Good morning, Eagles fans! The Golden Eagle has landed as the Birds' newest playmaker Golden Tate arrived in Philadelphia last night after being acquired by the team before the trade deadline. Tate will arrive at the NovaCare facility today and speak to the media at 3 p.m. which we will carry live. Here's what you need to know in today's Morning Roundup presented by Microsoft leading off with the Eagles' addition.
1. Eagles Add Artillery
The Eagles made a move at the trade deadline, acquiring veteran wide receiver Golden Tate from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a third-round draft pick. The versatile playmaker led the Lions in receptions and receiving yards and has led the NFL in yards after catch since 2014. Chris McPherson has more on the Eagles' deal at the deadline to pick up a new weapon:
Since signing with the Lions in 2014, Tate is the first player in Detroit history – and just the seventh ever – to post 90 or more receptions in four consecutive seasons. Tate, at 5-10 and 197 pounds, also leads all NFL receivers in yards after the catch since 2014 with 2,736.
Tate won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013. He followed that up in Detroit by earning Pro Bowl honors in 2014, with 99 catches for 1,331 yards and four touchdowns.
2. Tate's Immediate Impact
Tate is a player with vertical speed who can be used in a variety of ways. His addition to the offense gives the Eagles another reliable playmaker to add to the production from Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz, and Nelson Agholor. Tate has been the second-leading receiver in the NFL on third down since 2010, taking some of the pressure off of Ertz and Jordan Matthews on making important plays. And, as the Eagles get set to take on the Cowboys after the bye, it's worth noting that Tate had eight receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns against Dallas this year. Eagles' Insider Dave Spadaro has more on how Tate will improve the Eagles' offense:
With Tate in the lineup, the Eagles force defenses to account for him and that's going to take pressure off of Jeffery, it's going to open up opportunities for slot receiver Nelson Agholor, and the middle will have more wiggle room all of a sudden for tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
Plus, you're going to see the running game more successful as defenses respect the outside threat of Tate and Jeffery and Agholor and Ertz.
3. Pop Pop It's Showtime
As expected, the trade news was met with a lot of excitement plenty of reaction online. Players, fans, analysts, and even Lil Dicky all chimed in with their praise of the Eagles' deadline acquisition:
4. 'A Lot Of Happy People Upstairs'
Howie Roseman met with the media yesterday just after the trade deadline passed. He expressed the organization's excitement in acquiring Tate and broke down what made him the perfect fit for the Eagles team. He also sent a clear message that the Eagles are contenders and are planning to make a run in the second half of the season:
"The message to our fans, to our players, to our coaches, to everyone in this organization is that our foot is always going to be on the gas," Roseman said. "We're always trying to win, we're always going to try to put our best foot forward, and what we can do now is try to do that with this season and this moment and that's what we're going to do. That's our responsibility.
"He fits what we do offensively, fits what we do from a character perspective. I can't wait to get him in here and for everyone in Philly to see what we're getting."
5. Eagle Eye: Offense Improves
The addition of Tate gives the Eagles two of the NFL top-4 receivers in yards after the catch. Tate ranks No. 1 with 6.6 YAC per reception and Agholor ranks fourth with 5.5 YAC per reception. Fran Duffy broke down the tape of how the ninth-year player can be used in the Eagles' offense and added it to his Eagle Eye column:
He's very impressive at the catch point, regularly adjusting his body to make awkward catches both in traffic and out in space. In 2017, he was targeted 120 times and caught 92 passes (76.7 percent). He's consistently one of the top "catch percentage" receivers in football. This is where, in my opinion, the best Golden Tate trait comes on display, and that's his competitiveness. Tate is a soul-stealer with the ball in his hands, and is consistently one of the best "YAC" receivers (yards after catch) in the game. It doesn't matter if he's out in space, in a phone booth, out on the perimeter in the screen game, or as a ballcarrier on jets, reverses or handoffs, this guy is a beast after the catch.
6. Pederson: 'It's A Great Boost For The Offense'
Dave Spadaro caught up with Head Coach Doug Pederson last night as he received the prestigious Award of Merit at the 16th Annual Jefferson Gala. Pederson expressed his excitement to get Tate in the building, get him involved in the offense, and utilize his versatility in a variety of ways. The trade came at the perfect time as the Eagles can use the bye week to get Tate acclimated to the offense before setting him free against the Dallas Cowboys on November 11:
"He's dynamic. He's explosive. His short-area quickness is really impressive. His yards after the catch is impressive. He's strong with the ball, breaks tackles, and is explosive when he gets out in the open field. He's an exciting player and he's going to be a great fit for the locker room," Pederson said. "I can't wait to get him in here."
7. Tommy Lawlor: Eagles Trending Upward
The Eagles' win on Sunday may have been season-saving, Tommy Lawlor writes. The team corrected issues on both sides of the ball and showed out in the England with an impressive performance. Now, the Eagles will have a break to get healthy before the most important stretch of the season. Even before the Tate trade, Lawlor wrote that he sees the Eagles trending in the right direction at a critical time:
The team is now 4-4. Getting back to .500 was critical. If you drop to 3-5, your chances of making the playoffs are very low. At 4-4, you control your own destiny, and that's all any team can ask for heading into November.
The Eagles now have the bye week to rest up and get healthier. This is one battered squad and the players definitely need the rest. The coaches can do some self-scouting and see if there are any schematic or lineup changes they want to make.
