PHLY Philadelphia Eagles Podcast - PHLY Eagles Podcast | Free agency week closes for Philadelphia Eagles: What’s next?

Episode Date: March 15, 2024

The Eagles’ addition of linebacker Devin White Thursday night might have checked the last box of filling an open starting position. But there is still work to do before the draft for Howie Roseman.��Zach Berman and Bo Wulf get together again for some conversation, analysis and nudity. OK, maybe two out of three. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

to the P.H.O. Yagles podcast on a Friday afternoon, high noon, Bo Wolf. Zach Berman, Zach, you got a nice Eagles themed backdrop. You must be out and about reporting, really getting your ear to the grindstone. Yes, I'm at the team facility right now, where in an hour, the Eagles will reintroduce CJ Gardner Johnson. They will, it's not a matter of introduce, but have Jake Elliott up there after signing his contract extension and introduce, Matt, Matt Hennessy. So three new Eagles today, after speaking to three new Eagles yesterday.

Well, no, I'm sorry, two new Eagles and a returning eagle today. Do you think they'll have you introduce Matt Hennessy? I don't think they'll have me introduce Matt Hennessy, but eager to speak to all of them. Obviously, the headliner is C.J. Garner Johnson. So we'll hear about him coming back, letting bygones be bygones, some of those comments that he made. And what's ahead for him in this Vic Fangio defense? All right. And last night was a busy evening of NFL action. It felt like that was sort of the everybody else of significance on the market. It was like, okay, now it's time to make a decision and take what the best deal on the market.

There are a few people, I think of possible interest for the Eagles who we can talk about and run through. You tell me whether you think the Eagles are going to be interested in adding people at those positions. but it feels like, you know, for the most part, the free agency portion of the new league year is being put to bed for the Eagles. There are potentially trades to come. We will get to that. But how do you feel about just how the first four or five days have gone? Yeah, so I'll say this is the time of free agency when it shifts from, you know, the players market to the team market. right because at this point usually is when you find discounts is when guys are kind of seeking out deals

whereas those first few days players are choosing between a few deals the players usually have more leverage on those first few days the team has more leverage second week and thereafter so how do I think this this week has gone before you get into it think of pause just for a second yep I want to uh we got to talk about this, what's going on in the chat here. Yes. Caliph. Congratulations to Khalif, who became a dad, I believe, for the second time last night and is checking in from the maternity ward. I mean, you want to talk about the community of the sickos for Khalif to give the nod

to Zach Berman. He's got the rest of his life with this kid and check in to, you know, get all the love from everybody in the in the chat. What a lovely idea. Yeah. First of, all, Khalif, congratulations to you and yours. This is awesome. I appreciate how you're here every day.

I appreciate how you're here now. I saw in the YouTube comments from last night's Devin White show. A friend of yours chimed in and said to make sure you can graduate Khalif today. So I was waiting to see you on there. And I'm impressed. I feel like we're kindred spirits here on the show of the day after the birth. But congratulations. This is awesome.

Fantastic. All right. Now, you were about to say your reflections on the roster. Sure. Yeah. Well, so of the moves that they made, and I've been on record here, the one that surprised me, Sequin. I did not expect Eagles to pay that type of money for a running back. I was wrong on that. Otherwise, this has gone almost exactly as I anticipated, some by name, some just by, like, category.

but the Sequan one is what jumps out to me. And that's really, even though Bryce Huff is where the biggest investment has come, Sequan's the headliner in terms of player profile. Well, let me ask it to you this way. Yes. If we frame it as this was the week, we were going to find out the truth from the Eagles, what they really thought of the roster.

What did you learn about the way that they think about the roster? Good question. Well, I learned that, that they thought there was offensive upside, that they still think there's another level to go on offense, that a team that led or that set a franchise record and scoring two years ago that had the best third down percentage in Eagles history last year,

they think there's another level to go. I mean, you took what's been one of the best running games in the NFL the past two years and you threw more resources at it now. So it shows you're not just looking for status quo there. You think there's another level to go. I think that we learned that they weren't happy with the edge rushers last year, even those were two of the high-profile guys. Now you can say maybe this is about getting younger and the contracts going forward.

No, you could have rationalized running it back with Hassan Reddick with Josh Sweat. For you to spend $17 million on Bryce Huff, it shows that you feel you need to mix things up there at edge rusher. And then I also, and you might disagree with me on this one, I think that this is the CJ Gardner Johnson move is admitting that they should have kept them last year, that this is a player that they missed. Now you might disagree. And again, they might not have CJ Gardner Johnson right now.

