4th&26--A Philadelphia Eagles Blog

First Post Up at the New Blog

2005-07-15T11:15:00.000-04:00

Below is the link to the new site for this blog, where I just entered my first post. Please bookmark it or change your RSS settings.

New blog site here.

Moving Up

2005-07-14T19:59:00.000-04:00

After toiling away in relative obscurity for the last several months on this blog, I have accepted a gig as the main Eagles blogger for the Most Valuable Network Web site. So I won't be posting anymore on this site besides providing the link when my first post goes up over there. I hope you follow along for what should be a crazy ride through the Birds' upcoming season, and thank you for finding your way to this blog.

No Wright

2005-07-14T15:05:00.000-04:00

After the smoke cleared, Manuel Wright, the defensive tackle prospect from USC in whom the Eagles were rumored to have interest, was the only player picked in today's supplemental draft--by the Dolphins in the fifth round (more here). While some sources said the Eagles were interested in using a second-round pick from 2006 on the raw Wright, most people believed he would be picked in the third or fourth round. That he slipped to the fifth round may have been the result of a mixed workout for scouts where he ran a quick 40 but benched fewer reps than the average DT.

Drop back later, as I have a big announcement (for me, at least) about the future of this blog.

Training Camp Schedule Unveiled

2005-07-13T09:55:00.001-04:00

Via the Phillyburbs.com Web site, I found out that the Eagles have announced the schedule of practice sessions for the update training camp. Rookies and early-arriving vets will have two-a-days on July 30th and 31st before the full squad reports for a morning session on August 1 and a closed session on August 2. Two-a-days resume from the 3rd to the 13th, though certain afternoon sessions are soley for special teams. On the 14th, the team plays a mock game, but, sadly, that is closed to the public. Lehigh camp breaks after that and the team travels to Pittsburgh for its first preseason game on the 15th. I do hope to finally get to camp this year and report on the goings-on for those of you out-of-towners or others who can't attend any sessions. The full schedule is on the Eagles' Web site here.

Training Camp Schedule Unveiled

2005-07-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

Right on Wright?

2005-07-12T09:21:00.000-04:00

According to Sunday's Miami Herald (here; registration required, but I think it's the same login and password as a Philly.com registration), the Eagles still have serious interest in picking USC defensive tackle Manuel Wright in Thursday's NFL supplemental draft:

"There is a strong sense around the NFL that Philadelphia will use a late second-round pick on Wright, who could eventually succeed high-priced starting defensive tackle Corey Simon.

'You're basically talking about what's almost a third-round pick if you're the Eagles,'' one NFL executive said. ``I could easily see them doing that.'"

There's been little word from the Birds as to their interest in the Trojan who mostly backed up starters Shawn Cody and Eagles first-round pick Mike Patterson, but if the team were to select Wright, there'd be even more of a logjam at the DT position than there is already. Corey Simon and Hollis Thomas are likely to be gone at the end of the season, but they should be on the opening roster, along with Patterson, Sam Rayburn, and Darwin Walker. Depending on how well he plays, seventh-round pick Keyonta Marshall could be in the mix, or relegated to the practice squad.

Paul Grasmanis would seem to be the first guy to go, and the team could move Walker to end full time, since most of their ends are undersized. With three fourth-round picks next year, the Eagles have the flexibility to risk a high pick on Wright, who is raw and has had questionable work habits in the past. The Dolphins, Bengals, and Jaguars have also shown interest in Wright, and this is the first I've seen anyone mention the Eagles being interested enough to use a second rounder on him. But he has first-round athletic potential and the Birds like to plot their position-succession strategy far in advance, so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out on Thursday.

The Not-So-Silent Treatment

2005-07-11T15:57:00.000-04:00

Obviously Terrell Owens didn't take his buddy Stephen A. Smith's advice he delivered in a column yesterday in the Philadelphia Inquirer (here) that T.O. should now stay silent about his contract situation--as well as try to keep his agent Drew Rosenhaus quiet. Les Bowen writes in the Philadelphia Daily News today (here) that the receiver had a few things to say at an appearance at a Rosemont College-based football camp yesterday. None of it was particularly incendiary, though he did say about attending training camp that "If we can be grownups about it and get everything resolved, then that's what I'll do." Of course, it's debatable as to who is not being the grownup in this situation.

Showing up and getting some nice media coverage being surrounded by a bunch of adoring kids couldn't hurt T.O., since he's lost a lot of fan support taking a risk to go public with his contract dispute. I'm still convinced the best way to resolve the situation is to guarantee more of the 2006 roster bonus that was no doubt implemented to allow the team to cut itself loose from Owens if he became exactly the sort of problem he's become. Had Owens and Rosenhaus worked in silence to begin with, the team may have been slightly more amenable to his concerns--especially if he puts up another monster season. Call me a pessimist, but I'd be surprised if either can hold his tongue for long as training camp approaches.

Camp Countdown

2005-07-08T20:42:00.000-04:00

Ok, I haven't figured out exactly how to put one of those stupid countdown clocks on the page to tell you down to the second how much time is left before training camp begins, but let's just say it's three weeks before rookies report. (Veterans have until August 1 to show up; don't look for anyone on the practice field wearing a #81 jersey.) I'll admit I've never been to a single Eagles training-camp session in my life, but now that I have the blog, I'll try to correct that this year.

I'm feeling especially inspired after Sports Illustrated's Peter King listed the Lehigh site as one of his five favorite training-camp spots in his latest column (here). If you aren't interested in reading the whole thing, here's the part about the Eagles' camp, which came in at #4:

"4. Eagles (Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.): Two things you need if you come to this picturesque place an hour north of Philly: Sunscreen (the early August sun in eastern Pennsylvania is relentless, and there is no shade anywhere near the practice fields), and good walking shoes (the tree-lined Lehigh campus is a red-bricked beauty, but it's nothing but hills). Don't let either deter you, because players are around. I've seen Donovan McNabb strolling the campus where the players and coaches live for three weeks each summer. McNabb, Terrell Owens and Dhani Jones shared a cramped on-campus apartment last summer. (I'm betting McNabb and T.O. won't be roomies this August.) Just off-campus, in struggling Bethlehem, is the best place I eat at any training camp (except for the quasi-gourmet dining halls of the Browns and Giants): Deja Brew, an artsy, down-home sandwich shop with superb lattes. Get the Kaiser Soze (Cajun turkey, honey mustard, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, bacon on a Kaiser roll). And finish it off with the best sweet thing I've ever had: a 29-cent peanut-butter ball, made by the owner's mom. Bet you can't eat just one."

Oops, Drew Did It Again

2005-07-06T21:02:00.000-04:00

With Grady Jackson leaving Brett Favre's agent for Drew Rosenhaus (here) and threatening to hold out (surprise, surprise), the Packers now move to neck-and-neck with the Eagles as the team most pissed off at the noxious agent. (Packers wideout Javon Walker signed on with Rosenhaus in the spring and has subsequently held out.) Rosenhaus has the temerity to call the 340-pound defensive tackle a "premier player" for the Packers' D, a dubious distinction given how awful that team's defense is. As ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli points out, Jackson--who is a good run-stuffer--has missed five games in each of the last two seasons due to injury, after signing a two-year, $2.3-million contract during the 2003 season.

Jackson's stats from last season are only slightly better than Hollis Thomas', the Birds injury-prone plugger who is also disgruntled about his contract, but who would never be called a "premier player" and came to his senses after threatening not to show up to the team's spring minicamps.

Meanwhile, if you want to find a premier defensive player who is ridiculously underpaid, check out Jeffri Chadiha's latest piece about Ravens safety Ed Reed on Sports Illustrated's site. The best defensive back in the league, if not the best defensive player, Reed's base salary for the upcoming season is $550,000, over $100,000 less than Jackson's. Reed threatens to do nothing but terrorize opposing team's offenses while he waits for a new contract extension: "It would be a shame if I had to hold out to get a new contract. And I don't plan to."

And don't get me started on what Hines Ward makes compared to Terrell Owens ...

Greg Lewis Knows Chess

2005-07-05T20:39:00.000-04:00

You know it's slow times when the only source of new Eagles info today comes courtesy of the New York Times' Jere Longman. A former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, Longman mostly handled soccer coverage for the Times, but I noticed his byline a lot more last football season as the paper's unofficial Eagles beat reporter. Though his piece today (here; registration required) is graced by the headline, "Eagles Are Preparing For Life Without Owens," the article is basically an interview with Greg Lewis. In fact, the shocking revelations Lewis offers are that Terrell Owens won't sit out the season because "Letting money go away that you can't receive again is pretty tough" and the party line that the team can win either with or without Owens in the starting lineup. Stop the presses!

More revealing are some details surrounding the third-year receiver Lewis, who walked on to the University of Illinois football team, walked off after his freshman year when he felt neglected, then walked on again. He was also a member of his high school's chess team, which makes the following more astonishing: The play on which Lewis scored the Eagles' final touchdown in this year's Super Bowl saw him line up in the wrong spot! Hopefully, Lewis won't need to line up out of place to help him make more of an impact as the team's third receiver this season (or as the second WR if Owens does indeed decide to sit out).

No Going Downtown on Sheldon Brown

2005-06-30T09:43:00.000-04:00

If you watched the Eagles closely last year, you probably noticed that the team's best cornerback was Sheldon Brown, not Lito Sheppard. Sheppard had more highlight-worthy picks, which led to his being named to the Pro Bowl. But people in the know felt it was Brown who was more worthy. In fact, Sportsline.com's Clark Judge obviously confuses the two when he recently completed his NFL player rankings (cornerbacks here)--he puts Brown at number 7 among cornerbacks, saying, "He was one of three Eagles defensive backs to reach the Pro Bowl." Whoops.

A new book provides more credence to Brown's superior cover skills. My brother pointed me over to SI.com's latest column from Dr. Z (here), which extols the virtues of KC Joyner's Scientific Football 2005. You think you're a diehard football fan? Well, Joyner quit his job in order to tape and watch nearly every NFL game from last season, in order to break down each and every passing play. The book costs $50 and can purchased at Joyner's Web site (here).

Among a few conclusions that Dr. Z points to, there's one about Sheldon Brown:

"Finally, a nice little plug for Philly's right cornerback, Sheldon Brown, who was not a Pro Bowl choice and made only one all-pro team last year: mine. 'I knew Brown was good, going into this review, but when I saw his stat lines my jaw dropped ... he only allowed one TD, despite facing 117 passes ... Brown allowed a mere two completions on 24 deep passes, which ranked second in the league...I don't get a commission for his Honolulu plane ticket and hotel room, but I like to see justice served. If he plays this well next year, he ought to not just go to the Pro Bowl. He should be an All-Pro.'"

In comparison, overhyped Broncos corner Champ Bailey finished tied for 73rd--yes 73rd--in deep-ball completion percentage. So be thankful, very thankful, that Brown is signed through the 2012 season.

Class Acts?

2005-06-26T19:27:00.000-04:00

How desperate am I for football? Instead of watching the first hour of game seven of the NBA finals, I tuned into "Meet the Draft Picks" on Comcast Sportsnet last Thursday instead, deciding to stick around especially after I saw my man R. Diddy on the show. A mix of analysis and human interest stories, the show didn't provide a lot of new insights--though it was sponsored by the Philadelphia Barrage, our outdoor lacrosse team (Who knew we had both indoor and outdoor lacrosse teams? I didn't.)--but I did learn the following things:

1) David Bergeron can ride a unicycle. That could come in handy, since the 7th-round linebacker from Stanford is a long shot to make the team and might need an alternative career.

2) Reggie Brown can bench press 400 lbs. In other words, no 5-foot 9-inch Carolina cornerback will be able to jam him at the line and toss him around like a rag doll.

3) Sean Considine was the highest-scoring safety prospect on the Wonderlic test, the NFL's official "intelligence" test for draft picks.

4) Our other seventh rounder, Keyonta Marshall, says his first name is pronounced like "Chianti." I have no idea why that is.

5) Before introducing Brown, they threw up a list of Andy Reid's previous picks at wide receiver. Let's just say that if Todd Pinkston was hands-down the best pick, then it wasn't that much of a list.

Finally, and maybe I'm a little slow on this, but watching the segment on Ryan Moats made me think, "Hey, they can do formations this season with both Moats and Brian Westbrook on the field." Imagine each in the slot, or maybe Westbrook in the slot and Moats in the backfield (or vice versa) with the defense spread out and suspectible to his quickness if the Birds run the ball. Or Westbrook in the slot, Moats in the backfield (again, or vice versa), and Moats then goes in motion and lines up in the other slot position. Can you say multiple mismatches? In the past Reid has had two quarterbacks in on the same play (for that stupid send-McNabb-in-motion-and-let-Detmer-throw-the-ball stunt that has never worked), so don't think you won't be seeing Moats-and-Westbrook formations come September.

Virtual Vitriol

2005-06-22T11:38:00.000-04:00

Finally entering the 21st century, notorious Philadelphia sports radio station WIP is now broadcasting live over the Internet (right here). So if you live out of town and miss hearing Howard Eskin call a listener a jackass or a moron, or need to hear Angelo Cataldi say something ridiculous that makes you forget he was once a respected sportswriter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, now's your chance. I cannot highly recommend enough that you listen to Ray Didinger (of NFL Films) and Glen Macnow's show on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Didinger will provide you with more Eagles insight in five hours than you'll get from listening to WIP the rest of the week.

If you have some extra cash and live many time zones away, you might want to purchase software to let you record the WIP audio stream TiVo-like on your hard to listen to on your schedule. I haven't used such programs, and therefore can't recommend one over another, but a quick Google search led me to the Replay Radio, iRadio, and Skado, each of which costs $39.95. iRadio Lite is only $14.95, but won't let you burn to disc. If you're desperate for intelligent Eagles analysis, it might be worth it to hear Didinger every week.

Three Preseason Games on NFL Network

2005-06-21T13:36:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't live in the Philadelphia area but do get the NFL Network on your cable or satellite system, it looks like you'll have a chance to see three of the Eagles preseason games, according to NFL.com. The Eagles aren't playing in one of the six live games the network is showing, but you can see the following games a day or two after the fact: against the Ravens (Sunday, August 21 at 1 p.m.), the Bengals (Monday, August 29 at 9 a.m.), and the Jets (Friday, September 2 at 3 p.m.). Click here for the complete article.

It's a Not-So-Wonderful Column Idea

2005-06-20T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you think this six-week period before training camp begins is excrutiating, just imagine what it must be like for NFL columnists, who sometimes need to be really creative to hit their weekly quotas. Exhibit A of that fact is the latest piece from SI.com's Andrew Perloff, which imagines what would happen if Terrell Owens had never played pro football--a variation of the old It's a Wonderful Life gimmick of what would life be like if someone were never born.

