The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Saquon Barkley: When I retire it will probably be out of nowhere like Barry Sanders – PFT
In news that may cause some anxiety in Philadelphia, Saquon Barkley says that when he retires, it will be a sudden decision that takes people by surprise. Barkley was asked on former Eagle Chris Long’s Green Light podcast whether he’ll retire while he’s still playing at the highest level, and he answered that he could retire sooner than people think. “I’ll probably be one of those guys that it’ll be out of nowhere. I’ll probably just wake up one day, whether it’s next year or two years or four years, and just be like, ‘Yeah, it’s over,’” Barkley said. [BLG Note: Sanders retired after his age 30 season, which was his 10th year in the league. Barkley is entering his age 28 season and his eighth year in the NFL.]

Philadelphia Eagles Hidden Gems: 3 Secret Superstars on the 2025 roster – BGN
Underrated Eagles veteran: Safety Reed Blankenship. Middle Tennessee State has been a bit of an unheralded Defensive Back University in recent years, considering that both Kevin Byard and Charvarius Ward went there. The latest in this line of Blue Raiders DBs who have gone on to NFL success is Reed Blankenship, the 2022 undrafted free agent who spent his first NFL season as a role player fighting for time on the field, his second as a somewhat overwhelmed starter in coverage, and his third as one of the glue guys in an Eagles defense that did the most to present Philadelphia with its second Super Bowl championship. In 2024, Blankenship thrived under Vic Fangio as so many of Fangio’s players did. He allowed 39 catches on 48 targets for 423 yards, 144 yards after the catch, one touchdown, four interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 75.6. Blankenship also had 77 solo tackles and 20 stops, but it was his coverage that really stood out for the first time. Over and over last season, Blenkenship’s ability to read quarterback intentions had him in the right place to come diving in for interceptions that those quarterbacks did not expect.

Eagles rookie NFL player comparisons: S Andrew Mukuba – PhillyVoice
Andrew Mukuba doesn’t play like a small player. He’s a dog. The player Mukuba reminds me of is former 49ers and current Texans safety Jimmie Ward, another small, physical, versatile, instinctive safety who is entering his 12th NFL season in 2025. Ward played for Fangio in 2014.

OTA Takeaways – Iggles Blitz
The Eagles have a great duo in AJ and DeVonta. Jahan Dotson could be a good #3 this season. Things are open after that. The team has hopes for Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith as they head into their second seasons. Avery Williams was signed as a free agent. Williams was more of a RB and returner in the past. The Eagles now list him as a WR. He could be taking over for Britain Covey as WR/RS. Nick Sirianni mentioned Williams in a press conference a couple of months ago so he’s a player that is more than just a camp body. I thought Danny Gray was a camp body receiver. He played well in the OTAs and feels like he could be a player to watch. Gray signed with the Eagles last September and became a valuable practice player.

The Scotsman who helped the Eagles perfect the tush push: ‘Nobody else is doing what I do’ – The Athletic
He has written the handbook on tackling methodology for USA Football, the national governing body, and was brought in at the Eagles to work with the defensive coaches.This came about after receiving a phone call from an Eagles defensive assistant coach, Tyler Scudder, as Gray knew the team’s director of sports performance at the time, Ted Rath, from Rath’s previous job at the Miami Dolphins. Stoutland reserved him a couple of days before arriving to look at the tush push, to advise how he would break it up and improve the play. “I’ve spent the last 20 years working on how to move bodies: angles, force, height, weight, you name it,” Gray says. “So on watching it we kind of ripped the whole play to bits and built it back up again, and out of that conversation, I’m sure there were two or three things the group took and added to the play.“The play is over three levels, firstly, the offensive line. You’ve got some phenomenal O-line athletes at the Eagles, one of the heaviest in the league, some huge humans. You’ve then got Jalen Hurts, who is pound-for-pound one of the strongest quarterbacks in the league, so the play is completely made for his body type.” Hurts squatted 600 pounds (272 kilograms) while in college at Alabama. Then you’ve got two players in behind him who actually don’t add that much at all in the push. It’s called the push, but if you watch it, there’s actually not a lot of pushing involved in it. It’s thought of as a pushing play, but a lot of the time, those two back pushers never get to Hurts. The job’s done before then. I always class it as organised mass.”

Jalen Carter on a quest to be the best DT in NFL – NBCSP
Jalen Carter knows the names. As the Eagles’ immensely talented defensive star enters his third NFL season in 2025, he knows which players are considered to be the best defensive tackles in the league. He also knows that his name has started to enter the conversation. “I know who’s good and I know who everybody loves,” Carter said this week at OTAs. “Dexter Lawrence, Chris Jones. All of them. I see it, but at the end of the day, I’m still grinding and just doing my own thing. If my name pops up, then I guess congratulations to me. Just keep going.” Carter, 24, is just scratching the surface of his immense potential. In 2024, Carter was named to his first Pro Bowl and was named an Associated Press second-team All-Pro.

