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Eagles News: Philadelphia going offensive line with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 4/2/23.

Vanderbilt v Georgia Photo by Adam Hagy/Getty Images

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Mailbag: What position are the Eagles most likely to select with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? - PhillyVoice
I’m beginning to lean toward the Eagles’ first pick being used on an offensive tackle who can also play guard in the short-term. As you note, they lack depth along their line. If you think about two recent seasons that cost head coaches their jobs — namely, 2020 and 2012 — the offensive line suffered a bunch of injuries and the team did not have adequate depth, turning their offenses those years into outright disasters. The Eagles are terrified of those seasons repeating themselves. But also, they’ll have two starting spots to fill in the near future: Whenever Jason Kelce retires, Cam Jurgens will slide in at center, and there will be an opening at RG. Whenever Lane Johnson retires (probably not for at least two more years), there will be a hole at RT. And then as we all know, the Eagles build on their lines first and foremost, specifically through the draft, and for good reason. When you look at the available free agents this offseason, Andre freaking Dillard was the third highest-paid offensive lineman to move from one team to another. If you don’t draft and develop offensive linemen, you can be left to take extremely costly/risky plays for guys like Dillard in free agency. It’s also worth noting that there are a cluster of offensive tackles that are likely to be selected in roughly the 6-20 range, like Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Georgia’s Broderick Jones, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson, and Tennessee’s Darnell Wright. I plan on looking at the available OT options who could be available to the Eagles soon, but the simple point we’ll make here is that there’s plenty of offensive tackle supply if the Eagles have a demand, which I believe they do.

NFL Mock Draft Simulation: Eagles add two Georgia players for the second year in a row - BGN
Pick 30: Dawand Jones, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State. Even with the Lane Johnson extension in place, I can’t see Howie Roseman passing up on a deep offensive tackle class. Dawand Jones has the size and demeanor that Jeff Stoutland desires at tackle. He could sit behind Lane Johnson or he could potentially try to slot in at guard.

Eagles buzz from NFL owners meetings + 2 new signings - BGN Radio
Brandon Lee Gowton and Jimmy Kempski analyze the latest Eagles roster moves and a bigger picture assessment of Howie Roseman’s offseason. The guys also discuss the buzz that Jimmy heard out at the NFL owners meetings. Interact with us on Twitter: @BrandonGowton, @JimmyKempski, @BGN_Radio, @BleedingGreen. Use discount code BGN15 at RighteousFelon.com for 15% off your order! Same promotion applies at WildRangerPet.com. Check out Kristin Roach at RoachRealtors.com.

Talking 10 - Iggles Blitz
The Eagles have a lot of options at pick 10. While Howie Roseman hasn’t loaded up on elite free agents, he’s added capable players to fill roster holes. That will give him the freedom to focus on drafting who he wants, not who he needs. I still think OT Peter Skoronski is a viable option. The Eagles have Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson signed for the next few years so OT isn’t a need. Skoronski can also play OG. This season Jason Kelce will be the center and Cam Jurgens at RG. In 2024, Kelce might be gone. Jurgens could stay at RG, but likely would move to C. Skoronski could then take over at RG. Andre Dillard left in free agency. Jack Driscoll is in the final year of his deal. That means the Eagles will need depth at OT. Skoronski could start at RG, but also provide depth at both OT spots. We also have to acknowledge that Lane Johnson will turn 33 this spring. He hasn’t played a full season since 2017. Johnson is still an elite OT, but injuries could be more of an issue as he gets older. Skoronski is the best OL prospect in the draft. He could start at any position with his combination of size, skill and athleticism. If he makes it to 10, the Eagles might not be able to pass him up. We know they love good OL. It isn’t often you have a pick high enough to get the best OL in the draft.

Spadaro: How do the new Eagles fit into the big picture? - PE.com
The picture at safety is that Edmunds is here with Evans and Blankenship, K’Von Wallace, and Andre Chachere to compete and see how it shakes out. No guarantees. Edmunds, a former first-round draft pick who started for five seasons in Pittsburgh, has the pedigree to understand the situation and step up with a new opportunity in the league. “He’s got a lot of tools in his body. We talk a lot about the times when you look at these guys and they have green (grades) all across the page in terms of his athletic tools,” Roseman said. “It’s easy to go back and watch him on tape and see him being put in different situations. He has a unique body size and that is something different than what we have and he gives us different options in the defensive backfield.”

Dan Campbell thinks defenses will solve the quarterback push play - PFT
The NFL has opted for now not to remove from the rulebook the ability to shove the quarterback from behind. Lions coach Dan Campbell believes the league eventually won’t have to. Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Campbell thinks defenses will adapt — and that they eventually will shut down the strategy. “That’s like my goal is that we come back here next year and it’ll be like, ‘All right, we can’t do that anymore,’” Campbell said. “So, listen, you’ve got something good, then defensively, you’ve got to find a way to stop it. So this’ll be fun.”

Cowboys 2021 draft class faces a critical third season - Blogging The Boys
To be fair, it’s pretty impressive that the entire 2021 class is still here as of today. We’ve seen drafts where guys didn’t even make the team as rookies. So to be having this discussion, especially with how some of the later-round picks are doing, is its own boon for the front office and scouting department. But that will almost certainly change in a few months. A few of these guys may have already been phased out based on Dallas’ current offseason moves and with the next draft and more free agency still to come. The full 2021 class should still be at training camp to at least compete for their jobs, but a few could be in for a rough summer.

Ed’s New York Giants mock draft: Playing the board for players I wanted - Big Blue View
Well, that sorta backfired. I had my eye on South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith, a player the Giants have dined with and will host on a Top 30 visit. I didn’t expect it, but the Dallas Cowboys swooped in and took Smith at No. 26. I’m bummed, but you never make a trade down without accepting some risk and having multiple players on the board you would be happy to select. That is the case for me here. Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders and centers John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota and Joe Tippmann of Wisconsin all have some appeal here. I kept coming back to Branch, though, and it is largely because of the multiple ways he can be utilized in the secondary.

Lamar Jackson trade request: Best NFL team fits for Ravens QB - ESPN+
Why they should consider it: After two years in the cap wilderness, the Falcons are finally in position to take a swing. General manager Terry Fontenot has cleared out more than $67 million in space, and with a wide-open NFC South, Atlanta can credibly hope to compete for a division title if it has a great offseason. Coach Arthur Smith’s offense quietly ranked among the league’s best despite starting Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder at quarterback, and its young core should only be better in 2023.

Is Cam Smith the most overlooked cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft? - SB Nation
The 2023 NFL Draft cornerback class is historically loaded, featuring multiple high-end talents such as Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr, Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon. There is a chance we see five or six cornerbacks selected in the first round, with the majority of them getting their due in terms of hype. However, the most underrated of the bunch might be South Carolina’s Cam Smith. The redshirt junior does not quite have the ceiling of the three players listed above, but he is almost certain to be a starter at the NFL level.

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