Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / Football at Four: Eagles Issues+Strengths As OTAs Near

Transcript

Football at Four: Eagles Issues+Strengths As OTAs Near · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Right now, it's not out for football for Adam.
• 0:01
  Speaker 2: Kaplan is here and you know, by the way, next
• 0:05
  Speaker 2: week the Eagles will be back on the field. What
• 0:07
  Speaker 2: can we find out, Well, we're gonna look at some
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: of the biggest strengths that they have leading into really
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: Adam their first time back on the field. I guess
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: this is voluntary stuff, but most of the guys should
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: be out there and be really the first time we
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: see them since their last you know, the last outing
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: in the playoffs.
• 0:25
  Speaker 3: Yeah, Mike, the actually a week from today is the
• 0:29
  Speaker 3: start of the OTAs. And you know, we don't expect
• 0:31
  Speaker 3: aj Brown to be there, by the way, who just
• 0:32
  Speaker 3: got married. But but that's not why, because we expect
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: him on June second to be a patriot. Buying a shock.
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: I would be shocked if he's not a patriot. But
• 0:42
  Speaker 3: we'll we'll find out soon enough, Mike. But look, let's
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: look at the strengths and weaknesses that that's kind of
• 0:49
  Speaker 3: where we're at here this football team. Because again, a
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: week from now, you're gonna you're gonna start seeing it.
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: We reporters will be able to see one of those
• 0:57
  Speaker 3: practices like twenty years ago, they let us all in,
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: but now they limit us to how much you could watch.
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: But the stress, Mike, they're on both sides of the football,
• 1:08
  Speaker 3: not just one side. Defensive tackle to me is amidst
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: strength where I don't see a weakness at all, because
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: you know who your starters are, or Jomo Davis and
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: Carter they play three man front. They're thirty four front
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: with two overhangs. Byron Young was a great waiver claim.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: I gotta tell you, I still don't know what the
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: heck the Raiders were thinking when they cut him two
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: years ago. He didn't really play in twenty four, but
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: he wound up helping them in twenty five and he
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: actually wound up being a really good story of development.
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: And then you know they're gonna look at Ty Robinson.
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: This is a big off season for Ty Robinson, a
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: fourth rounder out of Nebraska last season.
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's take a look at some of the strengths
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: they have elsewhere on the field. You know, one spot
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: I think was a question coming in until Draft night
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: when they got Jonathan Grenard would be edge and this one,
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: you know, they went into last year thinking this was
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: an area where they didn't need help, then quickly made
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: a couple of additions with Zadarius Smith and then Jalen Philip.
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: So is this an area of strength now like.
• 2:10
  Speaker 3: They didn't have the depth that they have here now.
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: So here we go. We've got Grenard. Then on the
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: other side you have Campbell slash Nolan Smith. They'll they'll
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: get that figure out who's going to start in training camp.
• 2:21
  Speaker 3: I don't have a Keddy to pay in about four million, okay,
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: so he'll be their fourth edge. Joe tryon for the
• 2:28
  Speaker 3: first rounder with Tampa and they've give him a little
• 2:31
  Speaker 3: bit of guaranteed money, not very much. They've got Keishawn
• 2:36
  Speaker 3: James Newby, who was a seventh rider of this year's
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: all I'm certain not to make the team. Way ruh
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: the international player and also you are Bernard. Obviously he's
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: going to play defensive tackle. He was actually drafted, but
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: he got the exec he's getting the exemption because they're
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: going to take it along sole Leaf with him. But
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: the bottom line is, Mike, they have very good depth.
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: I'm really looking forward to the Smith Hunt, a really
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: good training camp challenge there and Ebiketty Scot the Goals
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: have voice lights and that's a pretty good group there. Mike,
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: And remember Vic Fanger that made dress for but he's
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: shown he really only likes playing three.
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I know that last year they thought they had
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: this and then they had to go out and then
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: they went out and got Garnard. So we'll see if
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: Gernard and Ebi Ketty are better than what they had
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: at the starter last year. They're definitely better than when
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: the season started, right.
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: Oh yeah, no, Mike, They they have much better depth.
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: There's no question about it, because someone's going to do
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: the oddomat out between Smith and Hunt. We didn't know
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: how good Smith excuse me, Hunt would become and Smith
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: is you know, he's got a kind of rebound here.
• 3:41
  Speaker 3: You have they picked up the fifth option, but you know,
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: if he could have a great year, you never know
• 3:46
  Speaker 3: what could happen in terms of getting a contract extension.