Perloff imagines various scenarios through the years of his alternative history, ending with the 2005 Phillies winning the World Series:

"With no Owens holdout, Philadelphia's sports radio home 610 WIP has nothing to talk about and slowly transitions to a classical-music station. Fans actually start to notice the Phillies and the extra support inspires the team to capture the NL East and eventually win the World Series, giving the city its first champ since the 1983 Sixers."

The column left me wondering which was a sillier idea--imagining a T.O.-less NFL, or that this group of Phillies would actually be inspired by fan support.

Tackling Dummy

2005-06-16T17:15:00.000-04:00

It'd be understandable with all the hoopla concerning T.O. that you might forget that Corey Simon was also a no-show at recent minicamps (though he will eventually to have to sign the Eagles one-year offer if he wants to make any money this year) and Hollis Thomas is disgruntled with his contract. Well, the Eagles sure didn't at draft day, not only taking a DT in the first round, but also in the final round. Mike Patterson plays a similar shoot-the-gap style as Simon, and 325-pound Kenyonta Marshall can eat up even more space than Thomas. Jim Johnson went out of his way to compliment both during the team's most recent minicamp.

But the team may not stop there in its attempt to create a new tackle rotation for 2006. Both the Trenton Times' Mark Eckel (here) and ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli (here) have reported that the Eagles are interested in another USC tackle, Manuel Wright, who will be available in a supplemental draft on July 14. According to Eckel, the Birds could use one of the three fourth-round picks they have next season to grab Wright. (They could even take him with a third-round pick if they think the Packers or Dolphins would grab him with their own fourth-round pick, then use a couple of their fourth rounders to move back into the third round next April.)

Wright has prototypical size and showed flashes for the national champs last year, and as much as I'd love to have another Trojan on our roster (yes, I'm a grad school alum), the more you read about him, the less he seems like an Andy Reid guy. Sure, he's not a trouble maker, but he volunteered himself for the supplemental draft because he would have been academically ineligible to play in the fall, and this comes after he had to spend a year at Long Beach City College to get the academic standing to play for the Trojans to begin with.

Ok, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to play defensive tackle. But beyond the lack of book smarts he has displayed, Wright has had a questionable work ethic. He apparently came to USC out of shape, although he was better prepared last season. (More here) But Eckel even quotes Patterson as saying about Wright that "When he puts his mind to it he can be a heck of a player. He has to show he wants it. But he has great size and teams like that size."

Perhaps the thinking is that he will "want it" more if he's around his former USC teammate. It could also hasten Darwin Walker's move to end. While Walker is always mentioned as the strongest guy on the team, he's yet to become a dominant force inside.

Whether the Eagles wind up selecting Wright or not, I do know one thing: Paul Grasmanis is going to have to have a heckuva preseason to make this team. (Unless, of course, there's a rash of injuries.)

Down Time

2005-06-14T18:04:00.000-04:00

It's the worst part of the year for a football fan--the roughly seven weeks between now and when training camp starts. It's even worse than that other pigskin desert, the period between the end of the Super Bowl and the draft, because there's at least some free agent activity and an awful lot of mock drafts to keep you occupied. But while you can't expect daily posts here, there's not a complete lack of things to talk about--yet. I'll try to spread posts out so there's regular activity here for at least the next week or two. If things get really desperate, I may have to start talking about the Phillies--at least there's a chance this year that two Philly sports teams will be lying for our attention come August.

Anyway, the news today is that the Birds signed fourth-round draft pick Todd Herremans, the offensive tackle prospect out of Saginew Valley State. He joins seventh-round pick Keyonya Marshall as the two 2005 Eagles picks signed thus far. ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli mentioned Herremans in his most recent "Tip Sheet" column:

"Herremans will take a little while to adjust to big-time competition, but there are a lot of teams that kicked themselves when the Eagles plucked him with the 126th overall selection."

While Herremans was definitely pegged as one of those last-minute flying-up-the-board sleepers in the draft, the odds are against him becoming a starting left tackle in the NFL. In fact, Pasquerelli's colleague John Clayton did an analysis a few weeks ago (click here) that found that 27 of the league's starting left tackles were selected in the first three rounds of the draft. But if an organization is going to get a lower-round pick to start at LT, it may be the Eagles. After all, Artis Hicks looked more than serviceable starting there for a couple of games in 2003, and he was working there at minicamps as Tre Thomas recovers from a blood clot in his leg.

Drew and Drew

2005-06-09T17:13:00.000-04:00

If T.O.'s agent Drew Rosenhaus makes you think of Jerry Maguire before Renee Zellweger and that goofy-looking kid showed up and taught him the value of love blah blah, your thoughts will be confirmed by ESPN.com's recent profile of Rosenhaus (click here). It's pretty much summed up in the opening paragraphs:

"MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The gleaming Ferrari 360 Spider, a red soft top, sits on the wide brick driveway, flanked by a black Hummer H2 and a pair of Cadillac Escalades. Palm trees, ruffled by a steady breeze off the water, frame the opulent Key Biscayne home.

Inside, Drew Rosenhaus, wielding a pair of black and chrome Treo 650s – high-tech phones combining e-mail access, a digital camera and MP3 player – is handling two calls at the same time.

'Yeah, buddy, let me get right back to you," the NFL's most powerful agent said, rolling his eyes and switching to the other phone. "Sure, man, we'll do it next weekend in Atlanta. Yeah, I'll be there.'

He signs off and looks up from his cluttered mahogany desk.

'T.O.' he said simply."

Rosenhaus also appeared on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" yesterday and said there was a 50-50 chance of Owens showing up to training camp. He gave his usual arguments, as Bob Brookover reports in the Philadelphia Inquirer (here):

"If the Eagles will honor that contract, so will Terrell," Rosenhaus said. "What I mean by that is, if they said to me that they would pay that entire amount over the life of that contract, we'll guarantee it, then we'll honor it. The problem is, they don't have to. I have players every day like Hugh Douglas or Nate Webster who do five- and six-year deals and either they get hurt or they don't play as well and a year later, the team says forget about those last four or five years. They're underperforming.

"But in the case of a player like a Terrell Owens or a Javon Walker, where they overperform a contract, what is so negative about me coming in and saying, 'Hey, can we take a look at this?' "

Rosenhaus also brings up Webster in the ESPN.com profile, but unfortunately, Greg Garber doesn't ask him what I think are two important questions worth having the agent on the record about:

1) Webster received a $2.5 million signing bonus last year for his new deal and played three games. That's the risk the Bengals took in signing him away from the Bucs; shouldn't the possibility of being released be the risk Webster takes?

2) How much money do you earn from representing Terrell Owens if he doesn't get his contract renegotiated?

(BTW, Webster reworked his deal earlier this week so he won't be released. Part of the agreement is that his final three years of the old deal are voided. So he can get a new and potentially better deal if he stays healthy this season. Was that so hard, Drew?)

I'm not going to defend NFL owners, as they seem to have more of an upper hand with labor than other sports, especially mid-level veterans who have little leverage against teams relying on cheaper roster-filling rookies. But signing bonuses are a way to balance out the lack of guaranteed contracts. If Jevon Kearse suffered a career-ending injury last season, not entirely out of the question given his medical history, the Eagles would have been out $20 million with nothing to show. And T.O. did receive a nice little bonus last year after playing below expectations the previous season in San Francisco.

A final question that goes unasked is whether Rosenhaus thinks his public strategy with T.O. hurt more than it has helped. By attempting to paint Owens as a victim after he earned $10 million in the previous year, Rosenhaus turned most fans from this working-class city against the receiver, fans who gave him a hero's welcome, but also could never dream of earning $10 million in their whole working lives. Shutting up and playing with the same grit and flair this season as he did last season, Owens could have then called attention to a deal obviously designed to leave the Eagles an easy out after two years (most of Owens' 2006 salary is wrapped up in a $5 million roster bonus). If the Birds won the Super Bowl with Owens' help, how much harder would it be for the team to justify not keeping him on the team in 2006.

Instead, Rosenhaus chose to make a bid for renegotiation immediately. Why not tell his client to sit tight and wait for a stronger bargaining hand? Well, what if T.O. were to suffer a career-ending injury this season and be forced to retire? How much of nothing would be Rosenhaus' cut?

Mr. Westbrook Comes to Minicamp

2005-06-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Eagles Web site is reporting that Brian Westbrook has shown up for the team's passing camp and will sign the one-year offer that's been on the table for some time. A Westbrook news conference later this afternoon may clear up the mystery surrounding his agent situation. While it was recently reported that the running back had dropped his agent and signed with Fletcher Smith, Donovan McNabb's agent, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover points out that "Westbrook is the only Eagles player on the NFL Players' Association Web site who does not have a listed agent."

More mysteries will be solved later when the June 1 cuts are announced. Yes, I already checked, and Drew Rosenhaus is not the agent for unhappy Redskins WR Rod Gardener, who many Eagles fans wouldn't mind the team picking up.

Tight Ends in Motion

2005-05-24T19:26:00.000-04:00

Aside from the Eagles signing defensive coordinator Jim Johnson to another contract extension, the other news over the weekend is Chad Lewis' healing from the Lisfranc sprain he suffered in the NFC Championship game. (More here.) Though fans are pulling for Lewis to return to the team in the fall, he's currently not signed with the team and may not be when the season opens. In his moonlighting gig at the Sporting News writing the "Inside Blitz" feature on the Eagles, Trenton Times writer Mark Eckel claims that offensive coordinator Brad Childress has so far been impressed with the two rookie free agent tight ends the team added to its roster after the draft--Andy Thorn from Northern Iowa and Steve Spach from Fresno State. The Birds already signed veteran James Whalen, will most likely keep ace long-snapper Mike Bartrum around, and of course have L.J. Smith returning as the probable starter. It took considerable time for a younger Brian Dawkins to return from the same injury, so whether Lewis will be healthy at the start of the season is up in the air. By then, the team may have figured out its tight end situation one way or the other.

Perhaps because of the nature of the feature, Eckel's reports for "Inside Blitz" tend to be a little juicier than many of his Trenton Times articles. Click here for his latest. (Note, however, that he doesn't explain why Keith Adams has jumped ahead of Mark Simoneau as the starter at weakside linebacker. While both may have a knack for getting to the ball, Adams actually has a knack for making tackles, as opposed to Simoneau's inability to avoid getting blocked out of most plays.)

South Jersey

2005-05-20T13:48:00.000-04:00

In a fact unsurprising to no one, the Delaware County Times reports that Terrell Owens' jersey, once the most popular on NFLShop.com, has fallen off its chart of the Top 25 best-selling jerseys on the site. (Donnie Mac's jersey still holds at number 4, however.) That got me thinking, and so I went on the site, jumped to the Eagles section, and then clicked on the option to personalize any jersey. I was then able to get a preview of my idea for the way to get #81 back in the Top 25 (see below):

I don't really have $90 to purchase the jersey and see if it would actually get printed, but if anyone else has the cash and wants to find out, let us all know. It may be possible, because it did not pop up a warning that the jersey could not be personalized this way, the way Michael Vick's does when you attempt to personalize it with "Mexico," referencing his Ron Mexico pseudonym. (For more on that, click here.)

Westbrook Changes Agent

2005-05-19T09:20:00.000-04:00

Finally, a bit of positive news on the contract front. Brian Westbrook has apparently dumped his old agent and signed on with Fletcher Smith, who represents Donovan McNabb and Correll Buckhalter. The move could mean the running back has a better shot at coming to a long-term agreement with the Eagles, since Smith already has good relations with the front office. As the Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen puts it:

"Eagles officials obviously aren't willing to comment until the change is official, but Smith has cultivated a strong relationship with the team's front office, and does not have a history of holding clients out of minicamps. Unofficially, you could infer that the Eagles see the pending change as a sign that Westbrook is sincere about wanting to continue his career here past this season." (More here)

The odds are more likely that Westbrook will show up to the June 1 minicamp. He was a no-show at last month's minicamp.

Company Man, Company Town?

2005-05-16T21:58:00.000-04:00

As usual, Stephen A. Smith's Sunday column in the Philadelphia Inquirer has made waves, intimating that Terrell Owens thinks Donovan McNabb is a "company man," too close to the Eagles brass. Oh, and that Freddie Mitchell's parting shots against the QB have "to say something."

It led SI.com's Peter King to note:

"My guess is that Owens has tanked McNabb privately to Smith. That's just a guess. No inside knowledge there at all. At the very least, there's no doubt in my mind that Owens thinks McNabb is a company man, Smith column or no Smith column. And what that tells me is that something stinks in Philly." (More here)

Now it strikes me that there are several ironies to this new idea of McNabb as a company man. First, is it really a surprise to anyone at this point? After all, McNabb would probably seem less of an enigma to the fans if he hadn't been playing it so close to the vest throughout his career, flatlining emotionally just like his coach. And it would be a bit of fresh air for him to speak more forcefully, and in less semi-wavering fashions as saying the Eagles can do great thing either with T.O. or without him.

But it's pretty clear that the one time McNabb wasn't a company man was getting Owens on the team. And would Owens really like McNabb to his speak his mind now? Because I'm sure it wouldn't be full of well wishes for the petulant receiver.

Then again, maybe Owens would like McNabb to call him out. Owens could then say, well, you got yours. Without a Super Bowl victory in McNabb's, that's the thing that gets in the crawl of the fans I sit near at the Linc. A couple of bad passes, and either: a) "What's he care, he's making $100 million already!" or b) "When are we going to start getting our $100 million's worth?"

But here's the thing about being a company man in this situation--at the end of the day, no matter what Smith writes, McNabb doesn't come out looking like the villain. The smartest thing Owens could have done was to play the upcoming season like he did last year, and then force the Eagles' hand. Because, as we all know, his contract was structured with a fat roster bonus in 2006 that the team would be loathe to pay up. Then it could have played out with T.O. arguing that he gave the team two great seasons, overcame long odds to play in the 2005 Super Bowl, and deserved that 2006 money.

Instead Owens' ego and his new agent's sweet-talking--Drew Rosenhaus doesn't get a cut of that old contract, does he?--got in the way of his best interests. Other criticisms aside, McNabb isn't the one wanting to cut out after the first year of a deal, isn't the one who blew the public's sympathy crying poor, isn't threatening to derail another Super Bowl run.

The final irony of Owens' complaining about McNabb being a company man is that is that it would have served the receiver best in the long run to have been one himself.

