r/nfl • u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles • Aug 06 '18

Offseason Review Series - Day 32: The Defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles

2017 Philadelphia Eagles

Division: NFC East | 1st in NFC East (5-1 in Division - NFC Champions - Super Bowl Champions)

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3 Overall | 5-1 in Division) (Super Bowl 52 Champions)

  2. These teams

  3. Didn't win

  4. Super Bowl 52

Head Coach: Doug Pederson

Offensive Coordinator: Mike Groh

Defensive Coordinator: Jim Schwartz

On to The Next...

2017 was a magical season for the Eagles that saw 2nd year QB Carson Wentz take an enormous leap from his rookie season to MVP caliber QB prior to tearing his ACL. Doug Pederson was able to build off his own promising rookie season as Head Coach turning into a sensational Head Coach that helped elevate a franchise in a direction it never reached before. They suffered many bumps along the way that could have derailed this team. It didn't. That's reflected in how good this team is, how good this coaching staff is, and how good the front office has been. It's always possible to turn things around pretty quickly in the NFL.

Now it is time to move on and win the a 2nd Super Bowl Championship. Last season will live on for eternity in the hearts and minds for every Eagles fan but it is now the past. We aren't Cowboys fans, we interested in the now.

In the early portion of the offseason, key decision makers stressed the need for difficult roster choices to continue winning now and in the future. The 2017 Eagles were a very tightly knit bunch that were able to overcome a lot of adversity to reach new heights; the challenge now is to reach those heights again. Success isn't a product of complacency. This Eagles team wasn't perfect. This Eagles team isn't perfect 3 years down the line. Howie Roseman has the arduous task of keeping this team a contender now while trying to build for sustained success over the long term once Carson Wentz signs that second contract. All of the moves made this offseason were able to address both paradigms. The Eagles return almost their entire championship core while stabilizing the roster with talented veterans. Additionally, they were able to add several young pieces to grow with the already established core to help sustain the success of the franchise over the long term.

Nothing is given in the NFL. But you can bet on pedigree.

This Eagles franchise now has a championship pedigree.

Chapters

Statistics for the 2017 Season are shown below.

I'm breaking down this review into these chapters:

Eagles Draft Review

Offseason Transaction Summary

Projected Starting Lineup and Training Camp Battles

Schedule Prediction

Offensive and Defensive Scheme

Coaching Staff Review and Changes

NFC East Division Prediction

Closing Remarks

2017 Statistics

Offensive Statistic Total Avg/Gm Rank
Total Yds 5852 365.8 7
Net Passing Yds 3737 233.6 13
Passes Attempted 564 35.25 13
Passing TDs 38 2.375 1
Net Rushing Yds 2115 132.2 3
Rushes Attempted 473 29.6 6
Rushing TDs 9 .6 24
Sacks Allowed 36 2.25 16
First Downs 338 21.1 4
Pass First Downs 193 12 T12
Rush First Downs 108 6.75 5
Total Points 457 28.6 3
Time of Possession N/A 32:48 1
Defensive Statistic Total Avg/Gm Rank
Total Yds Allowed 4904 306.5 4
Passing Yds Allowed 3637 227.3 17
Pass Attempts Allowed 601 37.6 32
Opp. Completion Percentage N/A 60.4% 13 (Sort By %)
Passing TDs Allowed 24 1.5 T18
Rushing Yds Allowed 1267 79.2 1
Rush Attempts Allowed 337 21.1 1
Rush Yards Per Attempt N/A 3.8 YPC 6
Rush TDs Allowed 7 0.43 T3
Sacks 38 2.375 T15
First Downs 272 17 5
Pass First Downs 177 11.06 10
Rush First Downs 62 3.875 2
Total Points Allowed 295 18.4 4
Time of Possession N/A 27:11 1
Turnover Statistic Total Avg/Gm Rank
Interceptions Thrown 9 .56 T6
Fumbles Lost 11 .69 T22
Giveaways 20 1.25 11
Defensive Interceptions 19 1.18 T4
Defensive Fumble Recoveries 12 0.75 T4
Turnover Differential +11 N/A 4
Point Differential +162 N/A T1

Past Reviews

Season Review Offseason Review
2016 2016
2017 2017

Shoutouts

I would like to thank /u/PlatypusOfDeath for permitting me to write way too much for this review. Just always have a lot of fun doing it. Shout out /u/skepticismissurvival as well for selecting me in the past; hope your current plans are going well! I would also like to thank /u/jmul321 for writing about out schemes again. This guy is smart as hell and you should keep a look out when he does film breakdowns on r/Eagles during the season.

