Eagles News: Can Carson Wentz and Nick Sirianni get on the same page?

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Can Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni fix Carson Wentz? - ESPN
It’s more than fair to wonder, though, why Wentz would grant Sirianni — a first-time head coach — a greater degree of trust than he allotted to Pederson, who played QB in the league for a decade, helped the Eagles to three straight playoff appearances and has been a part of three Super Bowl teams as a coach and player. Wentz has to not only buy into Sirianni and his assistant coaches, but needs to reestablish trust with the organization as well. With Hurts still on the roster, and split allegiances already forming in the locker room, can he convince himself 2021 will be anything other than a repeat of 2020 even with a new coach? Wentz was once on a trajectory to become a top-five quarterback in the league. A host of things, from injuries to questionable management and personnel decisions to spotty coaching, factored into him getting off track. So, too, did an issue with coachability. The ability is largely still there. Wentz might be fixable but he has to want to be fixed, and has to allow others to help fix him. That will be the key, whether it’s with Sirianni in Philly or elsewhere.

Nick Sirianni’s ex-QB: Eagles coach has the ‘ability to connect with everybody’ - The Athletic
“Nick has an ability to connect with everybody,” Clemens said. “He does because he cares. And I think that’s one of the biggest things that you have to be able to do at that level. You’re coaching guys that are in their mid-to-late 30s and you’re coaching guys that are in their early 20s. And everybody’s at different times in their careers, has different experiences, different expectations, but Nick has the ability to reach everybody, to connect with everybody. He’s a great motivator. His passion is infectious. When you hear him present, you can’t help but get excited — when you hear him speak, when you hear him talk about game plans, things that he likes, what we’re trying to do, how we’re attacking defenses. You can’t help but buy in. Because he’s that type of a leader.” What stood out to Clemens was Sirianni’s ability to adjust his coaching for each player. Sirianni recognized Rivers’ talent and résumé necessitated a certain approach. It would be different in 2015, when he coached a young group of wide receivers. Clemens said Sirianni “managed the room,” and that doesn’t necessarily require bluster. It required understanding.

Chargers fans “relieved” that Shane Steichen left to join the Eagles - BGN
“In all honesty, Chargers fans were fairly relieved that he would not be returning. Fans wanted a new face and they felt Steichen was a bit underwhelming as an OC. The majority will tell you Justin Herbert’s development was 99 percent thanks to [former Chargers quarterbacks coach] Pep Hamilton, so very few saw any real value in Steichen as the potential OC of the future.”

Off Day Debrief #21: Top landing spots for Rodgers, Watson + Stafford - The SB Nation NFL Show
Rob “Stats” Guerrera (Niners Nation) and Brandon Lee Gowton (Bleeding Green Nation) pick the best places for three star quarterbacks to end up, and look at two cities (Philly and Houston) where apathy may be taking over. Quick reaction to the AFC/NFC Championship games. Why Rodgers should look to join with a hall of fame coach in the AFC. The reason Matt Stafford may have more suitors than anyone. Don’t be afraid to give up picks for Watson. The Eagles and the Texans are taking hope away from their fans.

Another Coaching Update - Iggles Blitz
There were issues. The Chargers ran the ball more than they should have. Head coach Anthony Lynn wanted the running game to be the key to their offense, but Steichen called the plays and some of his calls were bad. There were a couple that were awful. What does Steichen bring to the table? Usually you want someone to offer some new ideas. Chip Kelly had his college ideas and wanted Pat Shurmur to bring NFL experience. Doug Pederson had an Andy Reid/WCO background. He hired Frank Reich who played/coached in different offenses. Steichen and Sirianni have similar backgrounds. It feels like Sirianni wants someone he knows and trusts and who can help him to teach the offense. If you hire someone with a different background, they have to learn the offense before teaching it. And there is something to be said for familiarity considering we don’t know what kind of an offseason there will be. As we saw with the Eagles last year, coaches with different backgrounds doesn’t always work.

