Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images Saquon Barkley is just one of the things to be most excited about with opening night almost here. I understand why the NFL higher-ups want the Eagles and Packers to play their first game of the 2024 season in Brazil. I really do. The NFL wants to be the NBA. They want to be a global league. They want to have Brazilian superstars and French superstars and German superstars and so on. They want to rake in the billions of dollars in foreign cash the NBA does, and utilizing the Eagles and Packers, two marquee franchises and Super Bowl contenders to promote the sport in a country like Brazil makes sense from a long-range financial standpoint. But it stinks. Starting off the season on a Friday night in a foreign country is just about the last way you’d want a team like the Eagles to kick things off in Week 1. This is a team whose schedule last year was all over the place, and with so much uncertainty about the roster and the coaching staff, with so many unanswered questions and coming off a historic collapse the season before, you’d like to start the 2024 season with a good ‘ol fashioned 1pm Sunday kickoff. So while I am looking forward to seeing Jalen Hurts, Jalen Carter and the rest of the 2024 Eagles get the season started on Friday night, I am not looking forward to seeing them do it in Brazil, and I’m certainly not looking forward to seeing how it affects them in the weeks after making this ridiculous trans-continental trip to a city with a sky-high crime rate. That being said, here are five things I am most looking forward to this season with kickoff just a few hours away! Saquon Barkley’s Impact on the Offense The Eagles have not had a true No. 1 running back since Shady McCoy, who led the Eagles in rushing from 2009-14. Over the last decade there has been a collection of RB-by-committee members — DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, Jay Ajayi, LeGarrett Blount, Josh Adams (a team-leading 511 rushing yards in 2018!!!), Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell to name a few — and I am ready to give my heart to one player once again. Saquon Barkley is going to be “the guy” in the new Eagles offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni said this week the team was ready to fully unleash the former Giants star and Pro Bowler, saying “He can go for it here” after watching a Barkley run in practice Monday that made him do a double take. I’m also fascinated to see if the Eagles can finally utilize a running back out of the backfield as a pass-catcher, and how much that will help Jalen Hurts. I’m excited to see what Barkley can do running behind a real quarterback in a real offense with real weapons that teams have to focus on other than him. In New York, all eyes were on him. In Philadelphia, he may be option No. 3 or 4 at times. Some believe the offense will run through Barkley, but whether that’s true or not, I’m most excited about a potentially monstrous season from him. Jalen Carter Dominating the NFL With Rams star Aaron Donald now retired, Jalen Carter has a chance to replace him as the best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the NFL. That’s not hyperbole. He has the potential to be an All-Pro defensive tackle, and all accounts from training camp are that he’s in better shape than a year ago and been utterly dominant. Carter played well at time last season, but wore down during the 17-game, 18-week marathon, hardly a surprise development for a player who didn’t play every snap in college in a highly rotational defense at Georgia. The departure of Fletcher Cox from the defensive line rotation leaves a pretty big hole. Even in his final season, Cox was excellent, consistently performing every week while tallying five sacks. Carter would appear to be the heir apparent, and I’m excited to watch him take the next step forward in 2024. Kellen Moore’s Offensive Design By the end of last year, it became clear the Eagles’ offensive schemes needed more than just a makeover. They needed a renovation. And what do you do when you need to renovate something? You hire someone to come on board and strip things down to the studs and rebuild. Enter former Cowboys and Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. His task is to freshen things up and insert new ideas into Nick Sirianni’s existing scheme. Almost certainly we’ll see more pre-snap motion after last year when Sirianni used it just 10.9% of the time, far and away the lowest percentage in the league. But there will be more to it than just pre-snap motion. Perhaps we’ll see an offense that is able to not only be destroyed by blitzing, but actually exploit it. Perhaps we’ll see more designed passing to their new star running back. Perhaps we’ll see more of A.J. Brown or Devonta Smith in the slot. Perhaps we’ll see different designed runs for Hurts, new blocking schemes, and/or the utilization of Dallas Goedert more. The good news is Moore has so many weapons with diversified skill sets, the possibilities are literally endless. He also has a quarterback that appears ready to match his MVP-caliber 2022 season. Jalen Hurts looks and sounds like a man on a mission, ready to put a distracted and disappointing ‘23 season behind him. If Hurts runs the ball with the same kind of effectiveness we saw two years ago, I just don’t know how anyone stops this offense, even without future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce at the center of the offensive line. A.J. Brown & DeVonta Smith Do you really need more than 30-40 words from me to talk about why I’m excited to see the best wide receiver duo the franchise has ever seen? I didn’t think
5 things to be excited about the 2024 Eagles
Did Hard Knocks catch Joe Schoen scouting quarterbacks?