If Xavier McKinney came in, what, $2 million less. But I still, I guess those are my three takeaway. so far. Yeah, I think one of the things is, like, I'm thinking of Devin White in this exercise, and I wrote it a little bit in the grades that we have on all-PHly.com, which you can read if you were diehard. But, you know, they entered free agency with a lot of room to spend. And if Vic Fangio went to Howie Roseman and looked at the person on the roster and said,

I need a good linebacker, like that is a priority for me. We need to make this happen. he would have had this way to say that. Like organizational valuation of the position included, if Vic Fangio was like looking at this and says, I need Jordan Brooks or whoever it is, the Eagles would have done that, I think. They would have prioritized it.

And the fact that they were able to, or that they were willing to be patient to just either take whoever was out there, be at Devin White, or if it was Devin White, who they had in mind as like a soft target, tells you, I think, that that was not a priority for Vic Fangio.

Now, I also don't think that that means like they're going to draft it a linebacker early. I think what we've learned, unless they make a trade for an impact linebacker, is that that is like Vic Fangio doesn't really disagree with the general organizational philosophy there. Safety is different. We know that they went after Xavier McKinney

before C.J. Garner Johnson. That's why I don't think it's fair to say they're admitting they made a mistake with him last year because it's not like they went out and made him the number one priority at the position. I think they think they know him better than most of the league. And so they're comfortable with him as a personality because they like the player. The running back thing is, I think you're right.

Like we learned that they're not happy with the offense. And of course they shouldn't be happy with the offense, but it's not just on the coaching. Like they need to invest in the position and the side of the ball that they care more about. right and so that that doesn't super shock me as much as sequin is out of the you know history of what highway roseman has done i think like what was what was most interesting to me is what they didn't do at linebacker i think yeah i have a different read on that than uh you do which is the great thing about the show right um i i i don't think that the vic fangio influence

is on the positional priority resource allocation i like i i i i don't think that i i i don't think that I don't think if Vic Fangio wanted a linebacker, they were going to spend $14 million on the linebacker, $10 million on linebacker. I think the influence is more in terms of... Five and 14. No, but I think the influence from Vic Fangio and the staff is the personnel that they bring in,

like the actual player as opposed to the priority. Because I don't think that... But that's the same thing. That's the same thing. It's not the same thing. It is the same thing. There were 10 linebackers available, and they didn't go out and get one. They took the guy who was still there.

So it's not the same thing because it's saying that it would be like if you're renting a car. Okay. And you can rent an intermediate car or you can run an SUV. And I say to you, I say you can have any of these cars in the intermediate line, right? and you say, I want the SUV one. And I say, well, we didn't pay for the SUV. We're not paying for the SUV here. We're going to pay for the intermediate one,

but I'm not going to pick the intermediate. You get to pick the player. You get to pick which car you have here, but you're not getting a top tier car, right? So that's the semantic difference here, is that I don't think Vic Fangio's influence comes in in terms of how Hall Roseman spends the money. I think it's who he spends the money

on. I think there was a large enough group of intermediate cars available that, like, them choosing Devin White is, is evidence that he didn't, he didn't care to pick from the larger group. Or maybe they, or maybe he just loves Devin White. I mean, he wouldn't be the only one, right? Jason Light loved them coming out. But, yeah, I see your point now, realistically. And, I was on record. I liked Jordan Brooks. I get that.

But outside of Patrick Queen, is there a running, I'm sorry, was there a linebacker here who you say is, let's say twice as, like twice as valuable, twice as valuable as Devin White? Because that's, I mean, you're talking about Frankie Louvo. You're talking about what, 11 million a year? Frankie Louvo was thereabouts? Yeah, around 10. Yeah. So we need to see what the debit. and White number comes in at.

But let's say conservatively, it's $5 million, or maybe realistically, it's $5 million. You're saying Frankie Louvo is twice as much on average annual value. Do you think Frankie Louvo has twice the effect that Devin White has? So that's my point, is I don't think the Eagles, I didn't think Howley was going to spend top of the market or near top of the market at linebacker. I thought the Vic Fangio influence would be instead of Howie's saying, here's the guys that our personnel department likes. Here's the guys that I'd like and you make it work, which in essence I think they did with Sean to side last year. I think that rather the influence that Vic Fangio and let's say Christian Parker and Clinton Herd could have and Bobby King and Jeremiah Washburn, I can name the defensive staff there, is that you got to pick the player.

as opposed to you get to pick how we spend the money. I think there's a huge difference between the position coaches and Vic Fangio. Vic Fangio is coming in, like, with the gravitas to have sway. And I think I just don't agree that it's not, I don't think the framing of is he twice as valuable is right. It's get the player that you want. And if you have to pay a little bit more, that's fine. I just don't, I don't agree with that. it makes it

I'm I don't believe that Vic Fangio who has had I mean Navarra Bowman and Patrick Willis who has had Roquan Smith I can go on down the list is all the sudden

am I saying it correctly all of a sudden is all of a sudden saying nah I'm with you and linebackers I think so that's that's where I'm saying I still think how he determines how they're allocating resources.

