PHLY Philadelphia Eagles Podcast - PHLY Eagles Podcast | Where do the Philadelphia Eagles rank among NFC contenders in 2024?

Episode Date: February 16, 2024

So much will change between now and Week 1, but as the San Francisco 49ers lock their Super Bowl wounds and the Eagles figure out their offseason plans, it’s time to figure out which teams are most likely to, uh, lose to Patrick Mahomes next February in New Orleans.Rich Hofmann and Bo Wulf take turns drafting the NFC most likely to represent the conference in the Super Bowl next season. 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.

Eagles podcast on a Friday at noon, Bo Wolf, Rich Hoffman here to talk about what's going on in the football world, specifically with the Eagles. We're going to have an NFC draft. The two of us are going to draft all 16 teams in the NFC as a bit of a snapshot before the offseason starts on how likely we think they are to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl next season. Who's most likely to lose to Patrick Mahomes, as we joked about, a little bit of smaller news. to talk about at the top. How you doing, Rich? Bo, I'm doing great. I'm excited for the show. And yeah, it's going to go, man. We were talking a little Caitlin Clark before the show.

She's something else. Box office. I mean, she's so fun to watch. Yeah, I mean, Iowa women's hoops on the map right now. I mean, enough with the streaming services. Can't I just get that on YouTube TV? I got to go to Peacock for that. Stop like bragging about this being the first NFL play, like, play. off game only on streaming.

Who is that making life easier for? That's awful, man. You know, it's so bad. I mean, they're ruining women's college basketball now. What other sports can they? They're ruining the world. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, Caitlin Clark rules.

A report from Ian Rappaport just before we started that the Eagles have extended Michael Clay after he led the Eagles special teams to a top five DVOA finish, the best unit on the team this year after he was a... under a little bit of scrutiny for the special team's performance of the first two years. I would say well deserved, especially given the lack of resources that the team generally gives to the special teams unit. I can't say I was really paying attention to Michael Clay that much this year, Beau. It's kind of like a referee in most sports. Like if I'm not calling the special team's coach's name, I'm probably thinking you did a good job.

The offensive line, yeah. They were outstanding this year. coverage, Britain Covey, obviously he is Jake Elliott. Covey Ridge. Coverage and Britain Covey Ridge. Yeah. Sorry, it took me in a minute. Thank you, Julia.

So, yeah, he was great. That's well-deserved. You know, I know it's big news in Philadelphia when the special teams coach gets locked up so we can all breathe a sigh of relief. And just know that continuity is staying at the NovaCare complex with the special teams. The only coordinator to keep his job after the 2020 season. Jimmy G. Just as we popped on here, Adam Schaefter reporting,

Jimmy G. suspended two games for a performance-enhancing substances policy violation. Two games. Well, now I'm more curious on what the substance was. Yeah. That it only mattered in two games. Two games. Yeah, what did he do? Too many blue pills?

You know, his personal life might warrant that. Active social life for Jimmy G. Two other Eagles things to talk about. One is the release yesterday of Eddie Jackson by the Chicago Bears. 30 years old, Eddie Jackson, at times, specifically when Vic Fangio was his coach, one of the best safeties in the league, would not imagine that he would cost a ton of money because he was released. That means that he's not going to qualify

for the compensatory pick calculation. It's a pretty deep group of free agent safeties. Xavier McKinney and Antoine Winfield at the very top. Jordan Fuller, Cam Curl, Julian Blackman, Deshawn Elliott, some guys in that middle range who are a little bit younger, Geno Stone, Mike Edwards, if you're looking for more of a sort of a plug-and-play guy.

But even with all those options, Eddie Jackson, if you think that, like, Sidney Brown and Reed Blankenship can be our safety tandem of the future, Eddie Jackson bringing him in at 30 to help the defense as a group transition to this Vic Fangio defense. You would imagine that he and Fangio have a good relationship. Feels to me like one that very well could happen in Philadelphia. I'm sorry. I'm just thinking of the Raiders Super Bowl parade and, you know, whoever is there, J.C. and Kelsey saying Jimmy G.

was on Viagra. Jimmy G. can't get it up. That's the Kelsey of it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, with Eddie Jackson, it's funny. I was searching him on Twitter yesterday after his release, and it was a lot of Bears fans who were posting

highlights of him, but they were all from 2018. They were like very grateful for the highlights. They were like, this guy was amazing for us. And they really were some like crazy interception returns. They unfortunately we're all from like 2018 and 2019 so he's he's 30 I know he's played fewer games as he has gotten older here but yeah I agree with you like as a mentor as somebody who can

hopefully be like maybe like a player coach it does seem like that is a possibility you know even if he is not handed the starting job right away yeah I think that's I think that is if they choose not to go in the you know pay a lot of money for an Antoine Winfield type which I don't think they're going to do they don't have a ton to spend and I think that's they do like the young guys they have, then sort of Eddie Jackson makes sense as, like, the most sensible of that older group of guys. Do the Eagle, is there any kind of recent Eagles acquisition

that you would say would be the equivalent of Eddie Jackson? That's a good question. You know, there was a lot of talk when they brought in Siriani and Ginn and that they would bring in, like, Anthony Walker as their Colts lineback, but that didn't happen. you could go to like the Nigel Bradham, but he was younger at the time because that was like the guy who had played for Jim Schwartz. In terms of like the level of player, I'm trying to like a lot of the guys who they brought in have been not as highly thought of at different points in their careers as Eddie Jackson. Like you know, like a Stephen Nelson was never quite that level.

you know, your Eric Wilson's. I don't know. I don't have a good answer. Yeah, I mean, I was thinking on offense, it's like, and this is, I don't want to insult Eddie, but it reminds me like a little bit of a Zach Pascal type guy bringing him in or something like that. Now, maybe Eddie is at that level.

I think he was too good of a player at his peak. When he was good, yeah. He was definitely better than Zach Pascal. I don't know. And then there are guys who were even older, like, you know, your Lindval-Josephs, but that's a different thing. I don't know if there's been a guy exactly.