Doubting Thomas

2005-05-11T11:23:00.000-04:00

With Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie telling the Philadelphia Inquirer (see here) that there are no plans to renegotiate Terrell Owens' contract, Hollis Thomas shouldn't expect a call to rework his contract, either. Still, that's what he told Comcast SportsNet (reported here) he hoped for. Thomas did attend the team's first minicamp, but said he may not show up for the next one. While I get the sense the stout defensive tackle wants to remain an Eagle and isn't just trying to talk himself out of town, his agent isn't doing his client any favors divulging details like these:

"The last contact between the two sides occurred about a month ago and didn't last very long. According to Thomas’ agent Ron Slavin, coach Andy Reid yelled at Slavin’s partner Mike Bauer because they had decided to air their grievances through the media.

'All it really entailed was Andy yelling at Mike and a hang up,' Slavin said. 'The only reason we ever contacted the newspaper in the first place is because we didn't have any communication with the Eagles. Once we did, it was all negative. They were hollaring and screaming at us over the phone, very unprofessionally. The reason I'm doing this now is to get it back out there that what's going on with Hollis isn't right.'"

I don't seem to recall Thomas complaining about his deal when he missed major playing time in 2002 and 2003 with injuries. Nor will there be much sympathy from the fans for a player who showed up at a recent charity appearance decked out with 4-carat diamond earrings (see here under "Giving back" heading).

Catching Up

2005-05-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

I've been out of town the past two weekends (including during the first minicamp) so I need to play a little catch-up here. As you know, this is the Death Valley of the football season, after the draft and before June 1 cuts and then training camp (which opens this year on July 29), so news is less frequent. Still, the Birds did finally release disgruntled wideout Freddie Mitchell, letting FredEx deliver himself to any other team that's interested. No team was interested enough to trade a draft pick, any draft pick, for the motormouth receiver, even as Andy Reid held on to him through the draft and an extra two weeks.

Of course, the team has enough problems with its other motormouth WR, Terrell Owens, who didn't show up for minicamp and, for once, isn't talking. But expect things to get worse before they get better with T.O. Why? For one thing, Redskins receiver Santana Moss just ended his holdout after signing a six-year, $31 million contract, which included $11 million in guaranteed bonuses. And guess who Moss' agent is? Yep, Drew Rosenhaus, the very same new agent for Owens. Think he won't bandy about Moss' contract to leverage the Eagles into changing Owens' deal? Me neither.

You may or may not have noticed that Rosenhaus is also WR Javon Walker's new agent. Walker had a breakout year last season for the Packers, and is also holding out for a renegotiated contract. As is Redskins safety Sean Taylor, a rising star after his rookie season whose agent is ... Rosenhaus. He wants Taylor's contract renegotiated after one season in the NFL. Now Owens has played a very messy part in this ugly holdout affair, including hiring a new agent to begin with, but it's obvious that Rosenhaus is the ultimate source of these various problems. After all, he doesn't earn a commission on a past contract negotiated by a previous agent.

The Eagles may juggle a few numbers around to give Owens a little more money--though it's doubtful--but in the meantime, the wideout has squandered all the goodwill (and potential endorsements) in Philadelphia. Fans loved the tenacity with which Owens returned from a serious injury for the Super Bowl, but have absolutely zero tolerance for a multimillionaire crying poor and mistreated.

With Owens and Mitchell causing trouble, more attention was paid to the Eagles newest wideout, secound-round pick Reggie Brown, including a piece on ESPN.com from Len Pasquerelli. As usual, mention is made of the difficulty for rookie receivers to make an impact for the Birds, due to the "complexity" of the West Coast offense. Brown may have it a little easier, Pasquerelli claims, because he had to learn some of the WCO terminology working with Jon Gruden during the Senior Bowl.

At this point, I have to rant a little here. On the surface, do there really seem to be so many complications to the Eagles' offense? I know that in the nitty-gritty that we fans don't see, Eagles receivers are supposed to be making various adjustments for each play, etc. etc., but I can't particularly tell that the team's version of the WCO is any more complex than any other version. I can tell you that Gruden called a superior game with his version in the 2002 NFC championship, and I can also tell you if your receivers can't get off the line of scrimmage, it's kind of hard to make any adjustments to your routes (see: 2003 NFC title game). You may have also noticed that the complexity of the team's play calling results in numerous timeouts to avoid delay of game calls, and otherwise leaves Donovan McNabb little time at the line of scrimmage to call audibles.

In other words, maybe the Eagles have made their offense a little too "complicated"--that is, complicating without the need for it. Just a theory.

Draft Recaps Recap

2005-04-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

Any draft class should be given an incomplete grade until the players actually get on the field, but that doesn't stop some sites from giving out instant evaluations on last weekend's draft. The range of grades I've seen for the Eagles' draft have ranged from to a B (Foxsports.com) to a B+ (Sportsline.com) to an A/A- (Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z), though there are always fans who complain about one pick or another. The fact is that the first few picks may be able to contribute immediately (though Reggie Brown will face the usual learning curve at wideout), even as special team replacements for departing players like Ike Reese, which is never a bad thing.

On Monday, the Eagles announced their rookie free-agent signings, which included a handful of wideouts and a couple of tight ends. Some of the players were below the radar of draft coverage, but I was able to find a little bit of info on a few of them.

Grant Adams, WR, Boston College

"Lacking top size/speed numbers, Adams offers marginal upside for the next level. Must really stand out on special teams and consistently catch the ball this summer to have any chance to make a roster."--SI.com

Jared Jones, WR, Syracuse

"[A] player totally off the draft radar, but should get invited to NFL camps as a free agent. Jones suffered from bad coaching and weak quaterback play while at Syracuse. That span of time including a quaterback carousel which had 4 quarterbacks starting over a 4 year span. He did his best though to overcome everything and contributed 43 receptions with 3 TD's. He was by far the rock of an unspectacular receiving corps. He has good size--6'0 and 205 lbs-- and speed. Jones could be your classic practice squad sleeper: a guy that works his way onto the field with a mixture of luck and his great work ethic."--On the Clock Draft

Martin Patterson, LB, Texas Christian

"May be similar to another Horned Frogs linebacker in LaMarcus McDonald, who had a great college career but just didn't have the measurables to project well to the pros."--NFL Draft Countdown

"A two-down defender who goes all out, Patterson would be best backing up for an NFL team at middle linebacker."--SI.com

Chauncey Stovall, WR, Florida State

"An emerging talent, Stovall provided the Seminoles with a big-play threat for their young receiving unit that was also hampered by injuries. Stovall took advantage of an opportunity to start in 2004, going on to lead the team in receptions."--Sportsline.com

"Actually outperformed the more highly touted [FSU teammate] Crophonso Thorpe as a senior...Could be a good backup and possession receiver in the pros...Should be a nice pick at some point in day two."--NFL Draft Countdown

Isaac West, WR, Furman

"Coming off a breakout senior campaign, West has positioned himself for consideration in the late rounds. Still rough around the edges and a player who will need repetition to refine his overall game, the arrow is pointing up, as he offers plenty of upside potential."--SI.com

"Also participates in Furman’s track and field program...Had a nice senior campaign...Could be one of the top sleepers in the Draft."--NFL Draft Countdown

Aric Williams, CB, Oregon State

"Due to other standouts in the secondary, Williams may not have received the notoriety that he has deserved in the past, but opposing coaches recognize him as an excellent cover player. He also has good bloodlines as his cousin, Shaun Williams, was a standout safety and All-Pac 10 Conference selection at UCLA before spending the last seven seasons with the New York Giants."--Sportsline.com

One other interesting draft-related note. If you were a little surprised that the Birds didn't grab a center in the draft to push Hank Fraley this training camp, the Trenton Times quotes Andy Reid saying that fifth-round pick Scott Young, a guard at BYU, has the potential to play center. We'll see if Reid's serious about grooming Young to back up Fraley, or will continue to have Alonzo Ephraim and last year's seventh-round pick Dominic Furio behind Fraley on the depth chart.

Draft Day 2

2005-04-25T11:15:00.000-04:00

As I suggested in yesterday morning's post, the Eagles did grab a safety and some OL depth with their picks on Day 2 of the draft. They were able to grab a couple of picks for next year--Dallas' fourth- and sixth-round selections--but I was a little surprised they couldn't get more for 2006. Instead they sent three of their lower picks to Green Bay to move up in the fourth round--it felt to me like they were shedding picks more than anything else. You definitely never know how Day 2 picks will pan out, especially with Andy Reid's love of drafting small-school offensive linemen in the hopes of uncovering a super-sleeper. Here's what I've been able to cobble together about these picks:

Sean Considine, S, Iowa (4th round):

"A good-sized athlete with good computer numbers. Should be an effective player in a two-deep system. Productive on special teams in the past, which is how he'll earn his paycheck at the next level."--SI.com

"I thought he would go yesterday. He really played well this year and impressed people at the combine. "--Gil Brandt, NFL.com

"A safety that runs a 3.92 short shuttle cannot be ignored. I thought that was a great pick."--Pat Kirwan, NFL.com

Todd Herremans, OT, Saginew Valley State (4th round):

"A player who has seen his stock soar in the months following the season...One of the top sleepers in the draft and a great developmental prospect."--NFL Draft Countdown (The site's #9 draft sleeper)

"[He] has a good frame and some quickness. He'll need a lot of technique and strength development."--Brian DeLucia, Ourlads, for Foxsports.com

"Herremans is a towering offensive tackle with a large wingspan that he uses very well to stave off the outside pass rush. He is a steady, competitive player with experience at both left and right tackle during his career with the Cardinals."--NFLDraftScout.com via Sportsline.com

Trent Cole, DE, Cincinnati (5th round):

Yet another undersized, quick pass rusher.

"Has some interesting tools and his athletic ability alone will get him a look...Won't be a good fit for every team but could succeed in the right scheme such as the 3-4."--NFL Draft Countdown

"A defender best making plays up the field, Cole must now learn to play in space. Used at outside linebacker during the Senior Bowl and struggled. May be best standing over tackle in a 34 defense."--SI.com

"Trent is a fine athlete who lacks bulk and size to play as a down lineman at the pro level. He added over fifteen pounds to his frame during the 2004 offseason and the increased strength was evident in his play. Still, he gets engulfed by the bigger offensive tackles when working in-line and is best when being allowed to roam the field or coming off the edge through a clear lane. He can run down plays from the backside and shows good hand usage on the perimeter to gain separation and make the play. He lacks the ideal strength needed to take on and shed working inside and is slow to disengage and make the play at the point of attack."--NFLDraftScout.com via Sportsline.com

Scott Young, OG, BYU (5th round):

Was listed as #68 on Mel Kiper's draft board, but fell past pick #170, probably due to the fact that he only played guard for one season. But you know that Andy Reid loves to bring in his BYU boys.

"Young is one of the most powerful athletes in the college football ranks. The former defensive lineman made a successful switch to the offensive side of the ball as a senior, establishing himself as one of the best drive blockers in the Mountain West Conference."--NFLDraftScout.com via Sportsline.com

"Doing a considerably fine job his first year on the offensive line, Young offers good potential for the next level. Needs time, repetition, and a lot of development, yet has the physical and mental abilities to succeed."--SI.com

"Former defensive tackle...Far from a finished product but an interesting developmental guy with a lot of upside...Could end up being a steal if he continues to improve."--NFL Draft Countdown

Calvin Armstrong, OT, Washington State (6th round):

"Has the tools you look for but never developed in[to] a dominating player...Could end up being a better pro than college player with the right coaching."--NFL Draft Countdown

"A hard-working lineman with outstanding size, Armstrong has been a productive collegiate blocker who is well thought of in the program. Possesses the abilities to play at the next level, yet must step up the intensity and physical nature of his game."--SI.com

Kenyotta Marshall, DT, Grand Valley State (7th round):

This guy's going to make Hollis Thomas look Pinkstonesque. Almost.

"Marshall is a short (6-0 5/8, 338, 5.25) defensive run stopper. An inside run stuffer."--Gil Brandt, NFL.com

David Bergeron, ILB, Stanford (7th round):

"A heady and tough defender, Bergeron is best up in the box or playing downhill. Has potential on the inside for a 34 defense and should be a steady role player."--SI.com

"If you are looking for a team leader and quarterback of the defense this is your guy...Has the looks of at least a good backup at the pro level due to his makeup."--NFL Draft Countdown

A little later, I'll try to collect some opinions and grading from draft "experts."

Draft Day 1 Impressions

2005-04-24T09:55:00.000-04:00

In a bit of a surprise, the Eagles decided not to trade up the first round, and, in fact, didn't trade a pick until the second one in Round 3, which the team to San Francisco for the Niners fourth-round pick and its sixth-rounder. It seems highly likely that the team will trade some of its Day 2 picks in order to amass 2006 draft picks, never a bad strategy, especially since the team has frankly had better luck with rookie free agents than Day 2 picks.

There's been some complaints on Eagles discussion boards that the team's first round pick, USC DT Mike Patterson, is too short for the NFL at 5-11. But the fact is, Hollis Thomas is only an inch taller and has had success at this level, and Patterson's a much more explosive player than Thomas. I may be slightly biased, having attended USC for grad school, but with Travis Johnson and Luis Castillo off the board, Patterson was the most productive tackle available.

With Thomas unhappy with his contract, and Corey Simon likely gone after this season, getting another DT was obviously a priority. For the upcoming season, it means Darwin Walker can play more at end. Here's what some sources have to say about Patterson:

"A terrific, and fortuitous, pick for the NFC champs. Patterson is an active guy in the middle -- though maybe not big enough -- who will learn from a veteran defensive line and will, as these things always go, get some playing time when someone gets banged up."--John Donovan, SI.com

"Underrated: Mike Patterson, USC. Besides Matt Leinart, Patterson, even more so than fellow defensive tackle Shaun Cody, was the single most important piece of the Trojans' consecutive national title teams. Trojans head coach Pete Carroll raved on numerous occasions of Patterson's unique ability to disrupt opposing offenses by exploding into the backfield to make one big play after another. Imagine my surprise, then, when I loaded up [SI.com's] Don Banks' most recent first-round projection and saw Oklahoma tackle Jammal Brown -- whom Patterson bulldozed in the Orange Bowl -- but no Patterson. The reason, of course, is that he's undersized -- just shy of 6 feet, three inches shorter than most prospects at his position. But what he lacks in height, he makes up for both in width (292 pounds, about the same as top-ranked tackle Travis Johnson) and unmatched quickness, and I find it hard to believe a guy who was so dominant at such a high level in college won't become at least a reliable starter at the next level, one worthy of a first-round pick."--Stewart Mandel, SI.com

"Patterson could be called 'Going Jessie' -- a term used for a guy that never stops playing hard. That's Patterson. They double- and triple-team him, and he still produces. His only negative is his height, but he does compensate for it with 32-plus-inch arms. He's a really good player."--Gil Brandt, NFL.com

"Mike Patterson is an undersized fire plug nose tackle who can be very disruptive inside. Corey Simon will learn a lesson in how to play hard every down from him. The Eagles like to 'zone dog' their defensive linemen into coverage, and Patterson has the athletic ability to do that. I know Patterson very well, and he will give the Eagles the same things John Randle gave the Vikings and Seahawks."--Pat Kirwan, NFL.com

"The rich get richer. Mike Patterson is another of my favorites. He will come into Philadelphia and be an immediate impact player. Patterson is a force against the run and the pass, and will be both for the Eagles. Grade: A"--Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com

"I really like Patterson's potential as a one-gap defender. He displays tremendous quickness through the gap to make plays in the backfield. At the same time, I question the value of this pick. Most teams had Patterson graded in the late second and early third due to his lack of size and test score. Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will put Patterson in a position to make plays, but this move does nothing to improve their ability to anchor at the point."--
Brian Delucia, Ourlads Scouting, for Foxsports.com

"All I know is he was USC's best player. I love him. He can really play. You have to be concerned about his height. Can a 5-11 kid play defensive tackle in the NFL? I think he can."--an AFC scout in the Trenton Times.

