Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...
Monson: Breakout candidates for all 32 NFL teams - PFF
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: T Jordan Mailata. Jordan Mailata was something of a novelty or curiosity when the Eagles acquired him as a former rugby player with incredible physical gifts who had taken up football. He flashed ability in preseason and had to play extensively in 2020 due to injuries along the Eagles offensive line. While there have clearly been some growing pains, he has quietly done a pretty solid job for a guy who is still very much learning the game. Mailata allowed 32 total pressures but was a top-15 tackle by PFF grade from Week 11 onward, just behind Jets first-round rookie Mekhi Becton. [BLG Note: Mailata starting over Andre Dillard next season?]
Eagles coaching rumors: Latest buzz on Duce Staley, Josh McDaniels, and Nick Sirianni - BGN
Cool to hear that the Eagles’ assistant head coach/running backs coach has a real shot to land the job. The feeling here is that Staley could be a good leader and overseer. Just needs to hire the right staff around him, including the right play-calling offensive coordinator. It’ll be interesting to see how much weight Lurie puts into the opinions of his players. In addition to them reportedly texting the owner, a number of current and former Eagles have expressed their “Hire Duce!” sentiment publicly on social media. Those names include Brandon Graham, Rodney McLeod, Malcolm Jenkins, and Torrey Smith. UPDATE: Jeff McLane says he would be “very surprised” if the Eagles hire Duce.
Off Day Debrief #20: Power Ranking HC Hires + What’s up with PHI & HOU? - The SB Nation NFL Show
Rob “Stats” Guerrera (Niners Nation) and Brandon Lee Gowton (Bleeding Green Nation) give their quick takes on the Divisional playoffs, rank the head coaching hires, and try and figure out what the heck Philly and Houston are doing. Sean McVay’s cowardice hurts the Rams again. How to make a good head coaching hire. Head Coach Power Rankings. Eagles are circling McDaniels, but did a new contender emerge? What the heck are the Texans even doing?
Closing In? - Iggles Blitz
As for the Colts situation, that was just a couple of years ago and it really is hard to understand that. Assistant coaches joined his staff and then McDaniels backed out of his agreement to be the coach of the Colts. That left assistants in some tough spots. I would hammer McDaniels on that situation and really dig for an honest answer. We don’t know anything publicly, but he might give the right answer behind closed doors. Failing at Denver is fine. Plenty of coaches have been significantly better in their second job than the first. That was a long time ago and his mistakes were pretty obvious. You just have to find out if he’s truly a changed man or if that’s just an image. As Jeff McLane mentioned in a tweet above, the Eagles have to do their homework to see what is reality and what is just lip service from McDaniels. If he’s changed, the people around the league will know. Coaches talk. Players talk. People know who the jerks are.
There is growing buzz about Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and the Eagles - Pats Pulpit
Given the Eagles’ apparent commitment to Wentz, the 44-year-old would make sense. He has worked in a dual role as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach between 2012 and 2019, and has had tremendous success with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. While Wentz is obviously not on Brady’s level, Philadelphia could very well identify McDaniels as the best candidate to help salvage his career — or at the very least to develop Hurts into a viable replacement option. Sure, McDaniels’ most recent season is not necessarily a ringing endorsement, but his track record does extend beyond Brady. Jimmy Garoppolo was molded into a viable NFL starter before getting traded to the San Francisco 49ers, while Jacoby Brissett has also had some success after New England sent him to Indianapolis. Both had their starts in the league with the Patriots, working in an offense designed by McDaniels. All of this could make him an attractive candidate in the Eagles’ eyes.
Report: Colts O.C. Nick Sirianni to Interview for the Eagles Open Head Coaching Job - Stampede Blue
The Colts offense averaged the 9th most points in 2020 at 28.2 average points per game. The offense also averaged the 10th most yards at 378.1 total yards per game. While Reich primarily hands the Colts offensive play-calling from the sidelines, Sirianni has been regarded as one of the better young offensive minds in football. The Eagles are clearly looking for an offensive guru too, who can potentially fix franchise quarterback Carson Wentz going forward. With Reich having been the Eagles former offensive coordinator prior to joining the Colts, he can presumably serve as a reliable soundboard for Sirianni regarding the Eagles current ownership and front office—as well as the organization’s overall culture (and all of the top dining and cheesesteak spots in Philadelphia). It’ll be interesting to see who the Eagles ultimately hire—whether it’s Sirianni or another strong offensive candidate for their open head coaching job. But ideally, the Colts would like to keep Sirianni.
