Tag: Brandon Brooks

Eagles land in the top-15 of way too early Power Rankings

The Philadelphia Eagles are No. 13 in the Touchdown Wire’s way-too-early 2020 power rankings

The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing for 2020 free agency after finally announcing all of their coaching changes and hires.

With Carson Wentz completing his finest season as a pro and the Birds set to embark on an aggressive youth movement, Touchdown Wire just unveiled their first of many way too early power rankings, and the Eagles landed at No. 13.

13. Philadelphia Eagles

Primary free agents: OT Jason Peters, S Rodney McLeod, WR Nelson Agholor, DE Vinny Curry

The Eagles finished 9-7 last season, their second year in a row with such a record after their Super Bowl win at the end of the 2017 campaign. We’re inclined to give Doug Pederson’s team a relative pass for a couple of reasons — a running game that had Miles Sanders leading all backs with just 818 yards, and more importantly, an absolutely horrific slate of receiver injuries that resulted in Greg Ward and Robert Davis as the team’s starting wideouts in Philly’s wild-card loss to the Seahawks. Quite a step down from the ideal of DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor. If the Eagles can reassemble that offense and improve on a defense that had its moments despite all the inconsistency, the Eagles could do more than just win a weak NFC East in 2020.

With DeSean Jackson returning, Miles Sanders more seasoned and a possible 10 picks in the draft, the Eagles are a few defensive adjustments away from making a strong case to repeat as NFC East champions.

Eagles have 7 players named to PFF’s top 101 from 2019

The Philadelphia Eagles 2019 season was difficult from an injury standpoint, but individually the Birds have some star-power. Pro Football Focus recently put out their annual list of the “top 101 players” from the 2019 NFL season and seven Eagles …

The Philadelphia Eagles 2019 season was difficult from an injury standpoint, but individually the Birds have some star-power.

Pro Football Focus recently put out their annual list of the “top 101 players” from the 2019 NFL season and seven Eagles made the cut, up from the four players that made the list in 2018.

In a shocker to some Eagles fans, a talented tight end made the cut, but it didn’t include tight end, Zach Ertz.

Ertz didn’t make the list despite making his third Pro Bowl in 2019. Eagles star quarterback Carson Wentz was among the best signal-callers in football but was also excluded from the list.

Here are your seven Eagles to make the cut:

***

5. BRANDON BROOKS
2018: Unranked

Brandon Brooks tore his Achilles at the tail end of the 2018 season — in January 2019, to be exact — so playing to even a respectable level this year would have been an achievement. Instead, Brooks went ahead and had the best season of his career and was the best offensive lineman in football fresh off the back of an injury that almost invariably affects performance in the first year a player returns from it. Brooks surrendered just one sack and 19 total pressures all season, and he earned the best run-blocking grade in the NFL among guards. He won PFF’s Bruce Matthews Award as the league’s best lineman and continued to get even better, despite being one the most underrated players in the league.–PFF

Brooks was the highest-graded linemen in the league this season (92.9) and was rewarded with a massive new deal.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7

Eagles could be one of the NFL’s healthiest teams in 2020 after two key additions

Eagles add Tom Hunkele, Ted Rath to the football operations department

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles officially announced multiple changes to the 2020 coaching staff and on Friday, the front office and training staff received an overhaul as well.

Two of the additions made by Howie Roseman, Tom Hunkele, and Ted Rath, could ensure that the Eagles avoid being ravaged by injuries in the coming seasons.

On Friday, the Eagles hired Tom Hunkele as director of sports medicine and Ted Roth as director of sports performance.

Hunkele has spent the last decade and a half with the Minnesota Vikings and has ties to the area as a Reading native. Hunkele has been honored for his training and rehabilitation methods, while also being lauded for his proactive approach to treatment.

Rath joined the Rams after eight seasons as a Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions assistant.

Rath and Jim Schwartz have a prior relationship and his recent stint with the Rams resulted in LA having one of the healthiest teams in the NFL.

Rath is to like utilizing analytics, wellness checks and recovery plans to keep players healthy while using a digital questionnaire — similar to a short quiz — to stay updated on his player’s health.

With injuries playing a major part in Philadelphia’s struggle to reach the playoffs, these two changes to the personnel and training staff could pay huge dividends going forward.

4 positions for the Eagles that don’t need much attention during the 2020 offseason

4 positions for the Eagles that don’t need much attention in 2020

The Philadelphia Eagles are set to make sweeping changes to their roster, but they can be confident in what they have in certain positions.

The Eagles will likely overhaul things at wide receiver and cornerback, but there are several key positions that will only require minor changes or some subtle additions.

Here are four positions for the Eagles that don’t need much attention during the 2020 offseason.

***
1. Quarterback

Carson Wentz is coming off arguably his best and most complete season as a pro. Wentz started all, 16 regular-season games, became the franchise’s first 4,000-yard passer and led the Eagles to another division title.

