Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Nick Emmanwori, Colston Loveland among NFL’s 10 most versatile players – The Athletic Cooper DeJean, CB/safety/nickel, Eagles. Eagles coaches speak about Cooper DeJean with reverence because the scope of what they ask him to do from a schematic and physical standpoint is not normal. DeJean does everything, except maybe man coverage, at an elite level and he’s still very good playing man. If he’s not the top tackling defensive back in the league,
he’s top three. You simply can’t throw a screen in his direction and expect to get yards after the catch. His awareness in zone is where he really stands out. He knows exactly how offenses are trying to stress coverages with their pass concepts and takes away passing lanes, so even when he’s not making plays on the ball, he’s forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball. DeJean has mastered multiple positions in a complex Vic Fangio system and should be recognized as one of the league’s best defenders. Last season, DeJean moved to outside corner when the Eagles were in base (four defensive backs). Reportedly, DeJean has been playing safety in base in OTAs.
Philadelphia better watch itself, or it will lose another superstar – BGN
Jalen Hurts will soon be up for another contract extension. The Eagles have not budged yet on that. They better watch out. There are some around Hurts who feel he may have been traded after last season, and some around him, and in some NFL circles, that he may be gone after this coming season, if he does not perform. The Eagles have bigger problems than Hurts or the Brown saga . Some close to Hurts feel that the Eagles did not support him enough when some constructively insightful stories came out this postseason about some of his deficiencies on the field, like Eagles teammates did, at the urging of the Eagles, over the constructive criticism Carson Wentz received in January 2019. No one spoke up publicly on Hurts’ behalf as they did Wentz. What some close to Hurts bristled over most was the conjecture over Hurts’ inability to be coached.
Rebound or regress: 11 Eagles players coming off down seasons, and 2026 projections – PhillyVoice
But certainly, Hurts had his issues as well. He was not a threat as runner, largely because he didn’t want a lot of designed quarterback run plays in the game plan (per sources), and some old quirks — like a league-low usage of the middle of the field — reemerged. Hurts is going to be under heavy scrutiny in 2026, like he has at other times in his career. As usual, he’ll have another new offensive coordinator to work with. In the past, Hurts has responded when he has been under fire. He has not really had two consecutive down seasons, at least relative to expectations. But, if he doesn’t have a bounce-back season, would it really be that surprising if the team considered other options? Rebound or regress? I’ve learned not to bet against Hurts when he feels like he has something to prove. And certainly, the scheme can’t be worse than it was a year ago, right? Rebound.
Eagles Draft Stories – Iggles Blitz
People can talk about the Eagles struggling to find LBs over the years. I actually noticed an interesting trend. If they draft a MLB, do it in the third round and there is a good chance it will work out. 1998 – Jeremiah Trotter, 2007 – Stewart Bradley, 2015 – Jordan Hicks, 2022 – Nakobe Dean. Kinda crazy. Bradley was on his way to being a star when he tore up his knee in the summer of 2009. He was great in 2008.
What Will the Eagles’ Offense Look Like Without A.J. Brown? – SI
Hurts has worked best with coordinators who have understood that he can be the bridge between the pass game and the run game with his own effective mobility. Hurts isn’t yet completely developed as a pocket passer who reads the whole field, but there are ways to mitigate that damage. Under Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Mannion learned an offense that is heavy with condensed formations (their 50% rate ranked sixth in the NFL) which allow for more defined openings in certain route concepts than the usual three-wide stuff. One reason the Packers rely so heavily on condensed splits is that they don’t have what you would call a true alpha dog receiver, which put the onus on the coaching staff to scheme guys open. If he learned everything possible from LaFleur regarding that, Mannion will be a very nice balm for Hurts after the Patullo experiment. It certainly benefits DeVonta Smith, who got his explosive plays last season from all over the formation. At 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds, the “Slim Reaper” is primarily a slot receiver, but he did line up out wide on 42.7% of his snaps, and he can win there — both in traffic, and with contested catches at times. It’s just not how you want to lead with a guy that size.
Bowen: My Eagles minicamp takeaway is that we are so very far away from having any idea of how this offense will look – PHLY
The Hurts media session was the first time reporters could ask him about the Brown fallout, and I was surprised at how thoughtful Hurts seemed. There were no revelations, but also no enigmatic aphorisms. One thing Hurts said about the changes in their once-close relationship was especially telling, I thought. He tried to explain how he views being a leader, vs. being a friend: “I’ve always been focused on the collective,” Hurts said. “I’ve always put my energy toward that.”
