***Official 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Thread*** (2 Viewers)

[CiscoKid]

2 different eras. When Vermeil was here there was no salary cap or free agency. Vermeil never had the opportunity to go out and get a player like Jon Runyan or Assante Samuel for free. And when most teams were tight to the cap, it was even easier for the Eagles to go out and get pretty much whoever they wanted. I'm sure the Eagles under Reid would still be good as they have drafted well, but they have also been aided by the way that they have managed the cap and free agency.

Fixed. A big reason that the Eagles were in the position to get those players over some other clubs is because of the way that they have managed their cap over other teams - I realize that the point you were trying to make is that the eras aren't really apples to apples, but I still think you have to give them their due with regards to bringing in talent by the way they've managed the cap.

 

[JaxBill]

Question for the locals - Is there any talk of the pension rule changes that caused the Colts to lose top assistants possibly affecting Jim Johnson?

 

[zadok]

Question for the locals - Is there any talk of the pension rule changes that caused the Colts to lose top assistants possibly affecting Jim Johnson?

Haven't heard anything like that. Only 9 teams have pulled out of the plan so far, the Eagles are not among them (nor are the Colts, fwiw).

 

[loose circuits]

It's been frustrating for sure, but we're in a real good position to take this thing this year.

I've always been extremely optimistic this time of year and it usually carries through to the beginning of the season. This year more than most I am anticipating a quality SB run.All that aside, I think this regime has given Eagles fans so much more to be proud of than any other regime in the past. While we don't yet have any SB wins, we've been perennially in the hunt during the Lurie/Banner/Reid era. I truly believe the Eagles are the poster child for exceptionally run NFL franchises. They are solid in all phases of the business and will continue to bring the fans a quality product for years to come. No matter how much so called fans complain about the FO, you cannot complain about the results. There are many NFL franchises and fans who wish their team was as consistent a winner as the Eagles have been.

I'm not an old-enough timer for part of this response, but I'd disagree in 2 or 3 instances.The Vermeil era was very satisfying after being a doormat for a long time. Also, he was the kind of coach that plays very well in Philly - tireless worker, charismatic, etc.

I know a couple really old-timers who'd tell you the Van Buren era was the high point, and I can't argue with back-to-back titles. When 2 of the 3 franchise titles come from your era - it IS the high point. (Kind of like this is a very good era for the Steelers, but it isn't on par with the '70's)

That '60 championship team was good for exactly 2 years, and won 1 title, but bet the Packers. 1 title, but short peak.

I'm 44 and been a fan for 38 years. As a fan I'm proud of the Eagles championships in the late 40's and the 1960 championship, but I was not privy to being a fan then. I loved the Eagles in the Vermeil era and was happy for him when he won the title in St. Louis. Thing is, Vermeil didn't have nearly as long a consistently winning team as the Reid era has had. Vermeil only had that one true chance to bring a title to the city in 1980. Reid has had 5 chances via Conference Championship appearances.I understand your disagreements, but for me, the current regime is the best I've ever seen.

I agree with you regarding the Vermeil era and was mostly talking about the amount of satisfaction fans had - which was immense. As you know, Vermeil is still on billboards here. If Reid wins a Super Bowl, he will be as well. The current regime has been so good so long without a title, it's getting criticized - kind of like Cowher in Pittsburgh was.The Ryan era was pretty good, so things weren't as bleak when Reid came to town as wehn Vermeil did.

Do you forget about Doug Pederson, Rich Kotite, Rodney Peete, and Ray Rhodes not to mention the legendary QB in Bobby Hoying?

 

[renesauz]

Do you forget about Doug Pederson, Rich Kotite, Rodney Peete, and Ray Rhodes not to mention the legendary QB in Bobby Hoying?

:shudder:Be still!

 

[JetMaxx]

This thread has gone down hill quickly since the buzz of the draft wore off. How about some real talk again....

A couple questions I've had since the camp:

What's the deal with Ingram? Flashed bigtime in the post draft camp but what's with the teams removing him from their draft board because of his knee? Is it an issue or not? I think the guy is a potential stud but the knee thing scares me.

Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?

No upgrade what so ever to the front seven on defense. Will these guys improve? IMO Cole, Bunkley, Patterson, and Parker/Abirimiri are what they are. As a group they are average/steady at worst, occasional impact game at best. Can the LBs improve in order to make this a dominant front seven? What concerns me is that this is a system defense which can be exposed if JJ is outcoached. Just not enough impact players to make a difference in a big game, i.e. the NFC Championship.

Without even addressing the other questions this team has,(QB performance in big games, OL changes, etc), does this team inspire confidence? What will it take to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued this team in years past?

 

[PhillyRocks]

This thread has gone down hill quickly since the buzz of the draft wore off. How about some real talk again....A couple questions I've had since the camp:What's the deal with Ingram? Flashed bigtime in the post draft camp but what's with the teams removing him from their draft board because of his knee? Is it an issue or not? I think the guy is a potential stud but the knee thing scares me.Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?No upgrade what so ever to the front seven on defense. Will these guys improve? IMO Cole, Bunkley, Patterson, and Parker/Abirimiri are what they are. As a group they are average/steady at worst, occasional impact game at best. Can the LBs improve in order to make this a dominant front seven? What concerns me is that this is a system defense which can be exposed if JJ is outcoached. Just not enough impact players to make a difference in a big game, i.e. the NFC Championship.Without even addressing the other questions this team has,(QB performance in big games, OL changes, etc), does this team inspire confidence? What will it take to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued this team in years past?

