Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/23/25.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
In Roob’s Observations: A side of Jalen Hurts we’ve never seen before – NBCSP
1. One of the cool things about the Super Bowl aftermath has been seeing Jalen Hurts finally let his guard down and show his personality. And he’s got a hell of a personality, he just never lets anybody other than maybe coaches and teammates and his family see it. So for everybody else to get to see him show some true joy these last couple weeks in videos on the sideline with his teammates in the final minutes of the game, in the locker room during the post-game celebration, at the parade celebrating with a million Eagles fans and in various TV appearances and interviews, it’s been a real treat. This is a side of Hurts the public never saw from the day he got drafted in the spring of 2020 until after the Super Bowl nearly five years later. And it certainly has served Hurts well to hide his emotions and stay on that flat-line that allows him to compete and prepare at the highest level, with no interference from the emotional ups and downs that affect most athletes. But as important as that is to Hurts’ performance, seeing him laughing and smiling and carrying on and getting emotional with his teammates has been amazing. He never showed that side of his personality when he took the Eagles to the playoffs in his first year as a starter, he didn’t show it the first trip to the Super Bowl, he didn’t show it when he finished second in MVP voting. It took 40-22 over the Chiefs for Hurts to finally let everybody see a part of him that’s been suppressed for years. It was definitely worth the wait.
Should the Eagles re-sign Mekhi Becton? – BGN
OUTLOOK: Becton will be a free agent in March. It’ll be really interesting to see whether he’s back or not. Ideally, the Eagles would like to keep their dominant offensive line fully intact. But it’s not like they have unlimited cap space; they have to go cheaper somewhere. And with Cam Jurgens due for an extension and the Eagles already paying top of the market money to Mailata, Johnson, and Dickerson, can they really afford Becton’s price tag as well? But maybe Jeff Stoutland will use his clout to really push for retaining Becton. And maybe this is a rare case when a player actually takes a team-friendly, below-market deal to stay somewhere he wants to be as opposed to chasing top dollar on the open market. Again, Becton really seemed to like playing in Philly. And maybe the Eagles will re-sign him with the idea that he could eventually shift back to tackle if/when Johnson retires down the road? For what it’s worth, NFL insider Adam Schefter recently said “there’s a real chance that [Becton] winds up staying” with the Eagles.
Eagles’ A.J. Brown embraces new OC hire Kevin Patullo: ‘It has to evolve’ – NFL.com
Like many Super Bowl winners, the Eagles lost a key assistant when the Saints hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their new head coach. Kevin Patullo, who previously was the team’s passing game coordinator, has been tabbed as Moore’s replacement, and while uncertainty will follow every coaching change, receiver A.J. Brown sees the swap as a positive sign. He feels the Eagles cannot afford to rest on their laurels. Patullo’s rise from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator, in Brown’s opinion, will prevent such complacency. “For our fans, they need to understand everything has to change,” Brown explained during an interview that will air on Thursday on NFL Network’s The Insiders. “I know we just won, but it has to change. We have to get better, and we have to do things different. But I truly feel like it’s a great hire; he already has been involved in almost everything. Him, Kellen (Moore) and Nick (Sirianni) basically called the plays already.
Peeking Ahead – Iggles Blitz
It will be interesting to see how Howie approaches the offseason. Does he aggressively pursue Myles Garrett? Or does Howie see the recent success in the draft and decide to keep adding young talent to the core? There isn’t a right answer. Both paths can lead to success. Without adding talent, the Eagles probably still have the best overall roster. The key is understanding how to best enhance the spot the Eagles are in. I’m curious to see if other players look at Philly as a preferred destination. Call this the Baun-Barkley Effect. Role players saw Zack Baun go from a dude to The Dude. You know there are going to be a lot of guys thinking they have the same potential. Some star players will see how Saquon went from Pro Bowl player to all-time special and wonder if the Eagles can do that for them. This is something to keep an eye on.
