According to FootballScoop.com, Indianapolis Colts offensive quality control and assistant wide receivers coach Brian Bratton will be departing to join Stanford University football as their new wide receivers coach. That initial report has since been confirmed by Colts wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne, who was very sad to see Bratton go on social media: Bratton […] That initial report has since been confirmed by Colts wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne, who was very sad to see Bratton go on social media: Bratton will be the latest former Colts coaching staff member to join former Indianapolis retired franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, the Cardinal football program’s general manager, in Palo Alto—as ex-head coach Frank Reich served as Stanford’s interim head coach last year before recently becoming the New York Jets new offensive coordinator under 2nd-year head coach Aaron Glenn. As a former 2x Grey Cup Champion in the CFL during his playing career, and standout at Furman University, Bratton had served as an offensive quality control coach for Indianapolis since 2022—having come over from the collegiate coaching ranks. He recently served on the coaching staff for the East-West Shrine Bowl. It’ll be interesting to see who the Colts hire to ultimately replace Bratton, but they’ve lost a good one apparently. See More: Indianapolis Colts News
Colts reportedly lose assistant WR coach Brian Bratton to Stanford
NFL Teams that need a quarterback in 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a great position. They need a quarterback and they have the No. 1 overall draft pick. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is widely considered the only player at the position who is worthy of being a top pick. So, Mendoza will likely be drafted by the Raiders. Yet, several other teams […] The Las Vegas Raiders are in a great position. They need a quarterback and they have the No. 1 overall draft pick. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is widely considered the only player at the position who is worthy of being a top pick. So, Mendoza will likely be drafted by the Raiders. Yet, several other teams need a quarterback, so the Raiders might get calls about the No. 1 pick. Here is a look at the other teams who need a quarterback, presented in alphabetical order: Arizona Cardinals: Arizona is likely going to cut ties with Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019, this offseason. The Cardinals have the No. 3 pick. So, if they want Mendoza, they can offer the Raiders a nice package. Cleveland Browns: Maybe Shedeur Sanders is the answer in 2026 and maybe he isn’t. The Browns will likely look for an upgrade. They have the No. 6 pick in the first round. Indianapolis Colts: Daniel Jones is hurt and a free agent. So, expect the Colts to to explore getting a new quarterback. They may go the veteran route, though. But brining Mendoza back to Indiana will be tempting, surely. However, the Colts don’t have a first-round pick, so they would have to dig deep to get the Raiders interested in a deal. Miami Dolphins: The new-look Miami front office is expected to move on from Tua Tagovailoa. Mendoza is a Miami kid. They could swing big. Miami has the No. 11 pick in the first round. It wouldn’t shock me if they give the Raiders a call. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings might cut bait on 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, but if they do, they might make it a soft move and bring in a veteran to compete with him. New York Jets: This is a team to watch. The Jets have the No. 2 overall pick and badly need a quarterback. They also have the No. 16 pick and two second-round picks. Plus, they have three first-round picks in 2027. If they Jets fall in with Mendoza, the Raiders might be able to get a huge haul to drop one pick. CINCINNATI, OHIO – OCTOBER 16: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter in the game at Paycor Stadium on October 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)Getty Images Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers might try to keep Aaron Rodgers for another year ore they could give second-year player Will Howard a shot. Could they try to swing a deal for Mendoza? I tend to think they may wait to a better quarterback draft class in 2027 before committing to a rookie. Conclusion: I expect the Raiders to draft Mendoza. But there may be some trade options if they want to explore that route. Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system! See More: Las Vegas Raiders Draft
Dolphins, Browns linked to free agent QB Malik Willis