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: And John Van Garnard's a guy that's coming off of
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: his shoulder injury and surgery. He'll be good to go,
• 3:55
  Speaker 3: certainly by training camp, and we're looking forward to seeing
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: what he can do with his football team. In the
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: fanjo scheme, who do you like better?
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: Gernard or Phillips.
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: They're completely different players. Phillips is the Phillips has got
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: like he's got a lot to them because of the size.
• 4:10
  Speaker 3: But he's not the past strusher that Grenard is. Phillips
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: is at the major entry history. He's a little bit
• 4:16
  Speaker 3: younger than Gridard, honestly. And in Gridard, remember he got
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: his contract with Justice. They're guarantee him this year and
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: one more. But they're gonna save the They're gonna save
• 4:25
  Speaker 3: cap space in cash with it. With the Gudard deal,
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: Phillips would have cost him that. They weren't going to
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: do thirty million. They just weren't going to do it.
• 4:34
  Speaker 3: What we don't know is what was their final number.
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: There's been a lot throwing out there, and I don't
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: believe any of it's really totally correct there, so I
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: know they would have paid twenty five million where they
• 4:44
  Speaker 3: paid twenty twenty nine million. Don't know that.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: All right, Let's look at another area of strength for
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: the Eagles. They have Jalen Hurts, they made some trades.
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: They still have Tanner McGee quarterbacks on the list.
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: Yeah, this is a strength. Look Jalen Hurts, they say
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: what you want. In the Super Bowl twy he got
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: the MVP in twenty four where quite frankly, he was
• 5:05
  Speaker 3: better than twenty two where he played out. It's probably
• 5:07
  Speaker 3: his best game as a professional. This is a new
• 5:10
  Speaker 3: scheme for you and I have talked about this, Mike
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: many times in Football four and our show. Obviously Jeff
• 5:15
  Speaker 3: and I have on inside the Birds. But yeah, and
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: Tanner McKee, Lancecervi's rookie deal. Then you've got Andy Dolton,
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: who's the third string quarterback. So if they trade McKee,
• 5:26
  Speaker 3: that opens it up. Don't would be the two? Then Culpayton,
• 5:28
  Speaker 3: their fifth rounder, can make the football team. But they're
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: not looking to trade McKee. To be clearer, they're not.
• 5:33
  Speaker 3: We know that for a fact.
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: But what they would if they got a deal they.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: Liked, it would have to be great. Yeah, I would
• 5:39
  Speaker 3: have to be a great offer. They look, they understand, Mike,
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: They understand the value of having a quality backup quarterback.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: They learned this the hard way with a J. Pheeley
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: when Koidetmar got hurt and McNabb got hurt. I mean,
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: you can't have enough quality quarterbacks. So they're in really
• 5:56
  Speaker 3: good shape there. It is absolutely a strength. There's no
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: question the quarterback positions. All right, let's.
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: Go to another spot on offense, which I think might
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: be surprising to people.
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: What about tight end.
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: Look, some people might not agree. I know Goddard from
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: a blocking standpoint was not as good as he had
• 6:12
  Speaker 3: been in the past. Wasn't like he's terrible. He just
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: had dropped off that area. But uh, there there are
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: offensive lineup. We know Mike was not a strength last season.
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: It was a shocking weakness. We didn't see this coming.
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: Nobody did. They got to get back to health. We'll
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: talk about that later, but the big thing is Mike
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: Goddard's back for a year. They got brought in Eli
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: Stowers as their second round pick out of Vanderbilt. They're
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: going to bring them along slowly. They've got Johnny Munt
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: to be their blocking tight end. They got that settled.
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: Kim Latsu was a good story. We didn't like the
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: way that they We didn't like the way that that
• 6:45
  Speaker 3: they're that they schemed their tight ends in the run game.
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: We thought it was bad. That's going to change here
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: with Chris Cooper. It's a new offensive line coach. We'll
• 6:53
  Speaker 3: see how much is but it's going to change for
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: what we understand. And they got Deacon right. I know
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: they're excited about the Undrector Regent out of Mississippi. So Mike,
• 7:01
  Speaker 3: this is actually could be a very strong strength here
• 7:04
  Speaker 3: for the football team.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: All right, and then one I guess outside the box,
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: what about one of their special teamers?
• 7:09
  Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, we're Braidon Man. We actually talked about him.
