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McLane: Well-paid Ertz, Curry not cashing in on the field

The Eagles handed out nearly $250 million in contracts to four homegrown players this offseason, but they aren't getting nearly enough production from the group as a whole through the first five games of the season.

The Eagles handed out nearly $250 million in contracts to four homegrown players this offseason, but they aren't getting nearly enough production from the group as a whole through the first five games of the season.

Vinny Curry has just one sack and is playing only 40 percent of the time even though he signed a deal that made him among the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL. Zach Ertz missed two games to injury, but the tight end has been targeted only 13 times with 10 catches despite being the sixth highest-earning tight end in the league.

Fletcher Cox had one of the best Septembers for any player, let alone on the Eagles, and was thus chosen as NFC defensive player of the month, but the $100 million defensive tackle was neutralized in Sunday's loss to the Redskins and the only time he showed up on the stat sheet was for a costly roughing-the-passer personal foul.

And Lane Johnson, of course, was suspended 10 games on Oct. 11 for taking a banned substance. The right tackle had performed about as well as Cox through the first four games, but it's unlikely that he will return and block at the same level for the final two games of the season.

Johnson's suspension saved the Eagles some money, and the remaining $25 million that was once guaranteed is no longer, but the team took a risk in extending a player who had already been suspended. His future is tenuous because one more strike will lead to a two-year ban at the minimum.

But Johnson, at least, played at a level worthy of his contract (five years, $56.25 million). And Cox's poor outing in Washington was likely an anomaly for a proven defender, even if it could be argued that the Eagles paid too much (six years, $102.6 million) for an interior lineman.

But Curry (five years, $46.25 million) and Ertz (five years, $42.5 million), more than the other two, were handed contracts based on projections than on how they had performed to that point. It's early in the season - and certainly early into their deals - but did Eagles executive Howie Roseman overvalue players he drafted who appeared to be misused under Chip Kelly?

Ertz's production, along with his playing time, increased in each of his first three seasons, but there was always this feeling that the Eagles weren't capitalizing on all of his skills. Will this be the year Ertz breaks out? was a repeat narrative over the last three offseasons.

The 25-year-old caught six passes for 58 yards in the opener, but he had only four catches (on six targets) for 59 yards in the two games after he returned from a displaced rib.

"I can't control if I'm the first read or the fourth read in the progression," Ertz said Thursday. "I've just got to go out there and try to make plays when I get the opportunity. Get open like I think I've done the last few weeks."

Ertz has yet to catch a touchdown pass. Carson Wentz threw him a pass inside the 5-yard line on Sunday - albeit slightly high and hot - but it sailed through his hands.

A tight end can often be a young quarterback's best friend, in particular on underneath routes. But Ertz has to prove that he can consistently break tackles after the catch, like so many of the top-tier tight ends he has been compared to since being drafted in 2013.

"I can think I can excel in both aspects - the downfield game and the short game," Ertz said. "Obviously, I caught 15 balls [against the Redskins in 2014] running less than 10-yard routes. Whatever the coaches want me to do. I'm never going to say, 'I need to get the ball.' "

Curry was drafted as a 4-3 end, but he played only 88 snaps as a rookie and had to switch to 3-4 scheme the following year. He recorded 161/2 sacks despite playing only a third of the time from 2013-15.

It was believed that he would thrive shifting back to a 4-3 system this year, but it should be noted that seven of his sacks during the previous three seasons came when he rushed from the interior. Perhaps Jim Schwartz noticed because he has played Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin ahead of Curry on the edges all season.

"He's one of our better players," Schwartz said of Curry. "He's going to have to be productive."

Curry could be in line for more snaps. Schwartz said that he might play Barwin (one sack) less, and with defensive tackle Bennie Logan likely out for Sunday against the Vikings, the versatile Curry could play more inside.

"I'm just doing what's asked of me," Curry said.

But could he be doing more?

The big receiver

The Eagles gave Dorial Green-Beckham his highest percentage of snaps against the Redskins, but he had his lowest catch total of the season - one grab for 23 yards.

To be fair, a penalty brought back a splendid 38-yard catch, and Green-Beckham wasn't the only player on offense to struggle on Sunday. But coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Frank Reich are clearly trying to find more ways to get the 6-foot-5, 237-pound receiver the ball more.

"I think he looks fast; he looks strong," Reich said Thursday. "We see it every time he gets the ball in his hands, he's hard to tackle. He's a big man who can run fast. He's gaining more and more confidence."

The Eagles need more production from their outside receivers. They haven't had one catch more than four passes or have more than 78 yards receiving in a game over the last two seasons.

Green-Beckham played 44.4 percent of the time in the first four games. He was on the field for 42 of 52 snaps (80.1 percent) against the Redskins. Slot receiver Jordan Matthews (92 percent) and Nelson Agholor (81) are playing the most of the receivers, but Green-Beckham should continue to take snaps away from Josh Huff.

"I don't feel like there's any limitations anymore," Reich said of Green-Beckham, who was acquired in August.

The Titans traded the 23-year old after just one season. They cited inconsistency as an issue. There were reports that he routinely lined up in the wrong spots.

