Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Saquon Barkley on missing A.J. Brown, another new OC and that hurdle | Exclusive – USA Today Looking back on the play two years later, Barkley said he never thought it would continue to carry this much cultural relevance. “When I got to the locker room and got to see the play, I realized I was able to do something pretty cool. It’s something, it’s a play I’ll never forget. But I also don’t want to be remembered for that play. I’m happy I was able to make
that play. But I’m ready for the next one.”
Maybe NFL execs should look more at winning in evaluating Jalen Hurts – BGN
It’s a week now since ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put out his exhaustive annual work on how NFL executives, coaches and scouts view quarterbacks. It’s a provocative, thankless, comprehensive look at what decisionmakers feel. Somehow, someway, Jalen Hurts fell from No. 9 in 2025 to No. 17 in 2026. There is no question that Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford and Lamar Jackson are among the best in the NFL. But are Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Jared Goff and Caleb Williams really better than Hurts? Prescott, in terms of what he did last year (30 TDs vs. 10 INTs, 4,552 yards passing) has an argument. The others may not. Let’s simplify things. Let’s go with who of the previous 16 named above Hurts won more.
Eagles notes: Quinyon Mitchell’s and Cooper DeJean’s next contracts – PhillyVoice
The current highest-paid corner in the NFL is Trent McDuffie, who signed four-year, $124 million deal in Los Angeles after the Rams traded a first-round pick to the Chiefs for him this offseason. That’s $31 million per year. Gonzalez is obviously angling for more, and the Patriots have decided to try to put pressure on him by negotiating through the media and general public. (Bush league tactic, in my opinion, but whatever.) Gonzalez isn’t the only top cornerback in negotiations for a new deal. The Seahawks’ Devin Witherspoon could cash in this offseason as well. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Texans Pro Bowl CB Kamari Lassiter will all be eligible for contract extensions next offseason. Assuming he stays healthy and has another good season, Mitchell will likely be looking to top any deals given to Gonzalez and/or Witherspoon. The better the deals Gonzalez and Witherspoon get, the more leverage Mitchell will have to ask for a commensurate deal. DeJean’s earning power isn’t a true apple-to-apples comparison, as he’ll play a mix of slot corner and safety in 2026, but certainly he’ll be rooting for Gonzalez and Witherspoon to break the bank as well. A lot of corners will soon land monster second contracts.
Let’s Talk About Donovan – Iggles Blitz
Jalen Hurts has a good chance to go down as the best QB in Eagles history. His career numbers are about halfway to Donovan McNabb’s numbers, but Hurts is only 27 (about to be 28 in August). He can either catch McNabb or come close if he stays in Philly long enough. Hurts does have the advantage of two Super Bowl appearances and one ring. Plus he played at a high level in those games. As of now McNabb is the best QB in team history. Ron Jaworski had a good run and got the team to its first SB. Randall Cunningham is the most dynamic QB in team history. He finished second in MVP voting in 1988 and 1990. He gave us a lifetime of memories, but struggled in the postseason. Norm Van Brocklin was only in Philly for three seasons, but his teammates swear he is the main reason they won the NFL Championship in 1960. They speak about him with reverence. McNabb had individual and team success. He also did it over the course of a decade.
Roob’s Observations: Can Jihaad Campbell make the Eagles forget Nakobe Dean? – NBCSP
THE MOST INTRIGUING STORY OF CAMP: There are a ton of intriguing stories as we head into training camp, a bunch of guys whose every move we’ll all be watching. Can Marcus Epps and Drew Makuba hold down safety or will Howie have to go out and find someone? Will Makai Lemon perform well enough to slide into that WR2 role? Can Jonathan Greenard live up to that massive contract and become the double-digit sack guy the Eagles need? Can Riq Woolen return to his Pro Bowl form and give the Eagles the NFL’s best cornerback group? Will Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens hold up physically after their stem cell treatments in Columbia? But for me, the most compelling storyline is how will Jihaad Campbell manage as a full-time linebacker replacement for Nakobe Dean. Let’s not forget just how good Nakobe was over the last two years. In just 25 games, he piled up 183 tackles, 7.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, an interception, two fumble recoveries, 12 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles. The only other players to put up those numbers were Frankie Luvu, one-time Eagle Eric Wilson and current Eagle Zack Baun. Dean was such a playmaker the last couple years and will definitely be missed. But the Eagles did invest a 1st-round pick in Campbell last year, and he did some good things in the 10 games he started, notably that athletic fumble recovery against the Bills, an interception off Baker Mayfield in Tampa and a red-zone forced fumble off Miles Sanders in the opening-day win over the Cowboys. He also had 80 tackles, which is a lot for someone who only played 710 snaps. Vic Fangio was forced by circumstance to play Campbell out of position as an edge rusher for about 150 snaps last year, but Campbell isn’t an edge, he’s an off-ball linebacker, and while he wasn’t all over the field like Dean I thought it was a promising rookie year for a 21-year-old rookie. Out of 64 linebackers who played at least 500 snaps, Campbell’s overall Pro Football Focus grade of 76.2 was 12th-highest, which is awfully good, and his 78.6 coverage grade was 4th-highest. Without the distraction of having to change positions this year, Campbell can just focus on becoming a better linebacker, and I expect he will. He’s a fast, big, tough, athletic player, and I’m looking for a big step forward in Year 2.