Just because they didn't play well in the NFCCG doesn't mean that they can be pretty decent. Sometimes teams have bad days and that seemed like one of them. But you also have to realize that Clemens also is apart of that and Abiamiri(sp?) were hurt last year and deserve the right to be seen on the field. Gocong needs to continue his improvement. Bradley and Jordan look like good football players. This LB crew is the best Reid has had IMO.

 

[renesauz]

Breaking down the individual questions:

1: What's the deal with Ingram? Flashed bigtime in the post draft camp but what's with the teams removing him from their draft board because of his knee? Is it an issue or not? I think the guy is a potential stud but the knee thing scares me.

2: Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?

3: No upgrade what so ever to the front seven on defense. Will these guys improve? IMO Cole, Bunkley, Patterson, and Parker/Abirimiri are what they are. As a group they are average/steady at worst, occasional impact game at best.

4: Can the LBs improve in order to make this a dominant front seven? What concerns me is that this is a system defense which can be exposed if JJ is outcoached. Just not enough impact players to make a difference in a big game, i.e. the NFC Championship.

5: Without even addressing the other questions this team has,(QB performance in big games, OL changes, etc), does this team inspire confidence? What will it take to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued this team in years past?

1: Guy missed his entire senior season. That drops any player a ton on draft day. From what I've seen/heard, he may be a better receiver then Celek, but behind him in the blocking area. I've been scratching my head on this selection for a while, since we seemed to lack a blocker, but reports are that Celek has really focused in that area this off-season, so overall we should see an improvement at TE, with a ton of upside potential.2: Yes...and no. He probably isn't physically ready to handle 20 touches per game, so if Westbrook were lost early in the season, for the season, it could raise some issues. But our new FB could be a huge help in this regard. Also, reports are that he's already bulked up into the 210 area, so he may not be as far away physically as you think. My take is that RB wil only be a problem if Westy were to suffer serious (season ending) injury. More good news: Westbrook had surgery to clean out his knee, and reports it feels better then it has in years...swears he's in much better shape then he has been the last couple of seasons.

3: Um...yeah. These guys are all YOUNG...VERY VERY young. Abiamari looked ready to start before an injury last year, and Cole's a beast. The DT's are a terrific YOUNG rotation. The truth is, there was no room on the D-line except for a real stud. There's no realistic reason to expect this group to go backwards, and every reason to think they'll be even better then last year.

4: The system doesn't rely on the LB's to be impact players...it looks for impact from the D-line and CB's...areas Philly is deep in. None of these LB's are rookies anymore, but they're all very young. They should be better then last year just by natural progression.

5: The defense was top 5 last year, and returns 11 starters, MOST OF THEM VERY YOUNG (and presumably still improving). The secondary and the D-line are deep. No reason to expect anything less then a top-5 repeat, and I would expect a few more impact plays from the secondary. The offense was a top 10 last year, putting up a ton of yards and good points, but struggling a bit in SY and RZ efficiency. TE progression and the addition of Weaver should go a long way in helping those, and the addition of dynamic weapons like Maclin and McCoy have to be scaring the bejesus out of the NFC. The O-line was a concern going into the off-season, but has been addressed more then adequately. It could be argued that it's as good as ever, and deeper then most. So...the answer is YES. A perrrenial contender has gotten stronger in almost every regard. I have more confidance in this particular team then in any previous Eagles squad...EVER.

 

[Demian]

Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?

McCoy did have 308 carries and 32 receptions last year, he showed some durability there.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Breaking down the individual questions:

1: What's the deal with Ingram? Flashed bigtime in the post draft camp but what's with the teams removing him from their draft board because of his knee? Is it an issue or not? I think the guy is a potential stud but the knee thing scares me.

2: Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?

3: No upgrade what so ever to the front seven on defense. Will these guys improve? IMO Cole, Bunkley, Patterson, and Parker/Abirimiri are what they are. As a group they are average/steady at worst, occasional impact game at best.

4: Can the LBs improve in order to make this a dominant front seven? What concerns me is that this is a system defense which can be exposed if JJ is outcoached. Just not enough impact players to make a difference in a big game, i.e. the NFC Championship.

5: Without even addressing the other questions this team has,(QB performance in big games, OL changes, etc), does this team inspire confidence? What will it take to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued this team in years past?

1: Guy missed his entire senior season. That drops any player a ton on draft day. From what I've seen/heard, he may be a better receiver then Celek, but behind him in the blocking area. I've been scratching my head on this selection for a while, since we seemed to lack a blocker, but reports are that Celek has really focused in that area this off-season, so overall we should see an improvement at TE, with a ton of upside potential.2: Yes...and no. He probably isn't physically ready to handle 20 touches per game, so if Westbrook were lost early in the season, for the season, it could raise some issues. But our new FB could be a huge help in this regard. Also, reports are that he's already bulked up into the 210 area, so he may not be as far away physically as you think. My take is that RB wil only be a problem if Westy were to suffer serious (season ending) injury. More good news: Westbrook had surgery to clean out his knee, and reports it feels better then it has in years...swears he's in much better shape then he has been the last couple of seasons.

3: Um...yeah. These guys are all YOUNG...VERY VERY young. Abiamari looked ready to start before an injury last year, and Cole's a beast. The DT's are a terrific YOUNG rotation. The truth is, there was no room on the D-line except for a real stud. There's no realistic reason to expect this group to go backwards, and every reason to think they'll be even better then last year.

