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Which Eagles On Offense Are Most Under The Microscope? · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

0:10
Speaker 1: Inside the Birds is back.
0:15
Speaker 2: What's going on?
0:15
Speaker 1: Everybody is Jeff Mosher Adam kaplan for another Inside the Birds.
0:20
Speaker 2: Now.
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Speaker 1: We're in the middle of doing our annual NFC East
0:25
preview series with Greg Cosell. We've already done the Dallas Cowboys.
0:30
We've got three more teams left. I think everybody knows
0:32
who those three teams are. But we're all continuing our
0:36
Inside the Birds podcast and then this one, Adam, we
0:39
are going to talk about players who are under the
0:42
microscope in twenty twenty five on offense now, not under
0:46
the radar like we did like a week a week.
0:48
Speaker 3: And a half ago. That's a different category.
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Speaker 2: This is who's.
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Speaker 1: Entering twenty twenty five, who is going to be most
0:55
under the microscope this season?
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Speaker 3: And when I think about.
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Speaker 1: That, Adam, I think about out a player I remember
1:01
being really under the microscope. This is way back when
1:05
after two years of not being a very productive second
1:08
round pick, and then he had a wonderful breakout year three,
1:11
which is when guys are usually under the microscope. His
1:13
name is Vinnie Curry and while resigning a nice extension
1:18
and then being a big part of the Eagles first
1:21
Super Bowl title in twenty seventeen, and we're going to
1:24
have Vinnie on with us this week for our Patreon
1:27
members as part of our Ask an Eagle live stream
1:31
that we do once a month with a former Eagles player, coach,
1:34
or front alphicks exec And Vinnie's awesome because he's around
1:36
the team. He played not only for the Eagles but
1:39
also the Jets. He's always been in the.
1:40
Speaker 3: New Jersey area.
1:41
Speaker 1: He's a New Jersey guy, grew up an Eagles fan
1:44
and again wins the Super Bowl with the team, came
1:47
back to play for the team after he played for
1:48
the Bucks, and just still maintains a lot of close friendships.
1:53
He's at the He'll be at the Jason Kelce, you know,
1:57
celebrity bartending thing. He's supposed to be there down in
2:00
Oceans or Siosity.
2:02
Speaker 3: So I'm looking forward to this. I think our.
2:05
Speaker 1: Patreon members at him, We're gonna have a fun time.
2:07
Because Vinnie, you've met him before, you know him.
2:09
Speaker 3: He's a really yeah.
2:11
Speaker 2: In fact, I'm thinking I might have been there for
2:15
his first every interview in house with the Eagles when
2:18
Dave Banaro had him on, and you know he's walking
2:20
through the building. Either it was after draft or it
2:24
was either right after the draft, like within you know,
2:26
a couple of days, or maybe a couple of weeks
2:28
after it. But you have to remember, as you well know,
2:30
you're covering the team closely. Then as he grew up
2:32
an Eagles fan, it's but literally big time Eagles fan,
2:36
knew who mel Reese was, Like he went over the
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people he knew were for the Eagles that he that
2:39
he was aware of. It's it was pretty amazing to me.
2:42
And then he, as you mentioned, he wound up being
2:44
a second round pick and a productive one and part
2:47
of that that edgeress group for the twenty seventeen Super
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Bowl team.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know it didn't start off great for Vinnie.
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Speaker 1: You know him and Brandon can tell similar stories, different
2:56
but similar of just you know, getting drafted high for
2:59
Vinnie in the second round. You know, Jim Washburn had
3:02
his guys. He had Trent Cole, who obviously deserved to start,
3:05
and then Jason Babin for a couple of years running
3:08
out wide nine. And you know, obviously it was at
3:10
the end of the Andy Reid aer and things weren't
3:12
working real well, especially in run defense, and Vinnie finally
3:16
got his opportunity in year three when they you know,
3:19
did a little bit of a you know, coach office
3:22
coach overhaul, and when he got in he played well.
3:25
He wound up being a very very good run defending
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defensive end and also had nine sacks in year.
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Speaker 3: Three, So he was a dual away player.
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Speaker 1: But you know, when you think about twenty seventeen, you
3:35
think about him being on first and second down with
3:38
Churn again and Fletcher Cox and Beg and they were
3:42
really good against the run that year and that allowed
3:44
them to get into that NASCAR pass rush package and
3:47
just tee off on quarterbacks.
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Speaker 2: So the group that he came in with in twenty twelve,
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he was the second round pick in twenty twelve out
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of Marshall. The guys who were there, the two guys
3:55
you met, Trent Call and Babmin were ahead of him.
3:57
They were on a forty three front wide nine a
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lot in passing situations. Darryl Tapp is now an assistant
4:04
coach in the NFL. I believe it's with Washington. I
4:06
think he's their D line coach. Without looking it up.