A chance meeting with an NFL innovator led Nick Sirianni on an NFL path he was destined to take - Inquirer
Sirianni doesn’t arrive in Philadelphia with an unconventional scheme, or an idiosyncratic personality, or a specific accounting of his coaching contributions. But Haley, while obviously biased, believes that details matter and his long-ago protégé has the chops to lead an NFL team. “I don’t think it’s about innovation. It’s about being a good teacher, a good coach, a good communicator, and making those guys in the room — coaches and players alike — believe in what you’re selling,” Todd Haley said. “And if you’re able to do that, you can get guys to raise up their ability from what they even thought they were capable of doing.”

Exploring the Costs of Trading Star QB’s in 2021 - Over The Cap
I’ve gone over Carson Wentz multiple times before so I won’t spend a lot of time on it. Wentz costs the Eagles $34.67 million on the cap in 2021 and $33.8 million if traded before the 3rd day of the league year and $43.8 million if traded after that date. The cost to cut Wentz is $59.22 million prior to June 1 and $34.67 million if designated a June 1 cut. Wentz earns a $15 million guarantee for 2022 if he is on the roster on the 3rd day of the league year as well. A team acquiring Wentz would carry cap hits of $25.4 million, $22 million, $25 million, and $26 million so four years for and average of $24.6 million a year with $47.4 million guaranteed (Yes its less if the Eagles pay that $10 million but that would not makes sense for them from a cap standpoint). So this is a better contract to take on than the Goff contract but there are probably more questions with Wentz than Goff. Goff you know is serviceable. The Wentz we saw last year was not. A trade makes some sense for Philadelphia but they would be best off restructuring the deal for cap relief and seeing if he can be traded the following season or coached back to a higher level of play.

Duce Staley’s 5 greatest accomplishments during decade as Eagles coach - NBCSP
1. Controlling egos in 2017. When the Eagles traded for Jay Ajayi on Halloween in 2017, there were serious questions about how it would all work. After all, the Eagles were rolling. They had a 7-1 record and the vibe around that team was incredible. Ajayi came to Philadelphia with a reputation that was less than stellar. He was thought to be a potential problem in the locker room and he was now going to have to share carries with LeGarrett Blount. These were two proud players. And Staley got them both to buy in for the good of the team. The Eagles don’t win a Super Bowl if that doesn’t happen. “Duce has done a great job,” Pederson said before the Super Bowl. “He definitely, kind of like myself, leans on his experiences as a player because he’s been there, done that, out there in the games.

A look at the to-do list for Head Coach Nick Sirianni - PE.com
2. Evaluate the roster. Everyone wants to know what Sirianni thinks of the roster, starting, of course, at the quarterback position. Guaranteed, he won’t rush into any public proclamations. Sirianni will pore through the season’s play by play, make notes, and grade every player who stepped on the field in 2020. The Eagles have a ton of question marks about the roster, so the communication between Sirianni and the personnel staff and Sirianni and the rest of his coaches – who will evaluate their rooms from 2020 as well – and between the coaching staff and the personnel department will be critical. The Eagles are in a “transition” period with the roster, as Chairman & CEO Jeffrey Lurie stated a couple of weeks ago when he discussed the move to dismiss Doug Pederson. There are a ton of salary cap decisions to be made, contract issues to be resolved, and a preliminary depth chart to establish. Sirianni and the entire football operations need to be in coordination here. The Eagles have a lot of work to do with the roster and have an opportunity this spring and summer to do so.

Offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams - PFF
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: LINEBACKER, CORNERBACK, QUARTERBACK. Let’s assume for a moment that the Eagles can work things out with Carson Wentz given the regime change at head coach and somehow piece him back together to the point where he was a good starter. At that point, by far their biggest weakness is at linebacker, where the group they had this season was being lit up with frightening regularity. None of the linebackers they used in 2020 had a PFF coverage grade above 65, and the player that had the best mark (T.J. Edwards) was an undrafted player with major athleticism limitations in 2019.

