Eagles News: NFL insider talks about the “poison pill” in Jason Kelce’s contract

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Here’s why Jason Kelce’s new Eagles contract likely points to the Pro Bowler retiring after 2021 - CBS Sports
Jason Kelce is a legend in Philadelphia, where he’s as famous for his Super Bowl parade speech as a 10-year career anchoring the Eagles’ offensive line. But his contract, reworked this March to ensure his return for 2021, likely points to this season being his last not only in the City of Brotherly Love but in the NFL. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kelce and the Eagles agreed to place a “poison pill”-type maneuver in his new deal, all but guaranteeing the longtime center will either be released or retire after the season. Kelce’s contract currently runs through the 2022 season, per Over The Cap, paying the four-time Pro Bowler $5.6 million in 2021 and $5.9 million in 2022. But Fowler reported Tuesday that both sides agreed this offseason that if Kelce isn’t cut or retired by June 2, 2022, the Eagles will be required to pay Kelce something like $30 million. In other words, as Fowler put it, “it’s just understood that he’s probably gonna play one more year there.”

Playing a game of “What if?” in the NFC East - BGN
What if Josh McDaniels never leaves the Indianapolis Colts at the altar and Frank Reich remains in Philly for the 2018 season? Do the Eagles win another Super Bowl with Nick Foles? What happens with Carson Wentz? Is Doug Pederson still around? Is Reich in play for the Cowboys if they don’t wait so long to fire Jason Garrett?

Eagles player review: Kerryon Johnson edition - PhillyVoice
Johnson is an no-risk addition. He will count for $1,366,869 on the 2021 cap, with no penalty to release him. The meniscus tear in 2019 — and Johnson’s subsequent 2020 game film as a runner — are areas of concern, but he’s worth taking a look at in camp, given his age (he’ll turn 24 later this month), and low mileage (only 283 career carries). It’s not often that the Eagles are awarded waiver claims like this, because it’s not often that they finish 4-11-1 and are sixth in the waiver claim order. At a minimum, I believe he offers more than Jordan Howard both in pass protection and as a short-yardage back.

First Year Success - Iggles Blitz
I’m not sure the Eagles have the talent to go 10-6 like the 2013 team did. Figuring out the ceiling for the 2021 team is worth a post of its own. I expect Sirianni to outdo Reid’s 5-11 performance in 1999, but it is hard to get a feel for what this team is likely to do because there are so many unknowns, especially with Hurts. Probably the best comparison will be Pederson’s first year. When things were good and the team was healthy, the Eagles showed real potential. But they simply weren’t good enough to overcome problems. And football history tells us there will be problems. Then I go watch some DeVonta Smith highlights and start thinking…Super Bowl!!!

Matthews attempting NFL comeback as tight end - NBCSP
Jordan Matthews was a guest on Talking With TD, a podcast hosted by ESPN’s Turron Davenport and revealed that he’s been working at the University of Louisville in an attempt to get signed by an NFL team at a new position. “The phone lines weren’t ringing at wide receiver,” Matthews said. “So it’s like if you can’t give me a way there, I’ve got to make a way.” Matthews, 28, has been living in Louisville because his wife Cheyna Matthews plays for Racing Louisville of the National Women’s Soccer League. So Jordan contacted former Eagles receivers coach Gunter Brewer, who now holds that position at Louisville, and Matthews been working out there recently in an attempt to get signed as an NFL tight end. Heck, if Tim Tebow can do it, why can’t Matthews?

Where are they now? CB Ray Ellis - PE.com
There were 332 players chosen in the 1981 NFL Draft. The Eagles picked Ohio State cornerback Ray Ellis 331st. And he could not have been happier, thanks in part to Buckeyes simply sticking together. “People had said some things to me earlier about how perhaps I would go in the middle of the draft, and I ended up going the next to last pick,” Ellis says. “But I just felt blessed just to be drafted. It’s a very unique thing that you can add to your résumé that very few people ever in life can say.

Trying to make sense of the offensive line depth chart - Hogs Haven
The easiest of the three remaining starters to predict is the left tackle spot, which was manned by Geron Christian to start the ‘20 season, but which belonged to Cornelius Lucas from Week 7 onward. While Lucas played well, and many fans were content to see him line up as the starting left tackle again in 2021, the coaches felt otherwise. When Charles Leno was released by the Bears following the draft, Washington was quick to bring him to Ashburn and sign him to a contract. All signs point to Charles Leno being the presumptive starter at left tackle as training camp begins. Leno hadn’t missed a game at left tackle for the Bears since taking over the position in 2015, and media reports said that he was not interested in signing with a team that wanted him to play right tackle.

Free agency addition Jalen Mills is fitting right in with the Patriots’ secondary - Pats Pulpit
ellow defensive back Devin McCourty sees Mills’ development the same way, praising his ability to play multiple positions during a media conference call on Tuesday. “He’s showing a lot of versatility so far,” McCourty said about his new teammate. “He’s super competitive. He’s talking, he’s having fun. I think he’s been a great addition for us just because of his ability to do different things — whether it’s playing safety, covering tight ends, covering in the slot, playing outside corner, deep safety, strong safety. I just think that versatility ... allows the coaching staff to do so many different things.” Versatility is nothing new for Mills, who proved himself one of the most flexible defensive backs during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles.

DeSean Jackson: Rams’ offense is going to be scary - PFT
“With a quarterback like Matthew Stafford, it’s really mind-boggling for other defenses or defensive coordinators to really be sitting back, like, ‘Man, how are we going to stop these dudes?’ For me, I’ve been on some pretty good receiving corps, but Robert and Coop, in addition to Van and Tutu, it’s going to be scary,” Jackson said on NFL Network.

Falcons to sign OLB Shareef Miller - The Falcoholic
The Falcons continue to sign young players to the roster to compete for jobs at training camp when it finally rolls around, with former Eagles linebacker Shareef Miller the latest to sign.

Raiders sign linebacker Darron Lee and De’Vante Bausby - Silver And Black Pride
Bausby, 6’2 and 190 pounds, played for the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos last season. He also played with the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and the Chiefs in five seasons in the NFL. Kansas City signed him as an undrafted free agent out of tiny Pittsburg State in 2015. Bausby, 28, has played in 20 games and has three starts. The Raiders are deep at cornerback, so he may be a longshot to make the team.

Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are both the cover athletes of ‘Madden 22’ - SB Nation
Two quarterbacks are sharing the cover of Madden NFL for the first time, with Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes representing two concurrent eras of greatness at the position.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Friday - Are the Bears eyeing a new stadium? - The SB Nation NFL Show
The weekend is just about here and soon enough there might also be a new stadium on the way for the Chicago Bears. Check out the latest episode of the NFL Daily Kickoff as we catch you up on that, the newest cover athletes of Madden, and everything else you need to know.

Juneteenth, explained - Vox
A year after protests for racial justice swept the nation, propelling conversations on how to improve conditions for Black lives, the country is getting ready to celebrate the 156th anniversary of one of its earliest liberation moments: Juneteenth. A portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth,” Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were free from the institution of slavery. But, woefully, this was almost two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. As much as Juneteenth represents freedom, it also represents how emancipation was tragically delayed for enslaved people in the deepest reaches of the Confederacy.

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