Eagles' Nick Sirianni on DeAndre Hopkins: Coach's Revealing Comment

The Eagles have built one of the NFL's best rosters ... and the building continues with our news and views as it all happens in Philadelphia ...
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JUNE 8 NICK ON HOP Eagles coach Nick Sirianni was asked today about his team free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and maybe Sirianni said plenty while saying nothing at all.

Said Nick: “Howie's always looking for opportunities to make the team better. I'm really excited with the group that we have.You never know what's gonna happen.”

That almost feels like there should be a "but'' in there, as in, "We're always looking for opportunities to make the team better. ... BUT ... I'm really excited with the group that we have.''

And led by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith? Yes, there is reason for the defending NFC champs to be "excited'' about this bunch, as is.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

5:30 p.m. James Bradberry is returning to the Eagles on a reported three-year deal worth $38 million, including $20M fully guaranteed and another $6M in incentives for a total package deal of $44M, per Adam Schefter.

It's big get for the Eagles after already losing four starting defensive players in free agency. Bradberry, 30, was a second-team AP All-Pro last year.

5:10 p.m. About two hours after agreeing to terms with Rashaad Penny, the Eagles brought back Boston Scott on a one-year deal worth $2 million, per NFL Media.

This will be Scott's sixth NFL season and all of them will have been spent with the Eagles after they added him late in the 2018 season off the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints.

Known as a Giants killer, Scott has scored 10 of his 17 career touchdowns against the New York Giants and has a 6-2 record in games played against them.

3:47 p.m. Two days and two linebackers are gone off the Philadelphia defense. A day after T.J. Edwards went home to Chicago, Kyzir White agreed to a two-year with Arizona to reunite with Jonathan Gannon in the desert. The Eagles now need to replace both of their starting off-ball LBs with second-year man Nakobe Dean penciled in for one spot.

3:12 p.m. The Eagles agreed to terms with talented but oft-injured running back Rashaad Penny, a move that effectively ends the four-year Miles Sanders era in Philadelphia. A former first-round pick in Seattle, Penny has been a game-breaker in between some significant injuries, including a torn ACL and a broken tibia that limited him to five games last season.

9:45 a.m. Details on Jason Kelce's one-year deal to return for a 13th season came to light, with Adam Schefter reporting the veteran center will play for $14.25 million this season. 

8:05 a.m. Reports surface that the Ealges are interested in quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was the stopgap QB with the Browns last year until Deshaun Watson's suspension was lifted.

Brissett, who went 4-7 in his starts with Cleveland a season ago, with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, would be the backup to starter Jalen Hurts.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Brissett have a history from three years spent together in Indianapolis.

Brissett, though, is also believed to be in the mix with the Arizona Cardinals, who will need a stopgap starter until Kyler Murray's rehab from a knee injury is completed.

MONDAY, MARCH 13

6:02 p.m. The Raiders have reached an agreement with safety Marcus Epps, who played 1,096 defensive snaps (99%) a season ago and was the team's third-leading tackler with 93.

5:46 - The Titans have signed Eagles backup LT Andre Dillard. A 2019 first-round pick, Dillard is a starting-level LT from a talent perspective and could be a bargain in free agency. He reportedly received a three-year deal for $29M.

5:19 - The Eagles have re-signed versatile OL Brett Toth after releasing him on Thursday of last week. This was a bookkeeping move to get Toth down to the veteran minimum as a backup option on the O-Line.

3:05 - In the midst of free agency comes some interesting coaching news with the Eagles adding a slot specialist to their defensive coaching staff in former Bears QC coach Ronell Williams. The Eagles have one of the top inside CBs in the NFL in Avonte Maddox as well as Josiah Scott. We will see if Philadelphia can retain C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has dual capabilities at safety and slot, in free agency as well.

1:21 - As expected, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave has cashed in after an 11-sack season, agreeing to a four-year, $84 million deal with San Francisco.

12:37: Five-time All-Pro center Jason Kelce will return for another season, confirming the news himself on Twitter:

12:15: Eagles Mike linebacker T.J. Edwards has agreed to a three-year deal with Chicago with $19.5 million with $12M of that guaranteed.

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Ed Kracz
ED KRACZ

Ed Kracz has been covering the Eagles full-time for over a decade and has written about Philadelphia sports since 1996. He wrote about the Phillies in the 2008 and 2009 World Series, the Flyers in their 2010 Stanely Cup playoff run to the finals, and was in Minnesota when the Eagles secured their first-ever Super Bowl win in 2017. Ed has received multiple writing awards as a sports journalist, including several top-five finishes in the Associated Press Sports Editors awards.