"I was a rookie, so [it was] nervousness coming in," Green-Beckham said. "It's a fast game. . . . But I feel like now I'm more relaxed. I can hear the whole play call through. I can just get on the line and play football."

Why not Tobin?

Despite knowing for over two months that Lane Johnson was likely to be suspended for 10 games, the Eagles essentially had only rookie Halapoulivaati Vaitai practice at right tackle since the start of the season.

Matt Tobin, who has been at left tackle all year, said he didn't start practicing at right tackle until after Johnson was suspended on Oct. 11.

The coaches "just said once Lane got suspended, 'Hey, we're going with V, but you've got to be ready," Tobin said.

Tobin said he had never practiced or played at right tackle before last week. The Eagles had moved left guard Allen Barbre outside during the preseason but ultimately decided to go with Vaitai despite his inexperience.

Stefen Wisniewski, who would have presumably filled in for Barbre at left guard, has said he was disappointed by the decision. Rookie Isaac Seumalo had originally filled that spot in the preseason, but he suffered a shoulder injury. He played some tackle in college, but the Eagles project him as an interior lineman.

Vaitai, of course, struggled against the Redskins and allowed two early sacks to Ryan Kerrigan.

"I thought he'd do fine. But it was like a [storm] from the get-go," Tobin said. "He had a couple of bad plays and then it was like, 'Oh, [shoot] , oh [shoot].' I tried to talk to him on the sidelines and get him to remember to do it just like practice."

The Eagles are starting Vaitai again for Sunday's game against the Vikings, but if he struggles and needs to be replaced, it could be Tobin before Barbre.

Five questions: Jalen Mills

1. Who is the toughest opponent you ever faced?

Steelers receiver Antonio Brown.

2. What is your best football memory?

Sophomore year at LSU, Johnny Manziel comes to Death Valley, he's back up to our student section, it's probably third and 5 and our student section was going crazy. [Texas A&M] probably had three false starts.

3. Who was your football hero growing up?

I wasn't really a football guy. I love Brett Favre, but I was a basketball guy first and Allen Iverson was my favorite.

4. Who is the best teammate you ever had?

Former LSU and current Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander.

5. What is your least favorite piece of equipment that you have to wear?

Butt pads.

Inside the game

The Redskins game was the worst of times for the Eagles defense, but Sunday was another instance in which Jim Schwartz's unit performed better in the second half than in the first. The disparity wasn't as great as it was in the first four games, but there's been a start slow-finish strong trend through five games.

The Eagles have on average allowed 189.4 yards and 11.8 points and recorded three sacks and two turnovers in the first half, while they have surrendered 122.6 yards and 3.0 points and notched 11 sacks and six turnovers in the second.

"You can be positive and say, 'Yeah, we've made some adjustments [and] we've been able to put some fires out,' " Schwartz said on Thursday. "But then if you want to look at it negative, you can say, 'Hey, we've given up some plays early and had fires to put out.' "

So far, it's been a tale of two halves.

Connor Barwin is 37th out of 43 edge rushers with at least 150 pass-rush attempts in sacks per rush. The Eagles defensive end has one sack in 156 rushes. The average of the group is one sack for every 24.5 rushes. The Broncos' Von Miller has the best percentage. He has 71/2 sacks in 158 rushes (21 average).

Inside the locker room

Mychal Kendricks will be seeing a familiar face on the other side of the field when the Eagles host the Vikings on Sunday. The Eagles linebacker's brother, Eric, starts at middle linebacker for Minnesota.

The Kendricks brothers, who are three years apart, played at competing Pac-12 schools - California and UCLA - but they never got to play against each other. Eric was a redshirt freshman when Mychal's Bears lost to the Bruins in 2011.

"I want him to do better than me," Mychal said on Thursday. "That's just the brother in me."

Many believe that Eric has performed better than Mychal this season. The younger Kendricks plays in a system that allows him to often blitz up the middle. The elder Kendricks was reminded of a time when he often blitzed up the "A" gaps.

"Ah, 'A'-gap blitzes," Kendricks said several times, seemingly not noticing that he had been asked another question.

Kendricks said that he and his brother have split 40 tickets for family and friends who will attend the game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Jon Dorenbos spent Wednesday quizzing various Eagles on their knowledge of U.S. presidents for a philadelphiaeagles.com video. It didn't go so well. The Eagles long snapper held up pictures of past presidents like John F. Kennedy, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt and asked the contestants to guess the answers. Most of the players couldn't name more than one or two. Defensive tackle Beau Allen, though, was the only player to get every one correct.

By the numbers

185: Most rushing yards that the 2011-12 Eagles defense allowed in a game. The 2016 Eagles, who run a similar wide-nine scheme, allowed 230 yards to the Redskins.

78: Most receiving yards in a game by an Eagles outside receiver (Josh Huff) over the last two seasons. No one has more than four catches in any game.

157: Projected number of penalties the Eagles are on pace to have this season. That number would be the third highest in NFL history, behind the 2011 Raiders (163) and the 1998 Chiefs (158).