There probably has been, and it's just escaping my mind. If somebody comes to mind, let us know in the comments. Last thing to talk about news-wise, Rich, and this is a big one. I don't know if you have this photo, Julia, but the Eagles coaching staff, speaking of Michael Clay's extension, the new guys. Nick Siriani and Kevin Petulow, there on the left, and then you've got Kellyn Moore, Vic Fangio, and Doug Nussmeyer, making an appearance at Gino's Stakes, as Siriani took.

them on a little tour to get a taste of tourist cheese steaks. Now, you wrote your newsletter this morning, Rich. You're not against this. You're pro-Genos? No, no, no. I'm just saying that I used to live in South Philly, and sometimes, you know, on a Saturday night in my younger years, I would have to order some food at night, you know, to make sure I would be,

I mean, I wouldn't feel good the next day, but I would have felt worse if I didn't. And I would get Gino's because they would be able to deliver very easily. Now, is Gino's a good cheese steak, Bo? No, no, it is not. Is it a tourist trap cheese steak? Yes, yes it is. I'm just saying it's open at 3.30 a.m. Well, that's certainly not when they went. Now, I get you want to give them a taste of, like, the tourism here. But having lived a block away, you got to go pats over Ginos to me. This is not even, this is not even debatable in my mind. Well, I mean, I also think, by the way, it is the type of picture. Let alone just for like the xenophobia. Yeah, well, exactly. But here's the thing.

Nick Siriani does not do kind of... Well, this is an important point. He is the pander. He does things that people know. So he is not finding a hole in the wall pizza shop. Yeah, he's not going to little Sicily too and getting the Indian cheese steak. Totally. And he's not finding even, you know, a great pizza shop that,

secretly has a great cheese steak as well. Like, he probably does not know what Del Sandoz even is. Like, Nick Siriani is going to the biggest place possible, and he's going to Genos for better or worse, in this case, for much worse. I would agree with you on that. I also think... I like the comment here, the rank in the shoe games. Kevin Petulow getting a shout-out has the best shoes there.

I have a couple notes on that photo, though. Yeah, I mean, a fascinating piece of just Eagles information. Well, of course, Kevin Petulow is with Siriani on one side, his guy. Yep. But the new guys... It's literally his right-hand man. Actually on his right hand. Yeah.

And the three new guys are on the other side. It's like they told Gino and sons to kind of get in the middle and say, this is how we roll here. These are the clicks. Right, these are the new guys, yeah. Maybe if we win a Super Bowl, we'll take a picture together. Yeah. If we're taking it that deep, are you a little bit worried that Nick Siriani is not front and center?

Kellyn Moore is the guy who is in the center of the picture. Yeah, that's a power move by Kellynne Moore. I didn't know he really had that in him. Maybe you think that was intentional that if this Eagles team turns it around, everybody's going to be talking about Kellan Moore and not Nick Siriani. Yeah. Doug Nussmeier, big guy, too. Doug Nussmeier, big guy also looks like he wasn't invited to be in the picture.

He's just sort of standing off to the side. I know that put your, you know, put your arm on Vic's shoulder, my man. Well, there are some other concerns, too. Vic is from the area. He's, he, I mean, I know he's from Scranton, but he's certainly been around Philadelphia a lot of his life. Is there any concern that Vic didn't say, hey, Nick, like, maybe we shouldn't go to Gino's. Maybe there's another place I have that I would like to go, or you would actually like the food here. Or is, or is Vic getting on the phone afterwards and being like, you're not going to believe where this Jamoke took me for a cheese steak?

Like he doesn't even know about Angelo's or whatever. But, yeah, I would say, I would say of all the off-season developments thus far, pertaining to the 2020-year-os, this might be the most concerning. That's fair. One thing I will say about Vic, he really is the platonic ideal of a defensive corner. 100%. Like, that smile there seems completely forced. Except the only thing is I would say that his clothes look too new. Yeah, and I think that's why he's unhappy inside.

You know, like, he's like, I don't like what I'm wearing right now. He needs to be wearing a jacket that's 35 years old. I mean, what are we doing, Vic? Yeah, so that's not good. One other thing, Bill. If the Eagles struggle. Jeans, you want your old defensive coordinator in jeans? Come on.

It looks like a very unhappy man. I want, I want, hyped up, like, athletic shorts no matter the time of year. Well, look, and I want my defensive coordinator. Whenever he smiles, it looks like the Grinch on one side, kind of, you know, just one side curling up and it being very forced. So he's passing that test, I would say. Yes. One other thing about this photo, though, and again, you can blame Genos if this is the case as well. If the Eagles start like one in three next year, this photo probably becomes a meme.

Yeah, you may be right. If Kellyn Moore is stinking the join up, there might be a meme of just him in front of the Genos sign. If Doug Nussmeier and Jillen Hertz are yelling at each other on the sideline, you know, that little cutout of Nussmire. Just him in front of the door. Yeah. Good stuff, though. Yeah. The apartment I used to live on a block away from Pats and Gino's best apartment we ever had.

It was above a dance studio, and so it had these huge ceilings, nice little rooftop. But the funny thing was that every morning, because the dance studio was underneath, they started right at, like, 9 a.m. for their first class or whatever, and every day, like, if we weren't already off to work, our day would start with just here. hearing like the blaring bass and then let me blow your whistle baby whistle baby like that's just how our day started that's a natural alarm clock for yeah exactly it's great uh all right let's get to our draft here rich we're going to do the 16 teams in the nFC in order of how likely we are to think that they're going to win the nFC next season so we're not we're not going for like projected wins here we're going for just upside who has a chance to make the

Super Bowl. I think this is an interesting way to sort of frame where the Eagles stand in the conference, maybe where the San Francisco 49ers stand in the conference. We have their projections here, Julia, if you want to pull up the graphic of the odds that they have here. This would be like the Vegas big board. The Niners have the shortest odds, which you would expect. Eagles third on that list, but just behind the Detroit Lions, but I don't know if that's how our draft is going to play out. I'm going to give you the chance to have the first Pick, Rich, you are, you are the guest, so I will turn it to you. Okay, Bill.

