Reactions to Eagles earning passing offseason grades from ESPN analysts
Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams give the Eagles high marks for their offseason moves so far.
The Philadelphia Eagles‘ offseason has been more about keeping as many of their veteran leaders as they can and less about shopping the free-agency market. No one blames them. After a nice showing by a defense that helped them earn a 14-3 record and a trip to the Super Bowl, everyone’s mind is on returning.
Philly fans might be a little bummed that C.J. Gardner-Johnson chose the Detroit Lions over the City of Brotherly Love, but hey, they still have James Bradberry and Darius Slay in their secondary. That may ease the tension some.
The biggest surprise so far has been general manager Howie Roseman’s ability to keep so much of this team’s core intact when we knew there were limited resources and a slim budget with which to work. Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that everyone thought Philadelphia would be purged of most of their stars, especially on defense. That did not happen.
On Tuesday Morning, ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Max show featured a segment in which they gave early offseason grades following Philly’s first week. The guys were pretty favorable to the Eagles. Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams gave them the stamp of approval.
Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams are both impressed by how many players the Eagles were able to retain.
It always feels strange when former Dallas Cowboys share takes on Philadelphia, but nonetheless, Keyshawn was up first. He felt Philly didn’t lose that many important pieces and what they had lost wouldn’t halt them from a return to the top of the hill. He also felt like Jason Kelce‘s return was one of the key moves for the team this offseason. He will again be the anchor of Philly’s offensive line.
Despite the losses of C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Miles Sanders, Johnson also thinks the team will find a way to still be one of the top teams in the NFC.
Johnson also mentioned that he thinks one of the Birds’ free-agent additions, Rashaad Penny, could resurrect his career thanks to a dominant running game. Penny will have one of the best offensive lines in the league opening holes for him this season.
Jay Williams also gave the Eagles a passing grade for their early off-season moves. He kept things short but he felt like the team reloaded and stabilized themselves sufficiently enough to continue contending for a Super Bowl title.
Max Kellerman was the only analyst that didn’t give Philadelphia a passing grade. Instead, he stamped them as ‘incomplete’. His reasoning was he wants to see what the Eagles do in the NFL Draft to fill their remaining holes on defense. Kellerman also mentioned that he believes the impending Jalen Hurts extension might make it tricky for Philly to satisfy future needs going forward.
What he says about the coming draft is fair, but an incomplete grade? This team was the NFC’s representative in the Super Bowl this past February and was on the verge of losing almost all of their defensive playmakers, three members of their ‘core four’, and a few young stars on both sides of the ball. Saying Howie pulled off a magic trick is an understatement, and Kellerman gives the Birds an incomplete?
Sure, we are biased, but all things considered, it sounds like cause for a passing grade to us.
The manner in which Jalen Hurts’ extension is structured could add to the passing grade. We are hoping they structure his contract similarly to Patrick Mahomes’ deal, which gives the Kansas City Chiefs flexibility to continue chasing free agents.
By the way, Keyshawn, JWill, and Max all gave passing grades to Philadelphia’s NFC East rival the Dallas Cowboys. They’re in love with the trades for cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