4: The system doesn't rely on the LB's to be impact players...it looks for impact from the D-line and CB's...areas Philly is deep in. None of these LB's are rookies anymore, but they're all very young. They should be better then last year just by natural progression.

5: The defense was top 5 last year, and returns 11 starters, MOST OF THEM VERY YOUNG (and presumably still improving). The secondary and the D-line are deep. No reason to expect anything less then a top-5 repeat, and I would expect a few more impact plays from the secondary. The offense was a top 10 last year, putting up a ton of yards and good points, but struggling a bit in SY and RZ efficiency. TE progression and the addition of Weaver should go a long way in helping those, and the addition of dynamic weapons like Maclin and McCoy have to be scaring the bejesus out of the NFC. The O-line was a concern going into the off-season, but has been addressed more then adequately. It could be argued that it's as good as ever, and deeper then most. So...the answer is YES. A perrrenial contender has gotten stronger in almost every regard. I have more confidance in this particular team then in any previous Eagles squad...EVER.

I think this team takes a close second to the 2004 team.

 

[stevegamer]

Do you forget about Doug Pederson, Rich Kotite, Rodney Peete, and Ray Rhodes not to mention the legendary QB in Bobby Hoying?

Rhodes was a very good DC, and I note how few defensive players you mentioned in your list of players that were in the suck list - that would be zero.The cupboard wasn't completely bare when Reid arriveduce Staley/Charlie Garner/Chad Lewis/Tra Thomas/Jermaine MayberryHugh Douglas/Jeremiah Trotter/William Thomas/Troy Vincent/Bobby Taylor/Al Harris/Brian DawkinsAlso Pederson was NOT here when Reid was hired, he was brought in to provide someone hwo knew the offense for McNabb.You should really take a look at how bad the early-70's Eagles were, although they also had some OL & a chunk of a defense taht would become good, plus Carmichael.

 

[gonzobill5]

McCoy weighs 210 just like Iverson is 6'0"

I'm being cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. I love the moves they made, but I'm not 100% sure that they will pay immediate dividends.

The offensive line was upgraded but it could take time for them to learn to play together as a cohesive unit. That is something we haven't had to worry about in awhile. I can't remember where I read it, but there was a study done on the number of games an OL had played together and the number of wins a team had.

Maclin has talent, but we might only see it on special teams this year. Remember, he's not coming out of a WC style offense like DeSean was, so he could take time.

I also think McCoy will take time to develop. From what I hear, he needs to learn to block, and the Booker trade told us that if you can't block you won't see the field. Adding him and Weaver put them in a better position if Westbrook misses a lot of time than we were in last year - but it's not like we can say that if Westy gets hurt the offense won't skip a beat. Last year Westbrook managed to play through a lot of pain which at least enabled us to keep defenses honest.

Overall, I'd expect another playoff run next year, but I can't say that they've underachieved if they don't win a Superbowl.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Allow me to answer these based on what I heard, via Leonard Weaver on Sirius NFL Radio:

This thread has gone down hill quickly since the buzz of the draft wore off. How about some real talk again....

A couple questions I've had since the camp:

What's the deal with Ingram? Flashed bigtime in the post draft camp but what's with the teams removing him from their draft board because of his knee? Is it an issue or not? I think the guy is a potential stud but the knee thing scares me.

"Ingram lit it up in the OTA. Impressive hands." - WeaverFrom me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

Is McCoy ready to be the primary backup to Westbrook on a contending team? He's only 20 yrs old and some reports say that he's not mature in his body just yet. Very talented guy but can he be counted on to last the season if called upon?

Again, Weaver said that he flashed a lot of skill. Good hands and good cutting ability. Made a great / impressive cut during one OTA that made Weaver take note.Aside from McCoy and Weaver, the cupboard is nearly bare - so yes, he will be used. Ten touches a week is not much to ask from him at all.

No upgrade what so ever to the front seven on defense. Will these guys improve? IMO Cole, Bunkley, Patterson, and Parker/Abirimiri are what they are. As a group they are average/steady at worst, occasional impact game at best. Can the LBs improve in order to make this a dominant front seven? What concerns me is that this is a system defense which can be exposed if JJ is outcoached. Just not enough impact players to make a difference in a big game, i.e. the NFC Championship.

That's one of my concerns - great offensive draft, but will the front 7 of the D be good enough?

Without even addressing the other questions this team has,(QB performance in big games, OL changes, etc), does this team inspire confidence? What will it take to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued this team in years past?

I think it is them vs. the Giants for the division. The defense coming together and playing well for JJ will be a key thing to watch - but they are young and the secondary is probably the deepest in the NFL. I count 6-7 DBs that are Top 75-80 DBs in the league. Asante, Sheldon, Hobbs, Sean Jones, Mikell, Demps and Macho. That's a great list.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

 

[JetMaxx]

Seems pretty accurate to me. The Eagles have questions going in that weren't entirely addressed which corresponds with years past. Hopefully they will be able to overcome them.

 

[Slider]

Leonard Weaver on Sirius sounded like a very good studious football player. He also called every person they asked him about "great". I certainly wouldn't use his football opinion of anyone. They're all great.