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images Schoen says it must “be nice” to not have to worry about the quarterback position The New York Giants may be getting ready for the regular season, but GM Joe Schoen is already hot on the scouting trail. HBO’s “Hard Knocks” cameras caught Bears GM Ryan Poles chatting with Giants GM Joe Schoen before kickoff of the game between the University of Georgia and Clemson. Their chat gave us this exchange, Schoen: “Gotta be nice. Not to be looking at the, uh …” Poles: “Quarterbacks?” Poles: “Hopefully it stays that way for a long time.” “Gotta be nice not to be looking at the (Quarterbacks)” – #Giants100 GM Joe Schoen to #DaBears Ryan Poles on Hard Knocks pic.twitter.com/qLdmLbIDEu — Monte (@MONTECRI5TO) September 4, 2024 Schoen came up through the NFL’s executive ranks as a scout and we already know he spends as much time away from the Giants’ facilities as in them during the season. So it isn’t a surprise to see him at a college game in person. While the the Giants expressed a willingness to trade up for Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, their plan for 2024 is to give quarterback Daniel Jones one last chance to prove beyond a doubt that he’s their franchise quarterback. Ideally his play behind an (hopefully) improved offensive line and a with a receiving corps in which the Giants are heavily invested will prove worthy of John Mara’s faith. But, in the inimitable words of Mike Tyson “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” The Giants don’t know if that punch is going to come, or what form it’ll take if (or when) it does. But they also can’t assume that everything will just work out. And to that end, Schoen has already personally attended three games in the first week of the 2024 College Football Season. He attended the game between Colorado and North Dakota State last Thursday. He then pulled a double-header on Saturday and attended the game between Georgia and Clemson referenced above and the Saturday evening showdown between Texas A&M and Notre Dame. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Schoen made a point of watching these teams first. Georgia might be the most talented team in college football, while Notre Dame and Clemson have players who will be drafted highly as well. But while each of those games features players who could help the Giants’ young secondary, Schoen’s hint that the Giants may still be in the market for a quarterback casts the visits in a different light. Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Carson Beck (Georgia) are projected to be among the top passers in the 2025 draft class. Conner Weigman (Texas A&M), meanwhile, is regarded as a high-upside prospect some believe could be a first round prospect. Sanders had a great showing against FCS titan North Dakota State, going 36 of 44 (81.8 percent) for 445 yards (13.1 per attempt), 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Beck was efficient as well, going 23 of 33 (69.7 percent) for 278 yards (8.4 per attempt), and 2 touchdowns. Scouting the upcoming quarterback class is prudent for several reasons. And we know that Schoen scouted last year’s class very heavily, watching each of the top prospects in person at least once. But we also should be careful not to read too much into this. Just because Schoen is scouting quarterbacks doesn’t mean the team will draft a quarterback. Jones could thrive in his renovated surroundings, or the team could decide that an imperfect Jones is still better than their options in 2025. But for now, and for our purposes, this could give us a clue as to where Schoen will be each week. For instance, we should probably expect to see him in attendance when Texas takes on Michigan this week.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73563427/2167442490.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "The Linc – Biggest reasons for Eagles optimism in 2024")
The Linc – Biggest reasons for Eagles optimism in 2024
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … 2024 NFC East preview: Big offseason changes will make or break each team’s season – SB Nation Reason for optimism: Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio. The Eagles roster has been among the very best in the NFL, and could be even better in 2024. However, coaching losses after 2022 led to a disappointing 2023 campaign. Kellen Moore is an excellent offensive mind and his offensive philosophy could fit Jalen Hurts very well. The return of Vic Fangio could help the Eagles regain their dominant defensive identity from the 2022 season. It’s worth noting that Fangio was with the Eagles in an advisory role in 2022, and while they attempted to keep continuity in 2023, Fangio’s disciples have rarely performed as well as he has. Eagles Injury Report: Devin White ruled OUT … but Nakobe Dean was reportedly