4:08
If the last time I looked I saw one of
4:11
these kings, I thought was Washington last year Philip Hunt,
4:14
who got off the good start then suffered a major
4:16
knee injury and was never the same and of course BG,
4:19
So yeah, that was a pretty interesting group when he
4:21
was drafted twenty twelve.
4:23
Speaker 1: Absolutely, I'm sure it'll be a lot to talk about.
4:25
So that's one of the great reasons to be a
4:28
Patreon member. That's patreon dot com slash inside the Birds,
4:31
our monthly Asked an Eagle We do ask Greg Cosell
4:34
sessions every week during the season.
4:37
Speaker 3: We also, of.
4:38
Speaker 1: Course have all of our podcasts up early and without
4:41
any commercials or ads, so you get it early, you
4:45
get it ad free, and membership to our discord community
4:50
ask itv live streams you get to ask questions to
4:53
us usually Adam, and even get some extra intel on
4:56
that as well. So patreon dot com slash inside the
5:00
Birds to sign up and become a member. All right,
5:03
so let us talk about some eagles who are under
5:05
the microscope on offense.
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Speaker 3: We'll get into the defensive ones in a different podcast.
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Speaker 1: The first one, I think is really obvious and it's
5:13
sort of like the same thing we were talking about
5:15
with Vinnie about when it's year three. It's time for
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you to make your mark. Doesn't matter what the context was.
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For Vinnie it was two guys starting over him that
5:23
was out of control. And for this guy, Tyler Steen,
5:25
who are going to talk about what we're going to
5:28
it doesn't matter that he got hurt and lost his
5:30
job and McKay Beckton played really well. It's year three now, Adam,
5:33
so he's got the opportunities, the lead horse here in
5:36
the race to be a you know, to be a
5:39
starter at right guard, and he's got to seize it.
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Speaker 2: I mean right now, he's the favorite going to training camp.
5:45
And look, they thought heading into their offseason program last
5:50
year that he would be the starter there and unfortunately
5:53
he got hurt, never got a chance to get the job.
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Ma Kai Beckton, who signed to be a swing tackle,
5:58
right back, up right and left tackle, took the reps
6:01
at right guard and never gave it up. It's one
6:03
of those things, man can't help the club and the
6:06
tub you're you're not available, and it wasn't promised to you,
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it was. It was one thing. If he had been
6:10
a first round pick, that's a different story. He probably
6:11
would have been given a chance to get his job
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or get the job back if you ever had it,
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but he never got it. And now once again he'll
6:20
entered training camp, this time as the starter. Whars he
6:22
didn't last year. It was it was their hope was
6:24
that he would start, but he never really got a
6:26
chance to compete for it. Now it's it's him. The
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backup plan would be Matt pryor we'll see about Kenyon Green,
6:32
or they cross trained at left guard and right guard,
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but really it's Tyler Steen, who was a tackle in college.
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Sometimes it doesn't work out when teams do this. It's
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it's just a different mindset. You're playing in that phone booth,
6:44
you're playing inside. The techniques different. It's more of a
6:48
power position. And you know he's a quiet guy from
6:51
talking to people and scouting around the league. Who scouted
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him and you know about the player, but you know
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Stout coaches hard. This is a big deal for rom
6:59
You absolutely right. This is year three of a four
7:01
year rookie deal. This is to me, it's kind of it.
7:04
If he doesn't win the job, I don't know what
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they would do because they don't right now, they've got
7:08
Miles Hinton, who could play right or left. Kennel Lamb
7:12
just for this season, backup right or left, Cameron Williams's
7:14
developmental probably right tackle. And then you've got Darren Canardi
7:18
we've talked about, so he really needs to win this
7:22
and if you done, that would not be good for
7:24
his future.
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Speaker 1: No, I was actually just thinking that if he doesn't
7:28
win the job, don't you think it's kind of hard
7:31
to see him seeing year four. I mean, if you're
7:33
a backup three years into a four year deal, We've
7:36
seen Howie Roseman make moves and you know, talk about
7:39
if I'm not going to give this guy an extension,
7:40
then you know, I may have to move on. So
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it would to me if he doesn't either start or
7:45
play a significant number of you know, win the starting
7:48
job at some point in the season, year four becomes
7:50
a big question mark. And then also the whole right
7:53
guard situation. I mean, you have four of your five
7:56
positions pretty much locked down, but you're now working you're
8:00
on your what your fourth right guard in four years,
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no matter who gets it, and then in twenty twenty
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six you might talk about your fifth in five years.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that's really not what you want. And
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I know Drew Kennell could play guard but he really
8:15
is a center, be honest with you. That's that's the whole.
