The Philadelphia Eagles are two games into the regular season, and you'd never know it just by hearing people talk about the team, but they're 2-0. 😂

Still, the concerns are real, so let's discuss. This is Part II of a two-part mailbag. Part I here.

Question from @chellybreeze (via Bluesky): Has Riq Woolen been as good as I think? I know he's only here for one year but I love what he's done through two games.

I cut up Woolen's coverage snaps. He's a little handsy/grabby, and he doesn't exactly attack ball carriers like he's Mike Singletary when it's not the guy he's covering. BUT... holy crap, this dude has given up like no separation whatsoever the first two games, to an almost comical degree. And when his man does make a catch (only twice so far), that guy is on the ground immediately.

PFF has Woolen down for 3 catches allowed on 9 targets for 22 yards, and a TD. Really, it should be 2 catches on 8 targets, and no TDs. On the TD they dinged him for (2:54 mark above), he's the closest guy to the receiver, but that's Marcus Epps' man.

If I were Vic Fangio (I'm not), I'd be tempted to get more aggressive with blitzes knowing I have that guy and a couple of All-Pros in coverage behind it.

Question from @BillBogardus: Is Cooper DeJean cooked? Last year we were debating extension money, now he appears to be struggling. Is he hurt?

Is Cooper DeJean cooked? He's 23!

He was shaken up Week 1 and had a bad game, but was a lot better Week 2. He's fine.

Question from @marcelobcardio: With the struggles of the iOL and the running game is it time to let Jalen Hurts cook and have a more passing-oriented offense?

Question from @flyersgoalscoredby (via Bluesky): 1st and 2nd down efficiency/output is pretty bad, Jimbo. What is the strategy you enact take to make life easier on the offense?

I'll lump these two questions together.

First, the run game has to work. If the Eagles fail to get that going throughout the season, they're already dead in the water. Big picture, the Eagles have had their special seasons when the run game is dominant. When it's not, they're an easy out in the playoffs.

But then also, the run game has to work for the scheme to run the way it's intended. A huge feature of this scheme is that at the snap, run plays and pass plays look alike. The marriage of the run and pass keeps defenses off balance and guessing, and that's when the play action game can really start humming. Absent an efficient run game, the scheme is simply not going to operate at a high level.

Over the course of the season, the offensive line is going to have to figure it out and gel together, and the only way to do that is to continue to run it. So, spoiler: They're going to continue to run it, a lot.

That said, in the short term, it does make sense to lean on Hurts while he is balling and the run game is struggling. Also, running into brick walls for two or fewer yards on every first down play, and then converting on long third downs is not going to be sustainable.

So there's a balance. They can't just quit on the run game, but at the same time they can't let their crappy run game kill their offense. Tough situation.

Question from @TommasoMusic: Jimmy, why has our screen game been so bad?

This a hilarious stat:

And that doesn't even include a loss of 5 on a pass to Makai Lemon in the flat that was an accidental lateral and thus counted as a run play.

The Eagles' execution on those plays has been awful. Their blocking on the perimeter stinks, and ball carriers haven't really made defenders miss.

But also, just generally, the screen game NFL-wide doesn't seem like it's been as effective as it was, saaaayyy, in the Andy Reid - Brian Westbrook days. Defensive linemen are coached up better on sniffing them out, and officials are being sticklers on illegal man downfield penalties.

Question from @millnersauce: Jimmy, with the TE room being what it is, why haven’t the Birds leaned in to 6-man o-line fronts?

Oops, I meant to include this question in the offensive line-dominated mailbag on Friday.

But, I dunno. I wouldn't mind seeing what Willie Lampkin and/or Markel Bell can do in a real game in that role. Certainly the tight ends have not been good blockers so far this season.

Question from @elach001: Is Jordan Davis actually a more important player to pay top money to than Moro Ojomo?

The trend that we began to see in the NFL a few years back was defenses playing shell coverages to keep opposing offenses from throwing the ball over their heads. It forced teams like the Chiefs to conduct long drives instead of constantly hitting on explosive plays. The other trend that goes back even further was the move from traditional 4-3 and 3-4 defenses to nickel packages being the most prevalent.

To counter those trends, what we have seen from teams around the league is that they are loading up on tight ends. The new emphasis is making defenses pay by running the ball against those soft shell coverages and nickel/dime personnel groups with heftier sets, and then take shots down the field when defenses overcommit to stopping the run.

The theoretical value of a player like Davis is that he allows Vic Fangio to stay in those shell coverages and nickel defenses because he is so good against the run. But then also, the Eagles think that Davis has not reached his ceiling as a pass rusher, and he has taken the reins from Brandon Graham as the positive morale guy in the locker room.

Of course, Moro Ojomo is a really good player too, but there's a decent chance that he will be more expensive than Davis. How so? Well, let's compare Davis' contract to the one Milton Williams signed with the Patriots two offseasons ago.

This offseason, Davis signed a three-year contract extension worth $78 million. That would be $26 million per year in new money. However, his contract extension is in addition to the fifth-year option that he was already scheduled to play on in 2026. The fifth-year option was just under $13 million. In other words, Davis is under contract for four more years at just under $91 million, or roughly $22.75 million per season.

Williams signed a four-year deal with the Patriots as a free agent for $104 million, or $26 million per year. By all accounts, the Patriots have been happy with their investment so far.

Next offseason, Ojomo has a chance to get a contract as lucrative as Williams'. Let's say for the sake of argument that Ojomo signs a contract that is identical to Williams'. During his Year 5-8 seasons, he will make $104 million vs. the $91 million Davis will make for his Year 5-8 seasons.

It's also worth noting that Ojomo is only costing the Eagles a little under $3.7 million this season, a major bargain for the player he is. If the Eagles had done a monster deal with him this offseason, the benefit of that super cheap season is gone.

So really, it's probably a matter of finances. The Eagles got deals done for Davis and Jalen Carter; and next offseason they'll be getting contract extensions done with a handful of additional defenders, likely including Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Jalyx Hunt. Can't pay everyone.

Question from @7he_reason (via Threads): Would the Eagles have interest in Marvin Harrison Jr. or a playmaking safety? Feels like trades are coming.

As noted in Mailbag Part I, I do not think a trade for a receiver is on the table anymore. I definitely don't think a trade for Harrison would be a good idea. This dude just looks like he does not care at all.

Also as noted in Mailbag I, I do think a safety makes some sense if Kenny Moore doesn't pan out.

Question from @johnmlatimer (via Bluesky): How much longer will this 4 QB roster last?

I think they're here to stay.

1) There are quarterback injuries all over the league. That probably is a cautionary reminder that, you know, quarterbacks get hurt.

2) There doesn't seem to be much interest in Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee.

3) The Eagles do not want Cole Payton playing quarterback for this team this season under any circumstances. (I mean, they don't want anyone playing quarterback for them other than Jalen Hurts, but they really don't want Payton in there.)

4) They have an open roster spot for no good reason. It's not as if they need another one.

Question from @hamiltwan: How come no sacks? I was told there would be sacks. And turnovers.

Vic Fangio was asked on Wednesday about the lack of takeaways. He said, "We’re due. We’re due."

He was then asked if there was any reason they haven't gotten any yet. He said, "I don't think so. I don't think so."

He also added, "I'm gonna go get the papers, get the papers."

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