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Football at Four: DiCecco's Thursday Eagles Mailbag · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

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  Speaker 1: Right now. It is a mail bag edition of Football
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  Speaker 1: at four. We told Andrew last week we've been compiling
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  Speaker 1: questions in the mail bag our listener questions take over
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  Speaker 1: Football at four today. If you have questions, send them
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  Speaker 1: in six nine four three nine seven three. We have
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  Speaker 1: a good amount of questions for the offseason now draft
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  Speaker 1: in the books, and Andrew to checko is here for
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  Speaker 1: today's Football at four. Welcome Andrew.
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  Speaker 2: What's up man to hey, Mike doing well.
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  Speaker 1: Good to be with you as always, and today, of course,
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  Speaker 1: listeners have a ton of things they want to answer
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  Speaker 1: from you, so we will do a mail bag edition
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  Speaker 1: of Today's Football at four and well, correct, I do
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  Speaker 1: want to get your take before we get to and
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  Speaker 1: there is a question in the mail bag regarding malch
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  Speaker 1: Makai Lemon. But I love the way that you described Lemon,
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  Speaker 1: his precise route running and everything. How impressed did you
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  Speaker 1: leave with Lemon in the ball sample size that he
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  Speaker 1: showed at the rookie camp.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean context is important because you're always seeing
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  Speaker 2: them run routes on air. But what I did observe
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  Speaker 2: Mike was someone who is really polished and fluid, moves
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  Speaker 2: really well. Was head and shoulders the best player there
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  Speaker 2: in terms of the wide receivers that we're in the mix,
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  Speaker 2: that we're going through the individual drills, and that's kind
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  Speaker 2: of what you're expecting. That's his calling card coming into
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  Speaker 2: the NFL. And I thought that for what we were
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  Speaker 2: able to see, he really showed well and stood apart.
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  Speaker 1: And you also wrote today about Eli Stowers over inside
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  Speaker 1: the Birds dot Com. And he's another guy that I
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  Speaker 1: think a lot of people are excited about. And you know,
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  Speaker 1: when you get to see how much of an athlete
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  Speaker 1: he is out on the field, is he a guy
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  Speaker 1: that we think they can use, you know, in a
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  Speaker 1: variety of ways.
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  Speaker 2: Not only is he an athlete who has dynamic qualities
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  Speaker 2: and you can move them around formations and be creative
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  Speaker 2: and how you get him the foot, but he's also
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  Speaker 2: a highly intelligent football player. If you read the story,
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  Speaker 2: or if anyone listening is curious, you can find that
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  Speaker 2: on Inside the Birds dot Com where I speak to
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  Speaker 2: his position coach at Vanderbilt and he goes through different
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  Speaker 2: examples that highlight his football IQ, his competitive toughness, his
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  Speaker 2: blocking prowess. Now I guess I should I use that
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  Speaker 2: word loosely it's something that he's willing, but there are
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  Speaker 2: examples in the story that indicate that that's an area
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  Speaker 2: that he can be at least an average player at
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  Speaker 2: the NFL level in being able to execute.
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  Speaker 1: All right, let's get some mailback questions. Jimmy and Margate
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  Speaker 1: wants to know with the trade up for Lemon, does
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  Speaker 1: Andrew think that he is a pure slot and will
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  Speaker 1: he be the third option this season?
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  Speaker 2: I think he is a pure slot, but he also
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  Speaker 2: has the versatility to move outside. I believe that his
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  Speaker 2: skill set, what he thrives in it is working the
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  Speaker 2: interior and that route running and being able to separate
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  Speaker 2: at the top of it. Being able to find the
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  Speaker 2: saft spates, UH soft spots and zone and settle down
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  Speaker 2: in there and move the chains. I think really lend
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  Speaker 2: itself to carving out a defined role there, and there's
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  Speaker 2: going to be he's not. I don't know that he'll
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  Speaker 2: be exclusively featured there. I would imagine that he'll be
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  Speaker 2: heavily deployed there, but a lot of the appeal stems
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  Speaker 2: from his fability to play inside and outside. I think
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  Speaker 2: he's gonna be the number two option. DeVante Smith being
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  Speaker 2: the top option mkayle Lemon being the two, and then
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  Speaker 2: I imagine it's going to be Dantavian Wicks. And this
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  Speaker 2: is all provided that Makaye Lemon absorbs the offense and
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  Speaker 2: is confident in what they're asking him to do. That's
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  Speaker 2: not always the case for rookies, but for someone like him,
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  Speaker 2: who again is another player that is wired to go,
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  Speaker 2: and he's all about football and he's dedicated to his craft.