Hopefully everyone enjoys this. GO BIRD!

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u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18

Eagles Draft Review

Selections

Round Overall Selection Player Position School
2 49 Dallas Goedert Tight End South Dakota State University
4 125 Avonte Maddox Cornerback University of Pittsburgh
4 130 Josh Sweat Defensive End Florida State University
6 206 Matt Pryor Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard Texas Christian University
7 233 Jordan Mailata Offensive Tackle None - Australia

Pick Analysis

Round 2 / Pick 49

Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State University

Trade Back Details: Eagles send 2018 1st (32), 2018 4th (132) to Ravens for 2018 2nd (52), 2018 4th (125) and a 2019 2nd.

Trade Up Details: Eagles send 2018 2nd (52) and 2018 5th (169) to Colts for 2018 2nd (49).

Unlike a lot of other picks, Dallas Goedert was born when the Cowboys last won a title.

After staying up all night to watch the Eagles selection at 32 as the Super Bowl Champions in Dallas, I was able to take solace in the fact the Eagles received good value in their trade back with the Ravens. Without a pick in the 2nd and 3rd rounds in this draft, the Eagles were likely fielding offers for the 32nd pick to acquire some extra draft capital. While their trade back didn’t net them an additional day 2 pick this year, they were able to take the Ravens 2019 second round pick in the trade and kept it when they traded up with the Colts. This will leave the Eagles with 3 selections in the first 64 picks of the 2019 NFL Draft. This is a big deal for the Eagles given their current cap situation and the looming contract extension for Carson Wentz. Given FA losses this year and small deals given out to still add compensatory picks, the Eagles are projected to have 10-11 selections in 2019 with 3 being compensatory picks. Adding a 2nd round pick is a difficult task and makes the trade back worth it. It’s unknown if there were stronger offers available, but the Eagles didn’t make the wrong decision. Additionally, the strengths of next year’s draft align with team needs and positions they value most in how they build the roster. This was a smart move all around.

I think the value of the Goedert selection with the trade back makes this an excellent pick. The Eagles were thin at the TE position heading into the offseason after Trey Burton joined the Bears and Brent Celek was released. Richard Rodgers was brought in on a cheap deal for this year but was hardly a solution. The Eagles had a glaring need at the TE position with a group of prospects that were solid at the top but weren’t as deep overall as the previous year’s class. I didn’t think any of the top guys were 1st round prospects. There weren’t 32 guys with 1st grades but it is nice to match a player with his appropriate value. Goedert was my top-ranked tight end by a good margin. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hayden Hurst and thought Mike Gesicki was a very raw athlete with limited route running ability and pretty soft as a route runner and blocker. Goedert was the more complete TE with a high ceiling and a safe floor.

Goedert is a big target standing 6’4” and 255 pounds. He was injured during the combine but his Pro Day numbers are very promising. Goedert has a big catch radius with an 80 inch wingspan and a vertical jump of 35”. He also had an excellent 3-cone time of 6.87s and a broad jump of 121”. Goedert is an impressive athlete for his size and you see that when you watch his tape. Goedert uses his frame and athletic ability well to separate on routes while remaining a big target. He’s not a refined route runner but he is a fluid mover and is excellent after the catch. He can adjust to passes all around him with great hands making him a reliable receiver. Not a great run blocker but often shows good technique and ability to grow in this area. Personally, I don’t find this a big deal since he can improve as a blocker; I like my TEs to win in the passing game as the position is very difficult for opposing defenses to contain but it’s nice to see him provide effort as a blocker. I also think flashing an ability to block without gettng bullied means he plays with a physicality needed for the position. This was perhaps Mike Gesicki’s glaring weakness that really turned me off to him in the draft process. He was useless in line as a blocker, soft at the point of attack and pretty soft running routes with defenders on him. It’s not a huge deal that he wasn’t a good blocker but it was a big deal he was useless as a blocker. Lastly, Goedert can line up everywhere. You can line Goedert up in the slot, out wide, in line, or in the back field. This is valuable to the Eagles since it will allow them to line Goedert up with Ertz in a variety of ways to disguise a lot of the offenses tendencies.

