Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is a hothead and a lightning rod. Just don’t call him a phony – The Athletic In the City of Brotherly Love, Sirianni is stigmatized by the widespread perception of his limitations as an offensive strategist, and he’s often marginalized as a glorified caretaker of an operation fueled by an elite owner, rock-star GM, brilliant defensive coordinator and talent-rich roster. He gets a lot of grief for someone who has a 59-26
regular-season record, ranking him fifth in winning percentage in NFL history. Sirianni, mindful of his reputational challenges and the acclaim for Philly’s perpetually stacked roster, jokes that he will never be voted Coach of the Year. “But who cares?” he says, laughing. Well — Barkley, for starters. “He doesn’t get enough credit at all, in my opinion,” Barkley says. “I don’t get why he doesn’t. Like, what he’s doing, in real time, is legendary. “If we’re being honest, no one talks about it enough. Like, we love to talk about me rushing for 2,000 yards, we love to talk about Jalen (Hurts), we love to talk about the Eagles. But he’s like the last one to get brought up, and it doesn’t really make sense.”
13 winners from the Eagles’ spring practices – BGN
RIQ WOOLEN. Woolen was easily the Eagles’ top spring standout; the newcomer at cornerback made highlight plays during every media-attended practice. His 6’4”, 210 frame stood out from the jump and he utilized his size and length to smother receivers in coverage and break up passes. Woolen also jumped a route to intercept Jalen Hurts on the final day of minicamp. It’s not hard to understand why Vic Fangio sounded so bullish on Woolen even before spring practices began. Playing on a one-year contract, Woolen should be motivated to be on his best behavior and turn in a really strong season in order to earn a lucrative multi-year deal … be that in Philly or elsewhere. Woolen figures to be a big upgrade on Adoree’ Jackson. Pairing him with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean could give the Eagles their best cornerback trio in franchise history … and in the NFL this season.
Eagles player review: QB Andy Dalton edition – PhillyVoice
I’m not Dalton’s accountant, but according to OverTheCap he has made over $116 million over his playing career. I assume he doesn’t need money. He’s still playing presumably because he loves football. That’s an admirable trait in a player, and with so many years logged in the NFL he can maybe be a sounding board for the Eagles’ other quarterbacks. BUT… the reality is that he does not look like a physically capable quarterback at this stage of his career, and he did not have a good spring. I have no idea why the Eagles traded for him and are giving him so many reps in practices. Some theories have been presented to me on social media, etc., such as a need to give McKee competition, or that Dalton is equipped to run Sean Mannion’s scheme in ways the other backups aren’t. I don’t agree with any of it, and this may sound harsh but I don’t see a role for him on this roster. Maybe as a quasi-coach on the practice squad?
Two coaches in Nigeria — and an ex-New York Giant — helped Uar Bernard reach the NFL. Back then, he had a nickname: ‘Bigfoot’ – Inquirer
“You know,” Musa said, “you look like a footballer, not a basketballer.” The teenager let out a laugh. He decided to stay, and underwent a workout the following day. Ejike Ugboaja, a co-founder of The Uprise, sent Umenyiora some video. He didn’t know the teenager’s name, but quickly came up with a moniker. “[Ejike] just called him Bigfoot,” Umenyiora said. “And he was a freak athlete. I saw him running and moving around, and I was like, ‘OK, this kid, he’s got something.’” By the time he showed up tothe next flag football event, everyone knew him as Uar Bernard. But “Bigfoot” stuck, in part because the coaches couldn’t find cleats that fit him. “He had like a size 18,” Umenyiora said. “It was ridiculous.” At 17 years old, Bernard was too young to qualify for the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program but too old for the NFL Academy. He would have to wait until he was three years removed from high school to try again. Over those three years, Bernard trained with Musa and Christian in Abuja. In 2024, he attended another NFL Africa Camp in Lagos, but failed again to make the IPP, this time because he was not considered mobile enough.