 

[Jason Wood]

From me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

I'm certainly hoping Ingram is the real deal. But I'm not sure about the bolded part good buddy.Jason Witten not a WCO

Antonio Gates not a WCO

Tony Gonzalez not a WCO

Chris Cooley not a WCO

Kellen Winslow not a WCO [in Cleveland]

Dallas Clark not a WCO

Greg Olsen not a WCO

Zach Miller not a WCO

Dustin Keller not a WCO

Bo Scaife not a WCO

Heath Miller not a WCO

Anthony Fasano not a WCO

Todd Heap not a WCO

Jeremy Shockey not WCO

Taking a look at our own consensus TE rankings, only two of the projected top 10 are WCO TEs: Owen Daniels (7th) and John Carlson (9th).

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

From me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

I'm certainly hoping Ingram is the real deal. But I'm not sure about the bolded part good buddy.Jason Witten not a WCO

Antonio Gates not a WCO

Tony Gonzalez not a WCO

Chris Cooley not a WCO

Kellen Winslow not a WCO [in Cleveland]

Dallas Clark not a WCO

Greg Olsen not a WCO

Zach Miller not a WCO

Dustin Keller not a WCO

Bo Scaife not a WCO

Heath Miller not a WCO

Anthony Fasano not a WCO

Todd Heap not a WCO

Jeremy Shockey not WCO

Taking a look at our own consensus TE rankings, only two of the projected top 10 are WCO TEs: Owen Daniels (7th) and John Carlson (9th).

True - but who is running a true WCO?Don't believe the consensus though - Ingram's a Dynasty play for sure.

Just remember the RZ issues and the need for a big target. They tried Avant and Baskett because they don't have a go-to TE. I believe that they now do.

 

[CiscoKid]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trading for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

 

[LTsharks]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trading for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

This is something they definitely need to pay attention to, but nothing to worry about now. You have to figure there will be plenty of veteran RBs around late in the summer. Just look at Denver, there will be a couple bodies coming out of there. They have already done the most important part of addressing this situation - they added a quality player in the draft. If need be, they can get more depth later.

 

[gonzobill5]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trad?ing for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

This is something they definitely need to pay attention to, but nothing to worry about now. You have to figure there will be plenty of veteran RBs around late in the summer. Just look at Denver, there will be a couple bodies coming out of there. They have already done the most important part of addressing this situation - they added a quality player in the draft. If need be, they can get more depth later.

If Buckhalter was the guy cut, would they bring him back? The only reason I don't think the Eagles make a move for a veteran RB is because they don't usually carry too many rb's and they have a lot on their roster. I'd also be shocked if they cut Booker after only one year.

 

[Jason Wood]

From me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

I'm certainly hoping Ingram is the real deal. But I'm not sure about the bolded part good buddy.Jason Witten not a WCO

Antonio Gates not a WCO

Tony Gonzalez not a WCO

Chris Cooley not a WCO

Kellen Winslow not a WCO [in Cleveland]

Dallas Clark not a WCO

Greg Olsen not a WCO

Zach Miller not a WCO

Dustin Keller not a WCO

Bo Scaife not a WCO

Heath Miller not a WCO

Anthony Fasano not a WCO

Todd Heap not a WCO

Jeremy Shockey not WCO

Taking a look at our own consensus TE rankings, only two of the projected top 10 are WCO TEs: Owen Daniels (7th) and John Carlson (9th).

True - but who is running a true WCO?Don't believe the consensus though - Ingram's a Dynasty play for sure.

Just remember the RZ issues and the need for a big target. They tried Avant and Baskett because they don't have a go-to TE. I believe that they now do.

I don't disagree that Ingram could be a beast down the line:A) He's uber athletic

B) The Eagles are really good at getting value by drafting guys who fell b/c of college injury

C) The Eagles throw a ton

D) Brent Celek is, at his best, an average option

I was just wondering why you framed it as though being in the WCO was a deciding factor. Most of the great fantasy TEs aren't in WCOs, but that doesn't mean you can't be a dominant TE in an WCO.

 

[CiscoKid]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trad?ing for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

This is something they definitely need to pay attention to, but nothing to worry about now. You have to figure there will be plenty of veteran RBs around late in the summer. Just look at Denver, there will be a couple bodies coming out of there. They have already done the most important part of addressing this situation - they added a quality player in the draft. If need be, they can get more depth later.

If Buckhalter was the guy cut, would they bring him back? The only reason I don't think the Eagles make a move for a veteran RB is because they don't usually carry too many rb's and they have a lot on their roster. I'd also be shocked if they cut Booker after only one year.

I was thinking that about Buckhalter as well. According to Rotoworld, though, Denver signed Buck to a 4 year, 10 million a year deal with 1.8 guaranteed, so if they did cut him it would be like just giving him 1.8 million for nothing - I'd be surprised if they did that, but then again some of Denver's recent moves don't seem to make much sense so I guess anything is possible. Here's the RB's listed on their roster:Buckhalter, Correll RB ACT 6'0" 217 10/6/1978 9 Nebraska

Arrington, J.J. RB ACT 5'9" 212 1/23/1983 5 California

Moore, Kestahn RB ACT 5'10" 207 4/13/1987 0 Florida

Moreno, Knowshon RB UDF 5'11" 217 7/16/1987 0 Georgia

23 Hall, Andre RB ACT 5'10" 212 8/20/1982 3 South Florida

42 Torain, Ryan RB ACT 6'1" 225 8/10/1986 2 Arizona State

22 Hillis, Peyton RB ACT 6'2" 250 1/21/1986 2 Arkansas

35 Young, Selvin RB ACT 5'11" 215 10/1/1983 3 Texas

Jordan, LaMont RB ACT 5'10" 230 11/11/1978 9 Maryland

They also signed Darius Walker on Friday. My guess would be that Arrington, Moore, Hall and Young will probably be a few of the RB's that get cut loose (and who knows - maybe Torian as well...), but like I said, I don't think anything is for sure with this team.