set to start anyway – BGN The big news is that Devin White is listed under DID NOT PARTICIPATE. He is not traveling with the team to Brazil and has thus been ruled OUT of Friday’s game. White unexpectedly appeared on Tuesday’s injury report as a limited participant due to an ankle injury. Apparently he got hurt in practice. Based on how he took nearly all of the first first-team linebacker reps in practice this offseason, White was originally expected to be a Week 1 starter. But reports indicate Dean was actually slated to be the guy at MIKE. 2024 NFL playoff field predictions: 20 teams that could make it – ESPN+ There are two scenarios for this team. In the positive one, running back Saquon Barkley excels after a massive situation/line improvement, taking some of the pressure off Jalen Hurts. The young draftees (and the return of defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson) in the secondary solidify a group that aged rapidly during the second half. Vic Fangio is a major upgrade at defensive coordinator, the pass rush comes together and a complete Philadelphia team improves its turnover margin and underlying level of play and wins the NFC East comfortably. The other one doesn’t go quite as well. The two new coordinators fail to make an immediate impact. The oft-injured Barkley only lasts half a season, and the offensive line battles injuries and inconsistent play on the interior all season. Rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean aren’t immediate impact players at cornerback, and the Eagles are behind the curve in running a Fangio defense that seems to have peaked in effectiveness a couple of years ago, leading to lots of long, comfortable drives for opposing offenses. I fall somewhere between the two, but I lean toward the latter scenario as more likely. In this universe, the Eagles finish 9-8 and just miss out on a wild-card berth. 2024 NFL Season, Week 1: Three things to watch for during Friday’s Packers-Eagles showdown in Brazil – NFL.com 2) How will the Eagles look in 2024? An Eagles offense that ranked seventh in scoring in 2023 is looking to forget the late-season slump that ultimately led to the team’s early playoff exit. The biggest loss from last year’s unit is undoubtedly center Jason Kelce, a team leader who was an integral part of the prolific “Tush Push” (or “Brotherly Shove”) play, but Philadelphia still boasts plenty of talent at the skill positions. At the center of new coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense: Jalen Hurts, who’s looking to rebound after posting the fourth-most giveaways last season (20) and finishing outside the top 10 in passing yards (3,858) and passing touchdowns (23). He’s flanked by the dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — one of just three teammate tandems to each post 1,000 receiving yards last season — newly acquired WR Jahan Dotson, tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley. This unit looks good on paper but needs stronger support from a defense that ranked near the bottom in 2023, allowing more than 25 points per game (30th in the league). It might be the Saquon Barkley Show, but don’t forget about Kenny Gainwell – NBCSP Saquon, Saquon, Saquon, Saquon, Saquon. Yeah. But don’t forget about Kenny Gainwell either. It’s easy to do. Saquon Barkley has the big contract, three 1,000-yard seasons and two Pro Bowls on his resume. He’s the star in the Eagles’ running back room. But new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s history says Gainwell will play a significant role this year as well. “Hopefully so and I’m pretty sure Kellen will make sure that we get those great opportunities and once they come our way, we are going to take full advantage,” Gainwell said. “He’s basically just giving us a greater opportunity to get everyone involved. He’s doing a great job at that. I’m excited about it. I get a great opportunity. I’m just glad for him to be here.” Gainwell has averaged 6.4 touches per game in his first three years with the Eagles, with a high of 7.1 last year. Among running backs who’ve started fewer than five games since 2021, he’s got the 4th-most touches and 4th-most scrimmage yards. The Best NFL Bets for Week 1 – The Ringer Both of these offenses have among the most talent and upside in the NFL. I’m especially interested in seeing whether Jalen Hurts is better able to throw to the middle of the field with DeVonta Smith deployed in the slot more often and since new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore relies on motion more than outgoing offensive coordinator Brian Johnson did. We don’t know how much Green Bay will blitz Hurts in this game, but given how talented both of these offenses are, I expect early fireworks in Sao Paulo. Moore and LaFleur are both good at scripting early plays, and this first-half total should not still be sitting at 24. If the Packers get to +3 across the board, I’ll be betting them against the spread as well. If not, they are an excellent teaser option