Eagles 2026 most important list: Eli Stowers – NBCSP
Well, the Eagles did bring back Dallas Goedert on a one-year, $7 million deal and he’s going to be there TE1 this season. They also added blocking tight end Johnny Mundt and have a few other players competing for roster spots. Stowers could contribute right away but likely only as a pass-catcher; his blocking needs work. Over the last five drafts, 11 tight ends have been selected in the second round. The most productive among them in their rookie seasons was Sam LaPorta, who had 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023. Even with that one big season, those 11 tight ends averaged 29 catches, 292.2 yards and 2.7 touchdowns in their rookie seasons.
Drew Mukuba is the American Dream the Philadelphia Eagles need – Go Long TD
Here, if he wants water, all Drew Mukuba must do is make eye contact with the waitress across the diner and ask for a glass. She’s pretty rough around the edges — mid-70s, raspy voice, a tooth (or two) missing — but refers to all male patrons as “baby.” Best guess is that he’d receive water in three minutes tops. The clanking of plates and glassware synchronizes with Classix Philly 107.9 on the FM dial above. Flyers, Phillies and Eagles banners hang on the window. Life is good. As a kid, growing up on the other side of the world, the process of acquiring one of life’s most basic essentials was painstaking. He lived in Zimbabwe up to the age of nine. The nearest water pump to their refugee camp was approximately three miles away. “I ain’t going to lie to you,” says Mukuba. “It was a walk.” He’d trudge all the way to that pump, fill his bucket to the top and — by the time he returned home? — that bucket was only half full. No matter how hard he tried, it was impossible not to spill. There was no choice but to make three round trips at a time because the Mukubas needed water to cook, bathe, drink. Mom and Dad had six kids with a seventh in the future. Everyone in their community made the same long walk. Nobody viewed the exercise as perilous. Rather, protocol.
Ravens 2026 Positional Assessment: Quarterbacks – SI
Lamar Jackson will perform at an All-Pro level and put this team in the jackpot but playing out this deal and putting them under increased pressure in early 2027. The offensive line will remain something of a concern – especially interior – and that could complicate designed runs and perhaps impact Jackson’s health as well. Call me crazy, but if the Eagles are still looking to upgrade at QB after this season, I could see Howie Roseman inserting himself into this Lamar situation in a big deal. If Jackson isn’t extended by Week 1 they will be hanging a huge “Call Us About Our Quarterback After The Season” sign on the front of their franchise.
Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver signs with Philadelphia Eagles – The Phinsider
Ezukanma spent the early part of 2026 as member of the DC Defenders in the United Football League. He played 12 total games with the Defenders — totaling 19 receptions for 264 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. Prior to joining the UFL, Ezukanma spent three seasons in Miami. During his career in the National Football League (2022 – 2024), the wide receiver nabbed just one catch for three yards in just 5 games played. He had 5 total rushes for 22 yards. He did not score any touchdowns as a member of the Miami Dolphins.
NFL execs choose best offseason signings, trades, draft picks – ESPN
Patriots acquire A.J. Brown in trade with Eagles. This trade was far less dramatic than the Garrett deal, even though both occurred June 1. The Eagles and the Patriots were linked to the Brown deal well before the draft. The Patriots ultimately gave up first- and fifth-round picks for Brown. Not everyone lauded the trade for New England. “Knee, character and picks,” said one executive with an NFL team about the downside of the Brown trade. One of Brown’s knees has “wear and tear” that the Pats were comfortable with, general manager Eliot Wolf told Yahoo Sports. Other teams knew about the knee issue. And Brown’s sideline behavior throughout the 2025 Eagles’ season made other teams wonder how he would fit into a new locker room. But multiple coaches say Brown is ideal for New England because of his relationship with coach Mike Vrabel, who can check him and his schematic fit with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. “He changes the math on the field,” an NFL coordinator said of Brown. “Defenses have to account for him, often with more than one body. He can still get yards after catch, and he wins 50-50 balls. That’s something New England’s offense didn’t have last year.” New England also can consider the Brown trade a win in that it didn’t give up a Day 2 pick in addition to a first-rounder. One evaluator finds it a necessary trade for the Eagles but not a resounding win for the franchise. “I get why they did it, and they got the best return they could, but it’s hard to see where this trade makes them better,” an AFC executive said.