 

[renesauz]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trad?ing for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

This is something they definitely need to pay attention to, but nothing to worry about now. You have to figure there will be plenty of veteran RBs around late in the summer. Just look at Denver, there will be a couple bodies coming out of there. They have already done the most important part of addressing this situation - they added a quality player in the draft. If need be, they can get more depth later.

If Buckhalter was the guy cut, would they bring him back? The only reason I don't think the Eagles make a move for a veteran RB is because they don't usually carry too many rb's and they have a lot on their roster. I'd also be shocked if they cut Booker after only one year.

I was thinking that about Buckhalter as well. According to Rotoworld, though, Denver signed Buck to a 4 year, 10 million a year deal with 1.8 guaranteed, so if they did cut him it would be like just giving him 1.8 million for nothing - I'd be surprised if they did that, but then again some of Denver's recent moves don't seem to make much sense so I guess anything is possible. Here's the RB's listed on their roster:Buckhalter, Correll RB ACT 6'0" 217 10/6/1978 9 Nebraska

Arrington, J.J. RB ACT 5'9" 212 1/23/1983 5 California

Moore, Kestahn RB ACT 5'10" 207 4/13/1987 0 Florida

Moreno, Knowshon RB UDF 5'11" 217 7/16/1987 0 Georgia

23 Hall, Andre RB ACT 5'10" 212 8/20/1982 3 South Florida

42 Torain, Ryan RB ACT 6'1" 225 8/10/1986 2 Arizona State

22 Hillis, Peyton RB ACT 6'2" 250 1/21/1986 2 Arkansas

35 Young, Selvin RB ACT 5'11" 215 10/1/1983 3 Texas

Jordan, LaMont RB ACT 5'10" 230 11/11/1978 9 Maryland

They also signed Darius Walker on Friday. My guess would be that Arrington, Moore, Hall and Young will probably be a few of the RB's that get cut loose (and who knows - maybe Torian as well...), but like I said, I don't think anything is for sure with this team.

I don't even get this. They have so many that they can't even give any of them adequate work in camp with which to make up their minds on them!

 

[gonzobill5]

Sal Pal must be pissed at the Eagles FO, maybe he had to pay for lunch at the NovaCare Complex. Every team looks to fix the previous year's defiencies. Also if Westbrook goes down, I think they mix up Weaver and McCoy. Also, they don't run the ball anyway. Just though you guys might find this interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...&id=4151263

• If Westbrook gets hurt, as he did last season, who will step in full-time, rookie LeSean McCoy? He's only 198 pounds and cannot handle the blitz. The Eagles have no experienced backup for Westbrook, who turns 30 a week before opening day and is on what Reid acknowledged is very close monitoring to see how his surgically repaired knee responds.I don't think I can totally disagree with that currently - I know Weaver can carry the ball for a bit, but I would not be at all surprised if the Eagles did bring in a seasoned back before the season starts. While McCoy looks talented its going to take him a bit to learn how to block - he's probably not going to be able to do it from day 1. If Booker hasn't made a dramatic improvement from last year, I could certainly see us cutting him loose and bringing in / trad?ing for a halfway serviceable seasoned back. I do think that it'll be addressed, though, if the staff thinks we need to make a move.

This is something they definitely need to pay attention to, but nothing to worry about now. You have to figure there will be plenty of veteran RBs around late in the summer. Just look at Denver, there will be a couple bodies coming out of there. They have already done the most important part of addressing this situation - they added a quality player in the draft. If need be, they can get more depth later.

If Buckhalter was the guy cut, would they bring him back? The only reason I don't think the Eagles make a move for a veteran RB is because they don't usually carry too many rb's and they have a lot on their roster. I'd also be shocked if they cut Booker after only one year.

I was thinking that about Buckhalter as well. According to Rotoworld, though, Denver signed Buck to a 4 year, 10 million a year deal with 1.8 guaranteed, so if they did cut him it would be like just giving him 1.8 million for nothing - I'd be surprised if they did that, but then again some of Denver's recent moves don't seem to make much sense so I guess anything is possible. Here's the RB's listed on their roster:Buckhalter, Correll RB ACT 6'0" 217 10/6/1978 9 Nebraska

Arrington, J.J. RB ACT 5'9" 212 1/23/1983 5 California

Moore, Kestahn RB ACT 5'10" 207 4/13/1987 0 Florida

Moreno, Knowshon RB UDF 5'11" 217 7/16/1987 0 Georgia

23 Hall, Andre RB ACT 5'10" 212 8/20/1982 3 South Florida

42 Torain, Ryan RB ACT 6'1" 225 8/10/1986 2 Arizona State

22 Hillis, Peyton RB ACT 6'2" 250 1/21/1986 2 Arkansas

35 Young, Selvin RB ACT 5'11" 215 10/1/1983 3 Texas

Jordan, LaMont RB ACT 5'10" 230 11/11/1978 9 Maryland

They also signed Darius Walker on Friday. My guess would be that Arrington, Moore, Hall and Young will probably be a few of the RB's that get cut loose (and who knows - maybe Torian as well...), but like I said, I don't think anything is for sure with this team.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Denver has a freaking clue. But for the moment, let's assume they do. Say they wanted to get Arrington as the 3rd down guy, Buckhalter between the tackles, and Jordan for short yardage duties. They planned on cutting young and hall, having hillis play a role as more of an H back, and waiting and seeing if torain was healthy. Then Moreno was staring at them at pick 12 and they couldn't resist. Who's role does he take? It looks to me that Buck is the odd man out. But you're right, that is a lot of $$ to waste. Let's play a different game, which of the above vets would you prefer the Broncos cut so the Eagles can sign? Prior to drafting McCoy and Maclin, I liked what Arrington had to offer. Now I guess I'd lean toward Hillis.