The Miami Dolphins continue to be linked to free agent quarterback Malik Willis. Back in late January, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the mutual interest between free agent QB Malik Willis and the Miami Dolphins. Now, another “NFL EXPERT” is weighing in on Willis impending payday. A payday that could see the Dolphins competing with the […] The Miami Dolphins continue to be linked to free agent quarterback Malik Willis. Back in late January, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the mutual interest between free agent QB Malik Willis and the Miami Dolphins. Now, another “NFL EXPERT” is weighing in on Willis impending payday. A payday that could see the Dolphins competing with the Cleveland Browns, among other quarterback-starved teams, for his services. According to Jason La Confora, the Dolphins have legit interest in Malik Willis:::“Willis made a strong impression on Miami head coach Jeff Hafley, the Packers’ former defensive coordinator, according to team sources, and the combination of explosive runs and explosive passes that Willis provided in relief of Willis did not go unnoticed.” As for what it may cost a team to land Willis in free agency, many have continued to compare it to the Justin Fields deal, which saw the New York Jets paying him 2 years, $40M, with $30M guaranteed. “I think he’s better than Fields, ”a GM told La Confora.“ I think he’ll be a better starter.” Willis, 26, completed 85.7% of his passes in 2025, finishing the season with 422 yards and 3 touchdowns in limited action. Since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans 86th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Willis has started six games during his NFL career, finishing with a 3-3 record. Ultimately, it will come down to whether the Dolphins can find a suitor for Tua Tagovailoa and if it makes sense for the team from a cap situation. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has countless big decisions to make in the coming weeks, as they plan to take on a historic amount of dead cap in 2026, while completely rebuilding the roster. Does Malik Willis fit into that equation? Another team to keep an eye on is the Arizona Cardinals, who remain a heavy favorite for Willis. However, like the Dolphins and Tua, the Cards will likely need to find a trade suitor for Kyler Murray before deciding on what they can or can’t do in free agency. This, as one agent suggests, could leave Willis ripe for the picking if the Cleveland Browns and new HC Todd Monken want an upgrade over Shedeur Sanders. Buckle up, it’s gonna be a wild ride! What are your thoughts on the Dolphins being linked to free agent quarterback Malik Willis? Do you think he’ll land in Miami if Cleveland or another team comes calling? How do you feel about Quinn Ewers heading into the 2026 season? Let us know in the comments section below! See More:
Darrell Bevell leaves Miami Dolphins for Carolina Panthers
The great remaking of the Miami Dolphins continues to roll on this offseason as the team transitions from former general manager Chris Grier and former head coach Mike McDaniel to new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley. On Wednesday morning, it was reported by various sources that former Dolphins quarterbacks coach […] The great remaking of the Miami Dolphins continues to roll on this offseason as the team transitions from former general manager Chris Grier and former head coach Mike McDaniel to new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley. On Wednesday morning, it was reported by various sources that former Dolphins quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Darrell Bevell will be joining the Carolina Panthers staff as the team’s associate head coach. Bevell spent the last four seasons in Miami under Mike McDaniel — helping quarterback Tua Tagovailoa maximize his skillset before his steep decline in 2025. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are still in search of a new quarterbacks coach, after the man they hired for the job — Nathaniel Hackett — left Miami for the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive coordinator position less than a week after being hired. Whoever the Dolphins settle on will have his work cut out for him — as the team wrestles with the idea of moving on from Tagovailoa, while still having 7th round draft pick, Quinn Ewers, in the quarterbacks room. Of course, there has been plenty of speculation this offseason as to whether or not the Dolphins will be able to bring Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to South Florida when free agency opens in one month’s time — with the Dolphins and Cleveland Browns being named as the two teams most interested in his services. See More: Miami Dolphins News
2026 Detroit Lions free agent profile: Kyle Allen can put end to QB2 turnstile
