Former Eagles 1st-Round Pick Signs With Super Bowl Contender

Former Philadelphia Eagles first-round pick Andre Dillard is on the move again.

Dillard, 28, agreed to a deal with the Green Bay Packers, widely viewed — alongside the Eagles, as a Super Bowl favorite in the NFC, and Philadelphia’s Week 1 opponent in the NFL’s season-opening game in Brazil.

Never quite living up to expectations as a former first-round selection or overcoming a disappointing rookie season, Dillard is now with his third team in as many seasons. Dillard appeared in 43 games for the Eagles before ultimately being supplanted by Jordan Mailata.

After spending his first three seasons in an Eagles uniform, the Tennessee Titans signed Dillard ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Last season in Tennessee, Dillard struggled mightily.

According to Pro Football Focus, Dillard surrendered 12 sacks and 41 total pressures while garnering an overall grade of 51 and a run-blocking grade of just 56.6. But Dillard only made 10 starts during the 2023 season while appearing in 16 games.

In Green Bay, Dillard will provide some veteran stability and depth behind third-year offensive tackle Rasheed Walker and perhaps a tackle selected early in the upcoming draft.

Meanwhile, Mailata remains a stalwart along the Eagles’ offensive line opposite All-Pro Lane Johnson, as two anchors of one of the premier lines in the NFL.

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Jalen Hurts a ‘Sponge’ in Eagles’ New Offense

For the third time in his career, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is tasked with learning a new offense this offseason. 

After the Eagles hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Hurts says he’s already diving into the playbook as the offseason program gets underway.

“We’re just all excited,” Hurts told reporters. “I know they’re kinda finalizing some of the things. Crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s in terms of what it is exactly gonna be. I’m just all ears, I’m a sponge. I think there’s some beauty in that.”

Hurts is looking to rebound from a 2023 season that was a bit of a regression for the quarterback who had previously played his way into the MVP conversation while leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance the prior year.

Last season, Hurts set new career-highs by passing for 3,858 yards and 23 touchdowns but also tossed a career-high 15 interceptions while posing an 89.1 passer rating, which represents a 12.4 point dip from 2022.

Now, Moore arrives on the heels of Brian Johnson’s firing following the 2022 season, and Hurts will have an upgraded supporting cast thanks to the additions of All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley and added receiver depth thanks to DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell competing for the third receiver role.

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Nick Sirianni’s Former Teammates Confident He’ll Bounce Back

The heat is on head coach Nick Sirianni this season.

Even though the Eagles brought Sirianni back for his fourth season, owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman gave legitimate consideration to hiring Bill Belichick. The Eagles thought about moving on from Sirianni after a disastrous 1-6 finish to the 2023 campaign and first-round exit in blowout fashion against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, some of Sirianni’s former teammates believe that he’ll be able to change the narrative from a disappointing finish to 2023.

“He’s a guy that’s going to get charged up by this challenge,” former Chiefs quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who played under Sirianni from 2011-12, told NJ Advance Media. “He’s an extremely, extremely competitive person. And when you take an extremely competitive person and you put them in an adverse situation, they’re going to use that as fuel to catapult them for that comeback.”

Lurie and Roseman are banking on Sirianni’s leadership and ability to drive a culture combined with two new veteran coordinators being catalysts for the Eagles making a legitimate Super Bowl charge in 2024.

“Every coach is in a high-pressured situation,” Lurie told reporters during the NFL Annual Meeting. “Nick has had a pretty spectacular first three seasons and he’s shown all the ingredients to have outstanding success. So I’m just looking forward.”

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