Eagles News: “50/50” chance that Brandon Graham stays in Philadelphia

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Stay or go? Eagles have notable free-agent decisions at hand - ESPN
DE Brandon Graham: The Super Bowl LII hero was limited by an ankle injury for the better part of the 2018 season. The fact he’s 30 years old and coming off a down season will affect his demand some, but he has fuel left in the tank, plays a highly valued position and can fit into any locker room. Extension talks have been quiet since last offseason. The Eagles will likely let his market settle to see if he fits in their budget. One source close to Graham put his odds of staying in Philly at 50/50. But the allure of a bigger payday might be too much to pass up.

Brandon Graham’s days with Eagles nearing an end as NFL free agency looms - Inquirer
The defensive line is considered one of the deeper positions in the coming draft, but replacing Graham would go beyond his production on the field. He’s one of those rare by-example and by-word leaders. He may have stopped hugging reporters daily long ago, but Graham was an omnipresent figure in the Eagles locker room, never one to shirk his role as a team spokesman, even in the lowest of moments. As the last few players emptied their stalls at the NovaCare Complex after the playoff loss to the Saints, Graham joked around with reporters until access ended. “I’m glad I’m taking my time leaving to go home because when you leave from here and go home, it’s like, man, next time you come back it’s usually when the team comes back,” Graham said. “Hopefully, they don’t have to mail me my stuff from my locker.” Not long after the locker room closed, as reporters walked toward the exit, Graham followed behind and gave each a hug. Unlike in his rookie season, this time it felt like goodbye.

Is Le’Veon Bell trying to tell us he wants to sign with the Eagles? - BGN
Earlier this week, NFL insider Jason La Canfora suggested the Philadelphia Eagles could be among the teams involved in pursuing impending free agent running back Le’Veon Bell. If this cryptic tweet is any indication, Bell doesn’t seem so opposed to that idea.

Nick Foles Might Not Get the Big Payday Everyone Expects - B/R
It often seems as though Foles has been favored by the football gods, and it’s possible teams will be excited to pay top dollar for some of that magic dust. But business decisions are rarely made based on intangibles, and the reality is Nick Foles isn’t a special quarterback on paper. With that in mind under the current circumstances, he could have more trouble than expected finding a pot of gold in March.

Evaluation Of The 2019 Compensatory Picks Projection - Over The Cap
Highlighted in blue, there was one pick I missed that I anticipated that I would very likely miss. This was the convoluted contract Mike Wallace signed with Philadelphia. As I explained in my projection, Eagles GM Howie Roseman used a variety of techniques to try to get Wallace to not qualify as a compensatory free agent. Had he succeeded, Philadelphia would have received two 6th rounders instead of one. However, the NFL Management Council instead counted one of either his $1 million OATSB (other amount treated as signing bonus), or his ludicrously easy to achieve $585,000 weight bonus of staying under 250 pounds. I have high confidence that both bonuses were not counted, as if they were, Wallace’s value would have been high enough to make the 32 pick limit and thus award Baltimore a 7th rounder, which they did not get.

Eagles Mailbag: Predicting several positions for 2019 team - NBCSP
Nah, it’s not that great of a need. I’m not sure why so many national types keep mocking corners to the Eagles at 25. I guess it’s possible the Eagles could take a corner in the first round if that player is clearly the BPA, but there are more pressing needs. The Eagles still have Rasul Douglas, Jalen Mills, Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones and Cre’Von LeBlanc under contract. My money is still on OL or DL in the first round. If a top CB fell to 25 and he was clearly (and I mean clearly) the best player available, then the Eagles could draft him.

Flyers 4, Penguins 3: I think they call it ‘endorphins’ - Broad Street Hockey
Despite what I told myself I would do last year, and the year before, and also the year prior to that, I ended up not going to the Stadium Series game. It hurt me to make this decision, but I felt in my heart it was the right one to make. First of all, most significantly, I hate when it is cold, and it has been so cold today. I walked to the post office, which is about a mile away, and thought I was going to die. Dramatic? Perhaps. I will concede that I have a flare for drama. The point is this: was I going to sacrifice my comfort? Of course I would not be doing that. Also, how could I pass up the opportunity to write this recap? I love to talk about how much I hate the Pittsburgh Penguins, and I love big gimmicky shit like this, and my God, I’ve done nothing productive today and I need an excuse to type into the void. So, yes. The Pittsburgh Penguins. They’re in Philadelphia tonight. You may have heard about it. [BLG Note: Philly teams are undefeated at Lincoln Financial Field this year.]

Bears to release Cody Parkey - Windy City Gridiron
In a move that surprised nobody, the Chicago Bears have decided to release kicker Cody Parkey, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The move will kick in on March 13, the start of the 2019 league year. Parkey’s release comes just one year into a four-year, $15 million deal signed last March. As JJ Stankevitz of NBC Sports Chicago pointed out on Twitter, the Bears can use a June 1 designation on Parkey, which would save them the $1.125 million that would go against their 2019 cap space.

How Will the NFL Respond to the Charges Against Robert Kraft? - The Ringer
The Patriots owner was charged with soliciting prostitution as a result of a human trafficking investigation. His legal troubles make him subject to discipline from the NFL’s personal conduct policy, which means Roger Goodell will have to decide what punishment he might receive from the league.

4 NFL teams that could make a run at Le’Veon Bell in free agency - SB Nation
It’s been a while, so what does Bell bring to the table? When healthy and on the field, Bell is one of the best offensive players in the league. From 2014 to 2017, Bell ran for 4,476 yards, ranking third in the NFL over that time span. Bell also contributed 2,261 receiving yards over those four seasons. What makes Bell a unique runner is his patience behind the line of scrimmage. Bell will wait for a hole to come open before exploding through for a big gain. Here’s an example from one of the Steelers’ games against the Ravens in 2017.

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