Eagles interviewed Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday - Blogging The Boys
It was the night before Week 17, against a team with an offense that is now coordinated by someone who took a path eerily similar to the one that Moore is on to ultimately become the Cowboys head coach, that news of Moore signing an extension with the Cowboys surfaced. It seems like this deal is for about $2M a year, the financial side of being a head coach is also another reason to consider taking the interview. The Eagles have interviewed a number of candidates to date and a lot of people think that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could be the one that ultimately winds up with that job. Whoever ends up having to fix Carson Wentz will be in for a lot of work, but obviously Moore has done a fine job in grooming Dak Prescott.
Business of Football: Of Course the Eagles Chose Carson Wentz Over Doug Pederson - MMQB
Many have asked why Pederson was removed in Philadelphia, while longtime general manager Howie Roseman—the person most responsible for the composition of both the aging roster and the albatross of the Wentz contract—got to stay. Owner Jeffrey Lurie has developed unconditional trust in Roseman, irrespective of a year-by-year scorecard. Beyond Lurie’s personal affection toward Roseman, the owner has great faith in Roseman’s institutional knowledge of the inner workings of the NFL: its systems, its rules and regulations and its cap intricacies. Roseman has a wide network of coaches, scouts and front-office contacts. Lurie can change coaches (and has) much more easily than he can change his point person for the sausage-making of the NFL.
Which Eagles ‘retooling’ is more attractive to a new coach: 2016 or 2021? - The Athletic
Who are the 25-and-under building blocks for the coach in 2021? Sanders and Barnett are the top two, and it’s not certain either player signs a second contract with the Eagles. Sweat has potential, but hasn’t done enough to fit in that group. If Reagor and Hurts are going to be included, then Agholor and perhaps Rowe would need to be included five years ago. I’d argue there hasn’t been enough evidence on the 2020 top picks, just as there wasn’t enough evidence on the 2015 top picks in 2016. Mailata and Dillard could join the “building blocks” group. There aren’t enough of those players to build around, though — or even players who are 26-29 to match the 2016 team. Wentz, Goedert, Hargrave and Seumalo are the only ones under contract who are established starters. Most of the best players on this team are 30-and-older: Cox, Graham, Slay, Kelce, Johnson, Brooks, Ertz — and the list keeps going. That’s a problem.
NFL free agency 2021: Biggest upcoming player decision for all 32 teams - ESPN
Defensive back Jalen Mills. He moved from corner to safety in 2020 and improved along the way. He was a starting corner on their 2017 championship defense and has been a locker room leader, but the new defensive coordinator will have to decide whether he’s a system fit.
Report: Marty Hurney expected to be named Washington’s new General Manager today - Hogs Haven
Rivera and the Washington Football Team interviewed several candidates and requested interviews with a few more, but it always looked like Hurney had the inside track due to his past relationship with the head coach. Washington is employing a coach-centric organizational structure, so Hurney’s role won’t be as authoritative as it has been in the past. But Rivera has a good working relationship with him, and will be able to focus more on football, and building the team culture that he wants. 2020 brought many outside distractions, combined with Rivera’s well-documented treatment for cancer.
Rod Graves: Disparity in opportunities for Black coaches is “mind-boggling” - PFT
“The disparity in opportunities is mind-boggling. It is unfortunate that the performances of coordinators like Eric Bieniemy, Todd Bowles, Byron Leftwich, Leslie Frazier, and Joe Woods, may not meet what appears as ‘ever-evolving standards’ for becoming a Black Head Coach in the NFL. The prospect for second chances is proving to be even more elusive. The same applies to executives like Jerry Reese, Rick Smith, Reggie McKenzie, and others. All capable of providing the vision, leadership, and expertise to lead a championship effort.”
The NFL’s 4 Super Bowl contenders, ranked - SB Nation
3. Buffalo Bills. While we have yet to see the offensive machine that Buffalo was when the regular season ended at any point in the playoffs, it should be said that the wind was so bad in their divisional round win against the Ravens on Saturday night that Justin Tucker tripled his career playoff miss number. The Bills are greater than the sum of their parts and it’s because they find a way to dig in every week and get the dub. It was a shame that Lamar Jackson got hurt before the game ended, and while he still had a few “holy crap Lamar is amazing” plays the Bills kept him in check for most of the game. We have been aching to see the Bills play in a game of consequence and so far they have risen to the task two weeks in a row. It will only get harder from here (obviously), but if any team is prepared for the challenge it is them.
America’s Covid-19 death toll has surpassed 400,000 - Vox
The number of confirmed Covid-19 deaths in the United States has now surpassed 400,000, and that devastating toll is set to grow in the coming weeks with the US still averaging more than 3,300 deaths every single day. In just the 11 months since the country’s first confirmed death from Covid-19, the disease has killed as many Americans as US soldiers who died during four years of World War II. That figure is also almost surely an undercount.
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