There are plenty of differences between Tre Boston Authentic Landon Collins Jersey , Tyvon Branch, Mike Mitchell, Eric Reid and Kenny Vaccaro, but one thing all the veteran safeties have in common is the lack of a job for the 2018 season.
The free agent market for safeties never took flight this offseason and those five players are still looking for work after the end of offseason programs. Mitchell, who was released by the Steelers in March, said on Sirius XM NFL Radio with Alex Marvez and Brad Hopkins that the group is r0;just being as patient as possibler1; when it comes to landing with teams.
Mitchell said he r0;can鈥檛 really put a fingerr1; on why things have not developed, but did offer one theory.
r0;Our sport isnr17;t like basketball, it isnr17;t like baseball where contracts are guaranteed, so definitely the teams are taking advantage of the leverage that they have and they donr17;t have to sign guys,r1; Mitchell said. r0;They can obviously go out and get cheaper, younger players, I guess Bobby Orr Jersey , if thatr17;s what they want to do. I think therer17;s something to be said about the veteran talent thatr17;s out there, still a lot of guys that have played this game awhile and just done it at a high level for a long time, so wer17;ll just see how the rest of the summer plays out.r1;
Therer17;s little choice for any of the safeties other than to hold fast and wait to see if things loosen up as teams take stock of their secondaries heading into training camp and the regular season. It seems likely that some of the players named above will find work, but the last few months suggest it may not wind up being a clean sweep.
He has traveled a long road: starter and castoff, journeyman and backup. Now Nick Foles stands at the summit of his sport.
How did it happen? Oh, sure, there was the mid-December injury to rising star Carson Wentz, with Foles stepping in and stepping up. But how, in a breathtaking championship game Sunday night, did this quarterback beat Tom Brady at the five-time Super Bowl winnerr17;s specialty, a shootout?
For Foles r11; and for his Philadelphia Eagles r11; there is one underlying theme to it all: perseverance.
r1;The big thing is donr17;t be afraid to fail,r1; Foles Shayne Gostisbehere Jersey , the Super Bowl, MVP, said sleepless hours after he guided the drive of a lifetime for the winning points in a 41-33 victory over league MVP Brady and the defending champion New England Patriots.
r1;In our society, with (social media) itr17;s a highlight reel. I think when you have a rough day, your17;re feeling you canr17;t r11; failure is a part of your life. I wouldnr17;t be up here if I hadnr17;t failed a million times.
r1;You share that. Ir17;m human, not superman. When you struggle in your life, itr17;s an opportunity to grow. If therer17;s something going on in your life, embrace it.r1;
Thatr17;s exactly what Foles and coach Doug Pederson said Monday was the approach throughout the 2017 season by the Eagles. They had gone 7-9 the previous year with rookie Wentz as the starter. He improved meteorically this season and was a leading MVP contender before tearing up his knee in Week 14.
That was one of many key injuries the Eagles had to deal with on the way to their first Super Bowl title and the Lombardi Trophy r11; their first NFL crown since 1960, when they beat coach Vince Lombardi himself and the Green Bay Packers. Veteran tackle Jason Peters, versatile running back Darren Sproles, specials teams ace Chris Maragos and starting linebacker Jordan Hicks all were lost for the season.
Adversity.
r1;Itr17;s tough,r1; said Pederson Authentic Mike Cammalleri Jersey , whose willingness to stay aggressive was a major reason the Eagles won the NFC East at 13-3, then won three more times in the postseason. r1;Itr17;s something you spend a lot of time thinking about how you want to talk to the team. Part of it was entrusting the players a little bit, allow them to sort of embrace it and the `next man upr17; mentality.r1;
Foles, of course, was the next man behind center. He hardly was a stopgap, though, and Pederson recognized that.
The coach went back to tapes of Folesr17; work with the Eagles under Chip Kelly, and then to his games with the Rams and Chiefs. Pederson made some adjustments to fit what made Foles most comfortable r11; the wheel route to backs and tight ends was particularly effective for Foles r11; and then turned lose his No. 2 QB.
r1;It was just a matter of him spending time with the guys, take a lot of repetitions in practice,r1; Pederson said. r1;We knew in the building wer17;d be OK with him.r1;
OK? Doug, you and the Eagles are NFL champions.
r1;I think this team is full of great character men,r1; said Pederson Josh Morrissey Jersey , who was a player and coach for Andy Reid, his mentor, and now, perhaps ironically, has the trophy Reid hadnr17;t been able to hoist. r1;The leadership in the locker room r11; part of the message was putting it back on the players and the players own it. Not having selfish coaches and players gives you a chance to win this game.r1;
Philadelphia is a young team. Indeed, it might have arrived at the top ahead of schedule. It definitely arrived in a different manner than it expected.
That leaves the question of Folesr17; future. Her17;s under contract for one more year and the Eagles can afford to keep him. Wentz clearly is the franchise QB, though his rehab could make him unavailable for much of the preseason.
r1;I knew I couldnr17;t get off the stager1; without being asked about the quarterback situation, Pederson joked Monday morning. r1;Wer17;ll just enjoy this moment, celebrate it with our fans in Philly. Itr17;s not about one guy, itr17;s about the team.r1;