 

[musicman_17046]

Just wanna bump us back to page 1

 

[delusional]

I wouldn't worry about whose gonna get more touches if westy is out, they will bring in a vet once some roster cuts start happening.

 

[LTsharks]

Not sure where things are going to go with Sheldon, but I thought this was a positive

from profootballtalk:

Acting on the advice of former Eagles cornerback Troy Vincent, who was a finalist for the NFL Players Association executive director position that went to DeMaurice Smith, Brown is taking a low-key approach now, according to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.

“I would be very surprised if I saw anything more in the newspapers about it,” Vincent told the Daily News.”When I saw it last year with Lito [sheppard] at this time and as it moved forward, it never surprised me. Because you could see by the tone and by the comments that there was more coming. That it wasn’t going to end. That it was going to go through the entire season. That it would be part of the locker room. I don’t see that this time.”

Vincent advises Brown

 

[Jason Wood]

Not sure where things are going to go with Sheldon, but I thought this was a positive

from profootballtalk:

Acting on the advice of former Eagles cornerback Troy Vincent, who was a finalist for the NFL Players Association executive director position that went to DeMaurice Smith, Brown is taking a low-key approach now, according to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.

“I would be very surprised if I saw anything more in the newspapers about it,” Vincent told the Daily News.”When I saw it last year with Lito [sheppard] at this time and as it moved forward, it never surprised me. Because you could see by the tone and by the comments that there was more coming. That it wasn’t going to end. That it was going to go through the entire season. That it would be part of the locker room. I don’t see that this time.”

Vincent advises Brown

The Eagles showed last year with Lito that they won't cow tow to grandstanding. What's great is the CB position is such an elite premium position [take a look at the monster deals given to average and below average CBs this year in free agency], and yet the Eagles have taken all of Sheldon's leverage away with savvy moves in the last two seasons. Signing Samuel was the big splash, but drafting Ikegwuonu, re-signing Hanson, drafting Macho and the capper, trading for Hobbs, give the Eagles tremendous depth at the position.Don't get me wrong, all things being equal, I would rather a happy and motivated Brown on the 2009 roster. That would give us three starting caliber CBs with a dime CB [Hanson] who would be no worse than the nickel back on almost any team in the league, and would start for some.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Last night, Merrill Hoge said the '09 Eagles will be worse than the '08 Eagles.

Which means that they'll be BETTER than last year. Huzzah!

 

[phillyphan07]

Last night, Merrill Hoge said the '09 Eagles will be worse than the '08 Eagles.Which means that they'll be BETTER than last year. Huzzah!

Is it pretty much accepted that Hoge holds some sort of grudge against the eagles? Is there any reason for that?

 

[phillyphan07]

Story in the AZ republic today that seems to confirm the rumors that the Eagles offered Sheldon Brown and a 3rd for Boldin during the draft...

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/53312

the author says that it was an intentionally low offer by reid so he could keep sheldon but also appease him (by trying to trade him) and the eagles fans (by trying for boldin). The funny thing is I feel like the cards made their demands so high so they could keep boldin but appease him at the same time. I guess it just depends what side of the fence you're on -- or maybe its both...

 

[loose circuits]

From me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

I'm certainly hoping Ingram is the real deal. But I'm not sure about the bolded part good buddy.Jason Witten not a WCO

Antonio Gates not a WCO

Tony Gonzalez not a WCO

Chris Cooley not a WCO

Kellen Winslow not a WCO [in Cleveland]

Dallas Clark not a WCO

Greg Olsen not a WCO

Zach Miller not a WCO

Dustin Keller not a WCO

Bo Scaife not a WCO

Heath Miller not a WCO

Anthony Fasano not a WCO

Todd Heap not a WCO

Jeremy Shockey not WCO

Taking a look at our own consensus TE rankings, only two of the projected top 10 are WCO TEs: Owen Daniels (7th) and John Carlson (9th).

u better tell Jim Zorn, not sure he got the memo

 

[shimtown]

Eagles' Johnson undergoing chemo

Comment Email Print Share

By Sal Paolantonio

ESPN.com

Archive

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is taking a leave of absence.

Johnson is beginning a second round of chemotherapy to deal with cancer that has confined him to a wheel chair.

Johnson won't coach at the upcoming Organized Team Activities, a three day rookie camp beginning Wednesday.

"I told him to take care of himself first, and when he's ready to come back, come back." Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday.

"I'd like to tell you he's great, but he's not. He's struggling right now," said Reid, who said he talks to Johnson every day on the telephone. "I told him, when you feel like it, come back."

Sean McDermott will coach the defense in the interim.

Sal Paolantonio covers the NFL for ESPN.

ESPN link

 

[Jason Wood]

From me, I'm grabbing him in every dynasty rookie draft I can (4 leagues so far, and counting) as I think he could be a Top 10 TE in the near future. Remember, this is a WCO and when the TE is good, the TE shines. My concern is that there is just one ball, and lots of weapons now.

