Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / Going Inside Za'Darius Smith Signing, Other Developments Following Eagles' Season-Opening Win

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Going Inside Za'Darius Smith Signing, Other Developments Following Eagles' Season-Opening Win · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

0:10
Speaker 1: Inside the Birds is what's going on. Everybody is Jeff
0:18
Mosher and Adam Kaplan here for Inside the Birds. Week
0:23
one in the NFL is past. The Eagles are already
0:26
want to know they've already got an NFC East win.
0:29
They beat the Cowboys and the season opener on Thursday night.
0:33
Some good things we saw Eagles linebacker play Johan Dotson
0:38
catching a deep ball. However, well, concerns that have come
0:42
out of the game that we'll get into later. The
0:45
bottom line atam is football is underway, and I hope
0:48
everybody enjoyed their Week one viewing. We've waited a long
0:51
time for this and I'm excited. I thought the thur
0:53
the Friday night game with the Chiefs and Chargers was exciting.
0:56
And we'll get into what that means. Yeah, you a
0:59
little bit, but just happened to be back here.
1:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I ah, no doubt, no doubt.
1:03
Speaker 3: I mean it's funny the tenor just looking through social media,
1:06
it seems like Eagle fans are mixed. So the fans
1:10
that really know what's going they're concerned about the corner
1:13
position obviously Quinnya and Mitchell, but hey, they won that game.
1:15
That's kind of like the tenor is like, okay, we won,
1:18
but okay, we understand that a couple of things. But
1:21
I thought someone had a really good point on how
1:23
our YouTube comments look last year. They're significant questions coming
1:26
to the season. Over time, they were all answered or
1:30
just about all positive. They won a super Bowl.
1:32
Speaker 2: Now is the.
1:33
Speaker 3: Difference is they lost five starts from last season, so
1:35
that's you know, that's a difference.
1:37
Speaker 2: But it's only week one. They won.
1:39
Speaker 3: The coaches did it, by the way. They I want
1:41
to give Vic Fangio and Clint Hurt credit the job
1:43
that they did. I know, when easy you have a
1:45
sudden change like that, your best defensive players lost immediately
1:48
because he's spit on someone who's throne. Yeah, the game
1:52
Like there's no there's no book on how to deal
1:53
with that. I over time, over time, they did a
1:56
really good job.
1:56
Speaker 1: I thought, absolutely definitely. What's my favorite expression about Week one,
2:00
Adam Kaplan, week one is a con job.
2:03
Speaker 2: I got a lot.
2:04
Speaker 3: I said, like Gil I said on Friday, could lie
2:06
to you what you see it is and always what
2:09
you get exactly right.
2:10
Speaker 1: Bill Barnwell from ESPN had a great post about Week
2:13
one of last year Commanders lost by seventeen. The forty
2:16
nine Ers scored thirty two points against a good Jets defense,
2:19
The Patriots won, and the Saints scored forty points in
2:22
Week one of all last year, so you can't put
2:24
too much into Week one. That being said, a couple
2:27
of things we're gonna that did come out of the
2:29
game that I think are are more than just flucish
2:32
things we're gonna talk about. But the first thing I
2:34
want to do in this pod is just finally finalized
2:37
for all of our great listeners and viewers what kind
2:39
of coverage they'll be getting on Inside the Birds this week.
2:42
As we last week was a little bit strange because
2:44
of the Thursday night game. This is more of a
2:46
normal week for everybody. So we've discussed the debut, which
2:51
is going to be happening. In fact, it'll be out
2:52
today part one of Birds Weekly with Ray Dittinger and
2:57
Derek Gunn. It's a fantastic show. You're gonna love it.
3:01
It's amazing you're getting it twice a week. We're gonna
3:04
run obviously today Monday. The show will come out Friday.
3:08
They'll preview the Eagles Chiefs games as well, so you
3:11
get it twice a week every week. On top of that,
3:14
you're still getting Football at four that we do with
3:16
ninety seven point three ESPN every day Monday through Friday.
3:20
Andrew Decheco has the Tchecho Dailies nearly every day along
3:23
with his Rookie Diary. He actually got one out before
3:26
the season opener and it was really cool. Is with
3:28
Mac McWilliams. Let me just tell you, guys, if you
3:30
didn't catch the first one. Mac is an interesting guy.
3:34
He's not like shy or reserve. So it's gonna be
3:36
a really great rookie diary season long. Of course, Inside
3:40
the Birds Pregame Show, postgame Show, we'll have pregame show
3:44
with Greg Cosel as we already have one of those
3:46
last week. We're gonna take some of our Patreon stuff
3:49
that we do, cut it up and give you guys
3:51
a little taste of that on the mainstream platform. Inside
3:55
the Data with Sam Finkel by popular demand Adam. People
3:58
love Sam Fink analytics breakdown breakdowns, and we'll do a
4:03
show with him pretty much once a week throughout the
4:06
NFL season, going through the past game and all the
4:08
interesting data, next gen stats and all the things that
4:11
came out of that. So tons, I don't know. I
4:14
don't think I missed. Oh and our BCB show, so
4:17
go ahead. We used to partner with The Fanatic, Now
4:20
we are partnered with WBCB. Does Merrow Reese own that
4:23
station or is the.
4:24
Speaker 2: He's a partner.
4:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's a partner in it. Okay, We're gonna do
4:28
a Tuesday night show with on BCB that is also
4:32
going to be simultaneously live streamed on the Inside the
4:35
Birds YouTube channel, and then also we'll be available for
4:39
podcast after and it'll be like, uh, you know, your
4:42
Tuesday night specialty show. We'll probably have some former Eagles
4:45
on with us myself, Adam, There'll be Merril Reese at
4:48
times will appear on the show, which is great. Andrew
4:50
Decheco at times will appear on the show. So really
4:53
looking forward to that and probably get some Eagles and
4:55
former Eagles on the show as well.
