Although Jason Peters continued his upper-echelon play for the Eagles in 2015 and overall under Chip Kelly the past three seasons, he did not enjoy the offense’s frenetic pace in this period, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. The belief within the Eagles is Peters, who will be one of the oldest offensive linemen in the league at age 34, can deliver superior production in Doug Pederson‘s more methodical attack in which the 13th-year player thrived previously.
Peters has booked eight Pro Bowls in his past eight healthy seasons and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 14 overall tackle last season on the strength of his run-blocking efforts. Shorr-Parks points out, however, the Eagles will need to find an heir apparent quickly if Peters looks slower or struggles with injuries in camp.
As Roster Resource shows, the Eagles are fairly deep at their interior-line spots but thin at tackle, so Peters continuing to play at a high level in ’16 looks imperative for the Birds.
Here’s more from the Eagles, as well as the latest from other eastern locales.
- Leodis McKelvin‘s Philadelphia emergence appears to be quite real, with Shorr-Parks writing the former Bills return specialist is expected to be the Eagles’ No. 1 corner. Nolan Carroll and Ron Brooks look like the primary contenders to start opposite McKelvin in Jim Schwartz‘s system. Carroll started 11 games for the Eagles last season, with Brooks being yet another Schwartz disciple from Buffalo.
- The Cowboys gave wide receiver Andy Jones their biggest signing bonus among their UDFA contingent this offseason at $15K, Rob Phillips of Cowboys.com notes. Dallas placed a draftable grade on Jones, whom Phillips opines could snare a roster spot as a backup. A Jacksonville University cog, Jones caught 144 passes for 2,120 yards at the Division I-FCS level and ventures into a Cowboys wideout corps largely unchanged from 2015.
- Tom Brady has contended he intends to play well into his 40s, and James Walker of ESPN.com envisions that likely based on what the Patriots 17th-year quarterback has shown as he’s moved into his late 30s. Walker sees the now-39-year-old Brady playing three more seasons at a high level but offers he won’t make it much farther if he continues to absorb the kind of punishment he took last season. New England permitted its franchise icon to be sacked 38 times in 2015 after allowing just 21 in ’14.
- Missing the Bills‘ offseason program in order to train for a potential Olympic bid hurt Marquise Goodwin‘s chances of making the team for a fourth season, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News writes. The backup wide receiver candidate who finished seventh in a loaded long jump competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials attended Bills minicamp but only as an observer. Carucci notes that Rex Ryan‘s previous speed preferences may not give the 25-year-old the edge against wideouts like Leonard Hankerson or Greg Salas who spent time developing a rapport with Tyrod Taylor.