Detroit Lions hire Dave Fipp as special teams coordinator - Pride Of Detroit
As you can see, there was a three-year period in which the Eagles had arguably the best special teams units shortly after hiring Fipp. However, in the past four years, that unit has slowly slipped to about average.

Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50: 2021 NFL Draft prospect rankings 1.0 - NFL.com
2) Ja’Marr Chase, WR. School: LSU | Year: Junior. Chase is a dominant player on tape. He lined up both outside and in the slot at LSU. He defeats press coverage with a combination of foot quickness and upper-body strength. He creates separation off the line of scrimmage and he can also find another gear when the ball is in the air. He is a clean route runner. He won’t gear down in traffic and has very strong hands to pluck and play through contact. He attacks 50/50 balls and consistently wins. Chase is at his best after the catch. He routinely breaks tackles and can make defenders miss, too. He did have a couple drops when the ball was on his back hip but I have no concerns about his hands. Overall, I love Chase’s attacking style of play and see him as a faster version of three-time Pro Bowl selectee Anquan Boldin. [BLG Note: DeVonta Smith checks in at No. 7 overall.]

2021 Senior Bowl Day 1 – American Team - Scouts Notebook
Devonta Smith came to town, but isn’t playing since he’s hurt. He refused to be measured at the weigh-in. That’s not a huge deal because we know Smith’s size is an issue. Still, I don’t think waiting for Alabama’s Pro Day is going to help him much. It was interesting to see him out on the field, talking to coaches and players. Most guys who are hurt don’t get onto the practice field. Teams will likely be impressed by Smith doing what he can to be part of the team instead of just sitting and watching.

Jerry Stoutland, ex-Yankee farmhand and member of the Advance’s All-Century baseball team, has died - SILive
The former Westerleigh resident, who was 91, passed away following complications from COVID-19. Stoutland is survived by his sons Jeff and Steve; daughters Nancy Pugliese and Karen Anderson; 10 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Joyce, in 2006. “He was stability,’’ praised Anderson, who was an Advance All-Star diver during her days at Port Richmond HS. “He always gave good advice and was non-judgmental. He was a great dad.’’ “He was my hero. Always my hero,’’ added Jeff Stoutland, a former Advance All Star nose tackle at Port Richmond HS who is currently the offensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. “Growing up, I went to I.S. 51 (Markham Intermediate School) before high school and I remember all the gym teachers and others always asking, ‘Jerry Stoutland is your dad?’ [BLG Note: RIP Jerry Stoutland.]

Which Matthew Stafford Landing Spot Makes the Most Sense? - The Ringer
Imagine how legitimate that same team could be with Stafford. The Football Team boasted a dominant defense that finished third in Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings; Detroit finished dead last. Washington also features interesting offensive playmakers in tight end Logan Thomas, tailback Antonio Gibson, and receiver Terry McLaurin. If that’s not enticing enough, the Football Team just hired Martin Mayhew as its new GM—the same GM who drafted Stafford. Washington is lined up to have enough cap space to bring Stafford in, too.

Unsettling questions about the Cowboys offensive line - Blogging The Boys
Those players are LT Tyron Smith, RT La’el Collins, and RG Zack Martin. Smith and Martin are All-Pros, and Collins was seen as a rising talent. They were expected to be the anchors for the offensive line, but Collins never played a snap, Smith was hurt in the second game of the season, and Martin was lost in game 10. There is little reason to worry about the ability of all three, but there is definitely cause for concern about their health.

Super Bowl: History of back-to-back winners - SB Nation
The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55, returning to the biggest NFL game of the year and defending their title. In 2021, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will need to defeat Tom Brady and the Bucs, who are playing in their home stadium for a chance at a title. Can the Chiefs become the latest back-to-back Super Bowl winners? Let’s take a look back at the history of repeat Super Bowl winners.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message