The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t formally announced the jersey numbers for draft picks and newly acquired players, but that hasn’t stopped some from breaking their own news. Following up on the moves from Jalen Reagor and K’Von Wallace, Marquise …
The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t formally announced the jersey numbers for draft picks and newly acquired players, but that hasn’t stopped some from breaking their own news.
One of the fastest players on the planet, Goodwin has played seven NFL seasons, making 140 catches for 2,323 yards and 13 touchdowns, with one of the highest yards per catch average in the NFL.
The No. 13 was previously worn by Nelson Agholor, who took his talents to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ranking the Philadelphia Eagles best 1st-round picks since 2000
The 2020 NFL is less than two weeks away and the Eagles will have the opportunity to alter the course of their franchise with the 21st pick.
The Eagles will have the option of several talented wideouts, they could target a defender or trade back altogether.
The Eagles history in the first round features some all-time greats and several busts that have left stains on the franchise.
Here’s an Eagles Wire ranking of the best first-round picks for the franchise since 2000.
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Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
1. Fletcher Cox, DT, 12th pick in 2012 draft
Cox dealt with constant double teams and a nagging injury but still was a monster down the stretch for the Eagles in 2019. During his career, Cox has started 119 of 125 games played, racking up 367 tackles, 48 sacks, 14 passes defended and 11 forced fumbles.
Cox has been named an All-Pro four times in his career and he’s a five-time Pro Bowler as well.
Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield tells us why players such as Bryan Bulaga, Emmanuel Sanders, Vernon Butler are among the free agent steals.
A fascinating aspect to watching free agency unfold is seeing what teams do in terms of acquiring value on the open market. Whether forgoing the big names for second-tier players, using one-year “prove it” deals or carefully constructing contracts, teams have a few different paths to find steals on the market. Here are eleven players that for one reason or another were quite the steal for their new teams.
A season ago, quarterback Philip Rivers struggled against pressure. His Adjusted Completion Percentage of 65.3 percent was good for tenth in the league, a far cry from the 2018 campaign when Rivers ranked fifth in the league in that statistic, posting an ACP of 71.6 percent.
Part of the decline might very well be on Rivers’ shoulders himself, and the Indianapolis Colts are left to sort out the answer to that riddle. But the Chargers did need to improve their offensive line, which was in the bottom-half of ESPN’s team pass block win rate statistic.
As such, the Chargers made two big moves to bolster their OL unit this off-season. They traded for guard Trai Turner, and then they added veteran right tackle Bryan Bulaga via free-agency. Bulaga, who has been an extremely solid starter for the Green Bay Packers since being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, gives the Chargers a rock at the right tackle spot. Last season he allowed just four sacks and only 18 hurries, and playing in a division filled with talented pass rushers off the right edge, he’ll be able to protect whomever is taking the snaps for Los Angeles, whether it is Tyrod Taylor, Cam Newton or a rookie quarterback.
Furthermore, Bulaga came in on a three-year, $30 million contract, under some of the deals paid out to Jack Conklin and Anthony Castonzo, and just a notch more than George Fant. Not bad value for a cornerstone-type tackle.
Agholor will finish his Eagles career with 224 catches for 2,515 yards and 18 touchdowns. His yardage dropped significantly each season and in 2019, Agholor struggled with some costly drops.
The first day of the legal tampering period has come and gone and it was a wild one. It was so wild that the Indianapolis Colts even made an unprecedented move, trading a first-round pick for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Now equipped with a shiny new three-technique, the Colts still have some work to do in the market. Could they bring in a quarterback like Philip Rivers? Will they add depth to the wide receiver room? The moves seem unknown at this point, especially given how shocking it was that Chris Ballard made such a big trade on the first day of free agency.
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Regardless, there are still options on the market for the Colts to consider. Here are seven remaining free agents for Indy:
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Philip Rivers | QB | Age: 38
Whether we like it or not, Rivers and the Colts are going to be connected until he finds a new team—wherever that may be. The two sides have already been in contact since the legal tampering period opened on Monday and it seems the situation is beginning to take life.
After the trade for Buckner, Rivers would cost nearly half of the Colts’ remaining salary cap space, which currently sits at roughly $46 million. That’s still a strong number but one that Ballard is likely feeling a bit cautious with when considering the draft pool money and the rollover money for 2021.
Still, Rivers is likely viewed as the free agent with the highest chance of joining the Colts.
NFL free agency will drastically help reshape the fantasy football landscape as the new league year begins.
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)
Now that NFL free agency is upon us, here is where we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange players and tag recipients.
This analysis will be updated as players sign/re-sign in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.
QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: A four-year, $118 million extension was signed on the eve of the tampering window, securing Tannehill’s role as the starting quarterback for the near future. He developed a rapport with 2019 rookie wideout A.J. Brown and has one of the best running games to keep defenses honest, provided Derrick Henry indeed signs his franchise tender and doesn’t pull a Le’Veon Bell. Tannehill is among the more intriguing back fantasy picks and will be chosen as a rotational starter by gamers willing to wait on the position.
QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: There’s not a lot to say here since he wasn’t facing free agency, and Cousins’ 2020 situation doesn’t change by getting this extension (two years, $66 million). Keep tabs on Stefon Diggs possibly getting dealt, though. Cousins, for now, remains a top-tier backup with matchup utility, especially when it appears the Vikes may struggle to run the ball.
Franchise/TRANSITION tagged
QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: Prescott will not be able to negotiate with any team but the Cowboys, and the goal is to work out a long-term deal. The offensive system will remain the same as in 2019 with Kellen Moore coming back as the playcaller under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Dak is a top-five fantasy quarterback if Amari Cooper returns.
RB Derrick Henry: Tennessee Titans: Unless Henry refuses to sign his tender and holds out most or all of the year, he will be the bell cow once again in Tennessee. There remains a chance he signs a long-term contract before things could get ugly. All things equal, short of losing his right tackle, life appears to be business as usual. RB1 all day long.
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WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals: A rookie quarterback as Cincy’s 2020 starter is all but etched into stone, which is a likely detriment for Green. However, he remains the most gifted wideout in an offense that won’t be scared to throw it when needed, so he has that working for him. Expect WR2 stats as a ceiling, and the combo of age and injuries are conspiring against Green.
TE Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers: This one isn’t as cut and dried as some of the above inclusions, because we don’t know LA’s quarterback for Week 1 yet. Some signs say Tom Brady, others suggest a rookie or even Tyrod Taylor as a stopgap. On talent alone, Henry is a midrange No. 1 in fantasy, but other factors, like an undeniable injury risk and this being the first full year of playcalling responsibility for Shane Steichen, should give owners pause.
RB Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals: No more David Johnson, or his punitive salary, could lead to this transition tag be little more than formality before a long-term deal is reached. Drake exploded in this system late last year, and now the addition of WR DeAndre Hopkins has to get the juices flowing. Drake is risky, and now the Air Raid system may be fully deployed, which could force the former Miami Dolphin to be overly reliant on efficiency. Those concerns aside, don’t go overboard on draft day for a player whose career has largely been a disappointment, even if not entirely his fault. Give him the old RB2 treatment in all single-year formats.
The NFL’s free agency period is slated to open on March 18 and the Buffalo Bills could be in business. The Bills signed cornerback Josh Norman last week, getting a head start on things.
The NFL’s free agency period is slated to open on March 18 and the Buffalo Bills could be in business. The Bills signed cornerback Josh Norman last week, getting a head start on things.
But despite that signing, the Bills moved from just the fourth-most to fifth-most salary cap space in the league, near $77.4 million, according to Spotrac. That’s a lot of room for more moves, and of course, room for big-named additions.
But in recent years, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have had a thing for finding diamonds in the rough. Could the 2020 offseason have more of the same?
With that, here are 12 under-the-radar free agents on offense the Bills could consider adding:
Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
WR Demarcus Robinson
The Bills have John Brown and Cole Beasley who are solid, but the talent that Demarcus Robinson was behind with the Chiefs has kept his opportunities very limited. At receiver, there’s Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman, then there’s tight end Travis Kelce, who’s basically a No. 1 wideout.
But when Robinson did get some chances when Hill was out, he showed some skill. He caught 32 passes for 449 yards and four touchdowns last season. What could make him further appealing is his 14 yards-per-catch average last season. Over the past two seasons, he’s had eight total scores.
What many peg for the Bills is adding a wideout with size, though. Robinson isn’t overly big at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, but stretching the field is a plus with quarterback Josh Allen’s arm strength.
Six Philadelphia Eagles players make ESPN’s list of top 100 free agents
The NFL’s new league year is set to begin under some very extenuating circumstances as the sports world has been ground to a halt due to the coronavirus.
Teams can begin negotiating with pending free agents Monday, and deals can be signed as early as March 18.
ESPN.com recently set out to rank the top 100 unrestricted free agents, including players who are set to have the nonexclusive franchise or transition tag applied.
The Philadelphia Eagles are set for a reboot and have six of their 18 free agents land on the list. Malcolm Jenkins could join the list if the Eagles don’t pick up his option for 2020.
Here are the six Eagles who landed on ESPN’s top-100.
Big V as he is known in Philadelphia, has spent most of the past four seasons as a swing backup and spot starter. He can play both guard and tackle and was good enough as a replacement left tackle in 2017 to help the Eagles win Super Bowl LII. A player of his size and relatively youthful age is sure to generate interest. […]
58. Jason Peters
The future Hall of Famer will have a market in free agency and it’ll be interesting to see if Howie Roseman and company are content with letting him walk.
At his age, Peters is a year-to-year proposition. But after he played in 29 of a possible 32 games over the past two seasons, there is a reason to think he could squeeze out at least one more quality season. Even if his best years are long behind him, starting left tackles of any quality generate intense interest. […]
85. Nelson Agholor
Agholor didn’t reach his full potential with the Eagles but he’s still a talented player capable of putting up formidable numbers with a talented quarterback.
