Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 3/17/24.

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The Baffling Conclusion to the Justin Fields Trade Saga - The Ringer
After Cousins, Mayfield, and Wilson found their respective landing spots, the Raiders seemed to be a prime trade candidate for Chicago. Las Vegas reportedly had interest in Fields, but signed Gardner Minshew to a bridge quarterback contract instead. The Eagles also called about Fields, per reports; it didn’t amount to anything, and Philadelphia later traded for Pickett. The Seahawks traded a series of pick swaps in exchange for 2023 Commanders starter Sam Howell. And the Cardinals brought in Ridder by sending wide receiver Rondale Moore to the Falcons.

Justin Fields trade fallout: Winners/losers from blockbuster QB deal between Bears and Steelers - NFL.com
LOSERS: Kenny Pickett. When he wanted out of Pittsburgh after the Steelers signed Wilson, he was traded to the Eagles — who have a superstar starting quarterback with a lucrative contract, giving Pickett almost no chance to be the starter, barring a serious injury to Jalen Hurts. Pickett’s departure created the opening for Fields to become the Steelers’ heir apparent.

Justin Fields traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers - SB Nation
Justin Fields now knows where he will be playing next season. What awaits is whether he will be a starting quarterback again. The Pittsburgh Steelers made another addition at the quarterback position, trading for the former first-round selection. The move comes almost a week after the Steelers signed Russell Wilson in free agency, and a day after the team traded away another former first-round selection in Kenny Pickett. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears are receiving a conditional pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. As Schefter notes, the pick is a conditional sixth-round pick, that can increase to a fourth-round pick.

Is the Saquon Barkley signing a mistake for the Eagles? - BGN
The Philadelphia area exploded on Monday once they heard the news former Penn State star Saquon Barkley agreed to a reported three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles. Howie Roseman stepped way out of his comfort zone to acquire the former New York Giants’ running back, who could get up to $46.75 million, which includes $26 million fully guaranteed when he signed. Now the hovering question looms: Was it worth it? Was it worth it considering the Eagles are porous in their back seven, with multiple needs, which includes safety? Would Giants’ safety Xavier McKinney have filled that more important need, in the neediest area of the field for the Eagles? Instead, McKinney signed with the burgeoning Green Bay Packers, while the Eagles made the splashy move in signing a tailback who is a great locker room presence, a stand-up guy, who could easily be questioned that at 27 and six NFL seasons of wear and tear on his body if his best years are behind him?

Eagles free agency analysis: Offense version - BGN Radio
It’s been a busy week for the Eagles! Brandon Lee Gowton and Jimmy Kempski analyze the additions of Saquon Barkley, Kenny Pickett, DeVante Parker, and more. Watch this episode! Subscribe to Bleeding Green Nation’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BleedingGreenNationSBN. 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.

Roob’s Eagles Observations: Why Parker, White signings make sense - NBCSP
8. Saquon Barkely had 11 100-yard games in his first 28 NFL games. He has six in his last 48 games. In those first 28 games, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. In the last 48 he’s averaged 4.0.

Potential tampering by Eagles, Falcons is very different - PFT
The Eagles landed on the tampering radar screen because Penn State coach James Franklin spoke of the Eagles’ recruiting pitch to former Giants running back Saquon Barkley by saying that Barkley spoke directly to Eagles G.M. Howie Roseman during the 52-hour negotiating period. The Eagles issued a general denial of any suggestion that they speak to players represented by agents during the pre-free agency window for discussing deals with players still under contract with other teams. More importantly, Barkley said during his introductory press conference that he did not hear directly from Roseman during the negotiating window. Of course, Barkley (and any other player or executive who was aware of the issue in advance) would be inclined to deny it, even if it happened. The question becomes whether the NFL will check phone records to see whether Roseman called Barkley directly, or whether he received a call from Barkley. Most teams, however, would be smart enough to not leave such clear digital footprints.

Matt Hennessy: ‘So excited to be home’ - PE.com
Matt Hennessy had goosebumps when he drove past Lincoln Financial Field on his way to making his signing with the Eagles official. “Philly is like a second home for me,” Hennessy said. The offensive lineman played his college football at Temple University in North Philadelphia. Hennessy is familiar with the friendly confines of Lincoln Financial Field, having played his home games there with Temple. The Owls have made the South Philadelphia stadium their home since 2003. Hennessy and his wife, Toni, met at Temple. The two got married at Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library in July 2023. Even after getting drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, the Hennessys have spent a lot of time in the city while Toni was attending graduate school at Thomas Jefferson University.

Tyron Smith departure creates multiple problems along Cowboys offensive line - Blogging The Boys
Watching Tyron Smith leave the Cowboys is a painful thing for all of us. but if has not been made clear there is a clear argument for doing so given the last few years. But while the move can be survived by the team, it can only really be done with the proper motions and sequences in place around allowing it to happen. So far, the Cowboys have not done that so they have let this major thing happen without a safety net underneath them. Yes, the Cowboys will very likely add to the offensive line early on in the NFL draft, but they are under intense pressure to hit on that pick. That isn’t an argument to have kept Tyron Smith on its own. but to have done enough work throughout free agency to make sure that his departure could be properly survived.

Are the Giants or Vikings in better position to get a top quarterback prospect? - Big Blue View
There are other factors that come into consideration in deciding which team to trade with. The Giants have more high round trade capital to offer in this year’s draft (picks No. 70, 107) than the Vikings (No. 108, 129), for example, and there are always 2025 draft picks that can enter the equation. Players can be traded, too, if the Giants get into a bidding war with the Vikings. None of that can be assessed by trade value charts, which as shown above indicate that an offer of the top two picks by either team is already eminently fair. There is one advantage, though, that the Giants have over the Vikings as a trade partner - not just the fact that they have a higher first-round pick than Minnesota does, but what that means in this particular draft, and how that meshes with the needs of the potential trade-down partners.

Commanders fans seem to be buying on Austin Ekeler and selling on Ricky Stromberg - Hogs Haven
In my mind, the driving force behind signing Ekeler (as opposed to any other back) is his connection to the team’s new offensive running game coordinator, Anthony Lynn. Nearly all of the Commanders’ free agent deals that we heard about this week were based on a connection between player and coach. Even kicker Brandon McManus, in his media session this week, spoke about the 2014 season when he and new special teams coordinator Larry Izzo were together at the NY Giants. Connections can run deep and count for a lot when a new coaching staff takes over.

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