And I think the nuance here is to whom they're allocating resources. We can disagree. That's fine. I think we disagree a little bit. How do you feel about Aaron Donald's advancing his retirement? Really? Wow. I mean, wow.

Fletcher Cox and Aaron Donald go out the same year. It's going to be crowded Hall Fame voting. Aaron Donald gets in first ballot, of course. I mean. Yes. Now, while on the topic of the Rams, I did want to ask you something. I saw overnight Cam Curle signs to a pretty low deal or a pretty, I shouldn't say low deal, but not the deal we might have expected. Six was like six.

Yeah. Right. Would you rather have had Cam Curl than C.J. Garner Johnson? You know, I would be lying if I said that I have watched every snap of Cam Carroll's career. He is not really a playmaker. He doesn't get his hand on the ball a lot. So I get the upside on C.J. Gardner Johnson. But I guess I would rather have C.J. Gardner Johnson if you take away the injury risk, but you can't do that.

I don't know. Your playmaker take, if you, I don't know what to take, but the. And I like the way you've framed it. But I've done the show with you for five years. And I haven't heard you lean as much into that opinion that, like, what matters most on defense is taking the ball away and is having like that even if there's a variance there. But if the variance on one side is someone who like makes the standout plays, is that something that has kind of evolved with you during the. past year or, you know, since the Super Bowl? Or is this something that's kind of always been an undercurrent and you're just using it more now? I don't know that it's like a philosophy that has

evolved. It's just sort of a way of being descriptive, I think. But yeah, I mean, especially, I think more so at safety than a linebacker, I'd like to have a guy who can get his hands on the ball. You know, it's like, it's like we talked about Kevin Byard when they traded for Kevin Byard didn't touch the ball in like a year and a half or whatever it was. So I love the chart that you did. I was going to tweet it out. Yeah, the chart. The chart is, and that like the big play stuff.

Yeah. I would say that is, that is descriptive of the type of players they are or the way that they're being used and not indicative of, is this person a good player or a bad player. But is that, I haven't seen you use that specific metric in the past. Is that correct? I hadn't thought to do it. Yeah, I'm complimenting you. I say it's really good.

It's like the Capadia Pass Rush Index. Yeah, it's not a... The Wolf Big Play Index. It's not a thing that I'm like hanging my hat on. Like I've... I would hang your head on that. I think it's hard to quantify the stuff. Just a thing to talk about the linebackers.

Yeah. A matter of fact, I was going to pitch you off air, but we tend to do off air stuff on air. I would love to see what that chart. looks like for college players coming out this year, right? If we can get that data, I'd be curious, like, you know, if you're looking at a second round linebacker or second round cornerbacker or, you know, second round safe, like if how, how that, uh, who, who ranks high in that data. Hmm. So it's something to bookmark. Yeah. Okay. Uh, something else to bookmark,

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promo code P HLY. Restrictions apply. See Empire Today.com slash PHLY for details. All right, Zach. Let me sort of run through. Do you think The Eagles are done making big name acquisitions before the draft. I still think there's some moves to make. There was a report out this week that the Eagles were in the Joe Flacco market before Joe Flacco signed with the Colts. And so if they're talking to Joe Flacco, that means at the very least that it's not like the deck is stacked for Tanner McKee to do a throwback to the show the other day, that the

Eagles are hunting. I'm hearing from all kinds of people who are on my side on that one. All right. Well, it wouldn't be the first time. The backup quarterback market, it hasn't necessarily been hit as hard as one might expect. I'm just looking through the names here, Jimmy Garapolo, Ryan Tannenhill. You tell me if you would be interested in these guys. Okay. Jimmy Garapal.

I'm sorry, you have a list in front of you. Okay, go ahead. Jimmy Garapolo. Yeah. Yeah, why not? It's been to a Super Bowl. It's a backup. You got a little bit of a Jimmy G hair thing going on today. I do?

Yeah. I mean, I will take it. Like, but I've never, I don't know if that's, that's the case. It might just be the angle. I mean, I'm at a different angle than I typically. Yeah, we get a good angle on the flip up at the top. Ah, okay. Yeah, yeah.