4:59
Speaker 3: Yeah, we're actually hosting it. Just to be clear, we're
5:01
not just appearing on it. We're hosting it. Andrew and
5:03
I are hosting tomorrow at Parks Casino. You'll be hosting
5:06
at some point I think in Marlton, New Jersey, yep,
5:08
Andrew and I will be at Parks. Merle will be
5:10
hosting at some point I think in Warrington. So yeah,
5:14
you and I, Andrew, we're all over. We're basically the
5:16
host of the show. So this is a this is
5:19
really cool, man. We appreciate Matt Merrow and Merrill and
5:22
everyone else and uh Josh Weinfelder business manager putting this together.
5:25
Speaker 2: It's really good.
5:26
Speaker 1: Yeah. And you know what we'll do for our Monday podcast.
5:29
We will tell our listeners where we're going to be
5:32
the next night, the Tuesday night, in case they want
5:34
to stop by talk to us, have, you know, just
5:36
talk some Eagles football. So week one, Tomorrow night's show,
5:40
Tuesday show is going to be is that Do you
5:42
remember what location?
5:43
Speaker 2: That's going to be park in Ben Salem?
5:45
Speaker 1: Yes, okay, great, awesome. So if you want to come
5:47
out and that's going to be you and Andrew.
5:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, anyone who wants to have a beer after
5:52
we're done, let's do it if you want to.
5:54
Speaker 2: If you show up while beers.
5:55
Speaker 1: With you, awesome, great stuff. All right, So that is
5:59
a week filled with Inside the Birds programming. We're really
6:03
looking forward to it. Of course I didn't mention this,
6:05
but because it's obvious, but you're going to have your
6:07
ITV podcasts of course yea or three times a week
6:10
as well. Now I know people have asked, I'll address
6:13
it now. There is not going to be a Q
6:16
and A this season with Quinton Michael and Jason Evant.
6:18
So before anybody says anything or types of comment in
6:22
we're all good, Like we have great respect for Quinton
6:26
Michael and Jason Levant, they have respect for us. We're
6:28
all friends. This is not a falling out. It is
6:31
just the natural progression of everybody in their lives at
6:34
this point. You know, Jason's on doing postgame on on
6:38
NBC Sports, qu'es out and living in Boise, So it
6:41
took a lot to get into the show, to make
6:43
it happen for the last few years, and just logistically
6:47
for a couple of different reasons, it couldn't work out.
6:49
But we have all talked, we're cool. We are still
6:52
going to try to get Q and Jason in on
6:54
the platforms. At times throughout the year they have said
6:57
they would do it. So everything's all good. But unfortunately
7:00
a great show, one of my favorite shows on Inside
7:03
the Birds, they had to come to an end. But
7:04
that's why we're trying to also give you guys some
7:07
fresh new programming with Birds Weekly and Inside the Data
7:10
and just get you guys different perspectives but within the
7:14
identity of Inside the Birds.
7:15
Speaker 3: Yeah, you never know what happens down the line. We'd
7:18
love to work with those guys. Again, it's just it's
7:21
just logistically, the timing and everything else that goes into this,
7:24
it just wasn't going to work. So right, oh yeah,
7:27
by the way, so Greg Cosell is back to tomorrow
7:30
Inside the Tape and then did.
7:31
Speaker 1: I forget I forgot to mention inside the tape, didn't I?
7:35
Speaker 2: I think you might have mentioned.
7:36
Speaker 3: But real quick, So this year there's a change which
7:39
are super cool, correct.
7:40
Speaker 1: Yep, yep. Yeah. We're breaking it up into two. We're
7:43
going to do offense in one show, defense and another.
7:47
Now it might be the first show is offense, second
7:49
show is defense, the next week it could be defense
7:51
and offense. But either way, you're getting inside the Tape
7:53
twice a week WOW with Greg Cosell, and I think
7:56
that's better for the listeners because we're not going to
7:59
try to jam pack entire game into one pod. We
8:02
want to really break it down and go through and
8:04
for the people who watch on YouTube, we'll still have
8:07
the all twenty two crypt clips for for Greg to
8:10
break down, so we'll be able to do it offense
8:12
and then in a different show defense that we're getting
8:14
everything covered. You get more coverage out of it and Greg.
8:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, great. And then our Patreon crew tomorrow night, the
8:23
Tier three's they got Greg Man, he loves it. He
8:26
loves it.
8:26
Speaker 3: If you're you haven't joined patreon dot com, Sesson inside
8:28
the Birds get co sell Tuesday nights, gosh.
8:32
Speaker 1: Love it all right, great stuff. Let's get into the
8:34
nitty gritty here, the important stuff. There were a couple
8:37
of things that came out of the Eagles twenty four
8:39
to twenty win that were both positive negative, neutral, but
8:43
some developments that we have to talk about. The first
8:45
thing that really struck us, you know, and we talked
8:48
about it even before kickoff, was that Azizo Julari was
8:53
not active for the game, and you know, neither was
8:57
obo Okuranquo. So they really add them went with a
9:01
you could call it a four man edge rotation because
9:03
Patrick Johnson was elevated and did play, but really it's
9:06
a three man one, and it feels like this is
9:09
what Vic likes. I mean, going back to the end
9:11
of last year, Jaylex Hunt, he had Nolan Smith and
9:16
Josh uch So No Dizazo Lai who signed a what
9:19
was a one year nine million dollars up there?
9:21
Speaker 3: No, no, no, it was just over four million that
9:24
guaranteed three all right, right.
9:25
Speaker 1: Right, I'm sorry. There were some incentives and stuff, but
9:27
still that's that's a that's a that's not like a
9:29
six hundred and fifty dollars guarantee.
9:31
Speaker 3: Oh look, that's it wasn't a one year verimentium deal.
9:34
And it's you know, the fact that they now have
9:37
and we'll get to that in a minute. It's a
9:38
very interesting sign and they have. I we'll see if
9:40
it turns out to be as good as I think
9:41
it is. But uh, it's it's a situation now when
9:46
you look at it, and we've been talking about their
9:48
pass rush that when we talked about what are the
9:50
biggest concerns coming into the season corner opposite Mitchell.
