Relationships remain everything in the NFL, and Kuper\u2019s prior connection to Fangio proved pivotal. Multiple league sources confirmed that Fangio \u2014 now in his third season as the Eagles\u2019 defensive coordinator and one of the most respected defensive minds in football \u2014 strongly endorsed Kuper for the job. Hall of Famer Munchak added his own positive recommendation. That high-level backing gave Sirianni the confidence to pull the trigger on the hire. Kuper spent four seasons (2022-2025) as the Vikings\u2019 offensive line coach before Minnesota moved in a different direction, bringing in former New York Jets offensive line coach Keith Carter. His tenure in Minnesota yielded mixed results under high expectations. Standout left tackle Christian Darrisaw developed into one of the league\u2019s top young bookends early in his career, and 2025 first-round pick Donovan Jackson showed promise.<\/p>\n
NFL Mock Draft 2026: Eagles 7-round simulation, Version 7.0 – BGN<\/a> Eagles player review: WR Marquise \u2018Hollywood\u2019 Brown edition – PhillyVoice<\/a> In Roob\u2019s Observations: A look at Eagles\u2019 WR additions and what it all means – NBCSP<\/a> Cowboys fans make known their preferred 1st-round draft strategy – Blogging The Boys<\/a> Adam Peters\u2019 Draft Tells (2026 Edition) – Who will be the Commanders\u2019 top targets? – Hogs Haven<\/a> Survey results: Most NY Giants fans want to trade Dexter Lawrence – Big Blue View<\/a> Olaivavega Ioane might be a perfect OG prospect in NFL Draft – SB Nation<\/a> 2026 NFL draft risers: Seven prospects climbing boards – ESPN<\/a> Twenty-six true difference-makers in the 2026 NFL Draft; plus, 5 must-pick sleepers – NFL.com<\/a> Social Media Information:<\/p>\n BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page<\/a><\/p>\n BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen<\/a><\/p>\n BGN BlueSky: Follow @bleedgreennation.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta<\/a><\/p>\n BGN Manager: Follow Brandon Lee Gowton on Twitter<\/a> | BlueSky<\/a> | Threads<\/a><\/p>\n BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio<\/a><\/p>\n Each day, we highlight a BGN community post here in this space. Head over to The Feed<\/a> to submit your entry and have a chance to be featured in The Linc!<\/p>\n
Pick 1.23: Spencer Fano, Tackle, Utah. This would be a coup with the Eagles\u2019 first pick. Spencer Fano could wait for a year before taking over at right tackle after Lane Johnson decides to hang it up.<\/p>\n
In the past the Eagles have taken fliers on sub-4.3 speed guys like Parris Campbell and John Ross. However, unlike those guys, Brown is a legitimate NFL wide receiver. In addition to his speed, he has good hands, he makes difficult sideline catches, and he can absorb hits while making catches in the middle of the field, and he has glimpses of \u201cmake you miss\u201d ability after the catch. When the Eagles employed Quez Watkins as their WR3, opposing defenses were forced to respect his deep speed, which opened up the intermediate areas of the field\u2026 well, at least until defenses began to realize that Watkins wasn\u2019t going to make plays down the field when the ball came his way. Brown can bring that element back to the Eagles\u2019 offense, but actually make opposing defenses pay if they fall asleep or disregard him as a deep threat. After watching Brown\u2019s targets, I\u2019m a little more encouraged by how he can contribute in the Eagles\u2019 offense, again, likely as a field stretching WR3 who can work outside or in the slot.<\/p>\n
UNDERSTANDING HOW BAD THAT 49ERS LOSS WAS: In NFL postseason history, home teams that led by six or more points going into the fourth quarter and were favored by at least six points were 141-1 before the Eagles blew a 16-10 lead to the 49ers in January. As six-point favorites. At the Linc. And those 49ers were so banged up to begin with and then lost George Kittle. I can\u2019t over-state what a brutal loss that was. At home with a six-point 4th-quarter lead over a shambles of a 49ers team missing one of their best players? You just can\u2019t lose that game. The greatest postseason collapse in Eagles history.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t a runaway victory, but the idea of trading down and picking up more picks was the clear winner in our poll with 47%. Staying put was a decent second with 34%. The one thing a large majority of fans don\u2019t want to do is to trade up for a top defender.<\/p>\n
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State. Caleb Downs is arguably the best player regardless of position in the 2026 NFL draft. There are a few boxes he doesn\u2019t check but there is a reason for that – he\u2019s just that good! He only has three years of college football under his belt but in those three years he started a staggering 44 total games, made multiple All-Conference and All-American teams, was a team captain in 2025, showed on tape his rare athleticism (two collegiate punt returns for touchdowns and clocked close to 21mph in games), has met with the Commanders brass multiple times, and is as clean a prospect off the field as he is on it. If any player in this class should be given the \u201cCommanders Tag\u201d it would be Downs.<\/p>\n
New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence rocked the news cycle this week when it became public that he requested a trade. Lawrence, 28, is looking for a new contract after a slew of defensive tackle deals dropped him out of the top 10 highest paid players at his position, despite being one of the two or three best defensive tackles in the NFL. The Giants and Lawrence\u2019s camp have been negotiating a new deal since last off-season, when Lawrence was still recovering from the dislocated elbow that ended his 2024 season. However, it seems the two sides are still far enough apart that Lawrence took the dramatic step of going public with his dissatisfaction. It\u2019s believed that Lawrence\u2019s trade request is a leverage play, trying to turn the Giants\u2019 lack of depth on the interior defensive line against them to maximize Lawrence\u2019s leverage coming off of a down year. But if Lawrence\u2019s camp wanted to use public pressure against the Giants, the fact that he\u2019s making his push for a new contract off of a down year and only half way through his current contract seems to have rubbed fans the wrong way.<\/p>\n
Between the lines, there is a lot to love about Ioane\u2019s game, and several traits you can point to when making the case he will be the first interior offensive lineman taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, and perhaps stands out as the best offensive line prospect overall. Lance Zierlein at NFL.com called him a \u201c[p]rototypical guard for physical run schemes with thick limbs, a broad frame and plus core strength.\u201d Bleacher Report\u2019s Brandon Thorn, one of the preeminent experts on offensive line play, wrote that \u201chis patience, balance and power profile project to an early NFL starter who can control the pocket inside and become a tone-setter in a downhill or balanced run scheme.\u201d At The Ringer, Todd McShay declared that Ioane \u201cis the best offensive line prospect in this class, and he is arguably the best guard prospect since 2018 sixth pick Quenton Nelson. He\u2019s a top 10 player overall, but positional value could cause him to fall into the teens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia. Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 14. How far he climbed boards: Freeling opened his first season as a full-time starter labeled as a potential Day 2 pick by many scouts simply because of his measurables (6-foot-7, 315 pounds). But he\u2019s now a solid first-rounder after making 13 starts last season, holding up well against SEC pass rushers and presenting some high-quality work in the predraft windup.<\/p>\n
Teams seeking playmaking tight ends will have plenty to choose from. Although there are not many traditional tight ends within the group, Oregon\u2019s Kenyon Sadiq, Ohio State\u2019s Max Klare, Cincinnati\u2019s Joe Royer and Vanderbilt\u2019s Eli Stowers could make their mark as \u201cflex\u201d tight ends utilized in various ways to create and exploit mismatches on the perimeter. Utah\u2019s Dallen Bentley flashes intriguing potential as a \u201cY\u201d tight end due to his size (6-4, 253 pounds), length and skills.<\/p>\n
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