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Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...
Brandon Brooks, the PFF Matthews Award winner for best offensive lineman - PFF
One of our longest-standing awards is the Bruce Matthews Award, given to the best offensive lineman in the NFL over a given season. Only Marshal Yanda has won the award multiple times, and including this season, there have been six different winners. This season, the best offensive lineman in football was none other than Philadelphia Eagles guard Brandon Brooks. Brooks has been a perennially underrated player throughout his NFL career, whether it was playing in Houston or Philadelphia. Aside from a rookie season in which he played just 173 snaps, he has earned overall PFF grades of at least 74.0 every season since. Four of those six seasons before this one saw him top 80.0 overall, but this year he took his game to another level, earning an overall grade of 92.9. For years we have been making the case that he deserves Pro Bowl, and then All-Pro, recognition, and now he deserves to be acknowledged as the best offensive lineman in the game.
Philadelphia Eagles win the PFF Offensive Line of the Year for 2019 - PFF
Left guard has seen the biggest weakness on the Eagles line over the past several seasons, and while that was still probably the case this year, it was far from a problem. Isaac Seumalo played all but one snap over the season and finished the year with a PFF grade above 70.0 including the playoffs. He surrendered five sacks, but four of them came in two games against top-end opposition and he didn’t allow any for the final eight games he took the field.
What the Eagles should do at linebacker - BGN
Outlook: The Eagles have a decision to make about Bradham’s future. The team must choose whether or not to pick up Bradham’s $8 million option for the 2020 season. Is allocating that much money to Bradham, who turns 31 in September, the best use of resources? I think the front office could want to move on, especially when you consider Howie Roseman talked about needing to get younger. But I also think Jim Schwartz really values Bradham (despite once calling him a dumbass) and Schwartz reportedly does have clout when it comes to personnel moves. Maybe Bradham is back for one more year but I don’t think it’s a lock.
BGN Memories #9: Super Bowl 39 and Andy Reid’s Redemption - BGN Radio
On Episode 9 of BGN Memories, host John Stolnis takes a look back at Andy Reid’s first trip to the Super Bowl back in 2004 when the Eagles took on the New England Patriots for the first time, in Super Bowl 39. How much blame does Reid deserve for that loss, and what can he learn from that first trip to help him in Super Bowl 54?
Senior Bowl practice notes, Day 2 - PhillyVoice
Yesterday we noted that Notre Dame’s Troy Pride showed off impressive speed, sticking with receivers deep down the field, however, we also noted his concerning lack of ball skills, and the potential of being overmatched, size-wise, deep down the field. Many of our commenters pointed out that Pride’s “snapshot scouting report” sounds a whole lot like Ronald Darby, which was astute. Pride got beaten by a bigger receiver in Mims despite being able to stay with him (as shown above), and sort of olé’d a running back on the edge in a thud drill. Another corner who has no such physical concerns is Pitt’s Dane Jackson, who has been aggressive throughout the first two days. On Day 1, he made a number of nice plays on the football, and helped himself. On Day 2, he got a little over-aggressively grabby, drawing penalty flags on (by my count) three occasions.
Senior Bowl and Coach Talk - Iggles Blitz
Kyle Dugger is a small school star that some projected to LB. He is here and playing safety. At 6-1, 217, he has tweener size. Dugger has been very impressive so far at S and might just stay there. As much as the Eagles need help at CB, a difference-making safety would also make a lot of sense. Look at what Tyrann Matthieu does for the Chiefs. They don’t have great CBs, but Matthieu is an impact player and makes the whole secondary better. Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins are solid vets, but don’t have that kind of ability.
‘I was pretty pissed when I wasn’t here’: Lane Johnson still in search of right tackle respect at the Pro Bowl - The Athletic
“I’m not going to lie. I was pretty pissed when I wasn’t here,” Johnson said Wednesday after the NFC’s practice. He wasn’t going to be modest about his season, either. “I think it was probably my best season to date — even better than a few years ago,” Johnson said, making the comparison to 2017, when he earned a spot during the earlier voting stages. “I played stronger. I was the best version of myself this year. The longer you play and your body is half-ass healthy … the game becomes easier.” The caveat is that Johnson couldn’t remain “half-ass healthy” in December. He injured the ankle in Week 14 against the Giants. The Eagles needed to go on their late-season run without him. Johnson played through wince-inducing injuries during his career, especially in 2018. But his ankle injury, which has almost entirely healed, proved too much for Johnson to endure. It clouds the way he views the season. “I just wanted to get back on the field,” Johnson said. “Sucks the way the season ended. My shit ended pretty early.”
