Category: Eagles Game Day

Eagles land in the top-2 of the 10-best-performing NFL offensive lines by expected rushing yards

Eagles No.2 in a ranking of the 10-best-performing offensive lines

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The Philadelphia Eagles build from the inside out and the dominating line play on both sides of the ball is a huge reason for the sustained success over the past three seasons.

The Birds enter the 2020 season with huge expectations and the offensive line is a huge reason for the Eagles to be confident regardless of what happens at wide receiver. The Eagles will rely on Miles Sanders at running back and based on a ranking from NFL.com, the second-year running back is slated for success thanks to the offensive line’s penchant for giving that extra push.

Using an advanced metric called expected rushing yards (blocking effectiveness) Sanders averaged a yard or better more than other running backs around the league thanks to the Eagles road-grading offensive line that opened holes upfront at an alarming rate.

Rank
2
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
2019 stats: 4.62 xYPC, 1,782 ERY, -98 RYOE, -0.25 RYOE per attempt

OK, listen — I know the Eagles were incredibly banged up last season, and they weren’t exactly trotting out three versions of in-his-prime Terrell Owens in their receiving corps, so their running backs were at a bit of a disadvantage. But let’s take a moment to heap praise on the Eagles’ line, the lone group that remained somewhat intact throughout the season while everyone else took turns in the trainer’s room. Philadelphia performed better in xYPC than its NFC East rival Dallas — logging 4.62 xYPC versus the Cowboys’ 4.16 — it just lacked star ball-carriers to take full advantage (we talked about Sanders above already). The Eagles weren’t the only team with a negative RYOE to land in the top 10 in xYPC, either, with half of the group ending up in the red. But they were the only one of those teams with an offensive line (plus two solid tight ends) good enough to help clear space for what should’ve been over 4.6 yards per carry on average. The loss of guard Brandon Brooks this offseason could be devastating for 2020. Hearing the news of his Achilles injury pained me very much, but the return of Jason Peters in an unfamiliar guard role means the team might be able to weather that storm. Meanwhile, it’s time for Andre Dillard to own the left tackle job he was drafted to take. If the Eagles can stay healthy and find a way to replicate what they did up front in 2019, they should win more than the nine games they took home last season.

The only team better in the NFL last season was the Baltimore Ravens, who with the help of MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, ran the ball more effectively than any team in the league. Bringing Peters back brings some comfort to the unit and if Andre Dillard and Isaac Seumalo can mesh on the left side, Miles Sanders could be in store for a huge rushing season.

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Miles Sanders recently worked out with Eagles QB Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz worked out with Eagles RB Miles Sanders last week

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Carson Wentz and Miles Sanders displayed amazing chemistry down the stretch for the Eagles in 2019 and the two have already started the process for the upcoming season.

Sanders has been making the rounds with Eagles teammates and after working out with DeSean Jackson a few weeks ago, the second-year running back got in a workout with star quarterback Carson Wentz per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Sanders was a huge part of the Eagles passing game during the last six weeks and was the Bird’s most explosive player in the passing game during some big NFC East wins as well.

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Philadelphia Eagles update season-ticket holders on potential seating options for 2020 home games

Philadelphia Eagles update season-ticket holders on the potential of attending home games in 2020

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It’s currently unknown if any fans will be in attendance for Philadelphia Eagles football during the 2020 NFL season, but the team has done a good job of keeping season ticket holders updated.

In an email sent to Eagles season-ticket holders on Tuesday, the Birds outlined a potential seating plan for fans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The email comes amid some uncertainties surrounding the city of Philadelphia and the Eagles outlining a plan for fans to be in attendance after city officials initially stated that sporting events would be played without fans.

Those same officials have now backtracked on the comments but it still remains to be seen if fans will in fact be in attendance.