Patriots host UFL all-star on reported workout – Pats Pulpit
Gottlieb Ayedze, who spent the 2026 season with the Houston Gamblers and was voted to the league’s all-star team, is getting an opportunity to showcase himself to the Super Bowl runner-ups. James Larsen of UFL Newsroom was first to report the workout. Ayedze, 26, spent his college career at Frostburg State and Maryland before going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was brought aboard by the Eagles as a rookie free agent, but did not make it out of training camp.
George Pickens will be at Cowboys mandatory minicamp, per report – Blogging The Boys
George Pickens is planning on attending the Dallas Cowboys mandatory minicamp this week. We know this because Clarence Hill and DLLS Sports reported it bright and early on Monday morning.
Commanders minicamp preview: Jayden Daniels, Sonny Styles and more – Hogs Haven
The Commanders quarterback was under center for 32 dropbacks in two seasons, by far the lowest in the NFL during that span. Let’s be honest, Kliff Kingsbury’s offense is rooted in college concepts. That doesn’t make Kingbury’s system bad, it simply was what it was. It’ll be far different under new coordinator David Blough, who will presumptively install a system somewhat similar to what Ben Johnson ran when they were together in Detroit and runs now in Chicago. Daniels is confident that he can execute an under-center offense, and has performed well doing that this spring, but he’s the lynchpin to Washington’s entire operation. If he can perform in this new system, we should see something similar to what Caleb Williams did in Chicago. I was there, with boots on the ground, for the Bears’ 2025 campaign. I believe Daniels is capable of what Williams did or better in what we expect from Blough’s scheme. Expect some growing pains, but signs of progress should be evident during this minicamp.
What is the best decision the NY Giants made this offseason? – Big Blue View
Hiring Dennard Wilson. I suspect “John Harbaugh” will come up quite frequently in my colleagues’ answers, and for good reason. However, I want to go in a bit different direction because even if Harbaugh hadn’t fallen into their laps, they probably would have hired Kevin Stefanski and still be in capable hands. And I don’t think folks want to read the same answer again and again. I was considering “Drafting Arvell Reese” or “Not blowing up the roster”, but I think those are both downstream of the coaching decisions. So instead I’m going to vote for Dennard Wilson as the best move this off-season. The Giants had a number of talented and exciting options to choose from at defensive coordinator, and Wilson was actually a bit of a let down when the decision to hire him was announced. However, the more I’ve learned about Wilson, the more sense he makes and the more excited I am. We already knew that the Giants tried to hire Wilson after the messy divorce between Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale. Wilson’s experience in Baltimore’s defense suggests that he would call a a similar scheme that would immediately fit the personnel acquired to run Wink’s hyper-aggressive scheme. The results at Tennessee, where he was (ironically) trying to fit a scheme around personnel acquired for the Mike Vrabel/Shane Bowen defense, where disappointing. Wilson has coached under some of the brightest defensive minds of the last 15 years in Gregg Williams, Todd Bowles, Vic Fangio, Jonathan Gannon, and Mike MacDonald. He knows what great defense looks like and has seen plenty of aggressive and multiple defenses win. He also has a very strong track record of getting the most out of secondaries and has already made some (potentially) smart decisions in hiring Donald D’Alesio, Addison Lynch, and retaining Charlie Bullen. The Giants’ defense is absolutely stacked with highly drafted players who have thrived in aggressive schemes before. Wilson, and his position coaches, could be the right staff to get them to play up to their potential. If they do, this unit has sky-high potential, and reaching that would go a long way toward turning this franchise’s fortunes around.
Brendan Sorsby is a rare chance to get a top QB cheap, and these teams should go in – SB Nation
We are on the verge of seeing one of the most fascinating summer transactions in NFL history. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is standing down from a drawn-out legal battle with the NCAA, announcing on Monday that he is opting to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, rather than continue his attempt to win eligibility. It marks the first time in over 30 years that a legitimate top quarterback can be secured in the secondary draft, making it truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to land a potentially elite talent on the cheap. Sorsby was suspended by the NCAA in May of 2026 after entering a rehabilitation facility to treat gambling addiction. He admitted that he had lost over $90,000 placing bets on his own team, using the accounts of family and friends in an attempt to evade detection. The proliferation of sports betting, paired with college players having an influx of disposable income via NIL deals, means that Sorsby isn’t the first, and certainly won’t be the last player to have gambling problems.
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