Agholor was part of a receiving corps that helped scuttle the Eagles’ offense in 2019. He had a 4.3% drop percentage, among the 40 worst rates in the NFL, and missed five games because of a knee injury. But if he is healthy, and perhaps in a new system, he can help a team’s depth. […]
88. Rodney McLeod
A talented safety, McLeod is unlikely to return, especially if he can land a big deal on the open market.
Although few teams seek out 30-year-old free agents, McLeod can be the kind of calming veteran whose presence alone can settle a defense. […]
97. Jordan Howard
Howard could return to the Eagles and will have a market in free agency for a team that wants a physical running back or a guy that is constantly gaining positive yards.
Howard’s career hasn’t followed the trajectory that suggests he is about to cash in on the open market, but he could be a value signing. […]
100. Ronald Darby
Darby is as talented a cornerback that you’ll find on the open market, but he’s struggled to stay healthy over the past two seasons and he’s been susceptible to the big play.
Darby once again had his season cut short by injury, this time because of a hip flexor. He has missed 23 of a possible 80 games in five seasons. But he is talented in coverage, still young and will merit some looks.
Drawing upon Andersen’s “The Ugly Ducking,” Touchdown Wire highlights eleven players who could thrive in a new situation come next season.
So they felt quite at home. But the poor duckling who had been the last one out of his egg, and who looked so ugly, was pecked and pushed about and made fun of by the ducks, and the chickens as well. “He’s too big,” said they all. The turkey gobbler, who thought himself an emperor because he was born wearing spurs, puffed up like a ship under full sail and bore down upon him, gobbling and gobbling until he was red in the face. The poor duckling did not know where he dared stand or where he dared walk. He was so sad because he was so desperately ugly, and because he was the laughing stock of the whole barnyard.
-Hans Christian Andersen: “The Ugly Duckling”
We all remember the tale, although perhaps some of us are more removed from elementary school than others. Back in 1843 Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen penned the tale of “The Ugly Duckling,” which told the story of a small bird born in a barnyard who suffered abuse from the others around him until he matures into a beautiful swan, stunning those who previously mocked and ridiculed him.
With the start of free agency in the National Football League upon us, there are some potential ugly ducklings waiting to hear the phone ring. Players who perhaps need a change or scenery, a new scheme fit, different coaching or just another shot to become the players they can be. The league’s own versions of the Andersen classic. Here are 11 potential swans for the 2020 NFL season, listed with either their current or their most recent team.
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
As we await word on what Bruce Arians will do with his current quarterback, it is important to remember that if he moves on from Tampa Bay or not, Jameis Winston is going to need a bit more development to be a solid and consistent NFL quarterback.
Last season, in Arians’ vertical-based passing offense, Winston had quite the roller-coaster ride. Sure, he threw for 5,109 yards, the most in the league. Sure, he threw 33 touchdowns, second only to Lamar Jackson. But when you move away from some of these counting statistics you get the full picture of Winston’s 2019 campaign. His NFL quarterback rating of 84.3 placed him 26th in the league, behind Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh Allen and even Joe Flacco. His Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt (ANY/A) of 6.15 was good for 18th in the league, and his interception percentage of 4.8 was the highest in the league.
Due to another counting stat: His league-high 30 interceptions.
That big number might force Arians to move on from Winston, but when you pour through his film from a season ago, you might find some of what you see. For example, take this deep shot to Mike Evans against the Carolina Panthers:
Facing a first-and-10 against the Panthers, Tampa Bay lines up with Winston under center and with a tight bunch to the right. Evans is isolated to the left. The Buccaneers run a vertical concept sometimes termed 969, with dual go routes on the outside and a dig route in the middle of the field. Winston sees the Panthers in single-high coverage and comes to Evans on the go route. The receiver does an excellent job with his release off the line and gets to the outside, quickly beating the press coverage and getting open for his QB. Combine the release and route with a perfect throw, and Tampa Bay has a big play.
And yes, every route was open on this snap, just to be clear.
Then there was this read and throw in the red zone, also against the Panthers:
To the three-receiver side the Buccaneers run a Dino – or double post – concept with O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin. Evans runs a go route on the backside of the passing concept. Concerned with Evans, the one safety drops to help over the top of a potential vertical route. That creates dual one-on-one matchups backside, with no inside help on either post route.
The concern over Evans draws potential safety help away from the three-receiver side of the formation, and leaves both the backside safety and backside corner on islands with no help to the inside. Winston throws a strike, and the Buccaneers are in the end zone.
Winston might have racked up the interceptions a season ago, but reads and throws like this show he still has promise in a vertical-based passing offense. That would make him still a fit for what Arians runs, but if he does have to find a new home, there is a ton of potential for his next offensive coordinator to mold and sculpt.
