Getty The Eagles released veteran safety Will Parks after just six games with his hometown team.
Will Parks saw just 10 snaps in Week 12. On Tuesday, the North Philadelphia native was bidding farewell to his hometown team on social media. The Philadelphia Eagles are set to part ways with the hybrid “Swiss Army Knife” safety after six games.
Parks will become a free agent, willing and able to sign with any NFL franchise who will take him. It was an odd move, although not totally out of left field. Remember, the Eagles had reportedly shopped Parks at the NFL trade deadline but chose to keep him. He sat out the first five weeks of the regular season as he recovered from a nagging hamstring issue.
The 26-year-old played sparingly even when he did return and will retire his midnight green jersey with just 114 total defensive snaps in it. Parks, who inked a one-year deal back in March, has 13 tackles (two for loss) in six games this year. He shouldn’t have any problem latching on with a Super Bowl contender in the coming days.
Philly it’s been real. Thanks for opportunity. I did everything I could. Love. ✌🏾
“At the end of the day, it’s part of the business,” Parks told reporters on Nov. 13, talking about almost being traded. “I felt like, as a football player, a player of my caliber — at the end of the day, teams are going to do what teams are going to do with you. You got to focus on what you can to do to make this team win games and stuff like that.”
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More Changes Coming in South Philly?
As reports of a disgusted owner and embattled coach continue to swirl in South Philly, there could be more dominoes falling soon. Parks was low-hanging fruit in the grand scheme of things.
Maybe the next move is non-personnel related like stripping Doug Pederson of his play-calling duties. The head coach has been unwilling to do it in recent weeks but appeared more open to it during his media availability on Tuesday.
“I take pride in play calling and I look at everything,” Pederson said. “I got to take everything into consideration. If I feel like I get stuck or in a rut, I definitely would consider giving that up.”
Regarding Geoff Mosher’s report that Jeff Lurie has given directive if Carson Wentz struggles again, to put in Jalen Hurts, this could be Jeff Lurie reiterating to Doug Pederson it’s his call to make any personnel decisions that need to be made to help team
Of course, the other obvious move is to make a quarterback switch and bench struggling starter Carson Wentz. Pederson once again declared he’s not ready to do that while throwing water on the rumor that team owner Jeffrey Lurie has directed him to put Jalen Hurts in. Personnel decisions remain Pederson’s call.
“Again, that’s my decision as the head football coach,” Pederson said. “I make a lot of personnel decisions, but this one is my decision if and when we make that change, but right now, we’re not doing that.”
Wentz Not Questioning Gameplan or QB Rotation
Hurts only played three snaps on Monday night contrary to pre-game reports of an increased role. Did Wentz have a problem with the new gameplan and say something about it?
There’s no evidence that he did, but it seems a bit odd to draft a player like Hurts in the second round and not use him. Wentz doesn’t mind rotating in and out with the rookie as long as it provides a spark for the offense.
“When we’re stagnant like that, as an offense, I’m all ears,” Wentz said. “Whatever coach is confident in, however, we can get some momentum or pick up a first down in that case, early in the game. Obviously, it’s a tricky thing to navigate. But I think if it’s going to provide us the spark that we need, hopefully, going forward, it can in those situations.”
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Eagles Start Making Personnel Moves, Release Tough ‘Swiss Army Knife’