So. But if you take my number one team, I'm going to be furious. As we see the odds up there, I actually set it on two teams that probably made up my top tier that I would have picked. But I'll take the first one, and I know that Dan Campbell, after the NFC championship game, told his team, guys, we're never making it back again. This is never happening. this was our chance, we blew it, this is life, grow up. That said, I think they have a chance to go back. I just like the, on the one hand, I am wary of kind of the staying power of a team

whose quarterback is not an elite player. But that offense is just, I don't know, man, it's really good. I really, I love the play caller, I love kind of all the weapons that they have, and the offensive line is excellent. So I am going to take the Detroit Lions first. know their defense was bad this season for some stretches in the middle. They also will have some pressure this year for the first time. Like, you know, for the first time in three decades, people will be taking them seriously.

That's true. This is a team that is playing a first place schedule and all of those things. But I did settle on the Lions as my first pick. I think that's a good pick. It is a crazy thing to just imagine the Lions making the Super Bowl. And you're right. Like I think Dan Campo was right that these things, you know, opportunity is not a lengthy visitor, as Zach likes to say. But, well, he likes to say that Darrow Morey says it.

Well, that's true. You're right. It was good credit. That's a good point. The continuity on the coaching staff is important. They are one of seven teams in the NFL who have been in the top 10 in offensive DVOA each of the past two seasons. They keep that core together. I have to say that like I think I was one thing.

I was very wrong about is Jared Gough. Watching him in the playoffs, he was awesome. Yeah. Like, he was great. And for them to keep that coaching staff together, Ben Johnson thumbing his nose at your boy, Josh Harris. Like, I can see the offense remaining elite, right? And that's the most important thing.

If they can continue to have a top five offense, which they did this year, that's great. You would expect that the defense can't be too much worse than it was last year. Like Dan Campbell does. not striking me as a guy who's going to let off, right? I love to do. It's going to be. He's my favorite coach in the league.

Balls to the wall. Flaws and all. Like last year, I thought that the Niners coming off that NFC championship loss were going to take a step back. They didn't. The Lions have that opportunity now. I think that's a good pick. Yeah.

Again, though, it's the first time since like Barry Sanders, and I know you mentioned this on another pod, Zeeb, turning the Barry Sanders pot away from prying eyes on a. Wayne Fonz fully full frontal. Yes. The F FONS FONS stands for FONS. Yeah, but I don't know. Not safe.

Fons is Wiener. So. Poor Wayne watching the show. I do think there are different levels. Yeah. Thank you for watching, Wayne. There are different levels of heartbreak, you know. Like, I think the Niners, at least.

last year. They got their butts kicked. I know they whined about it and Purdy got hurt, but it wasn't like this year where they had like an incredible chance to win the Super Bowl and they got it ripped away from them at the last second. The Lions, like that was a pretty heartbreaking loss. But I do think they still have a little bit of the team on the rise, you know, type of thing. So that's who I settled with.

But there was another team in there that I thought, maybe I go with these guys. And I'm curious if you take them. Okay. Yeah. The Lions would have been number two for me. Number one for me is not one of the teams that's at the top of those Vegas orderings. It is the fifth team there.

Yeah. And listen, I have been like a sucker for the Green Bay Packers in the past, but they were sixth and offensive deviate way this year, third and weighted offensive deviate way. We know how much better they got as the season went on. Progression and development is not always linear. There's no guarantee that Jordan Love is going to get any better. better than he was this year.

But that whole offense was very young. They keep that offensive structure together. The defense, like the Lions defense, you would expect, can't really get much worse than it was. They've got Jeff Halfley, the former BC head coach, taken over on defense for what was a struggling unit. They get the second play schedule compared to the first play schedule. It's only a difference of two games, but that's fine. I love watching Jordan Love. I am all the way in on him.

And like you could convince me that he might be the best quarterback in the conference next year. And so I will take Jordan Love leading the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl. So good pick. That was the other team I was considering at the very top. And it was the same kind of rationale as you. It was a quarterback coach pick. I think Matt LaFleure is pretty good. I agree.

You know, and honestly, watching Aaron Rogers over the past year, I think I've bumped Matt LaFleur up in my book, like having to deal with... Just the headache of it all. Yeah, like, just being able to... Like, again, like... Every day he goes in the office, like, okay, enough about chemtrails. Like, let me focus on getting this... Like, can we work on our motion plays here? I'm trying to dial up some one-on-ones for you.

Gosh. So, I was so impressed by Jordan Love at the end of the year, like you. And it was, you know what? There's one play-bow that sticks. out and by the way that Dallas wildcard playoff game that was that fun oh my god that was the best three and a half hours of football maybe since the Super Bowl when the Eagles won yeah it was probably so well I mean just just joy from the first second and there was a throw that he made that sticks out to me where I was the one rolling to his left and then that was well that was great but the one that stuck out to me

I think it was like it might have been 14 nothing at the end of the first half for something like that and they're in the red zone Dallas is dialing up like pretty much a zero blitz he could see it but he doesn't know exactly where it's coming from so he checks he gets everything in order he takes a snap

he like rolls back as far as he can you know takes like a deep drop yeah he loves one off his back foot perfect throw into the end zone and I just was like man this guy is in complete control of everything and I think honestly like just just from watching again I'm not a self-proclaimed quarterback expert.

Like his ability to throw off his back foot accurately, I think that is like such a valuable skill. It's crazy like the sitting and watching guys, which the Packers have done, how like when Rogers took over for Favre, there were these little, like, aesthetic nuances of Favre that he was taking. And Love has done the same thing with Rogers, like just like the way that he'll throw off platform like you're talking about and just sort of flick that wrist,

which is not exactly how he threw in college. It's kind of fun to watch that, like, that osmosis happen. But, like, aesthetically, he is so fun to watch. I'm all the way on Jordan Love. To bring it to the Eagles, Jordan Loves stretch at the end of this season versus, I don't know, the best seven or eight games that Hertz played in a row in 2022. Yeah, it's a different type of player, right?

