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knowyourenemy

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I like big 4-3 DLs like we had in the heyday of Buddy Ryan, with Reggie White, Mike Pitts, Jerome Brown and Clyde Simmons. Now that was a line.

That was 25 years ago. The game has changed. Cox could play DT or DE because he's that good -- but his best fit today is at DT.
 

PhillyGreen

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Fletcher Cox is also looking like he makes way too much for his actual impact.

I disagree here. Fletcher Cox gets doubled on just about every play. Very rarely will he get a single blocker on him so he is doing his job. The problem is that the rest of the line other than Graham was underwhelming imo.
 

PhillyGreen

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On a side note looks like the Cowboys are having more issues. Just heard that Doug Free retired. Now I think he was the weakest link on that line but was still good.
 

eaglesnut

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I'd like to grab one of the vet corners in the market. Rather not be hamstrung in the draft. If a pass rusher is sitting there for us at 14 makes it easier to draft him too.
 

PhillyGreen

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I'd like to grab one of the vet corners in the market. Rather not be hamstrung in the draft. If a pass rusher is sitting there for us at 14 makes it easier to draft him too.

I think we need to take Mike Williams if he drops to us. If not we need to go CB IMO.
 

old duke

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As much as I like Williams and Davis, and Cook, I think we have to go CB, unless Howie gets a vet CB that can play. Otherwise, we'll get killed in pass defense. And, even if Howie does get 1 or 2 vets signed before the draft, we need a pass rusher almost as much as corners.
 

Iggloo

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I get that Cox gets doubled and draws a lot of attention, but when you get paid $100 million, you should still produce. He is getting paid like JJ Watt or Von Miller and he is nowhere close to that kind of impact player.

I know what some will say--he needs better linemen around him. Well, I agree. But we also paid Vinny Curry a shitload of money and he did jack. My point is some of these players we extended are not living up to the amounts we paid them. Kendricks is another one. He should have been cut, but Howie seems to think he can trade him. By not cutting him last week he is now guaranteed $4 million plus this season from us. That's cap money we might have spent re-signing Bennie Logan or someone else on the DL.
 

PhillyGreen

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I get that Cox gets doubled and draws a lot of attention, but when you get paid $100 million, you should still produce. He is getting paid like JJ Watt or Von Miller and he is nowhere close to that kind of impact player.

That is an unfair assessment. First Von Miller is an OLB in a 3-4 defense and JJ Watt is an defensive end as well and the best defensive player in the NFL when he is playing but rushes mostly from the outside. JJ does come inside sometimes but not a lot and he is not regularly facing 2 offensive lineman.
 

Iggloo

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Watt plays DE in a 3-4 actually. He is moved around and used creatively, for sure, but that is his position.

Again, my earlier point is I would play Cox outside and see if that increases his production. I think he is a bit of a DT/DE tweener and perhaps he would do better if he was an outside rusher. He is certainly quick enough to do it IMO.

Then again, we thought Vinny Curry would thrive outside and he was basically neutralized by OTs. He may be better suited to be a situational pass rusher from the inside on third downs.
 

PhillyGreen

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I am disappointed with Curry as well and thought he would be better. Cox gets a lot of attention and Graham has used it his advantage not sure why Curry could not.
 

Iggloo

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I think where you guys have a point is that Cox didn't get much help.

Other than Graham our D-line sucked last season. And with our coordinator, you basically need a good pass rush from your front four because he doesn't like to blitz a lot.

They cut Barwin and apparently are going to give Marcus Smith a chance to start now. We shall see if he delivers, but I doubt it.

I think we need another DE. And of course we have zero depth at DT. Destiny Vaeao looked pretty good for an undrafted FA rookie last season, but he is too small to be anything more than a situational pass rusher. We need another starting caliber DT too.

Lots of needs.
 

Iggloo

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On a side note looks like the Cowboys are having more issues. Just heard that Doug Free retired. Now I think he was the weakest link on that line but was still good.