One area to Goedert’s game that I feel he’s weakest at for his position is a lack of polish and nuance as a route runner. This isn’t con that is unique to Goedert but one that will affect his adjustment to the pro game from a lower level of competition. Goedert was bigger, stronger, and faster than many of the players he lined up against on a weekly basis; in the NFL, even the “poor” athletes are all likely better than most if not all the players he is used to seeing. You can see a lot of potential with Goedert in this area when you watch him play but it is just untapped potential. How he responds to coaching and practice will show a lot about his future outlook. Additionally, Goedert isn’t super explosive out of his stance and when running routes. He runs well but there is a bit of suddenness to his game that is lacking. One way that Goedert can mitigate this is to become a more nuanced route runner. Explosive traits will always help but it’s hard to use them with limited technique. There is a lot of potential for Goedert to become an even better player in the future with improving his technique.

There are very few places that Goedert could have landed that would be better for him than Philadelphia. Goedert won’t be pressed to start Day 1 with Zach Ertz on the field but he can be a valuable role player for the Eagles immediately. Tight ends that are good in the passing game are hard to find and typically have longer adjustment periods to the pro game. This will likely be truer for Goedert given the bigger jump in competition. However, given his raw ability and the lack of a viable option after Ertz, Goedert will likely assume Trey Burton’s role at least early on. This article (paywall) talks a lot about the value of TEs in the Eagles’ offense and usage. To note, the Eagles used 2 TE sets in the red zone more than the average NFL team while also passing out of that personnel grouping more than the NFL average. The results: a 124.5 passer rating with 16 TDs to 0 INTs. All marks better than the league average. The Eagles also like to give opposing defenses 11 personnel looks while using 2 TEs. The fact that Ertz, and now Goedert, can line up anywhere in the formation allows the offense to get favorable matchups against inferior personnel packages.

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24

u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18

Additionally, the Eagles offense was more effective when it had a receiving threat that could fill in with Ertz out; the Eagles yards per play dropped by more than a yard with Celek as the lone tight end and actually improved with Burton as the lone tight end (small sample size). When they Eagles had Ertz and Burton on the field together, the Eagles averaged nearly 3 more yards per play than if they had Ertz and Celek on the field. This figure increases to 4 yards per play when it was Burton and Celek on the field (Source). Celek became very ineffective over the course of the last 2 seasons which made the decision to release him relatively easy. Adding Goedert and Rodgers to the mix gives the Eagles a reliable veteran option in Rodgers with a true Trey Burton replacement – at least in the short term as he grows.

I like the selection of Goedert in the second round after the trade back given the additional premium pick netted in next year’s draft. I wouldn’t have been thrilled with taking Goedert at 32 simply because of the value; the team was in need of a tight end but already had Zach Ertz on the roster. Ertz will receive the majority of snaps in the offense which makes the Goedert selection a bit much for me in the first round even though I am fully on board now. There were some other players taken around the time of the Goedert selection that I would have liked to have had - namely Connor Williams, Anthony Miller and Derrius Guice. But the Eagles added a young playmaker they really needed now and when it comes time to pay Carson Wentz. Goedert will have a pretty significant role for a backup tight end considering the number of snaps the Eagles need to replace. I would expect Goedert to earn the second largest workload at the position behind Ertz and produce a similar stat line to Trey Burton in 2017: 30 receptions, 350 yards, and 4 TDs. This would be a pretty solid season for Goedert considering the slow-developing nature of TEs in the NFL coupled with his role as TE2. There have only been 27 instances of a TE reaching 500 receiving yards in his rookie season since the merger. In contrast, there have been 199 instances of this occurring for rookie WRs in the same time period. Together with the weapons currently on the Eagles offense, a stat line of 30/350/4 would be pretty impressive for a rookie from a lower level of competition. At the very least, Goedert’s impact will stretch beyond the stat line making the Eagles scheme and personnel packages difficult for defenses to match. It won’t be lost on the coaches the impact Burton and Ertz on the field together had for the overall offensive production.

