Tag: DeSean Jackson

Eagles should be one of the NFL’s healthiest teams in 2020 after two key hires

Eagles should be one of the NFL’s healthiest teams in 2020 after two key hires

The Philadelphia Eagles have made the playoffs three straight years, and they’ve accomplished that feat despite being one of the NFL’s most injured teams during that time period.

The team has dealt with soft tissue woes for the bulk of the past three seasons and that factor wasn’t lost on GM Howie Roseman after the Philadelphia Eagles officially announced multiple changes to the 2020 coaching staff, while the front office and training staff received an overhaul as well.

According to The Inquirer via Football Outsiders annual report on adjusted games lost to injury, the Eagles finished 21st out of 32 NFL teams with 84.4 games lost to injury, based on a metric that includes every injury report listing and weighs the loss based on a player’s role and position on an individual team.

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.

Roseman hired Tom Hunkele as director of sports medicine and Ted Roth as director of sports performance.

Hunkele had previously spent the last 11 years 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 history, but most important to the Eagles, 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 and advance once they make the playoffs, these two changes to the personnel and training staff could pay huge dividends going forward.

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Philadelphia Eagles roster comparison: 2019 vs. 2020 offense

Philadelphia Eagles roster comparison: 2019 vs. 2020 offense

The Philadelphia Eagles 90-man roster is currently full and as the Birds move forward with their virtual offseason workout program, we’re interested in taking an early comparative look at the Eagles offensive roster from last season and a projected depth chart as it currently stands.

There’s been a change at left tackle for now, while the receiving corps is a lot faster and younger after some draft day wheeling and dealing.

Let’s take a  position by position look at how the Eagles offense in 2020 compares to 2019.

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Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback

2019 2020
Carson Wentz Carson Wentz
Josh McCown Nate Sudfeld
Nate Sudfeld Jalen Hurts

 

Heading into last season the Eagles were looking for Sudfeld to take the next step as a passer, while Carson Wentz was preparing to prove to the world that he could play an entire 16 game regular season. Fast forward and Josh McCown joins the roster after Sudfeld suffers a wrist injury, while Wentz has the first 4,000-yard passing season in Eagles history while leading the franchise to the playoffs.

Heading into the 2020 season, Wentz is facing unnecessary criticism once again after being knocked out of the Eagles Wild Card loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Clowney’s hit on Wentz would precipitate the Eagles drafting Jalen Hurts in the second-round and setting off an offseason of questions, excitement, and what-if’s.

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Eric Wood gave Ryan Fitzpatrick green light on DeSean Jackson gag

Former Buffalo Bills C Eric Wood, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick on DeSean Jackson gag with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the two were teammates with the Buffalo Bills, center Eric Wood and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick became close, a friendship that has lasted well beyond being teammates. When Eric Wood announced his retirement, Fitzpatrick notably was in attendance at the press conference, showing his support.

Most recently, the two connected on Wood’s post-career adventure, his podcast, What’s Next? with Eric Wood. Right off the bat in the episode, the two gave a surprise background on an all-time classic Fitzpatrick story.

In 2018, Fitzpatrick had a surprise start to the season during his time with the Buccaneers. Three 400-yard outings. Wood was pumped for his friend, and following one game, shot Fitzpatrick a congrats text as the story goes. Then things took a big turn, Fitzpatrick responded with a photo of his dressed in the clothes the belonged to his wide receiver, DeSean Jackson.

“I’ll never forget this moment,” Wood said. “I had texted you after one of your string of 400 (yard) games and said, ‘Dude, you killed it again. So happy for you,’ and you replied with a picture of you dressed in DeSean (Jackson’s) clothes and said, ‘Should I do it?’ And I’m like ‘Absolutely.’ Then we watch from my buddy’s house as you went to the podium for your press conference and made history.”

So moments before the Fitz-classic at the podium, Wood gave the green light. For those who forgot….

“That’s the missing piece to that story that not a lot of people know,” Fitzpatrick said. “I did have to get confirmation from you… I just wanted like a trusted confidant to tell me like, ‘Yeah, why not? Go for it.’ Cause I did… It was organic, like it just kind of came up, I thought it would be funny but you’re usually the guy that I test stuff like that.

“When you gave me the two thumbs up, I knew it would be a hit.”

And of course… the spin zone from Fitz on this one, in typical Fitzpatrick sarcasm:

“But then also I had a fall guy. If that did get taken [the wrong way] I would have said, ‘Well Eric made me do it’ so we were all good,” Fitzpatrick said.

 

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Philadelphia Eagles 2020 offense set to have a 49ers feel?

Doug Pederson says Eagles’ offense will ‘look a little bit different’ in 2020

The Philadelphia Eagles entered the offseason looking to get younger and faster on both sides of the ball. That mission has been accomplished with noted acquisitions like Darius Slay, Javon Hargrave, Will Parks, Jalen Reagor, K’Von Wallace, and several others.

