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2023 Off Season Thread
- Thread starter vailhusker
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Nice article about Cam Jurgens
Why Kelce is so confident in Jurgens entering Year 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Eagles 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens barely played on offense during his rookie season.
Jason Kelce has no doubt that Jurgens would have been just fine if he did.
“Cam is really, really talented,” Kelce said on Wednesday about his eventual replacement from Nebraska. “Extremely physically gifted, hard-working.
The strength-to-weight ratio that he has is phenomenal. Very, very strong for his size. Extremely explosive, smart, blue-collar, lunch-pail-type kid. …
“I think I speak for everybody in the building, he was ready to play last year.
He could have gone in there and done an extremely good job playing center last year. I feel very confident in that.”
The reason Jurgens didn’t get much time on offense last season (just 35 snaps) was because Kelce stayed healthy, starting all 17 regular season game and the Eagles’ three games in the playoffs. It basically became a redshirt year for Jurgens.
But just because Kelce decided to put off retirement and return for a 13th season in 2023, it doesn’t mean Jurgens will get another redshirt season. Because right guard Isaac Seumalo left in free agency, creating an important vacancy on one of the NFL’s best offenses.
Jurgens will have to fight for that job — especially against third-round pick Tyler Steen — but he has a very good chance to win it.
While the Eagles are still early in their offseason program — OTAs don’t even begin for another couple weeks — Kelce has already seen some improvement from Jurgens as a guard.
The initial plan last season was for Jurgens to cross-train at guard during his rookie training camp but that was pushed back when Kelce needed minor elbow surgery in the summer. Jurgens then got all the first-team reps at center, which was good for him but prolonged his cross-training. During last season, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland worked Jurgens at guard more and more.
And now in Year 2, there’s a very good chance Jurgens could be starting at right guard between Kelce and Lane Johnson.
“So far, (Jurgens) looks great,” Kelce said. “Only in shorts and stuff like that.
But sets and everything, you can tell he’s been working. Last year, he played a little bit of guard, scout team and 1-on-1s and stuff. But obviously as he’s gotten more reps, he’s gotten used to a new stance and using your hands just a little bit different. You can see he’s put in some work this offseason.”
The Eagles drafted Steen early in the third round out of Alabama this year but you’d have to think that Jurgens has a leg up just because of experience. But that training camp battle should be one of the most exciting on a team that again has Super Bowl aspirations.
And because Kelce is 35, he’ll probably get several veteran days off in training camp, setting up a way for Jurgens to get reps at both guard and center this summer.
Kelce has always spoken highly about his former teammate Seumalo, who signed with the Steelers this offseason.
Kelce said he thought Pittsburgh got a steal — the pun wasn’t lost on him either — in free agency.
“He’s one of the most consistent players I’ve ever been around, one of the most consistent people I’ve ever been around,” Kelce said. “So we’re not going to replace Isaac.
There’s going to be someone new in there and they’re going to have their attributes that there’re going to excel with. Looking forward to seeing who does a really, really good job with that.”
There’s a good chance that will be Jurgens. And then maybe the rest of us will get to see what Kelce sees in him.
Eagles’ Jason Kelce raves about Cam Jurgens entering Year 2
Dave Zangaro, May 18, 2023 at 3:00 PMWhy Kelce is so confident in Jurgens entering Year 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Eagles 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens barely played on offense during his rookie season.
Jason Kelce has no doubt that Jurgens would have been just fine if he did.
“Cam is really, really talented,” Kelce said on Wednesday about his eventual replacement from Nebraska. “Extremely physically gifted, hard-working.
The strength-to-weight ratio that he has is phenomenal. Very, very strong for his size. Extremely explosive, smart, blue-collar, lunch-pail-type kid. …
“I think I speak for everybody in the building, he was ready to play last year.
He could have gone in there and done an extremely good job playing center last year. I feel very confident in that.”
The reason Jurgens didn’t get much time on offense last season (just 35 snaps) was because Kelce stayed healthy, starting all 17 regular season game and the Eagles’ three games in the playoffs. It basically became a redshirt year for Jurgens.
But just because Kelce decided to put off retirement and return for a 13th season in 2023, it doesn’t mean Jurgens will get another redshirt season. Because right guard Isaac Seumalo left in free agency, creating an important vacancy on one of the NFL’s best offenses.