9:54
Speaker 2: It just showed up bad, bad.
9:55
Speaker 3: You know, in that game, Deey Jackson didn't play particularly
9:58
well and pass rush ash rusher wasn't really there. There
10:01
was the two big st issues we had coming in
10:02
the season. If you really follow a team, for the
10:04
reporters who went to train and kept already knew this
10:07
and unfortunately Rare it's ugly had it. It's a problem.
10:10
Speaker 2: You see.
10:11
Speaker 3: The thing is, it's like you could scheme up all
10:13
you want. I know, the Eagles are a big, sim
10:14
pressure team, then'll blitz a lot. But man, they just
10:19
they found a way to win. Considering card obviously, if
10:22
you have then Carter's in there, they're gonna be much better.
10:25
Speaker 2: We all know that from an edge.
10:26
Speaker 3: Standpoint, they just don't get enough pressure and that's the concern.
10:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, And so what that led to is in the
10:32
days after the Eagles signing a three time Pro Bowl
10:36
edge rusher who's kind of been making the rounds on
10:38
the good teams the last few years, and that's Zadarius Smith,
10:42
who I like the signing at him because he does
10:44
fit what they do. He's played in a offense that
10:48
requires you to both rush the passer and drop. Now
10:50
he's clearly they want him to rush the passer. That's
10:52
what he does.
10:53
Speaker 2: WI.
10:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's reason wise here, But the point is you
10:57
wouldn't get like a four to three defensive end for
11:00
this hand in the dirt guy. You do want a
11:02
guy who understands the concepts of the Vic Fangio style
11:06
defense of the three to four front, and Zadarius Smith
11:08
has played.
11:08
Speaker 3: In that his almost basically if you go back to Baltimore,
11:12
Green Bay, Minnesota, and then Cleveland. Before he got to
11:16
Cleveland he was in a thirty four and then for
11:19
the first time in his cur effect. I remember this
11:20
great interview he did on NFL radio during his during
11:24
the twenty four training camp tour. Yeah, this is Schwartze
11:28
was using him because he runs a forty three front,
11:30
not only just stand up and nickel to play inside.
11:33
So I mean that BG role. I'll tell you what
11:37
I could see it. And he's bigger physically, much bigger
11:39
physically than BG. Yeah, I would be surprised if he
11:42
doesn't play, if they need him to to play inside.
11:45
He just turned thirty three today. By the way, it's
11:47
funny September eighth, he turns thirty three.
11:50
Speaker 2: No injury history really to speak. I he just was.
11:53
Speaker 3: He was with the Lions last year and by the
11:55
way that he was making too much money. The Lions
11:57
released him but they had interest in bringing him back,
11:59
but they couldn't. They had, I would say, didn't agree
12:01
to do deal. And by the way, these things don't
12:04
It sounded like the Eagles called his agent on uh
12:07
with it Friday. Hey, Hey, by the way, is he unsigned? Okay,
12:10
let's sign him now. I'm sure they were looking at
12:12
Zadarius Smith and others on their emergency list. Yeah, you
12:16
just don't wait. You always gotta you always have dialogue
12:17
with an agent. Hey, if we need to, we're gonna
12:20
revisit this. But you know that I'll be interested to
12:23
see what happens with the Lions going for with their petrush.
12:25
I have concerns about it, so we'll see.
12:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, this could be a really good pick up.
12:30
I know somebody somebody in the comments said, this feels
12:33
like a Robert Quinn thing. That remember when they when
12:36
they traded for Robert Quinn, he was he was hurt,
12:38
he had injuries. They just didn't do a great job
12:41
I think of understanding the full extent of of Quinn's
12:44
injuries at that point. Darius Smith was an impactful player
12:48
last year for the Lions in the eight games he played.
12:50
I mean, we don't always, sacks are just an individual stat.
12:54
He did have ten quarterback hits. But if you took
12:56
four sacks and ten quarterback hits over eight games, projected
13:00
that into you know, a full season of seventeen, that's
13:05
eight and twenty. That's pretty good that you're getting from
13:07
a number three pass rusher. So the guy can play.
13:11
I think Sam Finker will have some more data when
13:13
we do inside the data. As far as his pass
13:15
rush win rate, I think they're I think they're they're
13:17
pretty high last year. They're pretty good. Guy has to
13:20
be a rotational piece.
13:22
Speaker 2: I love it. Man. Yeah, So here's the question. Let's
13:25
move this forward.
13:26
Speaker 3: So Patrick Johnson actually played twelve snaps on defense, so
13:29
he acted as the fourth dresser. He's back to the
13:31
practice squad.
13:33
Speaker 1: Apps.
13:33
Speaker 3: By the way, it is also back to the practice squad.
13:35
They cut Kenyan Green on Saturday. Waivers run today at
13:39
four p measter and if he Claire as you would
13:41
think they bring back the practice squad because they no
13:43
incline in the first time around, so you would think
13:45
you go back there. But getting back to edge, they've
13:47
got six on their fifty three roster. Are they gonna
13:50
just what's it going to be like the Rob Thompson,
13:53
Who am I gonna sit in the outfield like.
13:55
Speaker 2: What you're doing here?
13:56
Speaker 1: I don't know. I can't help but think that there's
13:58
something that's going to have to give here. And I
14:00
mean the obvious thing would be because he was not
14:03
even active for week one, But I don't know the contract.
14:07
I have no idea. I mean, listen, over the last
14:09
two years, how he has not been afraid to, you know,
14:13
move off a guy with a big contract. He did
14:14
the last year with Devin White.
14:16
Speaker 2: All right, So but in that one they had an agreement. Yeah,
14:18
they had an agreement. Like he wanted to take less money.
14:22
Speaker 3: I could look, agent could do the same thing if
14:24
if he wants to play, you know, they could always say, hey, listen,
14:28
we'll we'll cut you, but we're not.