Nate Sudfeld didn’t play this season, but he’s still a capable quarterback and will probably be better served to return to the Eagles rather than seeking a starting spot in free agency.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Eagles have 2 players land on list of the highest-graded NFL players at each position

Eagles Jason Kelce and Brandon Brooks land on a list of the highest-graded NFL players at each position

The Philadelphia Eagles have the best offensive line in football, so it should be no surprise that when ESPN and Pro Football Focus combined to list the highest graded players at each respective position, two Birds landed on the list.

Guard

Best overall: Brandon Brooks, Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: 92.9

The Eagles are rightfully represented by two of their interior players on the offensive line here, as the common theme from Philly appears yet again in our postseason accolades. Brooks anchored an offensive line that is arguably the best in football and clearly the Eagles’ calling card. He allowed just 19 pressures this year — and one sack — on his 647 snaps in pass protection, while he led all guards across the league in run-blocking grade.

Center

Best overall: Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: 81.0

Kelce once against dominated from the center position. He commanded the action in the run game and allowed six combined sacks and hits in pass protection. Kelce has now finished six of the past eight seasons with a PFF overall grade above 80.0.

Kelce’s been the top center in the NFL over a three-year run that features three straight first-team All-Pro nods from the Associated Press.

Brooks is recovering from shoulder surgery and is coming off a dominant season that saw him rewarded with a contract extension that made him the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

Eagles have one playe named to PFWA 2019 All-NFL team

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce named to PFWA 2019 All-NFL team

Jason Kelce has been racking up the accolades since the season came to an end and on Monday, the Eagles star was named to the Professional Football Writers of America 2019 All-NFL team.

2019 marks the third year in a row that Kelce has earned All-NFL team honors from the PFWA.

Kelce also landed on the All-NFC team along with Eagles starting right guard Brandon Brooks.
It’s the third year in a row Brooks has earned that honor.

Panthers G Trai Turner to replace Brandon Brooks in the Pro Bowl

Panthers right guard Trai Turner is going to his fifth straight Pro Bowl.

Panthers right guard Trai Turner is going to his fifth straight Pro Bowl. According to the team website, Turner is taking the place of Eagles guard Brandon Brooks in this year’s game.

Brooks had as good a year as any guard in the league. Unfortunately, he suffered a separated shoulder late in the season so he can’t play.

As for Turner, 2019 was an off-year for a normally elite lineman. Like the rest of Carolina’s offensive line, Turner had issues in pass protection and wasn’t as solid as he normally is blocking for the run. Nevertheless, name power matters a lot for the all-star game. Hopefully he can rebound in 2020 and live up to it.

Running back Christian McCaffrey and linebacker Luke Kuechly are the only other Panthers players in the Pro Bowl this year.

[lawrence-related id=616908]

[vertical-gallery id=616831]

3 things to know about Eagles backup RG Matt Pryor as he replaces Brandon Brooks

3 things to know about Eagles backup RG Matt Pryor as he sets out to replace Brandon Brooks

Matt Pryor will make the first start of his NFL career on Sunday and it’ll just so happen to be in the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Pryor, the second-year guard out of TCU, is starting due to injuries on the right side of the Eagles’ offensive line.

Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks was ruled out for the season in Week 17 against the Giants when he suffered a shoulder injury. Star right tackle Lane Johnson was already out with a high ankle sprain, and he’ll miss Sunday’s game as well.

Standing 6-foot-7 and 332 pounds, Pryor entered the NFL with the reputation that he could play both right guard and right tackle.

With game time upon us, here are 3 things to know about Pryor:

***

1. Pryor is massive

Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round (206th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, Pryor is a big, strong, powerful player who can play both spots along the line.

 

[lawrence-related id=628522,628517,628500]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Eagles C Jason Kelce named 1st team All-Pro; Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson snubbed

Eagles center Jason Kelce was named 1st team all pro for the third straight season

The Associated Press released their 2019-20 NFL All-Pro teams on Friday and Eagles star center Jason Kelce was named to the first-team for the third time in his career.

Eagles star right guard Brandon Brooks (9 votes) finished third at right guard in AP voting behind Zack Martin (24) and Marshal Yanda (16).

Lane Johnson, arguably the best at his position, (3) was behind Ryan Ramcyzk and Mitchell Schwartz at RT.

Fletcher Cox and Malcolm Jenkins each only got one vote this year.

4 takeaways from the news that Brandon Brooks will miss postseason with dislocated shoulder

Brandon Brooks will miss the postseason with a dislocated shoulder

[jwplayer UBKpgBby]

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the playoffs after defeating the New York Giants to secure the NFC East division. They’ll make this playoff run without the services of Brandon Brooks, as the All-Pro has been ruled out of the postseason with a dislocated shoulder.

Brooks will have surgery in the near future and make a clean recovery.

With the Eagles being forced to push on without him, here are four takeaways from the news that he’ll be out.

****

1. Eagles are losing the best in NFL

Brooks will miss the entire postseason and that’s a huge loss for the Eagles who’ll now be without the best right guard and arguably the most consistent linemen in all of football. Per Pro Football Focus, Brooks owns a pass-blocking grade of 85.7 that ranks second among all right guards, while his 91.6 run-blocking grade is higher than any other interior offensive lineman and second in the NFL to only Lane Johnson.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4