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Writing these type posts gives me a chance to let out frustrations, look for hope and generally deal with my team not making it to the promise land. Honestly I thought I would be more upset than I am. Maybe winning two Super Bowls in a 7 year span does that. Maybe the fact that we are on a very long uphill swing of this team. In fact for the most part since Jeffrey Lurie has owned the team we have been a contender. think about that. Jeffrey has owned the Eagles for 31 years now. They have made the playoffs 17 of those years years. Even more pronounced they have made the playoffs 15 times in the last 25 years including 4 Super Bowl appearances winning two. That pretty darn good. It gives me hope that the issues of this year will be corrected in this offseason. I 100% trust Jeffrey running this team. Except for the Chip Kelly blip, he has done a great job hiring coaches. I mean Andy is a Hall of Famer, Doug won us our first Super Bowl, Nick has won 64% of his games in his first five season which ties him with Belicheat. He has been the playoffs every year , been to two Super Bowls and won one. That is an impressive resume. Howie Roseman is the best GM in sports. Does that means he is perfect on every acquisition no, bu this track record is darn good.
So where do we go from here. Its obvious no changes will happen from Nick or above. I do believe we are going to see changes in the offensive staff and maybe even some on the defensive side of the ball. So here is what I am thinking.
Offensive Coordinator - As I have said before I can see Patullo getting fired as much as I see him staying. However if he stays there will be help brought in. If there was a mistake made this offseason it was here. Not so much giving Patullo a chance (I mean you win a Super Bowl and by the time Moore is gone the pickings for OC were slim). I think the problem I have is not giving him an offensive consultant who had called plays at one point in his career. I think the plan was for Frank Reich to do it. Frank said so himself, however last minute things changed when Frank got an opportunity to head coach in college. It was a temporary assignment. Depending how things go, I can clearly see Frank coming back here. Now the capacity is going to be interesting. He could be the OC, I wouldn't have a problem with that, but he also could come in as an offensive consultant to Patullo. I am leaning towards bringing in Frank as the OC but not for obvious reasons. The reason is simple, they need stability on offense. This every year a new coordinator is taking it toll on this offensive unit. If Patullo stays and gets help and the offense improves (and I will bet anyone 100 buck this offense is going to be better next year no matter who the coordinator is), then Patullo probably gets hired elsewhere as a HC. Yes from the outhouse to the penthouse. I think Frank fits into that Fangio role as a guy who can be here multiple years without the worry of leaving for a HC job. Now I think those are the two most likely scenarios. The third scenario is fire Patullo, and bring in a up an comer, it could be Loefler who is already here. It could be Daboll if he doesn't get a better gig elsewhere. Its going to be fascinating if they do move off of Patullo and not pivot to Reich.
Pass Game Coordinator - Patullo was this before he got promoted. Now lets be honest they didn't have the most dynamic pass game even before he was OC. I think some of that has to do with Jalen Hurts who if we are being honest, does have some limitations. That said I think we need to find a guy who can come in help with better pass designs. Who that is I don't know, it would be a young guy who is trying to move up the ladder.
Offensive Line Coach - Now Stoutland isn't going anywhere, but I do think he is going to get help. I think they may bring in a dedicated run game coordinator. That will allow Stout to concentrate on getting this lineman developed. Would love to see Jason Kelce come in here but I don't think it happening. I wonder what Eugene Chung is up to
Defensive Back Coach - Christian Parker is going to get some play as DC once the coaching carousal stops. Now the Washington game at the end of the year may put a damper on this. The fact that Ringo hasn't developed, Bennett took a huge step back from his Vegas days, McWilliams really didn't contribute much. Developing top notch talent like Q and Coop in one thing. Developing talent to be contributors is another
After coaching there is the Free agent list. We have a bunch
. Plus a few more that are going to happen because they have to
The list is here
A few players are going to be cut. Michael Carter is due to make 10120 mill next year. No way that is happening. He gets cut and we save 9 million.
