Sports

[gardenman]

@Spurt 

Lucky for the Chiefs, they're not picking 32nd this year, the Eagles are. The Chiefs pick 31st. They've been trying to fix the o-line but keep swinging and missing. How much is talent evaluation before taking the guys and how much is coaching after getting them? I suspect a new o-line coach might be needed.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bills, but they bounced back sooner than expected. The Bengals are in a bad mood having just missed the playoffs. The Steelers are always decent. If they ever give Mike Tomlin a talented roster they could be a big threat. Harbaugh has the Chargers believing in themselves. The same with Sean Payton and the Broncos.

Andy is something of a miracle worker, but in time his teams collapse. As every team does eventually. This could be the start of the collapse. Kelce is certainly not the player he was before. I don't know where his head was in the Super Bowl, but it wasn't on the field.

[Spurt]

---

@PARedbird wrote:

@gardenman and @Spurt - you both said it very well in your comments about the Cowboys!  They've got a ways to go and with Jerry as the "head coach" and boss, it won't happen soon!  The Giants?  A complete mess!

I've been reading several articles, too, about Travis Kelce, and how this was not the greatest year for him and especially the Super Bowl.  I also read that he's not going to rush into any decisions yet on retiring but several on the KC staff said they think he won't return.  And yeah, he can follow his boo around all over the world so wonder how long it would be before she's sick of him!  LOL!  Or she won't be happy as she also won't be in the NFL spotlight, so maybe she'll talk him into staying!  

I hope tht's corret that the Chiefs are done with their domination too!  I'd love to see another AFC head up to the top over them!  

@Spurt - David needs to put on his big boy pants - needs to accept and congratulate the Eagles!  I follow Chris Suchan on Instagram and Facebook - he's a huge KC fan and he even congratulated the Eagles - same with Eric Stonestreet, if you ever watched Modern Family - he's a huge Chiefs fan and did the same!  

---

@PARedbird 

David is just in denial, he thinks somehow, someway the Cowboys will always be a contending team, and his QB Dak will help feed his fantasy.....He's not a gracious loser either.....Chris Suchan is a gentleman....

[Spurt]

---

@gardenman wrote:

@Spurt 

Lucky for the Chiefs, they're not picking 32nd this year, the Eagles are. The Chiefs pick 31st. They've been trying to fix the o-line but keep swinging and missing. How much is talent evaluation before taking the guys and how much is coaching after getting them? I suspect a new o-line coach might be needed.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bills, but they bounced back sooner than expected. The Bengals are in a bad mood having just missed the playoffs. The Steelers are always decent. If they ever give Mike Tomlin a talented roster they could be a big threat. Harbaugh has the Chargers believing in themselves. The same with Sean Payton and the Broncos.

Andy is something of a miracle worker, but in time his teams collapse. As every team does eventually. This could be the start of the collapse. Kelce is certainly not the player he was before. I don't know where his head was in the Super Bowl, but it wasn't on the field.

---

@gardenman 

My bad, your right 31st for the Chiefs, 32nd for the Eagles....Somehow I might have psychologically invisioned Howie making a deal to not stay put but move up from the 32nd spot......HE'S THAT GOOD! 😁

[gardenman]

@Spurt 

Howie would love to move up in the draft. Penn State's Abdul Carter is hoping to be an Eagle. He's got Eagles' gear with his name and number on it. He's posted a photo of himself holding the Super Bowl trophy. He's one of those special guys you'd love to get, but you would almost certainly need to move into the top five to get him. Maybe even first overall. Getting up that high would be tricky. Carter needs to break something important (ACL, Achilles, etc) to fall to a place where the Eagles could get him. He seems to be trying the Eli Manning "don't draft me" ploy to other teams, but I'm not sure how effective that'll be. 

And speaking of Achilles, it turns out that's what James Bradberry tore in training camp. He's expecting to come back and try playing again. 

[gardenman]

In addition to locker clean out day, it was also ring fitting day for their Super Bowl rings. The last official media session with the players for a while also. The "Mic'ed Up" video of the Super Bowl is quite good.

We won't hear much official from the players until guys get re-signed, or new players get added. We won't hear from most of the players again until training camp. 

Kellen Moore is coming back to Philly tomorrow for the parade. We'll have to see if he poaches any coaches from Philly. No word on new OC interviews. I suspect there's a plan in place and promises given, but nothing official just yet. The Eagles were pretty sure they were losing Moore, so they've likely had things lined up.

As coaching jobs go, the Philly coordinator spots are pretty good. Gannon, Steichen, and now Moore have moved on to head coaching jobs in just a few years. Building an offense around these players is pretty easy also. I'm not sure there's a more talented offense in the league.