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  Speaker 2: All all those are are are qualities that the Eagles
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  Speaker 2: typically look for, and it typically yields an early impact
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  Speaker 2: type of player.
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  Speaker 1: Terrence in Galoway on Sean Mannion taking over as the
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  Speaker 1: offensive coordinator. Do you see them using one of these
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  Speaker 1: tight ends as kind of a hybrid full back slash
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  Speaker 1: tight end type of role.
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  Speaker 2: Not necessarily, maybe a Cameron Latu if he makes the roster.
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  Speaker 2: But apart from that, I mean, Eli Stowers is in
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  Speaker 2: an h back. He's a movement type of player. Dallas
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  Speaker 2: s Goodtar it's not that kind of player. So I mean,
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  Speaker 2: I guess Cameron Latsu, who has played fullback last year,
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  Speaker 2: he experimented, the Eagles experimented with him there. I thought
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  Speaker 2: he did some good things day. Kwon Wright's not really
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  Speaker 2: that kind of guy either, Grant Calcata as well. So
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  Speaker 2: Cameron Lotso is really the only player who would fit
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  Speaker 2: the bill in terms of just being able to block
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  Speaker 2: and get out there in space and move around formations
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  Speaker 2: a little bit.
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  Speaker 1: All right. This one is from Phil Gloucester. He says,
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  Speaker 1: Markel Bell massive human being. Would you say that he
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  Speaker 1: is the heir apparent for Lane Johnson?
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  Speaker 2: I mean, that's what he was. I mean, that's the
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  Speaker 2: idea when you draft a player like that who can
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  Speaker 2: play left or right tackle. But it's impossible to give
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  Speaker 2: you a definitive answer without having seen him take as
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  Speaker 2: much as one training camp practice where you're able to
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  Speaker 2: see the hand to hand combat with defensive linemen and
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  Speaker 2: see how he acquits himself in the preseason. He could
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  Speaker 2: be a year away from being relied upon as being
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  Speaker 2: a reserve tackle on game day. He may be an
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  Speaker 2: active on game day, and that leaves a lot of questions.
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  Speaker 2: If he's a fast learner, If he takes to the
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  Speaker 2: coaching of new offensive line coach Chris Cooper, then all
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  Speaker 2: signs indicate that he will be. Because he's a player
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  Speaker 2: that I thought highly of and the Eagles clearly did
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  Speaker 2: as well taking him on day two, and he has
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  Speaker 2: a lot of qualities that I believe will translate favorably
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  Speaker 2: to being a starting tackle in the NFL. But it
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  Speaker 2: first comes down to being able to take to the
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  Speaker 2: technique and he needs some refinement in that area. He
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  Speaker 2: may have to get a little bit stronger, and it's
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  Speaker 2: not always instantaneous. Sometimes those things take a little while.
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  Speaker 1: Mailbag for football for we got a lot of questions
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  Speaker 1: that we're going to try to sneak in for Andrew today.
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  Speaker 1: Tom and Nevilla's this one's pretty interesting. He wants to
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  Speaker 1: know do you see Tanner McKee trade it or on
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  Speaker 1: the roster come training camp?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's interesting. I just put my I did a
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  Speaker 2: podcast where I had my way too early fifty three
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  Speaker 2: man roster projection. I have a hard time in visioning
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  Speaker 2: the Eagles keeping four quarterbacks, knowing how much talent is
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  Speaker 2: on the roster, and you may have to go heavier elsewhere.
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  Speaker 2: I know Howie Rosen said to be open and keeping
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  Speaker 2: four quarterbacks, I still have a hard time envisioning that.
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  Speaker 2: And therefore I look at which quarterback would have the
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  Speaker 2: highest trade value of Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton. You
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  Speaker 2: have the scenario in Pittsburgh where Aaron Rodgers is going
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  Speaker 2: to be going to the Steelers or he's kind of
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  Speaker 2: leaving them in the lurch right now. Maybe there's a
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  Speaker 2: quarterback situation in the NFL where they're just not happy
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  Speaker 2: with whether they're seeing in training camp, or maybe there's
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  Speaker 2: an injury. And I think Tanner McKee, if I had
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  Speaker 2: to guess right now on May seventh, would be a
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  Speaker 2: logical choice because he has more trade value than an
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  Speaker 2: Andy Dalton.