14:31
Speaker 2: We're not going to owe you that three million. Well
14:34
maybe you settle for like a million and a half.
14:38
Speaker 3: The cash is a little bit over four million, but
14:39
the total guarantee you I believes three millions. So anyway,
14:42
Obo's on a one year veteran minimum deal. Uh, it's interesting.
14:46
He played with Jendero Smith and Cleveland. It's kind of funny.
14:50
Speaker 1: This one is here and Ushai.
14:52
Speaker 2: Look he's got good quicks man. Well he's uh, you know,
14:55
he's just hit smaller guy. I mean this third role.
14:58
Speaker 3: But look, they you like to have more lanth and
15:00
more power. That's where Zadarius Smith comes in. G's a
15:03
proven past rusher. I love the signing.
15:06
Speaker 2: I don't know what the contract looks like. Well, I
15:08
haven't gotten it yet.
15:09
Speaker 3: I do wonder if they paid him decent coin because
15:12
being that he's like one of the best edges out there,
15:14
clearly is uh he would have some leverage here.
15:17
Speaker 2: So it's interesting.
15:18
Speaker 1: Definitely, by the way, he turned thirty. He just turned
15:20
thirty three, so yeah, he's a little alter age, so
15:22
you obviously have to limit his snaps. But you know,
15:26
you have six rushers, but you also have Patrick Robinson R.
15:29
Johnson still on the uh, who'll probably revert back to
15:33
the practice squad. So yeah, he did, he did so
15:35
and he's a good special teamer. So you really have seven.
15:38
So something just true, Something really has to give here.
15:42
It just can't stay like that.
15:43
Speaker 2: Remember sixty nine man roster, right, sixty nine men roster.
15:45
Speaker 3: The edges on the on the practice squad will be
15:48
practic Cholt hit By really has to revert back there.
15:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's your seventh. Now, that's it.
15:54
Speaker 3: Chance Campbell's a bat is actually a backer, linebacker and rusher.
15:58
Speaker 1: Show right.
15:59
Speaker 3: Seven is the number is five or six. That's what
16:03
we were told how the clubs look at it. On
16:05
the sixty nine man roster, you want five to six
16:08
edges seven is successive. So yeah, now, Patrick Johnson is
16:11
a good special teams player. That's really why he's here.
16:14
Speaker 2: I'll tell you what this is.
16:15
Speaker 3: Uh se Darius Smith he's I mean, once he knows
16:18
what he's doing, he got he's he's gonna play.
16:20
Speaker 2: I mean he has to.
16:20
Speaker 3: He's no offense to the other guys who were benched
16:23
or inactive, you call whatever you want. Seems to me
16:26
he's more ready to go than the other guys would
16:28
be in terms of physically being ready. I know he
16:31
hasn't been with a team in a while. They got
16:32
to see him, but the dude is built. Man, this
16:34
guy's this guy's a good football player. I'm kind of
16:37
surprised that to Trent didn't bring him back. I know
16:38
they talked about it, but they did. Ultimately Eagles beat
16:41
him to it.
16:42
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, and By the way, I just think that
16:45
we're learning about vic what he what he seems to
16:47
prefer to me Adam is he is sort of the
16:51
anti Jim Schwartz.
16:52
Speaker 3: Jim.
16:52
Speaker 1: Jim wants to have like six edge rushers, play them all,
16:56
rotate him in and out based on down in distance.
16:58
Vick's got three guys. To me, he's got he wants
17:01
his three guys. He wants his two starters, and he
17:03
wants a good reliable number three, which you think right
17:06
now is Hunt and Smith and when he's ready, Zadarius
17:10
Smith will be the other third. But that's why I
17:13
say something's got to give here, because this is not
17:15
a guy who wants to go four or five deep
17:17
in his EDG rotation. Yeah, hasn't done it yet.
17:19
Speaker 3: Well right now is the three. But Smith it is
17:23
just so much more imposing physically. He's been a better
17:25
pass rusher, has done it one year, okay, so three years, and.
17:31
Speaker 1: He didn't play that much. If you look at the snaps, right,
17:33
you have a snaps. I mean he really played Jaylex Hunt,
17:37
Nolan Smith and then the drop off between that and
17:40
and then from to the the eleven snaps the Patrick
17:44
Johnson played he really just relied. He leans heavily on
17:47
the top two and just wants a good, reliable number three.
17:50
Speaker 2: Before we move on.
17:51
Speaker 3: One thing that worries me about that now, I know
17:53
Jordan Davis, by the way, had a but his best
17:55
game is an eagle.
17:56
Speaker 2: He he didn't wear down. Yeah, he physically didn't get
17:59
stood up. He playing well.
18:00
Speaker 3: We'll talk more about some inside the tape with Greg
18:03
co Celi later this week, but Jordan Davis played very well.
18:06
Speaker 2: But here's the thing.
18:07
Speaker 3: If you think you're gonna play Jordan Davis eighty seven
18:09
percent of snaps, He's not done this before. I'd have
18:13
to look it up. I don't know if he's ever
18:14
played sixty percent of the snaps in any game. No,
18:16
it was only sixty one snaps total for the team. Bond,
18:19
Black and Chip and Mitchell played every snap. But you
18:22
have to because the stam and the thing. You'd be
18:25
worry about that going forward. But I'm sure now we'll
18:28
see what Vic says when he talks to the media,
18:29
but you would assume that Vic Cat, by the way,
18:32
Vix the ultimate. I know you were hitting at Vix,
18:34
not doing less, he thinks.
18:36
Speaker 2: Davis.
18:36
Speaker 3: I know that Carter didn't play, so he had to
18:38
make a quick decision. But they're not doing that unless
18:41
they think Jordan Davis played well, like he looked really good.
18:45
Speaker 1: Yep.
