Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 7/21/23.

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Most important non-QB for every NFC team: Chase Young, Bijan Robinson and more - PFF
Philadelphia Eagles: C Jason Kelce. The Eagles are loaded with star power, yet Jason Kelce is still their best player. In fact, he is the greatest run-blocking center in the PFF era (95.2 grade). His 92.3 overall grade ranks fourth best all time, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. Kelce’s 89.4 grade in 2022 ranked second in the NFL. He was the only center in the NFL to play 400 snaps and not allow a hit or a sack. He posted a 90.0 run-blocking grade for the second time in his career. The Eagles were easily the league’s most efficient team running to either side of their center. At age 35, Kelce was still an elite player who, with his athleticism, allowed Philadelphia to deploy schemes offensively that other teams aren’t capable of. He’s not the flashiest player, but he is the heart and soul of the Eagles’ offense.

Previewing Eagles Training Camp with a 53-man roster prediction - BGN Radio
Eagles training camp is almost here! With players set to report on July 25, Brandon Lee Gowton and Jimmy Kempski got together to discuss every position on the team by projecting which players will make the team. The guys also talk about an exciting new sponsor! 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.

The Return of a Legend - Iggles Blitz
I like the Kelly signing. The Eagles were lucky the past two years, having Andre Dillard and Jack Driscoll as backup OTs. The addition of Kelly would give them the possibility of having two backup OTs this year. Driscoll would be the backup LT and Kelly the backup RT. Kelly has size and experience. He was the starting RT for the Titans in 2020. He started 7 games over the last two years, playing for GB and IND. Kelly isn’t meant to be a starter at this point in his career, but he can be a reliable backup. The Eagles signed UDFA Trevor Reid, a young, talented athlete. Reid and Kelly are polar opposites. I think Reid will take time to develop, but you never know how a player will respond to Jeff Stoutland’s coaching. If Reid is anywhere close to Kelly, he could win the job because of future potential. Kelly’s experience is a major advantage, though. OL is a spot where experience really matters. Kelly has 54 starts and 130 games under his belt. Josh Sills could be in the mix if his legal situation clears up. No idea what’s going on with that. You certainly can’t count on him re-joining the team. He’s stuck in limbo for now.

10 Eagles on defense to watch in 2023 training camp - NBCSP
Edge Nolan Smith. There will be a ton of pressure on Carter in his rookie season but his college teammate Smith has a softer landing spot. The No. 30 pick in the draft is still behind Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham as the Eagles’ fourth edge rusher. He will get to rush the passer plenty, though, and we’ll see some of those chops this summer. He’s a unique player with his size and speed and seeing him in 1-on1-s will be fun. It’ll also be interesting to see if Smith is lined up strictly as an edge player or if the Eagles will use him in different ways. Will they blitz him? Will they use him as a stacked linebacker? Smith is a unique player and I’m curious to see Sean Desai’s plan for him.

Training Camp Position Preview: Defensive Tackle - PE.com
Jordan Davis was on an upward trajectory before his midseason injury last fall. A physical marvel, Davis showed the potential to be a dominant presence as a nose guard in the Eagles’ multiple-front defense, particularly against the run. His impact won’t always be felt in the stat sheet, but I’m very excited to see what Davis can provide in Year 2.

The Eagles are the best team in the NFC. No one should expect them to return to the Super Bowl. - Inquirer
So yeah, expectations for the 2023 Eagles are stratospheric. Everyone knows it, and just about everyone thinks they’re going to be great. I don’t. Like the fast-talking real-estate salesman Ricky Roma, I subscribe to the law of contrary public opinion. If everyone thinks one thing, then I say bet the other way. In this case, the other way is this: The Eagles will be very good. And very disappointing. That prediction sounds like a contradiction. It’s not. It’s a reflection of the reality of and around the Eagles. Just three NFL teams have won a Super Bowl after losing one the year before, and only one of them, the 2018-19 New England Patriots, has accomplished that feat in the last half-century. There’s a reason that trite, Hollywood-style narrative plays out so rarely: No matter how talented and deep a team might be, it’s exhausting to come that close to winning everything and fall short. It’s difficult enough to produce the outstanding performances and enjoy the good fortune that make one Super Bowl run possible. Matching or improving on them is inherently harder.

Tennessee Titans Roster Profile: OT Andre Dillard - Music City Miracles
2023 Outlook: Dillard is arguably the biggest unknown on the Titans roster. Not only is he a recent addition, but injuries and inconsistent play have prevented Dillard from settling into a long-term role. Dillard started just nine career contests for the Eagles despite being a first-round selection. The Titans don’t have a long-term solution at left tackle. Rookie left guard Peter Skoronski is capable of kicking outside in case Dillard struggles or gets hurt again, but the Titans would prefer to keep him inside. Nicholas Petit-Frere is focused on playing right tackle. There isn’t another young tackle on the Titans roster with starting-caliber potential. Dillard is crucial to Tennessee’s efforts to field an improved offensive line in 2023.

Titans safety Kevin Byard agrees to restructured deal, lowering base salary to $11M - NFL.com
The Titans approached Byard back in March about a possible pay cut. The two-time first-team All-Pro rejected the idea but did not request a trade out of Tennessee. The pay-cut question lingered around the star safety this offseason. Still, Byard reported to minicamp in June, citing the importance of being a leader despite the protracted questions about his future. Now there is some finality regarding those questions. [BLG Note: Including this story in case you were holding out hope for a Byard trade.]