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We'll talk about him later. This is a big deal
8:20
here for Steen and he really needs to see it
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and sees it.
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Speaker 1: Yeah.
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Speaker 3: Absolutely.
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Speaker 1: I mean he'll be given every opportunity, so it'll be
8:26
up to him to seize it. Let's move on to
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other positions on offense. We'll talk about running back and
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this is this is sort of fascinating. You have an
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in house guy who's got a lot to prove, got
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under the microscope this year, but also someone that they
8:40
brought in. So let's start with the newcomer AJ Dillon
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because for him, it's really about that neck, you know,
8:47
making sure he's healthy, and then even if healthy, then
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you have to be the player that you were prior
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to your injuries. We saw saw i'll last year or
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two years ago, I should say where shot Penny was hell,
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but he didn't have the explosion. I remember we started
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to get intel on this and it was like, not
9:05
an issue about health, it was just he wasn't that
9:08
guy anymore because of all the injuries he had gone through.
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Speaker 3: But the explosion wasn't there.
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Speaker 1: I remember someone saying, you know when they run a
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wide and he turns the corner. They could just just
9:19
don't see that juice on the corner turn.
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Speaker 3: So you gotta wonder about aj Dillon.
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Speaker 2: Now, yeah, man, if you're if it's a toss right,
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Dylan's got to cut it up in there and get
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a field. We know he's not a four to four guy,
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but he's a specific type runner. He brought him in here.
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You know, if Barka can't play, they need somebody to
9:37
handle a large volume of carries. That would be the guy,
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not Chipley. Chipley's not really built for fifteen eighteen carries
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a game, not at this level. Dylan was, and they
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hope that he is again, but we're not going to
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know that until training. Get that he You could make
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the argument, because of the importance of the position, that
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Dylan might have the bigger microscope on him then Steen,
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because if Barkley gets hurt and let's say he's how
10:01
three or four games, they got to be able to
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run the football. Now things might change. They might pass
10:04
the ball more. But if you get a lead, and
10:06
the big reason why he was sign is so you
10:09
don't have to wear down Barkley. He doesn't have to
10:11
take every carry in every game if they're up big,
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that's where Dylan could could come in and finish it
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off that you want him as a closer if you can.
10:18
But we got to see what he looks like in
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training camp. This is a pretty big deal here.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I think it's a really big deal.
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Speaker 1: And you know, if he's healthy and productive, he could
10:27
combine with our next guy, will Shipley, along with Saquon
10:31
Barkley to give the Eagles some real different kinds of
10:34
body types and skill sets and that could be a
10:37
really nice I mean, listen, we know that Barkley's going
10:40
to get most of the workload, but you would like
10:42
to see Barkley not have to handle as much as
10:45
last year. We already gave people the stats on how
10:48
infrequent it is in the NFL to see a guy
10:50
get three hundred and seventy five touches and back to
10:52
back years.
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Speaker 3: So there should be plenty of opportunities for both if
10:57
they both make the team. Will Shipley will make the team.
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Speaker 1: Adam, but he's under the microscope because to us, he's
11:03
the one that if he can develop some skills and
11:06
enhance them, probably can come closest to serving that Kenneth
11:11
Gainwell role of being able to protect, you know, pass, protect, blitz,
11:15
pick up, catch the ball out of the backfield two
11:17
minutes drill, four minutes drill type of guy.
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Speaker 2: I mean their hope is their hope is that Shipley
11:22
could take some of that. He's going to have to
11:25
prove it in training camp. You know, it's one thing
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if you worked on it in OTAs, but it's another
11:29
thing when the pads come on. You got to be
11:30
physical and you also by the way you want to
11:33
see him doing in the preseason. So just to give
11:36
you an idea of how little he played last season,
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Shipley only had thirty carries. So now that's going to
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go way up if he's healthy that when I say
11:44
way up it okay double, it would be way up.
11:47
I mean if maybe he could do that or if
11:48
not more. Now he is explosive, he's got He's got
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not only straight line speed, but Andrew and I saw
11:56
it in training camp last year, his ability to take
11:59
the ball and turn it up field. But the dearth
12:01
with him at game Woll it was it was like
12:03
night and day in terms of explosiveness and be able
12:05
to turn your hips and get a field, and that's
12:08
what you're looking for as a change up. When when
12:10
he comes in is Barclays's specific style. That's what a
12:14
change up does. He gives you something different from your starter.
