Eagles News: Andre Dillard among potential trade candidates

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Now that the Eagles have traded Carson Wentz, who should be dealt next? - PhillyVoice
After the Eagles traded up for Andre Dillard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he was bad as a rookie, and had some struggles in 2020 training camp. Still, the Eagles were poised to have Dillard start at LT until a torn biceps in training camp ended his season. This offseason, he’ll have legitimate training camp competition in Jordan Mailata for the starting LT job. And really, in my view, Mailata probably deserves the first crack at the starting job, as he played better in his opportunities in 2020 than Dillard did in 2019. Mailata is also a year and a half younger than Dillard, despite entering the league a year earlier. If the Eagles think Mailata is the better option than Dillard at LT and view him as the starter there going forward, Dillard doesn’t offer the team much value, even as a backup, seeing as he can only play LT. #JimmySays: If I were running a contending team, I would not hitch my wagon to Dillard as my starting LT. However, Dillard could perhaps be a reclamation project for a younger team that is still trying to build their line. It would actually cost a small amount ($135K) more to trade Dillard than to keep him, so the Eagles would only trade him for a worthwhile return. An early-ish Day 3 pick could get it done.

Weapon X Mailbag: How much faith do you have in Jalen Hurts? - BGN
I’ve made it no secret that I’m a Jalen Hurts guy. I’d have preferred to see his development continue under Doug Pederson rather than an entirely new coaching staff, but my belief that he will be an above-average starter in this league remains strong. His poise, leadership, physicality, and mobility are all essential for a quarterback in 2021. When given a full offseason to get to work, especially with new QB coach Brian Johnson, with who Hurts has a lifelong relationship, I’m ready for the full-throttle Hurts experience and to see him develop as a passer. Give me Hurts, Miles Sanders, Dallas Goedert, Travis Fulgham, and then one of Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, or Kyle Pitts with some fresh play-calling mixed in. That’s an offensive lineup that actually has me geared up to watch Eagles football.

Off Day Debrief #25: How to trade for Russell Wilson + We miss the NFL Combin‪e‬ - The SB Nation NFL Show
Rob “Stats” Guerrera (Niners Nation) and Brandon Lee Gowton (Bleeding Green Nation) wonder if the offseason will proceed differently now that teams can’t meet and talk with agents at the Scouting Combine. Plus... The price for Russell Wilson emerges. What can we learn from what we know? Do the Texans get less for Deshaun Watson if Wilson is available? How should the Colts define success after the Carson Wentz trade? In honor of the franchise tag window opening, we play “Extend, Tag, or Walk.”

The impossible decision the Eagles have to make - NBCSP
Conversely, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb were a combined 2-6 with 6 TDs and 10 INTs in their first four starts. But we all know how their careers went after that. Nobody knows after four games. But literally any team that has a top-10 pick and doesn’t have an established quarterback is going to consider drafting one. You have to. That’s where you find guys like Peyton Manning, Josh Allen or Pat Mahomes. There are always exceptions. Drew Brees was a 2nd-round pick. Russell Wilson was a 3. We all know Tom Brady was a 6.Advertisement But your best chance at nailing a franchise QB is in the first round. High in the first round. There’ve been 58 Pro Bowl QBs drafted since 2000. Nearly half (28) were taken in the first 12 picks. Three were taken later in the 1st round, six in the 2nd round, four in the 3rd round, four in the 4th round and then 13 in various spots in the 5th round and beyond or undrafted. The 2nd-round is the second-most likely place to find an elite QB, and the first 12 picks is nearly five times more likely. And the Eagles pick at No. 6.

NFL Rumors & Draft News: Inside scoop on the 2021 NFL Draft and more - PFN
If they are sold on a guy like Justin Fields, they should try and get him one way or another. Whether it’s Fields or someone else, they should definitely consider a quarterback at the No. 6 pick. I’m not sold on Hurts being the quarterback to lead the franchise moving forward, and neither are many I’ve spoken to who cover the Eagles for a living.

What should Eagles do with Derek Barnett’s contract situation? Cap expert weighs in - NJ.com
While Sweat has shown consistent growth over the past three years, there are concerns about his durability as a starter. If the Eagles were to move on from Barnett and/or Graham, Sweat would be thrust into the top defensive end position with few proven partners around him. That outlook is partly why the Eagles should invest further in Barnett, because as Spielberger says, the team can’t just give away young incumbent talent. “An extension could make sense for both parties, so the Eagles can get some short-term cap relief and be prepared for the eventual departure of Graham,” Spielberger said. “Barnett gets some assurances and can focus all his attention on improving and rounding out his game.” Spielberger thinks wiping out the fifth-year option in favor of a four-year, $50 million deal would make sense for both sides. Spielberger projects the guaranteed money on that type of deal to be around $25 million.

