It’s that time of the year Eagles’ fans! The legal tampering period!
From now until March 15th at 4 P.M., teams can “sign” players before it can become official. Frank Gore, come on down.
The draft is 45 days away and there will be plenty of movement along the “team needs” boards between now and then. What the Eagles need now will (probably) not be what they need on April 27th. Let’s all take a breath, read that again, and breathe out.
Yes, we want moves NOW. RIGHT NOW. But let’s remember that the player everyone is clamoring to get resigned wasn’t acquired until August 30th.
Here are some moves that WILL happen before the draft and dictate where the picks land:
The Re-signings:
This is an obvious one: Hurts. He’ll have his deal done soon and everyone will rejoice. The trolls will comment and throw the “OMG HES A RB LOL” quote and fail to make coherent sentences and keep wiping off their phones/keyboards from the drool dripping down from their lips.
I’m not going to guess numbers as far as $$$ wise, it’ll be a lot. But years wise I’m going to guess a 7-8 year deal to stretch out that money and keep his cap number down
Next up: Kelce
I truly believe Kelce has one more year left in him.
If he starts just 12 games, he’ll move into top ten all time games started by an OL drafted in the 6th round or later. With those 12 games, he’ll move into top five for the center position drafted in those rounds.
Too much history there to walk away from. One year deal to finish off a Hall of Fame career.
Others: Zach Pascal, Boston Scott, (sneaky) Robert Quinn.
The Splash
March 2022 – Haason Reddick
March 2021 – Completion of Wentz trade & trade down from 6 to 12 with Miami
March 2020 – Jenkins released
March 2019 – Malik Jackson & DJax return
If history has shown anything, Howie likes to do at least one big thing in March.
The 2023 cap rose $16 million to $224 million from 2022 and is projected to move up to $256 million in 2024. If anyone can sign someone for big money and kick that cap down the road to accommodate the higher cap numbers, it’s Howie.
Howie knows the offense is there. It will be there for a while. He has his QB, his WR 1/2, and his TE. He has his world class OL and OL coach. The small holes along the offense will be filled.
He needs to get that defense right.
Jessie Bates isn’t connected to the Eagles, at all. But was CGJ? Reddick was because of the locality. Signing Jessie Bates after, what seems like, years of attempting to get him will show the NFL that the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t going anywhere.
Ok so now we have to sign other players too..
Enter:
- Jacoby Brissett – QB2
- Matthew Ionnidis – DT
- DeAndre Houston-Carson – S
- Patrick Peterson – CB (July/August signing)
- A few other dudes. (BOLD!)
Mock Draft 2.0
Now that we have a framework down of what will happen, who will they draft to round out the team?
Pick 10: Christian Gonzalez
I want to say they trade up for Jalen Carter. Maybe he slips, but I’m not getting that bold yet. I’m setting the top 9 to shake out like:
- Stroud
- Young
- Richardson (trade)
- Anderson
- Maybe Carter? Wilson?
- Witherspoon
- Levis
- Whoever wasn’t picked at 5
- OL
That leaves Christian Gonzalez. Don’t let the conference scare you: he’s GOOD.
He showed out at the combine, he has the tape to back it up, he wears #0.
His movements are so fluid and his anticipation is top notch. He’d make us forget about Eagles corners jumping routes too early or getting beat deep. Christian Gonzalez, welcome to Philadelphia.
TRADE: Eagles trade #30 to the Lions for #48, #81, and a 2024 3rd round pick
The Lions get two impact defenders in their first two picks in the first round, and trade up to land their QB of the future: Hendon Hooker.
Eagles load up a little more and add to an already stacked 2024 pick haul.
Pick #48: Adetomiwa Adeboware
I LOVE this dude. In my first mock, I had him picked at the back of the second round for the Eagles. However, after his combine I’m convinced that he’s going to go early second. Yes, he’s RAW but everything you want in a versatile, violent pass rusher is there in AA.
Pick #62 : Jordan Battle
Signing Bates to replace Epps and drafting Battle to be the chess piece that CJGJ was? Wow, Howie.. you’re a genius!
No, Battle is not CJGJ. But he is a very good hybrid safety who can come in the box and smack a RB and is very intelligent to sniff out schemes. He probably won’t be a true coverage safety, ever. But Eagles’ DC Sean Desai won’t need him to be.
Plus, he grew up an Eagles fan.
Pick #81: Blake Freeland
It’s time to think about Lane Johnson’s replacement. A 6’7″ 300 lb monster is a good start.
He’s mobile, can get out in space, and he destroys defenders. With the way this offense will look now and in the future, the Eagles need to continue to get guys that can do that stuff. Freeland is probably 15-20 lbs away from his true potential, but he can work on that during the offseason during OL Masterminds.
Pick #94: Kendre Miller
There are some free agent names out there that are enticing for the Eagles, but it’s time to plug up the dam with concrete instead of a bandaid.
Drafting Kendre Miller would give Sirianni a bell cow (although not as tread on the tires-impactful as some) and allow Gainwell to complement from all over the field.
Miller has the size, speed, agility, the everything to be a great RB in the NFL.
Pick #220: Juice Scruggs
If Kelce is back, that means Jurgens is the favorite for RG. Bring in a developmental C and see if 2024 is the year of Jurgens at C or if Scruggs is the next late round gem at C (although he may ultimately be a G).
Pick #249: Adam Korsak
The next great NFL punter.
There you have it, the offseason is done. You made it.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
