The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Jalen Hurts is the author of a new children’s book – PE.com
Jalen Hurts authored a championship performance in Super Bowl LIX, accounting for three total touchdowns to earn MVP honors in the 40-22 victory over the Chiefs. Now, he’s the author of a children’s book, Better Than a Touchdown. On Monday morning, Hurts posted a video on his Instagram from the library of Tice Elementary School in his hometown of Houston to commemorate the announcement. “It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own children’s book and I’m blessed to say that dream has now become a reality with Better Than a Touchdown,” Hurts said. “Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve brought into my adult life were passed down to me during childhood, like the importance of doing something bigger than yourself. I’m excited to share some of that wisdom with a new generation of kids in Better Than a Touchdown. I hope this book strikes a chord of resilience, encourages self-belief, and resonates with not only kids, but teachers, mentors, and parents!”

Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Post-OTAs and minicamp projection – BGN
WIDE RECEIVER: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Terrace Marshall, Avery Williams, Danny Gray (6) [13]. Brown, Smith, Dotson, Marshall, and Gray are the Eagles’ five best receivers right now. The latter of those two not being proven on special teams is a drawback. Williams didn’t participate in spring practices but he’s potentially going to return both kicks and punts for the Eagles. In all likelihood, at least one of Johnny Wilson and/or Ainias Smith will probably make the roster since it’s hard to see the team giving up on two picks from the 2024 NFL Draft. But I’m not sure they’ll deserve to make it based on merit alone.

Eagles player review: WR Jahan Dotson edition – PhillyVoice
2025 outlook: The Eagles acquired Dotson basically when training camp was wrapping up. He did not really get the opportunity to build trust and rapport with Hurts before the start of the season, and he was part of a receiving corps that included A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Saquon Barkley. Aside from the occasional bubble screen, the Eagles almost never drew up plays for Dotson. Perhaps a full offseason with the team will spur the Eagles to give him more looks, but certainly the passing offense is going to run through Brown, Smith, and Goedert, as always.

Closing Out 2024 – Iggles Blitz
Remember when Jonathan Gannon struggled to even slow down Derek Carr? Those days are long gone. The Eagles beat all of the QBs on that list. For the first time in a while, QBs had to fear the Eagles secondary. Fangio has a good scheme, teaches it well and has the players to make it really effective. Speaking of Fangio, how cool is it to have a Philly guy running the defense? He loves Philly sports and totally gets the mindset of the fans. Fangio is an easy guy to root for. Now that he’s delivered a Super Bowl and built a great defense, he could become an a Philly legend. Think of all the iconic moments from 2024.

In Roob’s Eagles Observations: The world’s greatest Carson Wentz rushing stat – NBCSP
6. DeVonta Smith is already the only wide receiver in Eagles history with two 1,000-yard seasons in which he didn’t make a Pro Bowl, and his 4,011 yards are by far the most by an Eagle in his first four years without a Pro Bowl. He actually has the 5th-most receiving yards by any WR in NFL history in his first four seasons without a Pro Bowl (behind D.J. Moore, Jaylen Waddle, Joey Galloway and Marques Colston). Being one of the best non-Pro Bowl WRs isn’t a designation anybody wants, but it’s going to be tough for Smith to make one simply because playing alongside A.J. Brown it’s going to be hard for him to ever get enough targets to have the sort of 1,300- or 1,400-yard season that gets you Pro Bowl consideration. If you watch DeVonta every Sunday you understand just what a special player he is. His ability to make contested catches in traffic is unmatched, and his speed and toughness are a dangerous combination. Big-time player in big moments. But in his four years with the Eagles he’s not even in the top 20 receivers in the NFL in targets. He’s 22nd in targets but 15th in yards and 14th in touchdowns, which just goes to show you that he’s making the most out of the targets he does get. Really superb player and I’m not sure the rest of the country realizes just how good he is.

2013 NFL Redraft: Rebuilding the first round based on PFF grades and data – PFF
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: T Lane Johnson, Oklahoma (Round 1, Pick 4). Original Pick: T Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M. Johnson’s production and consistency continue to impress into his mid-to-late 30s. He has earned at least an 80.0 PFF overall grade in nine of his 12 NFL seasons. He set a career record at the age of 34 with an 88.9 mark in 2024 en route to a second Super Bowl victory with the Eagles. Johnson has also amazingly allowed just six sacks over the past six seasons, spanning nearly 3,000 pass-blocking snaps.