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: We drop our final depth chart Intel show tomorrow when
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: we talked about safety, but we briefly talked about the
• 7:19
  Speaker 3: strengths and weakness of the football team, and we said, like,
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: did anyone think Punnell would be one of the few
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: strengths last year for the twenty five Eagles?
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: It was.
• 7:29
  Speaker 3: Braidon Man was phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. The reason why he
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: wasn't a Pro bowler is because there were too there
• 7:36
  Speaker 3: were a couple of guys that were better than him,
• 7:38
  Speaker 3: and there's not many. But he had a great He
• 7:41
  Speaker 3: had a great season, he really did, and he got
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: his new deal. Good for Braidon Mann. And look, he
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: guy's a good football player and a heck of a
• 7:48
  Speaker 3: signing he was. It's one of those situations. I know
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: the Steelers didn't know what they wanted to do with them,
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: then they wound up cutting them and He's been a
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: really good signing for them the Eagles.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: All Right, Football for Adam Kaplan is powered by the
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: Inside of the Birds podcast, which you can get on
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: all podcasting platforms.
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Those are some of the strengths. Let's look at some
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: of the.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: Question marks as the Eagles get ready for mini camp
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: on Tuesday.
• 8:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, OTA's right. Next week where we're going to see
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: Chris Cooper, their old line coach. He is I'm including
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: the in the questions or positions of questions, I'm including
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: Chris Cooper, the old line coach. He takes over for
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: the semi retired Just Stallin. Who knows after his contract
• 8:29
  Speaker 3: expires of the Eagles, he could be coaching somewhere else
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: next year, who knows. But the bottom line is things
• 8:34
  Speaker 3: are going to change to brand new scheme. He's got
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: to learn these players that the players have to learn
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: him this. This is a big thing for me, Mike,
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: for the voluntary camp and then for the mandatory camp,
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: which is the biggest one by far of the off season,
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: when everyone's got to be there. They gotta all have
• 8:51
  Speaker 3: to get on the same page.
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: All right, Let's look at you got the offensive line coach,
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: obviously a question mark, you got a completely new guy.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: He's been here since twenty thirty, so that's the first
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: time there's a new guy there. You had a new
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: offensive quarteror every year it's seemingly sid twenty thirteen.
• 9:06
  Speaker 3: Yeah, you got a new play caller here. It's a
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: new scheme, new play caller. Sean Manion only in his
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: third year coaching Mike. This is a big step up
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: for him. He ran a quarterback room for one season.
• 9:18
  Speaker 3: Now he's calling plays in this market with this with
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: this football team, with the success that they have, There's
• 9:25
  Speaker 3: gonna be a lot of pressure on Sean Manion, no
• 9:28
  Speaker 3: question about it. And he brings in this timing based offense.
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: He's got to get on the same page with his quarterback,
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: all right.
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: And there's a lot of reports out there, obviously people
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: looking forward to with this offense completely different than we've seen.
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: And we've always kind of said, oh, is it going
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: to have any influences from Nick Sirianni expecial to be
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: completely different than what we saw. What about the new
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: quarterback coach? This is an interesting one because you know
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: Scott Loeffler, he worked with Hurtz in the off season here,
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: that's a little odd. He's spoken on some podcasts recently,
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: so what's different here?
• 10:01
  Speaker 3: All right? So Scott Leffler, this is what we reported
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: it inside of the Birds. When he at the point
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: he was fired, he was told he had a job
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: depending on what the new offensive coordinator wanted to do.
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: So I don't understand the move with Parks Fraser. I
• 10:17
  Speaker 3: understand he's a smart coach. You intermoc with the Panthers.
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: We're actually under the Colts on the Jeff Jeff Saturday
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: the event interim head coach and look Eagles like him.
• 10:29
  Speaker 3: Serrannie knows them. They were together with the Colts. I
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: get that, but get Parks Fraser's never won a quarterbacksroom.
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: He's been assist quarterbacks coach, but he's never won a
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: quarterbacks room. That to me, it's a question mark. It's
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: got to develop. I know he's very smart, but and
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: he's been with her, he knows. I mean, this is
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: this is gonna be challenging. I'm really looking forward to
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: seeing and we'll listen and see what happens with the
• 10:52
  Speaker 3: two of them working together. Now.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: I think one of the biggest questions this year has
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: got to be You mentioned the offensive line coach, But
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: what about his offensive line?