Philly, you deserve this – Liberty Ballers
In 2013, the Sixers brought on Sam Hinkie as general manager. The Daryl Morey protege took a sledgehammer to the roster, hoping to pull the franchise out of NBA purgatory and into perpetual relevancy. You could liken the next decade-plus to getting on a rollercoaster that never stops and is on fire. Sure, there have been thrilling moments, but sometimes, you just really wanted to get off the ride. Now, 13 years later, LeBron James is a Philadelphia 76er. You did it, Sixers fans. You trusted the process. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was downright tortuous at times, but you’re here. Like Andy Dufresne, you crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side.
NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams updated after LeBron James signs with 76ers – SB Nation
LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship. In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.
Cowboys were allegedly very interested in Brendan Sorsby – Blogging The Boys
It makes sense for the Cowboys to begin looking for a successor to Dak Prescott. Dak is, after all, the longest-tenured player on the team and he is the longest-tenured starting quarterback in the entire league with respect to the team he plays for (Aaron Rodgers obviously isn’t playing for the Green Bay Packers). Practically speaking, financially more than anything, Prescott is at least going to be quarterbacking the Cowboys through the 2027 season and looking at future options is the responsible thing to do. On the subject of 2027, the draft class that Sorsby is a part of is expected to be particularly deep at quarterback in a way that recent classes haven’t been. The top of it may feature Texas’ Arch Manning, but there will be options all the way through. Perhaps we can consider this a sign that Dallas is going to seriously consider drafting a quarterback next year. Maybe it will wind up being Sorsby. Who knows. What do you think?
Washington Commanders Camp Battles: Mike Sainristil vs. Rasul Douglas – Hogs Haven
The cornerback spot opposite Trey Amos is still an unknown heading into Commanders training camp, as new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has made no clear declarations of his intentions. Mike Sainristil and Amik Robertson profile similarly on the inside, but neither has Rasul Douglas’s length and experience on the boundary. Amos’ latest injury update, directly from the corner himself, indicates he will be fully healthy for the start of training camp, but the team put him on the active/PUP list on Saturday. Washington’s staff is typically slow to reinsert players who have previously missed time due to injury, preferring instead to allow the player to ramp up.
NY Giants training camp 53-man roster projection: Locks, bubble players, longshots – Big Blue View
Wide receiver. Locks (5) — Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields. Bubble players (4) — Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios, Isaiah Hodgins. Long shots (5) — Dalen Cambre, Ryan Miller, Jalin Hyatt, Xavier Gipson, Beaux Collins. The Giants got good news when it was reported that Nabers would avoid the PUP list. That doesn’t guarantee that he will be ready Week 1, or that he will be the Nabers of 2024 right away, but it was a positive development. The sixth, and seventh spots at wide receiver, if the Giants keep that many, are wide open. Beckham could get a spot if he makes it through training camp healthy and can practice consistently, but that remains to be seen. If the Giants feel they need special teams contributions from that roster spot, someone like Berrios, Cambre, or Miller could win it.
Will the 2027 NFL draft class live up to the hype? – ESPN
Is the hype around the 2027 draft class justified? “Next year’s class is loaded.” We hear this cliché every year. But in speaking with scouts and executives this summer, I noticed more excitement than normal, and the upcoming 2027 class might actually live up to that standard-issue statement. The hype is indeed real, and this class is loaded with potential at several premium positions. Many evaluators are particularly excited about the quarterback class; I’ve heard the word “potential” a lot. Texas’ Arch Manning and Oregon’s Dante Moore should be top-five picks, but teams could have many early-round options. If you need an offensive playmaker, keep an eye on wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Cam Coleman (Texas). They look like top-10 guys, and Smith could be one of the best college WRs we’ve seen in decades. People around the NFL are also excited about this defensive class, which should include some top-level potential cornerstone players. Defensive line and cornerback stand out the most.
…
Social Media Information:
BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page
BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen
BGN BlueSky: Follow @bleedgreennation.bsky.social
BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta
BGN Manager: Follow Brandon Lee Gowton on Twitter | BlueSky | Threads
BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio
The Feed post of the day
Each day, we highlight a BGN community post here in this space. Head over to The Feed to submit your entry and have a chance to be featured in The Linc!