It's, it's a, it's a different angle. Jimmy B. I'm having used to the of the Josh Tontino hair. That's, that's, that's a, that's a well-groomed hair. So if Jimmy Garapola was a one-year, $5 million deal with incentives up to nine, you'd be interested in that? Well, the complication is, is he suspended? Yes.

Yes. I think three games. Okay. So that, I mean, that would worry me some, right? Because if you're signing a one-year deal for a guy who you don't have for the first three games, there might be a better option. But yeah, I mean, I think I've seen Jimmy Garoppolo, you know, win big games before. So I wouldn't be opposed to that for sure. Josh Dobbs.

Rocket scientists. Yeah, I like Josh Dobbs. I think Josh Dobbs is, that's a backup quarterback that I would target if they were in that market for sure. No, no, not so much Ryan Tannehill. Easton Stick. I mean, if you're into the Kellynne Moore, Doug Nussmeyer connection, I would rather just have Tanner McKeeton Easton Stick at that point, to be honest with you. Tyler Huntley. Okay.

I can get behind Tyler Huntley. I've seen him win some games in the league. That's pretty much about it. Do you think that Jalen Hertz needs that type of guy? Do you think Jalen Hertz needs like the veteran in the room? Or do you think he's at a point where that's unnecessary? It's just who gives you the best chance of winning a game if he goes down, if Jalen goes down? Yeah, I don't think it needs to be somebody who has to like show Jalen Hertz how to do things.

I think it would be disappointing if they thought he needed that at this point, you know, with Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelsey retiring and like handing over the leadership mantle, it would be not ideal if like, oh, well, we got to get Ryan Tannihill around him. Yeah, I think I think I would rather not spend significant money. Like I would rather not pay Jimmy Garoppolo money. I would rather stack the deck against the backup quarterback and let Tanner McKee try to beat that guy out for the job. we haven't spoken about it. Were you surprised by that Flacko report?

A little bit. A little bit. I mean, I think we knew that they liked him as a guy when he was in building. You know, Siriani liked him. For those of you who don't remember, like they signed him to a very expensive deal that offseasoned in free agency when they didn't have a lot of money to spend. And we thought it was one of the oddest signings, or at least I did in like Harry Roseman's history. Then they end up trading the pick for Gardner Minshu. So they trade Flacco away.

but they did they did like him and remember this was like they weren't even committing to jail and hirts officially as the quarterback until until training can but um yeah i was it surprised me a little bit actually mostly because i thought that he might have a more robust market that like they would be more interest than the eagles would be willing to pay now i i don't know what the eagles were offering i mean the colts offered like like real backup quarterback money and the type of contract that if Anthony Richardson is struggling coming back from injury, right? You can play Flacco.

And Flacco, of course, has that history with Shane Steichen. But at Flacco's age, I thought, you know, there's an offer from the Eagles. He lives here. His family's here. He knows the hardware store very well. I love it all.

Yeah, yeah. But hey, hey, good for him. I actually thought that was a, like, what are we learning about the Eagles? If they were willing to pay real money for Joe Flacco, that's not a great sign for how they feel about to Tanner McKee. That's a good point. Okay.

Running back, I think we would be surprised if they did anything there. Wide receiver, you know, you feel like they've just signed a guy they're going to cut in Devante Parker. You think the guy is Trashita Jones. Do you think that they will add somebody like a Marquez Valdez Scantling, who is adorning the thumbnail on this episode or Tyler Boyd, or a KJ Osborne. Somebody of significance. No, I mean, unless the draft doesn't work out for them.

But I've been saying this and I feel pretty good about it. Or I feel it's a take I'm going to continue to rattle off during the next six weeks here, or five and a half weeks or so, is that I think Eagles are going to draft a wide receiver pretty early. And I can see in the first three rounds taking a wide receiver. it wouldn't surprise me if one of those second round picks is a wide receiver. There's just so many good wide receivers on the board here. And there are guys who you take them in round two. You make them your number three receiver.

And it just upgrades your offense in a big way. So that's something that I would certainly watch. I would sooner do that than sign somebody. I mean, if you were going to sign somebody, like so so here's here's the thing it's it's i would rather pay like 10 million for hollywood brown like kansas city did than so to spend three million for marquez vanez from for marquez valdez scantlin otherwise i would just try i think you're going to find a good upside comfortable player in the draft who look we don't know what this wide receiver

debt chart's going to look like three years from now right If you're of the opinion, take the best player. It's a premium-ish position. And it's someone who can have a day one role for you. And who knows, maybe in 2026, Troy Franklin is starting for you. Or Ricky Purcell is starting for you. Or Roman Wilson is starting for you.