"When you talk to other players, offensive linemen, running backs, you ask them who was the best player they played against last year. A lot of them say Mike Patterson."--an NFC scout in the Trenton Times.

As for Round 2, Reggie Brown from Georgia adds depth to the wideout position, with the imminent departure of Freddie Mitchell. He isn't the quickest, and he isn't the biggest, but he is bigger and faster than Mitchell. What sayeth the draft "experts"?

"Brown was graded as a first-round pick by several teams. He's a smooth athlete who can make big plays with the ball in his hands. He will drop some, but snatches the ball well for the most part. He reminds me of Torry Holt."--Delucia, Ourlads Scouting, for Foxsports.com

"One of the two Georgia receivers in this draft that created a terrific passing attack in Georgia. In talking to the Eagles coaches, they wanted him to be there in the second round. He has good speed and good athleticism. He impressed me at the Senior Bowl with his route running and his hands. He snatches the football. He needs some work on routes over the middle, but in an interview I had with him, he convinced me he was willing to work at it. This should spell the end of Freddie Mitchell's stay in Philadelphia. A very good pick. "--Kirwan, NFL.com

"Reggie Brown has plenty of athletic ability, especially speed. The big question with him is, does he have the motivation to realize his full potential? He hasn't shown it on a consistent basis in college. Andy Reid and the Eagles' coaching staff are capable of pushing him to produce more as a professional."--Brandt, NFL.com

"He's a big, strong kid. He was the only wide receiver that actually bench-pressed at the combine, and he kind of showed off his strength a little bit there. He's a good run-after-the-catch receiver, and we look forward to adding him to the offense."--Andy Reid in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

With their second pick in the second round, the Birds selected San Diego State OLB Matt McCoy, who Mel Kiper Jr. claimed was one of the biggest movers up the board as the draft approached. (Incidentally, Kiper said on the ESPN 2 telecast that he loved the Eagles' draft thus far. I don't know if that should make me feel better or worse.) As with many outside 'backers coming out of school, McCoy is quick but undersized at 235 pounds, but apparently is one of those high-motor guys who can probably contribute on special teams right away.

"McCoy might be on the small size, but plays big. He's fearless and displays good athletic ability. He shows good burst to the ball."--Delucia, Ourlads Scouting

"McCoy wasn't invited to the combine. If you look at the Michigan film, he was credited with 16 unassisted tackles. Very good speed, high-production player and also should be a very good special teams player."--Brandt, NFL.com

"He's a good coverage linebacker with excellent speed. He's tough like Ike [Reese], but quicker. He can really cover."--Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson in the Trenton Times.

Finally, the team grabbed a running back, Louisiana Tech's Ryan Moats, with their first third-round pick. Like Brian Westbrook, Moats is small (5-8), but quick, and perhaps a better inside runner, though he didn't catch the ball much. The pick signaled that the trade for Travis Henry was shelved, and that the Eagles will start grooming Westbrook's replacement.

Quick Day 2 predictions--a safety as insurance if JR Reed's injury is long-term, depth at the offensive line, a kick returner (again, due to Reed's injury), and a few trades to get picks for next year.

Regarding Henry

2005-04-23T09:51:00.000-04:00

I still can't quite believe Travis Henry would be happy only getting 20 touches a game in the Eagles offense, but the rumors continue to swirl about the team trading one of its two third-round picks today to the Bills for the running back. You can't argue at the logic of the deal--Henry's still only 26 and a proven back, a lower (if pricier) risk than picking a college kid and hoping he pans out.

The fallout, of course, is Brian Westbrook's likely exit from the team after next season: Currently he and his agent think he has much more value than the Eagles do, so even without a trade, a long-term agreement between the two sides wouldn't be likely in the near term. It also alters the draft strategy at the RB position. If the Birds don't wind up acquiring Henry, I think the team looks hard at a back like Cal's J.J. Arrington in the third round. Arrington, one of the few backs that was able to run successfully against USC's vaunted run defense, has the same height as Westbrook (5-9) and is more of a complete runner, though he lacks Westbrook's elusiveness.

But if the trade goes down, the team might take a chance on a Westbrook replacement in the middle rounds in the form of Kansas State's 5-7 speedster Darren Sproles. Sproles has a relatively clean injury history despite his munchkin-like size, unlike Westbrook and last year's similarly sized seventh-round pick Bruce Perry, who promptly suffered a season-ending shoulder injury signing his contract. (Joke, folks). He can catch the ball out of the backfield as well as return kicks, an important consideration with JR Reed's injury being potentially career-ending. Would the team be willing to overlook his miniscule size in the hopes of landing a new Westbrook? We'll find out soon enough.

A Few Names for This Weekend

2005-04-22T21:33:00.000-04:00

Is anything the Eagles are going to do in the first round surprise you tomorrow, short of picking a quarterback or maybe a corner? Between problem-child receivers, defensive tackles unhappy with their long-term deals (or lack of one), aging offensive tackles, and J.R. Reed's and Chad Lewis' injuries, no one projected to be the Eagles pick at #31, or anyone they'd trade up for, could come as a real head-scratcher.

So rather than pretend I know enough to be successful at predicting the Birds, or any other team's, draft board, I figured I'd throw a few names out that struck my interest. Some have been bandied about a lot, others might be a bit obscure. In either case, I doubt the Eagles will pick too many of these guys, confounding us as they sometimes do, but it'd be an interesting training camp if they did.

Center of Attention
Hank Fraley's rise from obscurity to Super Bowl starter is an inspiring story--as long as you leave the actual Super Bowl game out. It was clear that the middle of the Eagles' O-line was a little soft, so it wouldn't shock me if the team wanted to upgrade the center position. The two top prospects in this draft are Mississippi's Chris Spencer and Michigan's David Baas. Baas could also provide depth at guard, and Spencer has been mentioned in a number of places as one of the best center prospects to come along in years, even though he only switched from guard before last season.

Tackling Dummies
Two DT prospects that many mock drafts from March had the Eagles selecting with either pick #31 or #35 were Wisconsin's Anttaj Hawthorne and Northwestern's Luis Castillo. Then Castillo failed a steroid test and Hawthorne tested positive for marijuana. How far will they fall now? Castillo has attempted to do damage-control by sending a letter to all NFL teams explaining that he only used the drugs to speed his recovery from an elbow injury before the combine, and Northwestern coach Randy Walker claims he never tested positive during his college career. He probably won't fall as much as Hawthorne--what kind of letter could he write? Either way, will the poor judgement both showed keep them from being the kind of "character" guys the Eagles like to draft? If so, they might not pick a tackle until late on Saturday, if not on day two.

Receiving Line
Georgia's Reggie Brown isn't the fastest or tallest receiver in the draft, so he's seen as more of a second-tier guy behind Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams, Troy Williamson, and Mark Clayton, but he's got enough size and speed (and hopefully more smarts) to replace Freddie Mitchell. You could think of him as a value pick like the Colts' Reggie Wayne or Carolina's Keary Colbert were--possibly with more upside than the slower Colbert.

Every draft has a guy with great size and speed that is so raw that he winds up being picked in the middle round, like Seattle's Alex Bannister (who's never amounted to much) or Raiders TE Teyo Johnson . Matt Jones has already gone beyond that with scouts' drooling at his potential, but the kid I'm thinking of in this year's draft is Northern Colorado's Vincent Jackson, who has Mike Williams size (6-5, 24o lbs.) and Braylon Edwards speed (4.5) and Billy McMullen's draft prospects (3rd round). I mention McMullen because he's definitely on the edge of getting released, and Jackson would be an intriguing replacement. If Jackson is another small-college player who comes up big, he could be a T.O. replacement in a couple of years. Or he could be another Bannister.

Snap to It
If Virginia's Heath Miller drops to #31, you couldn't fault the Eagles for picking the best tight end prospect in the draft, especially since Chad Lewis and L.J. Smith are recovering from injuries. But if the team doesn't take Miller or Stanford's Alex Smith, there isn't good value at tight end until the middle rounds. What about going after a TE that can long snap? Yes, Mike Bartrum is one of the best, if not the best, long-snapper in the game for some time, but he's almost useless as a receiver. You're basically keeping a third true tight end off the roster for a long-snapper.

But Colorado State's Joel Dreessen and Boston College's Dave Kashetta are two TE prospects that can receive and long snap. Dreessen has a quicker 40 time, but both are the type of lunch-bucket workers with the right intangibles. Who knows if the Birds would be willing to get rid of security blanket Bartrum, though it couldn't hurt to take a flier on one of these two and see how well he snaps and plays. If not, the team could stay local with another mid-round tight end, Lehigh's Adam Bergen.

Back to School
Whether giving Chad Lewis a second chance, or giving Reno Mahe a chance, you know Andy Reid has a soft spot for guys from his alma mater, BYU. So don't be surprised if linebacker Brady Poppinga hears his name as an Eagles selection. He was previously a defensive end, so he could make the team as a backup LB or possibly as a pass rush specialist.

I'll try to get to a few more names before noon tomorrow ...

Why Not Matt Jones?

2005-04-21T22:34:00.000-04:00

Presuming the Eagles don't trade up in the first round of Saturday's draft (with their first two picks), and that's a pretty big presumption considering their past history and plethora of picks, there's divided opinion about whether grabbing Arkansas QB/combine freak Matt Jones is too big a risk at the 31st or 35th pick. After all, while being projected as a wideout or tight end, he's solely been a quarterback at the collegiate level, which means he's never learned routes before, much less blocked. If he can't learn the position he's ultimately slotted into, he becomes another workout-warrior flame-out (insert requisite Mike Mamula mention here).

However, take a look at the handy run-down the Trenton Times ran the other day on the recent history of picks 31 and 35 over the last decade:

"The last 10 picks at No. 31:
1995- Trezelle Jenkins, T, Kansas City; 1996- Alex Van Dyke, WR, Jets; 1997- Rick Terry, DT, Jets; 1998- Leon Bender, DT, Oakland; 1999- Al Wilson, LB, Denver; 2000- Trung Canidate, RB, St. Louis; 2001- Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore; 2002- Robert Thomas, LB, St. Louis; 2003- Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Oakland; 2004- Rashaun Woods, WR, San Francisco.

The last 10 picks at No. 35:
1995- Anthony Cook, DE, Houston; 1996- Mike Alstott, FB, Tampa Bay; 1997- Juan Roque, G, Arizona State; 1998- Tony Parrish, S, Chicago; 1999- Barry Gardner, LB, EAGLES; 2000- John Engleberger, DE, San Francisco; 2001- Alge Crumpler, TE, Atlanta; 2002- Kalimba Edwards, DE, Detroit; 2003- Charles Tillman, CB, Chicago; 2004- Igor Olshansky, DE, San Diego."

As my brother pointed out, picks at #35 have worked out a little better than picks at #31, but in neither case did the majority of picks turn out to be great players. In other words, it's already a bit of a crapshoot at this point in the draft, so why not take the player with a massive amount of upside instead of someone who maxxed out their athletic ability in college and will underwhelm as a pro (Barry Gardner)?

More than that, it's a foregone conclusion that any new receiver the Eagles draft will go through a massive learning curve with the team's offense, lasting two, if not three seasons. Would someone who was a signal caller in college be at that distinct a disadvantage in being able to pick up the nuances of the West Coast offense? An offense, mind you, that has humbled supposedly polished collegiate receivers like Billy McMullen, who'll be lucky to stay with the team in his third season. As has been widely reported by now (here, for instance), the Eagles sent a whole contingent to work out Jones, including bringing new backup QB Mike McMahon to throw to the potential receiver. Maybe they will be ready to roll the dice ...

R Diddy

2005-04-20T12:40:00.000-04:00

If you live in the Philadelphia area, you really owe it to yourself to tune into WIP-AM from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays now that Ray Didinger is back from his post-Super Bowl break to share the air with Glen Macnow. You might know Didinger as an NFL Films analyst or one of the panel on Comcast Sportsnet's pre-game and post-game Eagles coverage (where he's ironically known as "R Diddy"; no king of bling is he). Those of you as old as I am or older may also remember him as a sportswriter for the long-gone Philadelphia Bulletin. (In fact, I learned on last week's broadcast that it was Didinger who coined the famous sentence, "Two thirds of the world is covered by water, the other third is covered by Garry Maddox.")

Whether you know him or not, Didinger's prodigious research and ultra-low-key approach are a healthy tonic from the bombast usually found on the popular AM station. (His partner is most useful in coaxing out little personal details about Didinger's bland life--in the last year, Macnow has gotten him to reveal that he's never finished an entire alcoholic drink and only watched "Seinfeld" one time in his life.) Last week, Didinger suggested that if the Eagles were to trade up in the first round on Saturday, their target could be Erasmus James. He also brought up Georgia wideout Reggie Brown as a "sleeper," in the sense that he has received little press compared to the WRs slated to go in Round 1, even though he should be a second-rounder and apparently impressed at the Senior Bowl.

During the season, Didinger is also essential listening to hear him break down the previous week's Eagles game and the next matchup. Since his job at NFL Films basically involves watching game film, he has greater insight than most local Eagles "experts."

I plan on turning down the volume on ESPN's draft-day coverage and listen to the radio instead; you should, too. (Unfortunately, there's no way to turn the sheen down coming off Mel Kiper Jr.'s super-slicked-back hair.) If you want another opportunity to see him in action this week, he's going to be one of the analysts on Comcast Sportsnet's draft preview on Thursday (tomorrow night) at 9 p.m. (Of course, more on the draft here in the coming days ...)

Travis Henry in Birds' Sights?

2005-04-15T13:47:00.000-04:00

Foxsports.com's Jay Glazer has a source inside the Eagles, and he's not afraid to use it! First, he reported that the team was talking with the Ravens about trading Corey Simon, a deal apparently dead by the time Glazer's scoop hit the 'Net. Now he claims that the Eagles have talked to the Bills about trading a draft pick for disgruntled RB Travis Henry. He says the potential hold-up in the deal would be Henry's contract demands.