Eagles brass entered the offseason with an agenda on offense and Doug Pederson’s deliberate approach with retooling the coaching staff now makes sense after seeing his comments in a recent Inquirer article detailing how the Birds are looking to become the 49ers of the east in some sense.

Last season the Eagles ranked 16th in passing yards, 11th in rushing yards and 12th in total touchdowns scored. Those are playoff worthy numbers, but it speaks to the Eagles too often needing luck or a big play to bounce their way down the stretch.

Pederson addressed his evaluation process and the schematic changes we can look forward to in Philadelphia this coming season.

“I think what we’ve done as a staff in the offseason with our scheme evaluation, making things better, the staff hires that I’ve done to bring in new thoughts and new ideas and ways to enhance our offense, I think (the offense) is going to look a little bit different,” Pederson recently said, via the Inquirer.

Rich Scangarello appears to be the central figure in the retooling of the coaching staff and although Pederson calls his own plays and Press Taylor was elevated to the passing game coordinator, it’ll be the 49ers, former assistant coach making all the waves.

Scangarello has worked with Shanahan and has a history with Sean McVay, so Doug Pederson appears to be banking on the offensive consultant providing the Eagles with different looks, formations, and schematic advantages that Carson Wentz can take advantage of.

Shanahan’s offenses preach space, efficient use of the open field, with zone-blocking concepts in the running game, and devastating play-action passing.

Scangarello we’ll most certainly incorporate some of Shanahan’s offensive concepts that allowed San Francisco to finish the 2019 season in the Super Bowl after they finished second in scoring, fourth in total yards, second in rushing and fifth in third-down efficiency.

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7 Eagles starters who need to step up during the 2020 NFL season

7 Eagles starters who need to step up during the 2020 NFL season

The 2020 NFL Season will be a historic one for many reasons and with the Eagles looking to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season, several big names will need to rise to the occasion.

With the Eagles set to be in salary cap hell, here are seven Philadelphia starters who need to step during the 2020 season to ensure the greatest success.

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Derek Barnett

Barnett had his fifth-year option picked up by the Eagles after a 2019 season that saw him rack up unnecessary penalties while appearing in 14 games and recording 6.5 sacks, 30 total tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, 22 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.

Barnett, who has missed 12 games over the past two seasons, has 14 career sacks in his brief career, far below the expectations for the former first-round pick.

Jim Schwartz and the Eagles will need the versatile defensive end to finally live up to his enormous potential.

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Philadelphia Eagles land on the outside looking in ranking of the NFL’s top 10 offenses

Philadelphia Eagles offense is knocking on the door in a ranking of NFL’s top 10 offenses

The Philadelphia Eagles have made sweeping improvements to their offense and the proof can be found in the newfound respect for this team’s explosiveness.

NFL.com recently ranked their top-10 offenses and although the Eagles were not on the list, they just missed the cut.

OFFENSES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers.

With an offense that now includes Carson Wentz at quarterback, Miles Sanders at running back, Ertz and Goedert at tight end and DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, Marquise Goodwin, Quez Watkins, John Hightower, and JJ Arcega-Whiteside at receiver, the Eagles now have an offense capable of putting fear in opposing defenses.

The top-10 included your whos-who of top offenses with Atlanta (10), Green Bay (9), Indianapolis (8), Cleveland (7) and San Francisco (6) rounding out the bottom half.

The top-5 offenses in the NFL included the Buccaneers (5), Cowboys (4), New Orleans Saints (3), Baltimore Ravens (2), and the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 1.

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Giants had one of worst plays of the past decade

The New York Giants have a long history of infamous plays, but one of them has been listed among the worst plays of the past decade.

The New York Giants began 2010s as one of the NFL’s most successful teams. They ended the decade as one of the least revered.

The Giants finished the 2010s with three dismal seasons of three, five and four wins and finished the decade with a 70-90 record, their first losing decade since the horrific 1970s, also known as The Wilderness Years.

The 2010s began with the Giants going 10-6 in 2010 followed by a Super Bowl-winning run in 2011. In 2012, Big Blue finished 9-7 and then took a severe nosedive with the exception of the 2016 season when they won 11 games and scored a playoff berth.

The Giants were involved in many famous plays over the decade and have placed two entries in Bleacher Report’s 10 Worst Plays of the Decade, in which they were on different sides of NFL infamy.

Coming in at No. 9 was in overtime at the 2011 NFC Championship Game. You guessed it, Kyle Williams’ fumbled punt that led to the Giants’ winning field goal, sending them to Super Bowl XLVI.

In overtime of the 2011 NFC Championship Game, Williams—who wasn’t the 49ers’ regular punt returner and was only playing that role because Ted Ginn Jr. was injured—became a legendary goat.

The game was probably only in overtime because he muffed a punt with San Francisco leading by four points in the fourth quarter, and he had made a risky, sliding catch on an earlier punt.

And yet not only was he back there again when the Giants were forced to punt in sudden-death overtime with a trip to Super Bowl XLVI on the line, but he fielded Steve Weatherford’s punt with little room to run and was almost immediately stripped by Jacquian Williams of the Giants.