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Speaker 1: Absolutely and that and there, and we see some really
12:21
good teams that had the ability to have a change
12:24
up and just keep that defense off balance a little
12:26
bit is really vital. Doesn't even have to be the
12:29
most explosive guy like Gainwell again wasn't all that explosive. Surprisingly,
12:33
he just gave the defense a different look. And you know,
12:37
Andrew Checker has done a great job really getting to
12:39
know Will Shipley through the rookie diary. And one thing
12:43
that that Will said in his exit interview he told
12:46
Andrew and he talked to the coaches about, was that
12:49
he was going to start day one on working on
12:51
getting bigger or stronger, getting his pass protection, getting his
12:54
It's not just bigger and stronger, though, you know, we
12:57
talk about this a lot. Blitz pick up has to
13:00
do with recognition and sorting and being in the right
13:03
spot and then having your technique right to take on
13:06
the incoming pass rusher. So's it's not all just big
13:10
and strong, it's it's a lot of it is upstairs
13:12
and just recognizing what teams and coordinators typically like to do.
13:17
There are some that, like Vic, they don't blitz a
13:20
whole lot, so you know, you don't maybe have to
13:22
study him as much. There are guys like remember when
13:25
Wink Martindale was the defensive coordinator, really got to be
13:28
you got to not only know that they're coming, but
13:29
where they're coming from, who's actually coming from, what angle?
13:33
Speaker 2: You know.
13:33
Speaker 3: Spagnola is another.
13:34
Speaker 1: Guy who does that. He shows you one thing, gives
13:36
you a totally other things. So there's some experience factor
13:39
that comes into.
13:40
Speaker 2: That, plus with sim pressures and you got to figure
13:43
out who's coming and who's going right to know and
13:46
that's that's called post snap sorting. You got to figure
13:48
that out. That's not easy and there's a mental gymnastics
13:51
part about it. So look, this is a big off
13:54
season for him and trying to camp in preseason. And
13:56
by the way, you also could return kicks. He actually
13:58
did pretty well. They had six kicks for about twenty
14:01
nine yards per return. Yeah, that's pretty good. I mean, look,
14:04
we expect Everie Williams to win it, but he's also
14:09
we'll get to him in a minute, like he's he
14:11
didn't do much in their off season program because he
14:13
was hurt. Right, So those jobs are open right now,
14:16
the kick and put return jobs.
14:17
Speaker 1: Sure, all right, let's go back to the offensive line.
14:20
And he's just a rookie fifth round pick, but squarely,
14:24
squarely under the microscope because he can snap the ball.
14:27
And we're talking about Drew Kendall, who has a really
14:30
good opportunity at him. I mean, he'll make the team,
14:33
but like he's got opportunity to prove that if there's
14:37
an injury to Jurgons and he has to come out
14:39
of the game or miss week or two, that they
14:41
don't need to slide land to Dickerson over if they
14:45
believe that he can go in and play a little.
14:47
Speaker 3: Bit ahead of his of his rookie year of seasoning.
14:51
Speaker 2: Right, because think about it, if Jergets can't play and
14:53
they moved Dickerson, and then you're then who are you
14:56
putting in there? Trevor Kagan, Kenyon Green, Matt pro That's
15:00
not good. Right. You already have Steen who's inexperience, so
15:03
that that's just not good. That's that's not a good thing.
15:05
Other than obviously prior has experience. You could, you could
15:09
get away with it for a couple of games, but
15:11
Drew Kennell needs to win this backup center job. Yes,
15:14
they have Brett Toath, he is competing for it, no,
15:17
no doubt. He took a decent amount of ones because
15:21
uh because if Jurgens has coming back from his his
15:24
back surgery. But bottom line is, Drew Kennel's drafted to
15:29
be the backup center. He's on the microscope like he's
15:32
gotta he's got to show that he's ready to take
15:34
that job. Yeah.
15:35
Speaker 1: I was actually gonna make fun of you for mentioning
15:37
Prior who's the left guard Keegan and the other guy
15:42
before you even said Brett Toath and Brett tof is
15:44
the first team center in Ota. But we know that
15:47
that's very, very uphill climb.
15:49
Speaker 3: So you know, you think the bloodlines help guys like this.
15:53
Speaker 2: Oh was that Pee?
15:54
Speaker 3: Yeah? Well see it's not like they played the same position.
15:58
Speaker 2: So that's why right right, Well Pete, he was a center, right,
16:01
it was center guard? Was he both thought his guard?
16:03
Speaker 3: Did he snap me?
16:04
Speaker 2: I have to go back and say, yeah, he might, Yeah,
16:06
I think he was guard right right with a Jets
16:08
and a couple other teams of Seattle. But the bottom
16:11
line is with Drew Kendall, they drafted him to be
16:12
their backup center. Now, the question is that there was
16:15
a course strength question. I know I'd heard from a
16:18
scout from another team who was just tell him to
16:20
give me what he had from his area, and then
16:22
we Drew Kendall. He said, he said he could understand
16:24
why Philly draft him to be the backup center. That
16:27
would make sense, but always understand he was a fifth
16:30
round pick for a reason. He wasn't a third round pick.