Dallas Goedert has a 20 million dollar void. If they resign him before the new league year starts they can kick that void down the road. They could give him 15 mill a year in a three year deal and add in 3 voids. Making his cap hit 10 mill per year and saving another 10 million. BTW we don't have any TE under contract for 2026.
Lane Johnson situation is one that bears looking at. I think he is going to retire. Now if they hold off until June 1st for that, the Eagles recoup 5.6 million in 2026 but kick the can to 2027.
So low end (just with the Carter release) they will have about 40 million to work with. Plenty of money for Howie.
Of the players above I think the priority to resign in order is as follows
1. Jalen Phillips - I think he is a must resign. He isn't going to quite get what Josh Sweat got but he will be close. I am thinking 4yrs 70 million. 40 million guaranteed. First year cap hit around 7 million with 2 void years in the contract.
2. Dallas Goedert - Yes he is 31 coming off a big year but I think this makes the most sense to bring him back and draft not a replacement but a complement that could eventually take over. Give him 3yrs 45 million move the 20 million dollar void out and gain 10 mill a year on the cap. Yeah we will pay down the line but it will still be 10 mill per vs 20 mill at once.
3. Braden Mann - 2yrs 6 million. He as really good as punter this year. That gives him a 100% raise off of this year. 1 void year, 2 mill on the cap
4. Marcus Epps - Blankenship is going to get a good pay day. I honestly think the Eagles are better off bringing back Epps at 3 mill per year on a 2yr deal than. He played really well and is just not going to cost much to bring back. Teaming him with Mukuba and drafting another safety is a cost effective way of making this team better. 2 mill cap hit.
5. Fred Johnson - This is where Fred Belongs. Give him 2yrs 6 mill with a void. 2 mill cap hit. Nice raise for him to help transition to a rookie we draft at RT or if Lane does come back he is valuable insurance.
That takes up about 13-15 mill of your cap. Reserve money for the rookies and you probably have another 15 mill or so to go get upgrades. Now where. Well this is where I am focusing
1. Center - Either in the draft or in free agency we have to getting a 1A starter. If you are going to be a running team, Center is a huge part of it. We simply can't have another year of Jurgens leading the league in whiff blocks. I think this is the most needed spot on the offensive line, Yes we need a RT and I think we are definitely going to draft one of those as high as round 1. Bringing back Fred helps there to.
2. Tight End - We need a blocking tight end in the worst way. We need a Charlie Woerner type. What is Jack Stoll up to these days
3. Slot Receiver - Dotson is not going to come back. Can't say I blame him, when he was called upon he caught the ball but you simply can't not include guys like him in the offense. I think this is more of a Zacheus type. Maybe Cooper is the guy , Maybe Wilson comes back and is the guy. Either way this is a need. If they are punt returner to even better. This could be another draft pick or draft pick and sign one.
4. Defensive Tackle - We need a bigger DT in the Jordan Davis mold. When Davis isn't in there, teams could run up the middle. Basically a run stuffer. An upgrade over Byron Young.
5. Defensive Backs - It was obvious in the Washington game our depth in the defensive backfield is not very good. We are going to need a starter at the corner opposite of Mitchel. I think this could be a big free agent signing here. A guy like Cordale Flout, Greg Newsome, even a name like Montaric Brown. Fix the front line CB position in FA. Then go back into the draft and draft more depth. I like McWilliams but after that we don't have anything.
6. Safety - Already talked about Epps, he and Mukuba could make a nice pair. After that though we have nothing. I can't sit through another year of Sydney Penalty Brown. I think a free agent (much like Epps was) plus a draft pick should be used here.
7. Kicker - If we wait to cut Elliot until after June 1st its only a 2.1 mill cap hit. Before that its a 5 mill hit. They need to find a better kicker who can kick for distance. Maybe it its a rookie free agent. Howie seems to have a knack for finding kickers no one every heard of .