18:45
Speaker 3: By the way, Jordan Davis also played not he played
18:49
on special teams too. He played nine snaps, so he played. Look,
18:53
he played great. He's always been a week to week guy.
18:57
But he Let's see if he can build on this
18:58
and just play good, solid to football.
19:02
Speaker 1: All right, Let's get to the other development that I
19:04
think is going to have a bigger impact than people realize.
19:06
I know you do too. We've talked about it. Ben
19:08
Van Sumeran, who just has the worst worst luck in
19:11
the world on the opening kick even before Jalen Carter
19:14
gets thrown out of the game, suffers a knee injury.
19:18
He's out for the year. It was a patella, right,
19:20
isn't that what the report? Yeah, that's rough, because that's
19:24
that's as we have detailed many times. It's it's not
19:28
as rough as it was twenty years ago, but it's
19:29
still the roughest of all of the knee injuries to
19:32
have and he was just coming off of a knee
19:34
surgery acl right, I mean, this is tough because for
19:37
two things. One, I really do think and will never
19:40
we may never have never get the chance to see it,
19:43
depending on whether it comes back or not. I was
19:46
of the mindset, just through some information and just observation
19:49
that you know, they didn't use him much in the
19:51
preseason for a reason. They knew how good of an
19:53
athlete he was. They knew how good his hands were.
19:56
I kept saying, like, kind of think like Kyle Yushik
19:58
light where he's not just regular fullback. You can get
20:01
him the ball, you can do some different things with
20:03
him throwing the ball, run with the ball. We'll never
20:05
get a chance to see that. So that's a little
20:07
bit of the evolution of the offense that the Eagles
20:10
have talked about that cannot now happen. And secondly, and
20:13
this is bigger, right when you combine the loss of
20:17
Johnny Wilson, a good blocker out of eleven personnel, and
20:20
then the loss of Ben Van Sumerin, who is now
20:23
takes away your ability to have twenty two personnel all right,
20:26
which is two backs, two receivers. Your running game is
20:30
not as good as it used to be because of
20:33
the blocking. And you saw that. I mean Saiquon had
20:36
an okay game against Dallas, but not a Saquon Barkley game.
20:39
Speaker 2: No hands got on your point though, he Yeah, yeah,
20:44
they didn't do it.
20:45
Speaker 3: They didn't block as usually what although I'm going to
20:48
disagree slightly the reason why Van Szumer was moved a
20:50
fullback because he's a big time athlete. They wanted to
20:52
take advantage blocking. What we never we have no idea
20:57
if he could block because he was new for him.
20:59
Speaker 1: But the type on his blocking last year was really good.
21:02
I remember we did one with with Greg I forget
21:04
what game it was he played, but he was, you know,
21:06
lining up almost like yeah, doing tight end coming across
21:09
the line of scrimmage. And that is something that they
21:11
were working all year and all season with him on
21:14
to be that that fullback. So, I mean, it's they remember.
21:17
It's more the idea that if you come out in
21:19
twenty two, you dictate them in base, right, your defense
21:23
is certainly come out, yes, and then if you can
21:25
kind of flex him out and throw it to him
21:26
out of a base that adds a little elementary.
21:28
Speaker 2: Point, right, But my point is a little different.
21:30
Speaker 3: My point is the reason why he switched positions simply
21:33
because he's an athlete. He's Greg told us he had
21:36
heard that Vin Summeran had great hands. He's a really
21:40
good athlete. Did was he a high school tight end?
21:43
Speaker 1: He was a high school running back.
21:45
Speaker 3: Running back? Okay, okay, right, so guys a big time athlete.
21:49
Speaker 2: And it's just sad.
21:50
Speaker 3: Now, I don't I have no idea if it was
21:52
the other knee, I don't know. Was the aco on
21:54
the other knee, I I don't know. Didn't Buckholder cirl
21:56
Buckholder had several neat major knee injuries.
22:01
Speaker 1: Three he came back, it was three, Yeah, and he
22:04
played pretty well in yeah seven when he has a
22:08
backup to b West. Yeah.
22:09
Speaker 2: Yeah.
22:09
Speaker 3: So our are our thoughts were with fit man. It's
22:12
tough deal. So no, you make fair points. The Johnny
22:15
Wilsone hurt, no question. And here's the other thing I'm
22:18
going to add to it. You and I were talking
22:19
about this over the weekend. They don't have a backup
22:22
white tight end, and why Titan is an in line
22:24
tight end. This is why Harrison Bryant not working out
22:27
and E J. Jenkins, who's had proven as a blocker,
22:30
he's on the practice squad.
22:33
Speaker 2: This is why not having that.
22:34
Speaker 3: You know, they had seven tight ends in training cap
22:36
none of them proved that they could be a good
22:38
in line blocker behind God, it's a shame.
22:40
Speaker 1: Well I would say this. E J. Jenkins is a
22:42
white tight end, but he has he really struggles to separate.
22:45
So I don't think that if you put him out there,
22:47
you're basically saying, we're running the ball. And they want
22:49
to be able. They want to they want to have
22:51
they want to have some optionality, like when Grant Calcaterra
22:54
is out there, They'll still run the ball. It'll hurt,
22:56
and there were times against the Cowboys where it hurt,
22:59
but at least you give the defense some kind of
23:02
I don't know what they're gonna do here. You put
23:04
e J. Jenkins out there, nobody's worried about him beating
23:06
anybody down the field. That I agree with you. They
23:10
absolutely need. It doesn't have to be a Dallas Goddard level.
23:13
Why they just they tried, They've tried to. They tried
23:16
to make it work with Uzama last year. It didn't work.
23:18
There was another Oh Jack stole that's what they needs.
23:22
Speaker 2: By the way, he's on the States practice squad.
23:26
Speaker 1: Now.
23:27
Speaker 3: Let's see what happens. They know him, he he knows them.
23:30
We'll see what happens. But yeah, that that's where I
23:35
know it's a small thing, but if certain transactions don't
23:38
work out, you don't have this a hole behind Goddard
23:41
as a blocker.
