Report: PHI 'made an offer' for Dion Jordan

According to the Delaware County Times, the Eagles "made an offer" for Dolphins DE/OLB Dion Jordan earlier this offseason. Reporter Bob Grotz's report is via a "respected NFL source." Per Grotz, the Eagles were "said to have included" Brandon Graham and a second-round pick. It's not surprising that wasn't enough for a player who was the No. 3 overall pick of last year's draft. It's also not surprising Chip Kelly is (reportedly) interested in reuniting with a player he coached at Oregon. Jordan would be a strong fit for Kelly's attacking 3-4 defense, but he'll almost certainly remain in Miami.

Buried in the preoccupation with pass catchers is that the Eagles, according to a respected NFL source, made an offer almost two months ago for pass rusher Dion Jordan, who played spectacularly for Kelly at Oregon but hardly at all last season with the Miami Dolphins.

The details are unimportant. The Eagles are said to have included a second-round pick and linebacker-defensive end Brandon Graham. For now Jordan is still part of the Dolphins, who say they’re going to find a way to get him more snaps next season.

Almost everything about a deal for Jordan still makes sense, including the contract should the Eagles package in some way a first-round pick.

Jordan’s contract wouldn’t be a huge obstacle to a trade. The Eagles would be picking up the remainder of his four-year, $20.572 million fully guaranteed pact according to Overthecap.com. The Dolphins would take a $10 million salary cap hit this year if they traded Jordan before the draft. After June 1, the Dolphins would be able to spread the cap charge over two years.

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/4/10/5601958/dion-jordan-trade-eagles-brandon-graham-second-round-pick-dolphins

Reports still linger that the Eagles "could" still offer their 22nd pick for Jordan and linebacker/rusher Brandon Graham. Chip Kelly apparently thinks a lot of Jordan.

The question to you all, is, if this was legit, do you do the trade?

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/4/10/5601958/dion-jordan-trade-eagles-brandon-graham-second-round-pick-dolphins

Reports still linger that the Eagles "could" still offer their 22nd pick for Jordan and linebacker/rusher Brandon Graham. Chip Kelly apparently thinks a lot of Jordan.

The question to you all, is, if this was legit, do you do the trade?

I'm not convinced DJ will be a dominant player at the NFL level, he wasn't in college

.....the highest rated defensive player in the 2013 NFL draft "wasn't dominate" in college.......?

I think Jordan will be an impact player in this league. Then we can give the credit to Hickey for not trading him rather than to Ireland for drafting him.

Hicley is doing what any decent GM would do, try and get value for players your coach doesnt want...

Ireland traded up to draft a guy the coaching staff had no interest in...

The coaching staff for some reason doesnt have the same opinion of Dion as the majority of the fanbase..

Nobody gets credit in this one from me.

What makes you so sure that the staff didn't want him?

Ten reasons the Dion Jordan trade rumors are stupid
By Omar Kelly

1. The Dolphins PAID Jordan nearly $14 million last season

2. Trading Jordan this year would create a $10 million cap hit

3. Jordan is the most versatile defensive player on the Dolphins roster

4. The defensive end position is lacking talent in the 2014 draft

5. Pass rushers are critical to a team's success

6. It is possible Jordan, who contributed 26 tackles and two sacks as a rookie, could blossom in his second season at defensive end

7. Let us say the Eagles give the Dolphins their first-round draft pick this year for Jordan, that pick is No. 22, which is way too low

8. Jordan's athleticism and long frame helped him turn into a coverage specialist when it came to defending the NFL's elite tight ends

9. If Jordan was a prospect in the 2014 draft his grade (6.33) dictates that he would be the 12th best player in this draft class

10. Brandon Graham, the player being mentioned in this alleged Eagles trade rumor, has contributed just 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks and forced five fumbles in his four seasons with the Eagles

Someone somewhere posted it on twitter... therefore it must be true.

Its just an opinion I have held since he was drafted, just seemed to me ending the 2012 season with offensive struggles, loosing Long etc that they would want to add some players to that side of the ball..

Ireland had control of the draft, used the first 3 picks on 2 defensive players, the offense struggles, both of those draft picks barely see the field and Ireland is fired...
Maybe I am reading too much into it. But last I knew, nobody here has a direct line to Philbins thoughts...

.....the highest rated defensive player in the 2013 NFL draft "wasn't dominate" in college.......?