Or Xavier Leggett starting for you. Right? So that's where I say that I can see, I can certainly see them going with that position. I think if Marquez-Veldes Scandling was still out there next week, unsigned, free for $2.5 million, then yes, I would add him to the roster. I think that would be. You've been pushing for MvS this offseason.

You like him. I don't like him. I just, they need a type, they need a player like that on the roster. And if it takes a little bit of the pressure off in the draft to force a pick, then yeah, I think that's good. I just want to go back to my Devante Parker thing because like you, you laugh at that. and I'm not suggesting that I don't want to be rude. I was finding it hard to sleep last night.

I kept hearing the beeping of the truck that you were backing up over his poor corpse. No, my point is this, is that if you're looking for that type of wide receiver as a reserve option, I would go after Donovan People's Jones, or I would go after Chase Claypool, or I would go after looking at my list here, you know, St. Brown from the, from the bears. You know, you know, St.

Brown? I'm just thinking like, Devante Parker? You couldn't even Sam Brown can't play. I would rather take a 25-year-old, 26-year-old.

People really don't like Chase Claypool, huh? Man. I'm just saying, I would rather a younger guy with a little more upside. I just don't know what Devonte Parker

is the number four wide receiver's going to give you. Equanimia, St. Brown, had five catches for 62 yards last year. I'm like, like, Devante Parker gives you insurance in case AJ Brown gets hurt, right? You know he can go out there and be like a professional wide receiver, but it's just a no upside signing. Chase Claypool, 0 for four on the core values. Fair enough. Fair enough. Yeah. You can say he doesn't have upside, but a lot of the guys you listed, their upside is lower than his floor. I was just reading from the from the list of like outside receipts.

receivers that I have here. Let's say, you know, I would take DJ Shark over, over him. I would take, I don't know. Well, that's what I think. I think it's interesting because it's a specific type. And like DJ Shark or Marquez Valdez Gambling are guys like who are just typecast as fast guys on the outside do what Kwez Watkins did, even though they didn't always use Quez Watkins that way.

And I certainly didn't target him that way. I think it's interesting. I mean, Devante Parker has had success catching the ball downfield that we can laugh at the separation numbers. He doesn't run away from guys, but he's still good at making those catches. Oh, I agree. Yeah, I mean, there's a good chance that he's got nothing left.

He's going to be 31, but he's, he is a better receiver today than anyone they have had on the roster aside from the top two guys the past two seasons. They had Holyo Jones on their roster. You know that. I know that you are mostly joking, but I don't believe that you understand how silly that is. I don't think you understand how good Julio Jones is. All right.

Is or was? Was, was, was, was. I was watching. By the way, I was watching that Patriots documentary. And they did a lot on the Falcons game. I was watching it last night when I was going to sleep. And they had a good deal on the Eagles Super Bowl. on the Eagles Patriot Super Bowl.

But they acted like the game ended at at Zach Ertz's touchdown. Right? There's nothing with like there's nothing with the Brandon Graham Stripzack. Really? Right. Yeah. It's just like it was just it was Zach Ertz's touchdown. They showed that twice as like, you know, the Eagles made,

the Eagles made one more play than they did. And then my other critique. Maybe Brady had, Brady had final edit. He didn't want to see his fumble. Well, no, my other thing, like my episode, I'm only on episode nine. I'm not at episode 10. Am I allowed to say this or is that it's not spoilers? This is a documentary.

Everything's happening. Recent history, yeah. Yeah, okay. So, and you'll actually appreciate this, right? This is how you know, like, the crafts are involved. Okay. So there's a portion of the first episode, or I'm sorry, the first part of this episode about like distractions in the locker room devoted to Bill Belichick and the note that he sent

to Donald Trump. Okay. Look, I get that. I get that. The thing here that there's no mention of like Robert Kraft's arrest. There were, you know, the charges put against him. And like, I mean, I'm not saying like the, like the Bill Belchuk thing was very clearly a distraction.

And they did a good job documenting that. And I thought Matthew Slater. and Jason, I'm sorry, and Devin McCordy were really good narrators about, like, the ramifications that had in the locker room. Interesting. I just, I, yeah. What about Brady's hat? Yeah, that was mentioned, too. It was mentioned, like, the three guys who were, like, the three top guys in the organization were in, like, alignment with Donald Trump during this year when there was a lot of, like, unrest in the country.

And it's amazing to think, like, you know, the Eagles played the Patriots in the Super Bowl that year, how many like Patriots were just so unhappy with that team, with that season, with everything that was going on behind the scenes. Grankowski was awesome, actually, about that stuff. And, and like you do feel, I mean, Brady comes off as, as like, the most sympathetic figure there.