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Eagles waive C Keegan Render; release CB Trevor Williams

Eagles waive C Keegan Render; released CB Trevor Williams

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The Philadelphia Eagles and the other 31 teams around the NFL will likely have to reduce their rosters prior to the start of training camp and Howie Roseman just parted ways with two more players.

The Eagles announced that they’ve waived backup center Keegan Render and released veteran cornerback Trevor Williams.

Render was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft and spent the entirety of training camp with the Eagles. He then rejoined the team in Week 7 of the 2019 season, signing to the practice squad.

Render was an All-Big Ten selection after starting all 13 games at center in 2018.

A solid veteran when healthy, Williams signed a futures deal with the Eagles after playing 37 games (27 starts) with the Chargers.

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With NFL offering to skip the entire preseason schedule, how will Eagles rookies and undrafted free agents be impacted?

NFL offers players the option to skip entire preseason game schedule

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In a move that has been decades in the making, the NFL has proposed eliminating the slate of preseason games for all 32 teams amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The move was suggested to help placate the player’s request to have more acclimation time during the training camp period after missing all the offseason team activities and minicamps.

The move could benefit certain Eagles veterans but would greatly impact select rookies and undrafted free agents who are looking to make the team. The NFL has also discussed reduced training camp roster, making it almost impossible for anyone but drafted rookies to make the 53 man roster and that could cause a conundrum for skill position and offensive linemen drafted in the later rounds.

A guy like Jalen Reagor is a special talent and should have no problems adjusting to the speed of NFL games, whereas players like Quez Watkins and John Hightower will have to be on point from the start of on-field workouts with the Eagles returning DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, and the newest addition Marquise Goodwin.

Undrafted free agents like Michael Warren (RB), Grayland Arnold (DB), Noah Togiai (TE), Luke Juriga (OL), Dante Olson (LB) and Raekwon Williams (DL) were considered locks to make the team or at least the practice squad, but the loss of preseason film could be detrimental to those players and a handful of others.

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Eagles Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson land in the top-5 of a ranking of the Top-10 QB/Coach duos in the NFL

Carson Wentz, Doug Pederson No. 5 in a ranking of QB/Coach duos in NFL

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The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the gold standard franchises in the NFL because of the coach-quarterback pairing of Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson and the partnership hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The duo finished behind the top duo in sports currently and that Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs. Kansas City is fresh off a Super Bowl and Mahomes just inked a $503 million contract extension.

No. 2 on the list was Sean Payton and Drew Brees, followed by Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson (3), followed by John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson who landed at No. 4 on the list.

No other NFC East duo made the list.

Pederson has a career record of 38-26 (.594) in Philadelphia and he’s been tied at the hip to Wentz, who’s played a huge part in a lot of those wins.

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Eagles sign rookie WR Jalen Reagor to a 4-year, $13.3M contract with a fifth-year option

Jalen Reagor signs 4-year, $13 million rookie deal with the Eagles

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Jalen Reagor is in Philadelphia and now a member of the Eagles after the TCU star and 2019 first-round pick signed his rookie deal.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the deal is the standard four-year, $13.3 million contract with a fifth-year option.

Carson Wentz, Darius Slay among Eagles’ players pushing for NFL to address health and safety measures before training camp

Eagles’ players pushing for the NFL to address health and safety measures

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The Philadelphia Eagles are set to report for the 2020 training camp on July 21, with rookies and quarterbacks among the first to report.

Veterans and select players are scheduled to report on July 28, but as camp approaches the NFL and NFLPA are still haggling over health and safety protocols amid the coronavirus.

Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz were among a handful of Eagles players to join the likes of Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, and JJ Watt in a synchronized tweet among NFL players calling for the NFL to address those issues.

Among the remaining issues for the players includes testing frequency, length of the preseason, the structure of training camps, opt-out rules, face shields, and economics.

Rookies for the Chiefs and Texans are scheduled to report to camp as early as Monday while the Eagles will start to filter in on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Has Greg Ward earned the right to be the Eagles starting slot-receiver entering the 2020 season?

