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Eagles Fans – Are You Ready To Become Swifties?

Placeholder Shilloutte User Image By John Kincade April 30th
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 11: D'Andre Swift #32 of the Detroit Lions plays against the Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field on September 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan.

Amongst all the hoopla of the NFL Draft, Howie Roseman once again decided that he was going to use draft capital to acquire a veteran talent who could make a big impact. Last season it was AJ Brown and this time around it is Deandre Swift returning home to Philadelphia. Every father in Philadelphia with a teenage daughter might get the joke. With apologies to Taylor Swift, the Eagles fan base is going to have its own version of the Swifties!

It was easy to see why Howie Roseman decided to make this move. He saw a BLANK SPACE in the running back room and didn’t want to be picking through the dumpster cuts in AUGUST to fill out his roster. As he looked to BEGIN AGAIN on crafting a championship caliber roster he saw DAYLIGHT and the opportunity to grab a player in the final year of his rookie deal. He looked at the running backs in the draft and had an EPIPHANY that for this roster with championship aspirations that this was the END GAME. Let’s be honest, this team needing another offensive weapon is the definition of CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS. Trying to stop this Eagles offense is going be like DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS. While that will bring HAPPINESS to Eagles fans and they may be looking at this roster as the fulfillment of their WILDEST DREAMS, without results it will just be another WOULD’VE, COULD’VE, SHOULD’VE season.

The Eagles are going to have huge expectations this year and the stink of the Super Bowl defeat is something they are going to have to learn to SHAKE IT OFF. IF THIS WAS A MOVIE the  team will not be HAUNTED by the past and will FOREVER AND ALWAYS look back fondly on 2022 and be FEARLESS in 2023. Howie Roseman is going to tell Nick Sirianni DON’T BLAME ME if this team falls short of expectations. Let’s go BACK TO DECEMBER and we know ALL TOO WELL that the Eagles had some emerging issues. LONG STORY SHORT the Eagles started to turn the ball over a lot and the injury to Jalen Hurts proved he wasn’t SUPERMAN. THE MOMENT I KNEW that they had a chance to win the NFC was when they got to 8-0 and they found CLOSURE that Sunday afternoon in January vs the 49ers. With the draft results the Eagles may just have a chance to get to FIFTEEN wins this season. The potential leaves you BREATHLESS. When they play the Chiefs later this season they will write a new chapter in the LOVE STORY between this city and its football team and this year they may be THE ONE.

This season we may be THE LUCKY ONE and considering the Joel Embiid injury situation you may be asking why THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS.

Based on his recent draft day trades, next year Howie is going to need a GETAWAY CAR because there is bound to be BAD BLOOD with other General Managers.

Tune in every day to The John Kincade Show, because YOU BELONG WITH ME.

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Tracking All The UDFAs Who Sign With The Eagles

The NFL Draft is over. The Eagles got quite a haul over the last several days. First, they took DT Jalen Carter, giving up a 4th round pick next year to get him. Then at the back of the first round, they reunited Jalen Carter with Edge Nolan Smith. The next day, they took OG Tyler Steen and S Sydney Brown. On day 3 they shocked us all by trading a 3rd round pick next year, to get to the top of the 4th to get yet another Georgia Bulldog, CB Kelee Ringo. They added D’Andre Swift via a trade. They went on to select Tanner McKee, and DT Moro Ojomo to round out their draft. But their work is not done. As now we get into the time period where they can sign UDFAs.

Just because someone is undrafted, does not mean someone is not good enough to make the team. We have seen in this city that even rookie UDFAs can make an impact. On the Super Bowl team, Corey Clement may have been their best RB. Last year Safety Reed Blankenship stepped in pretty well when CJ Gardner Johnson was injured. He may even be the starting Safety next year.

Besides Reed Blankenship, 3 other UDFAs made the roster last year. Britain Covey served as the return specialist. Josh Jobe as a backup corner, but did not see the field very much. Josh Sills made it as a backup Guard but is dealing with an upcoming trial after he was charged with rape late last season. So not exactly a guy who we want to celebrate making the roster. He is currently on the exempt list.

According to Dave Zangaro, there are 12 potential spots for UDFAs

So some of the names we hear joining the Eagles as UDFAs over the next 24 hours could not only make the team, they could make an impact on it this year. And you can keep track of all the names signing with the Eagles, along with learning a little bit about them, right here.

Here are the UDFAs confirmed to have signed with the Eagles:

  • Punter- Ty Zentner- Kansas State

    Punter was one of their biggest need after the draft. While it’s great that the biggest hole you can find on the team is the Punter, it was an issue that needed to be addressed. And they did just that, bringing in Ray Guy Award Semi-Finalist Ty Zentner out of Kansas State.

    Zentner had 27 punts land inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. For reference, Eagles Piunter Arryn Siposs had just 16. He boomed a 72-yard punt in one game this past season. Zenter also handled kicking duties for Kansas State, but given how good Jake Elliott has been, if he were to make the Eagles he likely only handle punting. But it would be nice to know that if Elliott gets hurt there is someone else on the roster with kicking experience.

    He would likely have to compete with Siposs for the spot. But given that Siposs ranked near the bottom of the league of every punting category, my money would be on Zentner to win that job.

  • WR- Joseph Ngata- Clemson

    The Eagles are also bringing in Joseph Ngata, a big WR out of Clemson.

    The former 5 -Star recruit was once seen as a future 1st round pick. But the production was never quite there at Clemson. He scored just 6 TDs across 4 seasons at Clemson, caught just 88 passes, and gained only 1.287 yards. 2022 was his most productive season, but even then that meant 526 yards and two TDs. Only twice in his career there did he gain over 100 yards in a game.

