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Alshon Jeffery has discovered a soccer house in Philadelphia, however he by no means forgets his roots.
Carson Wentz has 4 shiny new toy weapons lining up at receiver in 2020. The Eagles went laborious on the place within the draft.
Philadelphia jump-started their greatest place of want on Day 1 by taking Jalen Reagor, then added John Hightower and Quez Watkins on Day 3. In addition they made a draft-day commerce with San Francisco to amass Olympic sprinter Marquise Goodwin. Not for nothing, the Eagles additionally took a flier on one other velocity risk — Morgan State’s Manasseh Bailey — after signing him as an undrafted free agent.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman had come below fireplace for not addressing the receiver place in free company. The staff is anticipating the return of 33-year-old burner DeSean Jackson from harm in 2020, in addition to a controversial comeback for Alshon Jeffery. The latter nonetheless isn’t 100-percent and will miss the primary few weeks of the common season.
“We knew we wanted to get higher at that place. I do know I’ve talked about it within the offseason, however we actually really feel like we’ve added [depth].” Roseman instructed reporters. “We’ve added DeSean [Jackson] again, Alshon [Jeffery] again. We have to get him wholesome, get him proper.”
It was telling to listen to Roseman name out Jeffery by title, particularly after head coach Doug Pederson omitted Jeffery’s title in a earlier query in regards to the staff’s veteran management on the place. He talked about Jackson, Goodwin and Greg Ward because the gamers for the youthful guys to look as much as. No Jeffery.
“I really feel personally we’re going to must lean on our veteran gamers. We’re going to must lean on DeSean Jackson and Greg Ward, who we all know has come into his personal and been on our staff for couple years. Guys like that,” Pederson stated. “And now Marquise Goodwin, a veteran participant who understands the sport, till we will get these younger guys caught up.”
Staff Defines New ‘Eagles Mentality’ for 2020
The day after the Eagles misplaced to the Seahawks in final 12 months’s playoffs, Howie Roseman walked into Doug Pederson’s workplace with a be aware.
He had three issues jotted down on a chunk of paper: “Can he run? Is he wholesome? Does he like to play?” The pinnacle coach nodded in settlement and so they walked down the corridor to run it by participant personnel guru Andy Weidl. Straight away, these phrases grew to become their offseason motto.
“After we checked out everybody we picked at present, we tried to reply these questions,” Roseman stated. “Now, once we went slightly bit later within the draft, perhaps there have been some questions on a few these guys, however we felt like they had been adequate soccer gamers that they had been well worth the danger.”
Eagles’ brass saved stressing the final a part of the motto, about drafting guys that love soccer and wish to get higher. Weidl termed it the “Eagles mentality” and a part of it entails placing a product on the sector that the blue-collar followers in Philly may be happy with.
“Clearly, we see the skillset on tape and we perceive that, the man can play soccer,” Pederson stated. “However speaking to those folks actually offers us a greater perception into the character of the particular person. Does he love soccer? Is he captivated with his sport? Does he wish to get higher? And that’s how we do it.”
Preliminary Depth Chart Up in Eagles’ Locker Room
The Eagles have compiled a really tentative and early depth chart. Eagles GM Howie Roseman teased the information in his post-draft press convention nevertheless it has but to be up to date on the staff’s official web site. Both method, it’s not laborious to foretell the way it may shake out on the receiver place.
With Alshon Jeffery possible lacking Week 1 — and perhaps he will get traded within the meantime — the Eagles will pencil in DeSean Jackson and Jalen Reagor on the surface, with Greg Ward Jr. taking on the slot. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Marquise Goodwin undertaking as their backups, with John Hightower and Quez Watkins listed behind them.
Coaching camp must be chock filled with heated battles, too. Watkins, the sixth-round decide from Southern Miss, has already put his new teammates on discover. He doesn’t count on to sit down on the sidelines all 12 months.
“I’m actually not any individual that’s going to attempt to keep off to the aspect,” Watkins instructed reporters. “I’m going to indicate as much as the competitors and present everyone what I’m about.”
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