The 5 O’Clock Club: Commanders 2025 roster review – wide receiver – Hogs Haven
Terry McLaurin is in the final year of his contract (which has a 2026 void year for salary cap purposes). I haven’t yet seen a Washington fan who wants to move on from Terry, who is among the most popular players to have worn the burgundy & gold in the last quarter century. It seems inevitable that Adam Peters will extend McLaurin, who is the very definition of what Commanders football should mean. Luke McCaffrey is the only other receiver from the 2024 Commanders roster who remains under contract for 2025 (though three receivers — Kazmeir Allen, Mike Strachan and Chris Moore — have signed future contracts). Fans will be hoping that McCaffrey will be able to take ‘the next step’ in his development in his second season in the NFL, advancing on his rookie production of 18 catches for 168 yards. Noah Brown, Jamison Crowder, Olamide Zaccheaus, Dyami Brown and KJ Osborn are all impending free agents. I don’t expect Osborn to be re-signed, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see one or all of the other four brought back for training camp. If I were handicapping the odds, I’d rank them: (1) N Brown, (2) OZ, (3) Crowder, (4) D Brown.
Cowboys free agency: Stealing a free agent from every NFC East team in 2025 – Blogging The Boys
This is where things get a little interesting. The Cowboys have a decision to make on their own player, Osa Odighizuwa, and they may be better off electing to move on from their former third-round selection and going with Milton Williams instead. Pro Football Focus projects Odighizuwa’s contract to be four years, $21.25m avg/year while Milton Williams projected contract is three years, $21m avg/year. Odighizuwa and Williams are very similar players at the 3-technique position with Williams receiving a 70.1 overall grade from PFF and Odighzuwa receiving a 68.1 overall grade. Both Odighzuwa and Williams are very good pass rushers, who can struggle a bit to defend the run, but with Williams being a bit younger, projected to be a bit cheaper, and proving to be a slight upgrade over the last few years, this is the splash the Cowboys could make to give them a slight edge over the reigning Super Bowl champions. Milton Williams went to high school at Crawley High School in Crawley, Texas and has some ties to the area, making his fit in Dallas one a bit more realistic than other destinations around the league.
Big Blue View mailbag: Trades, Kayvon Thibodeaux, QBs, uniforms, more – Big Blue View
Derick, the ability to make smart trades is one of the tools a GM has to have in his toolbox. I don’t think it can make up for other weaknesses, because you are always giving up assets in trades. Schoen has made some trades that have worked out, like the Burns trade, and some that have not, like the Darren Waller trade. A GM also has to be able to manage the cap, be able to properly assess the talent on his own team, and do a good job bringing in free agents. Above all else, though, a GM has got to be able to draft well. Drafted players remain the lifeblood of a team. If you don’t draft well over the long haul, you can’t have consistent success. Is Schoen “prone to draft mistakes?” Schoen had a phenomenal 2024 draft, and he had spotty drafts his first two seasons. Those drafts, of course, were marred by the Evan Neal pick. The jury is out on Deonte Banks, too. Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles is on a great run, but he did pick Jalen Reagor in Round 1 in 2020. The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten real contributions from only two draft picks over the past two seasons — second-round pick Rashee Rice in 2023 and first-round pick Xavier Worthy in 2024. Teams at the top like the Eagles and Chiefs can absorb occasional mistakes because of what they already have. Schoen and the Giants aren’t at that place. When they make a mistake with a premium resource, it sets them back.
6 teams that might make a trade offer for Matthew Stafford – SB Nation
The New York Giants have a quarterback decision of their own to make. The Giants have been linked with draft quarterbacks throughout this offseason, and sitting third in the 2025 NFL Draft there is a chance their preferred option falls to them at that spot. Still, when rumors of a potential Stafford trade first emerged, the Giants were the team linked with such a move. Colin Cowherd floated the idea of the Giants trading that third pick to the Rams earlier this month, a hypothetical that insiders such as Adam Schefter immediately dismissed. “[T]here is no way in hell that the Giants are giving up the third overall pick for Matthew Stafford,” said Schefter. Where there is smoke there is often fire. New York might not part with the third-overall selection for a 37-year-old quarterback, but they might make a different offer to the Rams.
Chicago Bears cut two, free up over $10 million in cap space – Windy City Gridiron
On Friday afternoon, the Chicago Bears cut two veterans that will clear $10.75 million in salary cap space: tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker. […] My gut tells me that the Walker move is a precursor to another move for a starting defensive end because why create a hole in the lineup unless you have a plan in place? A few free agent defensive ends are the Philadelphia Eagles’ Josh Sweat, the Dallas Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dayo Odeyingbo of the Indianapolis Colts. [BLG Note: Walker played for Vic Fangio on the Denver Broncos from 2019-2020.]
…
Social Media Information:
BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page
BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen
BGN Bluesky: Follow @bleedgreennation.bsky.social
BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta
BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton
BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio
