Eagles News: PFF says Philadelphia has a “bargain of the highest order”

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Ranking the top 32 NFL contracts ahead of the 2022 season - PFF
1. T Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles: Four years, $64 million ($40.85 million total guaranteed). The Eagles drafted Mailata in the seventh round in 2018 after a promising rugby career, and the 6-foot-8, 346-pound mountain of a man immediately went to work with Philadelphia offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland on refining his craft. Meanwhile, Jason Peters was still playing at a high level in his late 30s, and the Eagles traded up in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft for left tackle Andre Dillard. Mailata improved each year, and he finally got on the field in 2020 for 733 snaps. That, plus years of practice reps, was all Philadelphia needed to see before extending him on a four-year contract. Given the small sample size of actual gameplay, his $16 million per year extension raised some eyebrows, and understandably so. One year later, the deal is a bargain of the highest order. Mailata earned an 87.4 overall grade with an 83.3 pass-blocking grade and 87.8 run-blocking grade, a true dancing bear with tremendous footwork for his size and lack of experience. Mailata already generated the second-most Wins Above Replacement among all tackles in 2021, behind only San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams, and there’s still more room for him to grow. A very similar situation played out this offseason with Los Angeles Rams tackle Joseph Noteboom, who also found himself on the depth chart behind a future Hall of Fame left tackle playing in his late 30s in Andrew Whitworth. Noteboom will take over on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s blindside and will be a player to keep an eye on for the 2023 list.

Offensive tackle rankings for top 32 NFL OTs heading into 2022 headlined by Trent Williams and Tristan Wirfs - Pro Football Network
9) Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles. Jordan Mailata had never played a down of football before the Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After spending two years on injured reserve, the ex-Australian rugby player took over as a starter in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. Mailata’s performance is a testament to Eagles all-star OL coach Jeff Stoutland, and he’s played so well that former first-round tackle Andre Dillard has become a complete afterthought. A massive man at 6’8″, 365 pounds, Mailata still managed to run a 5.12 40-yard dash at his 2018 pro day. That athleticism is apparent on tape. Mailata suffocates defensive linemen in pass protection, but he’s also magnificent in the run game, which is especially critical for a team that likes to run as much as Philadelphia.

Ranking the Eagles’ 20 best draft picks over the last 20 years - PhillyVoice
4) 2018: Jordan Mailata, OT, no college, 7th round: Mailata was the flier of all fliers, an Australian rugby dude who had never played an organized game of American football in his life when he was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round. You all know the story. Mailata broke out in 2020 with a very encouraging season, and he took his game to the next level in 2021, when he should have made the Pro Bowl but was snubbed. The scary thing is that we don’t know how high Mailata’s ceiling is, because he has shown drastic improvement every year in the NFL so far.

Where do you want the Eagles to add more depth? - BGN
This feels like one of the more well-rounded and robust rosters the Eagles have had in years, and while several guys are on one-year deals, there’s also a lot of key players with several years left on their rookie contracts. If the team does decide to make more moves this offseason, I’d like to see them add some running back depth.

One last offseason move for all 32 NFL teams: Final free-agent signings, extensions and trades to complete training camp rosters - ESPN+
Help and evaluate quarterback Jalen Hurts’ progress. While there are other moves the Eagles will make as part of a push for another playoff bid, it still feels like the progress of Hurts sets the ceiling for the franchise this year and beyond. Hurts is a vastly improved player from when he entered the league, has incredible leadership and checks so many of the boxes you desire in a starting quarterback. However, in a league in which explosive passing offenses have become a more common formula for winning teams, Hurts still has work to do as a pure passer — he has completed just 59% of his 580 career passes and was overmatched in his lone playoff start. There are many reasons to have optimism in Hurts, but the fact that Philly owns two first-round and two second-round picks next year is worth monitoring.

5 Eagles on offense with something to prove in 2022 - NBCSP
The Eagles have been pretty clear — at least publicly — all offseason that Hurts is their guy going into the 2022 season. But after that? Well, that’s what Hurts will have to prove this season: That he’s a real franchise quarterback. Hurts definitely did some good things last year, his first as a full-time NFL starting quarterback. But there are also plenty of areas that he needs to improve. If he doesn’t, then there’s a very good chance the Eagles won’t give him an extension and will likely look elsewhere to find their franchise quarterback. So there’s an awful lot riding on the 2022 season for the 23-year-old quarterback. The Eagles have been impressed by Hurts’ work ethic and the approach he’s taken this offseason. They truly believe that Hurts will maximize his potential, but they might not know how good he can be. With the addition of A.J. Brown this offseason, Hurts has some impressive weapons (Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Miles Sanders, Quez Watkins, etc.) as well as an offensive line considered to be one of the best in the entire league. That also means there will be no excuses if Hurts can’t perform at a higher level in 2022. Of all the players on this list, he’s the most obvious.