16:32
There's a reason why Team Solmon was a backup. So
16:34
backups typically when they're ready, could give you three, four,
16:38
maybe five games. But now, the one thing about Jurgens
16:41
is you go back to Nebraska a lot of injury.
16:43
He's very talented player. He's been a good story development,
16:45
got his extension, but he's had some problems with injury. Yeah.
16:50
Speaker 1: And by the way, Pete Kendall was a center for
16:52
a year in two thousand and three. He was thirty
16:55
years old, and he was already in the league for
16:58
about eight years before. But he played center for the
17:02
Cardinals Arizona Cardinals two thousand and then yeah, you know,
17:05
he was there for three years. I totally forgot about it,
17:08
and then a little bit with the Jets in two
17:10
thousand and five as well, So yeah, I.
17:12
Speaker 2: Remember him with the Jets with the Jets, right right, Yeah,
17:14
well from and and he was that he went to
17:16
Boston College too, correct correct, so un.
17:19
Speaker 3: Probably really probably a help there in that regard. All right.
17:24
Speaker 1: Another guy I love this because I couldn't agree more.
17:28
A guy who very much under the microscope among the
17:32
wide receivers is Johnny Wilson.
17:34
Speaker 3: And it's probably because.
17:37
Speaker 1: I feel like at his best at him, if he
17:39
can really develop, I mean, he can offer you something
17:42
with that size and the already built in ability to block.
17:46
Speaker 3: And we were we were told he doesn't just block.
17:48
Speaker 1: He he That's why he was used as kind of
17:50
a blocking wide receiver slash tight end, because he can
17:52
block your ass off. But if he can just learn
17:56
to use that big body to separate contested catch find
18:00
ways to get open, you.
18:02
Speaker 3: Can use him in the red zone.
18:03
Speaker 1: At him, I mean, I feel like there's good usage
18:06
opportunity for him as a number three receiver or a
18:08
backup outside.
18:10
Speaker 2: I know he won't be he won't be the three.
18:11
I mean, it's could be Dotson's.
18:13
Speaker 1: Job a backup out, not the backup, top backup, just
18:16
one of the backups on the outside, because he hasn't although.
18:22
Speaker 2: Now now, now this is going way out there, but
18:24
Dotson's this is the funny of his rookie contract. They
18:27
don't have a future three, Like they don't know who
18:30
that would be. Like they'll get past the season and
18:32
then they'll they'll worry about it, because that's that's the
18:35
thing about this receiver position for the depth. Terris Marshall
18:38
one year deal. We'll get back to Johnny Wilson, a
18:40
second nice Smith, we'll talk about him in a minute.
18:43
Danny Gray, who you know, we're excited about him, but
18:46
he hasn't proven anything. So they don't have a future three.
18:49
And it could be anybody. He may not be on
18:51
the roster. It could be Johnny Wilson. Johnny Wilson could
18:53
also be off the roster aft for the season, so
18:55
could you.
18:56
Speaker 1: Couldn't You also see him him situationally though, as like
18:59
a situational X where you throw the ball if he
19:03
develops a good contested catch ability, right, you throw the
19:06
ball up twenty thirty yards downfield against some coverage and
19:09
see if he can come up with it.
19:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, well he's he's got to get better separation. That's
19:13
the issue with him. Yep. Now, he he's a guy
19:18
that when active was playing on special teams, he was
19:23
there to block. It's funny, he actually played a lot
19:25
on He played almost thirty third. He actually played over
19:28
thirty the offensive snaps. But he was just there to block.
19:30
That's what he called him blocking receiver. It's all he
19:32
really did. But man, with that enormous size, No, there's
19:36
no talk. I know people keep asking. No, they're not.
19:38
They're not thinking of him as a tight end right now.
19:40
Maybe after this season they do. When they only have
19:43
one under contract. If no one, yeah, well seven on
19:48
the which is ridiculous, right exactly. That's why I don't
19:50
need to do it. But Johnny Wilson is over six
19:52
foot six is it? Two thirty plus range? Straight line
19:56
speed like he he can move a little bit. But man,
19:59
but with ads on, he looks mechanical. He's very long,
20:04
and it takes them a while to get open. Look,
20:08
the bottom line is here when you when you look
20:10
at their backup receiver group after Dotson, the number four job.
20:15
We mentioned Terrace Marshall okay, who opens some eyes in offseason.
20:19
Nia Smith is an inside receiver. Only Lota Cooks was
20:21
unfortunately hurting their offseason program. We mentioned Danny Gray goold
20:24
run every Wims is a novelty specialty player. Then you
20:27
got three undrafted free agents who we'll talk more about
20:30
them in training camp, assuming they're going to be there.
