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Tag: Kyle McCord

  • Eagles stock watch: Parry Nickerson makes a splash as wild career continues

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    It was the third preseason game. There’s a chance you’d see better football at a high school in South Jersey than the game played between the Eagles and Jets under Friday night lights at MetLife Stadium.

    Not a ton happened with regard to the most pivotal position and roster battles, as looming decisions for the Eagles await this weekend with the deadline to cut from 90 to 53 men by Tuesday, But there were a few highlights.

    After seeing Parry Nickerson make his first-quarter interception in the 19-17 win, I was glued to his football reference page. The cornerback has had a really crazy career. Which is why I am now rooting for him as hard as any fringe Eagles player. His stock is momentarily up. I also had to dig on Eagles receivers a bit after this pillow fight — they are the easy pick for stock down.

    Take a look:

    Stock up: Parry Nickerson, CB 📈

    Nickerson, 30, was a Jets sixth-round pick who was flagged for taunting after his first NFL tackle. He’s been the very definition of a journeyman since then. Here’s how his career has panned out after appearing in all 16 games as a rookie in 2018:

    • Nickerson was traded to the Seahawks for a seventh-round pick. He was then released, signed to the practice squad and then released again.
    • He signed with the Jaguars where he, again, was released three times with a PS stint in the middle. He appeared in four games.
    • He signed with the Packers, who activated him just once.
    • He became a Viking and was signed and released (with PS appearances in the middle) three more times. He appeared in four games, making one tackle.
    • He was signed and released three more times (a pattern?) by the Dolphins, with whom he recorded five tackles in five games played.
    • He won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles in 2024 as a member of their practice squad.

    Friday night, he did everything he could to make a statement that he deserves what will likely be either another designation to the Eagles’ practice squad, or maybe a job on someone else’s 53-man roster.

    Nickerson was shot out of a cannon starting at slot cornerback, making a pair of really impressive tackles early. Then he anticipated a Brady Cook pass and snatched it for a turnover that led to a field goal.

    The transaction section of Nickerson’s football reference page has the word “released” on it a ridiculous nine times, and “waived” four more. He’s scratched and clawed his way to $3.6 million in career earnings for seven different NFL teams (via Spotrac). Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose cash total in 2025 is $42 million, will earn that in six quarters. 

    That’s life in the NFL for you.

    Stock down: the receivers 📉

    It would be easy to rag on third-string quarterback Kyle McCord for his pretty awful interception Friday — slinging an overthrown deep ball into double coverage for basically no reason.

    But he actually did flash a little bit, making a few good throws throughout the game and leading a handful of scoring drives (most of them resulting in field goals). He’s still finding his footing as a pro and the 2025 draft pick will likely remain with the Eagles after cuts are made last week.

    He didn’t get a lot of help in the game, and with at least five of his 20 incompletions coming due to ugly drops, we’re going to pass some of the blame to the receivers in this one.

    With Johnny Wilson out for the year, there is assumably a wide receiver spot wide open for the taking. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson are locks, and recently acquired John Metchie is probably the leader to be WR4 on the roster. The fifth spot could go to a variety of guys — though we should say one of the drops was from Metchie himself.

    Darius Cooper and Ainias Smith, each top candidates to slide into that final spot, each had a drop as well. Smith is showing some value as a punt returner, and he flashed with a touchdown catch last week. Cooper is a camp darling who has a real chance of making the 53.

    Elijah Cooks and E.J. Jenkins (a tight end) also had drops.

    But the depth wide receivers really underachieved Friday. In addition to all the drops, wideouts combined to catch just 11 of 21 passes for 97 yards in the game. Sure, the quarterback play might not have been great, and the Eagles’ backup offensive line isn’t exactly a strong suit right now. But Jets second- and third-stringers should have offered Philly’s receivers a real opportunity to break out.

    It’ll be interesting to see if the Eagles carry five or six receivers on Tuesday.

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    Evan Macy

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  • Fran Brown’s arrival lifts expectations in Syracuse for a brighter Orange future

    Fran Brown’s arrival lifts expectations in Syracuse for a brighter Orange future

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    SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Expectations are growing in Syracuse, where Orange football is undergoing a fresh start under Fran Brown, who is already cashing in on his reputation as one of the nation’s top recruiters.