4 things I think about the Rams before they start 2024 campaign
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Is this the last year in LA for Matthew Stafford and/or Cooper Kupp? It’s nearly time for the Los Angeles Rams to kickoff the 2024 season against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. This time of year brings excitement and a renewed sense of optimism for fans of all 32 teams. The Rams have hopes of returning to the postseason and adding another banner next to their 2021 world championship title. The past few months have been nothing short of interesting for LA. They’ve come out on the other side of contract negotiations for their franchise quarterback, Matthew Stafford, while tensions ran high with their defensive signal caller, Ernest Jones, before the team traded him to the Tennessee Titans. We saw Sean McVay handoff the head coaching headset for the first time in his career to Aubrey Pleasant. This isn’t the end of the journey but merely the start, and we have so much more to learn about this year’s version of the Rams. On the eve of the regular season, these are 4 things I think about Los Angeles before we find out more about the team: 1 – This is Matthew Stafford’s last year in horns The context of Ernest Jones’ contract negotiations gone bad that saw him sent to Tennessee in a mid-round pick swap has made me re-contemplate Stafford’s deal with the Rams on the eve of training camp. Tensions were high that LA’s franchise QB might not report to camp without changes to his deal—reported at the time to be additional guaranteed dollars in future years. Reports leaked during this past spring’s NFL Draft that Stafford wanted said changes to his contract, and a resolution wasn’t reached until late July. Did the Rams send Stafford a similar message to what they told Jones, i.e. play out the 2024 season and then we’ll make up our mind whether you’re part of the team moving forward? While Stafford’s adjusted deal does make it more difficult for the team to move on by prorating money into the remaining years of his deal, it’s still possible to cut ties and look in a new direction at quarterback. Stafford helped McVay and the Rams reach new heights with a Super Bowl victory in 2021, but it’d be difficult to see them meet the same pinnacle again with Stafford—who’s already age 36 and only counting. LA boasts one of the youngest rosters in football. It’s time they draft and develop a quarterback that resembles the profile of the rest of the team. time to buck this trend! sunday night football records:——————————— stafford1-2 with the rams1-6 with the lions2-8 career goff2-0 with the lions4-3 with the rams6-3 career pic.twitter.com/RRtTn5qE89 — roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) September 2, 2024 2 – This is Cooper Kupp’s last year in horns While the financial implications and dollars suggest it’d be wise for the Rams to call it quits with Kupp after this season, I have a tougher time imagining him in another uniform than I do with Stafford. Kupp embodies what it means to be a Ram in the McVay era, and he’s effectively served as an on-field coach since joining the team in 2017. From an incredible triple crown year to the game-winning catch of Super Bowl LVI, Kupp defines this era of Rams football as much as anyone save for Aaron Donald. But all good things must come to an end, and it seems unwise for the Rams to commit nearly $30M in cap space to Kupp when they’ve been able to identify talented wide receivers at the back of the draft that outperform their draft position and fit the team’s mold, see Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington. Cutting Kupp after the season would result in a dead cap hit of $22.3M and a savings of $7.5M. Managing a trade would improve the savings to $12.5M. While the heart says not to move on from Kupp, the finances say it’s a no brainer. The moment Cooper Kupp had the game winning TD. SUPER BOWL CHAMPS BABY!!! pic.twitter.com/lTpeXpBM65 — Ernesto (@Ernastyy) February 14, 2022 3 – Jared Verse and Braden Fiske will be foundational defensive pieces Jared Verse is the Rams’ earliest draft pick since 2017, and much has been made of that fact. Aside from Steve Avila, who was chosen at pick 36, Braden Fiske would be the next earliest pick over that same span after being chosen at 39th overall. This is the biggest influx of young talent that we’ve seen in Los Angeles in a long time. Last year’s third round picks Byron Young and Kobie Turner were impressive, but Verse and Fiske have much stronger pedigree and should serve as building blocks for this defense into the future. Still, if both players fare well this season, it will be extremely difficult for either to win