20:32
So that boy, you want to talk about an opening,
20:35
So that four job is open. It's it's maybe Wilson's
20:39
the incomment, but it's sure is Hack no lock that
20:41
he wins it?
20:42
Speaker 1: Right, But he will be fun to watch this summer.
20:44
I mean that whole competition will be fun. He'll his
20:47
size and treats make him somebody that you want to
20:49
keep your eyes on.
20:50
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, big dude.
20:52
Speaker 3: All right, guess what, everybody, the summer weather is here.
20:55
Speaker 1: When the summers here and boy isn't here, you're gonna
20:58
want to be outdoors and get that important exercise in
21:01
and to do that, you want to feel better.
21:04
Speaker 3: So now's the time to get your free thirty minute stretch.
21:08
No obligations.
21:09
Speaker 1: It's a free thirty minute stretch. You can sign up
21:11
in three different ways you can go online for our
21:14
friends at stretch Zone by going to stretch zone dot com.
21:17
You can call the nearest location there's several of them
21:20
will go through or you can just visit them in person.
21:23
From the list below, there are thirteen locations in PA
21:29
and New Jersey. Adam tell them about the PA locations.
21:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was just an excellency Austin. He's phenomenal. He
21:35
is the man. I mean, it's I always know him
21:38
in for it when I go in because I want
21:40
to be stretched and I want to feel good way
21:42
come out and there's nothing like it. He's phenomenal. At
21:45
Devin Jared who I've seen there, which is right next
21:49
to the Whole Foods and the Orange Theory. Have aferd
21:52
which is like no more in ten minutes from there,
21:55
right near the shopping complex there South Phillya, watch to
22:00
Montgomery County Elkins Park Plaza, Upper Dublin Dresser off six
22:04
to eleven near my mom Feasterville, Warrington, PA, which just
22:07
opened a few weeks ago. Look forward to visiting that
22:11
one Cherry Hill near you Mount Laurel or Greg coself
22:15
Franco Lakes Northfield. If you're on the way down the
22:17
shore and in Princeton, New Jersey.
22:20
Speaker 1: All those great locations to get a stretch at our
22:23
friends at stretch Zone. All right, So the next guy
22:27
we have under the offensive microscope. Adham I actually think
22:29
is more under the microscope than even Johnny Wilson because
22:33
he was a higher pick from the same class and
22:36
there are two areas where the Eagles are hoping to
22:39
get some production from him, and honestly, last year he
22:43
gave them production in zero area. So you're you're kind
22:46
of on the clock and under the microscope at the
22:48
same time because you're there's expected expectations in year two
22:53
for Anius Smith, who is both a wide receiver and
22:56
a punter returner, and Adam, if things are right with him,
23:00
he's probably their most he is no question, he's their
23:03
most natural slot receivers.
23:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know he returned punts a lot of them
23:10
eighty two. In college. They used him as sort of
23:13
a people going no, he's not debo, Samuel. We know that.
23:16
All I'm saying is very similar role. He actually had
23:20
one season he scored four rushing touchdowns to tax A
23:23
and m grego Sell really likes him. We talked on
23:25
Aria scout recently who had his area the text A
23:29
and M the Southwest area and said he loved this physicality,
23:33
built well at one ninety. He's not fast, but he's
23:36
got short, short area of quickness. He's a very intriguing player.
23:41
But unfortunately, because of the number of foot injuries he
23:43
had last he's with Eagles, he didn't really contribute. He's
23:46
another guy I really look I am looking forward because
23:49
fans always ask, okay, what about what's going on here
23:53
with a slot role? Do they need a slot receiver?
23:56
Do they have one? Well, this guy could be it.
23:58
Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely, And you know he started to perform better.
24:03
Speaker 3: I remember, I know Andrew talked to him a lot.
24:05
Speaker 1: He had a bad OTAs bad and then also had
24:10
an injury in camp. But at the last two weeks
24:12
in camp he was much better at catching the ball,
24:16
looking more natural, calming down. In fact, and I has
24:19
even said the injury helped him because it just allowed
24:21
him to take his mind off things, watch from the sideline,
24:25
get driven and come back better. So he's got an
24:28
opportunity ahead of him to really get some good playing time.
24:31
If he can really show that from the slot he
24:33
can catch the ball, he can run, block, you can
24:35
do all these great things. Just the first thing is
24:38
you have to be shorthanded. You have to be dependable.
24:40
You have to catch the ball when it's thrown to
24:41
you for sure.
24:43
Speaker 2: Look, hell, he should be getting a chance to compete
24:45
for the pump return job. I know they're going to
24:47
have a number of guys there, but you know, overall,
24:51
the n Smith definitely definitely under the microscope. Oh yeah, Greg,
24:56
Greg's talked about him a lot. Greg really likes him.