Like when Hertz had it all together, now he also had better weapons, right? But when he was like looking awesome as a runner too and it totally changed the face of the off, I mean, like his play in the Super Bowl is like one of the best games I've ever seen anybody play in my life at any position. So like I don't think Jordan Love has played a game at that level,

certainly not with those stakes. But like right now, who would I rather have moving forward? I don't know. It might take Jordan Love. Yeah, I mean, it's tough because it was, I know there's so much recency bias in here but yeah that's okay it was at the very end of the year like

Jordan Love was he had some pretty ugly games in late September early October I remember a Monday night game where he just stunk it up against the records of all people so I don't know but but I will say his play down the stretch even his play in the San Francisco game I know he had the the crushing late interception which was

the worst green bay throw since far up to Brian Dawkins right in 2004 but like I thought he was terrific honestly so I think that is, that's a good pick. Now, I guess it's, it's kind of hard, though, because only one of those teams is going to win the division, right? True. So maybe, I mean, it's kind of a boom or bust pick right there. But, but I do think those two teams have a chance to be potentially the number one seat. I think that's right. All right, you get your pick. Okay. I'm taking the Eagles.

Okay. Yeah, it was, you know, I was kind of wondering how low to put them and, you know, how much I would ding them for that end of season collapse. We're talking about recency bias. I mean, I would rank them 12th, 14th, or whatever. I just have to think that they got embarrassed enough that even if they are not some juggernaut like they were, even at the beginning of the season, wins-loss-wise, that there's enough talent on the offensive side of the ball here.

Vic is going to make the defense 15th to 17th, and that's going to mean 12 wins. 11 wins, something like that. So that's kind of my rationale there. And the other reason, Bo, is that I don't want to preview where I put another team. But in this division, history tells me that the same team does not win two years in a row. And my brain tells me that Mike McCarthy is not going to be the guy to break that streak. And like one of the just baseline advantages that the Eagles have over the rest of the league is that they get to play in the

NFC East and they get to be in the same division as the Giants and the commanders. I saw somebody pointed out to me that there's like the framing of the commanders coaching staff and how smart it is that they brought these people together who don't know each other very well. And it's like they're just, they hired who was the best. They didn't, you know, just try to find who everybody works well with, which is like the exact same thing that was written two years ago about the Giants coaching staff. and a year later winked Martin Dale's like F you and Brian Dable on the way out of the door. Jake, yeah, week seven, these guys hate each other.

So let's see how that goes. But hey, at least they don't know each other. Yeah, I mean, listen, the Eagles are, let's see, in the NFC, one of one, two, three, they're only one of three teams who have been in the top ten in offensive DVOA each of the past two seasons. Now, they had a bad year on offense relative to their talent level and their expectations. finished 10th and it was even worse from a weighted standpoint because they did struggle down the stretch. But certainly the pieces are there with AJ Brown and Devonte Smith and Dallas Goddard and Jalen Hertz and even if they lose Jason Kelsey what should be a very good offensive line.

They should have one of the best offenses in the league in the conference. That's what matters the most. And as you said, like Fangio is there to raise the floor a little bit. I think this area is about the right place for the Eagles. Now, you know, I have some questions. about how all the coaching stuff is going to work out. But, I mean, just relative to the landscape, I think they've got a shot. They should feel like they have a good chance.

Well, and if it doesn't work, we can blame the cheese steak place they went to. That's right. But yeah. Would you have taken them first if they had gone to Delisandrus? Yes. Okay.

Yeah. I have not been to Delisandria in a very long time. Well, it's hard to get to for people in the, you know, in South Philly, kind of in that area. area. And the thing is... When you have a friend who's not from Philly, who's coming to Philly, and they ask for a cheese steak recommendation, what do you tell them?

I tell them Del Sandoz if they can make it there. I'm trying to think, like, where else I would... I really like this place in Fishtown. It's called... I believe it's called Maxis. Okay. That's the Creed one, right? Yes.

Okay. Yes. And where the famous John scene was filmed. Anyway, I think that's pretty good. what do you usually do? Well, I say Angelo's is my favorite is the best, but you're going to have to deal with the line. It's a bit of a process.

Then the one that if you want something a little bit off the beaten path, the Little Sicily 2, where like the Wawa is right before the entrance to 95, they've got the, like the spiced cheese steak. So good. We used to go, when I covered the Sixers, there's a place in Camden.

They would order them. It's called Don. Oh, I've heard of that. I've been meaning to go to donkey's place for a long time. That is a good kind of alternative cheese steak. Okay. It's good. I like that. Everybody, you know, we have like a, we've got a noon show. This is a show that you can pair with a nice cheese steak for your, sure, for your afternoons from now on. All right.

Big, big cheese steak is happy with the discussion. Yes, except for, except for Ginos. Well, I mean, they got their, they got their promotion. There's no, no press is bad press, right? Exactly. All right. Do I take the Niners here? Am I that down on them, even though they are the betting favorite?

I can't do it. I just don't see it happening. This is going to be bulletin board material. You know, Drey Greenlaw is going to come after me here, but I'm not doing it. I'm not taking the Niners. Well, he's not. I'm going to take my real long shot. This is way too early to take them, but I just want to make sure that I get them.

Okay? I know what you're going to say. Who am I going to say? You say the Bears? I'm taking the Seahawks. Oh, well. I'm taking the Seattle Seahawks. Now, I'm a Mike McDonald guy, and that defense was very bad last year.

I think if he can get them to like a top 10 defense. And a shout out to Coach Flynn. But Coach Flynn has been banging the Ryan Grub drum for a while. Like this guy has like the most fun, offensive design in college football. They go and get him, pry him from Alabama. Love that. they have legit playmakers on offense, like, you know, D.K. Metcalf and Jackson Smith and Jigba

and Tyler Lockett, who's still making waves. I think Geno Smith is good, and they may look for somebody to be an improvement, but he's fine. They're going to get that third-place schedule. I don't know. I'm in on the Seahawks. They go and get Leslie Frazier, too. A couple guys who I've been, like, pounded on the drum for for a long time,

I'm in on the Seahawks. I'm taking them over the Niners, and maybe that is very sad. silly, but that's where I stand. At least one you know got praised on today's show. That's exactly right. So apparently the book on Mike McDonald's, he has done well against those Kyle Shanahan offenses. I think that's pretty important.

