Welcome to The Linc, the daily Philadelphia Eagles links roundup at Bleeding Green Nation!
In case you forgot, Zack Baun is really, really good at football. Wild that the Eagles have a linebacker this good after years of them struggling to merely find competent players at the position. He isn’t just one of the best players at his position in the NFL … he’s one of the best overall defenders in the NFL.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Eagles film review: Zack Baun was a beast Week
1 vs. the Commanders – PhillyVoice
Vic Fangio was asked on Tuesday what in particular he appreciated about Baun’s performance. “All of it,” Fangio told reporters. “He played really good. I think it’s a reflection that he played all camp, practiced all camp. Last year he missed most of camp with a back injury. When you practice, you play better.” Baun had a very good season in 2025 that meritoriously resulted in a Pro Bowl nod. Now fully healthy, he looks very much like the guy who finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024.
Eagles-Commanders Film Review: Offense did some good things but must improve – BGN
It’s easy to look at the Eagles scoring 24 points, averaging six yards per play, and conclude the offense played well in the first game of the season. Unfortunately, I don’t think it did. The Eagles generated 318 yards, but 180 of them came on four plays. They finished with only 10 first downs, punted seven times, and had six possessions without earning a single first down. They also went three-and-out on three consecutive drives in the third quarter. Elite players made enough elite plays to win the game, but they showed little consistency. We saw this at times last season. The Eagles won games despite the offense failing to establish any rhythm, and the result often disguised the performance. That is not sustainable. However, it is Week 1. Sean Mannion is a brand-new offensive coordinator, and the Eagles are still working out what this offense should look like. I’m not panicking after one game. The important thing is whether Mannion recognizes the problems and adapts. Let’s get into the film. We are back, baby!
Moro Ojomo was once defined by ‘potential.’ The Eagles are seeing something much bigger now – The Athletic
Ojomo shares a position group with two of the NFL’s 10 highest-paid defensive tackles. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis were first-round picks who signed lucrative contract extensions this offseason. Ojomo is “proud and happy” for his teammates. He also refuses to take a back seat. “I’m always trying to be the best,” Ojomo said this summer. “We have an extremely loaded room. Those guys know I’m not backing down from anything. The goal is always to be the best defensive tackle, and that’s the mindset. I want to make more plays, I want to have more sacks, I want to make more TFLs, I want to be the best in the room and the best in the league.” Ojomo’s talent is no secret in the Eagles locker room — or the NFL. Ojomo played 66 percent of the defensive snaps last season and finished second on the team with six sacks. On Sunday, he played 69 percent of the defensive snaps and thwarted the Commanders’ two-point conversion attempt to tie the game in the fourth quarter when he spun away from a block and upended the ball carrier on a shovel pass short of the end zone. Ojomo said he saw the guard pull and anticipated the play — “You can’t play indecisive,” he said — and the sequence was more than the right place at the right time. “I think part of it is due to his effort,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “His dogged effort plays a part in that, which he’s a little undersized as D-tackles go, and he needs to have all that stuff working for him. But he does have good instincts, but he gives great effort and he’s tenacious. They hadn’t shown that (play). Obviously, that was a special play they had cooked up for a 2-point play, and it was more of his reaction and instincts after the ball was snapped than anything pre-snap.”
Bowen: I have questions — Where have you gone, Landon Dickerson? And isn’t this really A.J. Brown’s fault? – PHLY Eagles
This brings us back to A.J. Brown. General manager Howie Roseman ended up trading one of the top five players on his roster for nothing that will help this year’s team. Then he spent his first-round draft choice on a wide receiver, Makai Lemon. There is nothing you could possibly say that would convince me the Eagles would have drafted a wideout in the first round with a healthy, happy A.J. Brown in house. It would have been stupid. Roseman’s offensive line-building strategy was predicated on Dickerson and Jurgens (drafted 51st overall in 2022) being long-term bulwarks. The Eagles haven’t drafted an offensive lineman in the first two rounds since Jurgens. And they no longer employ offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, noted developer of O-line talent. Given Lane Johnson’s alleged impending retirement (yes, fans of training camp practice reports, I am aware of third-round project Markel Bell, surely he’s headed for Canton once he actually plays), they are in danger of seeing the team’s foundation slowly crumble away.