    But he did show some improvement over the past two seasons. Not enough to get him drafted, but enough to show there is something there. And the traits that once made him a highly sought-after recruit are still there. He will try to compete for one of the back end WR spots. But With AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Quez Watkins already there, that may only one spot is open.

  • OL- Trevor Reid- Louisville

    Next to join the ranks of the Eagles UDFA is the big Louisville Tackle, Trevor Reid. He is big, but he is also athletic. He posted the best performances across multiple tests among Offensive Linemen at the combine. He ran a 4.9 in the 40, had a 38″ vertical, and a 10-foot 4-inch broad jump. On the field, he helped anchor an offense that was top 25 in rushing yards. He also gave up just 3 sacks and 2 QB hits across 314 pass-block snaps.

    He will have to compete for one of the backup tackle jobs. Jack Driscoll has the main job as swing tackle wrapped up. Eagles reportedly see Tyler Steen at Guard, so that could open up a spot for another Tackle.

  • CB- Eli Ricks- Alabama

    Last year the Eagles shopped at Bama for UDFA Cornerbacks, bringing in Josh Jobe. This year, they went to that well again. They have signed Bama Corner Eli Ricks. He is also another former 5-Star recruit that the Eagles snagged after he went undrafted.

    He started his career at LSU and looked like a future first-round pick pulling in 4 interceptions, returning 2 for TDs, and getting All-Freshman honors. But his last two seasons were marred by injuries. He started just 6 games for LSU in 2021 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. The next year he transferred to Bama, playing in 9 games and starting in 5. But he missed several games in the middle of the season with another injury.

    But when he did play, he was pretty lockdown in coverage. In fact, he allowed zero TDs. At 6’2″ with 32 3/8″ arms, he has good size and length to compete with taller WRs. It is now a very crowded CB room. Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox, Greedy Williams, Kelee Ringo, and Josh Jobe. But he should have a chance to compete for that last spot with Jobe. If not that he could earn a practice squad spot assuming no one else picks him up.

  • TE-Brady Russell- Colorado

    Some expected the Eagles to draft a TE at some point, but they never did. So instead they add one as a UDFA. They brought in Brady Russel out of Colorado. There is some room for any Tight Ends added to break through. Dallas Goedert is obviously locked in. But neither Grant Calcaterra or Jack Stoll have played so well that they have a spot locked in. And Tyree Jackson has never been healthy enough to prove him self.

    If you are looking for him to be a dangerous weapon in the passing game, you will not get that. In 5 years at Colorado he gained just 799 total yards and 3 TDs. He has some surprising athleticism, but that never translated into being a natural pass catcher or route runner in College. What he did bring to the table was blocking. Russel; gave up just 2 sacks and 13 pressures. Maybe they intend to turn him into and Offensive lineman.

    Brady’s uncle Matt Russel is the Eagles senior personnel director.

     

  • CB- Mekhi Garner- LSU

    The second corner the Eagles have added as a UDFA, and 3rd added draft weekend overall. All 3 came from SEC schools. The latest is Mekhi Garner out of LSU. Though Garner started his College Career at Louisiana, and only transferred to LSu this past season to play with new head coach Brian Kelly.

    Garner falling out of the draft makes a bit more sense than Ricks falling did. His Sophomore year was phenomenal. In 2020 he hauled in 3 interceptions and allowed a QB rating against of just 29.1. it has been a struggle since then though. Zero interceptions in the past two seasons, and in both seasons he allowed a Qb rating against of over 80. Garner has good size but lacks elite speed to make up space if he gets beat. Most draft experts claimed he lacked good footwork too. They also said that while he is powerful, he needs to improve his tackling.

    With so many great corners competing in that room for limited jobs, it could be hard for Garner to crack the roster.

  • LB- Ben VanSumeren- Michigan State

    Linebacker is another position where a UDFA would have a decent chance to break through. Nakobe Dean and Nicholas Morrow are locked in. But Christian Ellis, Shaun Bradley, and Davion Taylor are not exactly guaranteed a roster spot.

    In comes Ben VanSumeren, a freaky athlete at LB out of Michigan State. His combine made him stand out, putting up some of the top numbers among LBs at each test. What made him fall is what he did on the field. Last year he was decent as a run-stopper but struggled in pass coverage. Last season he allowed a passer rating against over 102.7. Though the year before it was 82.8.

    Still, with his athleticism. He makes for an interesting prospect that they could maybe develop.

  • WR- Jadon Haselwood- Arkansas

    The Eagles added another UDFA WR This time reuniting Jalen Hurts with a former weapon. Jadon Haselwood broke out a bit with Arkansas last year, gaining 702 yards and 3 TDs. But he spent the prior 3 seasons at Oklahoma, including with Jalen Hurts in 2019. During his freshman year catching passes from Jalen he gained 272 yards on 19 catches and a single TD.

    He is yet another former 5-star recruit, who eventually went undrafted after disappointing a bit in college. At one point he was called the next AJ Green, but never lived up to that hype. But that does not mean he isn’t an interesting prospect. he is a big-bodied WR with decent speed who is more than willing to go and get a ball, using his long arms and jumping ability to beat corners on contested catches. He led his team in TDs in each of the past two seasons.

    As said earlier, Brown, Smith, Zaccheaus, and Watkins are likely locks. But there is a 5th WR spot up for grabs. And it could come down to Haselwood vs Ngata.

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