Overall this roster is still pretty strong even if we lose most of our free agents (which we won't) As much as I love Nakobe Dean he just can't stay healthy. We need to tweak this team in the offseason. Its not a tear down its not even a retool, its a reload. I probably will get into more of whom they should exactly go after later. Its too early and the season isn't done. I just think there is much hope that this team can make another deep run next year. I mean its every other year right?
So where do we go from here. Its obvious no changes will happen from Nick or above. I do believe we are going to see changes in the offensive staff and maybe even some on the defensive side of the ball. So here is what I am thinking.
Offensive Coordinator - As I have said before I can see Patullo getting fired as much as I see him staying. However if he stays there will be help brought in. If there was a mistake made this offseason it was here. Not so much giving Patullo a chance (I mean you win a Super Bowl and by the time Moore is gone the pickings for OC were slim). I think the problem I have is not giving him an offensive consultant who had called plays at one point in his career. I think the plan was for Frank Reich to do it. Frank said so himself, however last minute things changed when Frank got an opportunity to head coach in college. It was a temporary assignment. Depending how things go, I can clearly see Frank coming back here. Now the capacity is going to be interesting. He could be the OC, I wouldn't have a problem with that, but he also could come in as an offensive consultant to Patullo. I am leaning towards bringing in Frank as the OC but not for obvious reasons. The reason is simple, they need stability on offense. This every year a new coordinator is taking it toll on this offensive unit. If Patullo stays and gets help and the offense improves (and I will bet anyone 100 buck this offense is going to be better next year no matter who the coordinator is), then Patullo probably gets hired elsewhere as a HC. Yes from the outhouse to the penthouse. I think Frank fits into that Fangio role as a guy who can be here multiple years without the worry of leaving for a HC job. Now I think those are the two most likely scenarios. The third scenario is fire Patullo, and bring in a up an comer, it could be Loefler who is already here. It could be Daboll if he doesn't get a better gig elsewhere. Its going to be fascinating if they do move off of Patullo and not pivot to Reich.
Pass Game Coordinator - Patullo was this before he got promoted. Now lets be honest they didn't have the most dynamic pass game even before he was OC. I think some of that has to do with Jalen Hurts who if we are being honest, does have some limitations. That said I think we need to find a guy who can come in help with better pass designs. Who that is I don't know, it would be a young guy who is trying to move up the ladder.
Offensive Line Coach - Now Stoutland isn't going anywhere, but I do think he is going to get help. I think they may bring in a dedicated run game coordinator. That will allow Stout to concentrate on getting this lineman developed. Would love to see Jason Kelce come in here but I don't think it happening. I wonder what Eugene Chung is up to
Defensive Back Coach - Christian Parker is going to get some play as DC once the coaching carousal stops. Now the Washington game at the end of the year may put a damper on this. The fact that Ringo hasn't developed, Bennett took a huge step back from his Vegas days, McWilliams really didn't contribute much. Developing top notch talent like Q and Coop in one thing. Developing talent to be contributors is another
After coaching there is the Free agent list. We have a bunch
. Plus a few more that are going to happen because they have to
The list is here
- S Reed Blankenship
- TE Dallas Goedert
- TE Grant Calcaterra
- OL Nakobe Dean
- RB A.J. Dillon
- WR Jahan Dotson
- DL Brandon Graham
- EDGE Jaelan Phillips
- EDGE Azeez Ojulari
- EDGE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- G Matt Pryor
- G Brett Toth
- LT Fred Johnson
- P Braden Mann
- EDGE Joshua Uche
- S Marcus Epps
- CB Adoree Jackson
A few players are going to be cut. Michael Carter is due to make 10120 mill next year. No way that is happening. He gets cut and we save 9 million.
Dallas Goedert has a 20 million dollar void. If they resign him before the new league year starts they can kick that void down the road. They could give him 15 mill a year in a three year deal and add in 3 voids. Making his cap hit 10 mill per year and saving another 10 million. BTW we don't have any TE under contract for 2026.
