April 19, 2022
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
Wait, Stephon Gilmore made the Pro Bowl last year? He had 2 INTs and 16 tackles in 8 games, lol.
There were a few Philadelphia Eagles-related news items over the last week or so that probably aren't worthy of their own articles, but combined together are worth rounding up. So let's get to those, shall we?
Old friend Josina Anderson broke news that Stephon Gilmore was signing with the Indianapolis Colts. Her source was Gilmore himself.
Stephon Gilmore just text me he is signing with the #Colts.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 15, 2022
Shortly thereafter, Anderson reported that the Eagles had interest.
In regards to Stephon Gilmore I am told that "Philly made a hard play." Other teams that showed interest included the #Raiders, #Rams and #Bills, per source.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 15, 2022
I think we can probably safely assume that too came from Gilmore.
So what does it mean? Well, I had previously thought that the Eagles would want to get a good look at the half dozen or so young cornerbacks they acquired last year before signing a one-year Band-Aid. The NFL Draft is also a week and a half away, and the addition of Gilmore wouldn't make much sense if the Eagles were to trade up for, say, Ahmad Gardner or Derek Stingley, which I believe is in play.
So exactly how interested were the Eagles? Did they make a strong offer to sign him right now, or was it more like, "Hey, we'd maybe like to speak after the draft, or maybe in June or July if we don't like what we have at CB2," sort of like their perceived level of interest in Tyrann Mathieu? My guess is that it was the latter.
A couple of months ago, the NFL announced that the Cardinals would be playing a home game in Mexico City this season, the Buccaneers would be playing in Munich, and the Packers, Saints, and Jaguars would be playing in London.
The Eagles have a road game against the Cardinals this season, so a game in Mexico City is a possibility.
This is a bit of a late notebook item from the NFL owners meetings, but the Eagles told the NFL that they would be happy to play the Cardinals in Mexico City, or they'd be just as happy to play them in Arizona. I took that to mean that they were essentially volunteering to play in Mexico City. At the time, the Eagles did not know where that game would be held, and they did not believe they'd hear anything from the NFL imminently. But perhaps their willingness to travel to Mexico for that road game raises the odds a bit that they'll play there this season?
After seeing the wide receiver market explode this offseason, the Commanders' Terry McLaurin, the Titans' A.J. Brown, and the 49ers' Deebo Samuel are all expected to miss voluntary workouts as they try to score new contracts, according to ESPN.
I'm sure the "Should the Eagles trade for (fill in the wide receiver)" questions will begin soon here and elsewhere, as they always do at that position. However, what's more interesting to me is whether or not this development makes receivers in the draft more valuable, since they'll be comparatively cheap for at least three years. Obviously, drafted players are less of a sure thing than the receivers that have earned contracts worth more than $20 million per year this offseason, but at roughly one-fifth of the cost, a rookie receiver is probably the better value.
A little more than a week ago, we listed Boykin among four receivers that would make sense for the Eagles, if the price was right via trade. Now he won't cost anything.
Boykin was a third-round pick in 2019. He has fantastic size and athleticism measurables:
Unfortunately for the Ravens, those traits have not led to on-field production at the pro level. In three seasons in Baltimore, Boykin has 33 catches for 470 yards and 7 TDs. In 2021, a number of receivers passed him on the depth chart and he only had 1 catch for 6 yards.
If the Eagles can sign Boykin cheaply enough and get a look at him in camp, why not?
Zach Berman of The Athletic was on it.
Some updated numbers for the Eagles, per the team website...
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) April 18, 2022
Reid Sinnett is No. 17
Devon Allen is No. 39
Renell Wren is No. 98
Poor Devon Allen is stuck with 39 because the Eagles don't seem to be giving out 86 (Zach Ertz) or 87 (Brent Celek). What an absolutely awful number for a speed receiver. Meanwhile, No. 17, previously worn by Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael, is going to the No. 3 quarterback.
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