McVeigh put him into that bucket as well. It's pretty important in that division, I would say. That, yeah, what's his name, Ryan Grub? Ryan Grub, yeah. He's a very interesting guy because he was with Cail and DeBore at Washington. Right. I wonder if he sold his house because he went for like a month to Alabama. Yeah, that's true.

And then the Seahawks pried him back. Maybe that's why he met. Maybe he didn't stay at Alabama. He couldn't sell the house. He's like, all right, well, I might as well get a better job in the Pacific Northwest. Well, I mean, what an upgrade, too, to be like the NFL play caller. Because I think Kalin DeBore is an offensive coach, if I'm... I think that's right.

Correct, right? Like, he's... I don't know if Ryan Grub is the one who's calling the plays. Zach is furiously yelling at his phone right now. So at least we're angering. two people here. But yeah, I mean, that's a defensive head coach, too. So he's got full control on that side of the ball. And I liked how the Seahawks, because, you know, obviously they share some level of provincial camaraderie with the University of Washington. They felt like, we got our

guy back. Like, screw you, Kael and DeBore. The city of Seattle is taking Ryan Grub back. Who knows if Ryan Grub is going to be any good? So I don't mind that pick. I had them a little bit lower. But I know it's a reach, but I wanted to make sure you know, you got to get your guys. Yeah. He's, they were a red star team on my board. Okay. So my next two teams, I actually have a tough decision.

And unfortunately, now, you know what? I'm going to make you take the Niners. Should we make them go last? Yeah. Well, look, I mean, if Kyle Shanhan's history after a Super Bowl is any indication, they should be like 12th. Okay. I am taking the Rams of Los Angeles. Yeah, good pick.

I should have taken the Rams ahead of the Seahawks. Yeah. I thought, you know, it kind of gets lost because all these playoff games blend together after the Super Bowl. I thought Rams Lions, that was an awesome playoff game. Like, it was, you know, obviously the crowd was going nuts.

Like you said, golf was making some great throws. Stafford was getting his ass kick, but getting up and still making great throws. And Nakua is. I cannot believe how good he is. It's crazy how good he is. Like how can that guy be a fifth round pick? He wasn't that good in college.

He didn't test that well. He's like, he plays for- He's crazy. He played for BYU, right? Yes, and he started somewhere else. Yeah. So did Zach Wilson throw to him? Was this Zach Wilson's fault?

I don't think so. I think it actually might have been, he transferred after Zach Wilson. I could be wrong. It's true, though, Bo. Watching him play this entire season, and even in the first half of that Eagles game when he was-

Yeah, he started at Washington, transferred to BYU for the 2021 season. Is that when Zach Wilson came out? No, I think you might have missed Zach Wilson then. But my general take on this is the guy who was his quarterback at BYU has to watch him and just be like, ugh, like, you know, or people in Provo being like, is this for real? You know, like this guy who was a fifth round pick is turning into, you know,

Terrell Owens or somebody. It was, I mean, it's remarkable how good he was. And I thought it was impressive because Cup didn't look like he was 100% this year. So they'll either have one of two things. Either Cup will get back to 100% and they'll probably have the best receiving duo in the league. Or he'll just take the baton from Cup and it'll be fine. But I thought McVeigh had a really good year as well. Like a lot of people at the beginning of this season said,

oh man, look at the depth chart that this team has. They just don't have any good players. And, you know, I'm sure that's why Rahim Morris got the Atlanta job in part because did a good job with that defense. I think they were, I have it here, 22nd in DVOA, which I think that's generally what you're hoping for Fangio to do with the Eagles with a little bit more talent, right?

Because they didn't have a lot on that side of the ball outside of Aaron Donald before this year. Kobe Turner had a really nice year. Go Deeks. As well. So I'm going to take the Rams. And I also just, I don't know, I really like watching Stafford play,

and I thought he had some excellent moments this season. Yeah, and they've got one of the things you look for for a team that could take a little, little bump up. They had the third fewest takeaways in football last year, just 15, so just a little bit of turnover luck there would make them a lot better. Seventh and offensive DVOA, fourth in a way to DVOA.

I think that's a good pick. I regret not taking them over the Seahawks. That's okay. All right. I mean, who might, I'm going to take the Niners of the Cowboys? You've really painted me into a dark corner here because everybody else below them is just I mean, it would be silly to pretend

like there's a case to be made. All right, I guess I'll take the Niners. I don't think they're going to get back to the Super Bowl, but the thing that they do have going for them, aside from like all of the attrition and Kyle Shanahan throwing coordinators under the bus, every single one of their offensive starters is signed for next season. They're the only NFC team like that, according to over the cap.

I think Chase Young is the only starter on defense, who is not? signed for next season. Now they're going to have to make some cap cuts at some point, but there's the continuity that whatever degree they want to have they can have. You know, they're one of, I think, three teams in the NFL who's been in top 10 in offensive DVOA each of the last three seasons joining the Chiefs and Bills. So there's every expectation that that offense should be elite again. As long as people stay healthy, I think there's probably just too much like, pent up trauma and scar tissue for them to get there again,

but I think they have a better chance than anybody below them. So I'll take the honors. I agree with everything you said. And I guess the main thing is their roster is still going to be elite, even if Greenlaw is hurt for a lot of this season. Like it's still excellent, so many blue chip players all over the place. And as we kind of went over yesterday, their cap crunch is probably not going to come this season. but even outside of my general hatred of them,

it just seems like it's going to be hard to pick yourself up one more time. And I'm going to say, like, losing in the NFC championship game and then getting back to the Super Bowl, I guess they lost in the NFC championship game twice in a row to finally get to the Super Bowl. That is impressive. I will give them a lot of credit for doing that, but I just don't think they can do it again.