23:42
Speaker 1: Right I mean, and now if Goddard gets hurt, they're
23:45
in a world of trouble with their running game because
23:47
then they wouldn't have anybody who could put a block on.
23:50
Now they use Grantson in that h back role, and
23:53
he's he's another one who's a willing blocker, but he's
23:57
he's not gonna be the quote unquote answer. He's not
24:01
gonna you know, stillaw d end one on one to
24:04
create an opening on the.
24:05
Speaker 3: Edge, You're you're gonna have to do as a lot
24:07
of teams do this, they'll play six offensive lineman. That
24:10
that could happen if if they can't find anybody on
24:13
the street, they can't find a trade for someone who
24:16
can play. I know, coaches always tell you you hold
24:19
on to your why and you never let them go.
24:21
But unfortunately Eagles didn't have one who worked out. Harrison
24:23
Bryant didn't work out like they thought I was surprised
24:26
he didn't just didn't perform, but that's that, so I wouldn't. Yeah,
24:30
I'm glad we brought this up because it's a problem.
24:31
Like the Theles have some challenges, but it's only week one.
24:34
They did win the Chiefs, so they're all beat up.
24:37
Now they've forgot the right suspension and worthy got hurt
24:40
your shoulders, good miss time.
24:42
Speaker 2: They got problems. It's early, but they're challenges here.
24:47
Speaker 1: You got it, all right, And that was a good
24:48
segue what you said about six offensive lineman, because that
24:51
is certainly a possibility. But one of those offensive linemen
24:55
will not be Kenyan Green. And the Eagles are clearly
24:59
doing a raw their tangle thing with Kenyan Green. They
25:02
waved them on a Saturday, you know, which is kind
25:04
of an interesting day to make a move. You're kind
25:07
of hoping the GM's there are already like kind of
25:09
got their rosters, so they're not like, yeah, of course
25:12
they're looking at the waiver wire. But at this point,
25:15
and they've done this twice now with Kenyan right, waving
25:17
and bringing him back, they're clearly trying to hold onto
25:22
him because he's a reclamation project that they would like
25:24
to put some work in, but at the same time
25:27
they know he's not ready. If they did lose him,
25:30
I don't think they're going to lose a whole lot
25:31
of sleep over it. And they know he's far away,
25:34
so they're willing to expose him out there a little
25:37
bit and then probably try to bring him back on
25:39
the practice squad real quick.
25:41
Speaker 3: Yes, this is surprising to me. Did you know that
25:45
there's only one offensive lineman on the practice squad?
25:49
Speaker 1: Really?
25:50
Speaker 3: Yep, and it's the international player Luke Felix for all.
25:54
Speaker 1: Oh, well, that's good. But they also kept what nine
25:57
or ten on their fifty three, So.
26:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, even though where's your developmental Yeah, I'm a little soper.
26:03
Speaker 2: I don't know. It's just not like them to do that.
26:05
I have to look it up and see what they've
26:06
done over the years.
26:07
Speaker 1: But oh and remember Hinton is on IR so he'll
26:10
it's true.
26:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, Kevin Williams, as we said at the start of
26:13
the season, we'd be surprised if he ever dresses. Yeah,
26:16
there's been an if everybody is healthy, because you've got
26:18
Fred Johnson prior your backup tackles tof for now, is
26:22
the backup left guard Drew Kennell didn't dress, he didn't play,
26:25
he was an active week. Once we got our answer there,
26:28
now we let's get to the injuries in a second here,
26:31
because the man Shipley's injury disappoints me.
26:34
Speaker 2: I feel bad for he got hurt early.
26:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, hold that thought on Shipley. We will get to injuries.
26:38
But you know now that week one is behind us.
26:41
You know that guy had been talking about all last week,
26:43
the guy who hits the five leg parlay in week
26:46
one and then doesn't shut up about it for the
26:48
rest of the season. I know he's kind of annoying,
26:50
but inside deeply we all want to be that guy.
26:54
And we could be that guy. We could be the
26:56
big winner, and we could be the ones gloating if
26:59
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my bookie. All right. The injuries, yeah, you mentioned Will Shipley.
27:53
He only wound up playing five snaps before leaving with
27:56
that rib injury. I mean that's another hit to the
27:58
run game. As we talk about the block and the
28:00
ball carrying element.
28:02
Speaker 2: Boy, did he look good though before he got hurt
28:04
in that catch? Beautiful?
28:06
Speaker 3: His ability to turn up field, He's got good hips man.
28:08
He turned up field. We saw Andrew and I saw
28:10
his training camp for two years now. So yeah, and
28:13
you said's why he saw a Jay Dillon in there,
28:16
We'll see it's not good. I mean the fact that
28:18
he did not return that that would concern me.
28:20
Speaker 4: Now.
28:21
Speaker 2: Aj Dillon replaced him right now.
28:24
Speaker 3: If if he can't, if Shipa can't play Sunday at
28:29
the Chiefs, the only back they have left on the
28:31
fifty three men. Roway, he's on the sixty nine mins
28:33
roster Aldrich Estimay who just got here. He like he
28:37
needs to learn the plays. It's not good like that's
28:40
I mean, Kashanan was talking about this if McCaffrey couldn't play.
28:44
He was talking about because Brad Robinson was only there
28:46
for three practice so he doesn't really know the playbook,
28:49
but he knows enough to be functional to They could
28:51
give him certain things to do.
28:53
Speaker 2: Massa. Man, this is a completely different offense. So it's
28:56
a problem.
28:57
Speaker 3: Man.
28:57
Speaker 2: They've got some challenges here.
28:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, you got a whole that Saquan stays healthy. Well,
29:01
let's just see. We'll see what happens when the injury
29:04
reports come out. Hopefully simpley, we'll be able to play.
29:06
But you're right that that would be kind of an
29:08
annoying loss for them if if he was hurt beyond
29:11
the season opener and then same thing, and we've been
29:14
talking about this for quite a bit. You know, Landon
29:17
Dickerson could not finish the game. He limped out off
29:20
the sideline, and now it's his back that's becoming a problem.