But anyways, yeah, the craft thing. What's that? To you. No, when, not with the political stuff, with just like everything going on behind the scenes that year. Just like how much of a jerk, how much of a jerk like Belchek was to him with this guy's 40 years. Like, you know, because they have all of the, of the Alex Guerrero stuff in there, which, which was like a huge, huge, huge undercurrent that year. But, um, Kornkowski's like, he goes up to Brady and was like, why the hell are they doing this for you to you? Like,

you're the best, you're 40 years old, you're the MVP. Like, how are they doing this to you? So anyways, but no, but there's like no mention of, of the craft thing. And wasn't that before a playoff game or something that the, I know it came out in March? No, no, no, the, the arrest down in Florida or the charges of Florida. Orchids of Asia? Yeah. I don't remember the specific timing of it. I think it was in March because I think it was right before the owner's meetings. Yeah, yeah.

I think when it occurred, I think it was before a playoff game that happened. Yeah. But yeah, so it's like you're focusing on just like how Bill Belichick is embroiled in this. But in this country. Like there's no mention of the owner in this either. Yeah, what do you make, by the way, speaking of NFL man of the year, Dak Prescott's off-field activities? I've only, like tangential, honestly, I'm not trying to evade this or anything.

I don't know enough about it. And that, like all off-the-field issues are important. But that type of issue especially is like it's so significant that it be improving for me to speak without any type of knowledge about it. So I'd rather, like, not say anything one way or the other without any information. I think that's fair. Their, DAC Prescott's sides contention of, like, the best case scenario of what happened is still not great for him. That's basically what I would say. Okay.

Let's spin it back to the Eagles roster. Sorry. Yeah, sorry. Sorry. So we can keep going through these positions, if you want, or you can just tell me if you, where you, when you look at the roster right now, where are the places where they still need to make real improvements. Cornerback, for sure. Now, it depends, of course.

We're still waiting to see what happens with Bradbury, right? But even still, I don't think you're relying on Bradbury to be a starter next year. And so I would say that I didn't think the free agent market was that robust there. We talked about a sneed trade at one point. I still think the Eagles could find. I think that's off the table still. Maybe not. Maybe not.

But I still think the Eagles can trade for a big name corner. So that's why. I think that's within their capability and potentially their hope. Like I think that Harry Roseman looks at this roster and thinks it needs another piece of significance. It's not done pre-draft. I think they can go. I would not be concerned if they went into. the draft with this roster at cornerback.

I think they're okay. Because you're like Ringo or just just because there's options in the draft? Both. I think Ringo gives you a guy and I would expect that they would add somebody early. I would be

surprised if they didn't add a nickel at some point even if it's a guy on the cheap, like if it's like a Patrick Robinson type. I think they got to add a linebacker. backer. And then do you think they're going to sign a tight end?

I think that could be a, yeah, I actually do. Although maybe you view Albert O as the tight end signing. You know, I have a database of unrestricted free agents I look at, and Albert O's there is like signing for the Eagles. But that's a good question. Yeah, that's still a spot I would look for. Tight end's not a particularly good market right now. I'm looking at my tight end list here.

There is not much out there. There really is not much out there. at all. So, no, I mean, that's, that's, that's one, you look in the draft. I mean, I did write in a piece, I had a piece last week, what would you do if, or I should say what I would do if I were Hallie Roseman. And I would pay attention to like whatever team takes up Brock Bowers, if, uh, if that team's then trading their tight end similar to what Detroit did

with Deontre Swift last year. So, so, so, so you see some mock drafts with Brock Bowers going to the Titans, let's say let's say the Titans take them then maybe a chig i i don't want to i don't want to push it but maybe chig's then available for a mid-round pick or something like that or a late-round pick so that's i would kind of see how the roster shape up there's no one on the tight-end market that i would i would jump for um the i was thinking that this was another thought that occurred to me in bed last night and i know you've talked about it and i have poo-pooed it but just like the how we splash of it all

I don't know. Would he be interested in Brock Bowers? Oh, I've been saying all along. Yeah. Yeah. That's because you can, look, they're going to replace Dallas Goddard anyways here. Brock Bowers, I should say anyways, like in the next two years, they're going to replace Dallas Goddard. Brock Bowers is terrific. Like, he is an awesome tight end. A little undersized, but he was the, best receiver on a Georgia offense that had like, I don't know, Mitchell a few years ago, that had Jeremiah Burton, that had Ladd-McConkie, like they've had good players. He was their top option. And I could see that.

