Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 3/9/24.

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Donovan McNabb defends Jalen Hurts against ‘lazy’ criticisms, says Eagles will return to Super Bowl form - CBS Sports
“It’s lazy when (critics are) talking about, ‘He needs to be more animated, more vocal.’ And it’s like, wait a minute, you want your leaders to be rah-rah, head-banging guys that are bouncing around, but if they’re not winning, you’re gonna say, ‘Well he’s not a leader, he’s not a guy that people listen to.’ Now you’ve got a guy who just eight, nine months ago was in the Super Bowl. And everybody was talking about how great a leader he is — ‘He’s a little stoic but people love following him, love his interviews, blah, blah, blah.’ Now all of a sudden they’re losing and people are upset. I think for Jalen: Continue to be yourself. And while you’re being yourself, continue to work on your craft.” [...] “They have that team,” he said. “They have the coach. They have the players. ... I think they have the opportunity of getting back. And the thing with this football team, to be honest with you, (if) they shore up the defense and create some special-teams opportunities for field position, I think we’re talking about Philadelphia back in the NFC championship at least.”

Remembering timeless Eagles great Jason Kelce - BGN
Jason Kelce was far more than a beard and beer belly. He was far more than a center for the Philadelphia Eagles the past 13 seasons. His impact carried far beyond the anonymity NFL offensive linemen usually have. When you have countless fans wearing your No. 62 around the Philadelphia area and throughout the country, when your retirement announcement on YouTube generates more than a half-million hits, is simulcast live across three major local radio networks, across three local major TV networks, including the NFL Network nationally, you are a head of state with an imprint beyond just a guy in a helmet saying goodbye to the game you love. Kelce was the de facto emperor of Eagles Realm. He was relatable to every person working a 9-to-5, because they could see themselves in him, the everyman, mixed with a lovable dose of beer-guzzling Fred Flintstone under a helmet and a bushy beard protruding out the sides. You can walk up and talk to him at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City. How many Eagle stars without an entourage are tangible that way? Not many now.

Jason Kelce Retires + Free Agency Snake Draft - BGN Radio
Jimmy Kempski is joined by John Stolnis to discuss Jason Kelce’s retirement, free agency rumors, and they jump into a Free Agency Snake Draft! Interact with us on social media: @BrandonGowton, @JimmyKempski, @BGN_Radio, @BleedingGreen. Check out Wrong Crowd Beer Company: wrongcrowdbeer.com! (21 or older, please enjoy responsibly). Use discount code BGN15 at RighteousFelon.com for 15% off your order! Same promotion applies at WildRangerPet.com. Buying, selling, or renting a house? Contact Kristin Roach at RoachRealtors.com.

2024 NFL Draft: Early- and late-round fits for every NFC team - PFF
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES. Early-Round Fit: CB Cooper DeJean. Late-Round Fit: LB Marist Liufau. The Eagles’ secondary wasn’t as strong in 2023 as it was in 2022, and so they will likely upgrade via a priority draft pick. DeJean’s versatility as a cornerback or safety could be key for them. We know Philadelphia doesn’t typically go for linebackers early in the draft, but a fast and powerful tackler like Liufau on Day 3 would be a nice addition for the Eagles in the middle.

Brandon Graham: Glad to be part of Eagles plan, have to work it out for both sides - PFT
During an appearance on WIP, Graham said that he is planning on signing a new deal with the team and that the two sides are working out the details of a new contract. “I’m glad to still be part of the plan . . . now it is about making it make sense for both parties,” Graham said.

NFC free agency needs: Giants must prioritize offensive playmakers; 3 teams with big QB questions - NFL.com
Cap space: $42,959,107. The Eagles have plenty to fix this offseason, especially following the retirement of Jason Kelce. New offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is tasked with revitalizing Jalen Hurts and the offense, which struggled particularly against the blitz down the stretch and in the postseason. Hurts completed just four of 11 attempts for 37 yards on blitzed dropbacks under pressure in the wild-card loss to the Bucs. For new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, getting 33-year-old Darius Slay and 30-year-old James Bradberry back on track is vital, and the front office may look for insurance for the aging vets (releasing safety Kevin Byard could signal an imminent youth movement). Both struggled in 2023, but the unit’s downfield splits before and during the Eagles’ 1-5 skid are indicative: Philly’s defense allowed 12.4 yards per attempt on passes of 10-plus air yards in Weeks 13 through 18, versus just 9.1 yards in Weeks 1 through 12.