It’s been a while since the Detroit Lions have had a staple at backup quarterback. The longest-tenured backup (not third string) the team has had under coach Dan Campbell was Teddy Bridgewater who was on the team for two seasons, granted he didn’t come back for year two until he was done coaching his high […] It’s been a while since the Detroit Lions have had a staple at backup quarterback. The longest-tenured backup (not third string) the team has had under coach Dan Campbell was Teddy Bridgewater who was on the team for two seasons, granted he didn’t come back for year two until he was done coaching his high school football team. Before Campbell was the coach, the Lions were in a similar situation at backup quarterback, a revolving door of players coming in and stepping out. I had to go back from 2014-16 where the team had Dan Orlovsky as the backup quarterback for three-straight seasons, and before him, the team had Shaun Hill from 2010-13. What I’m getting at is the team could use some consistency at its backup quarterback spot, someone who will be here during the whole season and continue to stick around for a while. The team could finally have that in Kyle Allen. Let’s discuss whether the Lions should keep Allen around for another year, or if they should keep that revolving door swinging. Previous Lions free agent profiles: DT DJ Reader, LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DB Avonte Maddox, CB Rock Ya-Sin Kyle Allen The Lions were looking to give former third-round pick Hendon Hooker some competition for the backup job with Bridgewater signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team believed Hooker could win the backup job, but wanted to make him earn it instead of handing it over. Detroit signed Allen to a one-year deal for $1.27 million. With Allen’s past, he was looked down upon as the obvious third-string option and the job would be something Hooker should win. While Hooker wasn’t impressing greatly, he was in his third year in the league and second training camp after missing a majority of his rookie year in 2023. The team drafted him to be a potential backup so it was understandable that they had that confidence in him before the season began. By September, Allen was projected to be an afterthought or practice squad guy. Actual role in 2025 Note: PFF grades reflect a minimum 20% snaps at that position. Allen didn’t hit this threshold Season stats — 3 games (0 starts): 0-for-2 for 0 yards, three carries for -3 yards. 16 offensive snaps PFF offensive grade: 73.7PFF passing grade: 73PFF running grade: 60.5 Despite all of the slander Allen got from multiple people (myself included), he impressed in training camp and the preseason and defeated Hooker for the backup job. While it looked close in practice, Allen was clearly the better gamer, and he took care of the football in the preseason, unlike Hooker. With that, not only did the Lions give him the backup quarterback job, they ended up cutting Hooker from the roster, leaving the team with only two quarterbacks. They would later add C.J. Beathard to the practice squad as the clear QB3. Allen didn’t see much playing time, only appearing in garbage time in three games and while he never completed a pass, it didn’t matter overall. Outlook for 2026 Contract status: Unrestricted free agent Pros of re-signing Allen returning would be a cheap and easy decision for the team. He could be the next version of Hill or Orlovsky where he could stick around for a few years, learn, and help Goff out during film sessions and practice. While Goff is a veteran himself, having another quarterback who has been in the league for a while helps offer a second pair of seasoned eyes. That could be especially helpful as Detroit installs their new offense under Drew Petzing. Who knows? Maybe Allen has another strong showing in the preseason, and if Detroit likes their third-string option, they could trade Allen for some draft capital in 2027. Cons of re-signing The team could find a better backup than Allen. Someone like Joe Flacco would be an option. Upgrading the backup would cost some extra money, but that could be worth it to provide some insurance at the most important position. Outside of that, there really isn’t a downside. Is there interest from both sides? I don’t see why not. Detroit saw the value in Allen and believed he was better than someone they drafted. So the Lions clearly like him. I would lean towards Allen liking Detroit for seeing his skills and trusting him. He isn’t going to win any starting jobs around the NFL, so he’s a career backup at this point. Unless he wants to go somewhere else that would offer him more money, another year in Detroit makes sense for both sides. Cost? Allen deserves a little bit of a pay bump for winning the backup job last year. He’s earned roughly the same amount of money the past three years, with his biggest deal being for $2.5 million with the Houston Texans back in 2022. I don’t think he gets that much of a pay bump, but I could see him warranting $1.5 to $1.75 million on another one-year deal unless the team wants to commit to him longer. The max I could see is a two-year deal for $3 million. Conclusion Overall, I see it as a slam dunk decision to bring back Allen in 2026. While the offensive coordinator has changed, he will be right alongside Goff in that adjustment, whatever it may be. He knows the roster and coaching staff, and I don’t think the team would sign someone to try and uproot Allen out of Detroit. The team needs to have better consistency at the backup quarterback spot and Allen is the best fit for that. What do you think the Lions should do with Kyle Allen?