Actually he had fairly pedestrian production in college, 120 tackles, 29 TFL, 15 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 4 FFs in 3 years, those are not impressive in any area, he wasn't a dominant player at the college level and college success is a very good indicator, as in there are only a few players here and there that actually exceed college production, the vast majority of players who were not productive in college are not productive at the next level.

DJ being so highly rated points more imo to it being a very weak draft.

Actually he had fairly pedestrian production in college, 120 tackles, 29 TFL, 15 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 4 FFs in 3 years, those are not impressive in any area, he wasn't a dominant player at the college level and college success is a very good indicator, as in there are only a few players here and there that actually exceed college production, the vast majority of players who were not productive in college are not productive at the next level.

DJ being so highly rated points more imo to it being a very weak draft.

Actually he had fairly pedestrian production in college, 120 tackles, 29 TFL, 15 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 4 FFs in 3 years, those are not impressive in any area, he wasn't a dominant player at the college level and college success is a very good indicator, as in there are only a few players here and there that actually exceed college production, the vast majority of players who were not productive in college are not productive at the next level.

WHAT HE BRINGS
At 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, Jordan has a rare combination of length and athleticism. He is one of the most versatile edge players in this class, with the ability to line up at various spots along the defensive front and rush off the edge or cover receivers in space. He needs to continue to add bulk and strength, but his upside as a pass-rusher and overall high ceiling make him an intriguing prospect.

HOW HE FITS
The more you look at what the Dolphins are doing on defense, the more this seems like an interesting fit. As a rangy guy who can play a 4-3 DE spot as the Dolphins transition from their old 3-4 front under new coordinator Kevin Coyle, Jordan has excellent edge pass-rush skills. But he also has the athletic ability, when they go to their hybrid 3-4 look, to either rush off the edge or drop into coverage. This defense will resemble the Cincinnati attacking scheme, and Jordan ran a high volume of plays in Oregon's up-tempo defense. He can team with Cameron Wake to give the Dolphins a terrific edge-rush package.


Overall Football Traits

Production 2
2008: Redshirt 2009: (6/0)  2 tackles (reserve TE/special teams) 2010: (13/1)  33-5.5-2 2011: (14/12)  42-13-7.5 2012: (12/12)  44-10.5-5

Height-Weight-Speed 1
Will always have a linear type of frame but possesses a rare blend of length, speed and athleticism. Has longer-than-average arms (33.7) and big hands (10). Tied for third fastest 40 at the combine among DL with 4.60 and recorded fastest 10-yard split (1.56) of the group.

Durability 4
In 2012, suffered shoulder injury vs. Colorado, missed next two games and was limited the remainder of the season. Underwent shoulder surgery on torn labrum after the combine (early March, 2013) and is expected to be out three-to-four months. In high school, suffered third degree burns and needed skin grafts on his left leg after a freak accident where he and his friends were attempting to siphon gasoline from a car with a vacuum.

Intangibles 2
Coaches praise his work ethic and practice habits. Might need a few more reps than the average player at his position but once he gets the concept he retains it very well. Son of Sherrita Jordan. Has one brother and one sister.

1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal


Outside Linebacker Specific Traits

Instincts/Recognition 3
Work in progress. Has natural playmaking instincts. Has a good feel for attacking blockers and how to keep them off of his body. Shows impressive awareness and confidence in space for a guy with his frame. Can be a quarter-count late locating the ball at times. Needs to sense when to gear down in order to not outrun the play. Also will get caught peeking inside on occasion when having edge responsibility.

Take-on Skills 2
High cut with lean lower half. Will need to improve core strength in order to maximize his skill set. However, no questioning his toughness or effort. Works hard to keep outside arm free when given edge responsibility as a run defender. Plays with surprisingly good leverage for his size. Can bend and get low. Flashes some shock in his hands and does a decent job of setting the edge. Does a solid job of locking out with long arms to keep separation. Has quick hands and also knows how to contort his body in order to disengage

Range vs. Run 2
Displays good initial quickness to occasionally create penetration and disruption in the backfield. Shows very good range and closes in a hurry when chasing in pursuit.

Tackling 2
Hustles and chases in pursuit and flashes ability to deliver an explosive strike when getting to ball carriers. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and not afraid to mix it up.