I'm certainly hoping Ingram is the real deal. But I'm not sure about the bolded part good buddy.Jason Witten not a WCO

Antonio Gates not a WCO

Tony Gonzalez not a WCO

Chris Cooley not a WCO

Kellen Winslow not a WCO [in Cleveland]

Dallas Clark not a WCO

Greg Olsen not a WCO

Zach Miller not a WCO

Dustin Keller not a WCO

Bo Scaife not a WCO

Heath Miller not a WCO

Anthony Fasano not a WCO

Todd Heap not a WCO

Jeremy Shockey not WCO

Taking a look at our own consensus TE rankings, only two of the projected top 10 are WCO TEs: Owen Daniels (7th) and John Carlson (9th).

u better tell Jim Zorn, not sure he got the memo

Good catch... He hasn't been a WCO for most of his career, but certainly was last year [and this].

Eagles' Johnson undergoing chemo

Comment Email Print Share

By Sal Paolantonio

ESPN.com

Archive

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is taking a leave of absence.

Johnson is beginning a second round of chemotherapy to deal with cancer that has confined him to a wheel chair.

Johnson won't coach at the upcoming Organized Team Activities, a three day rookie camp beginning Wednesday.

"I told him to take care of himself first, and when he's ready to come back, come back." Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday.

"I'd like to tell you he's great, but he's not. He's struggling right now," said Reid, who said he talks to Johnson every day on the telephone. "I told him, when you feel like it, come back."

Sean McDermott will coach the defense in the interim.

Sal Paolantonio covers the NFL for ESPN.

ESPN link

Very sad news, although not at all unexpected.

 

[CiscoKid]

Eagles' Johnson undergoing chemo

Comment Email Print Share

By Sal Paolantonio

ESPN.com

Archive

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is taking a leave of absence.

Johnson is beginning a second round of chemotherapy to deal with cancer that has confined him to a wheel chair.

Johnson won't coach at the upcoming Organized Team Activities, a three day rookie camp beginning Wednesday.

"I told him to take care of himself first, and when he's ready to come back, come back." Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday.

"I'd like to tell you he's great, but he's not. He's struggling right now," said Reid, who said he talks to Johnson every day on the telephone. "I told him, when you feel like it, come back."

Sean McDermott will coach the defense in the interim.

Sal Paolantonio covers the NFL for ESPN.

ESPN link

Very sad news, although not at all unexpected.

Wow - very sad indeed. I didn't realize that he was in a wheelchair currently. As the article said, he's a fighter, though. Just have to wish him the best and hope for a quick and speedy recovery.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Hopefully Jim Johnson will win his battle with cancer. I guess I hadn't realized that it had gotten that bad. Very sad to hear.

He's been a huge part of Philly's success. If his absence continues into the season, that would certainly seem to be a fairly large negative for the Philadelphia defense. IMO, Johnson is one of the best, if not THE best, defensive coordinator in the league.

 

[renesauz]

Hopefully Jim Johnson will win his battle with cancer. I guess I hadn't realized that it had gotten that bad. Very sad to hear. He's been a huge part of Philly's success. If his absence continues into the season, that would certainly seem to be a fairly large negative for the Philadelphia defense. IMO, Johnson is one of the best, if not THE best, defensive coordinator in the league.

Not sure it will hurt that badly. McDermott has been working under him for a couple years now and has a good grasp of the both the schemes and the personnel. I don't think the D will miss a beat. Heck, it might even be a plus with fresh blood calling the shots.

 

[phillyphan07]

I'm hoping the wheelchair has more to do with the location of the cancer (lower spine) than the severity of the cancer ....

 

[stevegamer]

I'm hoping the wheelchair has more to do with the location of the cancer (lower spine) than the severity of the cancer ....

Spinal cancer is rough no matter the severity.

 

[Deranged Hermit]

My thoughts and prayers are certainly with Jim Johnson and his family. Hopefully he can kick this and be back to the sidelines soon.

I spoke to my friend last night and got really positive feedback on Ingram. His words: "Mark him down for 5-7 TDs this year. The yardage might not be there this season, but he should be in a lot of goal line packages if he plays the way we think he can. "

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

My thoughts and prayers are certainly with Jim Johnson and his family. Hopefully he can kick this and be back to the sidelines soon.I spoke to my friend last night and got really positive feedback on Ingram. His words: "Mark him down for 5-7 TDs this year. The yardage might not be there this season, but he should be in a lot of goal line packages if he plays the way we think he can. "

Lets hope he is the red zone target we have been missing for so long.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

My thoughts and prayers are certainly with Jim Johnson and his family. Hopefully he can kick this and be back to the sidelines soon.

I spoke to my friend last night and got really positive feedback on Ingram. His words: "Mark him down for 5-7 TDs this year. The yardage might not be there this season, but he should be in a lot of goal line packages if he plays the way we think he can. "

Great news. I've grabbed him in nearly every rookie draft I could.Anything from your friend on them passing on Jennings in Round 7? I know he visited.

 

[ultramattman]

Anything from your friend on them passing on Jennings in Round 7? I know he visited.

In a post-draft interview with Spads on the team website, Heckert was asked this by a caller, he said they looked at Jennings and liked him but there were guys on the board they had ranked much higher when they picked. Kind of shrugged it off when he was asked why everyone kept passing on Jennings. The clip is here.

 

[JaxBill]

So are the Eagles really planning to use Macho Harris as a safety? They have him listed as a free safety right now. He's 5-11 187, decent size for a corner, but isn't that a little light for a safety, even a centerfielder? Or are they just listing him at safety and the only time he could play is as a dime corner?

