The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Green with envy: Moves the Cowboys should consider making if they want to be more like the Eagles – Blogging The Boys
When you look at organizations, the Dallas Cowboys are not the Philadelphia Eagles. They operate very differently, and with the success of the Eagles, it’s hard not to get caught up in wanting the Cowboys to be more like their divisional foe. Call it frustration or call it being green with envy. Whatever it is, fans want something different. So, let’s talk about that. Let’s imagine Jerry Jones is in a cold dark room somewhere steaming over not having what the Eagles have. Pretend he wants to win really bad and would consider changing his approach to give his team a real shot. Whether that’s a hypothetical you can wrap your mind around, that’s what we’re doing today. Without getting too crazy and creating scenarios beyond disbelief, what can the Cowboys do this offseason that would give them a better chance of reaching the Super Bowl?

Is a 2025 turnaround by the New York Giants possible? – Big Blue View
I am hopeful that Schoen will begin to follow the teachings of the Howie Roseman School of Cap Management. Roseman, GM of the Super Bowl champion Eagles, was out front in the use of void years to push money into the future and lower current cap costs. He uses that philosophy more, and better than anyone. The Eagles have a league-high $390.4 million cap dollars assigned to void years. Schoen’s Giants are one of only two teams that don’t have a single contract that includes any void years. I understood why Schoen did that in his first couple of offseasons as he tried to clean up Dave Gettleman’s cap disaster. Now? It’s time to play the game and not leave any tools in the tool belt when it comes to improving the roster. A couple of year ago, Roseman explained why he leans so heavily into void years. It’s an interest-free loan.

Report: Eagles DB coach Christian Parker interviewing for Saints defensive coordinator job – BGN
The New Orleans Saints are interviewing Philadelphia Eagles defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Christian Parker for their defensive coordinator opening on Kellen Moore’s coaching staff, according to a report from NFL insider Albert Breer. Parker joined the Eagles last year. He previously worked on Vic Fangio’s Denver Broncos coaching staff during the 2021 season. Parker has been viewed as a rising assistant. He reportedly interviewed for two defensive coordinator openings last offseason before landing in Philly. Parker only strengthened his resume in 2024 as part of the Eagles’ top-ranked, Super Bowl-winning defense. Rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean especially thrived under his tutelage.

Saints to interview Vikings DB coach Daronte Jones for vacant defensive coordinator position on Saturday – Canal Street Chronicles
The New Orleans Saints will kick off their defensive coordinator search by interviewing Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Daronte Jones on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jones has also had interviews with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears for their vacant DC positions during this coaching cycle.

Forget the Chiefs: The Philadelphia Eagles are the NFL’s next dynasty – SB Nation
Now that the Philadelphia Eagles beat the living daylights out of the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIV last Sunday, the last thing anybody wants to hear about is dynasties or three-peats. Chiefs Fatigue has taken America by storm, and the automatic (and quite possibly erroneous) assumption is now that the Eagles took the Chiefs’ lunch money in this game, Patrick Mahomes and his guys will revert from all-time great to just really, really good, and wouldn’t we all like to see somebody else from the AFC in a Super Bowl? Seems like it’s been years. That said, this Eagles team could well be on their way to their own NFL clampdown. It’s important to remember that this is Philly’s second Lombardi Trophy over the last eight years (they beat the New England Patriots, the league’s previous obnoxious dynasty, in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4, 2018), and they were in this moment just three years ago. Were it not for a defensive holding call on cornerback James Bradberry with 1:54 left in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 3, 2023 which extended Kansas City’s game-winning drive, the Eagles might have found themselves on the other side of the end result, which was a heartbreaking 38-35 loss as Harrison Butker kicked the game-deciding field goal with 11 seconds left. So the Eagles know what it takes to get to the Super Bowl, and they know what it takes to win it. Can they now put everything together to be as ubiquitous as the Chiefs and Patriots have been?

Legacies – Iggles Blitz
Jalen Hurts just won his first Super Bowl and was named MVP for the game. That instantly changes his legacy. No matter what, he’ll always be a Super Bowl-winning QB. Nick Foles hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since he won SB LII, but he’s still seen as the guy who beat Brady and brought the Lombardi Trophy to Broad Street. Legacy. Hurts is young so his story isn’t close to being finished. He could end up as a Hall of Fame player. Hurts could also be a good starter for the next 5 to 7 years, but not get back to the big game. Winning the SB makes him a part of history, but it doesn’t mean anything definitive in terms of evaluation. Hurts isn’t suddenly the best QB in the league. I don’t think he’s Top 5. The good news is that I think Hurts best football is still yet to come. Experience is critical for QBs. They learn each and every time out. Hurts played at a high level in both the NFC title game and the SB. The physical ability is there. He’s still honing his QB skills. Hurts has started 66 games in the NFL. McNabb had 64 starts under his belt going into 2004, the season when he really took off. Hurts has a wide open future and it could be a lot of fun to see how good he can truly be.

