978-86) with the Chicago Bears. Haupt coached Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, and Reggie White while Buddy Ryan and Rich Kotite served as Eagles’ head coach. Haupt is survived by his son, Mac, his daughter Helen, and his sister, Carol, along with nine grandchildren.

Geoff Schwartz’s big bag o’ football mail: What does it mean when an offensive lineman has ‘violent hands’? - SB Nation
Well, a lineman’s punch is uber important, and depending on your natural leverage, it’s even more important. The term “violent hands” is often used when discussing pass protection, because it’s easier to notice a punch and it’s the main recourse to stop a pass rush. A proper punch isn’t generated from the chest, but rather from the back and core. A proper punch should jolt the defender and change his course. It’s noticeable when a lineman has “violent hands.” Here is the Jaguars Jeremy Parnell showing and using violent hands. That punch is noticeably different than most. Those are violent hands.

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