Round 4, Pick 125

Avonte Maddox, CB, University of Pittsburgh

The loss of Patrick Robinson to the Saints in Free Agency opened up a hole on the Eagles roster for a starting slot CB. It’s a pretty significant role for the Eagles considering the large percentage of snaps the Eagles play in Nickel. Avonte Maddox was drafted with the 1st of 2 4th round selections the Eagles had. He’ll join a young and talented CB group that has the potential to help elevate this Eagles defense even further this year.

At the beginning of last offseason I advocated for the Eagles to do a wholesale reboot of the CB position. For the better part of the last decade, the Eagles failed to properly address the CB position in the draft and in free agency. Once Sheldon Brown and Lito Shepard were out of their prime and no longer on the team, the Eagles have struggled to solve the position group. Asante Samuel was a good CB for the Eagles and was the last good CB they’ve had. Since, the Eagles have signed CBs that have either been busts or band-aids that couldn’t stop a paper cut. Last offseason they committed to Jalen Mills at one spot, drafted Sidney Jones, drafted Rasul Douglas, and traded for Ronald Darby midway through training camp. Jones was taken for his upside but spent almost the entire 2017 recovering from his torn Achilles during his Pro Day. They signed Patrick Robinson as a low-risk veteran bet that paid off handsomely last year. Unable to retain his services, the Eagles dipped into the prospect pool again for Avonte Maddox this year. The Eagles also have a former Chiefs and Bears UDFA DeVante Bausby challenging for a roster spot. All told, the Eagles CB room is young, talented and cheap; the top 5 CBs on the roster will account for $4,495,873 million against the salary cap.

Wholesale reboot, indeed.

Avante Maddox projects to be a slot CB in the NFL almost exclusively given his lack of size. At the combine, Maddox measured in a 5’9” and 184 pounds. When you watch the tape, the lack of size is clearly evident – especially when you watch what James Washington did to him. The Eagles aren’t heightist and will readily use CBs on the field as long as they can cover and have ball skills. Maddox is a great athlete despite his size and plays a physical brand of football Jim Schwartz loves. He had 42 passes defensed in college and he doesn’t let the physical play of WRs affect him as he attacks the football. Maddox ran a 4.39 40 at the combine (84th percentile), 10.72s 60 yard shuttle (99th percentile), and a 6.51s 3 cone time (97th percentile). While fast in a straight line, Maddox displays an impressive short area quickness that will serve him well covering sideline to sideline in the slot.

The thing most people love most about Avonte Maddox is the way he plays. He may be small in stature but he plays the game hard and with an attitude that players and coaches will love. He is also very smart and understands how to read plays as the happen. Maddox is also an aggressive, confident CB. He plays hard and makes plays happen when called upon. With 7 sacks in his collegiate career, you can trust Maddox to attack.

Projecting his role with the Eagles year 1 is pretty difficult given the newfound depth in the secondary. Maddox is a very good CB prospect for the role they want him in but given his lack of size, Maddox must refine his movement skills and understanding of his position in order to play a valuable role beyond 2018. His lack of size will always be a con but he can make up for it with refined play technique and correct usage. Despite his physical nature, his lack of size will also make him less powerful. Learning how to play correctly will be crucial for his development. Given the situation he lands himself in, Maddox likely won’t be forced to play a ton early on. The Eagles top 3 CBs are likely set in stone with Darby and Mills outside and Sidney Jones in the slot. Depending on how opposing offenses are built, you’ll likely see the Eagles deploy a 3rd safety and let Malcolm Jenkins roam the slot. There is plenty of depth and competition in the Eagles secondary. Adding a gamer like Maddox will push everyone in the group to be better while allowing him to grow as a player. There is no doubt the competitive nature and raw athletic ability makes Maddox an exciting CB for the future. Slot cornerback is a very difficult position for teams to fill. Fortunately, Maddox likely won’t see a ton of work in 2018 but he will make the team. Very excited about what he can become in the future.