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  Speaker 1: All Right, rich In Wildwood wants to know, Andrew, do
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  Speaker 1: you see a CJ. Gardner Johnson type of trade they
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  Speaker 1: can make of to help the safety position.
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  Speaker 2: I don't know that the Eagles are in a rush
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  Speaker 2: to do that. I believe that you want to see
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  Speaker 2: what you have first. I am with the Texter because
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  Speaker 2: I have a feeling that the Eagles aren't going to
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  Speaker 2: be They're not content with what they have. That's the
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  Speaker 2: sentiment that I have. But maybe you owe it to
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  Speaker 2: the players who have been there, who are in the
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  Speaker 2: building right now, to see if the thirty were to
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  Speaker 2: put their stamp on that spot. But as far as
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  Speaker 2: names or anything like that, you're gonna want to look
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  Speaker 2: at play to last year of their rookie deal. That
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  Speaker 2: have you know, an appealing a lore to them in
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  Speaker 2: terms of, you know, contracts when you're trying to build
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  Speaker 2: out a roster. I don't know if it's going to
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  Speaker 2: be a home run type of player if that is
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  Speaker 2: the position that they address, but that's always where you
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  Speaker 2: want to start. You want to look for a player
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  Speaker 2: who's on the last year of their rookie deal.
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  Speaker 1: This one's from a let's say Steven mar moa there.
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  Speaker 1: Steve wants to know they got Grenard and Ebakeetti this offseason.
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  Speaker 1: Do you look at their pass rush better now or
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  Speaker 1: last season?
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  Speaker 2: Great question. I think it's better. And this is again,
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  Speaker 2: this is without seeing how Arnold Vacatie fits into this defense.
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  Speaker 2: It's without seeing Jonathan Gernard bounce back from an injury
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  Speaker 2: plague season where he played in twelve games eleven starts,
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  Speaker 2: had the left shoulder injury. But on the surface, all
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  Speaker 2: things being equal, I think Jonathan Gernard is the Eagle's
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  Speaker 2: best edition this offseason. He's a better pass rusher than
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  Speaker 2: Jalen Phillips and I think he's going to be a
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  Speaker 2: a tailor made fit both on the field and in
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  Speaker 2: the locker room in terms of just the culture, the leadership,
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  Speaker 2: and he kind of just oozes that veteran savvy that
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  Speaker 2: I believe will really gel with what they already have
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  Speaker 2: in place. And Jay looks hunt this is going to
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  Speaker 2: be a big year for him. I believe this will
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  Speaker 2: be a breakthrough season, approaching maybe nine or ten sacks.
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  Speaker 2: Nolan Smith in that third role presumably, and I think
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  Speaker 2: that's as solid as a third edge rusher or projected
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  Speaker 2: third edge rusher as you're gonna find really good at
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  Speaker 2: setting the edge against the run and playing with great
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  Speaker 2: physicality and tenacity. And then you have Arnold a mccatie
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  Speaker 2: who's kind of an unknown entity right now because he
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  Speaker 2: didn't really fulfill expectations being a second round pick in Atlanta.
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  Speaker 2: But maybe now where the spotlight isn't on him as much,
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  Speaker 2: maybe in this system where his athleticism could be perhaps maximized,
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  Speaker 2: he could be a good fourth edge rusher. But I
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  Speaker 2: would also say that Vick Vango has proven that he
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  Speaker 2: isn't necessarily one to go for an expanded rotation when
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  Speaker 2: it comes to the edge rushers, right, I mean, he
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  Speaker 2: typically goes with about three players Josh Ushe was the
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  Speaker 2: fourth edge rusher last year and didn't play all that much.
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  Speaker 2: So I don't v Katie all of a sudden. You know,
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  Speaker 2: all things equal, no injuries, might have a difficult time
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  Speaker 2: carving out some time, all right.
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  Speaker 1: Andrew Kevin in Northfield said, I've been listening to you
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  Speaker 1: guys talk for years. Andrew, appreciate your knowledge of the draft.
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  Speaker 1: Do you have a sleeper for the Eagles in this
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  Speaker 1: draft class? Oh?
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  Speaker 2: In this draft class, Cole was Nesky. It would be
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  Speaker 2: my pick, because you're talking about the one the draft's
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  Speaker 2: the twenty twenty sixth class.