2020 NFL Draft rewind: Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert are stars, but who are the busts? - The Athletic
Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 21). The Eagles took Reagor one spot before the Vikings took Justin Jefferson. That’s not Reagor’s fault, but for the Eagles, this one might always be impossible to defend. Reagor has the tools to be an impactful slot receiver, but No. 21 felt a bit high for him in 2020 and it still does today. Reagor’s eye discipline and overall issue with drops were real problems in college, and while both have improved in the NFL, he’s still had situational issues in the NFL. Reagor’s size (5-10, 206) limits his route tree, and his vertical impact in the pass game almost has to be via a complete downfield win, as he’s not going to beat many defenders in the air with consistency. He can be a good player in Philly. Maybe he climbs out of this category soon. But with 62 catches for 676 yards and three touchdowns to his name, this feels like a reach pick.

Eagles’ Lane Johnson says A.J. Brown reminds him of a former All-Pro wide receiver - NJ.com
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Johnson said that he was excited to see that the Eagles made the draft-night trade for Brown, comparing Brown to a former Houston Texans wide receiver who was twice named an All-Pro and made seven Pro Bowls teams. “I was surprised, and then I was very happy,” Johnson said of learning about the trade. “He’s a physical specimen. When you look at him, he has an Andre Johnson-type build. He’s explosive, so I’m excited to have him to pair with DeVonta (Smith) and the rest of our receiving corps.”

Davion Taylor: ‘I’ve got to earn it, every bit of it’ - PE.com
But in the late-November win against New Orleans, only seven snaps into the game, Taylor suffered a sprained knee and was placed on Injured Reserve, ultimately for the remainder of the season. His promising second year ended on the sidelines. A third-round draft choice in 2020, Taylor set out to make sure the injury bug wouldn’t bite him anytime soon. “It’s a physical game so you know that things are going to happen, but my focus now is to do everything I can do to stay on the field and stay healthy,” Taylor said shortly before the Eagles finished their Organized Team Activities in the spring. “I feel I’m doing what’s right. I’m ready to be at my best and to compete, because I know nothing is going to be given to me. I’ve got to earn it, every bit of it.”

5 bold predictions for the Dallas Cowboys prior to training camp in 2022 - Blogging The Boys
Tony Pollard shines in versatile RB/WR role. Tony Pollard may or may not be the next Deebo Samuel, but the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to finally use him in a similar type of running back/wide receiver role in 2022. Already in minicamp and OTA practices he’s been spotted split out as a WR in the slot more often, which hints to him being involved more offensively. But, how much and how often remains to be seen. After putting up a total of 1,056 total yards as a runner and receiver last season, the expected increase in touches should make No. 20’s production skyrocket in 2022. Don’t be at all surprised to see him performing as one of the best playmakers the Cowboys have in training camp and preseason games. We all know what he’s capable of doing, so maybe predicting him shining in a versatile RB/WR role isn’t much of a bold prediction after all.

Playing to Saquon Barkley’s strengths in 2022 - Big Blue View
Much of the discussion surrounding Saquon Barkley centers around the New York Giants’ decision to draft him at No. 2 four years ago and the injuries that have limited him since his rookie year. Neither of those things matters to Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka. They are in the past, and occurred under a different general manager and coaches. Daboll and Kafka are looking forward, asking themselves how they might best utilize his talents in 2022. Their answers may be exciting, because they seem to recognize that Barkley is not a traditional power, punishing, Derrick Henry-type running back. He is a back who wants to make defenders miss. That means getting him into space.

Five NFL teams that will improve the most in wins in 2022: Broncos lead the pack - NFL.com
3) Jaguars. Net improvement: Five wins. A lack of talent was not the issue for Jacksonville last season; dysfunction at the top of the coaching ladder was. Thankfully for the Jaguars, Urban Meyer and his arrogance are gone. Replacing him is Doug Pederson, a coach who has a history of relating to players. He went to the playoffs three times in five seasons with the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl during the 2017 season. I don’t expect the Jags to hit the ground running in full stride; it will take time to break through the scar tissue associated with only one winning season since 2007 and five last-place finishes in the past six seasons. They also will need time to develop the type of trust that only comes with walking through the fire together. But by the end of the 2022 season, I expect Jacksonville to find its rhythm and be a team that no one wants to play, particularly if that opponent needs a win to reach the playoffs. Look for Pederson to work wonders not only instilling a positive culture, but also helping second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence show why he was considered a generational talent coming out of Clemson. I could go into all the personnel upgrades, including the addition of No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker, but as I previously said: talent was not the issue with this team a year ago.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Thursday - Dan Snyder to be Subpoenaed to Appear before Congress - The SB Nation NFL Show
On today’s episode, the U.S. House Oversight Committee is expected to subpoena Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder to appear before Congress next week.

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