Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 9/1/23.

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Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals hype video is lamest an NFL head coach has ever sounded - SB Nation
The Jonathan Gannon era for the Arizona Cardinals has not gotten off to the smoothest start. From a tampering investigation that resulted in a settlement between the Cardinals and Gannon’s former employer the Philadelphia Eagles to a jersey reveal that was more underwhelming than anything, the season is looking bleak from the onset. Gannon has to get a squad that everyone believes is going to be mind-numbingly bad into fighting shape, and sometimes that requires some motivation. In the latest episode of the Cardinals show ‘Cards Flight Plan’, Gannon is hyping up the team in a meeting with some motivational words. The problem is ... I don’t know if Gannon has ever motivated anyone in his entire life.

Jonathan Gannon’s Gut Might Need A Little More Fire - Defector
This is a video the team put together and shared publicly. Jonathan Gannon asks his players who drove to the practice facility, and who “took the bus.” Then he continues: “Do you have fire in your gut?” He’s asking them questions you might ask a toddler on the first day of Sunday school. He’s also about as laid-back as possible, which is great when you’re asking about gut-fire. The cutaway shots to players are hilarious. No one has any reaction to Gannon’s attempt at a motivational speech. They do not seem to react at all. The video seems like it’s making fun of the Cardinals and Jonathan Gannon.

2023 Arizona Cardinals best/worst case: What’s the difference? - Revenge Of The Birds
So the Cardinals are basically playing with house money this season. If we’re one of the worst teams in the league, oh well. That’s what most are expecting and we get to reload in the draft next year. And if we’re better than expected, then we’ve got what might be the hardest part of a rebuild—installing a new, winning culture—out of the way and potentially an embarrassment of riches at QB. Either way, we’ll be in much better shape for 2024.

Eagles jersey number updates: New looks for Tanner McKee, Kelee Ringo - BGN
This is a perplexing change for McKee. Going from No. 10 to No. 19 is a definite downgrade. Maybe he wanted to be closer to his college number, No. 18, which is still owned by Britain Covey on the practice squad? One would hope McKee didn’t have to defer to Arryn Siposs, who is No. 10 on the practice squad. Is this a sign that Siposs sticking around as the punter is more likely than it seemed after he got cut?

Eye on the Enemy #150: Aaron Schatz shares where he has the Eagles ranked in the NFC + the worst squad in the NFL - BGN Radio
Chief Analytics Officer FTN Fantasy (aka the godfather of DVOA) Aaron Schatz joins John Stolnis to discuss his rankings of the best teams in the NFL, where he has the Eagles ranked in the NFC (It’s not No. 1!), surprise teams and who has put together the worst squad in the NFL. Later in the show John shares his Eagles game-by-game predictions and NFL postseason predictions.

Mailbag: A lot of nitty-gritty Eagles roster questions - PhillyVoice
If by “should have trade value,” Fowler meant “shouldn’t have trade value,” then I agree. “Tremendous respect for Derek and the player and person that he is and what he brings to this football team,” Howie Roseman said. “Love having him here. That’s why we bring him back. “That’s a position for us which you see with the 53-man roster, it’s a priority. So, we’re going to keep as many of those guys we possibly can. Last year we got in a little bit of a bind and had to give up a pick and had to sign guys in the middle of the year. So, for us having those guys lets us sleep a little bit better at night, and Derek is certainly one of those guys.” Nick Sirianni was also complimentary. “I just think he has had a great camp and so excited that he is a part of this football team,” he said. “I love his toughness, his edge, and his ability that he brings to this team every day.” Anyway, Barnett likely isn’t going anywhere. The Eagles have demonstrated that they like him. Meanwhile, he has 26 career penalties and 24 career sacks, so it’s hard to see who would give up anything of value to get him.

To The Point - Iggles Blitz
Keep in mind that this group has multiple functions. First is providing depth for the current team. If there is an injury, you can call someone up. The PS is also important for player development. You get to keep guys around and let them learn without having to take up a roster spot. We tend to overlook the fact the PS guys are important for practice. That’s why there are so many OL/DL/WR/DBs on the PS and roster. You need to be able to roll guys in and out as you prepare for games.

2023 NFL season: One potential first-time Pro Bowler from each NFC team - NFL.com
I don’t expect the recent addition of Albert Okwuegbunam to take the shine off Goedert’s production — that was simply GM Howie Roseman pouncing on an underutilized asset. When healthy, Goedert’s pass-catching ability fits perfectly in the Eagles’ offense alongside receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With soft hands and the ability to beat linebackers in coverage, Goedert can gobble up catches and set career highs in 2023. Goedert would have likely been a Pro Bowler last season had he not missed five games. If the elite tight end stays healthy, he should hit the mark this season.