the league’s defensive rookie of the year award as they’ll likely split votes. Laiatu Latu entered the draft as the most prolific pass rusher, and he’ll head into the season as the favorite for the award with the Indianapolis Colts. The moment Braden Fiske and Jared Verse found out they’ll be reunited in LA im not crying pic.twitter.com/FZ7UTUmMtY — Barstool FSU (@FSU_Barstool) April 27, 2024 4 – Chris Shula’s defense will be a departure from the last three years Raheem Morris was a great defensive coordinator for LA. He played a big part in the championship season in 2021 and helped keep the team from spinning apart during the struggles of the 2022 campaign. The Atlanta Falcons were smart to bring Morris back into the fold of their organization, and the team seems to be headed in the right direction. But the early signs from Chris Shula tell us the team is headed in a much different direction. While Ernest Jones was a focal point in the middle of Morris’ defense, the Shula group seems like it will be multiple in the sense of possibly rotating linebackers and pulling coverage
Justice Hill reveals his initial reaction to Derrick Henry signing with the Ravens
Justice Hill reveals his initial reaction to Derrick Henry signing with the Ravens Kevin Oestreicher The Baltimore Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million on the second day of NFL free agency in 2024. The partnership appeared ready to happen for many months prior, and the two sides finally were able to seal the deal and make it happen. Henry will lead a running back room featuring players such as Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill. When asked about his reaction to when the team signed Henry, Hill expressed his excitement and said that he was ecstatic when he heard the news, praising his newest veteran teammate in the running back room. [Derrick Henry] is one of the best running backs to ever play in the game, and just to be able to play alongside of him and learn from him, watch how he approaches each and every day, I mean, I was ecstatic. I’ve been lucky to have some good vets around here – from Mark Ingram [II] to Gus [Edwards] – and I’ve learned so much from all of those guys. So, just being here with Derrick the last couple of months, I’ve already learned so much. And so, it’s just going to be exciting to see what we do throughout the year, and we’re going to have fun.” Henry and Hill will be used as a formidable one-two punch while Mitchell works his way back from injury. While Henry will lead the backfield, Hill will see plenty of action with his extremely valuable skillset.
Bengals News (9/4): Justin Jefferson sends message to Ja’Marr Chase
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images The former teammate of Ja’Marr Chase has been through this situation. Justin Jefferson sends precautionary message to Ja’Marr Chase as Bengals WR continues to hold out – CBSSports.comJefferson, who this offseason signed an extension that made him the highest-paid wideout in NFL history, said that he is confident that Chase will “be about his business and show up when he needs to show up.” Ja’Marr Chase contract: Here’s who could step up if star Bengals wideout doesn’t play in Week 1The Cincinnati Bengals‘ 2024 season opener against the New England Patriots is five days away, and their best receiver is not on the practice field. Ja’Marr Chase has continued his hold-in for the majority of training camp, and coach Zac Taylor said they will be taking it “day by day.” Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback Mike Hilton Reacts to Michael Carter II’s New ContractHilton reacted to the contract with a gif of Kevin Hart on Twitter/X. It does seem like an extension with the veteran is unlikely—at least before the season, but that doesn’t mean the Bengals won’t re-sign him after the 2024 campaign. 2 surprising starters named for Bengals season opener against PatriotsThe first somewhat surprising starter is offensive tackle Trent Brown, who signed a one-year deal with the Bengals in free agency over the offseason. Brown will get the starting nod in the game over rookie first-rounder Amarius Mims, who is still dealing with a pectoral injury that he suffered during the preseason. What I’m seeing from the Cincinnati Bengals: Andrei Iosivas on the rise, other observations – The AthleticWhile one major storyline has taken over the reporting and rumor mills flowing out of Cincinnati, there has been no shortage of interesting developments under the Ja’Marr Chase radar. Joe Burrow Keeps Growing As He Eyes His Fifth NFL Opener“It’s theoretically possible,” says Burrow, pensive as usual as he leans on a table. “It’s just an engineering problem for the most part. As you travel closer to the speed of light, time starts to slow down, and as you go close to a black hole, you experience time at a different rate.”
