July 20, 2017
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey walks across the field during a recent practice at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia.
Over at Rotoworld, Evan Silva has a nice in-depth Eagles fantasy preview that can also be viewed through the lens of regular ol’ football. There is good stuff on Carson Wentz, LeGarrette Blount, and Zach Ertz in there.
But today, we’re going to focus on what Silva had to say about Alshon Jeffery, the Eagles’ major free-agent acquisition. If the Birds are going to get back to the playoffs this season, you would figure that Jeffery will need to give Carson Wentz a true No. 1 threat on the outside. And Silva did call Jeffery the NFL’s “premier contested catch winner.”
That doesn’t mean he won’t come without some risk, though:
27-year-old Jeffery’s biggest risk comes from his history of soft-tissue injuries, most notably calf, hamstring, and groin woes in addition to a 2015 shoulder malady, 2016 knee ailment, and 2016 four-game PEDs ban, which altogether cost him 11 games and incalculable practice time over the past two years. Alshon made it through the offseason unscathed, an underrated first step playing on his one-year, prove-it deal. Because he is learning a new offense, still likely presents elevated injury risk, the Eagles’ pass-catcher corps can now be called deep, and his quarterback’s productivity remains a work in progress, Jeffery looks like a boom-bust fantasy pick. Per PFF’s Scott Barrett, the Eagles have the league’s third-toughest schedule for outside receivers this season. Jeffery’s ADPs are WR17 (FF Calc) and WR18 (MFL10s). I haven’t been willing to draft him that high.
Jeffery seemed to like practicing with Wentz in Fargo last week, and starting next week, that work shifts to Philly.
1. Questions ... questions: Linebacker was a strength for the Eagles – but that was before Jordan Hicks' injury and Nigel Bradham's potential league discipline.
2. Raising the bar: In the defensive tackle training camp post, Jimmy makes the point that the best player on the Eagles roster (Fletcher Cox, in case you were wondering) needs to up his game from good to great.
3. This is the end: First-round draft pick Derek Barnett is probably the most interesting player on the Eagles roster outside of Carson Wentz.
4. Big Balls Doug: Expect Doug Pederson and the Eagles to keep going for it on fourth down.
5. Reggie, Reggie! The Minister of Defense was the only Eagle picked early in an all-time NFL draft, which isn’t too surprising.
6. Ezekiel Elliott: Yeah, he’s in trouble again (even if the police are suspending the investigation).
NFC bold predictions: Elliot Harrison, NFL.com
Harrison believes that Carson Wentz and the Eagles are going to navigate their tough schedule and make the playoffs:
The Eagles last made the postseason in 2013, carried by Nick Foles' epic (?) season, LeSean McCoy rushing for 1,000 yards and a buoyant wideout (DeSean Jackson). Last year's receivers couldn't keep the passing game afloat, Darren Sproles evolved (or devolved) into Philly's biggest weapon on offense and the team sputtered down the stretch. Wentz's supporting cast was anything but, well, supportive. That's where Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith and LeGarrette Blount come in. The Eagles have the firepower to bump scoring by 20 percent while increasing their yards per play (28th in the NFL last year) with a few more vertical connections. Schwartz's defense should presumably play faster in Year 2 after being the team's backbone in 2016. Why not Philly?
The Peaglers: Tommy Lawlor, Iggles Blitz
Lawlor wrote about Pederson’s comments from earlier this week on this year’s Eagles having more talent than the Super Bowl Packers team that he played on in 1996:
Huh? Uh, Douglas, the Packers had Brett Favre at QB and the #1 defense in the league when they won the Super Bowl in 1996. That was a very good team. The current Eagles are promising, but calling them as talented as those Packers seems pretty stupid.
2017 Preseason All-NFC East Team: Kevin Skiver, CBS Sports
The Eagles do not fare very well on this list. Even Jordan Hicks was criticized for his pass coverage, which is already pretty darn good:
Hicks had a reverse sophomore slump in 2016, racking up 85 tackles in his first full season as a starting middle linebacker. Where Fletcher Cox and Malcolm Jenkins command the line and secondary, respectively, Hicks already commands the respect of a veteran at the Mike. He needs to do a bit more in coverage, particularly in Jim Schwartz's demanding defense, but playing the way he did after switching coordinators just one year into his career makes Hicks's season worth taking notice of.
The NFL's 25 most outsized contracts: Bill Barnwell, ESPN
This article doesn’t say Fletcher Cox is a bad player or anything, but the Eagles defensive tackle is paid well above what Barnwell has determined is market value:
The next member of the big six, Cox made his millions by developing as an interior pass-rusher. The Mississippi State product was underperforming as recently as 2014, racking up just seven quarterback hits despite playing 921 defensive snaps. Cox turned things around in 2015, leading the Eagles with 9.5 sacks and 20 knockdowns, and he followed that up with a solid 6.5-sack, 14-hit season during Jim Schwartz's first year in town. Schwartz relies heavily on getting pressure with his front four without blitzing, making his hay with interior disruptors such as Albert Haynesworth and Marcell Dareus in years past. It's not hyperbole to suggest the Eagles build their entire defense around Cox.
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