Never say never, but this seems to be more of a long shot than the proposed Simon deal for a couple of reasons. First, if Henry wasn't happy about splitting time with Willis McGahee, he won't be too thrilled sharing duties with Brian Westbrook (and Correll Buckhalter, if he's healthy), especially with Andy Reid's strong proclivity to pass more than run. Given that offensive philosophy, there's no reason for the team to offer Henry the lucrative deal he's looking for, especially with the ever-growing headache of the Terrell Owens contract. With a draft pretty deep with running backs, and with mid- and late-round RB picks proving they can contribute (just ask one of the 483 backs who's rushed for a 1,000 yards for the Broncos over the last few years), a younger, cheaper back picked in the middle rounds seems a lot more likely. But keep the tips coming, Jay.

Schedule's Out

2005-04-13T15:34:00.000-04:00

I guess when your team dominates its conference and reaches the Super Bowl, you might not feel particularly daunted by its schedule the following year, which is how I feel looking at the Eagles just-announced 2005 schedule. (The Birds' official Web site breaks it down here.) The two toughest games appear to be the opening Monday night meeting with Atlanta on the road and a matchup with the Chargers at home. Games at Denver and St. Louis may be tough, as well as a home Monday-night tussle with the Seahawks.

But I tend to not to read too much into the schedule at this point. That rematch last year against the Panthers looked like a doozy, but by the time the game was actually played, Carolina was riddled with injuries and a shell of the team that came into the Linc and won the 2003 NFC championship. The Eagles had a harder time coming away with a win against the hapless Browns.

If nothing else, we can look forward to two Monday-night games at home, which will put the city on unofficial holiday on November 14 and December 5.

Honeymoon's Over. Is the Marriage?

2005-04-11T22:06:00.000-04:00

Lo, to be an Eagles fan caught in the middle between Terrell Owens, his new agent Drew Rosenhaus, and their demand for a contract renegotiation, and the stone-faced, hard-assed Eagles front office, which is already leaking that T.O. wasn't quite the model citizen everyone was making him out to be last season.

Things really boil down to the poison pill in the current contract--the $5 million roster bonus in 2006. Would the Eagles pay it to a 33-year-old player, when they show little inclination to give many guarantees to players that age? And ESPN's Sal Paolantonio has the best plan to resolve this impending conflict in his latest online column: Rather than either tearing up the current deal or refusing to make any concession to T.O. at all, how about guaranteeing more of the 2006 salary?

"One suggestion being floated around is that the Eagles would just make some of the 2006 money guaranteed. In other words, no new money, just make sure Owens is going to get the money he was promised when he signed with the team last season."

That might be the simple, logical answer to the problem, but it doesn't come without risks. Three that come to mind: 1) It still has other players like Corey Simon and Brian Westbrook thinking, Why aren't they doing that kind of bending-over-backwards for me; 2) If T.O. re-injures his leg or suffers another bad injury, you're now a lot more on the hook than when you could refuse to tender the roster bonus; and 3) What if even that's not enough for Owens and Rosenhaus?

Risk 3 is the one that not only would scare fans, but also could really turn the public off. In fact, if the Eagles are concerned about making Owens the villain, offering to guarantee more 2006 money puts the figurative ball back in T.O.'s court: Would the gesture be enough for the wideout who talked about his loyalty to his teammates often last year, or would the old me-first guy re-emerge at the most inopportune time?

Stranger things have happened--like the Eagles pursuing Owens in the first place. Hopefully, Paolantonio's final thought reaches Joe Banner:

"Don't be surprised if the Eagles break another rule and find a way to pay him."

(And as if on cue, the Patriots renegotiated Corey Dillon's contract to guarantee him more money in 2006. According to his agent Steven Feldman, ""They stepped up and took care of him, even though he's on the wrong side of 30. This deal allows him to end his career as a Patriot.")

From Famine to Feast

2005-04-05T18:37:00.000-04:00

If you've been bemoaning a lack of Eagles news lately, then the last 24 hours should have satisfied your curiousity. First, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News and Reuben Frank of the Trenton Times disputed (here and here, respectively) that Foxsports.com report yesterday that Corey Simon may be dealt to the Ravens for draft picks (see previous post below) .

Then today, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports that Terrell Owens has dropped his agent and signed up with superagent Drew Rosenhaus in order to renegotiate his deal with the Birds. Yes, the deal that already provided him with a $10.3 million signing bonus just last year. Pasquarelli points out ever-so-delicately: "Whether Eagles management is amenable to revisiting the contract after just one season remains to be seen." Let's see, your notoriously controversial star wideout wants to start a contract squabble while you're working on getting back to the Super Bowl. "Amenable" probably isn't one of the first 300 or 400 words that comes to Andy Reid's mind about the situation. Let's hope Pasquarelli's source is the same one as Foxsports'.

More hopeful news comes from the Delaware County Daily Times (thanks to the Philly.com Eagles forum for the link), which reports that the Eagles brought in Southern Illinois University running back Brandon Jacobs, another tempting size/speed specimen along the lines of Arkansas QB Matt Jones who transferred out of Auburn when he saw Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams ahead of him on the depth chart. Ever seen a 6-foot 4-inch 267-pound running back that can run 4.47 in the 40? Is he a fullback, an H-back, or what? We may find out soon.

Corey Simon to Ravens

2005-04-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

Finally, some Eagles news, though you may or may not think it's good news. Foxsports.com's Jay Glazer is reporting that the Ravens are interested in trading draft picks for Corey Simon. The deal is apparently for a second and third round pick in the next two drafts, and contingent on the Ravens' agreeing to the type of big contract the Eagles aren't interesting in offering Simon. If this rumor were to be true ...

The Eagles would add another first-day pick to their trove of five for this year's draft, which mostly like means trading up, perhaps (surprise) for a defensive tackle to take Simon's place. The only sure first-round DT prospect is Florida State's Travis Johnson, who is leaner than Simon (especially after Simon's weight gain for the 2004 season), but similar in not being a massive run-stuffing tackle. NFL.com's Vic Carucci recently listed him as one of the five hottest players moving up draft boards:

"Excellent workout at Florida State Pro Day lends a great deal of credibility to the first-round status he gained after only one year as a starter for the Seminoles ... Personnel evaluators were blown away by his 4.90 clocking in the 40-yard dash, an extremely fast time for a defensive tackle ... Outstanding pass-rush skills and pursuit ability."

It also suggests that the Birds don't foresee working out any kind of contract extension with Simon, however dim those hopes were previously. According to Glazer, several teams have contacted the team about Simon, so if the Ravens fall through, perhaps another suitor will pony up picks for the franchise-tagged lineman. Obviously, it behooves the team to get something for him now if they can, since other than franchising him again, they'll have an unrestricted free agent on their hands with no chance at such upper-round compensation. A first-round pick as part of the deal would clearly be preferable, but the fact that one's not offered suggests the Eagles' limited leverage at this point.

And finally, it seems that the Ravens are letting bygones be bygones with the whole scenario that we "stole" Terrell Owens from them last off-season. Nothing like a good, available player to stem the flow of bad blood.

I'll be obsessively refreshing the Eagles' home page to report if and when the trade goes down ...

Private Workouts

2005-03-30T11:08:00.000-05:00

We'll have to wait to see whether this will matter come draft day, but NFL.com is reporting that the Eagles have a couple of private workouts set up with Texas A&M WR Terrence Murphy and UNLV LB Adam Seward. Seward is supposedly a "hot" pick moving up draft boards after running sub 4.6 40-yard times at the recent Scouting Combine. Here's more of what NFL.com says about each after his respective Pro Day workout:

"Murphy worked out at the combine. In College Station, he ran the short shuttle in 3.93 seconds, the three-cone drill in 7.08 and the long shuttle in 11.41. He had a 41-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-8 broad jump."

"Seward (6-2¼, 248) probably worked himself into a second-round pick. He just did positional workouts, choosing to stand on his combine numbers, which was unbelieveably fast times (4.56 in the 40-yard dash)."

You can find more info on each from NFLDraftCountdown.com here and here.

Miscellany

2005-03-28T17:13:00.000-05:00

With the main free agent-signing thrust over and the draft still three weeks away, we're definitely in one of the dog-day periods for Eagles coverage (the next coming after the draft and before the june 1 cuts). Still, I'll try to scrape together whatever I can find related to the Birds in the meantime.

1) Pro Football Weekly's Trent Modglin lists the odds for the next Super Bowl winner from Harrah's in Las Vegas. Both the Eagles and the Patriots top the list at 4-1. The next NFC teams are Atlanta and Carolina, both at 12-1. Don't be surprised if the Panthers are indeed back in the hunt, as they were just decimated by injuries and still almost snuck into the playoffs with a late-season rally. Blame the usual Favre-myopia for Green Bay having 15-to-1 odds while Minnesota is 20-to-1. Yes, the Viking lost Randy Moss, but they improved on defense and can grab Mike Williams with their first-round pick to make up for the Moss loss. There's no strong reason not to think the Pats can't defend their title again, and if they somehow slide, there's no strong reason not to think the Eagles won't have the best chance in the NFC to be back in the Bowl.

2) Lest you think those four compensatory picks the Birds grabbed for the upcoming draft for their free agent losses are just late-round throwaways, ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli runs down some of the more notable players drafted with compensatory picks (including Tom Brady and Hines Ward) as well as noting that about 10 percent of the Ravens' roster were compensatory picks. Unfortunately, late-round picks in the Andy Reid have rarely panned out (click here for the team's entire--and often ignominious--draft history), though A.J. Feeley, Dexter Wynn, and Raheem Brock are notable exceptions (even if Brock has made a name playing for the Colts after the Eagles ran out of money to sign him).

3) Last, but certainly not least, Sportingnews.com/Foxsports.com's Dan Pompei mentions the Eagles' success at draft not for immediate need but for future insurance against free agent losses. He's right to assume the Eagles will probably pick an RB early, in part to have someone in place in case the team can't sign Brian Westbrook to a long-term deal before the next off-season. Of course, he can't help but get in a cheap shot at Eagles fans while making his point:

"If the Eagles plan to choose a running back with their first pick in the draft -- say, Florida's Ciatrick Fason -- the Philadelphia riot squad should be notified several picks in advance. Or at the very least, the team's community relations staff should head to the team's draft day party armed with ballistic shields, stun guns and mace, as well as balloons, banners and party mix."

The allusion, of course, is to a group of Eagles fans booing the selection of Donovan McNabb over Ricky Williams in the 1999 draft, an image that we'll never get over (much like booing Santa Claus) if the national media can help it. But we know better. Many, if not most, of us knew a franchise QB was more important than a running back, and cringed when the boos emanated from Madison Square Garden after the pick. Still, we're saddled with the rep that the whole fan base didn't want McNabb, and we'll be reminded of that at every possible occasion. Don't you wish the rest of us got some equal time to refute this? The Santa Claus happened before I was born, and frankly, I don't mind if that got us the surly reputation. But being lumped in with some short-sighted fans continues to irritate me again and again.

Interesting Tidbit

2005-03-23T16:56:00.000-05:00

In his Inside Dish column, Sportingnews.com's Dan Pompeii leads off with a blurb about where that rumor about the Eagles being interested in Plaxico Burress may have started:

"One player who didn't want to see free-agent WR Plaxico Burress sign with the Giants last week was Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. In fact, McNabb gave Burress a plug with Eagles coaches in the hopes Philadelphia would sign the former Steeler.

McNabb and Burress have a long-standing relationship that dates back to their days as basketball players. They also have hung around at Pro Bowls and even spent time together during a game delay caused by an electrical storm last preseason.

Burress and Terrell Owens would have been a dynamic combination for McNabb and the Eagles, and coach Andy Reid was interested in Burress. Reid was not interested in making the kind of financial commitment the Giants made, however."

So the idea that the Birds would have been interested in Burress for maybe a one-year deal might have had some legs after all. While it would have made sense for the Eagles (another big target, insurance if Owens is injured again), it would have made little sense to Burress, which is why he was smart enough to fire his old agent and have his new one make nice with the Giants.

In any event, with so many draft picks in the early rounds, hopefully the Eagles will draft someone another wideout that could start in the slot and work up to being more than a one-dimensional #2 receiver (cough, Pinkston, cough).

Speaking of which, I don't quite get this idea of compensating teams for losing free agents, since they lose them because: a) they don't want them anymore, b) they screwed up their cap space enough so they can't keep them, or c) they're too cheap to match a competing offer. But despite the fact we don't really deserve them, I'm quite happy we received a bunch of them for the upcoming draft. In case you haven't heard, the Eagles snagged four picks for the loss of free agents--one in the fifth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh. Granted, the team hasn't done great drafting in the later rounds overall, but a late-round pick becoming a star happens enough that you can't dismiss these as throwaway picks. Plus, it gives me more reason to watch day two of the draft.

Keith Adams Re-Signs

2005-03-18T12:22:00.000-05:00

The Eagles Web site has just reported that back-up linebacker/special teams ace Keith Adams has re-signed with the team, but only for a single year. The length of the contract is a bit surprising, as he may well have been offered longer deals with other clubs. Nevertheless, it keeps him in the fold, offering the Birds not only a chance to work on a longer-term deal with him--especially if he winds up starting next season--but also to draft an OLB this April and start grooming him in case Adams bolts after the 2005 season.

Mock-ing the Birds

2005-03-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

Since we're drawing about a month away from the 2005 draft, I thought it was time to check again around the Web to see what draft "experts" were predicting for the Eagles' picks. In addition to the selections, I've included any commentary added with the prediction.

Mel Kiper, ESPN.com
1st Round--Jerome Mathis, WR, Hampton
"Played at the Division I-AA level in college but showed at the Gridiron Classic and the combine he belongs with the big boys. He dominated Hampton's playoff game this season and was the best player on the field at the Gridiron thanks to his overall athleticism."

Clark Judge, Sportsline.com
1st Round--Demarcus Ware, DE/OLB, Troy State
"Eagles never pass up quality pass rushers; could become outside linebacker. "

Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com
1st Round--Daryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia
"They need a playmaker on the edge, and Blackstock has that type of ability."

Don Banks, SportsIllustrated.com
1st Round--Demarcus Ware, DE/OLB, Troy State
"The Eagles could still draft receiving help for No. 1 pass-catcher Terrell Owens, but signing Plaxico Burress would also accomplish that goal. Ware is a bit of a project, but could generate some edge rush from DE or LB."

Sportingnews.com
1st Round--Marcus Spears, DE, LSU
(Posted last week; slightly outdated analysis)
"With five Day 1 picks and an extra in the fifth round, the Eagles might trade up for a shot at a top wide receiver such as USC's Mike Williams or Oklahoma's Mark Clayton. If they stay here, they might need to target an end if Derrick Burgess leaves as a free agent. Spears lacks big-time speed but uses his size (6-4, 295) and power to burst into the backfield."

