NFC Notes: Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Eagles, Giants

Eagles

When surveying NFL executives, coaches, and scouts about the NFL’s top-10 receivers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN ranks Eagles WR A.J. Brown at No. 6 after posting consecutive 1,400-yard seasons in his first two years with the team. Fowler cites an anonymous AFC executive who praised Brown’s blend of size, athleticism, and skill. 

“Rare blend of excellent size, athleticism and skill,” the executive said. “That’s why the Eagles have paid him twice.”

An NFL personnel evaluator said Brown can always be relied on to win one-on-one situations in the slot and on slant routes.

“Other receivers might be better all-around but if you need to win one-on-one on a slot fade or a slant, [Brown] can play through contact and makes contested catches better than just about anyone,” the personnel evaluator said.

Giants

On HBO’s Hardknocks, Giants owner John Mara had a conversation with GM Joe Schoen, saying he’d have a “tough time sleeping” if they allowed Saquon Barkley to sign with the Eagles. Barkley wound up joining Philadelphia in March. 

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara said, via NFL.com. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”

Schoen was then filmed having a conversation with Barkley’s agent, Ed Berry, telling him New York would match any offer the running back receives. However, Berry was non-committal about his client returning to the organization. 

“Hello? Ed Berry, what’s up, buddy? Alright, well, I’m putting this together, so in order to get Saquon, what would we have to do? I mean, again, this was kind of the whole point, was you would go out, find out what it is, and I’ll just say, ‘Yeah, we’re not going to be able to do that’ or ‘Yes we can.’ I mean, you’ve talked to him, if he wants to be here, there’s no sense in going back and forth. You say, ‘Hey, this is what he wants to be here,’ we’ll say, ‘Yes, we’ll do it,’ or ‘No, we won’t’ as I’m going through this. So 12.5 [million], you said? On a three-year? And then what’d you say the guarantee was? 25 [million] guaranteed. OK, so that’s, if I offered him today a three-year deal at 12.5 [million] APY and 25 [guaranteed], he’d be a Giant? OK, alright, well I’ll give you a call back, this may be above me on Saquon, but if I call you back and it’s three for 12.5 APY and 25 guaranteed, there you go? We’ll bring him down today, we’ll fly you up, do a press conference. Alright, appreciate you, buddy.”

Schoen then got on the phone with Mara, describing that Berry “hemmed and hawed” over Barkley re-signing with the Giants on an equal offer to Philadelphia’s. 

“Hey John, how’re you doing? I talked to the agent, and the agreement all along was that he would come back to me with a chance to match it. … I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant. And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, I’m not saying that, we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.”

Giants

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN conducted a survey of NFL evaluators who ranked Giants LT Andrew Thomas at the No. 8 spot on a list of best offensive tackles, with one exec commenting that Thomas could one day occupy the top of the board.

“Trent Williams has been the standard, but I think Thomas if he puts together a stronger body of work, has enough upside to be the top guy,” an AFC executive said.