Eagles 2022-2023 Season

phillychuck 2022-06-13 18:01:21 UTC #21

OK, he WOULD be the fastest 110-meter hurdler to play, if he does. I was just responding to speculation of who would be the fastest player that somehow omitted Bob Hayes...

zambonir 2022-06-13 18:03:53 UTC #22

It's not like this guy hasn't played football. I assume the time away from the game is the issue and the Eagles see him as a longer-term project.

LegoDoom 2022-06-13 19:43:42 UTC #23

I wasn't omitting Bob Hayes. It's just that Jeff Demps 100m personal best is 10.01 while Hayes' is 10.06. Hayes time was in 1964, so it's definitely impressive.

Allen has decent hands, but I have no idea how he is as a route runner. On the track he gets out of the blocks on the slow side, but given his speed I'm not sure how much that will matter.

andyb 2022-06-13 20:19:23 UTC #24

I'd still vote for Darrell Green as the fastest guy in actual pads (especially since he was fast in the first 20-30 yards and not just the 40 or 100).

But this article ranks him 8th with Jim Hines being the fastest electronically timed 100. I suspect Bob Hayes lost a tenth with the lack of electronic timing in his prime though.

Definitely an interesting list. I'd say Allen has a better chance than most since he actually played a little high level college football.

LegoDoom 2022-06-13 20:48:00 UTC #25

I knew about Jim Hines 9.95, but I didn't know he played football.

I'd be fine agreeing that the answer should be Jacoby Ford as he was not just a return specialist. Although Demps had a good college career.

andyb 2022-06-13 21:08:14 UTC #26

We'll probably really never know for sure as any sprinter that went to football early (like age 22) probably bulked up and lost the chance to maximize their 100 times. Bob Hayes did run through much of his prime though as I noted much of that was not electronically timed. And then today's players have not just better coaching and nutrition, but likely better shoes and they are running on faster tracks.

It is really hard to tell who was fastest in neutral circumstances.

LegoDoom 2022-06-13 21:15:49 UTC #27

Because it came up (not on this site) when the DK Metcalf 100m run happened, the 100m is probably the race where bulk has the least negative effect on time. I would probably agree that DK is a little too top heavy, but his size shouldn't be much of an issue.

Ryan Bailey has a PR of 9.88 @ 6'4", 225 lbs.

But I do agree with your other points about nutrition, training, and equipment. It was part of the reason I stated that Hayes ran his PR in 1964. I think the track conditions were less than ideal (especially with today's standards).

andyb 2022-06-13 21:31:58 UTC #28

I guess bulk is a bit simplistic though it is probably part of why a sprinter like DK does not get faster in the 100. I'd also venture that other aspects of training in football do not help one's overall track speed, especially in distances over 40 yards. Whether it is emphasizing change of direction or hitting (building up certain muscles but maybe not others), the football training is just different. When we are talking about a tenth of a second separating the best from the also-rans in this fictitious contest it is important. Usain Bolt was of course a big runner too, though he never trained for football.

FWIW the training for a hurdler is probably slightly closer to football training than that of just a sprinter. I bet Allen sees time this year at some point even if not at the beginning of the year. At the very least he can be a decoy to clear out the middle of the field. No idea how much special teams experience he has either.

xogfog 2022-06-18 16:06:20 UTC #29

Eagles add some safety depth with the signing of Jaquiski Tartt to a one year deal.

Purduke 2022-07-21 04:13:44 UTC #30

Five days until training camp! Really. Hope they bring the gatorade!

From PFF:

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Important Dates

Rookies report: July 26
Veterans report: July 26

Offseason Unit Rankings:

Running Back Unit 21st
Receiving Corps 4th
Offensive Line 1st
Defensive Line 9th
Linebacker Unit 15th
Secondary 13th

This looks like a palyoff team. Ooops, they don't have QB listed.

bkeich 2022-07-21 12:13:30 UTC #31

The part that those rankings doesn't say is the importance of each positional group. Having the best (or at least one of the best OL) alone should make a team a very good team.

VoteForKalas 2022-07-21 12:48:01 UTC #32

Agreed. Football games are won & lost at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. If your team controls the line of scrimmage on both sides, it is hard for the opponent to overcome that.

To have a very good OL and an improved DL will help a ton. I still worry about DE, but hopefully Graham has still got some tread left, Sweat takes another step forward and Gannon uses Reddick to rush the QB.