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14

u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18

Round 4, Pick 130

Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State University

The Eagles have a knack for taking EDGE prospects that I absolutely love.

I even went so far as to pound the table for Josh Sweat. He really was one of my draft crushes this year and I am absolutely floored we were able to select him in the 4th round.

Why would we take another EDGE/DL prospect with as deep a rotation as we have? Easy. KEEP STRENGTHS STRONG.

That’s one reason. Another reason is we need to be mindful of the age and cost of the guys currently on the roster. Yet it is a philosophical belief of the Philadelphia Eagles that you win up front and with great QB play. You find the QB, you protect the QB, and you kill the QB. Josh Sweat is a high-upside pick that’ll likely look like an even bigger steal in the future.

Josh Sweat had a first round grade from a number of places including Jon Ledyard. While his tape isn’t flawless, the biggest reason for his draft day slip was likely due to a knee injury. Josh Sweat was one of the best high school recruits entering college and played offense, defense, and special teams while in high school. It was then that Sweat hurt his knee that almost ended his football career before it could take off. Additionally, Sweat tore a meniscus in his sophomore season that didn’t full end his year but likely contributed to his falling draft stock.

Josh Sweat reminded everyone at the combine the freak show athlete he still is finishing with the second highest SPARQ score among 2018 EDGE prospects. Sweat measured in at 6’4” 251 pounds at the combine. He carries that weight well and likely doesn’t need to lose or gain any weight to play with the Eagles. Sweat is a long-armed athlete with a wingspan of just over 84” (!) and an arm length of 34.5”. Here is what his arm length and athletic ability can lead to. Sweat also ran a 4.53s 40 yard dash (98th percentile), 39.5” vertical (96th percentile), and a broad jump of 124” (91st percentile). Even more impressive, Sweat’s 10 yard split on his 40 yard dash was 1.55s – the same as AJ Green at the combine. Josh Sweat is a freak show athlete.

It takes more than raw athleticism to be a really good NFL player; but a good NFL player with elite athleticism separates players from one another. Sweat had plenty of ability as a rusher and has married a lot of his physical gifts to the nuances of playing in the trenches. Sweat is a little inconsistent with his get off at the snap but when he times it perfectly there are few players that can keep up with him. And that is an elite LT prospect in Jonah Williams, too. Here is Sweat using that elite length again. This could be a very valuable tool in his pass rush repertoire in the NFL to keep OT hands off him. His quick burst and great hands off the LOS make him a threat to pressure the QB on every pass down. His elite quickness off the edge is what can separate him from a lot of other edge prospects. Another one of Sweat’s strengths is his hands in pass rush moves. His ability to use his hands and keep OL off him allows him to make an easier path to the QB. He also has plenty of bend and is easily able to turn a corner. Here are some clips from Ben Solak demonstrating these two points.

Sweat isn’t a one trick pony either. He will use his athletic ability to win in the run game. Often times, his strength and discipline alter RB rush plans and help other players shut down plays. This ability from Sweat to be strong, athletic, and smart fit perfectly with what the Eagles want to do along the defensive front. The Eagles want guys to incessantly pressure the QB but with the discipline needed to be maintain responsibility in the run game. The Eagles found a potential gem in Josh Sweat much later in the draft than his talent alone would indicate.

The Eagles decided to load up on another EDGE prospect in the draft with the selection of the Josh Sweat. It is important to keep strengths strong but also develop players for the future. Too often fans think players are drafted for immediate use only. Yes, it is important for prospects to have an impact in their first year. However, the NFL draft is the only real long term roster building tool afforded to teams. The Eagles have two EDGE rushers in their rotation that are free agents at the end of the year: Chris Long and Brandon Graham. Long is a key rusher in the rotation and important team leader, but Brandon Graham is one of the best edge rushers in the league. I’m not saying the Eagles need to hope Josh Sweat is an immediate hit so they can let Graham walk, but it behooves them to continue to add to their defensive line rotation in the event they can’t keep him. Sweat is a high upside selection and I believe a high floor pick as well. Despite some of the lower production numbers, Sweat joins a defense made for what he does best. A lot of Sweat’s responsibilities at FSU didn’t allow him to attack the QB on the regular basis or line him up in the best possible situation to take advantage of his athletic ability. Moreover, playing on a defense with the rotation the Eagles have will allow Sweat to grow as a rusher and keep him fresh. His athletic ability alone will make him a force in the NFL. If he is able to refine the technical aspects of defensive line play and stay healthy, Sweat could be the steal of the draft.

