The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Wrapping up NFL free agency for 2024

2024 NFL free agency is just about in the books, so it’s time for Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar to analyze the biggest transactions in the second wave.

Now that most of NFL free agency for the 2024 league year is in the bag — though there are a few helpful players still on the open market — it’s time for Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup, and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, to recap the biggest and most important moves in the second wave of this free agency phase. Greg and Doug covered the first day of free agency last week in the Xs and Os; here’s the conclusion.

Among the discussion points:

  • What does Brian Burns bring to a Giants defensive line that already has Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence?
  • Can Justin Fields become the best version of himself in the Steelers’ offense?
  • Conversely, can Kenny Pickett turn his career around with the Eagles?
  • How can Calvin Ridley use his true X-Iso skill set to ramp up the Titans’ offense?
  • Can the Texans’ addition of Danielle Hunter, along with Will Anderson Jr. and Denico Autry, make Houston’s defensive line a Super Bowl-level group?
  • What can Hollywood Brown do for the Chiefs?
  • Tyron Smith is a future Hall of Famer, but what will he be able to do for the Jets’ offensive line in the short term?
  • Chase Young has been an inconsistent pass-rusher throughout his NFL career; can he turn it around with the Saints?
  • The Lions made important additions to their defensive line and their secondary; can all that put them over the top?
  • The Falcons already have a ton of weapons for new quarterback Kirk Cousins. How will the addition of receiver Rondale Moore affect what looks like one of like the NFL’s most explosive offenses (in theory, at least)?

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

and on Apple Podcasts.

Ranking the No. 1 wide receivers Eagles’ CB Darius Slay will face in 2020

Ranking the No. 1 wide receivers Eagles CB Darius Slay will face in 2020

The Philadelphia Eagles can now lay claims to having one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL after they acquired Darius Slay from the Lions for draft picks.

Over the past few seasons, the Eagles have suffered at the hands of top-flight wide receivers and during the 2020 NFL season, they’ll face some of the best pass catchers on the planet.

The Eagles will play their three NFC East opponents (Dal, NYG, Was), four AFC North opponents (Bal, Cle, Pit, Cin) along with four teams from the NFC West (49ers, Rams, Seahawks, Cardinals) as well as the Saints and Packers.

That’s some heavyweight wide receiver play and a reason why some analysts and prognosticators believe the Eagles will have a hard time repeating as NFC East champions.

In the division, they’ll see Amari Cooper twice, along with Sterling Shephard and the dynamic Terry McLaurin.

During the four-game AFC North jaunt, they’ll face Marquise Hollywood Brown (Antonio Brown’s cousin), a huge matchup with Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, and A.J. Green.

In the NFC West, Slay and the Eagles will face Deebo Samuel, Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Robert Woods, and the electric DeAndre Hopkins.

And finally, Slay will have an all-world matchup with the Saints Michael Thomas and the Packers Davante Adams.

If all these guys are healthy, Slay and the Eagles secondary could arguably end up-facing five of the top-12 wideouts in the NFL this season.

With the virtual offseason progressing, we rank the No. 1 wide receivers on the Eagles 2020 NFL schedule.

If the team has no clear cut No. 1, then we ranked the top-2.

***

12. Deebo Samuel

A player that the Eagles could have chosen ahead of JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Samuel burst onto the scene with the 49ers and he’s going to be a really good one.

Samuel amassed 961 yards total from scrimmage last season – 802 through the air and 159 on the ground. That surpassed the previous high of 953 by Jerry Rice in 1985. Samuel’s s 961 scrimmage yards ranked 27th among all wideouts, and he was second to the Titans AJ Brown among rookies.

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