Lane Johnson situation is one that bears looking at. I think he is going to retire. Now if they hold off until June 1st for that, the Eagles recoup 5.6 million in 2026 but kick the can to 2027.
So low end (just with the Carter release) they will have about 40 million to work with. Plenty of money for Howie.
Of the players above I think the priority to resign in order is as follows
1. Jalen Phillips - I think he is a must resign. He isn't going to quite get what Josh Sweat got but he will be close. I am thinking 4yrs 70 million. 40 million guaranteed. First year cap hit around 7 million with 2 void years in the contract.
2. Dallas Goedert - Yes he is 31 coming off a big year but I think this makes the most sense to bring him back and draft not a replacement but a complement that could eventually take over. Give him 3yrs 45 million move the 20 million dollar void out and gain 10 mill a year on the cap. Yeah we will pay down the line but it will still be 10 mill per vs 20 mill at once.
3. Braden Mann - 2yrs 6 million. He as really good as punter this year. That gives him a 100% raise off of this year. 1 void year, 2 mill on the cap
4. Marcus Epps - Blankenship is going to get a good pay day. I honestly think the Eagles are better off bringing back Epps at 3 mill per year on a 2yr deal than. He played really well and is just not going to cost much to bring back. Teaming him with Mukuba and drafting another safety is a cost effective way of making this team better. 2 mill cap hit.
5. Fred Johnson - This is where Fred Belongs. Give him 2yrs 6 mill with a void. 2 mill cap hit. Nice raise for him to help transition to a rookie we draft at RT or if Lane does come back he is valuable insurance.
That takes up about 13-15 mill of your cap. Reserve money for the rookies and you probably have another 15 mill or so to go get upgrades. Now where. Well this is where I am focusing
1. Center - Either in the draft or in free agency we have to getting a 1A starter. If you are going to be a running team, Center is a huge part of it. We simply can't have another year of Jurgens leading the league in whiff blocks. I think this is the most needed spot on the offensive line, Yes we need a RT and I think we are definitely going to draft one of those as high as round 1. Bringing back Fred helps there to.
2. Tight End - We need a blocking tight end in the worst way. We need a Charlie Woerner type. What is Jack Stoll up to these days
3. Slot Receiver - Dotson is not going to come back. Can't say I blame him, when he was called upon he caught the ball but you simply can't not include guys like him in the offense. I think this is more of a Zacheus type. Maybe Cooper is the guy , Maybe Wilson comes back and is the guy. Either way this is a need. If they are punt returner to even better. This could be another draft pick or draft pick and sign one.
4. Defensive Tackle - We need a bigger DT in the Jordan Davis mold. When Davis isn't in there, teams could run up the middle. Basically a run stuffer. An upgrade over Byron Young.
5. Defensive Backs - It was obvious in the Washington game our depth in the defensive backfield is not very good. We are going to need a starter at the corner opposite of Mitchel. I think this could be a big free agent signing here. A guy like Cordale Flout, Greg Newsome, even a name like Montaric Brown. Fix the front line CB position in FA. Then go back into the draft and draft more depth. I like McWilliams but after that we don't have anything.
6. Safety - Already talked about Epps, he and Mukuba could make a nice pair. After that though we have nothing. I can't sit through another year of Sydney Penalty Brown. I think a free agent (much like Epps was) plus a draft pick should be used here.
7. Kicker - If we wait to cut Elliot until after June 1st its only a 2.1 mill cap hit. Before that its a 5 mill hit. They need to find a better kicker who can kick for distance. Maybe it its a rookie free agent. Howie seems to have a knack for finding kickers no one every heard of .
Overall this roster is still pretty strong even if we lose most of our free agents (which we won't) As much as I love Nakobe Dean he just can't stay healthy. We need to tweak this team in the offseason. Its not a tear down its not even a retool, its a reload. I probably will get into more of whom they should exactly go after later. Its too early and the season isn't done. I just think there is much hope that this team can make another deep run next year. I mean its every other year right?
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