Eagles Weekend Reading: Cooper’s Bad Contract

Here are some Eagles links to check out this weekend.

Bill Barnwell of Grantland names his “All-Bad Contract Team” and includes three Eagles: DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell and Riley Cooper. Here’s the writeup on Cooper:

Cooper might actually fit all four of the criteria for a bad contract, which would be a rare sweep. The Eagles gave him a five-year, $22.5 million deal last offseason on the strength of what was honestly a pretty underwhelming season; 47 catches for 835 yards and eight scores as a full-time starter in a high-powered attack like Philadelphia’s just isn’t that impressive. Even worse, he really had only three big games that season, and the biggest (139 yards, three touchdowns) came against the lowly Raiders. And this is all without considering his infamous moment of off-field racism. He responded by catching 55 passes for 577 yards as a full-time starter last year, and with the Eagles having shifted their spending on offense toward running backs, Cooper will be stuck in a meaningful role again in 2015.

Tommy Lawlor of Iggles Blitz sets the mood as training camp begins at the NovaCare Complex:

Training Camp is the first real football of the year. Players will be in pads. There will be hitting and even some tackling. The media is there everyday so we get constant reports on who is headed to Canton, Ohio and who has one foot in the football grave. Fun stuff.

This year’s camp is generating a lot of excitement because there is a great combination of curiosity and excitement. Many people feel the Eagles are going to win 10 to 13 games, despite the fact they changed QB, RB, WR, ROLB, CB, S and both OG spots.

Everyone is going to be focused on Sam Bradford, and for good reason. He is the most talented pocket passer the Eagles have had since…Jaws? Vick, McNabb and Garcia were all athletic players. Feeley was more overachiever than naturally talented. Ditto that for Ty Detmer. No one would describe Randall Cunningham as a pocket passer. He was The Ultimate Weapon.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has the Eagles 11th in his power rankings:

This is all about Sam Bradford at quarterback. If he can stay healthy, they have a good chance to push Dallas in the division.

Jeff McLane of the Inquirer reports on Eric Rowe’s push to become the Eagles second starting cornerback:

Rowe has been consistent, saying since the Eagles traded up and drafted him 47th overall that he would rather play corner. There’s more attention and potential for pay at the position, but Rowe’s reasons reflect an individual with a growth mind-set (embraces challenges) over a fixed one (avoids them).

“It’s nice to see another view of the game,” Rowe said. “From a corner’s perspective, you only see half the field. You’re on a one-on-one battle around 80 percent of the time. It’s a new challenge and I just want to get good at it.”

Some love for projected starting safety Walter Thurmond:

.@phillyknowswins @NFL @WaltThurm3 Thurmond is one of the most gifted DB’s in the league, but has not been able to stay on field to show it.

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) July 31, 2015

Speaking of the Eagles receiving corps. there is this interesting note from Ian Rapoport:

WR James Jones, who chose the #Giants over offers from #Eagles, #Chiefs, #Seahawks & #Bengals, will be signing a 1-year deal with NYG. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 30, 2015