2025 Detroit Lions Awards: Rookie of the Year
The Detroit Lions 2025 NFL Draft class is still very much a work in progress, but the team did get some contributions from a few rookies. It’s far too early to judge an entire draft class after one season, but we can certainly congratulate and celebrate specific individuals who showed a lot of promise in […] The Detroit Lions 2025 NFL Draft class is still very much a work in progress, but the team did get some contributions from a few rookies. It’s far too early to judge an entire draft class after one season, but we can certainly congratulate and celebrate specific individuals who showed a lot of promise in their first NFL season. Here are our nominations for 2025 Detroit Lions Rookie of the Year. Your vote at the bottom of the page will determine the winner, so don’t forget to use the poll! Previous awards: Detroit Lions Rookie of the Year Al Karsten: Tate Ratledge Despite the offensive line’s overall struggles, Ratledge stepped in as a first-year starter, worked through typical rookie growing pains, and finished the second half of the season looking like one of the best rookie offensive linemen in football. An imposing presence in the run game, he led the team with nearly 1,100 snaps while starting every game and paving the way for several explosive runs by Jahmyr Gibbs. He more than lived up to the value Brad Holmes found in him as a second-round pick. Erik Schlitt: Tate Ratledge Ratledge earned a starting job in training camp and then went on to take 99% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2025. According to PFF, Ratledge only gave up two sacks on the season, earned a 70.3 overall grade from PFF, which ranked him 20th amongst all NFL guards (who played at least half their team’s offensive snaps), while his 73.5 run blocking grade was among the top 10. Ratledge should be a fixture on the offensive line for several years to come. Jeremy Reisman: Tate Ratledge While there was no real competitor for Ratledge this year, he’s fully deserving of the award. When many rookies are hitting a wall come November or December, Ratledge was playing some of his best football. From Weeks 12-18, Ratledge posted a 73.1 PFF grade, good for 15th among all NFL guards over that span and just behind All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson (73.6). He will enter 2026 with expectations of being a good, if not great, starter. Meko Scott: Tate Ratledge The 2025 rookie class may not have wowed anyone like previous years, but the play from Tate Ratledge gave me a lot of hope for the future. We saw Ratledge start in all 17 games and truly have to learn on the fly as that offensive line went through a lot of change and poor play. However, in spite of that we saw, Ratledge displayed his grittiness by playing through injuries and his improvement throughout the season in the run game, where he received a 73.5 run blocking grade from PFF. There will need to be improvement in his pass protection, but I think we saw enough from the Lions second-round pick to believe he can be a quality piece to this offensive front for years to come. John Whiticar: Tate Ratledge I’m expecting a sweep for Ratledge, as there was nobody else in the conversation. I wouldn’t say that Tyleik Williams had a bad season, but I was hoping he would have a larger role by the end of the year. Elsewhere, your candidates are Isaac TeSlaa and his acrobatic-yet-limited catches or Miles Frazier and his 46 snaps. Ratledge not only gets the award by virtue of starting, but he was genuinely good. For a rookie campaign, it was a good starting point. Ryan Mathews: Tate Ratledge The Lions’ second-round pick gets the nod for his steadily improving play throughout the season. Ratledge finished the season t-15th among guards in PFF’s EFF metric (97.9)–a PFF signature stat measuring pressure allowed on a per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks allowed–and from Week 12 through the end of the season, he finished t-third (99.0) in that same statistic, allowing just six pressures and zero sacks over the final seven games of 2025. Brandon Knapp: Tate Ratledge The only rookie who was considered a starter for the entire season, Ratledge is the clear and obvious choice. He wasn’t perfect but he showed he was just what this team needed on the offensive line and has a bright future ahead of himself. See More:
Join Pride of Detroit’s EXCLUSIVE Q&A with new Detroit Lions OC Drew Petzing
We have some exciting news to share with our Pride of Detroit community: On Thursday, Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m. ET, Pride of Detroit will have an exclusive interview with new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. And we’re giving you all the opportunity to ask him questions as a way to welcome him to […] We have some exciting news to share with our Pride of Detroit community: On Thursday, Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m. ET, Pride of Detroit will have an exclusive interview with new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. And we’re giving you all the opportunity to ask him questions as a way to welcome him to Detroit. (Note: Time is subject to change.) It will be an opportunity for us to get to know Petzing himself, his football philosophies, his thoughts on the 2026 Detroit Lions, and much more. We plan to cover as many topics as possible in the 30-ish minutes we have with the Lions’ offensive coordinator. But what makes this even more special is that we want to share this opportunity with our loyal POD community. After we get our initial questions in, we plan to open the floor for fan questions. That’s where you come in. Starting right now, you can submit questions for the interview by posting them in our comment section. The best questions we get, we’ll ask directly to Petzing and be sure to give credit to the username who posed the question credit. Of course, another perk is that WE’LL BE STREAMING THE INTERVIEW LIVE AT 12:30 P.M. ET ON THURSDAY over on our Twitch and YouTube pages. Make sure you’re following both pages now and set up alerts so that you’ll know exactly when we go live: If time permits, we’ll also take questions from our audience via live chat. But for now, let’s hear your questions! Don’t worry, we’ve got the basic ones covered, so get creative with your ideas!
