Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 6/3/22.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Eagles wear orange to honor survivors and victims of gun violence - PE.com
“Our hearts break for those who suffer through the trauma of losing a loved one to gun violence,” says Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. “These unspeakable tragedies wreak havoc in our communities and continue to occur with alarming frequency. As we search for ways to effect positive change in our society, we pray for those grieving in Philadelphia and around our country. These senseless acts of violence will not cease to occur without a concerted effort from those who govern our nation and make public policy. As a country, we need to call upon our lawmakers to enact tangible change and address this public crisis through appropriate gun safety legislation. These horrific disasters continue to occur across the United States. That is completely unacceptable and disheartening. We are faced with an epidemic plaguing our communities, and my hope is that we can influence our elected officials to create and pass legislation so the people in this country can feel safe when they leave their homes. Enough is enough! Assault weapons loaded with high-capacity magazines are a clear threat to public safety and should be banned. Furthermore, research shows that if a federal ban was still in place for assault weapons, there would be 70 percent fewer mass shooting deaths. Additionally, a mandatory universal background check could have a significant impact on mass shootings by ensuring that these dangerous firearms are not getting into the wrong hands.” https://www.everytown.org/

What can the Eagles expect from Miles Sanders this season? - BGN
But there seemed to be a certain underlying theme going on last season when the Eagles were in the red zone. The coaching staff seemed to trust Gainwell and fire hydrant dynamo Boston Scott when inside the 20. Scott and Gainwell combined to score 13 touchdowns last season. Sanders did not score at all in 2021. They also seemed to like Gainwell and Scott’s versatility. When Sanders lined up, opposing defenses knew it would most likely be a running play. In successive seasons, Sanders’ target rate has dropped from his rookie season in 2019 from 63, to 52, to 34 last season. Okay, you say, he was hurt for parts of last season. But he started in 11 games as a rookie and his sophomore in the NFL. He started and played in 12 games in 2021. He also has had a penchant to drop passes—and not exactly trust the play that’s called, which may be a reason why Gainwell and Scott throttle through the holes the offensive line creates, while at times Sanders hesitates. Sanders also likes to hit the home run with each touch. When those holes don’t present themselves, he gets zapped in the backfield for losses, or can turn what looks like a three-yard run into a one-yard gain with his reluctance to move forward.

From the Bleachers #106: Julian Lurie Is on the Path to Ownership - BGN Radio
On the latest episode of From the Bleachers on BGN Radio, PhillyVoice’s Shamus Clancy talks about the new role for Julian Lurie, Jeffrey’s son, and the future of the Eagles franchise.

Vox Media Union Takes Next Step Toward Potential Strike (Exclusive) - The Hollywood Reporter
A union at Vox Media has taken the next step toward a potential strike against management as the expiration date for the group’s current contract draws near and negotiations for a successor agreement continue. The governing council at the Writers Guild of America, East, which represents around 350 editorial and video staffers at the Polygon, The Verge and Eater publisher, voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize a strike for members at the company to start at 12 a.m. ET on June 13, as soon as the union’s first contract expires. This action does not set a strike in motion, but rather offers union leadership approval for a strike, should members at the company choose to authorize and then execute one. On June 1, the union said 95 percent of members had signed a strike pledge; next, members will participate in a strike authorization vote, which will take place in the next few days, according to the union. If the majority of members vote to authorize a strike, a strike could take place, with unit members determining when and if it will occur. [BLG Note: Let’s hope BGN doesn’t have to go on strike and we get a deal before the deadline. Lend your support by CLICKING HERE.]

Eagles rookie NFL player comparisons: Nakobe Dean - PhillyVoice
Based on that description, his profile reminds me a bit of former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas. Thomas measured in at 5’11, 233 pounds at the 1996 NFL Combine, compared with 5’11, 229 for Dean. Both players look more like squatty running backs than linebackers. Thomas had terrible testing numbers, as he ran a 4.85 40 with a vertical jump of 28.5 inches. That wasn’t quite as devastating to your draft stock in 1996 as it would be in 2022, but he no doubt scared some teams off with that performance. Like Dean, Thomas was a highly decorated college player who was also a unanimous All-American in his final season at Texas Tech, and a finalist for the Butkus Award. However, also like Dean, he fell further in the draft than he should have, as Miami selected him in the fifth round. Ultimately, Thomas carved out a stellar NFL career as a three-down linebacker mostly on his outstanding instincts.