Jurgens will have to fight for that job — especially against third-round pick Tyler Steen — but he has a very good chance to win it.
While the Eagles are still early in their offseason program — OTAs don’t even begin for another couple weeks — Kelce has already seen some improvement from Jurgens as a guard.
The initial plan last season was for Jurgens to cross-train at guard during his rookie training camp but that was pushed back when Kelce needed minor elbow surgery in the summer. Jurgens then got all the first-team reps at center, which was good for him but prolonged his cross-training. During last season, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland worked Jurgens at guard more and more.
And now in Year 2, there’s a very good chance Jurgens could be starting at right guard between Kelce and Lane Johnson.
“So far, (Jurgens) looks great,” Kelce said. “Only in shorts and stuff like that.
But sets and everything, you can tell he’s been working. Last year, he played a little bit of guard, scout team and 1-on-1s and stuff. But obviously as he’s gotten more reps, he’s gotten used to a new stance and using your hands just a little bit different. You can see he’s put in some work this offseason.”
The Eagles drafted Steen early in the third round out of Alabama this year but you’d have to think that Jurgens has a leg up just because of experience. But that training camp battle should be one of the most exciting on a team that again has Super Bowl aspirations.
And because Kelce is 35, he’ll probably get several veteran days off in training camp, setting up a way for Jurgens to get reps at both guard and center this summer.
Kelce has always spoken highly about his former teammate Seumalo, who signed with the Steelers this offseason.
Kelce said he thought Pittsburgh got a steal — the pun wasn’t lost on him either — in free agency.
“He’s one of the most consistent players I’ve ever been around, one of the most consistent people I’ve ever been around,” Kelce said. “So we’re not going to replace Isaac.
There’s going to be someone new in there and they’re going to have their attributes that there’re going to excel with. Looking forward to seeing who does a really, really good job with that.”
There’s a good chance that will be Jurgens. And then maybe the rest of us will get to see what Kelce sees in him.
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Interesting to know Smothers has options (extract from the tunnel talk, Dean takes only).
This is what I know right now: Smothers has been concentrating on finishing up his degree this week in Lincoln. He graduates on Saturday.
My feeling today is that he will ultimately leave Nebraska. The biggest thing is proximity to home. His parents have driven 15-plus hours for every one of his games. Finding a new school a little closer to his family is a priority, as is finding the right on-field situation.
Smothers has been contacted by Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Florida Atlantic, Utah State, Charlotte, Texas A&M, Central Florida, Mississippi State, UAB, and Jacksonville State.
Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and FAU all wanted him to visit. Utah State is hoping to get a visit from him after graduation. Charlotte has taken a QB from the portal. Many schools like Mississippi State and Notre Dame want him to come in to be a No. 2 and then compete in 2024 for the job.
West Virginia, UAB (where Trent Dilfer is the coach), and Jacksonville State (coached by Rich Rodriguez) are all situations where he could come and have a decent shot at winning the job. UAB and Jacksonville State seem the most likely options due to their proximity to home and the opportunity they present.
This is not about NIL for Smothers. He’s never been about that.
This process has played out similarly to how Smothers carried himself at Nebraska. He’s under the radar and not looking for NIL or attention.
***Nebraska, Penn State, Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss have all seen Ainsworth tight end Carter Nelson in person this spring.
Georgia, Nebraska, Alabama, and Auburn will all attend the state track meet today to see him.
I know Georgia feels like it is in the race, but views it as a long shot today. A Georgia coach told one source I spoke to that Nelson is a legit national-level prospect and looked even better in person than they realized.
***With some of the portal moves this spring, some of the bigger ones had to do more with where the particular player stood coming out of the spring.
Nebraska told Stephon Wynn it saw him with a limited role in their scheme this year. Matt Rhule would rather develop the youth on the roster with those snaps than give them to a sixth-year senior who was not an impact guy a year ago.
With running back Ajay Allen, they pretty much told him he was fourth on the depth chart coming out of the spring. They were honest with him and where he stood, driving him to the portal.
This is not a NIL situation, as Allen and Wynn were on very sizeable deals.
***Omaha Roncalli quarterback Brady McGill remains a sleeper name to watch. Nebraska has been by to see him this spring, and the staff plans to watch him throw live at camp next month.
***It’s interesting to see the shift in the NIL market. More high-dollar amounts now go to proven transfer portal targets vs. unproven high school prospects.