To draft or not to draft: Eight fantasy football players that should be on or off your draft board – ESPN
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley is a running back I’m unlikely to roster this season. He’s entering his age-29 campaign with an second-round ADP after his production dropped from 2,283 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024 to 1,413 yards and nine TDs in 2025, while his fantasy points per game fell from 22.5 to 14.5. Since 2010, only six RBs have averaged at least 17.0 fantasy PPG at age 29 or older. I’d rather target fellow Eagles RB Tank Bigsby later in drafts. The 24-year-old flashed elite tackle-breaking ability in averaging 5.9 yards per carry in 2025, and he offers league-winning upside if called upon to get heavy volume.
With the punter position set, Michael Clay seeks stability at long snapper – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
The 2025 Biletnikoff Award, which annually recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football, went to USC junior Makai Lemon, the first-round selection for the Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2025 John Mackey Award, which annually recognizes the outstanding tight end in college football, went to Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, the second-round selection for the Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft. But did you know … There is also an award for the best long snapper in college football, and the Eagles signed the one who won the 2024 Patrick Mannelly Award, Florida’s Rocco Underwood, following the seven-round 2026 NFL Draft.
LeGarrette Blount on scoring a TD in Super Bowl LII | ‘GMFB’ – NFL.com
Former NFL running back LeGarrette Blount on scoring a TD in Super Bowl LII as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Broncos to sign UFL offensive player of the year Hakeem Butler – PFT
Butler was a 2019 fourth-round pick of the Cardinals and spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve. He played in two games for the Eagles in 2020 and has also spent time with the Panthers, Steelers and Bengals over the course of his career.
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: CB Cobie Durant – Blogging The Boys
Even if Downs is the primary nickel back and pushes Durant to more of a true backup role, his experience in a key role with a playoff-contending team will matter in the locker room. His versatility also adds weight, making him a complementary teammate to Bland. Durant can be moved based on wherever Christian Parker thinks Bland is most effective, or fill in whatever gap if Bland misses time. While he’s not the most prolific of Dallas’ offseason arrivals, Cobie Durant brings one thing most of them are lacking in terms of his postseason experience. He helped get the Rams back to the NFC Championship Game just last year, a goal that the Cowboys have been chasing for three decades. If he can provide veteran leadership in addition to filling multiple positions, Durant may end up as one of this year’s underrated additions.
Commanders roster rankings: Safety Nick Cross comes in at No. 8 – Hogs Haven
Daronte Jones is a creative defensive coordinator, someone who will move players around the chess board. It’s also expected that the Commanders will often use three safeties in sub packages, and Cross will work well as a box safety with others playing deep. Cross is known for some coverage lapses but is an excellent run player, and Jones will surely take advantage of that and his ability to rush the passer. We should see Cross line up all over the place and create havoc closer to the line of scrimmage and provide the type of consistency Washington desperately needs from its veteran additions.
‘Predator’ Tremaine Edmunds and ‘Baby Predator’ Arvell Reese an exciting duo – Big Blue View
‘Predator’ and ‘Baby Predator’. That is what a mic’d up Brian Burns was heard calling off-ball linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese after an Edmunds interception during a mandatory minicamp practice this week. As nicknames go, those aren’t bad. They might stick for the Giants’ new off-ball linebacker duo.
The USMNT comes away with an impressive 4-1 win over Paraguay – Stars And Stripes FC
On a warm June night in Los Angeles, the USMNT took the field for the opening match of the World Cup. As the crowd started a deafening U-S-A chant the team delivered a dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay. The attack was the star of the show with an early own-goal leading to a Folarin Balogun brace with Gio Reyna scoring a beauty to finish the match off. When it was all said and done, the USA was half way to equaling the most ever wins in a World Cup in the post 1990 era.
USMNT World Cup roster 2026: Meet all 26 players representing the United States – SB Nation
The last time the US hosted Men’s World Cup games was in 1994, when Alexi Lalas was out on the pitch. The USMNT’s talent pool and profile have continued to grow steadily over the last couple of decades, but they haven’t found the signature breakout performance to transform their international reputation. The Americans enter the 2026 tournament ranked 17 in FIFA’s World Rankings, after watching World Cup co-host Mexico take home the last two Gold Cups. Their recent World Cup record has been consistently competent – they’ve made it out of Group Stage in three of the last five Cups, but they haven’t advanced through a knockout game since 2002 (when they lost to Germany 1-0). FanDuel’s World Cup odds foretell a similar pattern this year. The Americans are -135 favorites to reach the sweet 16, but +260 underdogs to reach the quarterfinals (tied with Colombia for 13th). They lag far behind France, Spain, England, and other leading favorites to win the tournament.
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