Tag: Breaking News

Scouting Report: Raiders DE Tyree Wilson

Scouting Report: Raiders DE Tyree Wilson

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The Las Vegas Raiders have made their pick at No. 7. They have selected defensive end Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech. It was a bit of a surprise considering he wasn’t mentioned much in mock drafts for the Raiders this offseason.

However, the Raiders have always wanted to get bigger and stronger on the defensive line. But what do the best talent elevators think of Wilson? Here is a snippet of his scouting report via Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

A three-year starter at Texas Tech, Wilson played field-side edge rusher in defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-3-5 base scheme and reduced inside as a 4i/4 technique or dropped into space. After two years at Texas A&M, he transferred to Lubbock and led Texas Tech in tackles for loss and sacks his junior and senior seasons (his 22.3 percent pass-rush win rate ranked top 10 in the FBS in 2022).

Big, long and strong, Wilson plays with linear explosion and power to get blockers moving in reverse. In the run game, he needs continued refinement but uses his long arms to lock out and separate, and he displays impressive tackling range because of his wingspan and chase effort.

Overall, Wilson plays too upright and needs to become craftier and more strategic in his pass rush, but his length, speed and raw power are outstanding foundational traits. His ascending tools are ripe for development, and he has Pro Bowl potential.

Wilson should fit well with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones and has a chance to play as a 3-4 defensive end. It’s an interesting pick for Las Vegas, but it’s clear that they are gambling on upside and athleticism early in this draft.

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Raiders looking to add more 2024 draft picks?

#Raiders looking to add more future draft picks?

The Raiders are set to pick 12 times in the 2023 NFL Draft. That is double the amount of picks that they made last year and with four picks inside the top 100, this draft should drastically improve their roster.

But could the Raiders add even more picks to this draft class, especially if they were to trade down from No. 7? It’s possible, but it appears the Raiders would like to add more picks in next year’s class.

In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he wrote about the current draft plans of the Raiders. The plan is to stick at No. 7, but they wouldn’t turn down a trade if it were to make sense.

However, the Raiders appear to be interested in adding more picks for the 2024 draft rather than adding to their 12 picks this season. Here is a snippet of what Reed had to say about a possible trade:

The Raiders won’t discriminate when it comes to Day 2 picks, but they would prefer to add Day 3 picks that may be offered in future years rather than stockpile more late-round picks this year.

The Raiders have picks in each of the first five rounds next season and could have some other late Day 3 picks depending on a few other conditions on previous trades. But in what is supposed to be a great quarterback draft in 2024, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stockpile a few more selections.

Look for the Raiders to add a few more Day 3 picks in the 2024 draft via a trade-down at some point this year. No. 7 and No. 38 are both spots in which the Raiders could move down from this year if the price is right.

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Will the Raiders trade the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?

What is the biggest draft question left for the #Raiders?

After months of speculating and wondering what the Raiders will do at the No. 7 pick, the 2023 NFL Draft is finally here. Now, we just have to wait and watch it unfold over the next day.

But the biggest question mark surrounding the team is one that we’ve had since January; will the Raiders try to trade up in the draft from No. 7? We know that they tried to make a move to No. 1 for Bryce Young, but are they interested in any of the other quarterbacks in this class?

In a recent article by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about every team’s biggest question mark heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. For the Raiders, that was whether or not they would move out of the No. 7 pick. Here is what Monson had to say about that possibility:

Jimmy Garoppolo is a capable stopgap at quarterback, but his injury history is so extensive it’s hard to convince yourself that he will be available all season long even if you expect his play to be good enough.

The Raiders are likely interested in quarterbacks if the right one is available when their pick rolls around, but are they more interested than that? Could the Raiders be the trade partner for Houston or Arizona for the second quarterback off the board?

With Bryce Young likely going No. 1 to the Panthers, it seems unlikely that the Raiders will trade up. But if C.J. Stroud were to fall to them at No. 7, that is where things would get interesting.

Even if he doesn’t, don’t rule out the possibility of the Raiders trading down in Round 1 to add more picks. We know that Dave Ziegler likes to move up and down the board and that might be an appealing move in a pretty deep draft class.

The Raiders are one of the true wildcards in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. It should be a ton of fun to see how it all plays out on Thursday night.

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Instant analysis of Patriots signing WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Here’s what signing JuJu Smith-Schuster means for the Patriots.

New England Patriots fans patiently waited for the team to make a splash in free agency, and they did exactly that by going out and signing former Kansas City Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The two sides reportedly agreed on a three-year, $33 million deal, which is a contract that probably feels like a slap in the face for former Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers, who got the same deal from the Las Vegas Raiders.

But this was clearly a situation where the Patriots valued what Smith-Schuster could bring to the team over Meyers. Granted, one thing he doesn’t bring to the team is a receiving option to strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses.

