By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

Much was made over the last week of the Eagles cutting a seventh-round pick, who was not playing, to make room for Vinny Curry on the active roster.

The team did exactly what every team in the league does and cut a young player who is not ready trying to get them through to the practice squad.

Unfortunately, Casey Toohill was claimed by the Washington Football Team who are awful enough that they can afford to carry seven defensive ends and piss in someone's Cheerios because they know they have no chance and are currently just seeking a quarterback.

With that unfortunate situation unfolding, the Eagles were able to reclaim their 2019 fourth-round pick at the position, Shareef Miller, and sign him to the practice squad instead.

Roster Move: #Eagles have signed DE Shareef Miller to the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/LPUgT53oIm

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 19, 2020

By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

Many fans have been in disbelief about the amount of injuries the 2020 Eagles have sustained.

Even more amazing is how, over the past three weeks, that same team has managed to hang with some of the league's best teams despite playing second or third-string guys anywhere.

In their latest game, a two-point loss to the Ravens, the Eagles nearly came all the way back despite Miles Sanders and Zach Ertz being out of the game.

That trend seems like it is likely to continue, with ESPN's Chris Mortensen breaking news on the team's injuries Monday afternoon.

The @Eagles are also looking at possible two-week injury absences for DL Malik Jackson and T Jack Driscoll but guardedly hopeful on getting couple players back for game vs. @Giants on TNF. https://t.co/JpgXL0KYMC

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) October 19, 2020

By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

It hurts to say it yet again, but this was a winnable game for the Eagles.

For the second week in a row, the Eagles faced one of the league's most elite teams.

For the second week in a row, the Eagles played that opponent down to the wire.

For the second week in a row, it came down to a handful of plays that all went in the opposite direction that decided the game and the Eagles needed just one of those things to win the game.

By Tal Venada, Sports Talk Philly Contributor

While the Philadelphia Phillies will have a new front office for 2022, it could be 2021 if president Andy MacPhail retires a year early. Basically, managing partner John Middleton prefers a fresh start for the 2020-21 offseason, but the big-ticket negotiations will belong to him regardless.   

No-man’s-land:

For the Phillies faithful, winter is a time to dream of a roster without holes and bemoan management’s failure to deliver a championship-caliber team. Unfortunately, even the ‘20 New York Yankees had shortcomings despite exceeding all three tax levels involving the CBT (competitive-balance threshold).  

IN OTHER WORDS:

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” - Helen Keller

Fans aren’t differentiating between the normal 162 with spending, signings, trades and offseason preparation compared to 2021. And excluding the inconvenient details facing front-office execs amplifies expectations no GM can meet. Yes, 2021’s certainty is uncertainty!                                 

Prior to COVID-19’s influence, organizations made decisions based on rules protecting players from losing career opportunities due to franchises with overstocked pipelines. Moreover, management combines their talent planning for three to five summers, not just next April.

Due to the pandemic, 2020 had many new wrinkles: the universal DH, no spectators, COVID-19 protocols, a truncated schedule, and other rule changes, temporary and permanent. So no one should assume a return to normalcy without better control of the virus. However, 2021 should have more games and some attendance.

By Kevin McCormick, Sports Talk Philly Editor

We are about a month away from the 2020 NBA draft. Whether the Sixers will make the 21st pick for themselves is still up in the air, but they still hold four picks in the second round. With multiple selections in round two, here are three sleeper prospects the Sixers should consider taking a flier on.

Malachi Flynn: G, San Diego State 

Flynn is an upperclassman guard coming out of San Diego State. This past college season Flynn averaged 17.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.8 SPG. At six foot one and 185 lbs size could be brought up as an issue, but there is a lot to like about Flynn's game.

Finding a solid backup point guard has been something the Sixers have struggled to do in the past, but drafting Flynn could potentially solve that problem. His ability to facilitate and create offense for himself would be a nice boost to the Sixers' second unit.

Along with what he could do for the second unit, Flynn could fit with the starters as well. He operates well in the pick-and-roll and is a solid shooter from deep. Flynn could be a primary ball-handler when Simmons is off the ball and could be a guy to come off screens or dribble handoffs and knock down threes.

As an upperclassman, Flynn has the potential to be a guy that could come in and produce for the Sixers on day one. If on the board when the Sixers pick at 34 or 36, Flynn could be a solid pick just outside of the first round.

Isaiah Joe: G, Arkansas

One key area the Sixers need to upgrade in this offseason is perimeter shooting. Lack of shooting on the outside greatly impacted the Sixers' spacing on offense. Isaiah Joe is a prospect that could greatly upgrade the Sixers' three-point shooting.

Joe is a sharpshooting two-year guard coming out of Arkansas. He is coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 16.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.7 APG. Although he is more of an off-ball guard, Joe could be a seamless fit on the Sixers if drafted.

Having a guard who can come in and consistently knock down threes is something the team has missed since the departure of JJ Redick. This is a role Joe could come in and fill for the Sixers. In his college career, he shot 37.8% from deep on just over nine attempts a game.

Joe has a lot of potential as a floor-spacing guard, and his shot is best off the catch making him a perfect fit on the floor with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Along with what he could bring to the offense, Joe could also hold his own on the defensive side of the ball.

At six foot five and 180 pounds Joe has a frame that could allow him to defend both guard position. He also has a 6'10 wingspan that helped him average close to two steals a game in college.

Between his shooting and potential on the defensive side of the ball, Isaiah Joe could be a solid pick up for the Sixers in the second round of the draft.

Josh Hall: F, Moravian Prep

The Sixers need to focus on drafting prospects that can come in and contribute on day one. That being said, Josh Hall is a prospect that is a project but could yield huge dividends down the line.

Hall's journey to the NBA draft is different from most prospects. He will be going right from prep school to the NBA after foregoing playing in college. Skipping college could hinder how ready he is on day one, but his game should transition to the NBA nicely. 

At six foot nine with long arms Hall will be able to slide in at either forward position. He has a solid frame at 190 pounds but could afford to put on some muscle as he gears up to play at the NBA level. 

Hall is a wing that can attack the rim at will with his height and long arms, and also has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc. His build and skillset draw a lot of comparison to New Orleans Pelican's All-Star Brandon Ingram. 

With the G-League being so accessible to teams today taking a guy like Hall late in the second round is almost a no-brainer. His size and skills are tailor-made for today's game, and the G-League will help polish his skills for the next level. 

At 20 years old, Hall isn't far off from being ready for the NBA. After seeing what the Blue Coats' staff has done for the development of players like Shake Milton and Marial Shayok, there's no doubt they could turn Hall into a serviceable player for the Sixers. 

If the Sixers do intend to use any of their second-round picks this year, these three prospects are names the team needs to monitor.