As always, thanks for all your questions. Even though it’s the offseason, we got a ton of them and split this mailbag up into several parts.
In Part 1, I answered a couple questions about Bijan Robinson and the running back position, among other things.
Let’s get to Part 2:
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
I really try to avoid lumping players with legal troubles together because every case is very different. I get your point but the Eagles have to look at each situation separately. That doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons from previous situations but they have to really dig on the Carter situation on its own.
NFL
Carter, the stud defensive tackle from Georgia, was given 12 months probation and a $1,000 fine last month after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in a crash that killed his teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler Lecroy in January. The news of Carter’s legal issues emerged while he was at the combine in Indianapolis and sent some shockwaves through the pre-draft process. After all this, Carter really struggled at the Georgia pro day, coming in heavy and suffering cramps.
This is a situation where Eagles VP of team security and chief security officer Dom DiSandro comes into play. He’s very connected in the law enforcement world and has been praised by the organization for his ability to get to the bottom of things. But it’ll also be up to other staffers, coaches and scouts to dig on Carter. I can’t answer whether or not they’d feel comfortable drafting him. But if they do, he’s a player who is obviously worth the No. 10 pick.
Carter is arguably the best overall player in this draft. While the Eagles owe it to themselves to really check into his character and maturity, I’m not overly worried about the pro day. Because the tape is certainly there. When the Eagles drafted Jordan Davis last year, the first guy to pop on that tape was Carter, who wasn’t even in last year’s draft. He’s a tremendous player at a position the Eagles value as much as any. If the Eagles are willing to draft him based on their evaluation of his character, then he’d be worth the No. 10 pick and more. He’s the type of player who would be worth a trade-up like the Eagles made to land Davis last year or to land DeVonta Smith the year before. If Carter starts slipping into the 7-8 range, the Eagles should try to trade up and take him.
Adding Carter to an interior defensive line that already includes Fletcher Cox, Davis and Milton Williams would be great in 2023. But it would also give the Eagles an impressive group of Davis, Williams and Carter looking into the future.
I’m not sure if you meant 2024 or 2023 but the needs are pretty similar. Because I’d argue the top two needs in 2023 are long-term ones too. Now, I believe there is a need to replenish on the defensive line for the long-term because Cox and Brandon Graham won’t be around forever. It’s pretty likely the Eagles add a defensive lineman early in this draft.
But the two most pressing needs are still safety and linebacker. At safety, the Eagles added Terrell Edmunds on a one-year deal but that’s hardly a commitment. And as much as I like Reed Blankenship, he can’t be the reason the Eagles don’t try to improve that spot in the draft. And at linebacker, we expect Nakobe Dean to be a starter — I’m still bullish on him — but we haven’t seen very much of him in the NFL yet. The Eagles lost all four of their starters at the safety and linebacker position from the 2022 team and even though they have options in 2023, none of them are sure things.
I’m assuming you’re talking about an offensive tackle here. I agree it would be a pretty unpopular pick if the Eagles drafted a tackle but I wouldn’t completely rule it out. While the Eagles have Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata under contract, Johnson will be 33 at the start of the 2023 season. And the loss of Andre Dillard in free agency leaves the Eagles a little light on depth. Jack Driscoll is their top backup tackle right now.
Right now, I expect Cam Jurgens to play right guard for the Eagles in his second NFL season. But if the Eagles used the No. 10 pick on an offensive lineman, that job would likely belong to the draft pick. A guy like Peter Skoronski might make a bit of sense. While he played left tackle in college, many see him as a guard at the NFL level. And if you draft a guard at No. 10, you’d better expect him to start. Ultimately, I don’t expect the Eagles to use No. 10 on an offensive tackle but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them use their other first-rounder or a Day 2 pick on one. How about a versatile player with starting potential at tackle or guard like NDSU’s Cody Mauch in the second or third round?
If the Eagles stay at 10, I don’t think there would be much of a surprise pick. They’re likely going to take a player at a premium position. But if they hang on to that No. 30 pick, some of those rules might be out the window. That could be a landing spot for a running back.
But my real answer is tight end in a very good tight end draft. How about a player like Georgia’s Darnell Washington with pick No. 30? It’s not a huge need with Dallas Goedert under contract at the TE1 spot but pairing another top-tier tight end with Goedert would give the Eagles’ 12 personnel package way more punch. There are ways to improve the offense without adding a receiver or running back. The upgrade from Jack Stoll to a player like Washington would be significant. Sure, it’s a bit of a luxury pick, but the Eagles have two first-round picks coming off a Super Bowl season. If there was ever a time to make a pick like that, it’s now.
Well, if the Eagles draft Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez, then that’s an easy answer. He wore No. 0 in college. If we’re talking about players already on the roster, I kind of like the idea of Marcus Mariota taking 0. He has worn 8 and 1 in his career and both of those are occupied with the Eagles. And thanks to Gonzalez, I know how the 0 looks on a Duck.
It’s fair to wonder exactly what happened at the end of Mariota’s time in Atlanta. It didn’t seem like things ended well when the Falcons decided to bench him and go with Desmond Ridder.
Head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about this at the owners meetings and pointed at the relationships his staff has with Mariota. They were able to do some digging and understand Mariota’s perspective. Staff members Alex Tanney, Jason Michael, Michael Clay and others all have a history with Mariota and those relationships made the Eagles feel at ease.
And for what it’s worth, here’s what Mariota said last week about the end in Atlanta:
“Well, I think from the standpoint of me, I appreciate the opportunity that I had there. To be able to be a starter again after sitting for a couple seasons, I just had a lot of fun. At the end of the day, it didn’t work out the way that anybody wanted it to, and I really just tried to focus on being the best version of myself for that team day in and day out, and it’s no different here. At the end of the day, things didn’t work out, but I’m excited to be here and I can’t wait to get things started.”
Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast
Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube