In yet another sign that Zach Ertz doesn't figure in the Eagles long-term plans, the Eagles have signed Tyree Jackson to a futures contract. Tyree Jackson is a former QB who's 6'-7" weighs 250 lbs and can run a 4.59 forty. The plan is to convert him into a tight end. We've also got Hakeem Butler (6'-5" and 229 lbs.) and Jason Croom (6'-5" 246 lbs) as young tight ends behind Dallas Goedert. The hope is that one or more of those guys can blossom into a solid tight end and possibly a star.
I'm not sure what the market for Zach Ertz would be this year. He wants a new deal and his contract expires after the 2021 season. Prior to this past year, he was viewed as a top-three to top-five tight end and was highly valued. He had a bad year this year though. The Eagles would be best served by trading him, but they'd need a third-round pick or higher to do so in all likelihood. If he rebounds next year and plays at his previous level he'd be a high-value free agent and earn the Eagles a third-round compensatory pick. If you can get another year out of him at a reasonable cost ($8.25 million in 2021) then hold onto him and let him leave in free agency in 2022 you'd get a third and a year's service from him so trading him for less than a third-round pick seems a bit dumb.
The Eagles restructured the contracts of two guys they're planning to cut. Both Malik Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey agreed to a restructure that still pays them their money, but largely forces the Eagles to cut them very early in the offseason and designate them post-June first cuts. The restructure saves the Eagles something like $12-$20 million in this coming year's cap which helps reduce their cap deficit. It should let both players jump into free agency at the start of free agency when their value will be highest. A win-win for everyone.
As expected, the Eagles are continuing to thin out the offensive coaching ranks with Marty Mornhinweg being advised he won't be coming back. Two supposed offensive mastermind consultants down, several more are likely to go.
The Eagles are being very, very quiet on the new defensive coordinator job which leads most to believe they're looking to advance from within. Both Matt Burke and Marquand Manuel have previous DC experience. Odds are one of them gets the job.
Todd McShay's first mock draft is out and he has the Eagles taking linebacker Micah Parsons in the first round. Uh, no. That's not going to happen. He's a great kid and an excellent linebacker, but the Eagles don't value linebackers that highly. It's been 42 years since they last took a linebacker in the first round. I don't see that changing this time around. The Eagles defense isn't linebacker centric. It's d-line based. Linebackers are more the clean-up crew in this defense.
The fans want the Eagles to grab one of the premier wide receivers in the draft. Ja'Marr Chase or Devonta Smith are the choice of the fans. Given the Eagles history, they're more likely to draft a lineman (offensive or defensive) than a wide receiver. We'll have to see what happens. There will be about a million mock drafts between now and the draft.
Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
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