2026 NFL Draft: Identifying top prospects for Detroit Lions
Despite it already feeling like it has been a long winter here in Detroit, it’s sadly still only the middle of February. However, warmer days are on the horizon, as is the 2026 NFL Draft in April. In a few short weeks, the NFL’s annual NFL Combine will kick off in Indianapolis, and before we […] Despite it already feeling like it has been a long winter here in Detroit, it’s sadly still only the middle of February. However, warmer days are on the horizon, as is the 2026 NFL Draft in April. In a few short weeks, the NFL’s annual NFL Combine will kick off in Indianapolis, and before we know it, free agency will be here, too. So to set the table a bit ahead of all the chaos to come, we were lucky enough to have one of our own on the Pride of Detroit YouTube Channel. Joining myself and Meko Scott this week is none other than The Machine, Erik Schlitt, to discuss some of his favorite prospects from the 2026 class. We start off by reminiscing on the 2023 NFL Draft, and how many assume Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes was forced to pivot once the Seattle Seahawks drafted defensive back Devon Witherspoon with the fifth overall selection. Looking back now, it certainly appears to have worked out well for both teams. From there, we get into some of Erik’s favorite prospects at several different positions, including offensive tackle and guard, edge, as well as linebackers and safeties. It is a really interesting conversation that does a nice job of organizing players into tiers ahead of the combine later in February. Would you be okay with the Lions drafting a linebacker or safety at 17 if the board falls that way? Let us know what you think in the comments below. As always, please be sure to like and subscribe to the Pride of Detroit YouTube Channel. Your support helps us to continue to grow and reach more Lions fans! See More:
2026 NFL Draft: 10 takeaways from Dane Brugler’s top 100 prospects list
We are well and truly on the path to the 2026 NFL Draft. Mock draft season is in full swing and evaluators around the media landscape are releasing profiles and big boards. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his initial list Top 100 after the Super Bowl. Every evaluator’s rankings will likely change as we go through the process, with the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine as the most likely to reshuffle. The New York Giants only have two picks in the Top 100, at least as things stand now. They could make moves to add draft capital, potentially working a trade, moving a player (or players) or finding a trade partner on draft night. But while the Giants might not be making many picks in the Top 100, Brugler’s list is always interesting reading. 1) I don’t know if I’ll ever fully agree with Brugler I think acknowledging various biases is foundational to any good piece of analysis or evaluation, so I want to start off by acknowledging one of the biggest differences in how Brugler and I seem to view the draft. He seemingly passes every prospect through a “Height/Weight/Speed” filter and that often figures heavily in his evaluations. That’s an old school way of doing things — with the twist of using modern technology to accurately measure athleticism. I used to be the same way. However, seeing players like Steve Smith Sr. Jason Kelce, Odell Beckham Jr., Aaron Donald, DeVonta Smith, Devon Achane, the Kendricks brothers, and Ivan Pace Jr. all have success as “undersized” players for their positions, while players with “prototypical” or “freakish” profiles bust convinced me to re-evaluate my process for evaluations. Now my personal mantra is “Size Is Not A Skill Set”. I’m not saying that I’m right and he’s wrong, but rather something to keep in mind as we go through the list. 2) This will be a defense-driven draft If there’s one thing that leaps off the page when looking at this draft class, it’s that this is definitely a stronger defensive class than offensive class. A quarterback is going to go first overall, but the rest of the Top 20 will likely be dominated by defense. Not exclusively defensive players, mind you, but it’d be a surprise if we got more than six or seven offensive players between picks 2 and 20. That might not impact the Giants’ draft, as there might only be three players off the board that they care about. If they want to continue to add to the defense, there should be good options available. Likewise, they should also have impact players available on the offensive side of the ball as well. But the general theme of the first round should be established pretty early. 3) A good draft to trade back — if you can find a partner One of the other things that simply leaps off the page is how flat the talent level is in this draft. There will probably be 20 (or so) players to carry first round grades in this draft, but how each individual team views them could vary tremendously. Some teams could see Denzel Boston as WR1 in this class and a Top 5 pick, while others could see him as 20. That obviously makes trading down highly attractive, as your board could dictate that you get similar value at 15th overall as fifth overall, with additional draft capital. On the flip side, there isn’t much trade bait at the top, that is, unless, teams simply fall in love with a position player like the Jaguars did Travis Hunter. It’ll be fascinating to see how that plays out and impacts the draft. I suspect we could either see teams be highly aggressive trying to get “Their Guy” or a very sedate night, without much in between. 