We are less than two weeks from the start of the 2020 NFL Draft and I haven’t done a mailbag in a while, so you guys had plenty of questions.
We got enough to split it into two parts, so Part 1 is today, Part 2 tomorrow.
Let’s get to it:
I can’t really answer that without knowing how the first round will go. I will say that the Eagles should be open to trading down if the first round falls a certain way. Basically, if the top four receivers are gone and they think there isn’t enough value with another one at 21 — or with another position — they should look to trade back into the later part of the first round. But it’s not always that easy. You have to find a team that’s willing to trade up. So if the Eagles find themselves in a situation where they want to move down, they have to hope there’s a player still available at a position they don’t need or value as much as other clubs.
My take on the receivers is that there are four top guys, including Justin Jefferson. Others disagree, but that’s my belief. So if I’m Howie Roseman and I can’t take one of those four and I don’t like the options at other positions, I’d try to move down and grab a Brandon Aiyuk or Denzel Mims a tad later. It’s all about value.
Well, the Dolphins are coming into this draft with three first-round picks: 5, 18 and 26. So if they keep 5 and 18 and make picks there, then the Eagles’ pick comes just three slots after they just drafted a player. If there was one guy they really liked there, they would have already taken him. But I see what you’re getting at here. The Dolphins also have two second-rounders and a third. So if the Eagles want to move back and the Dolphins want to move up, the Eagles could potentially add another Day 2 selection.
Well, it’s gonna be Andre Dillard. I understand why opinions are split on Dillard. But I’m still pretty high on him and his upside. He’s still just 24 and hasn’t gotten a chance to be the starter until this year. Will he be as good as Jason Peters this year? Maybe not. But I’m willing to put aside that debacle of him at right tackle and focus on his play at left tackle last year. It wasn’t perfect, but I thought he handled himself fairly well … well enough to make me think he’s ready for an expanded role in 2020.
If the Eagles are wrong about him, it hurts, especially without great depth behind him. But something tells me Dillard is going to be fine. And they traded up to draft him last year; he didn’t lose his ability in a calendar year. With Dillard, it’s about making sure he has the mental toughness to play left tackle for 16 games and we won’t know until he gets his shot.
I look back at the end of the 2019 season as a huge success for Carson Wentz. He was playing with a bunch of practice squad receivers and still put up huge numbers. I don’t care who the opponents were; Went completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,199 yards, 7 TDs and 0 INTs to basically will the Eagles into the playoffs. The Eagles haven’t done a great job of getting him receivers yet this offseason, but if they grab a couple in the draft, that’ll help.
In 2019, he became the first Eagles’ quarterback to ever throw for 4,000 yards in a season and that won’t be the last time. Wentz is still a really talented quarterback and I think he still has the ability to be one of the top QBs in the league.
I also really like the addition of Rich Scangarello to the offensive coaching staff. It’s an admission that what Wentz does best is moving in and out of the pocket and throwing on the run. He’s been like that his whole career and the hesitance from the Eagles’ coaching staff to utilize that had been puzzling to me. I really think that addition and their willingness to play to one of Wentz’s biggest strengths can really help his career.
Italian hoagie: Oil, no vinegar, lettuce, tomato, onion, salt, pepper, oregano, hot peppers on a hard Italian roll with extra sharp provolone. Easy.
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