Jalyx Hunt wants to remain grounded as his NFL star rises. His support of Little Flower helps him stay connected. – Inquirer
Jaaqua Hunt, a longtime teacher, has a favorite saying that she shares with her students and with her son Jalyx, the third-year Eagles outside linebacker — “blossom where you’re planted.” “You don’t have to originate in a place to become a part of that place,” she said. “So, take advantage of where you are.” Jaaqua said it’s become clear that Jalyx is listening. He isn’t native to Philadelphia. He was born in Memphis, Tenn., but he spent his adolescence in the Orlando area, then moved with his family back to Tennessee, then to Maryland, then to South Carolina, then back to Florida. In Philadelphia, though, Hunt has found a new home — and an extended family off the field. Hunt has an older sister, Jessica, and what he calls a “whole bunch of little sisters” in the hundreds of students at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in the Hunting Park section of North Philadelphia. His relationship with the school began in 2024, the year the Eagles drafted him in the third round out of Houston Christian, when he started a fundraiser for underfunded school sports programs. Little Flower’s basketball team raised their hands.
How Jalen Carter became a virtuoso at blocking kicks – NBCSP
They drafted Jalen Carter because of his ability to collapse the pocket, his ability to stuff the run and his ability to bury quarterbacks. They got all that and more. Turns out Carter is one of the best kick blocking specialists in the NFL. On Sunday, he recorded his fourth blocked kick as a pro, a huge play that changed the complexion of the Eagles-Commanders season opener. Over the last 40 years, Carter has the most blocked kicks on the Eagles, one more than Derek Barnett blocked during his seven seasons here. The active NFL leader is Calais Campbell, now with the Ravens, who’s blocked 10 kicks in his 19 NFL seasons. “It’s nice to have him on our team,” special teams coach Michael Clay said Tuesday. “It’s nice to have that field-goal block unit. He takes pride in the field-goal block unit. Last week, Joe P. (assistant special teams coach Joe Pannunzio) had the floor for about seven minutes to show the importance of our field-goal block team, and they all take it to heart, how they could change a game.”
Albert Breer’s Notes: Kenneth Walker III’s Signing Could Be a Bargain – SI
The Landon Dickerson situation bears watching in Philadelphia. To his credit, Dickerson fought through a lot to become the 37th pick in the 2021 draft—he tore both of his ACLs (one at Florida State, the other at Alabama), and finished four of his five seasons in college with season-ending injuries. More recently, he had meniscus surgery last summer. Dickerson himself said he was a “complete liability” trying to play through it in the opener, and has shared that he wasn’t himself last year after the meniscus injuries. All of these things pile up, and everyone’s body has an odometer. And without Dickerson for the time being, the line, which has always been the team’s foundation, will have its depth tested. The good news is that Willie Lampkin and Drew Kendall had good summers and will have a shot to show they’re the next revelations in the Eagles’ big-man assembly line.
NFL wide receiver rankings: Puka Nacua leads the top 32 – PFF
Confused how Terry McLaurin is one spot ahead of DeVonta here.
14) DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles. Smith was kept relatively quiet against the Washington Commanders but came up with a big 31-yard reception when the Eagles needed a spark. He forced a missed tackle, made a contested catch and finished with a 74.8 PFF receiving grade.
Spadaro: Without Landon Dickerson, the Eagles’ offensive line will lean on youth – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
Sean Mannion has spoken and acted with confidence regarding the offensive line depth the Eagles accrued throughout Training Camp and in the preseason, and now that depth is going to be put to the test in the regular season. With Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson sidelined, as Mannion acknowledged in his Tuesday press conference at the Jefferson Health Training Complex, the Eagles will have the next man step up. Who will that man be? Mannion is keeping the plan under wraps as the Eagles prepare for a road trip to play the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. “We’re going to keep that in-house in terms of what our plan is for this week, just for competitive reasons,” Mannion said. “We have a lot of guys up front that can play multiple spots. We’ve been training them at all spots, so that gives us some flexibility there.”