21st in the RB category surprises me after the Eagles were so dominant rushing last season, but perhaps they give the OL most of that credit. Sanders has been a mixed bag, but I like Gainwell and hope he gets more chances.

bkeich 2022-07-21 12:53:37 UTC #33

I think Sanders gets downgraded for injuries, when he is on the field he is above average, but he misses time. After that the RB's are pretty pedestrian, not bad but not with much "reputation".

I think the DE's will look a lot better with the DT's we have. We have 3 DT's that could be Pro Bowlers, it is almost an embarrassment of riches. With that middle pressure even average DE's will look good (at least I hope). We just have to keep those DT's healthy and Davis turns out to be what we think he is (freakish athlete).

I am excited for this season, I think Hurts is going to be improved (not that he was bad) and the WR group is exceptional (especially given our recent past). This does honestly seem like the 2004 team in some ways, although without the recent playoff success.(and obviously our #1 WR is not a 2005 team killing jerk)

allentown 2022-07-21 13:44:55 UTC #34

The OL is very important, but... the above rankings list is very deceptive because it doesn't include QB and that is the greatest unknown, which likely determines the course of the Eagles season. The OL ranking is also deceptive, because although our starters are excellent, Johnson, in particular, has been injured a lot and Kelce is at the age where it's a lot to expect him to play the full season, as he normally does. My main quibble with the ratings as presented is that I don't think the DL is as good as 9th. DE remains a problem and the rating assumes Graham comes back and is effective, which seems a stretch to me. I also think that the defensive talent was better than showed on the field last season and that this is down to Gannon, who will still be running the defense. I don't think an NFL D can be good if it consistently plays what is basically a late-game prevent defense for the entire game. Will Gannon play a more aggressive D with his new talents? I think he blitzed way too little last season and had his DBs and LBs play way too soft against the pass.

VoteForKalas 2022-07-21 15:05:03 UTC #35

That is my hope as well, especially with players like Reddick and Dean. The CB are better IMO, but S remains a big issue Roseman does not seem to value.

Last year, the D was able to shut down poor offenses, but got annihilated by good ones and struggled with even average ones. We may score more points this year, but one of the QB's best friends is a good defense. Just ask Tom Brady. Gannon must show improvement in developing talent, but also with his scheme.

VoteForKalas 2022-07-21 15:21:47 UTC #36

It is an interesting comparison. McNabb had more experience than Hurts, but was still known as a running QB like Hurts is now. McNabb took a big step in 2004 in the passing game and that turned the offense into a more potent unit. Many are hopeful Hurts can take a similar step this season.

What the 2004 team had that this team does not is a high level defense, led by experienced & great talent like Dawk, Kearse, Simon & Lito. It was not as good as the 2001 or 2002 defenses, but still quite good.

Owens is a HOFer on merit, but, like you said, one of the most selfish and vindictive personalities to walk into a locker room. We'll see how Brown does here. He is not Owens level talent, but hopefully is more of a team player and leader for the young WR and Hurts.

The good news is 2004 turned out to be the end of the run until 2008 whereas this season feels like the beginning of a new run after paying the piper for 2017. If Hurts develops, we could be in for some fun seasons. If they have to draft another QB next off-season, that will delay the process, but at least that player will walk into a decent roster and locker room.

LegoDoom 2022-07-27 21:52:55 UTC #37

I understand the 2004 comparison (mainly on offense), but I don't really see it. I like Hurts, but McNabb was better (even though it's closer than it seems). You can't say TO was a team killer because that did not apply in 2004 and although the overall talent in the current WR group may be better, no one is close to TO. The current TEs are better. The 2004 RBs were better. And as good as the OL is right now, the OL in 2004 was very good. I was going to say it was a push on offense, but I'll give the current team a slight edge because they had more points and yards last year, should be better this year, and the 2004 NFCE was horrible.

But, as was pointed out, I don't think the current defense will be all that close.

What I didn't see mentioned was that pretty much every coach was better in 2004 and most likely by quite a bit.

bkeich 2022-07-31 15:08:27 UTC #38

Dude is a little "different"

gmwannabe 2022-08-01 12:34:22 UTC #39

I agree with BK's statement about the defensive tackles (3 could be pro bowlers). on another site, someone was writing about running a 3-4 hybrid defense and named his defensive line thoughts. he didn't mention Fletch at all. are people discounting him as a player this season? do they think he is done? not me.
gm

phillychuck 2022-08-01 13:03:36 UTC #40

Their D-tackle rotation took the first injury "hit" of the year with promising second-year tackle Milton Williams out with some sort of elbow injury. Rumors are it could be an injury that lingers. Siriani may address the severity of the injury before practice today.