Do you think Brandon Staley will be the defensive coordinator for them next season? That's a good question. Because I would dock them a few spot. Yeah, if that's true, then, yeah, I would regret taking them when I did. People say that Brandon Staley is like not a fun guy to work with, which maybe that's a good thing for Kyle Shanahan. I guess. I don't know. I don't know if they have somebody specific in mind.

How about Bill Belichick? Oh, man. Well, both of those guys would probably work with Shanahan because I think I read a piece. I wonder if it was the Seth Wickersham piece before the Super Bowl. Shanahan has the same thing as Belichick where he's so grumpy and so. focused on the game and thinking about, you know, whatever is in his head football-wise that, you know, when he's walking through the hallways of the practice facility, don't talk to him. Yeah.

He's not thinking about, you know, hi-high to the secretary or to the special teams coach or the- It's not that hard. Like, there's the report out there about, like, Joe Douglas is too nice. He's too nice for his own good. This is such nonsense. Like, it's just framing for A-holes to, like, a-hole to, like, a-hole. apologize for their workplace behavior. Like, you don't have to be mean and grumpy to everybody just to be a good general manager or a good head coach.

Like, it's okay to walk by somebody and say, hello, how are you? That is so funny. I did see that Joe Douglas report. The fact that he's getting dinged for being like, hey, how you doing? How's your family? Instead of like, come on. It doesn't have to be like this. It can just be like, hey, man, he's made some really crappy draft picks.

Yeah. But nice guy. Cannot fix his offensive line. Fine. remembers my kids' names. Get him out of here. I'm like, please.

I'd love to work with Joe Douglas. All right. I wouldn't want him in the draft a quarterback for me, though. That's fair. Before we move on in the draft, let me tell you about Philly Sports Trips because we are off to Clearwater with Philly sports trips

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the problem with the Philly HLY. I see Philly. I want to say Philly. This is the Philly sports trips. They plan the whole experience out. Totally hands off. You sign up. You're good to go. From flights and hotels to game tickets and transportation, you can spend St. Patrick's stay on a private yacht

with a catered dinner and drinks. Be on the lookout for more events throughout the year with our good friends at Philly Sports Trips. The trip down to Clearwater is March 13th to 18th. So don't wait to book. Head to all p.hly.com slash events to learn more and book your trips. And if you want to go before then, check out a game, local game or event, theater, comedy.

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Again, I think it's very similar to the pick you just made. I don't believe in this team, but the talent level dictates that I have to pick them here, and that would be the Dallas Cowboys. You got to. I think this is the last team that has a real chance. Yeah. So here's my question for you. What do you think about the Mike Zimmer hire? All the way in. All the way in on Mike Zimmer. I mean, even angrier and crotchdier than Vic Fangio. I mean, this is a cantankerous MFer. Like, absolutely. I'm in. He is the platonic idea. I don't think that guy has ever been happy. Yes. Now, you know what? I'm going to, I'm going to be a hypocrite here because all the things I just said about, you don't have to be mean.

No, defensive coordinator. Defense coordinator, you better not say hi to me. Yeah. You better, yeah, if I say hi to you in the hallway, you better like, you know, spit your shoe at my, at my shoes and keep walking. Look, everybody knows defensive coordinator is a separate thing. And the normal rules of decorum and kind of workplace, you know, etiquette is not, it does not apply to them.

So on the positive side, like, he also, his defense, defenses in the past have been, in my opinion, fun to watch, too. Like those double A gap blitz is, right? Classic bingo on the double A gap blitz. Love a good double a gap blitz. You know, just a lot of pressure on the quarterback. Like you said, he's got the personality for it. I will say, one negative for Dallas, it seems like he wears his hats forward,

which, I don't know. That's going to be a big shift. They might run out of town, yeah. Is Michael Parsons going to respect him? I don't know. I don't know. I just don't think DAC is going to have as good of a season this year, too. I think we have enough of a track record on DAC Prescott to say, look, above average quarterback,

but they wasted, like, the truly great DAC season here. And again, I do not believe in Mike McCarthy as like a pillar of stability and just cranking out wins. I know, I mean, he does have a very good regular season record. I will give him credit for that in Dallas, but I just don't buy it. I think the Eagles have to get the one seed. I mean, they did lose at home in the playoffs this year. But, yeah, I agree that it's hard to see it with. McCarthy, but they've got a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.

They are the only team in the NFL who's had a top five DVOA defense, each of the past three seasons, and you bring in Mike Zimmer, it's not like they should take a huge drop-off. I think that's the only pick you could make that. What happens when they stop turning teams over all the time, though? I think that's probably worth a couple wins at some point here. That's all. Probably so. Yeah.

All right. Well, now we've dropped. to the also rants before we even get to the, we don't even know if they can run. But I think the long shot that I like the best here is probably the Chicago Bears, you mentioned before. And the story you can tell yourself is, wow,

if Caleb Williams just comes in and lights the world on fire and the league can't catch up to what he can do, Now they've got talent on both sides of all. Shane Waldron comes in to run the offense. That's probably an improvement there. They've got DJ Moore. Their offensive line is better than it was a couple years ago. I'm not a big Matt Everflews guy.

He's not like, you know, giving me like Dan Campbell run through a wall vibes. He's given me like, let's push a pencil from nine to five vibes. You know what that's look like that. If this is just based on like if the power of Caleb Williams, because the thing is usually a team that drafts number one overall, even if the guy is great, he's coming into a terrible team. This is a pick that they got from the Carolina Panthers. So they are a team that has a lot of young talent

and that defense was coming together at the end of the last season. I will take the Bears here. Apparently, Caleb Williams did not have a good season. I did not pay too much attention to USC. I mean, his Heisman season two years ago, some of the plays he was making were just outrageous. like keeping the play a lot. And so people think that Drake May is going to be a better player.

I know Nate Tice, a friend of the program is a big Drake May guy. But yeah, I'm not too worried about, I mean, you know, Patrick Mahomes didn't have a winning record in college. And by the way, he was coached by the same exact guy as Caleb Williams. And by the way, Drake May is probably about to be coached by that guy as well. So good luck to you, Drake. Anyway, the, yeah, no, I'm with you on that. The Bears were my next pick. What do you think they do with fields?