Cam Ward’s film review shows good, bad, and ugly from Week 1 Titans loss – SB Nation
So just where are we with Ward after Week 1? It was a rather auspicious start for Ward and the Titans offense against the Jets. The second-year passer completed just 19-of-32 passes for 140 yards and a touchdowns, and while he did avoid throwing an interception, some of the advanced metrics were not too kind. For example, Ward posted an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of just 4.2, ranking him 28th among all 32 qualified passers in Week 1. He fared a little better in QBR, as his mark of 34.3 ranked 26th in the league among qualified passers. Ward was also in the middle of the pack when examining Quarterback Efficiency as charted by RBSDM, which examines Completion Percentage Over Expectation and Expected Points Added per Play.
Titans must start Cedric Gray, Anthony Hill at LB in Week 2 – Music City Miracles
The only positive takeaway from the Tennessee Titans’ Week 1 blunder was the performance of rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. The 60th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft recorded a team-high 16 tackles. The Titans need to start Hill and Cedric Gray at linebacker versus the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. Hill started in place of Gray, who failed to clear concussion protocol in time for Week 1 after suffering an off-field leisure accident. That put Hill in the starting lineup next to veteran Cody Barton. The rookie took full advantage of the opportunity.
49ers sign Jack Stoll to the practice squad after Jake Tonges injury – Niners Nation
Stoll played for the Eagles from 2021 through 2024. He started four games last season with the Saints, catching six passes for 46 yards. During his career, Stoll has 32 starts. At his size and with his experience, Stoll probably has the best shot to make the roster. Kyle’s update, 3:53 p.m. PT: The 49ers signed Stoll to the practice squad, per Mike Garafolo.
Dolphins hosted free agent with 58 games played for workout Tuesday – DolphinsWire
On Monday, the Dolphins brought in veteran long snapper Cal Adomitis for a workout to see if he could potentially backup Addington or start for him if the 29-year-old can’t go. Adomitis played at Pittsburgh from 2017-21, earning All-American honors and winning the Patrick Mannelly Award (given to the best long snapper in the nation) in his final year. After going undrafted in 2022, he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and spent three seasons with the team. The 28-year-old split the 2025 season between the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers and split this offseason between the Steelers and Green Bay Packers. In four seasons, he’s appeared in 58 games.
NY Giants rookies impress against the Cowboys in Week 1 – Big Blue View
The New York Giants are riding high after a great win over the Dallas Cowboys to open the season on Sunday Night Football. The win over the Cowboys was just about everything the Giants could have asked for. It was a definitive statement win over a division rival that had been relentlessly gassed up over the previous four months. At the same time, the Giants weren’t perfect and have plenty to work on as they get ready for the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. Perhaps best of all, the Giants’ young players all stepped up in the win. The Giants are depending heavily on first and second year players to form the core of their team, the Giants’ rookie class certainly looked like they belonged on the field next to their veteran teammates. Let’s take a look at each of the Giants’ rookies who contributed to the win.
Tyler’s Take: How Washington Commanders can fix what’s currently broken – Hogs Haven
The Commanders opened their season on the road, in what is always a hostile environment in Philadelphia. Despite being heavy underdogs, Washington actually had a very competitive game against the 2025 NFC East champs, having a chance to tie the game in the final minutes. Ultimately, the Commanders fell 24-22 to the Eagles and fans had many questions about some of the decisions made by this staff after the game’s conclusion — with the majority of them being fair asks. So, what can Washington and head coach Dan Quinn do to fix the current issues on this team?
Concern around Brandon Aubrey feels fair right now – Blogging The Boys
Brandon Aubrey missed an extra point on Sunday night against the New York Giants. No harm, no foul. Extra points are missed all of the time in the NFL, right? We shouldn’t be freaking out over a single kick. This isn’t like early in Aubrey’s career where he was automatic and the out-of-nowhere miss was almost funny because it was so rare. The thing is, we are definitely not in those days anymore. There isn’t any real need to panic at this point in time, but Brandon Aubrey’s misses are becoming a bit of a thing now. And that has to be discussed.
NFL ties Week 1 scoring record for Super Bowl era – NFL.com
Offense is back up in the NFL! Someone tell the Eagles?
A 14-year Week 1 record has been matched. Thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos combining for 41 points on Monday night, the opening slate of games for the 2026 season has officially tied the 2012 season’s record for the most Week 1 points scored (791) during the Super Bowl era. Entering Monday’s AFC West showdown, teams had averaged 50.0 combined points per game, per NFL Research, with the Week 1 finale bringing the average down to 49.4.
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