Week 1 scouting report: What’s different about the 2024 Rams?
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK The Detroit Lions open the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Rams but it’s a different team than they faced in the Playoffs last season—especially on defense. In what was the shortest offseasons in my lifetime, football has returned to our lives. The NFL schedule makers came up with a good way to start the 2024 NFL season with a rematch of last year’s NFC Wild Card game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams on “Sunday Night Football.” The Lions are aiming to win the Super Bowl this year—no, seriously, it’s a real thing and even a local furniture store is running a promotion about it. This is a tough game to start the season with, as the Lions will once again face their former quarterback Matthew Stafford at Ford Field. When these teams faced off in the Playoffs last season, one of the week’s biggest storylines was, “Will Stafford get booed?“ and the answer was a convincing yes. Will that change this time around? Probably not. Lions fans were close to tasting a first-ever Super Bowl appearance last season, and this year they want to make it to the big game and even win the whole thing. It doesn’t matter who is in their way, even if it’s their old franchise quarterback. The Rams though, won’t just lay down and let the Lions win. They want revenge for what happened last year and they have their own high aspirations for this season. Three years removed from their Super Bowl title in 2021, the Rams’ honeymoon period came and went. With the NFC seeming to have improved over the offseason, their chances are only getting tougher. What also makes it even more challenging, is how the retirement of defensive lineman Aaron Donald changed the defense and overall team’s future. Their chance to start a new championship begins Sunday night, so let’s look at the Rams in our Week 1 scouting report for the 2024 season. Los Angeles Rams Last Season 10-7 record (2nd in NFC West) 8th in points scored, 19th in points allowed Overall DVOA: 17th (7th on offense, 22nd on defense) Last season for the Rams was similar to the Lions back in 2022, a rough start but a strong finish. In the first nine games, the Rams were 3-6 and were started to be counted out, but a bye week rejuvenated the team and they finished the season going 7-1 (a 10-7 record) and making the playoffs. The offense found some help in rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, who finished the season breaking countless rookie records, with his most notable being most yards (1,486) and catches (105), to go along with his six touchdowns. This helped the Rams’ passing game as wide receiver Cooper Kupp was able to take a step back as the number one option in the offense. Kupp was still effective though, registering 59 catches for 737 yards and five touchdowns on the season. It wasn’t just the passing game that helped out, as another young player stepped up in running back Kyren Williams. He finished with 1,144 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, along with 32 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The balanced attack with Williams on the ground and Nacua and Kupp in the air gave the Rams some balance in their offensive game plan. The defense was the biggest issue for the Rams, as it wasn’t as dominant as it once was, yet Donald still produced 53 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three pass deflections. Kobie Turner, a rookie defensive tackle, finished with 57 tackles, a team-high nine sacks, eight tackles for loss, and two pass deflections. Regarding the secondary, safety Jordan Fuller was their only playmaker recording 94 tackles, eight pass deflections, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, and a tackle for loss. The Rams were tied with three other teams with the fewest turnovers produced last season with 18. 2024 Offseason Key additions: LG Jonah Jackson, TE Colby Parkinson, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, CB Tre’Davious White Key losses: DL Aaron Donald, S Jordan Fuller, LB Ernest Jones IV, QB Carson Wentz, C Coleman Shelton, C Brian Allen 2024 NFL Draft picks Round 1: DE Jared VerseRound 2: DT Braden FiskeRound 3: RB Blake CorumRound 3: S Kamren KinchensRound 5: DE Brennan JacksonRound 6: DT Tyler DavisRound 6: K Joshua KartyRound 6: WR Jordan WhittingtonRound 6: C Beaux LimmerRound 7: G KT Leveston The biggest change is obviously the loss of Donald, who is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer and will certainly be missed in the trenches. With that said, the Rams replaced