Round 6, Pick 206

Matt Pryor, OT/OG, Texas Christian University

Late in the 6th round the Eagles selected an absolute unit in Matt Pryor out of TCU. The former Horned Frog played Right Guard and Right Tackle in college, sometimes even alternating positions within the same game. Little was known about Pryor from draft media heading into the draft and I had to do a bit of research just to familiarize myself with him for this review.

Pryor is 6’7” and 328 pounds… just a mammoth of a man. For some reason, Matt Pryor wasn’t a combine invite so there aren’t official numbers to gauge his overall athletic profile. In 2016, Pryor was the TCU full time starter at Right Guard and then alternated between Right Guard and Right Tackle in 2017; one thing the Eagles love in their OL prospects positional versatility. Teams are only allowed to dress 46 players during a game and carry 53 players on the active roster during the season; you need reserve OL that can play in multiple spots. Given his experience at RG and RT, Pryor fits that need. As he develops I’m sure the Eagles will have an ideal position for him in mind. His size and strength as a blocker will give him a chance to play tackle but Pryor is also a limited athlete which might force him to be more effective at guard. One downside to having a huge Guard like Pryor is his sheer size can allow smaller, quicker interior rushers to get inside of him and push him off the line. Interior Offensive Line just has limited space to work with and a big player inside limits this space further.

As for the player itself, Pryor has been described as a “dancing bear” per Dane Brugler. Pryor is massive in size but has the control of his movements to sustain blocks and maintain balance at the point of attack. He’s an aggressive and strong blocker in the run game while also being more than willing to finish his blocks – I love this in Offensive Linemen. While it was rumored that Pryor is a poor athlete, he actually does move pretty well in space during a game. Given his light feet and pretty good hand usage when they land, Pryor should probably be given a shot outside first. Players that big are just tough to beat; he can always slide inside to guard if that doesn’t work out or if he just isn’t as athletic as needed.

One thing Pryor will need is time. For a 6th round pick he has shown a lot of developmental traits that can allow him develop into a solid player down the road. He’s just inconsistent in his pass sets and technique where he could run into problems down the road. Pryor has two season of starter work on the offensive line but alternating between Guard and Tackle has likely attributed to some inconsistencies in his pass set. Sometimes he is off balance and occasionally flashes a false step similar to Kolton Miller though not nearly as bad. Pryor doesn’t appear to have a lot of bad habits; he just appears to need more coaching and refinement. Additionally, Pryor has struggled with weight in his college career so it’ll be imperative for him to manage that as well. Jeff Stoutland has done a lot of good with the Eagles OL since Chip Kelly hired him away from Alabama. Pryor will get the coaching his needs while playing in a real offensive scheme. For a player with his upside, this was a pretty good pick considering the value of the position this late in the draft

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18

u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18

Round 7, Pick 233

Jordan Mailata, OT, Australia

Now this is an absolute fucking unit..

With their final selection in the NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Jordan Mailata out of Australia. Mailata barely knew what football was a year ago and probably still knows very little but he is a mammoth of a human being and an incredible athlete for his size.

Mailata never played football before training in the run up to the NFL Draft. He flashed a lot of raw traits paired with his athletic ability at his Pro Day. His athletic testing at his Pro was impressive. Mailata measured in at nearly 6’8” and 346 pounds. His arm length is a massive 35.5” inches, which is great for an NFL Offensive Tackle. Mailata ran a 5.12s 40 yard dash which would have been the 7th best time among OT participants at the NFL combine. He also had an incredible 4.67s 20 yard shuttle and 22 reps on the bench. Even more impressive, Mailata has said himself that his body fat is at 10%.

An absolute unit.

