Eagles News: Quez Watkins is “being slept on a bit”

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Eagles player review: Quez Watkins edition - PhillyVoice
The Eagles’ trio of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert are going to dominate targets in the Eagles’ offense in 2022. However, Watkins will certainly have a role, and I would look for Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen to scheme up a few plays per game specifically intended for Watkins. When the ball isn’t going Watkins’ way, opposing defenses will still have to respect his deep speed, which could help open up the short and intermediate areas of the field for Brown, Smith, and Goedert to operate. In a way, Watkins is a perfect complement to that trio, in that (a) he’ll open up space for them, (b) he won’t require a heavy target share, and (c) he has proven that he can make big plays when the ball comes his way. Watkins averaged 3.4 targets per game in 2021. Even if that total dips a smidge in 2022 while going from WR2 to WR3, I believe he is being slept on a bit as a playmaker who can have a real impact in some games this season.

If OTA Jalen Hurts shows up in 2022, the Eagles could be Super Bowl contenders - BGN
It’s June and everyone raved about how good Jalen Hurts looked during the Eagles’ organized team activities over the last two weeks. Hurts, who threw 16 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 61.3% of his passes last season, connected on long balls down the sidelines, short passes, short passes in small windows, and showed a good chemistry with his wide receivers. No one was coming at Hurts. No one was blitzing him. He had the chance to roam and throw in a comfortable setting. Here’s the thing: If this version of Jalen Hurts shows up during the season, the Eagles could be viable Super Bowl contenders. That is a big IF. One thing that is unquestionable is that Hurts has improved. His release is better. His confidence appears greater. And for the first time since Hurts played at Channelview High School in Texas, he will be in the same offensive system for the second year in a row. His familiarity with what Eagles’ coach Nick Sirianni likes to do can only spell dividends. “He just has a relentless effort to be great,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said about Hurts. “Every approach he takes — he doesn’t have an offseason. He’s always on it. He’s always thinking about football. We’re always talking football, day in and day out, and he’s continuing to grow as a player, as a leader, every single day.”

FROM THE SB NATION NFL SHOW: How the WR trade/signing frenzy is changing the league - BGN Radio
The SB Nation NFL Show brings together the greatest fan-alysts from across SB Nation’s NFL team communities in one place for the first time ever. Expect deep analysis, irreverent jokes, and plenty of bickering between rivals. It’s a show for NFL fans, by NFL fans.

Philadelphia Eagles bet lighter offseason load will lead to fewer injuries - ESPN
The primary driver for the Eagles is health. They finished 12th in Football Outsiders’ adjusted games lost metric in 2021 (76), a sharp improvement from their ranking of 30th in 2020 (128.1). The Eagles have been in search of answers to their player health concerns since 2017 — a search that has included multiple shakeups to its medical and training staffs in recent years. They modified their offseason schedule last year after consulting with veteran players, doing away with minicamp and team drills during OTAs, in part as a response to the expansion of regular-season games from 16 to 17. Sirianni said in April that the team believes its change in approach was a factor in staying relatively healthy in 2021. There are several arms of the operation that informed the decision to pull back, including the medical staff, strength staff and sports science department.

Are Jason Kelce or Fletcher Cox Hall of Famers? - Football Outsiders
Kelce has an extremely strong Pro Football Hall of Fame case. But it bears mentioning that Pittsburgh Steelers great Dermontti Dawson—a six-time All-Pro, the greatest center of the 1990s, the reason why guys like Stepnoski and Nalen have scant All-Pro selections, and the top-ranked center on the Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame monitor—spent three years as a semifinalist and three more as a finalist before enshrinement. So be sure to slow any “first ballot” rolls. Kelce will face tough competition once he becomes eligible. He may be forced to wait until his brother arrives on the ballot and the committee decides (to the Hall brass’ delight) that a Kelce Brothers class would both be fair and engage national fan interest.

Highlights: Climbing to the top - PE.com
The Eagles continue to push themselves. Spending their offseason working and training, players like quarterback Jalen Hurts, linebacker Haason Reddick, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and more set themselves up for success as the 2022 NFL season approaches. Head Coach Nick Sirianni stresses the importance of perfecting the fundamentals and building upon them so that the Eagles can climb to the top.

NFL Network will air 22 live preseason games - PFT
August 21: Philadelphia at Cleveland, 1:00.

What are the real contract numbers behind 2022 WR salaries? - Hogs Haven
So, A.J. Brown’s deal, in practice, is a low cost first year (rookie deal), plus a 3-year, $22.8M extension. Year 4 of that extension, a $30.3M salary, can be avoided by the Eagles completely, if they so choose. For practical purposes, we’ll call this a $23M AAV extension beyond the rookie deal, for a player who very closely comps Terry’s production.

Report: Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz to report to minicamp, contract talks have ‘picked up’ in recent days - Blogging The Boys
Tom Pelissero also noted that contract talks between Schultz and the Cowboys have picked up in recent days which is obviously the time period that this became a bigger story. It makes sense for Schultz’s camp to fight for a deal worth almost $11M per year given that the tag he is on is worth that, but it also makes sense for the Cowboys to consider all options before agreeing to a deal like that. The Cleveland Browns complicated matters with the tight end market recently when they gave David Njoku (who was also franchise tagged, likely adding to Dalton’s point/feelings) four years worth $57M with $28M guaranteed. For the time being Dalton Schultz is set to be back at work with the Cowboys. We will see what happens next.

PFF: Giants’ offensive line ranks 18th in the NFL - Big Blue View
This is a marked improvement over their ranking from a year ago, when the Giants’ line was ranked dead last in the NFL. Thomas has developed into the player many believed he could be coming out of Georgia, and much of the Giants’ fortunes rest on him at least maintaining that level of play. Likewise, the team is heavily invested in Evan Neal becoming a quality bookend for Thomas on the right side of the line. The NFC East is absolutely loaded with dangerous pass rushers, and no team can really “get by” with just one capable pass protecting tackle.

Monday Football Monday #92: Offseason headlines that matter - The SB Nation NFL Show
With RJ Ochoa out on vacation, Pete Sweeney takes lead of this weeks show with special guest Stephen Serda. The guys discuss the offseason headlines that do and do not matter going into the 2022 season.

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