Eagles mailbag: N’Keal Harry, food spreads, Ben Simmons, and Philly team power rankings

We haven’t had Eagles chat in a while because they haven’t done anything in a month. Even so, I asked you a few questions about a mailbag and, as always, you got through.

Question from Joshua: What do you think it would take for the Eagles to feel comfortable as “the guy” after the season with Hurts, when everything about this team is in transition? Is it as simple as recording your … its QBR … etc?

I don’t think there’s a QB rating, or a QBR or TD-INT ratio, or a team record, or any other specific metric that will guide the Eagles on whether or not they think he’ll be “the guy in 2022 and beyond.” “is for them.

I think they need to see his positive traits continue, especially his leadership and how his teammates see him. But they must also see a drastic improvement in his ability to throw the football, especially in terms of accuracy.

I think we’ll just kind of know when / when we see it.

Question from Shaq: How many WRs do you think the Eagles will go into the new season and who will they be?

I’ll have a 53-man projection before camp starts, but after having the chance to review some of these guys on our “Eagles Player Review” series, I think I now have the following guys on duty:

  1. DeVonta Smith
  2. Jalen Reagó
  3. Travis Fulham
  4. Greg Ward
  5. Quez Watkins
  6. JJ Arcega-Whiteside

(Yeah, I think JJ is getting another year.)

Question from U-Dell: We hear all about DeVonta Smith’s running track and hands, but what do you think of his speed?

We don’t have an official 40s time for Smith, of course, because he didn’t drive 40 at Combine or Pro-Day in Alabama. I’m just saying that throughout his college career he has consistently run away from a lot of good SEC corners. He’s not Tyreek Hill or DeSean Jackson, but I think his speed is good.

Question from Jeff: Will DeVonta Smith be doubled so much that he is ineffective in the other WR positions due to a lack of talent?

Receivers don’t get doubled often in the NFL, but I think the opposing defenses will give Smith their best cornerbacks.

Question from Greg: How can backup QBs who stink in the NFL land media jobs as supposed experts in the position?

Ha, I can’t tell if this is referring to Chris Simms or Dan Orlovsky who both recently shot at Jalen Hurts. I think quarterbacks who don’t have elite talents but stay in the NFL long must have something for them in terms of their knowledge of the game. Obviously we’ve seen a couple of guys like this train coaching around Philadelphia in Doug Pederson and Frank Reich.

I respect opinions when they are backed by game tape. Show me why maybe we should spare a quarterback for mistakes or opportunities a quarterback missed. This stuff has value, and I think Orlovsky did a good job with it when he started taking on a role in the media. However, this valuable content has been replaced by artificial arguments on a “take show” like NFL Live. For example:

It’s all rubbish and it’s hard to take seriously. I think Kirk Herbstreit is a former quarterback who is at the top of his game in his analysis and that’s because he does thoughtful analysis of players without resorting to opinions intended to spark debate.

Question from Hathematics: Looking back on the 2018 draft, do you think trading with the Ravens was a good decision? Basically, would you prefer to move Dallas Goedert and Miles Sanders or Darius Leonard forward?

Would I pull Darius Leonard over Dallas Goedert and Miles Sanders? Yes. But come on, man. We all know there is no way they can take a linebacker that high if they make that choice instead of swapping, ha.

I think the decision to swap and the value they both got with Goedert and Sanders in the second round were okay. Obviously, there are dozens of other steps that are worth more criticism.

Question from Cumbleton: Will the Eagles add another starter on the corner? Can they actually have a significant impact from this year’s draft class?

In previous seasons, I didn’t usually project the rookies to have prominent roles, but I think they’ll have more options than usual this year, (a) because the roster stinks and (b) because the mighty seem to be realizing that this won’t be a Super Bowl competitive season.

As for the starter on the corner, I’m starting to wonder. If they can add an inexpensive contract, do it. Otherwise I would just live with what they have and bring it up in the next off-season.

Question from Kevin Kinkead: Is that just me or do Eagles writers hate Ben Simmons more than anyone?

Ha, I didn’t realize my coworkers were Ben Simmons haters. I can’t speak for them but personally I’m not a fan of his game at all and if he’s still on the team next year it will be hard for me to see. We can do all the mental gymnastics we want to excuse his style of play, but he’s scared of achieving the sport’s main objective (letting the ball go through the basket) and in my opinion his other skills are being overrated. Maybe that makes me kind of a Neanderthal fan who doesn’t appreciate the way he narrows passing lanes in defense and other such apologist nonsense? I dont know.

But if we (Eagles Media) as a group actually deal with him harder than the average commenter, I’m hypothesizing. Maybe it’s because the football culture is so focused on constant improvement, competition, love of the sport, etc., and we see Simmons as an immensely gifted physical athlete who should get better but never really does? And then also, as “fans” of basketball as opposed to “BIG J journalists” when we cover football, our reviews on Twitter and the like may sound more arduous if we could try to have a more measured tone if we a criticize players in the sport we cover?

But again, I did not realize that this was a thing, although I am not surprised if it is true. By the way, Kevin … a 3 seed? FOH.

Question from Ky-El P: Current power ranking of the four Philly teams?

That was more difficult than I thought. The Sixers are clearly at the top, and then the next three could really be in any order.

  1. Six
  2. Eagle
  3. Phillies
  4. Flyer

I have the Eagles in second place because they run better than the Phillies and Flyers, even if we pound them sometimes. And then I have the Phillies over the Flyers because the Phillies are more talented.

Question from Herb: Better chance of becoming an eagle this season; Zach Ertz or Nate Gerry?

Ha. Gerry. And that’s what I actually mean. This is not a joke answer.

QUESTION FROM Kenny: Will someone sign Alshonymous?

Yeah, I think he’ll end up ending up somewhere, maybe as one of those guys “halfway through camp”. It would be hilarious if it was in Indianapolis.

Question from Danny: Should the Eagles have a trading interest in N’Keal Harry of the Patriots?

I’ve seen the Eagles listed as a potential landing site, though I suspect little more thought has been given to it than, “The Eagles wide receivers stink and this guy plays wide receivers so they should be interested in him.”

I’m not interested in players who play badly and then ask for trades.

Question from Collin: Are you looking forward to the coverage of spreads this year?

That reminds me. My running food spreads column in 2020 had kind of gotten suspended after I stopped traveling to street games. I have to bow down somehow. But yes, assuming actual meals return in favor of packed lunches, I look forward to a return to the normality of the distribution of food in press boxes.

Question from TheBlackIrishman: I’m always shocked by your vocal range in your podcast commercial for Kristin Roach of Roach Realtors (very catchy and your daughter was great too). What song do you sing when you’re a newbie to the NFL?

Ha, you’re nice, good sir, but I’m the worst singer ever.

As for your question, do you mean what song would I sing if I was forced to sing something in front of the whole team like it’s shown on Hard Knocks? I think I would construct a TV themed medley and make it look like I was Whitney Houston. Also, I think the other approach that always works is to get impressions from coaches and other players on the team, so I would look for personalities to emulate throughout the camp.

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