I could certainly see that. I just, I just still think offensive tackle or corner will be the way they go early. Yeah. I could see, I could see the thinking behind it a little bit. I would not be kind to that. Just the history of first round tight ends, not the most important thing. I would think that that was not the best use of resources.

I do want to push back, though, on the linebacker thing. I don't, and we talked about this on last night's show. I know people asking for Devin White opinions. We had a 30-minute emergency show last night, where we got deep in the Devin White, or deep in the Devin-White talk, rather. but I would say I was going to let it go but I would say I would say I would say that I think that's a position you can wait for until the draft now I don't think you need to add a third linebacker to go with Dean and and White before the draft I would see oh I don't I don't necessarily think they need to do it before the draft either okay got you but I think if I think a Zach Cunningham type is still on the way way at some point because I don't think they're, I don't think they're going to draft a linebacker in the first two rounds.

Yeah. Yeah, I think third round, maybe. Maybe. Okay, before we keep going, Zach, time to talk about another of our dear friends. And that is the fine people at Rocket Money who are saving me money and they can do the same for you. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that finds and cancels your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so that you can grow your savings with Rocket Money. I have full control over my subscriptions and a clear view of my expenses. I can see all of my subscriptions in one place.

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The one other position I want to ask you about, Zach, is safety because, Justin Simmons is still out there. There are some other veteran types like Kwanre Diggs, Eddie Jackson, Tracy Walker. You could talk yourself into, wow, the value here is so good. We can add this guy and make

C.J. Gardner Johnson our nickel in the short term. Is that something that would be on your radar? It's on my radar. It's not something that I would do because I do like C.J. Now, one thing I could get behind. Julian Blackman is still available? Like a digs type. Tour and four, your boy.

Yeah. A digs type where you have him and CJ as like interchangeable nickel safeties, you know, guys who can do both. And so therefore, depending on the matchup, maybe there's some receivers you like CJ on. Maybe there's some receivers you like digs on. Like that, that type of similar hybrid type player. But I wouldn't draft, oh, I'm sorry, I wouldn't sign a. safety and relegate CJ unless you're signing a safety that pair with CJ, then read blanket chip becomes a backup.

And Sydney Brown becomes kind of that hybrid type. That's something I would watch as well. Okay. Fair enough. Go ahead. No, I did want to just say because we started this conversation talking about like the week that was and where the needs are. And the one thing that outside of the running back signing, the Barclay signing, the thing that jumps out to me is that they haven't traded either sweat or Reddick yet.

And I don't think that if they were to trade both, edge rush are still something that they need to address. You can't just have Bryce Huff and Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham and Zach Bond. And I do think Zach Bond is going to be spending a lot of time on the edge. but if you trade one, then I'm okay with your top three. Let's say you trade sweat. I'm okay with your top three being Redick, Huff, Smith, then Graham and Bonn. I think that's fine. It's not a need there.

But I'm surprised that there's no resolution. I thought the Eagles would come out of the combine with a good sense of that market. Yeah. I mean, no doubt that on Monday afternoon when they signed. Bryce Huff, I did not expect it would be Friday afternoon and both Hassan Redick and Joshua would still be on the roster. Yeah. That is definitely a surprise.

It's interesting because obviously they were monitoring those guys' markets. They have been doing it for weeks. It's probably it started at the combine, if not sooner. And for them to not have gotten the return that they were hoping for, we talked about how the Brian Burns return was a bad sign for. what they must have been hoping for. Maybe they think it's the right thing to just wait it out and see how draft weekend goes

and maybe you get a 2025 pick. Maybe they're waiting for the summer, but it does feel like they got to move one of those guys. Yeah. Now, also, you saw the Keenan Allen trade yesterday for a fourth round pick, right? It could be if there's an older player who's expensive, you're not getting a high pick anymore. Like you're not getting what you got for Von Miller or something like that in the case of Hassan Redick.

Josh Sweat is younger. I can't see them. I still can't see them cutting sweat, but my only interpretation of this is that the Eagles haven't had the market that they wanted for either of those players. You mentioned 2025 pick. I personally would be more interested in 2025 picks right now if I were the Eagles. Then unless I made a trade for a corner like a Patrick Sartan or Lagerius Sneed and you gave up your valuable draft inventory this year, I would rather get 2025 picks.

They already have three picks in the first two rounds this year. They're not going to get as many compics next season as they had this year. I would try to load the cupboard a little bit more in 2025, which I'm expecting to be a better non-quarterback draft than this year's group. There's just there's, and this is well documented, there's fewer underclassmen this year than there's been NIL's had, had that effect. This is a year where it's not a particularly good defensive draft.