The Giants didn’t have to throw another pass and were NFC champions only a few plays later.

And then No. 5…

On December 19, 2010, Giants punter Matt Dodge, who was instructed by the Giants’ coaches to kick the ball away from Eagles returner Desean Jackson, punted the ball directly to Jackson, who took it to the house to complete an improbable comeback.

With the Giants and Eagles seemingly headed to overtime in a critical late-season divisional matchup at MetLife (which was then known as New Meadowlands Stadium), all Dodge had to do was hammer a punt out of bounds on Philly’s side of the field.

That would have almost certainly caused the Eagles to take a knee with just a few seconds remaining.

Instead, the rookie punter baffled the football world by firing a line drive directly at one of the game’s most dangerous weapons, DeSean Jackson. Eighteen seconds later, Jackson was in the end zone and the Eagles had landed a victory that would ultimately give them the division crown over the Giants, who missed the playoffs by one game.

Ironically, that Matt Dodge punt spurred some much-needed changes in the Giants organization and that helped propel them to the Kyle Williams moment and a Super Bowl title just a year later.

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Eagles lead the NFL in contracts that average at least $10M per season

Philadelphia Eagles could be $50 million over the salary cap in 2021

The Philadelphia Eagles have Super Bowl aspirations and a team that has made the playoffs in three straight seasons could see their window for success diminish due to salary cap restraints.

The Eagles have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but if they don’t win a Lombardi this season, you could end up seeing a huge roster turnover during the next two offseason.

According to Over The Cap, the Eagles lead the NFL with nine players on the roster who make $10 million per season or more.

Per Over The Cap, the Eagles are set to be $50.6 million over the salary cap in 2021, with the next closest team, the New Orleans Saints, only projected to be over the cap by $9.5 million.

In 2021, that number will jump to 12 or more players making $10+ million or more as well.

That number makes the $24 million the Eagles currently have in cap space misleading and it could get worse according to Adam Schefter, who recently revealed that the salary cap in 2021 could be impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

If the league and TV partners bring in less revenue due to games either being canceled or no fans in attendance, the salary cap could drop significantly to the tune of “$30 to $80 million” less per team.

Carson Wentz’s new contract will kick in next season, while Malik Jackson, DeSean Jackson, Marquise Goodwin and DeSean Jackson will likely part ways with the franchise in some form or fashion.

Howie Roseman will have a huge decision to make on Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham next offseason as well, with both players likely to remain on the roster in some capacity.

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Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:

Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea

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Alshon Jeffery expected to be a “major part” of the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2020

Alshon Jeffery to be a major part of Eagles offense in 2020

The whispers have been loud all offseason long but the demise of Alshon Jeffery in Philadelphia appears to have been greatly exaggerated.

As the Eagles star, wide receiver rehabs his Lisfranc injury that ended his 2019 season, Dave Spadaro of the teams’ official website provided an update on the status of the former South Carolina Gamecocks legend.

As Spadaro is reporting and the writing has been on the wall for some time now, Jeffery isn’t going anywhere and will play a major role on offense this upcoming season.

The plan is for Alshon Jeffery to be a major part of the offense as he recovers from his Lisfranc injury. He has to complete his rehab, of course, and Jeffery is in the course of doing so. The Eagles have made sure this offseason to get the word out that Jeffery is being counted on and Roseman has had conversations to that extent with having No. 17 in the picture. A healthy and fully focused and hungry Jeffery would be a huge boost for the offense

.Jeffery can be dominant when he’s on and his presence in the red zone would make the Eagles that much more difficult to defend.

Injury-riddled and just not himself this season, Jeffery snagged 43 balls for 490 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games.

Jeffery is due a guaranteed $11.5 million next season after restructuring his contract last fall and will spend the bulk of the offseason and training camp recovering from the Lisfranc surgery on his foot.

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Jalen Reagor on being paired with DeSean Jackson: ‘That is going to be a scary combo’

Jalen Reagor says he and DeSean Jackson will make a scary combination

The Philadelphia Eagles went from having one of the slowest rosters in the NFL, to legitimately giving themselves a chance to run any team in the NFL out of the gym.

As their No. 1 pick said recently, it’s a track team.

“I feel like we have a track team now,” Reagor recently said. 

Reagor was the prize catch of the 2020 draft class for the Eagles, as he now presents Carson Wentz with a weapon that can compare with DeSean Jackson.

Reagor is beyond pleased to be with the Eagles and when asked about joining Jackson in Philadelphia, he called the potential duo a “scary combo.”

“Pairing me with D-Jack, I feel like that is going to be a scary combo,” Reagor said.

“I’m just expecting a lot of speed and a lot of wins.”

Reagor, John Hightower, Quez Watkins, Marquise Goodwin, and Jackson present the Eagles with the opportunity to move their offense into new-age of high-powered offenses in the NFL.

Last season, with what could only be described as anemic passing offense at best, the Eagles offense averaged 6.46 yards per target when throwing to wide receivers last season, among the worst in the NFL per ESPN Stats & Information research.

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