On3 did a great job of breaking that all down the other day. The other thing about a transfer is that they are stuck with you once they use their one-time exception. In contrast, a true freshman player can leave after one year, similar to what linebacker Ernest Hausmann did with Michigan.
That’s going to be a big piece of NIL. Can Nebraska get its program to a place where it can win some of these battles to get a transfer player? Can it keep good players like Hausmann from leaving?
Three teams might offer a guy a $ 40,000-a-month service contract agreement. Can NU get to a point where it wins those types of head-to-head battles? That’s NIL in a nutshell now.
***Rhule is being respectful with how he manages and updates the official roster.
There are players no longer with the team that remain on the Huskers.com roster. Rhule’s stance is to let them announce their new homes before they’re officially taken off.
There will also be a few players that end up taking the new coach retirement package. Rhule would not share who any of those players were at this point.
-Sean Callahan
Callahan’s weekly nuggets
***Many people have wondered about the future of quarterback Logan Smothers and if he might return to Nebraska.This is what I know right now: Smothers has been concentrating on finishing up his degree this week in Lincoln. He graduates on Saturday.
My feeling today is that he will ultimately leave Nebraska. The biggest thing is proximity to home. His parents have driven 15-plus hours for every one of his games. Finding a new school a little closer to his family is a priority, as is finding the right on-field situation.
Smothers has been contacted by Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Florida Atlantic, Utah State, Charlotte, Texas A&M, Central Florida, Mississippi State, UAB, and Jacksonville State.
Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and FAU all wanted him to visit. Utah State is hoping to get a visit from him after graduation. Charlotte has taken a QB from the portal. Many schools like Mississippi State and Notre Dame want him to come in to be a No. 2 and then compete in 2024 for the job.
West Virginia, UAB (where Trent Dilfer is the coach), and Jacksonville State (coached by Rich Rodriguez) are all situations where he could come and have a decent shot at winning the job. UAB and Jacksonville State seem the most likely options due to their proximity to home and the opportunity they present.
This is not about NIL for Smothers. He’s never been about that.
This process has played out similarly to how Smothers carried himself at Nebraska. He’s under the radar and not looking for NIL or attention.
***Nebraska, Penn State, Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss have all seen Ainsworth tight end Carter Nelson in person this spring.
Georgia, Nebraska, Alabama, and Auburn will all attend the state track meet today to see him.
I know Georgia feels like it is in the race, but views it as a long shot today. A Georgia coach told one source I spoke to that Nelson is a legit national-level prospect and looked even better in person than they realized.
***With some of the portal moves this spring, some of the bigger ones had to do more with where the particular player stood coming out of the spring.
Nebraska told Stephon Wynn it saw him with a limited role in their scheme this year. Matt Rhule would rather develop the youth on the roster with those snaps than give them to a sixth-year senior who was not an impact guy a year ago.
With running back Ajay Allen, they pretty much told him he was fourth on the depth chart coming out of the spring. They were honest with him and where he stood, driving him to the portal.
This is not a NIL situation, as Allen and Wynn were on very sizeable deals.
***Omaha Roncalli quarterback Brady McGill remains a sleeper name to watch. Nebraska has been by to see him this spring, and the staff plans to watch him throw live at camp next month.
***It’s interesting to see the shift in the NIL market. More high-dollar amounts now go to proven transfer portal targets vs. unproven high school prospects.
On3 did a great job of breaking that all down the other day. The other thing about a transfer is that they are stuck with you once they use their one-time exception. In contrast, a true freshman player can leave after one year, similar to what linebacker Ernest Hausmann did with Michigan.
That’s going to be a big piece of NIL. Can Nebraska get its program to a place where it can win some of these battles to get a transfer player? Can it keep good players like Hausmann from leaving?
Three teams might offer a guy a $ 40,000-a-month service contract agreement. Can NU get to a point where it wins those types of head-to-head battles? That’s NIL in a nutshell now.
***Rhule is being respectful with how he manages and updates the official roster.
There are players no longer with the team that remain on the Huskers.com roster. Rhule’s stance is to let them announce their new homes before they’re officially taken off.
There will also be a few players that end up taking the new coach retirement package. Rhule would not share who any of those players were at this point.
-Sean Callahan
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As fucked up as the current NIL structure is, I have yet to see the Federal government step in and make a complicated situation better. Ever.
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