him with multiple defensive linemen in the draft, including two edge rushers, and two defensive tackles. The Rams know how much attention Donald got from opposing offensive lines and with him out of the picture, Turner is probably their main defensive line threat. The offensive line and secondary got some help, too, with former Lion Jonah Jackson to give them a starting guard/center option. Cornerback Tre’Davious White boosts the secondary, as someone who can make plays. There was some drama just a few days ago as starting middle linebacker and team captain Ernest Jones supposedly requested a trade…until he didn’t. The confusion ended after he was traded to the Tennessee Titans, followed by Rams head coach Sean McVay saying he didn’t request a trade and the move was a football decision. Jones was the Rams leading tackler with 145 tackles last season and now the job could be had between veterans Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder, or younger guys who stood out in the preseason and training camp in Jake Hummel and Omar Speights. 2024 season outlook The Rams are looking for a new beginning on defense with Donald’s departure, but I think his loss will be felt heavily this season as the team learns to adjust to life without him. Additionally, they are in a tough division with the defending NFC Champion
Test your NFL knowledge on Sep 4 with SB Nation’s new daily trivia game
Your new daily word game obsession is here. Be one of the first people to try out our new NFL player guessing game. We’re back for another day of SB Nation’s in-5 daily trivia game. Just a reminder that this remains a beta that we’re testing out this week. Today’s game is down below and you can play yesterday’s game here. The goal of the game is to guess the correct random NFL player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS this week. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. It will be a mix of well-known players and some “that guys” that we haven’t thought of in some time. The game will appear in slot #3 of the POD layout each day this week, with a new article each day for the game. After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will let us know what you think and how we can improve the game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form. Enjoy! What we need from you Play the game (reminder that the answer could be EITHER an active or retired player) Share your result in the comments and on social media Provide feedback (Google Form or in the comments below) SB Nation in-5
Eagles Injury Report: Devin White ruled OUT … but Nakobe Dean was reportedly set to start anyway
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images New and updates on Philadelphia’s depth chart. The Philadelphia Eagles issued their second official injury report on Wednesday in advance of their Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil. Note that this report is an estimation since the Eagles are not actually practicing today. They had a Sunday-Monday-Tuesday practice schedule before flying to South America today on Wednesday. The big news is that Devin White is listed under DID NOT PARTICIPATE. He is not traveling with the team to Brazil and has thus been ruled OUT of Friday’s game. White unexpectedly appeared on Tuesday’s injury report as a limited participant due to an ankle injury. Apparently he got hurt in practice. Based on how he took nearly all of the first first-team linebacker reps in practice this offseason, White was originally expected to be a Week 1 starter. But reports indicate Dean was actually slated to be the guy at MIKE: Nakobe Dean was slated to be the #Eagles’ starting MIKE LB before the team listed Devin White on the injury report on Tuesday, NFL sources said. Dean beat White out in training camp. It’s’ unclear what role the Eagles had for White, if any, on defense. Nevertheless, he wasn’t… https://t.co/eZOFZNiZN4 — Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 4, 2024 Further, there was reportedly some buzz the Eagles might actually trade White as the team trimmed their roster from 90 players down to 53: There were murmurs that the Eagles could trade Devin White before the cutdown—Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean both were really good in camp. So, fair or not, White missing the opener won’t help his case for a big role in the defense. https://t.co/6Sm5wIIETw — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 4, 2024 Interesting. White, who got benched late last season, did not set the world on fire in training camp. But he did have some moments where his athleticism stood out. Dean had a rough start