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  Speaker 1: I assume, yeah, I imagine he means the Eagles draft
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  Speaker 1: class from yeah this season.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say Cole was Nesky, the safety from
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  Speaker 2: Texas Tech. I mentioned to you before, I believe speaking
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  Speaker 2: to his former defensive coordinator co defensive coordinator at Texas
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  Speaker 2: Tech and their position and his position coach the same guy,
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  Speaker 2: and he offered glowing praise in terms of Wiznski's leadership
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  Speaker 2: and football intellect. Both qualities tend to go a long
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  Speaker 2: way with Vic Fangio. If if he can trust you
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  Speaker 2: to be in the right place, if you can be
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  Speaker 2: assignmon sound you have an opportunity to get on the field.
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  Speaker 2: So he's going to be He's gonna come in with
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  Speaker 2: some familiarity to a Vic Fangio defense based on some
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  Speaker 2: of the tendencies and structure, which I believe is going
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  Speaker 2: to really play to his favor because he is coming
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  Speaker 2: in with that advanced football background and he's played in
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  Speaker 2: two different systems at North Dakota State and Texas Tech.
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  Speaker 2: So that would be my sleeper.
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  Speaker 1: All right, let's get one here, Eddie from Ocean City.
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  Speaker 1: Once to know, is Andy Dalton allowed to be a
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  Speaker 1: practice on the practice squad?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, he can. You know, veterans your released like he's
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  Speaker 2: a vested veteran. He's well vested. So he would if
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  Speaker 2: he doesn't make the row or he would be released
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: and if he wanted to, he could sign to the
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  Speaker 2: Eagles practice squad, provided they want him back. But that that,
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  Speaker 2: you know, you look around the NFL. The Eagles had
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  Speaker 2: Will Greer on the practice squad. They had Julio Jones
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  Speaker 2: on the practice squad a few years back, and so
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  Speaker 2: it's it's all of a sudden, It's not. It's not
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  Speaker 2: it's not atypical to do something like that. If you
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  Speaker 2: see the value in having that player around, all right.
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  Speaker 1: This one is from Jake in Egg Harbor Township. He
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  Speaker 1: says Woolan and I guess Jonathan Jones, says Jones. Here
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: Wolan and Jones coming in on one year deals. H
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: do you think the corner room is finished?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say so. I would say so. If
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  Speaker 2: they were to have addressed it further, it would have
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  Speaker 2: been through the draft. Right now, I don't know that
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  Speaker 2: they would trade for a player or anything like that.
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  Speaker 2: They have their starter set next year. It's gonna be
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  Speaker 2: an area that they needed to address in terms of
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  Speaker 2: the warnerback spot opposite Quinnya on Mitchell and then paying
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: Quinya on Mitchell and Cooper Degen. But right now they
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  Speaker 2: have their starters. You have a Jonathan Jones who's a
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  Speaker 2: bit of an older player, but he gives you positional versatility.
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: Mac McWilliams is a holdover. We'll have to wait and
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  Speaker 2: see about him. He has sort of an uphill climb
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  Speaker 2: on the surface to make the fifty three. And Keelei Ringo,
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  Speaker 2: I've been on the fence about there could be a
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: team out there that who knows, they may be intrigued
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  Speaker 2: with him enough that they believe that they're the team
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: who could get the most out of that athleticism. But
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  Speaker 2: he hasn't proven anything in Philadelphia to warrant any more
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: looks on defense. But he is a prolific special teamer,
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: and if you weren't to be on the roster, I
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: don't know where they would go with the gunner because JT.
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: Grace exception on that area. But he's a little bit
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: further down in the pecking order in the safety room.
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  Speaker 2: So there's some questions there, and he may make it
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: again due to his special team's prowess.
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  Speaker 1: All right, well, there's some questions that we just had
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  Speaker 1: for Andrew. Will continue the mailbag segut ins for Andrews
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: throughout the offseason. We got mini camp coming up, we
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: got the schedules to do come and of course training
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  Speaker 1: camp will be starting not too long from now. Everybody,
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  Speaker 1: good stuff from Andrew. Thanks to everybody on the mailbag,
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  Speaker 1: keep them coming six oh nine four oh three O
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  Speaker 1: nine seven three, and make sure you check out Andrew's
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: coverage of the Eagles over at Inside the Birds dot com.
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  Speaker 1: All right, man, good stuff, appreciate it.
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: Thanks Mike, appreciate the questions all