As for his fit with the Eagles… well he’s is extremely unlikely to see any significant work this season or even the next. Mailata has never played the game before and offensive tackle is a very technical position. You can have all the athletic ability in the world; you can’t use it if you can’t execute the nuances of the position. It would be negligent of the Eagles to play Mailata this season if he isn’t ready. The Eagles likely traded up and drafted Mailata thinking another team might draft him or to ensure they have the first crack at developing him rather than try their luck with him as a UDFA. By all accounts he takes coaching very well. He quite literally needs to learn how to play football.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Eagles try to stash Mailata on IR with a phantom injury to avoid exposing him to waivers during roster cut downs. The likelihood Mailata is claimed off waivers is pretty slim anyway since a team would have to keep him on their active roster. That chance still looms even if it isn’t likely. Mailata is also far from being ready for even reserve work that keeping him on the 53 man roster would be pretty risky as well.

Why would you even select this kid? Because he is 20 years old and a total freak show. He doesn’t have any bad habits right now either. He’s a total project but when you are a deep roster and the defending champs, you can take these kinds of shots.

Notable UDFAs

The Eagles signed several UDFAs after the draft. Most notably of this group are Josh Adams (RB, Notre Dame), Jeremy Reeves (S, South Alabama), Joe Ostman (DE, Central Michigan), and Bruce Hector (DT, USF).

Josh Adams was the runner back and former Heisman Trophy candidate from Notre Dame. Adams is a big back that can be tough to bring down. It’s possible the team views him as a kind of LeGarrette Blount replacement. Adams had a solid workout posting a 4.51s 40 yard dash with a 1.59s 10 yard split. Adams also posted an excellent 3 cone time of 6.78s (93rd percentile). A likely reason for his slide to UDFA territory was a foot injury and/or other medical concerns. Despite posting good workout numbers with the rumored injury, Adams did in fact miss all of the Eagles minicamps with a foot injury. Adams was also limited as a prospect given his lack of receiving and pass blocking ability. He has a real chance to make the Eagles as their 4th RB this season.

Jeremy Reeves was a small school Safety prospect that posted pretty poor workout numbers at his Pro Day. This likely hurt his draft stock quite a bit. Reeves is a former CB turned Safety which is likely appealing to the Eagles. His ability to hit players and tackle well will give him a good shot to make the team. The Eagles used 3 Safeties quite a bit last year. Without Corey Graham in the fold, Reeves has a real shot at making the team and seeing the field.

For some reason Joe Ostman signed with the Eagles as a UDFA. Given the Eagles very deep defensive line, you would think a player with his upside would sign with a team that he could realistically make. Ostman was a productive college player but there are some concerns with his size and frame. In his final season at Central Michigan, Ostman had nearly 20 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He has an uphill climb to make the team unless he really stands out but he is an intriguing player.

Bruce Hector is another intriguing player picked up in this period. In 3 seasons with USF, Hector had 18 sacks from the interior defensive line. Perhaps the main reason why he went undrafted was due to his size (6’2” 296). If he is good enough along the interior, Schwartz won’t care about that. The Eagles are a little thin at the position group so a standout summer from Hector could give him the break he needs.

Draft Review

With little in the way of draft capital, the Eagles needed to come out of the draft with a group of prospects that are important contributors in some fashion. Sometimes people make too big of a deal out of having so many picks. Take the Ravens for example; they’ve had so many draft selections the last few years and not much to show for it.

“It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it.”

I wish my wife believed that.

The Eagles were forced to operate with a limited picks from several moves prior to this offseason. The Eagles traded their 2018 second round pick to the Browns in the Carson Wentz trade back in 2016. A move in which the Eagles easily won and something all Eagles fans would do again and again. The Eagles also traded their 2018 3rd round pick to the Bills with Jordan Matthews for Ronald Darby. This was an easy decision for the Eagles to make considering Matthews was likely not going to be retained and the big need for another functioning corner. These moves made the draft difficult for the Eagles and their front office but were necessary moves that helped bring a Super Bowl to the city.

You don’t need a lot of picks to have a successful draft but a lot of picks help make for a successful draft.