29:24
You know, he's coming off the knee surgery. I just
29:28
you know, if you're just selling, you've got to have
29:29
a I guess it's Brett Toath for now, but you
29:33
got to be prepared to that six offensive lineman that
29:35
you might want to use to help run in the
29:37
run game. He maybe actually have to be your fifth
29:39
offensive lineman as you're starting left guard, and then you're
29:42
reaching even further for that extra offensive lineman if you
29:44
do want to go to a six man o line.
29:46
I'm concerned about Landon Dickerson this year, Yeah, I really am.
29:49
Anytime you have that much wear and tear in such
29:51
a short span, it's concerned.
29:53
Speaker 3: I mean he's a big dude. He's got a lot
29:55
of weight to him. Yeah, support that six foot six frame. Yeah,
29:59
so they'd don't. It's I mean, it's kind of what
30:02
happened week one, and generally if you're in active week one,
30:04
they just don't think you're ready. So Drew Kendall not
30:07
being active. We know he took limited snaps at left guard.
30:10
He's also a smaller player. Brett Toath has been there,
30:13
He's been trained at left guard. No, he's not He's
30:16
not a great option. I can't imagine he goes want
30:19
to address this the least, I should say, seventy man roster,
30:22
not sicky. Now, why is it said because they got
30:23
the international player who we talked about earlier, technically at
30:25
seventy but they got they have to add somebody in
30:29
the practice. But at some point in the next three
30:30
four weeks they got it at a veteran guard slash center.
30:34
They don't really have a choice at this point because
30:37
Prior got he never played left guard before he got
30:41
some reps late in training camp.
30:45
Speaker 2: You really like to have someone experience that could do it.
30:47
You know, if Dickerson can't play, sure, sure he's played.
30:50
Speaker 1: You know, it's certainly feels like they only want to
30:52
play Prior on the right side by having Toth play
30:54
left guard and go in because Prior is far more
30:56
experienced than Brett Toath.
30:58
Speaker 2: Oh we obviously he's been a starter.
31:00
Speaker 1: I mean yeah, yeah, So all right, so that's that's
31:03
the situation to monitor as well. So you've got the
31:05
backup running back the starting left guard situation. I think
31:09
other than that they made it. Oh one thing, and
31:11
we'll ask Greg about this, all right. Just when I
31:14
was watching some of the All twenty two by the
31:17
way NFL Pro is amazing. I was good that last year.
31:21
I was just using the regular ultnay, but NFL Pro
31:24
is unbelievable. If you're a fan, you just like to
31:26
watch stuff. It's worth the money.
31:28
Speaker 2: Anything new, anything new.
31:30
Speaker 1: This year on that well, I mean it's my first
31:31
year using it, so I just they're cutups. Oh like
31:35
you could just type a name in and find all
31:37
this guy's cut ups. You know, you don't have to
31:39
go through like an entire game.
31:40
Speaker 3: Yeah, real quick. So what happened was I don't know
31:44
how I found this. I was what I tape stuff
31:46
of NFL Network. They have some really cool shows in
31:48
there every occasionally in terms of stuff you wouldn't r
31:51
let me normally see. They actually did a half an
31:53
hour on data and NFL Pro. I have to see
31:56
it over the summer. I have no idea how I
31:58
found it.
31:59
Speaker 2: I was like, so like this is now.
32:01
Speaker 3: I'm like, if they do this, oh my god, like
32:03
it because they want to incorporate a lot. It's funny
32:06
everything you just said, like lots of crazy data that
32:10
you wouldn't find anywhere, and great tape and see on
32:15
I know Greg co Sell always talks about with NFL films,
32:18
he could put some search terms in and find anything
32:22
he wants off tape.
32:23
Speaker 2: Right, it's great. So that's cool. Oh, it's so great
32:25
to know. I didn't know that cool.
32:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, the search filter on NFL Pro is pretty dark,
32:29
probably not as extensive as what Greg has, but of
32:32
course because Greg, I think you can type in like
32:34
eleven personnel and tens insane.
32:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, he just watch the matchup show the stuff that
32:40
they have, you can tell.
32:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it's really good. But no, NFL Pro is good.
32:43
And what was my point? Oh? So I was watching
32:45
some of the offensive tape and I just I will
32:50
ask Greg. But the usage and the way A J.
32:53
Brown looked like he was running made me think that
32:56
he's not one hundred. Like he's clear to play, so
32:59
he's fine, but like he didn't look to me like the.
33:03
Speaker 3: Normal A J.
33:04
Speaker 1: Brown. And then the routes there weren't a whole lot
33:06
of downfield routes for him, So I don't know if
33:09
that was maybe just the way they drew up the
33:10
playbook to face Dallas, you would think with Dallas's secondary Yeah,
33:16
I just, I just I And of course we're not
33:18
doctors and neither is Greg. But let's say, hey, you know,
33:20
did you know something different about the US?
33:22
Speaker 2: There was there was one last year.
33:24
Speaker 3: I don't remember the player because we had asked someone
33:27
who was great and Eagles tape, Hey, could you take
33:29
a look at this player because we'd heard the guy
33:31
was didn't look right right and.
33:33
Speaker 2: They found something. Yeah.
33:34
Speaker 3: The guy was was like, well, I can't remember what
33:37
player was, but was favoring one knee or whatever it was.
33:40
Speaker 1: I think it was actually that was with the knee.
33:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know what that he hurt his knee last year?
33:45
Remember they kept them in. They shouldn't have.
33:47
Speaker 3: They should have pulled him against the Steelers.
33:48
Speaker 2: Yes, that's when he had the knee.
33:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, and but yeah, that's and he at this point,
33:54
Angie Brown had the hamstring injury. He was not on
33:56
the injury report, though, it doesn't mean you're not nursing someone.
