Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Lawlor: Six Eagles Who Will Help Define 2019 - PE.com

Sidney Jones had a good offseason. He flashed serious talent and expectations were high going into the season. Jones played well early on. He was mostly in the slot and many people wanted him to move to the outside, where the Eagles were struggling a bit. In Week 6, Jones hurt his hamstring and then missed the next three games. He came back against the Saints but reinjured the hamstring. He missed the next game. Jones came back for the next couple of games, but got hurt during the game in Dallas and really struggled. He just couldn’t run. He didn’t play anymore in 2018. Jones showed some talent. The problem is that he only played in nine games. He has got to find a way to stay healthy. Jones’ play dipped as the season went along. Part of that may be due to injury, but not all of it. He must get better, both in coverage and as a tackler. If Jones can take a notable step forward like Agholor did, it would make the defense substantially better in 2019. Jones spent most of his time in the slot last year, but I’m guessing he plays mostly outside in the upcoming season. Anyone who watched Jones play in college knows the talent is there. He’s got the potential. We just have to see if he can put it all together at the NFL level.

Busting six myths from the Eagles’ 2018 season - BGN

Nick Foles averaged 22.1 points per game in five regular season starts and two playoff starts, while Carson Wentz averaged 22.0 in his 11 starts. Of course, two playoff games are tougher draws for an offense, so that should be considered, but while Wentz averaged nearly 15 passing first downs per game during his time as starter, Foles averaged just shy of 13. Carson Wentz had seven performances with a passer rating over 100, while Foles had two. Foles certainly came through late in games and helped the team win two huge contests with last minute drives against the Texans and Bears, but Wentz had a 4th-quarter passer rating of 102.4, while Foles’ was 67.5. The biggest difference in Wentz’ ability to put points on the board and Foles’ time in the starting lineup wasn’t what they were doing on offense, it’s what the defense was doing to help out. The defense allowed an average of 23.3 points per game when Wentz was in there, as opposed to 18.1 points per game for Foles.

For First-Time Head Coaches Brian Flores and Zac Taylor, It’s a Post-Super Bowl Scramble - MMQB

Nick Foles and Teddy Bridgewater would be the next two quarterback names on the list. And one agent raised the possibility that their teams could transition tag them ahead of free agency. There’s merit to the idea on the surface. Bridgewater won’t be franchised. Foles, you’d imagine, only would be if Eagles czar Howie Roseman had a trade worked out before the tag window closes. And so retaining matching rights might give these teams hope to hold on to valuable backups. The problem? The salary cap. The Saints and Eagles project to have less than $10 million in breathing room each—both are top five in money committed to the 2019 cap right now—and the transition tag at quarterback is expected to top $20 million. So Bridgewater or Foles simply signing their tenders could create problems, even after the teams make some moves to clean up the cap, logistically, if the Eagles or Saints wanted to do anything in March. That means it’s a good bet Bridgewater is on the market unfettered in March. And it’s not hard to imagine Foles getting there either.

Kyler Murray and One Coach’s Argument For Why The Small QB Will Have a Massive Impact in the NFL - FMIA

Nick Foles heads toward Franchisetagville.

NFL Trade Rumors: Redskins were interested in trading for QB Joe Flacco - Hogs Haven

Reports came out today that the Redskins were also interested in trading for Flacco. The Redskins love trading for older QBs on the downside of their career. Flacco will count for $18.5 million on this year’s cap. This would have been a ridiculous amount for the Redskins considering they have Smith’s $20.4 million and McCoy’s $3.375 million($2m dead money). The Redskins are likely to bring in at least 1 new QB this offseason, unless they plan on tanking the season with McCoy/Johnson behind center. There will be expensive rentals like Case Keenum and Nick Foles available. Or cheaper backups like Teddy Bridgewater and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Will Eli Manning return for his 16th season with the Giants? - ESPN

When will there be a decision about Manning’s future? A final verdict needs to be made by March 17, which is the fifth day of the new league year and when Manning is guaranteed a $5 million bonus if he’s on the Giants’ 90-man active roster. That would all but cement his status for 2019. Of course, it’s likely a decision will be made before then. The Giants can’t afford to be so patient. Free agency begins March 13. Teams can begin negotiating with players March 11. If the Giants elect to dip into the free-agent waters, they’ll need to make Manning aware of their intentions. They aren’t about to leave the most accomplished quarterback in franchise history dangling while flirting with a potential replacement, especially not with their concerted effort to handle his case carefully after what unfolded with his benching during the 2017 season. The more likely date to watch is Feb. 26. That is when the combine begins. The combine is where a lot of behind-the-scenes flirting takes place. It’s expected that the Manning decision will be made public before that week is over.

Pre-Combine Risers I Just Don’t Get - The Draft Network

But you have to pick up the other end of the stick: unheralded players who, despite being draftable, don’t deserve the same pre-Combine juice as other late discoveries. Sure, they might even be better than you thought given their in-season hype, but that doesn’t mean they’re more than Day 3 pieces, with intriguing traits or tape to some degree. But it’s important to remember that uncovering those players as better than expectation does not mean they have to catapult in the top of your rankings. It’s important to calibrate, and remember sometimes Day 3 guys are just that: Day 3 guys.

The NFL’s collusion settlement suggests Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid had a case all along - SB Nation

For the NFL to decide not ride out the lawsuit, and settle with both Reid and Kaepernick instead, suggests that the two players had a case. This settlement also came before discovery, a period in which more evidence is brought forward, was completed. The NFL chose to close the lawsuit before whatever skeletons they might have had in their closet were potentially exposed. They paid for silence.

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