NFL win total projections for all 32 teams: Experts react to our model - The Athletic
Win total: 11.2. This feels about right. After winning 14 games last season, the Eagles underwent significant turnover this offseason on defense and have two new coordinators. The schedule also figures to be more difficult than it was in 2022, and there are a host of things, like injuries, red zone performance and turnover luck, that are likely to regress this season. And yet, they still look like they should have one of the league’s best offenses and, critically, they made it through the summer without significant injury to any key contributors. Given the landscape of the NFC, they deserve to be tabbed as conference favorites.

Spadaro: James Bradberry cherishes a new challenge - PE.com
James Bradberry is up for the challenge. A career-long outside cornerback, and one of the best in the league there, Bradberry is cross-training with some practice reps inside in case he is needed in that spot. It’s something the Eagles do at a lot of positions on both sides of the football, and it makes sense: The more perspectives you have on the game, the more it helps your overall knowledge of spacing, responsibility, and purpose. At least that’s the way Bradberry sees it. “It’s been fun,” Bradberry said about spending some time as the nickel corner. “It’s a different world in there that I’m not used to. I’m trying to get adjusted to it and learn more. I think it’s helping my overall knowledge of the game.” The game is much different inside vs. being an outside cornerback. Whereas everything is in front of an outside cornerback, there are different levels to consider from the inside perspective. There is a lot of traffic from different directions and the commotion can be unsettling. There is also the element of supporting against the run and tangling with offensive linemen and tight ends.

Howie Roseman’s unusual words of encouragement for Eli Ricks - NBCSP
Howie Roseman knew before training camp even started. He knew Eli Ricks had something special. Special enough to make the 53-man roster of a Super Bowl team as an undrafted rookie cornerback. And he made that clear early on to the 21-year-old Southern California native. “Howie told me when I first got here, ‘There should be no reason why you shouldn’t make the 53,’” Ricks said after practice Thursday. “And I held onto that the whole time during camp, during this whole process, even when I had some doubts. I knew what he told me at the start of the camp and I just kept that.” Ricks did make the Eagles as the only undrafted rookie on the 53-man roster. It was the culmination of months of hard work as he tried to prove that the disappointing end to his college career wasn’t really who he was.

Patriots signing former first-round wideout Jalen Reagor to practice squad, per report - Pats Pulpit
The final spot on the initial practice squad in Foxborough will go to wide receiver Jalen Reagor. The former first-round pick is set to sign with the New England Patriots after clearing waivers, according to a report Thursday from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Reagor, 24, entered the NFL in the 2020 draft at No. 21 overall. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound TCU product spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings last August in exchange for late 2023 and 2024 selections. He was targeted 13 times by campaign’s end, primarily working in the return phase while checking into every game.

Cowboys fans overwhelmingly approve of the trade for QB Trey Lance - Blogging The Boys
Lance comes in as the third quarterback. Dak Prescott is the starter and will be in the future as long as he and the team can work out a financial solution to his ballooning contract by the 2024 season. Backing him up, at least for the time being, is the reliable Cooper Rush. The first immediate goal for Lance will be to learn the offense and then prove that he is a better alternative as the backup than Rush. That will be his first big battle. And that might not happen this year. Lance’s long-term future is certainly unknown. Much of it will have to do with the future of DaK Prescott, however that unfolds. But for the price of a fourth-round pick, most Cowboys fans are willing to find out.

If Mike Evans is available, should Giants be interested? - Big Blue View
GM Joe Schoen has been aggressive in trying to upgrade the roster. He traded a third-round pick acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs to obtain Waller. He recently dealt late-round picks to add linebacker Isaiah Simmons and edge defender Boogie Basham. The price for Evans would seem likely to be closer to, or more than, the price for Waller — if the Bucs don’t reach a long-term deal and put him on the market. Should Schoen pick up the phone and try to bring Evans to East Rutherford? Vote in the poll and let us know what you think.

Washington Commanders Injury Update: Chase Young not cleared to practice, and uncertain for Week 1 - Hogs Haven
A new report from The Athletic’s Ben Standig is not good news for Chase Young, or the Washington Commanders defense. He suffered a stinger during the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, and has been sidelined ever since. Standig reports that Young is not cleared for contact, and will meet with a doctor again this week to try to get cleared to play. His availability for the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field on September 10th is in doubt. This was supposed to be Chase Young’s year, He was drafted #2 overall and won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, but then tore his ACL the following year. He returned late last season, but didn’t look like he was close to 100%. The Commanders declined his 5th-year option, a similar move to the one they had taken with Daron Payne last year. Washington was looking for a similar career year from Young, and a return to his rookie form.

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