Roob’s Eagles Observations: The greatest pass of Jalen Hurts’ life – NBCSP
1A. That dagger 46-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith may have been Jalen Hurts’ greatest pass ever and certainly one of the greatest Super Bowl touchdowns ever. I’ve watched this one more than any play since 4th and 26, easily over 100 times, and it never ceases to astonish me. The Eagles already led 27-0 and had a 1st-and-10 on the Chiefs’ 46-yard-line after Avonte Maddox’s 4th-down pass breakup early in the third round quarter. Start with DeVonta, who separates from Chiefs corner Jaylen Watson right off the line of scrimmage. Watson tries to get a jam on Smith but can’t, and Smith just runs unimpeded at full speed down the field toward the end zone. Hurts has incredible protection on the play from his o-line and also Saquon Barkley and backup tight end Grant Calcaterra, who both pick up blitzes. He play-fakes to Barkley and when he unloads, there isn’t a Chief within five feet of him. He’s got a clean pocket to work in, and he takes time to get his feet under him, set and fire. Smith first turns around to look for the ball at the 30-yard-line, which is a split second before Hurts releases it. Smith never breaks stride. Never slows down. Their timing is perfect. And Smith doesn’t do anything to let Watson know the ball is on the way. Watson never turns around and never makes up that step that DeVonta has on him. Smith doesn’t have to move his hands until just before the ball arrives because the ball is heading precisely into his grasp. Smith jumps just a bit as he crosses the plane of the end zone and catches the ball a little off the ground. Watson immediately tackles Smith and tries to pry the ball away, but Smith wasn’t about to let go as he tumbles to the ground. Touchdown Eagles and a 34-0 lead. Smith and Hurts have known each other since Smith was in high school and Hurts was his host during his visit to Alabama. They’ve both talked often about how instead of partying they went to the football facility and threw and studied film. They’ve taken countless reps together since then, spent innumerable hours studying, thrown with each other every offseason. They’ve both put an insane amount of time together working toward this one moment, and on the biggest stage they showed what football perfection looks like.

Eagles offseason obstacles coming into focus after Super Bowl win – ESPN
One major boon for the ‘24 Birds was that they boasted the No. 1 defense despite committing the fourth-lowest amount of cap dollars to that side of the ball. Credit defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for working his magic. But the other component is successful drafting. Since ‘22, the Eagles have added the likes of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith Jr., Nakobe Dean, Quinyon Mitchell and Super Bowl LIX star Cooper DeJean via the draft. Seven of the starters on defense were 25 years old or younger, and there are other promising first- and second-year players such as Jalyx Hunt, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Sydney Brown, Kelee Ringo and Moro Ojomo who can help fill the void of some of the pending free agents. “As the cap gets tighter, as all our expensive players start becoming expensive, you have to go with young players,” Roseman said. Similarly on offense, the combination of having an elite offensive line coach in Jeff Stoutland paired with the drafting of guys such as Tyler Steen makes the potential loss of Becton more manageable.

Jalen Carter avoids fine for blow to Patrick Mahomes’s head – PFT
In the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIX, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes received a clear blow to the head from Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The hit sent Mahomes hard to the ground. Surprisingly, no flag was thrown. Even more surprisingly, no fine was issued. The league office did not impose a fine on Carter for the play.

Eagles fan, who was incarcerated in 2018, got emotional about going to Super Bowl parade with son – NJ.com
The Eagles’ Super Bowl parade on Friday was special for Jasin Hoffman and other Eagles fans. Hoffman, a 44-year-old man from Philadelphia, was incarcerated in 2018 when the Eagles won their first Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, and he regretted not being able to celebrate with his family that year.

Arrowheadlines: Fatigue may have been a bigger factor than the Chiefs expected – Arrowhead Pride
“Before the game, a Chiefs coach told me that media members had been asking him if going to Super Bowls ever got old,” McKenna wrote. “And he bluntly told me: ‘It does.’ There was legit Super Bowl fatigue from this Chiefs team. It was completely clear in the first half, when things escalated quickly.”

The 5 O’Clock Club: A reminder that players cut by other teams can be signed right away; no need to wait till March – Hogs Haven
NFL teams — particularly those that need to open up cap space — have already begun releasing veteran players who were, prior to release, under contract in 2025. Those players become immediate free agents, able to sign with any team right away. This contrasts with players on expiring contracts, who will become free agents at the start of the new league year (4pm on March 12th, 2025). GMs who are trying to beef up their offseason rosters ahead of March’s free agent frenzy and April’s draft may want to take a close look at these veterans, many of whom are older, and may need to accept a short-term, low-dollar contract to stay in the league for another season or two.