OurLads.com
1st Round--Roddy White, WR, Alabama-Birmingham

NFLDraftCountdown.com
1st Round--Daryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia
"With both Nate Wayne and Ike Reese out of the picture the team certainly needs to rebuild the depth of their linebacking corps so this would be a nice pick for them. Blackstock, who some have compared to Lawrence Taylor, is a tall, rangy and athletic player who excels at blitzing and getting after the quarterback, which would make him a perfect fit in Jim Johnson's scheme. He is far from a polished all-around player but in this situation he would be allowed to develop and only play in situational roles where he will have some success as a 3rd down pass rusher. "

2nd Round--Kevin Burnett, OLB, Tennessee
"A tremendous athlete with range who will add depth to a linebacking corp in great need of it."
2nd Round--Eric Shelton, RB, Louisville
"A solid backup to Brian Westbrook is needed since Correll Buckhalter can't seem to stay healthy."

3rd Round--Terrence Murphy, WR, Texas A&M
"Todd Pinkston is wearing out his welcome and Freddie Mitchell's bark is much worse than his bite."
3rd Round--Corey Webster, CB, LSU
"A tremendous value pick who will help rebuild the depth after losing Taylor and Vincent a year ago."

DraftKing.com
1st Round--Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin

DraftAce.com
1st Round--Barrett Ruud, ILB, Nebraska
"Ruud has excellent size and speed and has been very productive at Nebraska. Even though Trotter is back, he is aging and won't play much more than 2 more years. Ruud can give him a rest, while training under him."

2nd Round--Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma
"The Eagles simply need someone to take pressure off T.O."
2nd Round--Logan Mankins, G, Fresno State

"Shawn Andrews could move to right tackle with Mankins inside."

Tim Sabatk, ProFootballDraft.com
1st Round--Shawne Merriman, DE/OLB, Maryland
2nd Round--Vernard Morency, RB, Oklahoma State
2nd Round--Lance Mitchell, LB, Oklahoma
3rd Round--Steve Savoy, WR, Utah
3rd Round--Adell Duckett, DE, Texas Tech

InsidetheEagles.com
1st Round--Elton Brown, G, Virginia
"Strong guy with an imposing build. Can pull and lead block with the best of guards. Solid blocker who gets his body in the proper position. A force in the middle."

2nd Round--Channing Crowder, ILB, Florida
2nd Round--Ciatrick Fason, RB, Florida

Under Burress?

2005-03-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

In the where there's smoke, is there fire department, the chatter about former Steelers wideout Plaxico Burress signing with the Eagles continues on. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover continued to report on the latest developments over the weekend (i.e., none) , but more intriguing is Sports Illustrated's Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback column quipping that:

"[Burress'] next step may be a one-year deal with Philadelphia, to position himself better for free agency in 2006. Now there's a bright move. Raise your stock by playing second-fiddle to Terrell Owens and catching 46 balls."

On the surface, none of this adds up. Do the Birds really want to rent Burress for a year when they can draft a wideout to groom for the long-term? If Burress felt upstaged by Hines Ward in Pittsburgh, how's he going to feel being in T.O.'s considerably larger shadow?

Since there's been no official word on the Eagles having any interest in the receiver, the only thing I can surmise, if there is interest, is that the team would want some insurance in case Owens gets injured again or suffers a setback in his current recovery. Burress is already a known quantity and a similarly big target.

Burress fired his agent over the weekend, a wise move considering he walked away from a solid offer from the Giants, as well as refused to make a deal with the Vikings, where he would replace Randy Moss as the main target. Has Burress burned enough bridges that the Eagles would be one of just a limited number of suitors, or can his new superagent Drew Rosenhaus mend things for the petulant receiver?

Mike McMahon Inks 2-Year Deal

2005-03-11T11:43:00.000-05:00

News this morning from the Eagles Web site that former Lions backup QB Mike McMahon has signed a two-year deal with the Birds. As I mentioned in yesterday's post (see below), this signing may signal the end for Koy Detmer as the second-string QB. While Detmer knows the offense well, he isn't as physically gifted as McMahon, who's a couple of inches taller and more mobile.

***************

There's still an air of mystery surrounding J.R. Reed's leg injury, which could be career-threatening. Though the laceration occurred nearly two weeks ago, the Eagles' first statement about it came just yesterday, and, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, that was only because "rumors about Reed's mishap were beginning to circulate among the media." According to the paper, the thinking was that revealing the injury make public the team's need for a backup safety and tip off other teams come draft day.

For what it's worth, Michael Barkann, host of Comcast SportsNet's "Daily News Live" show, said on last night's episode that he had heard Reed was being chased by a dog when he tried to jump over a fence and injured himself. Barkann then made a joke about it immediately after it, so it's difficult to gauge how serious he was about the information, but I haven't seen any details on exactly why Reed was jumping over a fence to begin with.

Mike McMahon to Visit; J.R. Reed Injured

2005-03-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

The Eagles Web site has two pieces of news this afternoon. First, Lions QB (and Rutgers alum) Mike McMahon will be visiting. He would presumably compete with Koy Detmer to be Donovan McNabb's backup. McMahon is more physically gifted than Detmer, but hasn't seen a lot of playing time since Detroit picked Joey Harrington with their first pick of the 2002 draft. In Detroit, McMahon was previously coached by Eagles assistant head coach Marty Mornhinweg, and, as the Birds site points out, has familiarity with the West Coast offense. Signing McMahon could free up a draft pick the Eagles could have spent in the upcoming draft on a rookie QB to groom.

Worse news comes from Tampa, where J.R. Reed severly injured his leg. While jumping over a fence (!), the Eagles backup safety and kick returner cut the back of his knee seriously enough to damage the peroneal nerve, which the Eagles site says “affects the use of his lower leg and foot.” There are no details about the length of rehabilitation Reed would need, but he has already undergone exploratory surgery and is under the care of a Baltimore-based doctor.

Ike Reese Signs with the Falcons

2005-03-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Eagles Web site and with Comcast SportsNet are reporting that Ike Reese has signed a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. No other terms are available. Not only a special teams standout and a fine nickel linebacker, Reese was also one of the more visible and likable Eagles. Will this increase the Birds pressure to re-sign Keith Adams, a similar smallish LB/special teams dynamo? According to Comcast SportsNet, Adams is planning a few upcoming visits to other clubs. When Adams slotted in for Simoneau at outside backer in the playoffs, you got the sense that Adams may have more of a future with the team than Reese did, but we'll see how it plays out over the next few days.

We'll Call You

2005-03-09T09:35:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Plaxico Burress' agent is claiming the Eagles as having potential interest in the free-agent WR. The Philadelphia Daily News reports that the rumor surfaced on the NFL Network, but that the Birds brass has no official comment. The Trenton Times confirms that the team hasn't been the party expressing interest:

"According to a team source, Burress' agent, Michael Harrison, called the Eagles; the Eagles did not call Harrison.

It would not be a stretch to think the agent is using the Eagles' name to get more money for his client, who has - surprisingly - gotten very little interest."

Given Burress' inconsistency and problem-child rep entering the league, it may not be so surprising based on his salary demands--including a $10 million signing bonus, according to the Daily News. Of course, the idea of another huge target for Donovan McNabb to throw will have fans salivating, but I'm not sure Burress would be happy feeling even more like was a second option than he was with Hines Ward in Pittsburgh. What the team really needs is a better slot receiver than Freddie Mitchell, which could come for much cheaper via other free agents or from a draft pick.

Though he cancelled a visit on Monday to the Giants due to the flu, according to his agent, Burress is supposed to meet with them today. That team needs a high-profile wideout much more than the Eagles, so it'll be interesting to see if those sides can hammer out a deal.

Bell Now Not Tolling?

2005-03-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover is now reporting that Kendrell Bell will not be paying a visit to the Linc tonight, now that Jeremiah Trotter is back in the fold. Apparently thinking Trotter would sign with the Chiefs, the team had called Bell as its backup plan, but that plan is no longer needed, Brookover writes.

Also according to Brookover, it appears Trotter finally decided to return during a second physical exam with the Bengals--perhaps he sensed concerns about his knees were going to dog him throughout visits with other teams.

Trotter Signs!!!

2005-03-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

Not many details, but the Eagles Web site has announced that Trotter has come to terms with the team on a five-year deal. Updates when available. Will Kendrell Bell still visit (see immediate post below) and, if so, would he be considered as an outside linebacker possibility? Again, if I hear anything, I'll post it.

[[UPDATE]]

ESPN.com's Len Pasquerelli has more details on the signing:

"Trotter tested the unrestricted free agent market for three days, visited with the Kansas City Chiefs and drew interest from at least two other teams, and then Friday afternoon rejected a more lucrative proposal to go back to the Eagles, a team for which he has a strong passion.

Sources close to Trotter acknowledged that it would have taken a tremendous offer to pry him away from the Eagles. On Thursday night, Trotter spoke by phone with Eagles coach Andy Reid, and that all but sealed his return.

The seven-year veteran will sign a five-year contract worth $15 million and including a signing bonus of $4 million....

Trotter was actually visiting with Cincinnati Bengals officials on Friday when he made up his mind to accept the Philadelphia offer."

That must have been some pitch the Bengals were making...

Ringing the Bell?

2005-03-04T09:32:00.000-05:00

While Jeremiah Trotter has met with the Chiefs and may visit elsewhere, it appears the Eagles have started planning for a Trot-less future. According to Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles beat writer Bob Brookover, the Birds plan to have Steelers' LB Kendrell Bell in for a visit today. Bell had a groin injury for most of the 2004 season, but that appears to be of potentially less concern to the Birds than Trotter's knees. History suggests that once a free agent visit Philadelphia, he doesn't usually leave without being signed. If that's the case, the Eagles may be indicating a shift in its philosophy regarding the linebacker spot. The received wisdom is that the team values the linebacker position less than other positions and, in the past, has tended to see 'backers as interchangeable parts. Trotter's impact on the Eagles run defense last year, however, may have jolted the brass out of that reasoning. Bell is similarly sized to Trotter--i.e., much bigger than Mark Simoneau--and, if healthy, could perform comparably. So another day of endlessly checking and rechecking the Eagles Web site...

Brookover's article also mentions that the team is beginning negotiations with Keith Adams about re-signing with the team. Whereas the higher profile Ike Reese has had several teams contact him about visiting, according to Reuben Frank, I haven't heard of any other visits that Adams has planned yet. Perhaps Friday, then, will bring more exciting news than yesterday, when backups Correll Buckhalter and Hugh Douglas's re-signings were announced.

Correll Buckhalter Re-signs

2005-03-02T16:53:00.000-05:00

After a day of visiting the Eagles Web site upwards of 20 times, I've finally spotted some news--though details aren't provided, the team has announced that it's re-signed RB Correll Buckhalter. With two severe injuries in the span of three years, Buckhalter had little market value, so the move makes sense on his end. I imagine the deal was an inexpensive one for the Birds, who get some depth at running back if he comes back from his latest. I doubt this would prevent the team from drafting a back fairly high in April, since Brian Westbrook's other backfield mates are either near retirement (Dorsey Levens) or negligible talents (Reno Mahe, Eric McCoo). I'll keep hitting the refresh button on my Web browser so you won't have to...

No Signs

2005-03-02T09:42:00.000-05:00

That eerie silence coming from the Linc means that the Eagles inked none of their own free agents before the midnight deadline when they hit the free market. The screams coming from the rest of Eagles country indicate the displeasure and anxiety over the fact that the Birds and Jeremiah Trotter didn't agree to terms and, as the Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen puts it, "When Eagles starters become free agents, sometimes talks continue, but the team doesn't tend to dramatically boost its offers." The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover is equally ominous: "The Eagles have tried for two days to get in touch with [Trotter's agent Jimmy] Sexton, but as of 8 o'clock last night the agent had not returned their phone calls." (However, Mark Eckel of the Trenton Times counters that "there were serious talks with linebackers Jeremiah Trotter and Keith Adams throughout the day and into the night"; the Burlington County Times' Reuben Frank also reports that talks were continuing yesterday.)

In other words, Trotter very well may be gone--again. Bowen speculates as to why the team brass isn't as enamored with the MLB as many fans are:

"But Eagles officials never have seemed as emphatic as their fans about the difference between Trotter and Mark Simoneau, the 2003 starting middle linebacker who was moved to the weakside at midseason to get Trotter back into the lineup. When assessing Trotter's value, they note that he doesn't play on passing downs, and that he suffered a serious knee injury playing for the Redskins in 2002."

I'm still really puzzled by what the Eagles officials see in Simoneau, who barely seems effective on either running or passing downs, getting engulfed by blockers too easily and often fooled on play action. He may know the defense better than Trotter, but he sure doesn't play better in it.

If Trotter does get away, Bowen mentions the speculation that the Eagles may go after Ravens' linebacker Edgerton Hartwell or select an inside linebacker high in the draft. They would at least be addressing the position while steering away from Trotter's past knee problems. But if the defense winds up without a different middle linebacker than Simoneau come opening day, there's a lot of explaining that will need to be done.

(Incidentally, Mike Labinjo has some definite promise, as he showed himself to always be around the ball in the preseason and when activated and put on special teams late in the season, but whether that can translate into him competing for a starting job remains to be seen.)

A Bright Sign for Next Season

2005-02-28T11:47:00.000-05:00

Just in case you forgot why, pre-injury, Shawn Andrews was able to slot in as a starting right guard as a rookie and have ESPN's Chris Mortensen predict before last season even started that Andrews would already be a Pro Bowler by season's end, here's an encouraging tidbit from the Scouting Combine blog of Pro Football Weekly's Mike Wilkening:

"[Georgia DE David] Pollack on memories of watching film of then-Arkansas OT Shawn Andrews, a 2004 first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles: 'He was just taking people and moving them off the camera screen.'”

Getting a Little Drafty in Here

2005-02-20T17:40:00.000-05:00

One good thing about having your team play in the Super Bowl--aside from winning it, obviously--is that it gives you an extra two weeks to delay obsessing about the offseason. But obsess we now must, because Phillies spring training and Sixers basketball ain't gonna keep us happy through to the draft.

Speaking of which, I've been compiling a list of recent mock drafts from all sorts of football sites to see what these "pundits" think about the Eagles 31st pick in the first round. None deals with the very real possibility the braintrust will package this pick with the second round pick from Miami received for A.J. Feely and move up, so such early prognostications must always be taken with a large grain of salt.