Well, I think that's interesting as we look at these other teams here, right? Some of these teams could make a move for Justin Fields. I mean, I think they trade him. I think. Just trade him to the highest bidder. Like, I am intrigued by the idea of keeping him around and, like, let Caleb Williams have to win the job. But it's just, it feels like that's creating too much potential for, like, a locker room discord.

I also kind of think they should have just cleaned house to the coaching staff, start fresh. But, yeah, I mean, I wonder what they're going to get for him. It feels to me like a... Second? Well, it feels to me like one where you would... Both teams would be incentivized to make it something where it's got conditions, right? So it's like a second and a second that could turn into a first,

depending on how many games he plays. I would do that. Or if they make the playoffs or something. I would do that in five seconds if I was the Bears. Oh, if I was the Bears, yeah. Justin Fields, like, I don't know. I'm just okay on Justin Fields, yeah. He felt like Mr. November, Mr. December to me.

Like when the Bears are one and seven and they've already had all these embarrassing performances, Justin Fields is like, okay, now it's time for me to show up. And look, like he has these. We've been eliminated from playoff contention. Here we go, baby. He's like, I am going to run for 180 yards and make it look as cool as possible and throw two absolute dimes to DJ Moore. So I think that's a pretty easy decision for them.

But so, yeah, I think like long term, the Bears have a chance to be a pretty good team, especially if Caleb Williams is any good, especially because they have the extra pick this year too. I think they're also picking in the top 10, right? Yes. And whatever they're going to get from field. So they have a chance to get this right, but probably not this year.

I agree. Okay. Next. Now it's getting dicey, and we're only halfway through. Look. It says a lot for the state of the conference. Look. There are like nine teams in the AFC

who I would maybe draft first in the NFC. I'm not happy about taking this team because of the loss. of Dave Canales' wandering eyes. But I'm going to take the bucks. Because they impressed me. And I guess the reason I'm going to take them

is somebody has to win that division, right? So then you get a home playoff game, you hopefully play a team that's completely falling apart like the bucks did this year. And then they were very competitive in that second game. Now, do I think Baker Mayfield is like a franchise quarterback who's going to continually win you division after division?

Maybe that division, because that division sticks. What about them? What if they traded for Justin Fields? Well, Baker's a free agent. They don't have to bring Baker back. Yeah. Well, they do have to bring. What's going to happen with Mike Evans?

He's a free agent too. They should bring him back. Winfield as well, but yeah. He was awesome and Winfield was awesome this year. I don't know. It felt like, I don't know, just a competent team. Todd Bowles, you know. I agree.

Gonna blitz the hell out of you. So that would be my next pick. And it really has nothing to do with the quarterback as much as like, I think somebody has to win that division. And I think it makes sense to me that they would be. at least the front runners for that. Okay. I'm going to go ahead here

and take the Minnesota Vikings. I don't know what they're going to do with Kirk Cousins. He's coming off a nasty injury. I don't know if they should bring him back, but I think I would trust Kowasei Odu Fu Mensa to bring in some kind of competency at quarterback. And if you look at the teams who are left here, they're the only team who has a bona fide superstar player

in Justin Jefferson at a position of value. So if they can just have solid competency at quarterback, we like what Brian Flores does with the defense. He's going to raise that floor for sure. You can squint and turn that into a top 10 defense. I will take the Vikings. That's a good pick. They're not going to do anything, but we're at that point of the...

I cannot wait to see who goes last. I can't believe I'm going to pick this. This is the 11th pick? This is the 11th pick, yep. I can't believe. I have to take them, I do. I have to take Washington just in case Drake May is. Really?

What if Drake May is good? Okay. What if Nate Tice is right? Okay. The rest of these teams are so unbelievably stale. I mean, some of these teams are totally hopeless, no doubt. I think there's probably one other. I would not have taken them there, but I would take them soon.

I think you're right. There's one other team, I think, who I think, you're going to take next who I think it's at least an argument but I just these other teams unless they make a move I do not see the quarterback upside to even be above average right and you know who knows I mean Drake May again like I said like I think his offensive coordinator is very likely a bozo and is not going to to help him he might not even be the pick too like we'll see what they do I will see if Josh Harris is has gotten over having to fly halfway to Detroit and and turn the private jet around

that he's fueling with the Sixers luxury tax money. So it's, but yeah, I think I have to take them next. Okay. Yeah, I guess the upside of Drake, May, that's fine. But they suck. Yeah, I mean, their talent is not very good. I think it's still a rotten organization,

but, you know, I mean, we're picking from, like, terrible choices here. Yeah. All right, I will take the Atlanta Falcons. Yeah. Not super exciting, but some talent on that side of the ball, especially on offense. Maybe you can

sell me that, like, Rahim Morris is this unbelievable leader. The defense took a big step forward last year and maybe sort of stays at that level. They had the third worst turnover differential in the league, the fourth fewest takeaway, so you get a nice bump there. Maybe

we like Zach Robinson, aside from how attractive he is to certain people, and who knows what they do a quarterback? Maybe they get Justin Fields, maybe not, but more so than the teams that are on the board, the Saints, Cardinals, Giants, and Panthers, I'll take the Falcons.

Yeah, I agree. That would have been the next team. I mean, what are they doing at quarterback? Who knows? Yeah. There are, like, if you look at the free agent quarterbacks, there are certainly a lot of guys better than Desmond Ritter. Desmond Ritter was so bad.

It was so bad. So. So, like, nobody in the NFL loved anything more. this season than Desmond Ritter loved turning the ball over in the red zone. Yeah. Just his favorite thing to do. And also like Ryan Tannihill. Who is their play caller now?

They got Zach Robinson. Okay, yeah. So that, I'm going to assume because Zach Robinson- Jacoby Preset? I don't know. Drew Locke, James Winston, Garner Minchew. Yeah, they're probably all better. And because Zach Robinson has at least driven Sean McVeigh to the airport or whatever,

and he's probably done more than that. considering how long he worked with him. I'm going to assume he's going to know how to use Bejohn Robinson better than Arthur Smith did. Yeah, I think so. Bejohn and Drake London and Zach's boy of Kyle Pitts. They got some reasons to believe in the offense. Okay. Now, that's a good pick.