to camp (as Vic Fangio even publicly acknowledged) but he finished the summer strong. The thought here was that White and Zack Baun would start but Dean would still see a good amount of playing time, perhaps even the most out of any linebacker in a given game. We could see a three-man rotation when White is able to play again; Fangio admitted there’s an ongoing battle at the position. Then again, Fangio also said it would be ideal to settle on two full-time starters. So, here’s an opportunity for Dean to capitalize on the momentum and establish himself. There’s no question he’s looked good playing downhill but he still must prove 1) that he’s not a liability dropping back into coverage and 2) he can stay healthy. White’s absence means the Eagles have three backups behind Dean and Baun: Oren Burks, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Ben VanSumeren. Burks missed most of camp but did some nice things in the final preseason game. JTJ and BVS both showed intriguing potential on both defense and special teams. One player was listed under LIMITED PARTICIPATION: Isaiah Rodgers. Rodgers was also listed as limited on Tuesday due to a hand injury. The current expectation is that he’ll be playing on the outside when the Eagles shift Quinyon Mitchell inside to line up as the nickel cornerback. If Rodgers isn’t able to play, it’ll be Kelee Ringo in his stead. The Eagles listed two players under FULL PARTICIPATION: A.J. Brown and Landon Dickerson. They were listed as limited on Tuesday with “rest” designations. They’re good to go. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES INJURY REPORT (WEDNESDAY) DID NOT PARTICIPATE LB Devin White (ankle) — ruled OUT, was not able to travel with the team LIMITED PARTICIPATION CB Isaiah Rodgers (hand) FULL PARTICIPATION WR A.J. Brown (rest)OG Landon Dickerson (rest) GREEN BAY PACKERS INJURY REPORT (WEDNESDAY) The Packers also did not practice on Wednesday due to travel so this report is an estimation as well. Two changes to Green Bay’s Tuesday injury report: 1) Rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd was upgraded from DNP to limited. Seems like he might be able to play, albeit at less than 100%. If Lloyd is active, he’ll serve as Josh Jacobs’ backup. Third-string running back Emanuel Wilson is still dealing with a hip issue. 2) Second-string tight end Tucker Kraft was added to the injury report with a back issue. He was listed as limited. We’ll see how he’s listed on Thursday’s final injury report. Elsewhere, starting wide receiver Romeo Doubs was listed as limited again due to a hand issue. Depth defensive lineman Arron Mosby was ruled OUT due to a personal matter; he is not traveling to the game. LIMITED PARTICIPATION LB Edgerrin Cooper (hip)WR Romeo Doubs (hand)TE Tucker Kraft (back)RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring)DB Carrington Valentine (hamstring)RB Emanuel Wilson (hip)
Adoree Jackson contract details: 1-year, $1.75 million for the veteran cornerback
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Did the Giants get a bargain in Adoree Jackson? The New York Giants have had their concerns regarding their secondary. Not only do they have a very young and relatively inexperienced secondary, but depth is also a concern after a couple top level starters. The team brought veteran cornerback Adoree Jackson back after the preseason in an attempt to address both of those concerns. Jordan Raanan of ESPN is reporting the details of the contract, and it’s certainly favorable to the Giants. Jackson is signed to a 1-year, $1.75 million contract with just $1.5 million in base salary and $250 thousand in per game roster bonuses. This isn’t exactly a veteran minimum contract, as the NFL’s veteran minimum for a 7th year veteran is $1.21 million. This could be a remarkable bargain for the Giants. At his best, Jackson is a legitimate starting cornerback in the NFL, and he not only knows both the Giants’ locker room, but is also familiar with Shane Bowen’s coverage schemes from their time together with the Tennessee Titans. That said, the contract isn’t so large that the Giants have a financial incentive to play Jackson if he isn’t the clear-cut best option across from Deonte Banks. $1.75 million is easily stomached for a veteran back-up if Nick McCloud or Tre Hawkins III prove to be better options as every-down players. Jackson, 28 (he’ll be 29 on September 18th), has been the Giants’ starting cornerback since he signed a 3-year, $39 million contract in 2021. The Giants chose not to extend his contract following a disappointing 2023 season but now Jackson is back — and at a fraction of the price.