4) Ty Simpson will be a lynchpin The Alabama quarterback could well be the second quarterback off the board. He was in contention to be QB1 at times this season and has significant upside. However, he also only has one season of starting experience and had an uneven season. That said, this is an undeniably weak quarterback class and the question is how far the NFL allows Simpson to fall on draft night. The New York Jets are an obvious team to watch given their plethora of first round picks, but so too are the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams. Matt Stafford is an MVP but we don’t know how long he’ll be able to play at that level or even want to keep playing. The Rams have a late first round pick they could use to take Simpson — or perhaps as a trade chip if they want to make an aggressive move. It’s something that bears watching. 5) Day 2 is the sweet spot for interior linemen If you want to add an interior lineman, either offensive or defensive, Day 2 is the place to do it. This class doesn’t have much in the way of high level talent on the interior. There is no Quinten Nelson or Ndamukong Suh who commands a high pick and will be a Day 1 game changer. However, there are plenty of (somewhat limited) guards and defensive tackles who will carry Day 2 grades. That doesn’t mean the classes are weak by any means, and there will be good players available throughout the Friday portion of the draft. That could actually work out for the Giants if they follow the Ravens’ recent history of drafting a receiver or defensive back in the first round and a lineman in the second. 6) The fall of Peter Woods Okay, I probably could have just expanded the subhead to say “What happened at Clemson?” but I was just talking about defensive tackles, so I thought I’d stay at the position. Woods was widely considered a Top 10 lock coming into the season thanks to his athleticism and versatility. He split time between defensive tackle and defensive end in
Nakobe Dean, Reed Blankenship talk about possibly re-signing with the Eagles
The week leading up to the Super Bowl is filled with more media opportunities than players know what to do with, which means more than a few opportunities for upcoming Eagles’ free agents to make a pitch to stay in Philly — or not. Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship were both asked about returning to […] The week leading up to the Super Bowl is filled with more media opportunities than players know what to do with, which means more than a few opportunities for upcoming Eagles’ free agents to make a pitch to stay in Philly — or not. Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship were both asked about returning to Philadelphia next season, and their responses were very different — Dean felt like Zack Baun last season, and Blankenship gave Milton Williams vibes, when the now-New England Patriots defensive tackle wore a hoodie with his agent’s logo on locker clean out day. Nakobe Dean One man who without question wants to be back in Philadelphia is linebacker Nakobe Dean. He has said it to nearly anyone who would listen — he acknowledged that the NFL is a business, so he understands if it doesn’t work out, but returning to the Eagles is his preference. The LB has played with a handful of his teammates since college, and moving on would be a big adjustment. Dean’s injury history could work to his benefit in this regard, but he’s someone who might not be as valued outside the building. The people within the Eagles organization know how important he is as a leader and what he can do for the linebacker group, and defense as a whole, even when he’s not on the field. And when he is on the field, he’s intelligent and instantly impactful. Reed Blankenship The Exciting Mics podcast co-hosts, Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship, were among the many posted up in the media center ahead of the Super Bowl, and they briefly addressed Blankenship’s upcoming free agency. The safety talked about he and his wife moving out of Philadelphia and back to Tennessee — the couple previously announced they have a baby on the way — which is an interesting move if he expected to be back with the Eagles. DeJean tried to goad Blankenship into talking about wanting to be back in Philly, but the safety did little to offer any assurances, saying only: “We’ll see.” There’s still several weeks before Dean, Blankenship, and the other Eagles free agents officially hit the market, so Howie Roseman has time to figure out how best to fill the roster, and how to allocate the salary cap among a young defense that will be very expensive over the next couple of seasons. Which defensive upcoming free agents should the Eagles prioritize re-signing before they hit the market? Let us know in the comments! See More: