Eagles News: Philadelphia has one of the NFL’s best pass blocking offensive lines

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Ranking all 32 offensive lines by pass-blocking efficiency - PFF
The Eagles fielded one of the best offensive lines in the NFL a season ago. Their line play was a big reason their season culminated with a Super Bowl victory. All told, they allowed 154 quarterback pressures over 636 passing plays, which included just 96 hurries, the third-fewest surrendered by an offensive line. The unit was solidified by guard Brandon Brooks, who tied for seventh among guards during the regular season with a pass-blocking efficiency of 97.9. Brooks also saved one of his best games of the year for the Super Bowl, where he didn’t allow a single pressure. The return of left tackle Jason Peters should only bolster this unit in 2018, as they suffered a decline in pass protection after his injury, falling from fifth in PBE before his injury to eighth after his injury.

10 takeaways from the Eagles’ spring practices - BGN
Nate Sudfeld benefited as much as anyone taking increased reps in the spring. He will take a lot in the summer, too. With Carson Wentz making great strides from his knee injury but not all the way back, and with Nick Foles a known commodity, the Eagles want to know what they have in Sudfeld. Many inside the organization believe he can become a starter in this league. Remember, a year ago Sudfeld was a Redskin. Washington bailed on Sudfeld. The Eagles are developing him the right way.

Where the Eagles are deep, and not so deep, heading into 2018: Offense edition - PhillyVoice
Carson Wentz was likely going to be the league’s MVP had he not gotten hurt, Nick Foles stepped in and won a Super Bowl, and in my view, No. 3 quarterback Nate Sudfeld’s floor is as a legitimate No. 2 in the NFL, with potential starter upside. Even if the Eagles traded Foles, the belief here is that Sudfeld is already ready to be the backup, and if the Eagles chose to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, current No. 4 quarterback Joe Callahan has shown more in practice this offseason than Chase Daniel ever did.

The Journey - Iggles Blitz
There was a bad half here or there. Somehow the Eagles always found a way to fight through their struggles and come up with a win. The two losses on the year were tough road games against high quality opponents. And then there was the season finale, when Dak Prescott showed he could out-duel Nate Sudfeld in his NFL debut, 6-0. I think Pederson’s key point is not to think about the Super Bowl itself, but rather everything that led up to that point. If the Eagles get back to the playoffs (which they clearly should), that’s when you start thinking about January of 2018 and how those games went. For now, focus on the 2017 offseason, Training Camp, preseason and season. What happened in that span is what actually built the Eagles into a championship team.

Examining Eagles’ Method To Roster Success - PE.com
Internal roster development has played a big part here as well. Brooks made the Pro Bowl in his second season here. Bradham has a greater role in the defense every day. Center Jason Kelce is playing the best football of his career and was named an All-Pro player last season. Tight end Zach Ertz has become one of the best in the business. Lane Johnson has put his off-the-field problems in his past and is the best right tackle in the league. Defensive end Brandon Graham probably deserved more Pro Bowl love last year and he plays with heart and fierce effort on every snap. Jenkins, a Pro Bowl player before the Eagles took the big step forward, has expanded his responsibilities and has been huge in the defense’s success. Nelson Agholor is perhaps the most dangerous slot receiver in the league.

Eagles give RB Jay Ajayi top billing entering camp - ESPN
“It’s kind of a year and a half removed from being the guy, so I’m excited to kind of get back in that role and showcase again to the world what I can do,” he said. Ajayi hired a personal chef and brought his trainer to Philly with him this offseason in preparation for the opportunity. Pederson took notice of his efforts, saying that he arrived to spring workouts in “great shape, great health.” ”He’s been awesome,” added assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley. “And [ever since] Jay first came here, he’s been awesome. He’s one of those guys that has spent a lot of time in the film room. I still remember when we got him during the week (following the trade with the Miami Dolphins). He was eager to learn, he wanted to know more. It’s like he was just plugged in with no problems, and he kept getting better each week.

NFC East Offseason Report Cards: Eagles Boost Receiver Corps While Cowboys, Redskins Still Need Pass-Catching Help - Sports Illustrated
The defending Super Bowl champions add pieces for the returning Carson Wentz, while both Dallas and Washington lack true No. 1 receiver options. Also, staying true to his form, Giants new GM Dave Gettleman upgraded the offensive line to protect Eli Manning for at least one more season.

Eagles WRs coach Gunter Brewer making impact with energy, crazy sayings - NBC Sports Philadelphia
Gunter Brewer left the South. The South didn’t leave him. That much was undeniable as the Eagles took the field with their new energetic wide receivers coach this spring. Brewer, who took the place of new offensive coordinator Mike Groh, has already made an immediate impact on the Eagles’ group of wide receivers with his energy, his attention to detail, his southern drawl (he’s from Columbus, Mississippi) and … his sayings. Especially his sayings. “He’s just a country guy,” said Mack Hollins, who was also coached by Brewer at North Carolina. “That’s who he is, through and through. He has sayings. Crazy sayings that nobody understands.”

Former Seahawk Michael Bennett reflective rather than bitter in return to Seattle on book tour - Seattle Times
Asked about the NFL’s new anthem policy in which players who are on the field will be required to stand, Bennett said he would have preferred a different policy but also indicated that he thinks the focus should now be on what the players can do to work on social issues in their cities. “It isn’t so much about the gesture anymore,” he said. “. … we don’t have to take a knee. We just have to work in our communities.’’

‘Say her name’: Michael Bennett, whom Seattle will never forget, remembers Charleena Lyles - The Athletic
Bennett’s self-appointed alter ego, “Black Santa,” attempts to encapsulate his humanitarianism and commitment to community involvement. He plans to maintain his charitable work in Seattle – and in Hawaii, where he lives in the offseason – while he continues his football career in Philly. His presence at Lyles’ remembrance event Monday is an early example. Lately, Bennett has globalized his activism and philanthropy, but his time in Seattle feels like the foundation of a public maturation, because it was in a Seahawks uniform that Bennett became a national voice for the voiceless through his polarizing protest of racial and gender inequality.

2017 Offensive Personnel Analysis - Football Outsiders
The first “missing” formation is 22. While it was used on 3.1 percent of snaps in 2017, five teams -- Houston, Jacksonville, the Rams, Philadelphia and Washington -- didn’t use it at all. When we first started keeping track of personnel data in 2010, 22 was one of the Big Four formations; a clear fourth place but still used 7.2 percent of the time. Now, it isn’t even in some team’s playbooks.

Can the Giants Transition Into a New Era While Clinging to Their Past? - The Ringer
Over the past few months, New York’s brain trust has drafted a generational running back, stood by its aging QB, and watched the rumor mill fly about its superstar receiver. Entering 2018, Giants fans have reason to dream big—and also to question the very direction of the franchise.

The Jaguars and the Rams won’t win as many games in 2018 - SB Nation
Los Angeles skyrocketed to the NFC West title last season behind first year head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Jared Goff, their run game, and the defense. If we take a closer look at their 2017 schedule, we see it’s littered with below average quarterbacks. The two best quarterbacks they beat were Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, with the Seahawks being a shell of themselves by the end of the season.

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