April 29, 2024
Ken Ruinard/for PhillyVoice
Eagles fans are certainly ready for more Axeman celebrations from the Trotter family.
The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books. With a new cast of Eagles players fighting for roster positioning, here are five thoughts currently on my mind about the team...
My favorite part of the NFL Draft is seeing the reaction when teams call players and inform them that their dreams are coming true. Naturally, the most emotionally charged of those came when the Birds put the call in to Jeremiah Trotter Jr.:
Just like it's meant to be@TrotterJr54 | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/WAO5YQ9cLj
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 28, 2024
There is more to this pick than pure on-field football aspects. Look at the genuine care that both Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie put into this phone call with Trotter Jr. Sure, they need help at linebacker, but they care about him. They care about his father's place in this city. They care that the Eagles are a communal endeavor in Philadelphia, an extension of family life in many circumstances. If a fifth-round pick can have that feel-good moment, isn't that worth way more on its own than whatever came of failed former fifth-rounders like John Hightower, Clayton Thorson and Shelton Gibson?
No, he's not his father out there. Jeremiah Trotter was a hulking 262 pounds. When he made First-Team All-Pro in 2000, that version of the NFL was basically a different sport than the one his son is stepping into. Trotter Jr. clocks in at just 228 pounds and feels more akin physically to someone like Nakobe Dean. He will not be a star linebacker on his father's level, but could he be a productive starter for a handful of years like T.J. Edwards? Maybe! The Eagles will gladly take that outcome just as the fan base will eat up every wood-chopping celebration they see out at Lincoln Financial Field.
A whole lot of "Trotter Jr., No. 54" jerseys will pop up this summer, too.
When the Eagles were pulverized in their Wild Card loss to the Buccaneers back in January, cameras jumped to an angered Jeffrey Lurie:
Jeffrey Lurie looks miserable... 🦅 ☠️#NFL #Eagles #Buccaneers #PHIvsTB pic.twitter.com/Jafz6Zr6Wl
— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) January 16, 2024
He has the look of a man who wants at least one more ring and isn't about to waste anymore time watching Baker Mayfield of all people destroy a pathetic secondary.
Cut to April and the Birds used their first draft picks on perhaps the two best secondary prospects in the whole draft in Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell and Iowa's Cooper DeJean.
Mitchell, despite the ability to play inside at slot corner, will begin his pro career at outside cornerback. That likely spells doom for James Bradberry's future in Philly. Bradberry was great in 2022, but fell off a cliff in 2023. A 1-2 CB duo of Darius Slay and Mitchell is a huge step above what they had during last season's disastrous defensive performances.
DeJean was the most versatile defender in the draft and, like the re-acquired C.J. Gardner-Johnson, has the ability to be an impact player at either nickel cornerback or safety. Depending on the scheme, DeJean will likely rotate in with Gardner-Johnson and the incumbent Reed Blankenship.
In roughly three months, the secondary went from the Eagles' most glaring and damaging weakness to a strength. Drafting for need over pure talent can be dicey, but the Eagles appeared to have gotten the best of both worlds when it comes to Mitchell and DeJean.
Lurie never wants the public to see him like that again.
After spending Week 1 of last season as the Eagles' RB1, Kenneth Gainwell will be relegated to clear-cut backup running back duties behind star Saquon Barkley this year. Depending on how this summer goes, however, there's a shot he could fall down to RB3.
The Eagles used a fourth-round pick on Clemson running back Will Shipley. Like Gainwell, Shipley did a little bit of everything in college, getting in work as a runner, receiver and returner. In three collegiate seasons, Shipley totaled 3,550 yards from scrimmage and 33 touchdowns.
Pass protection may remain a question mark, like it has for Gainwell, but Shipley should be able to work in as a core special teamer immediately while getting touches from time to time offensively.
Three years into his pro career, Gainwell has proven to be a favorite of Nick Sirianni's coaching staff, much to the chagrin of the fan base, but the expectation should be for Shipley to take over the RB2 role by the time Gainwell's contract expires following the 2024 season.
When it comes to the draft, I like to bank on certain archetypes: Alabama and Clemson wide receivers, SEC defenders, Big 10 offensive linemen, etc. Michigan has been a powerhouse when it comes to building o-linemen for decades and the Eagles used a fifth-round pick on Wolverine guard Trevor Keegan.
Keegan can get nasty in the run game, was a national champion and a team captain. Going from Michigan to Stoutland U is a perfect development plan for an offensive lineman. The Eagles' situation at right guard is still undefined as well, so Keegan could even work himself into the mix there even as a rookie.
He scores immediate brownie points for wearing a DeSean Jackson jersey to his video presser as well:
New Eagles O-lineman Trevor Keegan: pic.twitter.com/ZftXzGNMm5
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) April 27, 2024
Pandering is easy in Philly!
This isn't related to the Eagles' draft, but Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys are reuniting. I'd be remiss to not mention this. Elliott averaged a career-worst 3.5 yards per carry in 17 games for New England in 2023. Lol.
Follow Shamus & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @shamus_clancy | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Shamus' RSS feed to your feed reader