This could actually be a bad thing. Now they may be forced to draft another RT, and if they got a good one--oh man, that line would be insane. They could also move La'el Collins outside, though apparently he has struggled when they have tried him on an island.
 

knowyourenemy

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So, the Eagles have to cut about $14 million from the current salary, right? About $9 million just to make space for the players they have signed and another $5 million for draft picks.

Kelce -- $3.8 million in savings
Mathews -- $4 million in savings
M. Smith - $1.5 million in savings
R. Brooks -- $1.6 million in savings
DGB -- $0.9 million in savings
Tobin -- 0.85 million in savings

That's $12.6 million and I don't think anyone would bat an eye if they cut all those players. They also have a ton of contracts between 600k and 800k that aren't guaranteed. They should be fine.
 

Orlando Eagles

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I am disappointed with Curry as well and thought he would be better. Cox gets a lot of attention and Graham has used it his advantage not sure why Curry could not.

Agree on this. Cox is the lightning rod here because of the huge contract. But comparing him to Watt or Miller is unfair beyond the size of the deal. I think an unfortunate reality is that players and agents get away with overplaying the "commiserate salary" game. Any defensive lineman gets pegged to any other defensive lineman of a presumed caliber. Cox has proven in the past to be a franchise level DT. But he should have never been pegged to a roving DE or a 3-4 OLB by anyone.

Cox underwhelmed at large chunks last year. But he was taking more attention. I always felt it was like one year long ago where Reggie White was held to a low sack number for him. But everyone else on that line flourished as a result. The difference last year was Cox was fulfilling the second of his two strengths, gobbling up attention. And only graham was taking advantage. Why would I put that so heavily on Fletcher Cox's shoulders?

All the same it proves the point being made. There needs to be some help on the line. I don't know if DE has depth in this draft or needs to be early. But if a BPA DE goes in at 14 you won't hear me cry. As long as it's not a massive reach.

A quick look at who is still out there at FA DE shows little that appeals. Hell....the ranking I looked at has the highest DE not yet taken as Conner Barwin. So it's absolutely a draft need that is up there with the rest already discussed
 

Northern Eagle

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I am disappointed with Curry as well and thought he would be better. Cox gets a lot of attention and Graham has used it his advantage not sure why Curry could not.

Curry barely got any snaps - Schwartz insisted on playing Barwin ahead of him when Barwin was doing squat.
 

Northern Eagle

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What bugs me a bit about Schwartz is for someone who relies on his front four to generate the majority of the pressure, he's not very creative with them. No stunts, no twists - if I'm Schwartz I move my best player up and down the line to create confusion and mismatches. Cox gets picked on unfairly because of the contract and whatever, but IMO he is underutilized at times. The very best coordinators move their best players around to create match-up issues and that's when they end up making plays.
 

Roy Munson

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So, the Eagles have to cut about $14 million from the current salary, right? About $9 million just to make space for the players they have signed and another $5 million for draft picks.

Kelce -- $3.8 million in savings
Mathews -- $4 million in savings
M. Smith - $1.5 million in savings
R. Brooks -- $1.6 million in savings
DGB -- $0.9 million in savings
Tobin -- 0.85 million in savings

That's $12.6 million and I don't think anyone would bat an eye if they cut all those players. They also have a ton of contracts between 600k and 800k that aren't guaranteed. They should be fine.

I'd guess only the first 2 go.

I didn't think the number we're over was $14M
 

Northern Eagle

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You guys need to relax with the cap situation - if there's one thing Howie is good for it's finagling with the cap - he'll figure out a way. Despite what he says about Kelce, I'm thinking he has a trade partner lined up, they're probably just going to wait before or during draft weekend to pull the deal. Ryan Mathews will be let go once he gets medical clearance, and Barbre is still an option to get axed depending on what they do in the draft.

Plus the same way they got Ertz to restructure, I would approach Vinny Curry to try and do the same.
 
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