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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Recent Eagles redraft delivers hype but the wrong outcome
What if we told you a bad Eagles decision led to a chain reaction of necessary events? Things couldn't have been any stranger in 2020. The Philadelphia Eagles entered the NFL Draft on the heels of a 9-7 season. A win-loss total that barely exceeded .500 was good enough to give the Birds the NFC East's crown. Four straight wins had catapulted them into the playoffs, but things ended with a thud during the Wild Card Round. Carson Wentz would be injured early. He left the game with a concussion. A 17-9 loss would follow about three hours later. It was a bitter end to a season that was beginning to feel like Philadelphia had possibly caught fire at the appropriate time. No one knew it then, but that would be the only postseason appearance for the Eagles with Wentz under center. Things only got stranger. COVID-19 turned our world upside down and soon restricted us to our homes. There would be no March Madness. We would, however, enjoy the draft mentioned above, which, by the way, was virtual. The plan seemed obvious. Philadelphia needed to find Carson Wentz a weapon at wide receiver. It seemed easy enough in a selection meeting that was full of them. The stars had aligned. Philadelphia was on the clock with the 21st overall selection. Justin Jefferson was still on the board, but an ugly fact of life is that things don't always work out as we think they should. There isn't an Eagles fan breathing that doesn't know what happened next. The Philadelphia Eagles ignore Justin Jefferson in favor of Jalen Reagor Some call it the greatest draft-day miss in Howie Roseman's career. Philadelphia passed on LSU All-American wide receiver Justin Jefferson, electing instead to go with Jalen Reagor. Some say the deciding factor was that Jalen Reagor gave the Eagles the added dimension of having a special-teams ace. He was billed as someone who wasn't just a receiver but also a punt returner. Others believe wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead was an unnamed culprit who helped precipitate a bad decision. After all, he and Jalen's father, Montae Reagor, were friends and former teammates. Whatever the reason for the decision, it doesn't rewrite history or change what happened. Jalen landed with the Eagles. The Minnesota Vikings drafted Justin Jefferson one spot later at 22. Reagor's career didn't work out in Philadelphia. Jefferson is still playing in Minneapolis and has grown into one of the best talents in the game at his position. If only there were a machine of some sort that would allow us all to travel back in time, but what if there were? Based on everything that has transpired since the Reagor addition, is it feasible to state maybe it's best to leave things as they are? Some of you are having a hard time with that theory, aren't you? Well, not so fast, as the great Lee Corso would say. Let's reason through this one together. A 2020 draft re-do gives the Eagles Jefferson (But, hold on a second) Since that draft mishap, whether fair or unfair, Eagles fans still think of Reagor every time they think of Jefferson. It's understandable why they would, but here's the most radical theory you'll hear all week. The Jalen Reagor selection set off a satisfying domino effect. Bleacher Report's Matt Holder recently redrafted every NFL team's worst pick of the past five offseasons. You already know where this is headed, right? However, perhaps a redraft isn't the best option. Maybe we should see Reagor as the catalyst for one of the best positional rebuilds in NFL history. Holder is correct in stating, "taking the TCU wide receiver in the first round will go down as one of the biggest draft whiffs in NFL history, considering the player who was drafted right after him." He's also right to point out "Howie Roseman made up for his blunder by drafting DeVonta Smith in 2021 and trading for A.J. Brown in 2022". Here's what he misses. Here's where we connect the dots. Had Philadelphia taken Jefferson, they more than likely wouldn't have drafted DeVonta Smith in Round 1 a year later. They certainly don't trade for A.J. Brown later if they have both of them. Dare we say that the blunder that was Reagor's addition was some weird blessing in disguise? A.J. and DeVonta have morphed into the best one-two punches we have seen in the game at the wide receiver position. Sure, Jefferson is excellent. He always has been, but raise your hand if you're giving away A.J. or DeVonta. That's what we thought. Perhaps we've been looking at this the wrong way. Maybe Howie Roseman is so great at his job that, even when he screws things up, they turn out alright.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Germaine Pratt accused of chasing money as he ditches Bengals for Raiders after career year
Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt has signed a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, marking a major defensive addition in the AFC West. The veteran defender joins after a career-best 2024 season and brings experience, consistency, and leadership to a reshuffled Raiders roster. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Raiders plug defensive gap with proven tackler Germaine Pratt's contract is reportedly valued at $4.25 million base with potential incentives pushing the figure to nearly $4.8 million. His signing addresses a critical need for the Raiders, who lost linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo earlier in the offseason. The 28-year-old had a standout 2024 season, posting a career-high 143 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 recoveries across 17 starts. Drafted in 2019 by the Bengals out of NC State, Pratt has tallied over 600 career tackles, evolving into one of the most consistent performers in Cincinnati's defense over the past six seasons. Pete Carroll gets his defensive enforcer On June 9, the Bengals released Pratt in a move that saved the team nearly $5.8 million in salary cap space. The decision followed changes in the coaching staff, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, after which Pratt had reportedly requested a trade. Pratt is best remembered in Cincinnati for his game-winning interception against the Raiders in the 2021 Wild Card Round, which secured the Bengals' first playoff victory in over three decades. His arrival in Las Vegas reunites him with a coaching staff focused on physicality and experience. Head coach Pete Carroll and DC Patrick Graham now have a versatile, sideline-to-sideline tackler who can anchor the middle of their evolving defensive setup. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Fan backlash adds to controversy While the move makes sense financially and strategically, it hasn't gone down well with all Bengals fans. One X user fumed, 'Bengals' horrible defense is getting worse at an alarming rate.' Another wrote bluntly, 'Bengals do not believe in Defense.' A third went as far as calling Cincinnati the 'Worst organization in the league.' These reactions reflect a growing sentiment that Pratt may have prioritized financial gain over continuity — a perception amplified by the timing of his exit and the reported contract value. Also read: With quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert leading rival offenses, the Raiders' investment in experienced defenders signals a push to remain competitive in a high-powered division. For Pratt, this new chapter offers both a fresh start and a platform to raise his profile as one of the league's more underrated linebackers.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Giants' Russell Wilson has 1-word response to viral OTAs moment