[Spurt]

[Spurt]

@gardenman @PARedbird 

HAPPY SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION !

HAPPY PARADE DAY!  EAGLE FANS!

[gardenman]

Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Super Bowl Parade Day also! Fans started staking out prime viewing spots yesterday afternoon and by seven this morning the streets were already starting to fill with fans. It's going to be chaos in Philly today. Fun chaos though.

Saquon Barkley and Budweiser have combined to give each offensive lineman a truck full of beer. Nick Sirianni bribed Jason Kelce to come back in 2023 with a keg of beer, so Saquon and Bud are teaming up to reward the current Eagles' o-line. To the victors go the spoils, and liver disease. 

Covering the parade is something of a challenge for local TV as the players tend to be a tad overly expressive regarding profanity. Airing it live can be an issue. I would expect lots of warnings to be mentioned about how you may hear some words you'd rather not, but it's a live event. It should be interesting anyway. A good day for a parade. 

No word on the new OC search or re-signing anyone just yet. I suspect lots of stuff is going on behind the scenes though. Howie isn't a guy to sit around and do nothing. He likely has offers out to the free agents he wants to retain and is just waiting to hear back from their agents.

Zach Baun and Mekhi Becton are the two big wild cards. Linebackers tend to make $10-$20 million a year. If Howie could get Baun at $10-$15 million he'd probably re-sign him. If Baun wants to get $20 million or more, he'll probably get to test the market. Becton is probably looking at something in the $20 million or more a year range. I'm not sure Howie is willing to give up that much to keep him with two kids ready to step up.

Since you can get a late third-round compensatory pick next year for guys lost this year, it can be smarter to let the bigger contracts leave as long as you've got replacements available. Josh Sweat is almost certainly gone from all indications and will land a top-of-the-market deal, so a late third for him. Becton could land another late third-round pick. The same for Baun should he also leave. Milton Williams might also get a big enough deal to land a third-round comp pick. A team can only get four comp picks in a season so the Eagles could max out on comp picks this year.

I don't see the Eagles making a big splash in free agency. Frankly, there aren't a lot of big splash guys in the pool this year. I could see them picking up a guy or two in trades though along with some lower-tier guys in free agency. I'm not expecting wholesale roster changes. The offense will likely look like it did this year with either Becton, Steen, or Keegan at right guard. 

The defense will get shaken up a bit. Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter will be the starting DTs. Moro Ojomo and Thomas Booker backing them up. DE/OLB will be Bryce Huff, (maybe Brandon Graham if he decides to come back one more year,) Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith. (Expect a kid to be added in the draft.) Linebackers will be Nakobe Dean and either Baun/Trotter Jr. (Expect another kid added there for depth.) The DBs are set. If Darius Slay comes back he'll have one corner role with Quinyon Mitchell the other side, with Cooper DeJean playing the nickel role. If not Slay then some combo of Ricks, Ringo, or Rodgers could be the other outside corner. Maybe DeJean and replace him at nickel?

This is a solidly built roster with good depth everywhere even with losses in free agency. It's a good spot to be in. The Eagles don't "need" help anywhere. Will Shipley is more than ready to step into the RB two role if Gainwell leaves in free agency. They'll add a few guys in free agency and the draft, but they can cherrypick in both areas. It's a good thing.

[PARedbird]

@Spurt - I'm SO excited for it!  I wold LOVE to be there for it!  Have it on our local Philly station now, even though it doesn't start until 11.  Unfortunately I have to leave for work at 12:30 so I'm going to record the rest as I want to see them at the Art Museum making their speeches, etc.  I already received my Super Bowl tee shirt yesterday!  That came fast!  It was the one they wore after they won.  Won't be able to wear that for awhile, though, with our lousy, cold weather!  I saw sweatshirts but that would be a big no to pay over $80.00!!

@gardenman - that is hilarious what you said about what will come out of their mouths when they make their speeches!  LOL!  But so true!  I thought I read one time that there is a 3 or 4 second delay so the stations may have enough time to bleep out the comment.  

Also, I don't think it's fair that a coach that leaves can come back to his former team and poach coaches!  There should be some kind of rule on that.  But any Eagle coaches that would be dumb enough to leave, well, then, good-bye!  

[PARedbird]

Well, for sure by the time the Eagles team gets to the Art Museum around 2:00, give or take, to give the speeches, it should be very interesting, as they're showing the players loading up the buses with case of Bud beer and some are carrying bottles of tequila, etc.  LOL  

Amazing how so many of the fans have been there since last night and then by 4 a.m. this morning.  Thankfully the weather has cooperated and although really cold, it's beginning to warm up more and the sunshine helps too!