33:58
To be clear, you can't be nursing an entry not
34:00
being on the insury report.
34:01
Speaker 1: There you go. All right, a few more news and
34:04
notes before we get into that. You gotta hear a
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in there, visit them at Skymotorcars dot Com. All Right,
35:12
the Jaylen Carter situation, it feels like there's something brewing
35:16
there and the NFL is looking at it, and you know,
35:19
I don't I don't know if there have been suspensions
35:21
for spitting in the past, but we do know that
35:24
they're cracking down this year on sportsmanship and personal conduct
35:29
and weaving them in. So it wouldn't shock me if
35:32
there was some kind of discipline here that was beyond.
35:34
Speaker 3: The fine, I'd be stuff. I'm just gonna get fine.
35:37
But the question is does he get suspended. If he does,
35:41
it's strictly and I'd love to read the fine letter.
35:44
I've read a ton of fine letters over the years.
35:46
It's so hilarious or the gen Runnan of all people,
35:49
but John who we know and love, to Evans, whoever
35:53
it is, it's it's sportsmanship. They the Competition Committee. I
35:56
don't know what's happened. Like for years they talked about
35:59
the tawning. I get that shouldn't taught anyone, but man,
36:02
they've this crackdown and look it's been out there, they've
36:05
been talking about it, and whoever's been interviewed from the
36:08
league office is they really want to crack down on
36:13
tawning and sportsmanship the Common Tish Committee, that's a big
36:16
deal from that's a big point of emphasis as they say.
36:18
So yeah, and look, life without Carter's not great. Now
36:22
they played inferory team against Dallas. If he can't play,
36:25
I'm can't play if he's suspended, that would not be
36:28
good on the road. But the Chiefs have their own problems,
36:30
which we'll get into later this week.
36:32
Speaker 1: Yeah they do. Man, I feel like the Eagles are
36:35
once again drawing the Chiefs at the right time from
36:37
an injury standpoint and a matchup standpoint. But obviously if
36:41
the Eagles were without Jail Carter, though, that will complicate
36:44
some things. And you know Jalen, so let's leave it
36:48
on this. Jalen showed some leadership abilities that were pretty
36:52
good throughout camp and the offseason. Players even talked about it.
36:55
But it also goes to show you that you can
36:57
be like just one step away from kind of reverting
37:01
back to what you once were. And I think the
37:03
big issue for me is no Brandon Graham, no Fletcher Cox,
37:09
no Jason Kelcey. And this was discussed on Birds Weekly
37:12
that you guys will hear Ray Ray and Gunner made
37:16
a great point about this. By the way that show
37:18
I listened, it's it's You're gonna love Birds anecdotes. Man, unbelievable.
37:25
But the fact that Jalen is a leader now, Jalen
37:29
Carter in just his third year, and there's not somebody
37:33
on that defense that has the either elder statesman like
37:36
Time or an all time eagle like Brandon to say, hey,
37:40
pull him out of there, or don't even don't even
37:42
take the bait on that is not great, Like, you know,
37:46
they're really missing that kind of leadership element, and we'll
37:49
see how that manifests. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna
37:52
use this one moment and say that's the that's the example,
37:54
and the whole season is gonna be like, No, I'm
37:56
not saying that. I'm just saying you can certainly draw
37:59
a parallel there or a conclusion that they're a very
38:02
young defense and they don't have a lot of veteran leaders.
38:05
Speaker 3: A good point. That's the one thing you don't really
38:07
have on defense other than Bond. You know who's m
38:09
h would be that guy that he's really when I talked,
38:13
it's funny this is and I wonder what the record
38:15
is for the least amount of vested veterans that's four
38:17
years or more. Jomo Davis, Carter, Smith, Campbell, Hunt, Mitchell mccouba,
38:24
blanket ship. So they've got nine eleven starters are not vested.
38:29
It's just Toy Jackson for Alie starting wow and and
38:33
uh bond. That's that's insane.
38:35
Speaker 2: I wonder if the.
38:36
Speaker 3: History of the like the last since the uh Jeffrey
38:39
Lourie is on the team. I wonder, I wonder what
38:41
the record is for the least amount of vested veterans
38:43
to start a season in the lineup.
38:45
Speaker 1: It's crow Yeah, I mean last year they had guys.
38:48
I mean they had they had Slay, they had Beg,
38:51
they had Josh Sweat, you know, I mean he had
38:53
been with the team for quite a while. Yeah, he invested, right,
38:55
and I think C J. Gardner Johnson might have been
38:57
oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. So they had the guys
39:00
who are We're all different in their own right. I
39:03
Mean there were times where c. J. Gardner Johnson developed
39:05
into a leader and then times he did not. But
39:07
at least he was accountable though for his bad times.
39:09
He was accountable.
39:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I've heard good real quick, I've heard good
39:12
stuff about to Garry Smith in locker room. You know,
39:15
I've heard one of those guys, so, yeah, what their
39:19
youth is, You've caught up him a little bit with Carter.
39:22
Speaker 2: We'll see, but I do.
39:23
Speaker 3: I'll say this and we'll action speak loud on the
39:25
words very contrit said, it won't happen again.
39:28
Speaker 2: Yep, you know. Now.
39:30
Speaker 3: I don't know what how Vic fan and heard in
39:33
Syriana feel about and Howie Roseman, but that was that
39:36
cannot happen.
39:36
Speaker 2: That was just to match up. That had been a
39:38
playoff game.
39:39
Speaker 1: Oh no, that would be horrible.
39:41
Speaker 2: That would have been in this in this market. I
39:44
don't want to think about it.
39:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, luckily we don't have to. It was only
39:47
around and they won. They one and they're wan to.
39:51
Oh and I really look forward to the week coming
39:54
up here on Inside the Birds and all the great
39:55
programming we have to offer everybody, all of our listeners
39:59
and viewers that gonna do it for this episode of
40:01
Inside the Birds, the leading podcast in Eagles Intel and
40:04
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40:11
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