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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Lots of good news on the Carson Wentz recovery process. He's now running in addition to throwing. There haven't been any obvious hiccups that have gone public. Carson sent video of his throwing motion to his throwing coaches who said that the injury hasn't affected his throwing and that it's as good as, if not better than last year.

 

The Eagles stockpiling of quarterbacks (Wentz, Foles, Sudfeld, plus the recently signed Joe Callahan and the three undrafted free agent quarterbacks) still seems odd unless the Eagles know/suspect something the rest of us don't. The Callahan signing is especially odd as he got a two year deal. Bear in mind the Eagles typically only carry two quarterbacks on the active roster, so having seven now seems a bit odd.

 

When they reworked Nick Foles' contract to let him go from $7+ million in 2018 to potentially $23+ million in 2018, with $20+ million for next year, something seemed a bit off. I thought the Eagles planned to move Foles, but it didn't happen and most of the teams that were likely trade partners got kids in the draft. I still wonder if Foles might be lined up to go to the Colts if the Andrew Luck recovery hits a snag. His old offensive coordinator in Frank Reich is now the Colts head coach. Nick could slide in there with little trouble already knowing the offense. I wouldn't be shocked to hear there's a deal already mapped out between the two teams and the Colts are just waiting to see what happens with Luck.

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Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Gardenman, interesting that you should bring up Foles potentially ending with the Colts.Several months ago people on the Colts forum were talking about the same thing.. For a while it seemed that Foles could be traded, but nothing ever came of that and he stayed in Philly. No one in the Colts organization ever stated publicly that they were interested in Foles, but with Reich being the head coach , it' makes sense that there could be a connection. 

 

So far, everyone seems optimistic that Luck will start this season, so I don't see Foles going to Indy. 

 

The Saints released Coby Fleener. His first years with the Colts were promising, but his productivity declined, so the Colts let him go and the Saints picked him up. Fleener had some concussion problems, and that might have been part of the problem. I thought he would do well in NO, but that doesn't seem to be the case. 

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@gardenman

 

Yes, that sounds very odd indeed about the Eagles's QB situation............No teams made a move to try to get Foles, and Wentz is progressing nicely....Now would the Eagles do the unthinkable and decide to keep Foles and trade Wentz????  Or like you said maybe they have a deal on the back burner to trade Foles to the Colts if Andrew's injury is causing a delay in his return...According to over the cap, the Eagles would save $2 mill in dead money and cap space by waiting until after June 1st to make a trade.....Wentz is cheaper but who knows.......

 

 

Well it seems that the players the Redskins got rid of are ending up on the roster or are auditioning for rivals within the Division....First AJ Francis went to the Giants (and bad mouthed the team and mascot.I might add)...Now Terry McClain is visiting with the Cowboys....although he paid visits to the Dolphins and 49ers too.....but he could take the Cowboys job and also get revenge on the Redskins for cutting him...........

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@teganslaw

 

When you look around the league, that Colts quarterback job is the one that sort of jumps out at you as potentially needing help. Last year everyone was convinced Luck would be back, then he wasn't. I'm not optimistic about what I hear from his camp. His shoulder strength should be fine. He's a young guy and should build muscle strength rapidly. It's been over a year since his last known surgery, and his muscles around the shoulder should be as strong as they can get.

 

It sounds like they're more trying to prevent inflammation more than build strength. But the only way you get inflammation is if the cause of it is still there. Once the inflammation is gone, it's gone unless something reaggravates it. If they haven't found and fixed whatever was causing the inflammation, it'll likely recur when he starts stressing the shoulder. My gut still says there's a bone spur, foreign debris, or something physical that's causing the inflammation. I just don't see this being a strength issue.

 

Denver is another option if Case Keenum reverts to his old form and looks bad in the preseason or lead up to the preseason. 

 

The Eagles, who had Nick Foles under contract for 2018 at $7.5 million, and were in a lot of cap trouble, to tear up his old cheaper contract and give him a new one that could pay him $23+ million this year, and a more or less guaranteed $20+ million next year, seemed more than a bit odd. What backup quarterback makes $23+ million this year and $20+ million next year? Nick's new contract took his cap number from $7.5 million to at least $13.6 million this year. When you're in cap trouble you want to lower cap numbers, not almost double them.

 

And now we've got seven quarterbacks in the locker room? Four of whom at least are capable guys in Wentz, Foles, Sudfeld and now Callahan. We typically only carry two on the active roster. Something's not adding up there. Howie Roseman's a smart GM who would typically not give away $6.1 in cap space for no reason.

 

My gut says the Colts management thinks there may be more to Luck's shoulder than they're publicly admitting and they've got Nick Foles on standby in case they need him. That contract extension only makes sense to me if you're looking to trade Nick and whatever team wants him wants him for more than a one year rental. I may very well be wrong, but that's my read on it.