Eagles Stay or Go 2020: Will both starting safeties return? - NBCSP
Roob: Rodney McLeod is a pretty solid, under-rated guy, and unless he’s looking to break the bank as a free agent I think he’ll be back. McLeod is the kind of guy who has more value here than as a free agent because he provides Eagles continuity in a secondary that’s going to be changing a lot and he has a comfort level in this defense. Verdict: Stays [...] Dave: A former undrafted player, McLeod has carved out a really nice career, first with the Rams and now in Philadelphia. He has been an important player for the last four years and he obviously likes it here; he took a big pay cut to return in 2019 after an ACL tear the previous season. But he’s 29 and the Eagles should prioritize paying Jenkins and perhaps a free agent corner. This is also McLeod’s last chance for a pay day. Verdict: Goes
Eagles surprise family with a trip to the Pro Bowl - PE.com
The Stricker family has raised over $25,000 for the Eagles Autism Foundation. To show our appreciation for their support, we gave them an unforgettable surprise.
Rival writers react to Eli Manning retirement: Complicated legacy shows in these thoughts - Big Blue View
Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation’s Philadelphia Eagles site: “My reaction to Eli Manning retiring is that I’m going to miss him. Including the playoffs, he went just 10-23 in 33 starts against Philly. That record includes a 4-20 mark in the last 24 Eagles versus Giants game. Donovan McNabb, who last played for the Eagles in 2009, also has four wins in that same 24 game stretch. Outside of his shortcomings against the Eagles, he obviously has the two Super Bowl rings and no one can take that away. I’ve always felt that second championship was the most fortuitous title run I’ve ever witnessed, but, hey, it counts all the same. Still, I feel validated in my belief that Manning wasn’t as good as some made him out to be. He finished his career with a .500 record, which accurately reflects the quality of quarterback Manning was when one accounts for his entire NFL journey: average. I fully expect him to be in the Hall of Fame but I don’t think he should be.”
The Hall of Eli - The Ringer
The Hall of Eli is where we will worship the mediocre who became champions. (Nick Foles will get in on the first ballot.) We will not contort ourselves into pretzels arguing that these players who won titles were great. Instead, we’ll celebrate the failures and weaknesses of athletes who briefly brought the world to their feet. I don’t want to debate whether Eli is a god or a mortal. What makes Eli so wonderful is that he was both.
The best, worst and most underrated moves of the 2019 NFL offseason - ESPN
The Jaguars signing Nick Foles: Believing themselves to be a quarterback away from the kind of successful season they’d had in 2017, the Jags signed Foles to a four-year, $88 million contract with $42.125 million fully guaranteed in the first two years. But the season turned out to be a disaster. Star cornerback Jalen Ramsey forced a trade due to his relationship with executive VP Tom Coughlin, and then Coughlin was fired late in the season after the NFLPA won a grievance against the Jaguars and ripped the team for the number of player complaints it had received during Coughlin’s time there. The Foles deal looks like it might be a massive mistake too, as he missed eight games due to injury and then four more due to a late-season benching in favor of sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew II, who may have already taken the 2020 starting QB job away from him. The Jaguars owe Foles $15.125 million in fully guaranteed salary for 2020, and a $5 million 2021 roster bonus becomes fully guaranteed if he’s on their roster on the third day of the 2020 league year. They’d absorb a dead-money hit of about $34 million if they cut him and about $19 million if they trade him. [BLG Note: The Giants signing Golden Tate also made the list of worst moves.]
Report: Gary Kubiak to be named Offensive Coordinator - Daily Norseman
[BLG Note: The Eagles and the Browns are the only two teams remaining with offensive coordinator openings ... and Cleveland might not hire one with Kevin Stefanski running the show.]
Raheem Mostert’s big game has given him less time for Call of Duty - PFT
“Just more interviews, that’s about it,” Mostert said Thursday, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “More interviews, and I don’t have that much free time to play video games like I did before. But, hey, that’s what comes with it.” Mostert’s favorite video game is Call of Duty, but his call of duty the next 10 days is football, football and more football.
10 silly events the NFL should add to make the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown even better - SB Nation
The Pro Bowl Skills Showdown, however, is pretty dang fun. There are events like dodgeball, drones dropping footballs, and relay races. But the NFL should expand it even more. I’m not talking just making it longer or including more players or even increasing the stakes. I’m talking about some America Ninja Warrior and Legends of the Hidden Temple stuff. I want to see Akiem Hicks battle Geno Atkins with American Gladiator-style pugil sticks on top of a narrow platform. I want to see if Saquon Barkley can conquer Ninja Warrior’s warped wall. I want a two-man sack race pitting the AFC’s punter/kicker combo against the NFC’s. The dumber, the better. Let’s make it weird.
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