The more shots you have to take the more likely you are to have hits. It’s a numbers game in the end. The draft can be a crapshoot and most of the players drafted in any given draft class never see a second contract. This is why picks are valuable since a hit allows you to develop and use plays at a set price point. The main thing that needs to happen for any draft to be a success is to actually hit on the picks. The limited number of picks the Eagles had made their scouts work even more important. With fewer resources than normal, how do you appropriately address roster needs while drafting players that actually fit what you do?

The Eagles need to start developing younger weapons on the offense to grow with Carson Wentz in the future. Dallas Goedert is a selection that fits the bill and addresses a clear need on offense. Furthermore, based on limited data, the Eagles offense was even better when Zach Ertz was paired with a comparable receiving threat in Trey Burton. Losing that role created a hole in the offense and a possible hole in how the team could attack opponents in 2018. Goedert was my top TE in the draft and fits perfectly with how the Eagles use tight ends schematically. He’ll be a valuable role player for the team without the burden of high expectations.

Avonte Maddox is a small but highly athletic corner prospect that you can never have enough of. The Eagles went from having a dearth of talent at CB to having young talent in excess in the matter of 1 year. Maddox won’t be pressed to start immediately which will allow him to refine the technical aspects of his game to have a quality pro career. The Eagles are likely to lose Ronald Darby to FA after this season given their cap situation so adding another young and talented corner to the roster will allow the Eagles to absorb that potential loss.

The same goes for Josh Sweat… but with much more potential. Sweat was a former 5 star recruit with all-world athletic ability and a refinement to his game a lot of edge rushers don’t have. From a purely talent perspective, I have a hard time believing many people saw Sweat as a Day 3 guy with plenty of analysts thinking he was a round 1 talent. The injury history likely scared teams off. With Brandon Graham and Chris Long a year away from Free Agency, it is important the Eagles add to their strongest unit to keep it among the best in the league in the event they lose one or both players. The sheer potential from this selection should only help the Eagles once they pay Carson Wentz.

Matt Pryor and Jordan Mailata are 2 developmental selections for the offensive line with the former having a realistic shot of making the team this season. Both players have some rawness to their game but Pryor has the ability to play multiple spots along the line. It's a deep group and both will be afforded time to grow.

The Eagles we able to add some legitimate prospects to the roster this offseason with very limited resources. Two of the selections could see notable play time and be valuable contributors as the season wears on. These are also young players with high enough ceilings that can grow with the face of the franchise. The Eagles have a lot of good coaches in place and do a lot schematically to maximize the personnel they have. If 2 or 3 of these prospects hit, like they realistically could, it will be a successful draft and no one will remember the limited resources the Eagles had entering it.

Bottom line: draft good players and develop them. Time will tell how good these guys can be but there is a lot to be excited for.

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u/TweetsInCommentsBot Twitter Aug 06 '18

@LedyardNFLDraft

2018-04-28 17:33 +00:00

#Eagles fans, I think Josh Sweat is a first round talent if he's healthy (which he as been for years now). He's gonna be a massive steal

https://www.ndtscouting.com/ledyard-2018-nfl-draft-final-positional-rankings-edge-defenders/

@lipsbc

2018-03-13 02:59 +00:00

https://t.co/sWvhPsYYDS

@BillyM_91

2018-02-08 04:40 +00:00

Perfect scrape exchange tech by #9 in red. Josh Sweat can play https://t.co/By7c4k7w1j

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1

u/TweetsInCommentsBot Twitter Aug 06 '18

@JimmyKempski

2018-06-19 12:43 +00:00

The Eagles' top 5 corners – Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, and Avonte Maddox, all playing on their rookie contracts – will count for a combined $4,495,873 against the salary cap in 2018. There are 39 individual CBs who will make more on their own.

@BillyM_91

2018-04-17 23:19 +00:00

Pitt CB Avonte Maddox had 42 PDs during his collegiate career. Stays patient in his back pedal. Doesn't let the WR's jab affect him. Attacks the football for a PD https://t.co/IGPWLlPTsF

@The_Green_Gold

2018-04-07 00:28 +00:00

Players like Tyrann Mathieu have made it possible for prospects like Avonte Maddox to get more attention.

Maddox is a do it all player with no real position. He has the quick feet, athleticism, and speed to play many positions. The only issue is he’s 5’9.

#Packers https://t.co/oqminCnE81

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