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: Yeah, Mike, the getting them back to health. Dickerson obviously
• 11:03
  Speaker 3: major health question. Mark Jurgens with the back issue and
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: you know he sought help as you know overseas. And
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: Lane Johnson coming off with his major injury is what
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: does he have left? Milotta is my Lotta was the
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: best out of the group, but he even dropped off
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: a little bit. And then Tyler Steen was healthy last season,
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: he was at very average. So you know, overall, Mike,
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: it's health. Are they in a regression? This is a
• 11:34
  Speaker 3: major question heading into their offseason and obviously the training camp.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: A couple more biggest question marks Ota Star Tuesday. What
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: about the spot opposite Quon Mitchell?
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah, right, cornerback with Tarique will start with his twelve
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: million fully guarantee. That's not up to debate. What what
• 11:52
  Speaker 3: the question is can he play quality football? As we
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: noted Mike many times on the show, they actually are
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: very open to trading with the trade deadline, and they'd
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: intrade him and he wound up winning a Super Bowl
• 12:01
  Speaker 3: with them't They weren't going to bring him back, as
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: I was told, So he signs a one year deal
• 12:07
  Speaker 3: It's a high end, proven deal, no question about it.
• 12:09
  Speaker 3: But as we suspected, because we're not going to draft
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: a quarnerback they were going to go with Woolan that
• 12:16
  Speaker 3: they went up signing Jonathan Jones to back up Wooland
• 12:18
  Speaker 3: So if Woolan wants up getting benched being he didn't
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: play well or he gets hurt soon to be thirty
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: three year old Johnathan Jones would be would be his
• 12:26
  Speaker 3: replacement that I'm a little bit concerned opposite Mitchell, to
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: be honest with you, is it better than last year? Yes,
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: Dory Jackson was average at best, but you know Wolan
• 12:36
  Speaker 3: is is way younger, doesn't have the injury history. But
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: Jeriq Wolan after a great rookie season has been it's
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: been quite frankly in a free fall, all.
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: Right, last one.
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: Actually a couple more is in the same room in
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: the secondary here.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: Everybody knows safety is an.
• 12:53
  Speaker 3: Issue, number one issue on the football team in terms
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: of positional needs. Roumacovia coming off the fractured ankle, as
• 13:02
  Speaker 3: we discussed on tomorrow show Michael, which shops at six A.
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: M mcovid didn't just have the fractured ankle last season,
• 13:08
  Speaker 3: had a couple in training camp. You worry about that
• 13:11
  Speaker 3: right now that they have to figure it out. Opposite
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: him right now would be Abster Carter. Carter would be
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: the guy though, we think, And but they're still gonna
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: They're looking at a veteran safety, whether it's they would
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: prefer to sign one now if they don't sign one,
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: they could trade for one. They're gonna add someone they
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: believe by training camp. And then you got called with
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: Newski he's not certainly not gonna start, and G. G.
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: Gray who only play special teams, and Andre Sam's areas,
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: who's a fourth safety at best. And Maximus Pool he
• 13:37
  Speaker 3: had a great he had a pro day workout for
• 13:39
  Speaker 3: Wafford and Egle sign them off that. So it's wide open, Mike.
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: Their depth is the quality depth is a major question mark.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: It's a big question mark going into the season. No
• 13:49
  Speaker 3: certainly going to OTAs.
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: And while they have a strengthen pudger, what about the
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: kicking counterpart.
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: I am shocked, Mike. I understand we're in May, so
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: I should let me let me revise that. I'm slightly
• 14:01
  Speaker 3: surprised they're not going to They could they could do it,
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: literally do it next week before they open it. But tonight, now,
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: if they wound up not bringing in a kicker to
• 14:10
  Speaker 3: at least compete against Jake Elliott, I just I don't
• 14:13
  Speaker 3: get it, Mike. I don't quite understand what they're doing.
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: But could be a money thing.
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: I don't know. I mean, he took a small pay cut,
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: not a lot, as I understand it. So I'm just
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: kind of surprised that we'll see what happens as we
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: get closer to tran cap. I'm not completely so that
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: they won't do that because boys, see you and Jake
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: Elliot's been in a regression. Let's call like it is.
• 14:35
  Speaker 2: All right, There's Adam Capell for today's football four here
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: on the Sports Bast Live on ninety seven three ESPN.
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: Check out the Inside the Birds podcast on all podcasting platform.
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: Thanks man, got it.
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: Thank you,