Also, how many DEs are they planning on keeping? Could Clemons and Bryan Smith be fighting for the fifth DE spot? (Assuming Cole, Abiamiri, Howard, Parker are ahead of them).

 

[renesauz]

So are the Eagles really planning to use Macho Harris as a safety? They have him listed as a free safety right now. He's 5-11 187, decent size for a corner, but isn't that a little light for a safety, even a centerfielder? Or are they just listing him at safety and the only time he could play is as a dime corner?Also, how many DEs are they planning on keeping? Could Clemons and Bryan Smith be fighting for the fifth DE spot? (Assuming Cole, Abiamiri, Howard, Parker are ahead of them).

I thought Harris was going to be a utility DB....a deep backup for everybody.They typically keep ten D-lineman. I suspect one might be dealt before camp is over.

 

[shimtown]

philly.com link

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Birds Add Assistant?

The immediate thought following the report by Dallas' WFAA-TV blog about the Eagles hiring former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart as a defensive assistant is that this is more bad news about Jim Johnson's situation. A source close to the situation has confirmed the Dallas blog report, and said that the hiring will be announced next week.

Presumably, Stewart is going to take over the secondary, which Sean McDermott has been trying to run while also filling Johnson's role as defensive coordinator. Johnson has taken an indefinite leave of absence to fight metastasized melanoma.

If the Eagles felt Johnson was close to returning, they wouldn't feel the need to add to the staff; McDermott's helper in the secondary, longtime NFL corner Otis Smith, ran the d-backs last week in rookie camp. The additional hiring, assuming it is true, seems to confirm what has been feared -- that Johnson might not be able to resume his duties this season, if at all.

ESPN.com blogger Matt Mosley points out that Stewart, who lost his job in the fallout from the Cowboys' season-ending 44-6 loss to the host Eagles, has a longstanding connection to Eagles coach Andy Reid.

Mosley writes that Reid and Stewart "have remained close since they were at Northern Arizona together in the mid-1980s. Reid coached the offensive line and Stewart played cornerback. Both men grew up in Los Angeles and spent time at junior colleges in the area."

Posted by Les Bowen @ 5:49 PM

 

[Deranged Hermit]

Just a FYI: Lehigh98 and I are making a push to have a Street Team event at Eagles training camp this year. I already contacted the powers-that-be and we'll let you know any further info when we get it.

 

[Zoomanji]

philly.com link

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Birds Add Assistant?

The immediate thought following the report by Dallas' WFAA-TV blog about the Eagles hiring former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart as a defensive assistant is that this is more bad news about Jim Johnson's situation. A source close to the situation has confirmed the Dallas blog report, and said that the hiring will be announced next week.

Presumably, Stewart is going to take over the secondary, which Sean McDermott has been trying to run while also filling Johnson's role as defensive coordinator. Johnson has taken an indefinite leave of absence to fight metastasized melanoma.

If the Eagles felt Johnson was close to returning, they wouldn't feel the need to add to the staff; McDermott's helper in the secondary, longtime NFL corner Otis Smith, ran the d-backs last week in rookie camp. The additional hiring, assuming it is true, seems to confirm what has been feared -- that Johnson might not be able to resume his duties this season, if at all.

ESPN.com blogger Matt Mosley points out that Stewart, who lost his job in the fallout from the Cowboys' season-ending 44-6 loss to the host Eagles, has a longstanding connection to Eagles coach Andy Reid.

Mosley writes that Reid and Stewart "have remained close since they were at Northern Arizona together in the mid-1980s. Reid coached the offensive line and Stewart played cornerback. Both men grew up in Los Angeles and spent time at junior colleges in the area."

Posted by Les Bowen @ 5:49 PM

I think this is pretty interesting considering he's a 3-4 guy and we have brought in a few undersized DEs over the past couple years. Still would like to maybe see some hybrid 3-4 looks for this team

 

[Deranged Hermit]

philly.com link

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Birds Add Assistant?

The immediate thought following the report by Dallas' WFAA-TV blog about the Eagles hiring former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart as a defensive assistant is that this is more bad news about Jim Johnson's situation. A source close to the situation has confirmed the Dallas blog report, and said that the hiring will be announced next week.

Presumably, Stewart is going to take over the secondary, which Sean McDermott has been trying to run while also filling Johnson's role as defensive coordinator. Johnson has taken an indefinite leave of absence to fight metastasized melanoma.

If the Eagles felt Johnson was close to returning, they wouldn't feel the need to add to the staff; McDermott's helper in the secondary, longtime NFL corner Otis Smith, ran the d-backs last week in rookie camp. The additional hiring, assuming it is true, seems to confirm what has been feared -- that Johnson might not be able to resume his duties this season, if at all.

ESPN.com blogger Matt Mosley points out that Stewart, who lost his job in the fallout from the Cowboys' season-ending 44-6 loss to the host Eagles, has a longstanding connection to Eagles coach Andy Reid.

Mosley writes that Reid and Stewart "have remained close since they were at Northern Arizona together in the mid-1980s. Reid coached the offensive line and Stewart played cornerback. Both men grew up in Los Angeles and spent time at junior colleges in the area."

Posted by Les Bowen @ 5:49 PM

I think this is pretty interesting considering he's a 3-4 guy and we have brought in a few undersized DEs over the past couple years. Still would like to maybe see some hybrid 3-4 looks for this team

I thought we'd see 3-4 more than we did last year too.