Smith-Schuster has proved to be a better No. 2 on the field, though he can be a dynamic playmaker. He’s also more physical than Meyers, who didn’t have as many explosive plays after the catch.

According to Pro Football Focus, Meyers finished the 2022 season averaging 3.6 yards after the catch, while Smith-Schuster racked up an average of 5.9 yards.

With that said, the Patriots still need a true No. 1 receiving option to make everything come together. Having Smith-Schuster as the focal point for opposing defenses doesn’t bode well for the team, no matter who is calling the offensive plays.

Adding a high-end playmaker on the outside while Smith-Schuster works underneath would be the move that finally takes the Patriots offense over the top.

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10 worst NFL free-agent signings in Eagles franchise history

With the NFL’s legal tampering period set to get underway, we’re looking at the 10 worst free agent signings in Philadelphia Eagles franchise history

NFL teams make some of the worst decisions when it comes to the process of properly evaluating and, or adding big named free-agent talents to the roster. When it works, it can change your organization’s path to success, while leading to multiple playoffs or Super Bowl runs.

When it doesn’t work, it can be disastrous with costly consequences from the general manager all the way down to personnel.

We’ve compiled a list of the ten worst free-agent signings in the Eagles’ team history and almost added Eric Wilson (2021) to the list before placing him on the honorable mentions list.

How the NFL’s $224.8M salary cap for 2023 will impact the Eagles

The NFL announced that the 2023 salary cap will be $224.8 million and here’s how it impacts the Philadelphia Eagles

Around this time two years ago, the Eagles were preparing to shuffle some things around to get under the 2021 salary cap, but 2023 has the potential to be a monster off-season for GM, Howie Roseman.

On Monday, Tom Pelissero confirmed that the salary cap will officially rise to $224 million this spring.

The league and NFLPA previously set the salary cap for the 2021 season at $182.5 million but agreed last spring to raise the floor in 2022, and again in 2023.

With the Carson Wentz dead money and several other huge deals finally off the books, here’s how the Eagles will be impacted by the record number.

6 key offensive adjustments the Eagles have to make entering the NFC Divisional Round

6 key offensive adjustments the Eagles have to make entering the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs

The NFL regular season is a wrap and Philadelphia is the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC after a 22-16 win over the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 18.

The bye week is a reward for regular season success that allows the No. 1 overall seed to regroup, while also getting much-needed rest and rehabilitation for key starters on both sides of the football.

The postseason is also about conforming, and we’re looking at six key adjustments Philadelphia must make entering the divisional round.

 

Eagles have 5 players featured on NFL’s best team money can buy

Jalen Hurts is the best bargain in the NFL after 5 Philadelphia Eagles were named to a CBS Sports ultimate roster of the best NFL team money can buy

With 53 players on a regular-season roster, the NFL is the one league where salary cap wizardry and bargain shopping can lead a team to Super Bowl glory.

Philadelphia is hoping to cash in on Jalen Hurts’ rookie deal before the organization is forced to compensate him like the MVP candidate he’s developed into.

Joel Corry of CBS Sports recently did an interesting breakdown of salary cap wizardry, putting together a Madden-style roster of the best team money can buy.

The Eagles and Howie Roseman led the charge with five players landing on the list that has far outplayed their current deals.

National reactions: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts could miss 2 weeks with a shoulder sprain

The NFL World and media is abuzz with the news that Jalen Hurts will miss time with a shoulder sprain suffered in the Eagles’ win over the Bears

Jalen Hurts‘ status is in doubt for Saturday’s game against the Cowboys because of a sprained throwing shoulder suffered in the third quarter Sunday NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafalo is reporting.

A legit MVP candidate, Hurts has passed for 3,472 yards (67.3 completion rate) and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions, adding another 13 touchdowns on the ground, while leading the Eagles to a 13-1 record.

Hurts also leads all NFC quarterbacks in Pro Bowl fan votes.

With Gardner Minshew likely to get the start, here’s the national reaction to Monday’s news.

Eagles’ DE Brandon Graham nominated for Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Philadelphia Eagles long-time defensive end Brand Graham is the organization’s nominee for the Walter Payton #NFL Man of the Year Award#WPMOYChallenge | #WPMOY

The Philadelphia Eagles have announced Brandon Graham as its 2022 nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide.

Considered one of the league’s most prestigious honors, the award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named the Eagles’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” said Graham. “My journey in Philadelphia over the past 13 years has been a humbling one. This city has embraced me and supported me throughout my career. It’s been a blessing to not only play in front of the best fans in the NFL, but to have the chance to give back to a community that has now become my home. I’ve cherished every moment of this journey, and I’m grateful to be recognized alongside an inspiring group of men who are making a difference in their communities.”

As a nominee for the national award, Brandon will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

All 32 team winners will be highlighted as nominees and recognized for their important work during the week leading up to Super Bowl LVII. The 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air the Thursday before Super Bowl LVII, on NBC.

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