24:58
But guy's gotta going. Smith has got to get on
25:01
the field. Now.
25:01
Speaker 1: We got to get Greg to start calling him and
25:04
Ias instead of Anas.
25:06
Speaker 2: Well, it's when they drafted him. I think we actually
25:09
had a pronunciation got so who we knew what it was.
25:12
He knew it was Anias, although I think a couple
25:15
of times they calls because that's right, yeah, and Nius Williams.
25:22
No a nice Smith, Right, I just did it. I
25:24
just did it. Nice Smith from Texas. A and m uh.
25:28
Speaker 3: But you were fore shadowing, that's what you were doing.
25:32
Speaker 1: You were foreshadowing because the next guy we're gonna talk
25:34
about is a Williams. He is a new player. He
25:36
is also a wide receiver, and a returner himself. So
25:39
that's where the confusion might have come in. It's Avery Williams, who,
25:44
you know, If not for Nick Sirianni salivating over this guy,
25:47
I don't know if we would have paid much attention
25:49
to the free agent signing that he was because he
25:51
hasn't really produced very much in the NFL and he's
25:55
kind of moved around. He's played some different positions. But
25:57
you know, per Nick, they have a role for him.
26:00
They want him to be this you know, returner slash
26:03
gadget players.
26:05
Speaker 3: Who was the guy? Was it offensive weapon that got
26:07
from Michigan to RUMs.
26:10
Speaker 2: Ow they put on put to that miss? Was he
26:13
a second round pick?
26:15
Speaker 3: I think he was.
26:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah that that didn't work. Yeah, that one didn't work.
26:18
But uh yeah. So with Avery Williams, you know, he
26:24
started his career off as a corner and then he
26:25
got moved to running back and the Eagles are looking
26:29
him as a receiver, but it's really a slot receiver
26:31
and he's you're really looking at him as a gadget
26:34
player and someone who could return puncher kicks. We know
26:37
he was dealing with some sort of injury on disclosed
26:40
injury during the latter portion of OTA, So we'll see
26:44
what he looks like early on in training camp. But
26:47
they they only gave him four hundred grand fully guaranteed.
26:50
But that's really not a big deal. But they really
26:53
do have something in mind for him. And as you said,
26:55
and this goes back to the owner's meetings, Nick, just
26:58
Nick spoke about Avery Williams more than more than pretty
27:02
much any player at that owner's meetings in March. Pretty interesting.
27:05
Speaker 1: I know we got asked this once a while back,
27:08
and I'm not sure if he ever officially addressed it.
27:10
But because he has played some corner in the NFL,
27:14
I think someone asked us if there were any plans
27:18
to play him at corner in with the Eagles, and
27:20
I don't think that that's He's been a running back
27:22
in a cornerback right, I've not heard anything about cornerback
27:27
usage and if anything about Vic Fangio. Vic likes these tall,
27:31
physical corners, and this guy would not fit in that
27:35
in that realm, I don't think.
27:36
Speaker 2: Well, he would be a slot and look, but what
27:39
I've learned though, you never know what a coach is thinking.
27:41
When Troy Brown was moved from receiver to corner one
27:44
year because the Patriots are short a corner. Now, I
27:47
give Troy Brown credit. He just they gave him an area.
27:51
Just cover this area or some defense. I remember watching
27:54
the tape of it at NFL Films and I was
27:57
just like wow. And he might have kept his receiver number.
28:01
I remember a number eighty.
28:02
Speaker 3: I think he was yep.
28:03
Speaker 2: But man, that I've learned, listen, you never know what
28:06
a coach is thinking. Look, who the hell knew that
28:08
Vicker moved Zach Bond to inside backer like he never
28:12
played it before. M hm. Although on Exciting Mics you
28:18
could hear on the Exciting Mics pod that that show
28:21
that Degene does with who is it with the reblanket chip? Yeah,
28:27
you hear him talk about he actually the first year
28:30
it was a COVID year and they moved into a
28:32
linebacker and he had never played it before, so it
28:34
was an intrusher. It didn't it didn't last very long.
28:38
But in the end, with Avery Williams, they see him
28:42
a specific way as a running as a receiver. He
28:45
obviously could carry the ball. Do they need him to
28:47
carry it? No? But as a change up, you never know.
28:50
This is what training camp which great about training camp.
28:52
We get this. The real thing is gonna happen. You're
28:54
gonna know at least what they're thinking is. It doesn't
28:56
mean they're gonna do it in the regular season, but
28:59
if they do it in training now, it's definitely in
29:01
their arsenal to use it if they need a call
29:03
upon it. Whereas if you do it in OTAs and
29:07
you don't do in training camp, then you're probably not
29:09
going to do it right.