Pennsylvania governor to work with Eagles, Steelers on stadium needs – ESPN
The Eagles do not own the Linc. The team will need to renew its lease or build a new stadium, and Lurie said during the lead-up to the Super Bowl that he was “torn” over the idea of replacing the stadium or staying put in the home where they raised their only two Super Bowl championship banners. If a new stadium is proposed, it won’t necessarily come with state money. Shapiro said last year that he would not provide any funds when the NBA’s 76ers considered building a new arena. Sixers ownership did not ask for funds, and they decided to partner with Comcast Spectacor, their current landlord, to build a new arena in South Philadelphia. “I’m very worried about the overall budget,” Shapiro said Sunday ahead of the scheduled NASCAR Cup Series race at the track. “I’m very worried about the overall economic situation given the federal cuts. You want to balance investing in tourism, investing in sports, investing in great arenas and facilities, with making sure that you’re also investing those dollars in things that Pennsylvanians need most.

Michael Vick talks coaching, wanting to be like Andy Reid, and getting career advice from Deion Sanders – Inquirer
After playing under Andy Reid for four seasons, Vick believes he’s in a good place to return to his home state of Virginia and take over the head coaching position at Norfolk State. “I watched everything,” Vick said. “When I think of Andy, I just think of him as a true role model in life. And it wasn’t just for me. It was for so many people like myself, Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, Fletcher Cox, Donovan McNabb. He poured into so many people in there. … He genuinely loved us and he still do. So, I hope I can have that same relationship with our players over the years.”

AP drops claim that Josh Shapiro said there will be no state money for stadium projects – PFT
The Associated Press has fetched a bucket and a mop. On Sunday, the AP reported that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said there will be no state money for stadium renovation or construction. Since then, the AP has revised the story to drop that claim. It’s unclear why and how it happened. Was it misinterpreted? Fabricated? Or was it actually said but the AP was persuaded to remove it via one of more of the usual mechanisms through which political sausage gets made?

Moroccan Fans Lit So Many Flares at the Linc that it Forced a Cooling Break – Crossing Broad
Let’s get it back to the Club World Cup. Juventus kicked the snot out of Moroccan team Wydad AC on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, but fans of the losing side had a great time regardless. They had to stop play in the 26th minute to allow the smoke to clear. We haven’t seen a smoking this bad since the Eagles trounced the Commanders in the NFC Championship Game. Heyo!

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels excited to let WR Deebo Samuel do all the work on screen passes – NFL.com
Jayden Daniels welcomed in a new weapon this offseason in receiver Deebo Samuel, a household name who changed coasts when the San Francisco 49ers traded him to the Commanders in March. It was a headline-making deal, and for Daniels, he couldn’t help but smile when envisioning how their new pairing might pan out. “I’m excited to throw him a little screen and hopefully on the stat sheet it says a touchdown for 80 yards and I didn’t have to do any of the work,” Daniels said with a grin during an appearance at Fanatics Fest over the weekend, per The Sports Place.

How Kliff Kingsbury will maximize Jaylin Lane’s rookie season with the Commanders – Hogs Haven
Unfortunately, Zach Ertz wasn’t able to generate much yardage after the catch. So replace him with Jaylin Lane in the slot and the offense goes to another level. Right? Not so fast. Remember, Lane’s profile tells us that he has not been frequently asked to stack and separate downfield before. In the clip, Ertz does a nice job of driving the defensive back down the field before running a crisp route to separate. The defender still closes quickly after the catch. So how will the Commanders generate separation for Lane using a similar concept? This is where Kingsbury enters the picture.

Despite the criticism, the Cowboys trade costs aren’t as high as they seem – Blogging The Boys
Obviously, what the team gets out of these players on Sundays will sway the public opinion of these deals, but when you consider that most of these trades are later-round flyers, it’s really not that bad of an investment either way. Draft picks that late don’t typically come with much expectation, so it wouldn’t take much for the Cowboys to come out ahead. Players like Gilmore, Cooks, and Hankins have already outperformed their draft price, and there’s a good chance that at least one of these newer players will do the same. When you evaluate the Cowboys’ trades, their costs don’t end up being as high as they seemed initially.

Odell Beckham Jr. hints being open to Giants reunion, is his return really on the table? – Big Blue View
Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t suited up in New York Giants blue since 2018, but the former Pro Bowler keeps finding his name back in the New York rumor mill, and now he’s fanning the flames himself. At a recent Fanatics Fest event in New York City, a fan called out for Beckham to return to the team that drafted him. Beckham, now 32 and a free agent, didn’t hesitate: “I got you,” he said with a grin. It’s the kind of moment that sets Giants fans into a frenzy. And it’s not just the comment, it’s the timing.

NFL trivia: Your in-5 daily game, Monday edition – SB Nation
We’re back for another day of the SB Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.