😈 Welcome to Howie SZN | Sports Daily Newsletter

The start of March doesn’t just mean the annual return of basketball madness. It also means that a new league year — and NFL free agency — is just around the corner. In other words, it’s about to be “Howie SZN.”

The NFL scouting combine wrapped up over the weekend, but before the Eagles can fully dive into the draft, they’ll first have to decide which of their 20 pending free agents they’ll want to keep — a list that includes Jaelan Phillips, Dallas Goedert, Nakobe Dean, and Reed Blankenship — and how they plan on using their remaining salary cap space.

Some of the team’s biggest questions are on offense, where the Eagles will have first-year coordinator Sean Mannion running a new scheme. But the changes on the roster are just beginning. So how many new faces can you expect? And who might they be? A lot depends on what happens with A.J. Brown and Goedert.

Jeff Neiburg kicks off our two-part free agency preview with a position-by-position look at the offense.

— Matt Mullin, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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“The only person who takes more underserved blame than manager Rob Thomson for the shortcomings of the Phillies quarter-billion dollar lineup is Alec Bohm,” writes columnist Marcus Hayes.

Bohm was the third overall pick in the 2018 draft, and is labeled a semi-bust by many fans. And while he’s not the next Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, or Ryan Howard, as Hayes points out, he’s also not Domonic Brown or Maikel Franco. And he’s not to blame for the Phillies’ struggles behind Bryce Harper.

Next: The Phillies didn’t play Monday, but they’ll be back at it on Tuesday when they visit the Tampa Bay Rays. Alan Rangel is scheduled to make the start.

🤔 Wondering: How long will Travis Konecny’s upper-body injury keep him out of the Flyers’ lineup?

🕷️ Fearing: Johan Duran’s scary nickname and blockbuster entrance were born in the minors.

🏥 Learning: Villanova’s Matt Hodge suffered a season-ending knee injury.

📺 Watching: Kyle Schwarber joined Scott Lauber on this week’s Phillies Extra.

After learning that a right oblique strain will sideline Joel Embiid through at least Wednesday, Andre Drummond told Gina Mizell that he wanted to “wrap him in a bubble sheet and give him a hug, man.”

“I just feel like he can’t get a break,” Drummond added.

Embiid’s importance to the team was magnified in Sunday night’s loss in Boston where the Sixers allowed a career-best 27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks to Neemias Queta, who is not exactly regarded as a dominant interior force. The Sixers were blasted in the rebounding category, 59-37, including surrendering 19 offensive boards that Boston turned into 30 second-chance points.

And those harrowing numbers come one game before tonight’s home matchup against 7-foot-4 NBA MVP contender Victor Wembanyama and the 43-17 San Antonio Spurs. So what are the short-handed Sixers to do?

Next: The Embiid-less Sixers host the Spurs (NBC/NBCSP, 8 p.m.) and Utah Jazz (NBCSP, 7 p.m.) in a back-to-back this week at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

When Rick Tocchet came to Philly, he brought his box-and-one defensive structure. During training camp, he called it “a very aggressive zone” defense where he wanted his players to double and triple up when they could to keep the puck on the outside. It worked. Until it didn’t.

The Flyers were one of the best defensive teams leading up to the holiday break — and then one of the worst over the next month-plus. So, with time off over the Olympic break, Tocchet and his staff went to work revamping their defensive structure. So far, it’s paying off, but Tocchet believes they’ll see even more payoff “in the long run.”

The revamped defensive structure seemed to work as the Flyers picked up their third straight win in a 3-2 shutout victory at the Maple Leafs. It was their first shutout win since the end of November.

Next: The Flyers will be back on home ice Thursday when they host the Utah Mammoth in South Philly (NBCSP, 7 p.m.).

It’s a week for high-scorers. Monday was the 64th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, but Tuesday marks another former Philly great’s highest-scoring night. On March 3, 1951, former Temple star Bill Mlkvy, also known as “The Owl Without a Vowel,” scored 73 points — including 54 straight — in a win over Wilkes College.

Mlkvy, who died in December 2024 and reached the rank of major in the United States Army, was a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Warriors in 1952, and played one season with the team before opting to return to dental school.

“The best way to get yourself into trouble at the NFL draft is to focus on immediate needs over expected future value,” David Murphy wrote in Monday’s column.

But this year, the draft looks like its strengths could align with the Eagles’ needs — especially if Brown is on his way out.

“If the mock drafts are to be trusted, the Eagles could have their choice of at least three potential difference-makers at No. 23 and perhaps a second if they can move up in the second round. Last year, I was beating the drum for Missouri receiver Luther Burden III, who ended up going No. 39 to the Bears. This year’s trio is even better,” Murphy adds.

Here’s a look at that trio of pass-catchers, who are drawing comparisons being made to Vernon Davis, Antonio Brown/Stefon Diggs, and Deebo Samuel.

Speaking of receivers in the NFL draft …

The Eagles drafted first-round wideouts in back-to-back years in 2020 (Jalen Reagor) and 2021 (DeVonta Smith). Prior to that, who was the last receiver they drafted in the first round?

A) Jeremy Maclin

B) Jordan Matthews

C) JJ Arcega-Whiteside

D) Nelson Agholor

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Devin Jackson, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Alex Coffey, Scott Lauber, Marcus Hayes, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, and David Murphy.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading. Bella will be back in your inbox for Wednesday’s newsletter. — Matt