The post Giants' Russell Wilson has 1-word response to viral OTAs moment appeared first on ClutchPoints. It appears that New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson has a rapport with wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, and a particular throw went viral on social media from OTAs. Advertisement In the video, Wilson throws a deep ball to Hyatt. It is a slow-motion video of one of Wilson's signature moon balls, and it hits Hyatt right in the hands. Wilson reacted to the video that the Giants posted on X, formerly Twitter. He wrote, 'JHatt!' in response, which must be his nickname for the third-year receiver. Is Russell Wilson going to be the Giants' starting quarterback? Currently, Wilson is participating in his first year of OTAs with the Giants. He signed with them during the offseason after spending a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. More than likely, Wilson will end up starting Week 1 for the Giants. He is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and could bring stability to the position the team has lacked since Eli Manning retired. Advertisement Still, Wilson was not the only signal-called that the Giants signed this offseason. They also brought in Jameis Winston, another long-time NFL veteran, to compete for the starting job. Not to mention, Tommy DeVito is going into his third year with the team as well. And then there is Jaxson Dart, who the Giants traded up to select in the 2025 NFL Draft. Dart played college football at Ole Miss, the same school as Manning, and has been turning heads during the offseason. Wilson may start the year as the team's starter, but Dart may eventually overtake him. It could be a very similar situation to Kurt Warner handing the keys to Manning in 2004. Since being traded from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, Wilson's career has been going downhill. He played two seasons with the Denver Broncos, going 11-19 as a starter in two seasons. He then signed with the Steelers. After losing out on the starting job to Justin Fields, Wilson took over in Week 7 against the Giants. He then led the Steelers to the playoffs, and they lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Eagles DC Vic Fangio provides injury updates on Jihaad Campbell and Nakobe Dean
Eagles DC Vic Fangio provides injury updates on Jihaad Campbell and Nakobe Dean Eagles defensive coordinator provides updates on two young Eagles defenders, Nakobe Dean and Jihaad Campbell. It's June 3rd as this story is written and released. That means the Philadelphia Eagles are hitting the practice field for yet another OTA session. Four are already in the books. Philadelphia will take a day off before concluding organized team activities on June 5. Mandatory minicamp begins on June 10. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio met with media members. He's always honest. Boy, has he given us much to talk about. Vic Fangio provides injury updates on two young Eagles defenders. Among the headline-worthy discussions from Vic's presser were conversations about Cooper DeJean and Bryce Huff. The former is a versatile talent, and everyone wants to see that versatility. The latter was passed on the depth chart when his hand injury never healed as quickly as Philadelphia would have liked. Coach Fangio believes he'll do well in the Bay Area for the San Francisco 49ers. Fangio wants to keep DeJean at nickel but may try to work him into base sets as a safety. Jordan Davis's conditioning was brought up. It is also essential to make notes of the updates that were provided on two of the walking wounded. Per Fangio, rookie Jihaad Campbell won't practice until August. He'll work out at off-ball linebacker upon his return. Nakobe Deal will also "be out for a while". Campbell has a history of injuries, specifically to his knees and shoulder area. Dean tore his patellar tendon in his left knee while making a routine tackle during the Wild Card Round of the Eagles' playoff run. In March, Campbell underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum he suffered during the 2024 season. The Eagles' medical staff believes he'll be fine. He also thinks he'll be fine, and that has instilled more confidence that he'll be a steal after falling to pick 31. "He'll be out for a while" doesn't necessarily tell us how long we should wait before we begin monitoring Dean's potential return. It sounds, however, that theories of a Week 1 return have been exaggerated.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A new-look Odafe Oweh steals the spotlight at Ravens OTAs
The last time we saw Odafe Oweh on the football field, he was closing the book on a phenomenal 2024 season. He had tallied 39 tackles, ten sacks, and a forced fumble for the Baltimore Ravens during the 17 games of an AFC North-winning campaign. He was impressive during the Wild Card Round, notching two tackles, a sack, and three additional QB hits vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers on 26 snaps. Unfortunately, he didn't play as well one week later. Advertisement He notched one tackle on 21 snaps vs. the Buffalo Bills during the Divisional Round, but most of Baltimore's roster didn't play up to their standards on that evening. Last January's loss to the Bills was deflating, but it was clear Oweh had taken another step. Four months later, he's back and seemingly looking to prove a point. A bulked-up Odafe Oweh has shown up to Ravens OTAs. OTAs aren't mandatory, but many of Baltimore's stars were in attendance for the second day of work. It's great to see everyone, as this feels like a team that has already bought into the goals of the coming season. Odafe Oweh was hard to miss. He has added some mass. He's gone from the 245-pound frame we saw last January to 265 pounds, but he still feels just as explosive. "(It will help in stopping) the run, and then, obviously, the top of my rush, not being able to be pushed off the point, digging out the rip. And then obviously [with] power as well." Thank the official team site for the quote. Those were the words of a reinvigorated Oweh, who still hasn't forgotten to use last year's disappointing loss as fuel. Advertisement "I didn't have the outing I wanted, so I thought a lot of that had to do with my weight and being able to be stout in certain positions. So, as soon as the season was done, I went to Miami, started eating, lifting, and then gaining weight, basically." Opposing offensive lines, beware. Oweh is on a mission, and he's bringing a ticked-off Ravens team with him. This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Odafe Oweh's new look is all the rage at Ravens OTAs