Eagles email exchange: Previewing OTAs, roster competitions, Jalen Hurts’ progress - The Athletic
The top of my list is Jalen Hurts’ consistency as a passer. A controlled setting should be a chance for a quarterback to shine. Hurts’ best work often comes in live settings because his improvisational skills are a big part of his game; the seven-on-seven drills were when Sam Bradford looked like a Hall of Famer. However, Hurts was inconsistent during training camp last year. Now, he has a full year in this system. He spent the offseason working on his passing in California. Whether it’s timing, accuracy or ball placement, Hurts should look better than he did one year ago. The takeaways from these OTAs should focus on Hurts’ improvement. If they had 11-on-11 work, I’d be interested in observing the Eagles’ defensive fronts. I’m expecting more odd-man fronts — 3-4, 5-2 — and will pay attention to the defense in any installation periods to see what we can learn from those settings.

10 Eagles to watch during OTA practices - NBCSP
WR A.J. Brown: We won’t see the 6-1, 226-pound Brown in pads until training camp but we will see him catching passes from Jalen Hurts and that’s a nice start. Brown is an established receiver in the NFL and today will be our first chance to see him work up close.

Kayvon Thibodeaux injury: Giants’ No. 5 overall pick remains in red jersey at OTAs - Big Blue View
No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, who suffered an undisclosed injury two weeks ago during OTAs, headlined the group of injured/rehabbing New York Giants players expected to practice in red non-contact jerseys on Thursday. Asked if Thibodeaux and left tackle Andrew Thomas (offseason ankle surgery) would be ready for next week’s mini-camp, Daboll said “hope so.” Thomas appeared to struggle a bit during the OTA open to media last week. Specifically regarding Thibodeaux, Daboll said “Knock on wood hopefully he’ll be good to go (by training camp). I’m not going to promise anything. He may or may not.”

5 things the suddenly flush Cowboys could do with their $22.5 million cap space - Blogging The Boys
Trade for WR N’Keal Harry. The Patriots declined Harry’s fifth-year option, they traded for WR DeVante Parker from Miami, and Harry himself had previously requested a trade. Harry would count $1.9 million against the cap for the Cowboys, and in Dallas he could be a stopgap until Michael Gallup is healthy again and might conceivably show some upside beyond that.

Ryan Fitzpatrick made a career out of being the smartest dude in the NFL - SB Nation
After 16 years and nine different teams, Ryan Fitzpatrick is calling it a career. The 39-year-old quarterback is hanging it up, sending messages to his former teammates and thanking them for being a part of his professional life — and that list of teammates is extraordinarily long. Fitzpatrick was never the biggest player, he wasn’t the most athletic, and certainly didn’t have a cannon for an arm, but he made a living being one of the smartest players to ever take to an NFL field. That’s not a reference to his time at Harvard, or the fact he posted the highest wonderlic score of all time at the NFL combine — but a testament to how Fitzpatrick didn’t just play the game of football, but the game of the NFL itself. In a league that so often uses up players and tosses them away, Fitzpatrick took the league for all it was worth. Here was a guy who turned being a 7th round draft pick into becoming the NFL’s most coveted backup quarterback, a player who always found a way to get paid along the way by tantalizing teams with the promise he could be something bigger than warming the bench.

NFL Daily Kickoff, Friday- Frank Gore, Ryan Fitzpatrick retire - The SB Nation NFL Show
In today’s show, Frank Gore and Ryan Fitzpatrick hang up their cleats, Aaron Rodgers is close to retirement, and Tua Tagovailoa isn’t here for your criticism.

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