29:11
Speaker 3: All right, good stuff, So that is Aviary Williams.
29:14
Speaker 1: We'll see another kind of guy who will be exciting
29:16
to watch, especially when the pants come out and the
29:18
preseason games, to see if he can give a little
29:20
juice to that return game because I'm guessing they're not
29:25
going to be using him as a offensive gadget weapon
29:28
roll too much in the preseason.
29:29
Speaker 3: Because you're not trying to advertise them to give it up.
29:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a great point. Well, that's what I meant
29:33
about training camp. That's that's what I've seen over the years,
29:37
going to these camps where you see anything special, like
29:41
just something different, some weird you know, you might see
29:44
a half back option, it's club whatever, club you know
29:47
you see in training camp. Maybe they don't use it
29:48
to week fifteen. I should write this stuff down just
29:51
to see if the team ever uses it. Saw this
29:53
at this camp. Wonder if I ever use it. Then
29:55
they use it.
29:56
Speaker 3: There you go, all right.
29:58
Speaker 1: Our last guy on the offensive line acquired in a trade,
30:02
the CJ. Gardner Johnson trade from Houston Kenyan Green, who,
30:06
as we said many times, you know, this guy was
30:08
not an over drafted guy when he was the top
30:11
interior offensive lineman drafted four years ago. I mean he
30:15
was Legit just hasn't panned out. Plus he's had injuries,
30:19
but even when healthy, he has not played well. And
30:22
if you can't figure it out with Jeff Stealtlin as
30:27
your coach and some haven't you know, Warmack never did,
30:30
and a couple of guys, you know, not every single
30:32
guy who's who's come under Staltlin has you know.
30:35
Speaker 3: Had their career revived.
30:36
Speaker 1: But if he can't, then it's kind of like now
30:38
or never for him.
30:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, last year was a rookie deal, just under one
30:42
point four million, fully guaranteed signing. It doesn't mean they'll
30:46
keep That's not enough to keep the guy on the
30:47
roster if he doesn't do well. But their hope is
30:51
at least could you be maybe the backup right or
30:55
left guard that that, to me at this point will
30:58
be at least something getting something out of them, because man,
31:01
that trade that they made with Houston doesn't look great
31:05
so far. But let's get through training camp first with
31:08
Kenyan Green and see if he could win a job.
31:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, we know why that trade happened. They
31:13
don't have to pay the salary.
31:14
Speaker 3: You know.
31:14
Speaker 1: I don't think they definitely expected. They certainly didn't expect
31:18
Green was going to come in here and waltz into
31:20
the right starting right guard. Bob that he was like
31:22
a throw in for the trade, and we'll see, we'll
31:24
see if the resurrection can happen.
31:26
Speaker 3: But you make a great point.
31:27
Speaker 1: Ordinarily, if you trade for a guy like this and
31:30
he's got one point three million guaranteed, he's probably gonna
31:34
make it as a backup.
31:35
Speaker 3: Even if he can't.
31:35
Speaker 1: It's not good enough to win your starting job. But
31:37
the Eagles have brought in so many linemen through the
31:40
draft and even some of their their free agency, you know,
31:43
like Matt Pryor coming back that you're right, I think
31:46
that they wouldn't be afraid. How he wouldn't be afraid
31:48
to take the dead cap as if he felt he
31:51
had nine or ten guys that were just better than
31:53
Tyler Green and more worth investing their future in.
31:57
Speaker 2: Yeah, because when you look at it, you got Keegan
31:59
and know he didn't really contribute last year, but he's
32:03
gonna have a chance to make the team. He was
32:04
a fifth rounder last year. Pryor's on a one year deal.
32:07
Kenya Green's contract expiers after the season. We know Knark
32:10
could play guard if you need him too. And Brett Toth. Yes,
32:12
he could play just about every position. I didn't say
32:14
very well, but he could play every position. He's still here.
32:17
They still stout see something in him. So they're not
32:20
going to hand Kenyon Green a job this fall. He's
32:23
gonna have to earn it, to be honest with you,
32:25
I think that's pretty clear right now.
32:26
Speaker 3: Yeah, agreed, great stuff, good stuff.
32:28
Speaker 2: I like.
32:29
Speaker 1: I like this picture, this big picture look at offensive
32:33
players on the Eagles, runder the microscope. We'll do it
32:35
again for defensive players. We'll continue to have our NFC
32:38
East preview coming out, so it'll be a fun week.
32:40
We can have two weeks, three weeks as we lead
32:42
up to training camp here on Inside the Birds. That's
32:45
gonna do it for this edition of Inside the Birds,
32:48
the leading podcast in Eagles intel, and as always, we
32:52
thank you for flying with us Inside Dubber