Does your nonprofit make an impact in the social justice space? – PE.com
Garry Mills was simply in awe as the midnight green, silver, and black confetti rained from the rafters of the Caesars Superdome after the Eagles put together one of the most dominant performances in Super Bowl history, eviscerating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22. Mills, a native of Philadelphia’s West Oak Lane neighborhood, was a guest of the Philadelphia Eagles for Super Bowl LIX, as his work with the nonprofit, Shoot Basketballs NOT People (SBNP), inspired the Eagles organization. “I’m forever grateful to the Philadelphia Eagles for granting me that opportunity,” said Mills, who started SBNP in 2010 and turned it into a nonprofit in 2013. “As a football fan, it’s the Super Bowl. These are things as a child that you dream about, sitting in front of the TV, watching confetti fall and you’re literally in the area while the confetti is falling and watching probably one of the best performances the Eagles have ever put on in Super Bowl history. That was a beautiful situation.”

Kocurek: Bryce Huff adds to the ‘versatility’ in the room, optimistic about bounce back – Niners Nation
“Bryce has mainly, throughout his career, been an edge guy in passing situations,” defensive line coach Kris Kocurek said earlier this week. “So that allows you to use the versatility that you have in your room in various different ways. Bryce can also bump down as a spinner, stand-up dude. It allows you to have more moving parts across the front, allows you to slide your versatile guys around, move them around, put them in different spots, locate matchup issues that, from a protection standpoint or a personnel standpoint, that we can try to exploit with different guys.” While Huff himself may not be as versatile, it allows the room as a whole to be more versatile. For example, on passing downs, if Huff slides into the edge spot, Nick Bosa or Mykel Williams (or even both) could kick in and rush over the guard, exploiting a favorable matchup there. Overall, it can create matchup issues when one presents itself, while also adding depth in the room and giving players key rest.

Dan Quinn talks after Wednesday’s OTA session about Daron Payne, Noah Brown, Quan Martin and more – Hogs Haven
Dan Quinn spoke to the local media on Wednesday after the Commanders OTA session finished. He discussed a range of topics starting with the importance of practice to prepare for ‘winning time moments’. Quinn clarified that it’s not possible to assess the physical hitting at this time of year, but that assessment of many other aspects of player training, conditioning and preparation can be evaluated. Asked about the value of interior and edge pressure, DQ discussed how the coaches would assess the players and develop schemes based on the skills of players on the roster.

3 Cowboys players who need to have bounce-back seasons in 2025 – Blogging The Boys
QB Dak Prescott: Prescott was limited to just eight games in 2024 due to a season-ending hamstring injury. In those eight starts he was having one of his worst performances of his career. He threw just 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions and had his second-lowest completion percentage (64.7%) ever. Dallas’ lack offensive balance and WR depth contributed to his down season, but in order to get back to the postseason they need him to bounce-back and return to his 2023 form where he ended second in the MVP voting behind Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.

Fight ends New York Giants practice – Big Blue View
With temperatures hovering near 90 degrees, tempers boiled over late in Thursday’s no-contact OTA, bringing an abrupt end to the practice. First, Brian Burns and left tackle James Hudson had to be separated, with staff escorting Hudson to the sideline. A play later, Kayvon Thibodeaux took a swing at Jermaine Eluemunor — a full punch that Eluemunor ducked. A melee ensued, with Burns throwing Hudson to the ground and the two having to be separated. Once things were broken up, head coach Brian Daboll ended the workout a few minutes before its scheduled conclusion. This was an OTA held in shorts and t-shirts, something that usually does not result in that kind of intensity.

Wilson a natural mentor for all Giants, not just rookie Dart – ESPN
Wilson had a strong day at OTAs on Thursday. He drew “oohs” and “aahs” after firing an off-balance throw deep down the left sideline under pressure into the arms of wide receiver Darius Slayton for a 40-yard touchdown. It was one of several big plays from Wilson in the practice. He isn’t worried about if or when Dart will become the Giants’ starter. “I just think about having success today. It’s always been my approach,” Wilson said. “Every day is like I’m trying to be the best in the world. I think that for me, mentally, you have confidence in yourself. You have confidence in what you do, your process. I constantly stay the course and understand that if I’m the best me, I know how great that is. “And so, for me, I always just stay within. I don’t really think about outside. And I know you guys have a great day job to do and everything else. But for me, I just stay focused on the process of it all.” The Giants aren’t asking Wilson to prioritize being a mentor. They want the same that he does. They just want him to be himself. That will allow for Wilson and Dart to grow in a new offense.

Aaron Rodgers to sign with Steelers after months of flirtation – SB Nation
Football fans’ long, national nightmare is over. Or maybe it’s just getting started? Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a contract for the 2025 season, according to reports. Rodgers and the Steelers have been flirting with the idea of an alliance for months, and now it’s happened. The deal is believed to be for $20 million, and it will reportedly have Rodgers on the practice field when OTAs open on Tuesday.