What the Jared Goff and Carson Wentz trades can tell us about the state of the NFL: Five takeaways - ESPN+
In conclusion: These aren’t just blips on the radar. The Goff and Wentz trades indicate a significant change in the way the NFL conducts business as it pertains to its high-priced franchise-quarterback types. And the fact that they happened means deals like these will continue to happen. The Texans might find themselves trading Watson, who signed his mega-extension last year and has made it clear he doesn’t want to play there anymore. It is, as we so often hear, a copycat league. Teams that never could have imagined taking on $22 million or $33 million in dead money for a single player have now watched teams do exactly that. If the Rams or the Eagles make it back to the Super Bowl in the next couple of years — heck, even if they come close — other teams are going to look at these situations and decide they’re just fine.

Marshall football: Sources say former Herd players Bartrum, Chapman to join Huff’s staff - Charleston Gazette-Mail
Marshall football head coach Charles Huff continues to add former Thundering Herd flavor to his staff for his first year in Huntington. Sources say the additions of Marshall Hall of Famers Mike Bartrum and Doug Chapman should become official in the coming days, pending completion of background checks. Bartrum is expected to join the staff as a special assistant to the head coach and senior analyst. The 50-year-old Gallipolis, Ohio native was one of the candidates interviewed for the head coaching position when the job came open in January. Bartrum starred at Marshall from 1988-92, helping Marshall to the Division I-AA national championship game in 1991 before being a key cog in the program’s first Division I-AA title in 1992. Following his Marshall career, Bartrum played for 13 seasons in the NFL as a tight end and long snapper, most notably with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2000-06. After coaching at Meigs (Ohio) High School, Bartrum returned to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 as an assistant tight ends coach. Bartrum was elected to the Marshall Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2007.

Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50: 2021 NFL Draft prospect rankings 2.0 - NFL.com
2) Ja’Marr Chase — 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.

Top 10 receivers for 2021 NFL Draft: Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle top talented class - The Athletic
2. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama (5-foot-10, 182 pounds). Houston, Texas (Episcopal); Age: 22.43. A part-time starter at Alabama, Waddle played the H receiver position (lined up inside and outside) in former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian’s offense, a passing-friendly scheme designed to get him the ball in space or create vulnerable matchups. Sharing a depth chart with Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs and DeVonta Smith most of his career, he was on pace for 80-plus catches and 1,800-plus yards as a junior before his season-ending ankle injury. With his natural speed and burst, Waddle is dangerous before and after the catch. He shows the creativity, competitiveness and separation skills to stress defenses in different ways (responsible for four receptions of 75-plus yards in his career). While still a work-in-progress with several details of the position, he showed clear maturation with his route construction and ball skills in 2020. Overall, Waddle doesn’t stand out for his size or seasoning, but he is a special athlete with the sudden movements and acceleration to be an NFL playmaker in the Tyreek Hill mold. He projects as a scheme-versatile receiver and dynamic return man.

Film Room: Carson Wentz, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly- Part 2: Passing - Stampede Blue
Beyond that, perhaps Frank Reich can convince Wentz to trust him, trust his teammates, and to know when to play the design of each called play and when to create plays on his own. Reich has to do everything he can to make Wentz as comfortable as possible with the offensive system and what he is being asked to do. Due to their experience together, I believe Frank Reich is well aware of how to do this for Wentz. Even if he can make him a more confident player, Frank Reich nor the rest of the Indianapolis Colts completely fix Carson Wentz’s mechanical issues. At some level these issues have to be fixed by Carson Wentz. The Colts front office and coaching staff can make it as easy as possible, and I have faith they will, but Wentz needs to put in a lot of hard work establishing a more consistent throwing motion. He obviously can throw with proper form but working with a famed QB guru like Tom House, whose client list includes nearly every good quarterback of more than a decade, could go a long way to building on the positive that already exists and working to ensure the breakdowns in his mechanics happen less and less often.

Alex Smith: “I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan. They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there.” - Hogs Haven
Alex Smith won the NFL’ s Comeback Player of the year Award after returning to the field last season nearly two years after suffering a major leg injury. It was a story that earned Washington a lot of positive coverage, but Alex Smith wants you to know that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows from the new regime when he returned. In a new interview with GQ, Smith describes what it was like returning to a team that had a new coaching staff and front office. He felt patronized by people who he described as seeing him like a leftover and a liability. Very few people in the organization believed he could seriously come back. The team wanted to place him on injured reserve.

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