The Linc - ESPN is underrating the Eagles’ under-25 talent and overrating the Commanders’ roster

Washington Commanders v Philadelphia Eagles — Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 7/31/25.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Ranking NFL team talent under 25: Texans, Seahawks lead list – ESPN
14. Philadelphia Eagles. The Super Bowl champion Eagles had the No. 1 defense in the league by DVOA last season, and much of the improvement on that side of the ball was driven by young talent. That starts with the two then-rookie cornerbacks. Mitchell is now 24 and Cooper DeJean is only 22. Mitchell had 46 tackles and 12 passes defensed. DeJean had 51 tackles, 6 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble. Second-team All-Pro Carter, linebacker Nakobe Dean and edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. are all 24. The Eagles’ defense will again depend on a series of younger players in 2025 after a slew of players departed in free agency. Jalyx Hunt, 24, was the big sleeper in my 2024 SackSEER edge rusher projections and now takes over for Josh Sweat. Defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, who takes over for the departed Milton Williams, will turn 24 on Aug. 15. Cornerback Kelee Ringo is 23 years old and might take over for Darius Slay. The defense will also be counting on two highly drafted rookies: first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell (21) and second-round safety Andrew Mukuba (22). The Eagles would rank even higher if they had any significant young talent on the offensive side of the ball, but we’re just talking about depth receivers (Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson are 24) and a third-string running back (23-year-old Will Shipley). [BLG Note: The Eagles are only 14th somehow while the Washington Commanders, who have THE OLDEST ROSTER IN THE NFL, are third. Yeah, sure.]

Eagles training camp: 13 winners, 9 losers, and 9 IDKs from the first week – BGN
QUINYON MITCHELL: Q is the only Eagles cornerback who’s been able to have success defending A.J. Brown, who’s otherwise pretty unstoppable. Coming off a very strong rookie season, Mitchell looks poised to take another step forward in Year 2. The Eagles having him rep at both starting outside cornerback positions suggests Vic Fangio could have him shadow top-notch receivers in 2025.

Eagles DC Vic Fangio’s thoughts on a bunch of his players on defense – PhillyVoice
#JimmySays: Lol, wow, Fangio went way out of his way to distance himself from the addition of Jackson, going as far as to say that he had nothing to do with the signing, didn’t even watch tape of him, and noting that his two former teams didn’t make efforts to retain him after his contracts expired. In my opinion, Jackson hasn’t been bad so far in camp, so these comments were a bit surprising to me.

What’s different about Steen in third attempt to win Eagles’ right guard spot? – NBCSP
“He played a lot of football last year,” Jeff Stoutland. “You gotta realize he played like 450-something plays. So I think that helps a player develop confidence and he’s acting that way right now. We’ve identified some things (for him) to work on. Today (Tuesday) was a big day for Tyler Steen, in my opinion. He did some things that I’ve been talking to him about and he executed. He did a good job.” Steen, a 3rd-round pick in 2023, just turned 25, so he’s still a young player. But you get the feeling this could be his final chance to win that elusive right guard spot. Cam Jurgens beat him out when Steen was a rookie and last year it was Becton. “Extremely eager,” Steen said about his opportunity. “I mean, everybody wants to play. I want to play. I want to start. So, yeah, I’m pretty eager to do that.”

Pro Eater vs NFL Players: Ultimate Food Challenge – PE.com
Watch Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens and other Eagles offensive linemen try to eat more Uncrustables than a professional eater.

Alabama football documentary featuring Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith is in Philly-area theaters for one night only – Inquirer
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver DeVonta Smith will be featured in Nothing But A Winner, a new documentary about Alabama football opening on Thursday night. But the film will leave theaters almost as soon as it enters. It’s only in theaters for one day — and most local theaters will have only one showing. The documentary focuses on the continued success of the University of Alabama program, starting with coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who led the Crimson Tide from 1958-82. Bryant is credited with turning around the program while establishing a strong developmental culture. Additionally, Bryant is responsible for racially integrating the team. Many former players under Bryant were interviewed in the film, including Sylvester Croom, Wilbur Jackson, Baltimore Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome, and more.

Eagles’ Danny Gray: Reverts to IR – CBS Sports
Gray will stick around with the team after clearing waivers, albeit on injured reserve. The 26-year-old spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad and will now be forced to miss the entirety of the upcoming campaign unless he’s waived with an injury settlement.

Brian Robinson contract projection: Commanders’ lead back entering make-or-break season – Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders were one of the pleasant surprises of the 2024 season, reaching the NFC Championship Game in quarterback Jayden Daniels’s rookie season. Under offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, the Commanders were one of the best offenses in the league last season, mixing in a strong aerial attack with an improved run game. Brian Robinson Jr. was the leader of the ground attack, posting 799 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry. He also cut his fumbles in half, while posting career highs across the board. Robinson Jr. has been inconsistent throughout his career, as he’s not much of a receiving threat and has dealt with nagging injuries. But, he also hasn’t worked behind the best offensive line in Washington. A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Robinson is now entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he’s looking to have a big year.

Brian Schottenheimer kicked a player out of practice for throwing a punch – Blogging The Boys
Lamb has also seemingly taken on a new leadership role, and these words certainly line up with that idea. He isn’t wrong in noting that the Cowboys have had moments and opportunities for success, but that they have gotten in their own way and that has worked to their detriment. The Brian Schottenheimer era appears to be very different.

ESPN thinks Giants’ future looks promising – Big Blue View
The other day, we discussed the large number of young players the 2025 New York Giants have. Youth is great, but quality beats quantity. Aaron Schatz, writing for ESPN, has analyzed the rosters of every NFL team and ranked them by the amount of under-25 talent they have. Schatz founded the now-defunct Football Outsiders and created the widely used defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) metric for evlauating teams and players. His intent is to try to understand which teams are best set up for long-term success, as opposed to how good they are now. The good news for Giants fans is that in Schatz’s eyes, this year’s Giants team has both quantity and quality in its young players, ranking fourth in the NFL. His analysis combines a number of factors including starts and snaps by under-25 players; quality of play by the players (age-adjusted, i.e., anticipating more future growth from a 21-year-old player than one who is 24); Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections; value and length of contracts; positional importance; 2025 Draft value, especially Days 1 and 2; key starters and reserves; and injuries.

Madden 26 reveals top-ranked rookies – SB Nation
The Madden 26 rollout is in full swing, and one day after releasing their 99 overall club, the video game dropped their top ranked rookies in the game.