With Freddie Mitchell unable to walk his talk, the most common pick is another first-round wideout:

Consensus Draft Services
Troy Williamson, South Carolina

Andy Egyud, Fantasy Football Toolbox
Williamson

Mel Kiper, ESPN.com
Reggie Brown, Georgia

The Prez, ProFootballDraft.com
Brown

The player picked by three draftniks (Heard's Football Report, NFL Post, Scouts Inc), however, is Wisconsin DT Antaaj Hawthorne. Even with Corey Simon being franchised, picking a tackle early is a wise idea to groom in case Simon leaves after next season and to add another fresh body into Jim Johnson's defensive line rotation. (Paul Grasmanis, after all, was largely ineffectual in the little playing time he had last season.)

A couple of sites (Football's Future, Draft Daddy) saw the problems the interior OL had handling the Patriots' up-the-gut blitzes and have forecast the Birds selecting Virginia guard Elton Brown. Another pair (About.com, NFL Draft Showcase) chose Kevin Burnett, an outside linebacker from Tennessee, with the idea that Nate Wayne has played himself out of a job. Of course, Keith Adams may have already played himself into that job with his fine performance in the NFC Championship Game, and since the organization wasted a second-round pick on Quinton Caver in 2001, it may be reluctant to use a first-rounder on a linebacker.

NFL Draft Showcase actually made picks for all of the draft selections known thus far (so not including the third round pick for John Welbourne or any compensatory picks), and they weren't off-base in terms of the general team needs that could be addressed. In addition to Burnett, the site then had the following picks:

Round 2 (via Miami)--Eric Shelton, RB, Louisville
Round 2--Reggie Brown, WR, Georgia
Round 3--Andrew Walker, QB, Arizona
Round 4--Lynn McGruder, DT, Oklahoma
Round 4--Aaron Francisco, FS, BYU
Round 5--Matt Jones, TE/WR, Arkansas
Round 5--Chris Carty, DE, Virginia
Round 7--Maurice Lloyd, OLB, Connecticut

I'm not convinced the Eagles would draft a QB in the third round, or that they need another safety. But getting the bruising Shelton and Brown, who excelled at the Senior Bowl, would be a successful first day, indeed. Jones was a quarterback at Arkansas, but is attempting to switch to being a huge wideout or perhaps a tight end. In any event, these picks make a little more sense than DraftAce.com predicting that the first round selection would be cornerback Bryant McFadden from Florida State. With Rod Hood performing decently as the nickel back last year and with the jury still out on Matt Ware and Dexter Wynn, last year's CB picks, I don't foresee another first rounder being used on a DB.

At the end of the day, all the prognostications won't mean anything, but they're fun to mull over until April, so I'll try to keep abreast of them as the combine comes and goes.

Rankling Ranking

2005-02-16T21:17:00.000-05:00

Apparently at the urging of his editors, Sportsline.com's Pete Prisco has already posted his first Power Rankings for the 2005 NFL season. Never too early to drum up some arguments, I suppose, and by putting the Colts at number 2 and the Eagles number 3 (the Pats are obviously at the top of the list), he's going to get one here. So let's see: a team that could muster only three points against the Pats in the playoffs and has just one defensive standout in Dwight Feeney is rated higher than a team that scored 21 points against the same Pats team, had the defending champs on the ropes, and has an actual playoff-caliber defense?

I suppose one part of Prisco's reasoning is the Eagles play in a dreadful conference, but, really now, a competitive, if not thrilling, Super Bowl should have laid that train of thought to rest. I suspect, however, that this is yet-another case of Peyton Manning myopia at work here. Yes, the Colts have a fantastic offense, especially when they play indoors and aren't roughed up in the slightest, but when Prisco suggests that "The main goal of the offseason will be to improve the defense. They have to add more players on that side of the ball somehow" and you know he could have trotted that advice out for each of the last few Colts offseasons, you wonder how he could have put them ahead of the Birds, much less the Steelers. I guess come next January the blinders will get yanked off yet again.

FredEx Deliver Yourself Out of Town

2005-02-15T19:36:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Sam Donnellon appears to have lost his mind, arguing today that the Eagles should keep Freddie Mitchell around as a "nice backup plan."

He bases his opinion on Mitchell's five-catch performance against the Vikings in the playoffs, along with his pushing the pile during Dorsey Levens' TD run in the NFC Championship Game and the pick he set during the Super Bowl to set T.O. off on a big gain.

Of course, while Mitchell was part of the pile moving Levens, it was Jermaine Mayberry who actually got the back into the end zone, and the Eagles were lucky a penalty wasn't called on Mitchell for setting that pick. And Mitchell followed up his five-catch game with two catches against the Falcons and one in the Super Bowl. Practically on one leg, Owens had more receptions and yards in one playoff game than Mitchell had on three.

Donnellon acts like its week two of the season and Owens just got hurt in the first game. Sure, Mitchell is better than what's on the waiver wire during the season, but now that it's the offseason, you can't tell me he's the best option for next year. Clearly the players don't, which is why the Eagles at the Pro Bowl were hanging around Mushin Mohammad. The Burlington County Times' Reuben Frank thinks Greg Lewis may have already passed Mitchell as the Birds' third receiver. And several draftniks are already predicting that this year's first-round pick will be a wideout (more on this tomorrow).

I was once a Freddie supporter, and even thought he deserved to see the ball more often. But I'm sure I'm not the only one jumping off the bandwagon since his absurd comments before the Super Bowl. (And he shows no signs of stopping, even basically giving Peter King his Monday column this week.) More than that, it's obvious that he doesn't have the confidence of his QB, which means it doesn't matter how much talent he thinks he has, he's going to be remembered in this town for his mouth and the play that this blog is named after. And not for being a nice backup plan to T.O.

Green Giants

2005-02-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

Not that any Eagles fan would shed a tear for our rivals several exits up the New Jersey Turnpike, but George Vescey's piece in yesterday New York Times [registration required] focuses on the Giants' envy of its NFC East foes and their lucrative stadium deals. According to John Mara, the Giants' executive vice president:

"We've been pushing for a new stadium for years ... We are in an old building with an unfavorable lease. We are slipping toward the bottom quartile in the league."

"We need to keep up with the Joneses, the Snyders, the Luries," he added, referring to the owners in Dallas, Washington and Philadelphia. "The three teams in our division are all in the top quartile."

The key issue, of course, is more luxury box revenue, which the Giants currently have to split with the Jets and the New Jersey sports authority. What may be most galling to those of us who watch games from the upper level of the Linc, however, is Vescey's point that

Shrimp and white wine in luxury boxes have become my classic examples of all that is wrong with contemporary sports.

Free story idea for the Philadephia Inquirer or Daily News for next season: Send a reporter to watch a game in one of the Linc's luxury boxes. While the rest of us are dealing with the escalators that don't work and ordering beer, a pretzel, and a sausage sandwich at halftime, how is the other half enjoying the game? Amid the inevitable football neophytes in the boxes, are there hardcore fans? If so, how do they justify to themselves watching a game with accommodations the Queen of England might receive for catching an afternoon match at Wimbledon?

Just wondering.

Franchise Opportunities

2005-02-11T19:39:00.000-05:00

For only the second time, the Eagles have used the franchise tag on a potential free agent. Corey Simon's reaction is a lot cheerier than when the Birds tried to hang the tag on Jeremiah Trotter a couple of years ago, but what are the long-term ramifications of the move?

According to Len Pasquerelli's article on ESPN.com, teams have increasingly used the franchise designation as a way to trade players rather than let them sign with another team and get nothing back in the process. It doesn't seem likely that the Eagles would trade Simon, especially since this year's draft class is weak in terms of first-round defensive tackle talent. Jim Johnson appears to be happy with his tackle rotation, so this seems like a "it ain't broke, so don't fix it" move, as Pro Football Weekly's Jeff Reynolds breaks down.

While Reynolds seems to think the Eagles will sign Simon to a long-term deal, I'm not convinced that they want to pay him Kris Jenkins or Shaun Rogers money. The difference between the signing bonus the Eagles offered Simon in 2003--$7 million--and Roger's $12.5-million is significant, and there's no sense the Eagles value the position or Simon enough to make that kind of commitment. Simon is a very good player, but he's not a consistently dominant one and isn't a stud against the run. (In fact, there were times this past season when the Hollis Thomas/Sam Rayburn tandem outperformed Simon and Darwin Walker.)

I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles grab a DT somewhere in the draft in the hopes he and Rayburn can develop enough to minimize the loss of letting Simon go after the 2005 season. (Even though the $5 million against next year's salary cap is a significant one for a cap-obsessed front office.)

NFL Draft in Philadelphia?

2005-02-11T10:24:00.000-05:00

According to this article in today's New York Times [registration required], the NFL may consider bringing the 2005 draft to Philadelphia, its original home:

[N.F.L. spokesman Greg] Aiello said the league was also looking at Philadelphia, the city which held the first N.F.L. draft in 1936 and whose team, the Eagles, have advanced to four consecutive National Football Conference title games and last Sunday's Super Bowl.

"One of the attractive features about Philadelphia is that this is our 70th draft coming up and that is where the first one was held, so there is an interesting historical angle," Aiello said. "Since it is close to New York, logistically, it wouldn't be too burdensome."

That's the potential good news. The potential bad news is a thousand more replays of what happens when you turn Philly fans loose at a draft--the booing of Donovan McNabb's selection by a group of myopic Ricky Williams fans that has impugned the reputation of the rest of us who weren't so short-sighted and knew we needed a franchise QB. Man, aren't you sick of being associated with that event? I know I am.

The move is related to the Jets' fight with Cablevision over the proposed new Jets stadium on the west side of New York, nearly adjacent to Madison Square Garden, the draft's previous home. As owner of the Garden, Cablevision is attempting to buy the nearby parcel of land on which the Jets hope to build a new field, which is also part of New York City's plan for snagging the 2012 Summer Olympics. I'm sure the Wachovia Center would be a fine replacement ...

Super Bowl Postmortem III

2005-02-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

A couple of more things about the Super Bowl, and then let's never speak of it again. (Right)

Great instant replay on the telecast of Tom Brady's face before he threw the first TD pass. You see him making his reads and then his eyes widen considerably when he sees David Givens open on the far side of the end zone. Sometimes, Fox, you don't need to stick a camera in the ground to get revealing shots.

(BTW, no excuse for Lito Shephard leaving his man on that play. Another example of why Sheldon Brown should have made the Pro Bowl over Shephard.)

Think Donovan McNabb missed Chad Lewis on Sunday? Other than being a great story for the media before the game, Jeff Thomason's most notable contribution to the Eagles' effort was getting called for a holding penalty during a return.

Super Bowl Postmortem II

2005-02-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

A few more random thoughts and observations from Sunday's game...

One thing I wasn't aware of--and I don't recall the Fox announcers mentioning--was that the Pats mostly played a 4-3 defense, instead of their usual 3-4, though in retrospect, it may explain why I noticed Tra Thomas being unable to block Roosevelt Colvin when the Eagles ran Westbrook on a sweep left. With Thomas unable to seal off the edge, Westbrook couldn't turn the corner. Why they kept trying to run the play to that side instead of the right side behind better run blockers, I don't know. The switch to the 4-3 is one of many examples of Bill Belichick's smart coaching: The Birds know they have trouble with the 3-4, probably practice against it for two weeks, then the Pats come out in a 4-3 and completely ruin everything the Eagles had prepared.

As I mentioned in a previous post, there was a concern that the Pats could go with four wideouts, spreading the Eagles defense out and forcing Trotter out of the middle, which is precisely what happened, according to this piece from ESPN.com's John Clayton (a.k.a. the last person you'd ever expect to be a football reporter based on his looks).

Peter King made the following odd comment in his Monday Morning QB piece on SI.com while naming T.O. his Offensive Player of the Week: "Say whatever you want about the guy's off-the-field actions; on the field he was a champion." Unless King defines off-the-field as the area just beyond the endzone where he's performed some of his notorious touchdown, Owens hasn't had any problematic off-the-field actions. Perhaps he's confusing him with Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, or one of the other players who actually has had off-the-field problems, because that comment is otherwise way off base.

At least King then goes on to back up Owens' assertion that while he worked his butt off to rehab for the Super Bowl, he was labeled selfish for being a distraction when "If it was Brett Favre doing this, they would have called him a warrior." Nevertheless, King's a little behind the times on seeing this type of blatant double standard. (See here and here.)

Super Bowl Postmortem

2005-02-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

My biggest fear last night was that the Patriots would get the ball first, drive down the field and score, then McNabb would throw a pick that would be returned for a TD, and we'd be down 14-0. Instead, not only did the Birds score first, but the defense managed to keep the Pats from converting the first two turnovers into points (though the first Harrison INT possibly prevented three or seven points from being put up on our half of the scoreboard). But then we all know what happened after that. Here's what I saw and have been mulling over for the last several hours.

The game will mostly be remembered by Eagles fans for the already famous bizarre time "management" shown in the last few minutes. With 5+ minutes left, I can understand huddling up a couple of times to make sure you convert first downs and start mounting a drive, but I'm sure I wasn't the only fan instinctly windmilling my arm around at the 4-minute mark, exhorting them to hurry up. Likewise, for every good throw McNabb made--like the laser that crossed just between two defenders to reach Westbrook for the second TD--he threw a pick. In fact, those two facets of the game have been a hallmark of the Birds' offense in many big games--questionable gameday coaching and a turnover-shy QB making bad throws.

But equally odd to me was the decision not to have someone back for the punt return with a minute left. I suppose the Eagles logic was that having Westbrook back would just make the Pats kick it out of bounds, so it was better to hope for a touchback. Of course, the worst thing happened, as Josh Miller was able to pin us back inside the five. So instead of forcing Miller to corner kick it, or even kick it to Westbrook (doubtful, but the Giants did it last year...) or Sheppard, we get let him boot it down the middle and get a good bounce.

More puzzling to me was Jim Johnson's decision to blitz as much as he did. With Brady's quick release, a blitz has to be immediately successful or you're leaving guys open in the middle of the field for him to hit, which happened all game long. Once you see that the O-line is handling your blitzes, you need to go to alternatives, like hoping your front four can pick up some coverage sacks or showing blitz and then pulling off it. In fact, as Troy Aikman pointed out on Fox's telecast, Michael Lewis had one effective blitz after Brady thought Trotter was blitzing and changed the protection to pick him up. Instead, Trotter dropped back and Lewis wasn't picked up.

Lewis did a delayed blitz on the play that put the Pats inside the five before their X touchdown. Rarely have I seen a delayed blitz work for the Eagles when the D back has to start several yards away from the line, and against Brady, that's just a waste of a man. Lewis could have just walked off to the sidelines instead. In short, showing the blitz, making Brady change protection and routes, then dropping the faux blitzers back into coverage would (in theory, at least) have seemed more sensible.

More broodings later...

