Eagles News: Philadelphia in the conversation for NFL’s most improved team

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NFL experts debate most improved teams, underrated 2020 moves, more - ESPN+
Which team improved the most this offseason? Jeremy Fowler, national NFL writer: Philadelphia Eagles. Let’s bypass Tompa Bay on the GPS and head to Philly, where the additions of Javon Hargrave and Darius Slay bolster the Eagles’ defensive attack. They spent the better part of the past year combing the trade market for corner help, and holding out paid off: Getting Slay in exchange for third- and fifth-round picks is great value. Hargrave is a versatile interior lineman with pass-rush explosion. Slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman and safety Will Parks bring good depth. And the draft brought receiver help with do-it-all playmaker Jalen Reagor.

Eagles Rookie Profile: 6 things to know about Adrian Killins - BGN
AK was Scott Frost’s first recruit in 2016. He won back-to-back state titles in the 200m in high school, and Frost bringing him in sent a signal that the old three-yards-in-a-cloud-of-dust days of George O’Leary were over. He blasted onto the scene in his true freshman year and established himself as the primary offensive threat. For his career, he recorded 58 plays of 20 yards or more, finished in the top three on the team in rushing all four years, and was also an electrifying kick and punt returner. That’s even more remarkable considering UCF employed a backfield by committee his whole career, and never really used him much in the passing game (averaged 17.5 receptions per season).

From the Bleachers #24: Silver Linings Playbook w/Author Matthew Quick - BGN Radio
Shamus Clancy is joined by Matthew Quick, author of Silver Linings Playbook! Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Podcast: Previewing the Eagles’ OTAs that aren’t happening - PhillyVoice
In any normal year, Philadelphia Eagles OTAs would be kicking off right around now, and we’d get our first glimpses of the 2020 team as a whole. We’d be talking about camp battles, and other things to watch, like the rookie draft class, the free agent acquisitions, and players returning from injury. There will be no OTAs in May this year, but Brandon Gowton and I went ahead and previewed them anyway.

The Run Game - Iggles Blitz
While you don’t need an elite runner, the Eagles RBBC approach would be seriously challenged if anything happened to Sanders. Freeman is the best player, but he’s reportedly asking for decent money. The Eagles might not offer what he wants. Hyde makes sense. He’s big and strong and would complement the other RBs well. If needed, Hyde could be a workhorse. Shady? He struggled in 2017 and 2018, but played better in a backup role for the Chiefs last year. I would prefer going younger, but it would be interesting to see Shady in this offense. The Eagles aren’t in a rush to make a move. They could wait and see if any other RBs come available. They’ll make a decision and add someone at some point.

Defense’s big question: Filling the need at safety - PE.com
It’s far from a done deal that Mills is going to be the straight-up replacement for Jenkins, anyway. The Eagles liked what they saw from Mills when he played at corner, in the nickel position, and as dime cover man, lining up outside against wide receivers and over tight ends and running backs inside, in the November loss to New England at Lincoln Financial Field. Mills had four solo tackles, six overall, and two passes defensed. “It was probably one of my best games of the year coming back from the (foot) injury,” Mills said. “Kind of showing them that on film and me knowing how Schwartz has used Malcolm the four years that I was there … he was dynamic for us. He was a player who made plays all over the field. Them coming to me and the idea of being positionless, it was definitely big for me.

Buccaneers Center Ryan Jensen Share Details of Tom Brady Workout - MMQB
Because we’re now at the point in the offseason where rookies would be integrating with their veteran teammates, I figured this would be a good chance to look at when the first-year quarterbacks will actually be out on the field. And so, in the interest of efficiency, I figured we’d throw that in this space, and rank them, in order of when I think each will draw his first start. [...] 4) Jalen Hurts, Eagles. Carson Wentz’s starts by year: 16, 11, 13, 16. So in two of four years, Wentz has missed significant action. And last year, while starting every game, he got banged up, and the team needed its backup (Josh McCown). I’m not wishing injury on anyone. But after the first three on this list, I feel like little is guaranteed. And so I think Hurts would be the next most likely to start a game in 2020.

Almost losing football made Eagles draft pick Quez Watkins grow up in a hurry - NBCSP
It came up every single time. Scotty Walden, the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Southern Mississippi, talked to scouts from around 18 NFL teams about Quez Watkins and they all wanted to know the same thing. What happened after the 2018 season? “There was a perception out there, ‘Well, he got kicked out of school for academics, he must not be very smart, very bright.’ That’s not the case,” Walden said in a Zoom interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia last week. “The guy, and he’ll tell you this, he was lazy in the classroom.

Conflicting reports surface around Dak Prescott’s contract negotiations - DraftKings Nation
Dak Prescott reportedly turned down a contract that would have made him the highest paid quarterback ever, worth $175 million for five years. That bit of news came from Chris Simms on the Kansas City sports radio show, K & C Masterpiece. Simms went on to say that Prescott and his team were looking more in the range of $45 million a year, as opposed to the $35 million per year being offered. That information exploded, leaving people wondering, is Prescott worth $45 million? That breaking news then pushed other NFL insiders to see what they could learn, and both Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport came back with contradictory information. According to Rapoport, both the Cowboys and Prescott’s agents say that Simms’ report is false.

Report: Jets and Jamal Adams at “impasse” in contract talks - Gang Green Nation
While this certainly will drive up trade rumors, there isn’t any sign a trade is imminent if Cimini’s reporting is to be believed. Adams is under contract for two more years, and the new collective bargaining agreement likely makes a holdout unfeasible for the star safety. People will likely jump to conclusions here, but it doesn’t seem like the Jets will be in any hurry to make a move. This situation conceivably could take a year or more to resolve. Will Adams eventually sign a long-term deal with the Jets? That is unclear. This wouldn’t be the first time there was public posturing between two sides before settling their differences to strike a deal. It also wouldn’t be the first time a star player wanted more than his team was willing to offer and ended up elsewhere.

This video proves once again that cats are the best goalkeepers - SB Nation
Do you have a lot of free time on your hands? Do you miss sports? Do you happen to have a cat nearby? If you’ve answered yes to all three questions, then I have the perfect activity for you: train your feline friend to become the best goalkeeper in your house. Maybe they’ll become as good as this cat who if you told me is the best soccer-cat in the world, I would easily believe it. Just look at the stellar defending. Even when it’s away from the camera, it still pounces with the temerity to block whatever is going near the goal. Each leap is more impressive that the next.

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