Turns out that the Eagles were going hard after Jeremy Maclin, and that Maclin’s final choice came down to either Philly or Baltimore. He went with the Ravens, who offered him a 2-year deal worth $11 million with $6 million in year one, most of that money guaranteed.
My guess is the Eagles were pushing more for a one-year contract in the $5 million range, with a club option for a second year.
The Ravens now have to restructure a few of their veteran contracts to fit Maclin’s deal under the salary cap. I would imagine the Eagles would have had to do the same if they had landed Maclin for the terms he wanted.
Anyway, with that little saga closed, lets turn to the “mini news” that came out of the Eagles’ media department on Tuesday:
—Often maligned DE Marcus Smith actually showed up! Smith said he has not asked the Eagles to release him. In fact, he reiterated his desire to be an Eagle.
“I still want to make this team,” Smith said. “I want to be a part of the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Smith said he thinks he has a good chance to make the 53-man roster. The 2014 first-round draft pick has recorded four quarterback sacks in his Eagles career, and he faces a tough task making the roster after the team signed veteran Chris Long
in free agency and then used a first-round draft pick on Derek Barnett in April.
—Cornerback Jalen Mills had a pretty good day overall. In individual drills, he looked smooth when asked to plant and drive on the ball. After working on those drills through most of the individual period, Mills took that training to a 7-on-7 drill.
Before tryout quarterback Dane Evans took the field, Mills was lined up at left cornerback telling himself that he had to take the ball the other way. On the very next snap, Mills stuck his foot in the ground and drove on an out route by Mack Hollins, picking off the pass, and taking it back for a touchdown.
“A lot of stuff is going on out there – the heat, we had Duce (Staley) out there talking trash to the defense. As a defense, (Jim) Schwartz always says that regardless of the situation, we have to respond to anything,” Mills said. “The offense was clicking a little bit. It was time for someone to step up and make a play. At that time, the quarterback threw it to my side. I felt the route and I jumped it.”
—The first 11-on-11 play of the morning featured the offense in the “Pony” set, a two-back formation with Darren Sproles and Donnel Pumphrey. The rookie, Pumphrey, lined up wide to the right side of the formation as a receiver. He went in motion. Sproles started alongside quarterback Carson Wentz in the shotgun. Wentz took the snap and faked the throw to Pumphrey before delivering the ball to Sproles in the flat along the right side.
“Well, with the amount of running backs that we have and trying to get everybody reps, it’s a great way to get two running backs on the field at the same time and get guys reps,” Pederson said. “It also allows us to see what Donnel can do away from the formation or in a receiver position.
“And then, again, just how does that fit into the system? And those are all things that we can get on tape here in practice and make those decisions once we get into camp and then on into the regular season when it comes to game planning.”
—Defensive line coach Chris Wilson said that the Eagles are experimenting with using Fletcher Cox more on the edge in 2017. Cox lined up at left defensive end during an 11-on-11 session.
“I did it last year on a few plays. They thought it was some good stuff, some stuff that we could work on. It gives me a chance to get a one on one,” Cox said.
—Second-year cornerback Aaron Grymes looked very quick in and out of breaks during individual drills as well, and he made a really nice pass breakup during a team period later in practice against tight end Trey Burton. Grymes was constantly around the ball last summer during Training Camp and may have made the team had he not suffered an injury during the third preseason game. He rejoined the team late in the season and has been around the football all spring once again.
—Defensive backs coach Cory Undlin ran a drill where the corners started in a press position and then sprinted down the sideline before a ball was shot from the JUGS machine 40-50 yards downfield for the players to reel in for interceptions. Rasul Douglas made a great adjustment on one “throw” to his back shoulder at the goal line, securing it for what would’ve been a great interception. Later in the same drill, second-year corner C.J. Smith made a diving interception in the end zone.
The first-team defensive line absolutely wrecked the two-minute drill portion at the end of practice, with both Curry and Graham coming away with sacks on first and second down to send the first-team offense off the field with a three-and-out. Is it a case of a strong defensive line or a not-so-strong offensive line? Too early to tell from a mini-drill at minicamp.
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