There were a few Philadelphia Eagles news items this week that probably aren't worth their own articles, but combined together are worth rounding up. So let's get to those, shall we?
The Eagles signed a defensive tackle
The Eagles signed 6'5, 318-pound defensive tackle Renell Wren, who spent the 2021 season on the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad. He appeared in one meaningless Week 18 game after the Bengals clinched the AFC North. Wren was a fourth-round pick of the Bengals in the 2019 NFL Draft. His college scouting report, via Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Enticing prospect offering size, strength and athleticism to entice NFL general managers who covet elite traits over college production. Wren's play was uneven while aligned on the nose in 2018, but he should benefit from a move to defensive tackle in an odd or even front as a pro. The cheat code in unlocking his ability and production might rest in a team's ability to correct his hands and feet while improving recognition. With all things considered, "boom or bust" might be an appropriate tag for him.
Wren played in 11 games (2 starts) as a rookie in 2019, before landing on injured reserve to end the season. In 2020, he was placed on injured reserve in August with a quadriceps injury that ended his season before it even started.
As Zierlein notes above, Wren has good size and decent athleticism.
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He'll be something of a reclamation project for the Eagles this offseason with no guarantees of making the team.
Andy Weidl will interview for the Steelers' soon-to-be vacant general manager job
Kevin Colbert will conduct one more draft for the Steelers this year, and then he will step down as Pittsburgh's longtime general manager. The Steelers have interviewed a dozen or so general manager candidates, with Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel Andy Weidl among the latest batch.
Weidl leads the Eagles' scouting department, which has already taken a hit this offseason, with Ian Cunningham leaving to be the assistant GM of the Bears, and Brandon Brown leaving to be the assistant GM of the Giants.
Weidl is a Pittsburgh native who got his start with the Steelers in 1998. He joined the Eagles' front office in 2016 alongside Joe Douglas, who has since moved on to become the Jets' general manager. A screenshot of Weidl's NFL journey, via the Eagles' media guide:
The Eagles won't have to worry about Weidl leaving for Pittsburgh prior to the draft, but losing another key front office evaluator would not be ideal.
Commanders considering three Virginia sites for a new stadium
Per a report from Nicky Jhabvala and Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post, the Washington Commanders are eyeing three sites in Virginia to build a new stadium, which will serve as the centerpiece of a "mini city" entertainment complex.
The team, which has been in discussions with Virginia officials for months about possibly building a stadium in the commonwealth, is considering three options there — one in Loudoun County and two in Prince William County. The most accessible site from D.C. is in Sterling, near a quarry off the northeast corner of Dulles International Airport. The other two, in Prince William County, are along I-95 in Woodbridge and near the Potomac Shores Golf Club in Dumfries.
Eagles fans have often turned road games at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland into Eagles home games. The trek to Landover was an easy one, two hours and one minute from Lincoln Financial Field to FedEx Field, according to a Mapquest search I did on a Sunday morning in late February. The new drive times would roughly be as follows:
- The Linc to Sterling, VA: 2:27
- The Linc to Woodbridge, VA: 2:33
- The Linc to Dumfries, VA: 2:40
If the Commanders eventually set up shop in VA, it'll be a longer drive for most Eagles fans, but presumably a new stadium will come without the risk of having raw sewage pouring onto your heads.
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