AGL Totals by Position, from Jets Quarterbacks to Patriots Cornerbacks - FTN Fantasy
Philadelphia was second with 36.8 AGL from defensive backs. Nickelback Avonte Maddox (13.0) missed most of the season with a torn pectoral suffered in Week 2. Safety Justin Evans (12.3) was lost for the season after Week 5 with a knee injury. Star cornerback Darius Slay (5.0) missed five games with knee injuries while veteran Bradley Roby (3.0), who was filling in for Maddox, was out three weeks with a shoulder injury.

Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts Shocks Fans with Shaved Face After Ditching Signature Goatee - People
Jalen Hurts’ offseason look is sending fans into panic mode. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has been laying low since the team’s season ended in January (though he did play in the NFL Pro Bowl last month), but he popped up this week in a photo shared by his dentist — and fans were surprised by how he looked. The NFL star, who is usually — and by usually, we mean always — rocking a goatee, was instead fresh-faced and cleanly shaven. In the photo, which has since been deleted by Philadelphia-based dentist Kunal Parikh but is still making the rounds on X, formerly known as Twitter, Hurts shows off the look that is so very rarely seen. And the fans have a lot to say.

If the Cowboys only make one big move before the draft, it should be at cornerback - Blogging The Boys
If the Cowboys don’t bring either back, they have to replace one of them in free agency to prepare for the draft. Someone like Kendall Fuller, who also does his best work in the slot, could be a good replacement for Lewis. Or maybe a familiar face in Chidobe Awuzie, who’s been solid for the Bengals in his three years away from Dallas, could return and let Bland move inside. Whichever route they take, the Cowboys have to do something to avoid going into the draft with an open wound. It’s one thing to still be in need at left tackle; they at least have the Tyler Smith option to get through 2024. Or maybe they wait to add a running back, knowing they can get a starting option outside of the first round. Cornerback is too important in the modern NFL, and the Cowboys are too thin at it, to wait for the draft. Even if Trevon Diggs comes back better than ever, they’re still at least one man short. Taking that into the draft would make the team’s biggest need far too glaring to the rest of the league and destroy their leverage. And if they don’t find the right fit then, as they failed to do with the Wright and Kelvin Joseph picks recently, it would create a huge weak spot in their 2024 defense.

NFL free agency: Russell Wilson meets with Giants — what it means - Big Blue View
Russell Wilson to the New York Giants? Maybe. The soon-to-be free agent, given permission by the Denver Broncos to speak with teams, held an “exploratory meeting” on Thursday with the Giants. “Exploratory” could mean a lot of different things. It could mean Wilson wanting to know if he would have to compete with or sit behind Daniel Jones if he signed with the Giants. It could mean the Giants wanting to judge whether the 35-year-old nine-time Pro Bowler had an appetite to do those things. It could mean Wilson wanting to know how seriously the Giants are considering selecting a quarterback early in the 2024 NFL Draft, which would likely make the Giants a one-and-done scenario for the veteran quarterback. No matter what it means, it is interesting. The Giants have acknowledged they need to do something at quarterback this offseason because of the uncertainty around Jones’ recovery from a torn ACL, not to mention his uneven — at best — performance in six games last season.

All aTwitter: 9 March 2024 - Commanders will get one compensatory pick (from SF in return for Chase Young) - Hogs Haven
[BLG Note: The Commanders got pick No. 99 overall in exchange for Chase Young.]

Temple-UAB investigation into suspicious gambling movement, explained - SB Nation
A dramatic shift in the point spread for a men’s basketball game between the Temple Owls and UAB Blazers has triggered an investigation from gambling company U.S. Integrity on Thursday night, according to Sports Illustrated. UAB was -1.5 point favorite over Temple to open the day; hours later, the line had moved to UAB -8 without any significant injury news or roster changes altering the outlook of the game. UAB beat Temple, 100-72, in the American Athletic Conference matchup. Temple drops to 11-19 overall. The Owls’ season will soon be over barring a miracle run in the AAC tournament.

TGIFootball #31: answering our biggest questions ahead of free agency - The SB Nation NFL Show
RJ Ochoa and Stephen Serda discuss their biggest questions ahead of the start of NFL free agency.

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