    Hired in December to replace Dino Babers, the former Georgia defensive backs coach has persuaded key players to stay put and assembled the program’s highest-rated recruiting class since rankings have been compiled. He also lured a group of high-profile transfers, including former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord and ex-Texas A&M defensive lineman Fadil Diggs.

    “I want to make sure that Syracuse gets back to where they belong, where it was,” Brown said. “You’re going back to Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, all those guys that played. I want to get back to those same eras. You had (quarterback) Donavan McNabb, (receiver) Marvin Harrison, (defensive end) Dwight Freeney, (safety) Donovin Darius. All those guys are important to me.”

    The Orange faltered under Babers, who was never able to recreate the success he enjoyed during a 10-3 finish in 2018. He was fired one game short of completing his eighth season, and finished with a 41-55 record, and 20-45 in conference play.

    A first-time head coach, Brown has several important, high-impact players who can help the Orange surpass the modest expectations of ACC media members who picked them to finish 12th in the 17-team conference.

    The offense has a chance to be dynamic under McCord, a former five-star recruit who threw for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions for the Buckeyes in 2023. His surprising choice of Syracuse gave Brown and the program an immediate shot of adrenaline.

    Key returnees include running back LeQuint Allen (1,064 rushing yards and nine touchdowns), a second-team All-ACC pick last season. Another is All-ACC preseason tight end Oronde Gadsden II who returns after a season-ending Lisfranc injury and is expected to be one of McCord’s top receiving targets. And then there’s slot receiver/returner Trebor Pena, who was limited to one game last year due to injury.

    They’re joined by highly touted freshman running back Yasin Willis, and transfer wide receivers Jackson Meeks and Zeed Haynes (both from Georgia) and Justus Ross-Simmons (Colorado State).

    If the offensive line, bolstered by 6-foot-8, 340-pound transfer Savion Washington (Colorado) does its job, this could be a fun offense to watch.

    “Yeah, I think we’ll be dynamic I think at every single position, offensive line, tight end, receiver,” McCord said. “We have a lot of great weapons. I’m excited to get going.”

    The strength of Syracuse’s defense, which shifts to a 4-2-5 scheme under first year-defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, lies in its linebacking and secondary groups. All-ACC preseason linebacker Marlowe Wax returns after fears he was leaving for the NFL. Also back are safety Justin Barron and defensive backs Alijah Clark, Jayden Bellamy, Devin Grant, Jaeden Gould and Duce Chestnut, who returns to the Orange after a year at LSU.

    Other notables include Diggs, freshman lineman KingJoseph Edwards and first-year corner Marcellus Barnes Jr.

    Protecting McCord

    Dual-threat quarterbacks Eric Dungey and Garrett Shrader have been able to mask inconsistent line play in recent years. Protecting McCord, a traditional pocket passer, and giving him time to get the ball to his plethora of weapons, is critical. The line has size on its side, averaging 6-foot-5, 313 pounds.

    Staying upright

    Ryan Nassib is the last Syracuse quarterback to play in every game (2012). If McCord goes down, the Orange face a drop-off in experience. Unproven returnee Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is joined by transfer Michael Johnson Jr. and freshman Jakhari Williams.

    Flag day

    Syracuse has been among the nation’s leaders in penalties. The Orange led the nation with 105 penalties in 2022. Last year, only nine teams had more penalties than the 95 committed by Syracuse.

    Hot starts, slow finishes

    The Orange’s final two seasons under Babers followed a similar pattern. Last year, the Orange opened 4-0 before going 2-7, including a 45-0 loss to South Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl under interim coach Nunzio Campanile. In 2022, Syracuse turned a 6-0 start into a 7-6 finish, ending with a 28-20 loss to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl.

    The schedule

    Syracuse opens against Ohio on Aug. 31 and could get off to a fast start playing its first four games at home. The Orange have the easiest schedule among Power Four schools, according to the ESPN Football Power Index, and doesn’t have to face Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina. Pivotal games against NC State, Virginia Tech and the season finale Nov. 30 against Miami at home will determine just how successful Brown’s inaugural season will be.

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    AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.

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    AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

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