The Cowboys have a potential holdout - so it is business as usual - Blogging The Boys
In any case, the team needs Martin, badly. It is all but certain his agent approached the team some time ago about him wanting more money, and was stonewalled. It is the way for the Cowboys, and it is not a good one. It is one more thing to worry about going into training camp. We can hope this gets worked out quickly, but it is prudent to fasten those seatbelts, because this could be a bumpy ride.

What does Leonard Williams have in store for contract year with Giants? - Big Blue View
Williams played 604 snaps on defense last year, a hefty number given that he missed five games with a neck injury. It’s possible the Giants look to reduce that number slightly and give veteran additions such as Rakeem Nunez-Roches some opportunities. Depending on how the depth chart fills out, Williams will likely be the most experienced full-time starter on New York’s defense as he enters his ninth NFL season. Regardless, he and Lawrence will likely continue to be the focal point of that side of the ball, with two young players starting at edge defender and a young starting cornerback in Deonte Banks.

WATCH! Roger Goodell introduces new Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris - Hogs Haven
NFL owners met today in Minnesota to vote on the proposed sale of the Washington Commanders to Josh Harris, The vote was unanimous and the sale is expected to be finalized as early as tomorrow. Josh Harris’s investment group bought the team from Dan Snyder, his wife Tanya, and his sister Michelle for $6.05 billion, a record amount for any sports franchise. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell introduced Harris to the media today, and the new owner spoke about growing up in the area, and also the work that needs to be done to bring the team back to the glory days. “A new era of Washington football is here!”

Josh Harris Paid $6 Billion for the Easiest Job in the World: Not Being Dan Snyder - The Ringer
A bad owner is the worst fate a fan base can suffer. A bad quarterback can be replaced; a bad coach or GM can be fired. But a bad owner may never sell. And a bad owner loves hiring bad coaches and GMs who in turn pick bad quarterbacks. I’ll repeat my theory that there are three types of NFL owners: those who know how to win and use their resources wisely (the Krafts and the Luries spring to mind), those for whom winning is incidental and they are fine either way (a larger group than you might think), and those who want to win and are willing to spend to do so but simply don’t know how (I’ve mentioned in the past that I think David Tepper is in this group, among others). Snyder was in the second group—he did not prioritize winning at all—but really, he was in his own unique subgenre. For a while he gave the illusion of wanting to win by spending money on pricey veterans or hiring Mike Shanahan—both of which were undone quicker than you’d reasonably think by various acts of Snyder self-sabotage. But then he gave up on appearances. The franchise was left with a man who seemed to care solely about maintaining power, and it showed. No one has done more damage to an NFL team in a single tenure. Snyder made Matt Millen and Jack Easterby look like Tom Landry.

Sixers managing partner Josh Harris officially buys Washington Commanders - Liberty Ballers
For the Sixers fans reading, this purchase has the potential to be relevant if Harris decides to tighten the purse strings after buying his new team. The Sixers will be subject to the repeater tax (higher tax rates) in 2024-25 if they stay above the luxury tax line this year. That repeater tax rate also skyrockets beginning in 2025-26 for teams under the new NBA collective bargaining agreement. It would be a shame for decisions regarding the Sixers to be dictated by how much money they can save Harris in the wake of his latest purchase.

NFL releases the findings of Mary Jo White’s investigation into Dan Snyder and the Commanders - SB Nation
The NFL on Thursday released the findings of an investigation conducted into the workplace culture at the Washington Commanders under former owner Dan Snyder. The investigation, conducted by former United States Attorney and SEC Chair Mary Jo White, along with the firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, was requested by the NFL following allegations regarding workplace misconduct were raised at a hearing before Congress. The investigation from Ms. White found that many of the allegations raised in recent years regarding Snyder and the Commanders were credible, sustaining allegations of sexual harassment as well as financial improprieties.

‘I was bitter for years’ - Golden Tate on infamous rumors of affair with Russell Wilson’s ex-wife - Field Gulls
The Detroit Lions signed Tate to a five-year, $31 million contract and recorded 90+ catches in his first four seasons with the Lions before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Tate relayed how his wife and family were impacted by comments from fans at certain Lions games as a result of the rumors. “I was texting Russ like ‘Dude, clear my name, say something,’ and he kinda didn’t say much. I just wanted it to be over. I knew that wasn’t true, so my belief was all I needed at the time. But I get to Detroit and we would play anyone in the NFC West, who obviously knew the story and my wife—my girlfriend at the time—would be wearing my jersey and they’re shouting stuff at her. Or my in-laws are coming to games and they’re shouting comments.”

Jacksonville Jaguars strength coach Kevin Maxen comes out in the NFL, a first in major US men’s pro sports - Outsports
Kevin Maxen, an associate strength coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, is coming out publicly in hopes of living his life openly without fear, and to inspire others to do so as well. “I don’t want to feel like I have to think about it anymore,” Maxen told Outsports in an exclusive interview. “I don’t want to feel like I have to lie about who I am seeing, or why I am living with someone else. I want to be vocal in support of people living how they want to live, but I also want to just live and not feel fear about how people will react.”

Take Action - WGA On Strike
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