3rd Down Capabilities 1
Displays a quick first step and enough quickness to gain the edge. Still a bit raw as a pass rusher but ceiling is enormously high. Displays quick and strong hands. Still needs to improve upper-body power but displays the quick-twitch explosiveness to convert speed-to-power. Uses length to his advantage. Does a nice job of extending inside arm to keep separation while running a tight loop off the edge. Flashes an inside spin/swim move but needs to become more efficient with execution. Closing burst is outstanding and has long arms to track down the QB quickly after turning the corner. Still has room for development in terms of instincts, particularly setting up blockers. Has elite pass-rushing potential. Is also surprisingly fluid and aware in coverage. Very good depth on drops and covers more ground than most DE/OLB hybrid types. Shows quick feet and can flip hips remarkably smoothly for his long frame. Has a massive wingspan in underneath zone coverage. Has shown consistent ability to hold up in zone coverage and man-to-man versus athletic tight ends.

Actually he had fairly pedestrian production in college, 120 tackles, 29 TFL, 15 sacks, 3 passes defensed and 4 FFs in 3 years

I mean, the wr, te, rb and qb spots weren't of dire need at that spot after free agency and the ot spot was a priority but for Brandon Albert not the tackles early in the draft. Jordan with Vernon, Odrick, Starks and Wake on Brady when used right is lethal and you need at least 4 cbs in the league to be successful and last year at this time nobody was completely sure on Brent Grimes either so the picks made much sense

Playing outside linebacker in college and dropping into pass coverage often in a pass happy division, where is the stat that shows his effectiveness in pass coverage?

Because all you did was post a stat line, which is fine, but can be relatively meaningless without context.

Ireland traded up to draft a guy the coaching staff had no interest in...

The coaching staff for some reason doesnt have the same opinion of Dion as the majority of the fanbase..

Owner Stephen Ross was all smiles when he appeared before the media and related that when he took the coaching staff to dinner last week, “The first choice was Dion Jordan, and nobody thought they would get him. Sure enough, when they called back everybody in that room was shocked. It’s a great move. This is an impact player. A guy you really love. It’s a great day. When you consider how little had to give up for him, it’s a great day.”

It doesn't matter if Dion came out of one of the weakest draft classes in NFL history, he obviously excelled in college to be considered better than everyone else who competed on the same level as him. I recall him having a 95 + NFL Draft grade on the official NFL website prior to the 2013 draft, so the guy was no slouch.

Anyone who was warranted top professional draft status coming out of college had to have been a top performer to get there, regardless of what their future production was at the next level.

### According to the Delaware County Times, the Dolphins rejected Philadelphia’s offer of a second-round pick and linebacker Brandon Graham (a backup with three sacks last season) for Dion Jordan.

The Dolphins, who denied a report that Jordan is available, have been auditioning pass rushers in the draft. They dispatched their defensive line coach to Minnesota to privately work out Concordia-St. Paul defensive end Zach Moore, who has 33 college sacks and has created a buzz.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-b ... rylink=cpy

Actually he played DE in college

To take advantage of his unique combination of burst off the snap and length, Oregon created a hybrid role for Jordan in 2011, lining him up as a stand-up pass rusher and moving him around to find favorable matchups. Demonstrating surprising fluidity for such a tall player, Jordan exploded for 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, each of which led the team, earning First Team all-conference honors from Pac-12 coaches.


In 2012, Jordan showcased his versatility to the nation against Arizona State, lining up on the line of scrimmage as a stand-up defensive end, in the box as a linebacker or in the slot, covering inside receivers. Yes - in the slot on receivers, a spot usually reserved for defensive backs.

His stats for coverage, I did list them, you may have missed it because it was so small, 3 passes defensed..., that is all, 0 ints, thats an average of 1 defensed pass every year in college so he wasn't making plays in coverage either.

The Dolphins, who denied a report that Jordan is available, have been auditioning pass rushers in the draft. They dispatched their defensive line coach to Minnesota to privately work out Concordia-St. Paul defensive end Zach Moore, who has 33 college sacks and has created a buzz.

Draft Projection: Rounds 4-5

Bottom Line: Raw, physically gifted, Division II standout with untapped potential given his combination of size, length and movement skills. Will have defensive line coaches drooling in workouts, and has the dimensions and athleticism to warrant consideration as a draftable, developmental investment with positional versatility to play defensive end or three-technique in an even front or five-technique in an odd front. Could be tried as a linebacker.

Why would Philly offer if he isn't available?