So I am up next. Panthers, Giants, Cardinal Saints. Where are you going to go? I am going to go with what, just looking at this list strikes me as maybe the Salist organization in all of sports right now. I'm going to take the New Orleans Saints. Yeah. I mean, seriously. I think they have no shot. They might be last on my list.

Like, I think what you said is exactly right. The stalest organization in sports. I mean, their quarterback just gets at fights with their players. He stinks. It feels like they've been battling out of salary cap hell for a full decade now. They are, I mean, my God, being a fan of them would just be absolutely miserable, which good, because they were good for a long time. with Drew Breeze.

But I guess the reason I pick them is they are in the NFC South and as much as, you know, I tried to pump up Baker and Clay hired Clint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator. Yeah, after having Pete Carmichael for like 15 years, just a crazy

long time. But yeah, they stink. Dennis Allen is still their coach somehow too. That's another element of this. Everybody on the roster is the exact same. Run it back. Run it back. back. We were the most mediocre team in football. Let's run it back again.

Yeah. I see no upside. I do not know how they get beyond the second round of the playoffs. Certainly they could win the division, but yeah, I guess that's what you had to take there. It's a credit to these next three teams with how bad they are. Cardinals, Giants, Panthers. Boy, give me the Arizona Cardinals. You know what? They have a quarterback. I don't love Kyler Murray, but Kyler Murray has more upside. If maybe there's one year he's going to like really put his body at risk

and be willing to run crazy, especially in the playoffs. I mean, they've got a very difficult division. It's hard to imagine them even getting to the playoffs. But listen, J.G. got him to play a little bit over their skis on defense last year. People like a Drew Petzing as the offensive play. caller. Maybe they make some real personnel additions in the offseason and there's no

call of duty coming out this year and Kyla Murray is able to focus on the game and I don't know. I just over the Giants and Panthers that's where I'm going. I feel like Kyler Mary deserves to have a playable character in Call of Duty. I like that. You know, a bunch of people are kind of special ops forces. Yeah, I mean they get Marvin Harrison Jr., and all of a sudden this is like

you know, the best new quarterback wide receiver connection? Who knows? I do think, I mean, it seems like if they're going to stick with Murray, if you get three quarterbacks to the top of the draft, Harrison Jr. would be the next pick. And in fairness, he might be like the best receiver I've ever seen in my life. He's crazy, crazy good. So, you know, that'll be exciting.

But, yeah, that'll be exciting. I think Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to have a lot of touchdown catches this year to cut the lead to 14 with. a minute 50 and left in the fourth quarter. Right, right. Yeah. All right. Giants, Panthers. Where are you going? I do like that the Giants have lasted to the bottom two.

I'm going to take them here. Okay. I'm glad because I would have taken the Panthers. Well, I know. I mean, you want Canales on your side. Thanks for it. Yeah. Well, the upside with the Panthers is coach gets fired for Philandering in week four. They bring in somebody else. There's like a bit, you know, and that's like a story you could tell your kids about. that's a Hollywood movie is like some interim head coach leads them to the Super Bowl.

Bryce Young turns out to be the guy who was worthy of the number one pick. The Giants there is, I mean, there is a hard ceiling for them. And the ceiling is like right above our head. Yeah, it's eight wins. It's like one of those small apartments where you're kind of, you see on YouTube or TikTok where, you know, people are like, this is $2,000 a month in New York and you can barely stand in it. Like those type of things. That's the Giants.

That's their ceiling. That is how much space they have. We mentioned the Saints earlier. Being a Giants fan would drive me absolutely insane. Like they had a chance to get a top quarterback this year. Like they proved that they were absolutely terrible midway through the season. And then they go on a run getting all of these unbelievably stupid wins. It was so dumb.

And the best part was they had. had the side show. They had the quarterback and the agent that you can, you know, generate all this. By the way, the agent was like walking around Radio Row trying to like looking like, who wants to interview me? I remember me? I'm the guy. Like, I'm good. Thank you. So they had that guy who, by the way, in week 14, you know, it was a quick fall for Grace for Sean Stolato because, you know, I'm sure he was on WFAN every day at that point. You had the side show kind of a track. to distract from losing those games.

But they couldn't lose the games, Bo. They kept winning. Ridiculous. They were tied for first in the league in turnover differential last year. Like, they were not as good as their record indicated last year. As you said,

like they should be a, like picking top three in the draft. They lose Wink Martindale. Shane Bowen comes in. They might lose Sequin. Get Daniel Jones back. Great. Good for you. Go get those six wins.

At least Arizona, right, when they lost to the Eagles, Monti Osen Fort was like the human embodiment of the crying behind the smiley face. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They could not have been happy, but at least, yeah. But at least there's a plan there. Now, Gannon didn't execute it, and the Eagles obviously got in the way of that, which was a day where nobody was happy except for Gannon probably. But I don't know.

I don't really feel like the Giants have that level of. direction. I mean, they got a lot of class, but I don't know if class is going to get you to the second round of the playoffs here. Bill Belichick head coach in 2025. Probably. I can see that. All right. I'll close with the Panthers. Fewest takeaways in football last year. That's the only thing I can tell you.

They've got like no draft picks. But we'll take them. We'll take them in Dave's wandering eyes. So you've got lions, eagles, rams, cowboys, bucks, commanders, and giants. I've got Packers, Seahawks, Niners, Bears, Vikings, Falcons, Cardinals, and Panthers. I'm sure Zach will have many thoughts when he returns next week. But you and I back on the saddle on Monday on Zach's favorite day of the year, President's Day.

So you knew that he was going to take that day off because if he had his druthers, the NFL's calendar would be built around the Super Bowl and President's Day. So thank you to everybody for watching this episode of the PHLY Eagles podcast. Thank you, Julia. We are back on Monday at noon for all of us here at PHY. Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. Make sure that you hit subscribe and download and delete and download again and evangelize all that good stuff.

We will talk to you on Monday. And as always, we love you.