Greg Ward has earned the right to be Eagles starting WR in the slot

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Greg Ward Jr. worked for three years on the Eagles practice squad to show the coaches and executives that he had the skills to play in the NFL.

During the Eagles late-season run in 2019, Ward was an integral part of the team’s success and looked to have finally found a place on an NFL roster.

A former University of Houston quarterback who changed his position to wide receiver, Ward was the Eagles’ most consistent and reliable receiver during the Birds four-game run to a division title, snagging 28 catches for 254 yards and one touchdown during that six-week stretch.

As Ward and the Eagles enter the 2020 season, the roster dynamics have changed, and what initially looked like a starting role this season dwindled back to another preseason battle for a roster spot.

The Eagles acquired the speedy Marquise Goodwin on draft night and then selected Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins to add more speed and athleticism to the roster.

What that means for Ward has yet to be seen because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Eagles were unable to gather for offseason workouts, OTA’s or minicamps.

A virtual offseason should allow Ward to enter training camp with an advantage at the position and Doug Pederson’s comments about Jalen Reagor were also a blessing for Ward as well.

When speaking with Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro recently, Pederson hinted at playing Reagor on the outside, behind DeSean Jackson initially.

“Right now, he’s going to come in and he’s going to learn one position and he is going to learn from DeSean Jackson and learn everything he can,” Head Coach Doug Pederson said. “Obviously, the playbook is extensive and we just have to see what he’s taken from the offseason to Training Camp, and then once we see his potential and his growth, then we can use him in multiple spots. But one of the things that all of our receivers really have the capability of doing is moving inside, whether they are an outside guy going inside or an inside guy going outside. We’ll keep him at one position to start and we’ll grow from there.”

With Alshon Jeffery likely to start the regular season on the PUP list, JJ Arcega-Whiteside will likely be the starter on the outside opposite Jackson, unless Marquise Goodwin can snag the job away from the second-year wideout.

Ward has earned the right to enter training camp as the starter, but it’ll be interesting to see if the Eagles put any stock into his late-season performance, or if they’re prepared to start the youth movement earlier than expected.

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Eagles vs. Cowboys lands in the top-5 of a ranking of the NFL’s top rivalries entering the 2020 season

Eagles vs. Cowboys is No. 4 in a ranking of NFL’s top rivalries

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The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have a historic hatred for one another that has transformed the NFL landscaped and made the matchups must-see TV.

The two teams are now linked by franchise signal-callers and Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott will be forever compared because of their selections in the 2016 draft. CBS Sports recently ranked the top-five rivalries heading into the 2020 NFL season and the NFC’s most meaningful duo landed at No. 4 on the list.

4. Cowboys vs. Eagles
An historically great rivalry, the fanbases of the Eagles and Cowboys downright just don’t like each other. It’s been that way since the 1970s, when the Cowboys had their way with the Eagles before Philadelphia flipped the script during the 1980 NFC title game. The Eagles’ upset win over the Cowboys that day further elevated the bad blood between the two franchises and fan bases, and it’s a dislike that continues to fester to this day.

Along with the history, these are two teams that are trying to reclaim their place as the NFL’s best team. Dallas (Jerry Jones, to be more specific) is desperately trying to win their first championship since the franchise’s glory years of the 1990s. Conversely, the Eagles, now over two years removed from hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy, are looking to capitalize on their Super Bowl window after falling just short of expectation the previous two seasons. The NFC East should come down to these two teams, which should make for two very compelling games in 2020.

Buccaneers vs. Saints was No. 5 thanks to the arrival of Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, while Ravens vs. Titans are No. 3 on the list thanks to the huge 28-12 Tennessee upset of top-ranked Baltimore in AFC playoffs last year.

49ers vs. Packers was No. 2 on the list while 49ers vs. Seahawks and the battle for the NFC West title.

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