Last-minute Positive Thinking

2005-02-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

I'm probably one of five people left in the Delaware Valley who still thinks the Eagles will win. (I'm thinking 27-13. Sorry, I know, I'm a terrible person.) But with a little more than two hours before game time, I'm going to try to stay positive and list a few things that the Eagles need to do to pull the upset.

1) No turnovers. Yes, it's a cliche that if you win the turnover battle, you win the game. It's also a cliche to say cliches are cliches for a reason--they're usually true. Nonetheless, this is a game where if the Birds turn it over more than once, they're in trouble. Early turnovers, in fact, are usually the quickest way to a Super Bowl rout. Though McNabb is excellent at not throwing many picks, we gotta hope he doesn't get confused into a couple INTs or get stripped when he's under pressure in the pocket. It'll be even tougher to get a turnover or two from the Pats, but if the D can do that, things will be looking much more positive.

2) Run the ball. Though the Pats shut down Jerome Bettis last week, he's not the same type of runner as Westbrook and we all know running the ball a lot isn't part of Coach Reid's M.O. Still, mixing runs in, especially when the field is spread, could work against the 3-4 and make play action a lot easier. Of course, the Pats may do the same thing on offense--go four wide and run Dillon in a Trotter-less middle.

3) D plays a perfect game. Brian Dawkins has talked a lot about the Eagles defense being disrepected, etc. and many "experts" do think the Birds can't play the run at all. But the monkey won't come off their back until they stop Dillon for a whole game, don't bite on play fakes, keep the Pats to three points instead of seven in the red zone, and get pressure on Brady without having to sell out completely. In other words if they play like a championship defense, it may be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

4) Big special teams play. With the Pats' coverage units among the league's bottom, a huge return--like, say, a Westbrook punt return for a TD--could be crucial in a game where there may not be a lot of points scored. Remember Desmond Howard? Aside from winning the Heisman, you remember him for that great Super Bowl--and not much else.

If the Patriots don't turn the ball over, we have to play a perfect game to beat them. You hope and expect nothing less from your team in the Super Bowl.

E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!

These Are Actual Pro Personnel Men?

2005-02-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Don't get too excited if you go to the Sports Illustrated Web site, and see "Scout's Take: Super Bowl." You might think you will get some real insight from the "veteran pro personnel" men (an NFC one scouting the Birds, and an AFC one to look at the Pats); instead, you'll get treated to gems like:

"It's important for the Eagles to get Brian Westbrook involved. He had a great season and he's a big part of things for them."

"With Richard Seymour back, the Patriots have one more lineman who can stop the run."

"I wouldn't want to be Freddie Mitchell on Sunday ... I've got a feeling he's going to pay the price if he goes over the middle. Rodney Harrison will hit him. "

Maybe it's easier to get a scouting job than I thought.

Don't Totally Discount Owens

2005-02-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Sportsline's Clark Judge really goes out on a limb predicting three players who are key to the Eagles' success tomorrow--Westbrook, McNabb, and Kearse. Wow, that must have taken a good three or four seconds to come up with those choices. He also goes the conventional wisdom route that the Pats won't have to worry too much about T.O., especially since they dealt with Hines Ward and Marvin Harrison before in the playoffs. Of course, neither receiver is anything like T.O.--Ward being a possession receiver and Harrison being smaller and usually pushed around by the Pats secondary.

But what if those two or three catches everyone thinks T.O. gets turn out to be big plays? What if he isn't a mere decoy, sucks up the pain, and can play effectively in his limited role? Yes, it may be a bit of wishful thinking, but I also doubt Owens is seriously planning on just being a decoy. Then again, I'm not sure the Pats should take Terry Bradshaw's advice to "double up" and "go over the top" too seriously (should anyone ever take Bradshaw's advice too seriously?): It's one thing to give Owens his respect, another to start out double teaming him and taking resources away from watching 100-percent healthy players like Westbrook. Hopefully, Owens will be able to cause trouble early, forcing that kind of attention.

King for a Day

2005-02-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

Several places, including here, are reporting the firing of sportswriter Ken Powers from the Worchester, Ma. Telegram & Gazette for plagiarizing an online column of Sports Illustrated's Peter King. King apparently attempted to intercede for Powers with Powers' editors, but they had found several others incidents of Powers' plagiarism. Boston Sports Media Watch has analyzed some of them here--while some of their examples appear to be splitting hairs on rather generic writing, there are some doozies, like this one:

""Vrabel forms own curtain with Patriots" By Tom Reed of the Akron Beacon Journal, January 22, 2005.
"Vrabel: Pittsburgh's loss is Patriots' gain" By Ken Powers, January 23rd, 2005.

Reed: The Steelers coach liked Vrabel's intensity, work ethic and savvy, but said he wasn't the right fit at the right time.

Powers: The Steelers coach liked Vrabel's intensity, work ethic and savvy, but said he wasn't the right fit at the right time. "

Oops. Apparently Powers was ordered home from the Super Bowl for the paper's investigation. Which means there are now just 637, 846 more people in Jacksonville than it can hold.

Refuting Don Banks

2005-02-04T15:52:00.000-05:00

SI.com's Don Banks provides his 10 reasons why the Pats will rout the Eagles. While some are valid, some others are equally nearsighted. Let's refute some of them, shall we...

10. He says the Pats know how to put teams away evidenced by their average margin of victory in the playoffs is "a whopping 15.5 points per game." Yes, that's right, a whopping .5 point per game more than the Eagles.

8. He says the Pats protect the ball evidenced by their zero turnovers so far in the playoffs. He omits the fact that the Eagles, themselves, have had only one turnover in the playoffs (FredEx's fumble against the Vikings).

6. He says Tom Brady can handle the blitz, falling into the same trap that so many others do in talking about how Jim Johnson loves to blitz. The Eagles blitz far less than most people think they do. Not only that, but when they do blitz, they are not the "bring the house" type blitzes most people envision, rather they typically only bring one or two (at the most). Johnson's genius is in disguising the blitz, bringing from different angles and overloading areas, so that those left in the secondary are not left as vulnerable as most teams who blitz are.

5. He says this is New England's best running team in their Super Bowl run, touting the Corey Dillon upgrade. I have no objection to this...just would like to throw out there the fact that the Eagles stuffed the number one rushing team in the NFL two weaks ago, which everyone seems to be conveniently forgetting.

4. He says the Pats have too many weapons to concentrate on. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, its almost become required for announcers to marvel at the fact that McNabb completes passes to 8-9 different receivers each game.

Paul Domowitch Breaks Down the Super Bowl Matchup

2005-02-04T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Philadelphia Daily News' football guru Paul Domowitch does his own lineup breakdown and game prediction here. Unlike Dr. Z, Domowitch doesn't expect much from Greg Lewis, thinking the Pats safeties will play deep. Then again, if the Eagles WRs can keep the safeties playing deep, it gives L.J. Smith and Brian Westbrook more room to manuever in the the middle. The Pats LBs are probably quick enough to frustrate the Eagles' short-range passes in the middle of the field, but Smith and Westbrook may be able to beat them if they run deeper routes that rely on their pure speed advantage rather than quickness.

Dr. Z Breaks Down the Lineups

2005-02-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

Good ol' Dr. Z goes through the Pats and Birds lineups and picks position by position. No big surprises, though he gives the nod to more Pats players than Eagles on offense (7-3-2) than defense (6-5-1)--a bit odd, given the Birds' offensive prowess this year. And though he claims he hasn't seen Corey Simon exhibit this year the burst defensive line coach Tommy Brasher claims he has, Dr. Z may not have been watching the last few games, when Simon has playedsignificantly better (perhaps finally healed from nagging injuries dogging him for most of the season).

But he mentions two things that should give Eagles some hope. First, he says to watch Greg Lewis as a deep threat. I agree: If he can catch a couple of deep balls like he did in the Championship Game, that's an encouraging sign. He also cites the difference in punt coverage stats--the Eagles have yielded under 7 yards per punt return, but the Pats gave up nearly 12 yards per punt return in the regular season and almost 14 per in the playoffs. Another reason that Brian Westbrook will probably return punts on Sunday.

Quick Thinking Isn't Always Right

2005-02-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

ESPN.com's Page 2 writer Jeff Merron interviews Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink, a book devoted to exploring the wisdom of instinctual decision making. When asked what he would advise Andy Reid to do on Sunday, Gladwell suggest running the no-huddle offense:

"Andy Reid has to know that Belichick has an edge when he can calmly and deliberately plot his next move. But does he still have an advantage when he and his players have to make decisions on the spur of the moment? I'd tell Andy Reid to go no-huddle at random, unpredictable points during the game -- to throw Belichick out of his comfort zone."

Unfortunately, as I suggested yesterday, I think it's far more likely that the Pats would go no-huddle to keep Jim Johnson from substituting D-linemen and dictating tempo. In fact, I can't think of a team less likely to go no-huddle than the Eagles, as evidenced by the fact that I don't think I've ever seen the Birds go no-huddle under Reid outside of two-minute situations since he's been here. If they do go no-huddle on Sunday, I'll do something crazy like wear some spandex bicycle shorts.

I'm not convinced that going no-huddle would throw the Pats and Belichick out of the comfort zone, anyway, especially since the Colts basically run a no-huddle with Peyton Manning--and you've seen how well that works out for them against Belichick. His success, after all, is in no small part due to the fact that he throws other teams out of their comfort zones better than anybody.

Worst...game...ever

2005-02-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

Before getting to today's serious game analysis, here's a Washington Post article (registration required) on the resurgence in electric football. Despite QBs that get sacked even further back than Michael Vick does and RBs that spin around and around and around in circles, people apparently still like to play this thing.

Like everyone else, I had one when I was nine--the Steelers/Rams version from Super Bowl XIV, and my greatest moment was hitting John Stallworth deep with a bomb, just like in that Super Bowl. In fact, I think that's the only good moment of electric football I can remember.

I'll take Mattel's second version of its handheld football game (the green one) or Super Toe instead, thanks.

PFW on Pats air attack vs. Eagles D

2005-02-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

Thank god we're getting closer to game time and some actual analysis of the game. Pro Football Weekly's Jeff Reynolds breaks down how the Pats passing game will deal with the Eagles D. The short answer--pretty well. Why?

1) The Eagles pass rush could be neutralized by Brady's quick release, along with some TE help on Kearse. LB blitzes can leave TEs open as hot receivers.

2) Lito Shephard is more vulnerable than his Pro Bowl nod suggests. As many people have noted, Sheldon Brown really had the better year, despite Shephard's highlight reel interceptions. You barely see Brown during the game? That tells you a lot about how often the ball gets thrown his way.

Now, as Reynolds points out, the Pats did give up 26 sacks this year, so the protection isn't always airtight. In addition, Corey Simon has said elsewhere (I'll try and find the link) that the Eagles D-line is already concentrating on blocking passes, knowing that Brady will take short drops and unload.

There are two more troubling things to me than the Pats' short passing in and of itself. First, if the Birds can't stop Dillon, they become susceptible to some big play-action plays. Second, I've been kept awake at night the last week or so wondering if Charlie Weis will attack another of the Eagles strengths--the rotation of defensive lineman to keep them fresh--by going no huddle.

Again, it's a case of the Eagles being able to handle whatever new wrinkles the Pats present them. You can be exacting and meticulous in your game planning, but those plans fly out the window if the opposition throws you something you don't expect and you're slow to adjust. The inability to make gameday adjustments has been Coach Reid's Achilles heel in the past, so here's hoping the Birds can get out to an early lead and be able to dictate tempo right away.

Related Link

Happy to be here

2005-02-02T15:13:00.000-05:00

Amid all the rhetoric flying around this week, with reporters trying "out-angle" each other, its instructive to remember that none of it will mean anything come 6:18 on Sunday. However, there seems to be a common wisdom among many covering this event (particularly those who forecast the Eagles' demise) that the Eagles appear to be a team that is "just happy to be there." Here's why I believe this information is even less pertinent than the other crap we are forced to read. One. why wouldn't they be happy to be there? They are playing a GAME, knowing all the world will be watching; a GAME they are fortunate to play as a means of making a living; a GAME most of them have dreamt of playing since Pop Warner. Second, if the didn't look happy to be there and took a totally business-like approach, those same writers would fill up their columns with descriptions of how tight the Eagles look, as if Andy Reid had morphed (read: gastric bypassed) into Dick Vermeil. Finally, that happy to be there sentiment fails to take into account what people in the Philadelphia area have come to learn about this team over the past season...that this is their personality. Donovan, Hugh Douglas, Hollis Thomas, just to name a few, are jovial personalities. Yes, amazing as it sounds to those who marvel at the drone-like efficiency of the Patriots, Tim Duncan and Tiger Woods, among others, it is possible to combine winning and fun.

Well, duh

2005-02-02T14:51:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't know it already, John Clayton gives us an urgent bulletin that the Eagles are really, really good at handling the salary cap. Meanwhile, Len Pasquarelli lets us know that there should be no talk about the Birds being a dynasty. (BTW, nice cheap shot at players' intelligence, Len, when you write, "Some of the Eagles players may not know the definition of oxymoron, but they understand that, in the NFL, there really is no such thing as second best.")

Oh well, now fewer than 100 more hours of reading this stuff until kickoff.

NFL.com article on McNabb and Pats D

2005-02-02T13:36:00.000-05:00

Good piece from Vic Carucci on the NFL's official site concerning what I think is one of the keys to Sunday's game--McNabb having to deal with the Pats' defensive trickery. As he points out, the Patriots' success last year against the Birds came in part by the defense being able to force McNabb (and the offense) into a huge number of turnovers.

While the good news seems to be that the Eagles have the extra week of prep time to study more film, you know Belichick is going to create new looks that the Birds haven't seen on tape before. What I think goes more in the Eagles' favor is that Coach Reid is always looking to stay aggressive and throw downfield--unlike the Colts in their playoff game in Foxboro. Carolina was able to keep last year's Super Bowl close by going deep, even with Ty Law in the lineup.

Super Bowl history suggests early turnovers can turn a game ugly really quickly. While McNabb's M.O. has always been to limit picks, he's forced a few when in pressure-packed situations. My thinking is if the Birds don't turn the ball over more than once, they can keep the game close.

1st Down

2005-02-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

With the Eagles in the Super Bowl for only the second time ever, now seems to be as good a time as any to start a blog devoted to our favorite team. My brother and I are both lifelong fans and season ticket holders, and since we can't seem to find many clearinghouses for all things Eagles, we figured we'd start one up.

Since we're now a little more than 100 hours away from kickoff, we have a lot of time to overthink this game and so do countless reporters in Jacksonville. So we're just start linking away on any stories that aren't about Jeff Thomason's construction work and other pointless media hype.

(BTW, if we keep this thing up, we'll find a way to change the color scheme on this template.)