We had Fran on and at the Combine and Fran said like the top 10 could all be offensive players. next year will shape up to be a better defensive draft just by, I think, the expected. Also, the non-underclassmen are a little bit older than usual because of the extra COVID years. Yeah, yeah, good point. Good point. So I'm guessing that if you can get 20, 25 picks, I think that could be valuable. Someone says in the chat, Zach, won't that happen each year? Yes, but the thing is this. It's like in the NBA, when they were talking about the age limit, they were talking about there's a year where there's like, well, here, let's go.

in past tense. When the age limit was instituted, there was one year where the draft talent was lower because it hasn't caught up to it yet and then everything kind of caught up thereafter. So this is the year when I think you're really seeing the big effect on the NIL deals. And next year you'll get to a point where,

like it's in the cycle where everything's kind of pushed back one year. So I think next year will be the more normal draft than what this year's draft is, if that makes sense. Gotcha. Just to check the box, I would be surprised if they don't add a Kentavius Street-like defensive tackle at some point over the next couple weeks just to... Who do you like? Who do I like?

You know, tie your tart maybe makes a little bit of sense. Oh, a Philly guy. I like tire tart. Derek Nadi. Okay. Our friend Jewelry-Tillery signed yesterday I saw. Yes. Yeah, I don't know. I guess you could get Jordan Phillips to yell at Eagles fans again.

Okay. I'm looking at Mario Edwards Jr. If you want the Clint Hurt connection. Yeah. What I like about Tart, and I just want to confirm that he hasn't signed anywhere, correct? He's visiting the Bengals today, but he hasn't signed anywhere. Yeah.

So Tart outside, I know I make a joke about the Philly thing. Tart can be Jordan Matthews compliment slash insurance at nose tackle. Like, he can fill that type of role for you. I think that you have between Jalen Carter and Milton Williams, you have those, you know, three techniques there that you, that you like. I think they can use a little help but back up nose. If Jordan Carter, if Jordan Davis goes down, I imagine nose will be a big part of this

defense, and Tart can help you there. Yeah, I mean, Tewy is, in theory. their backup nose at the moment, but yeah, you could use some competition there. All right, Zach, do you think we're going to be talking this weekend? I always enjoy talking to you. So do I think we're going to be talking on air this? Because you know you're going to get text for me this weekend. I mean, that's invariable.

I don't think, I don't know if anything's going to rise to the level of an emergency show this weekend. But I think we'll have an emergency show. before we board the plane for Florida next week. Right? So I think there's going to be some action next week leading up to the owner's meetings. And then sometimes trade talks accelerate at the owners meetings because they're all in the same place. Right.

But yeah, I would imagine that I don't think anything major this weekend, but I can see some stuff next week. Okay. All right. Well, I'm going to let you go. And then I'm going to try to get over there to the Noviour Complex to check out these press conferences. See, get some eyes on Matt Hennessy in person. See what it looks like. I am up.

Poor one out. The people that people wanted to know, UCon, after we finished, no goal in overtime, went to second overtime. Unbelievable. And Yukon scores to win the game with about eight minutes left in the second. overtime, but Minnesota Duluth challenges the play and they go back and look at an off-sides and call it back.

And then about six minutes later, Minnesota Duluth scores. So a great ride. Brutal end. That's okay. Shout out to the lady huskies. And so I've shaved the playoff beard. That's what it was.

Okay. I didn't realize that was the significance to it. I didn't start that way, I figured I might as well. It would be bad. It would be poor form for me to do it in the middle of the playoffs, to shave it in the middle of the playoffs. Come on.

Yeah. That would be my biggest fear of being on a good hockey team is growing the beard out. That would be your biggest fear? Well, I don't want to grow out the beard. So I don't mind a little scruff with a beard. I can't pull it off like you. For you, a little scruff is like four hours of not shaving. Yeah, I like to be.

clean-shaven. All over. I'm not entertaining that, though. All right. I guess the people who were asking for nudity today will not be given that by Zach. Stay tuned for next week. Things might change.

So for Zach and Julia, thanks to everybody for being with us all week. What a... 12 shows. What a certain content. What a volume that we have provided over the course of the week. We thank everybody for being involved and watching and listening and commenting and congratulating Khalif.

We will talk to you on Monday at noon, if not sooner. Make sure that you are subscribing and thumbs-upping the video and all that good stuff on YouTube, evangelize the show, and just screaming from the rooftops. So for all of us here at PHLY, thanks for listening and watching. We will talk to you next week, if not sooner. And as always, we love you.