 

Coby Fleener strikes me as a guy with lots of talent, who discovered the NFL is more of a job than he thought it was. For a lot of guys that initial thrill of playing football fades and it becomes a job rather than a passion. When it becomes a job they start to lose enthusiasm and start giving less and less effort until they're out of the game. Some players never lose the passion and they tend to have long careers, but for a lot of guys, that passion for the sport fades and their careers in the NFL end.

 

Nick would be a plug and play option at any point in training camp for the Colts should Luck's shoulder issue recur. He knows their offense and could quickly settle in.

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@Spurt

 

I don't see the Eagles trading Wentz. They're building the team around him and I can't even think of a package someone could put together to get them to move on from him. I could see the Eagles trading either Foles or Sudfeld.

 

That contract extension the Eagles gave Foles just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The only way it makes sense is if you're planning to move the guy. He was already here for next year at $7.5 million. Why now pay him a minimum of $13.6 million? He's now got the second biggest cap hit for 2018 for the Eagles behind just Fletcher Cox. How does your backup quarterback have the second biggest cap hit? Next year his cap hit climbs to $20.6 million. For a backup quarterback? No. Something's up.

 

When you look around the league the Colts and Broncos are the two quarterback jobs that seem most likely to be in play based on injury (Luck) or poor play (Case Keenum.) Realistically Sam Bradford will get hurt but the Cards signed Mike Glennon and drafted a kid to back him up. Maybe Jacksonville, but they reupped Bortles to a new deal.

 

Frank Reich being the head coach of the Colts makes them look more likely. I suspect their training staff is less optimistic about Luck's ability to play this year than the team is letting on. I suspect in the various league meetings and get togethers the Eagles and Colts have set a groundwork for what's to come. If someone blew the Eagles away at the draft they could back out and make the deal there. If Luck shows up healthy and able to throw the ball the Colts can back out. But, I'm guessing the Eagles may end up owning the Colts first pick in next year's draft along with another pick or two. That Foles contract just doesn't make sense unless he's a starter somewhere in the league. You just don't pay a backup quarterback that kind of money.

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Re: NFL News for May 2018!!

[ Edited ]

@gardenman wrote:

 

Coby Fleener strikes me as a guy with lots of talent, who discovered the NFL is more of a job than he thought it was. For a lot of guys that initial thrill of playing football fades and it becomes a job rather than a passion. When it becomes a job they start to lose enthusiasm and start giving less and less effort until they're out of the game. Some players never lose the passion and they tend to have long careers, but for a lot of guys, that passion for the sport fades and their careers in the NFL end.

 

Nick would be a plug and play option at any point in training camp for the Colts should Luck's shoulder issue recur. He knows their offense and could quickly settle in.


@gardenman @teganslaw

 

That's exactly what Mike Golic said that after the draft is over the work begins and you find out it's a real job.....And then when you contract is up you find out it's a business too....

 

Fleener is like Cravens, he found out how much work the NFL is, and they both lost their passion (Cravens was lucky the Broncos gave him a second chance) and then there's always someone (rookie or free agent) trying to take their job (unless you are one of the few superstars)....So its not an easy job by any means....and I think that's why the NFLPA worked so hard in limiting the things the players are required to participate in during the off season....and the sport does take a toll on their bodies too...but I think having less practice time hurts the younger players and makes it take longer for them to learn their craft.....

 

But there are other players that just love the game, and the camaraderie if the atmosphere in the locker room is right.........

 

 

 

 

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The Tim Jernigan injury might be giving the Eagles some thoughts about adding another defensive tackle. Courtney Upshaw is reportedly visiting the Eagles today. He's a former second round pick who's been a solid, if unspectacular player, in the league. He could be an interesting addition. 

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The Eagles are continuing to add depth at running back by signing formers Redskins running back Matt "Butterfingers" Jones to a two year deal. He's a serviceable to pretty good back on the rare occasions he doesn't fumble. In twenty games however he's had eight fumbles. That's largely why he was unsigned. The good news is that's something that can be coached out of a back. I think it was Tiki Barber who was a fumbling machine his first few years in the league before Bill Parcells reformed him. (It might have been a back before Tiki?) Running back is a position where you can't have too many guys heading into camp. They tend to get dinged early and often. He likely won't make the final roster, but he'll get a chance.

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@gardenman

 

 

Good luck with "fumblin" Jones.....see I told you all those player's the Redskins cut are ending upon the rival team's rosters....Woman Frustrated

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Guys with talent, but issues, tend to move around the league a lot. Matt Jones is one of those guys. He's talented enough to entice teams, but until he fixes the fumbling, he's not likely to stick anywhere. If you can coach the fumbling out of the kid, you've got a good player for a low price. Duce Staley, the Eagles running backs coach, will be working with the kid nonstop to fix the fumbling. Sometimes it's a problem that can be fixed, and sometimes a guy will never get past it. Training camp and the preseason will be vital to the kid. He needs to show vastly improved ball security.

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