No surprises today folks. (The Eagles already did that, releasing Trotter on Monday).
Today the Eagles placed DE Jerome McDougle (triceps), running back Ryan Moats (fractured ankle) and guard Stefan Rodgers (Lis franc) on injured reserve. We all knew those moves were coming. The Eagles then released: kicker E.J. Cochrane (camp leg), wide receivers Dereck Faulkner and Jermaine Jamison (who did have a good catch), tight end Kyle Hunt (no shot), safety Chris Smith and guard Chris White (who?). They have to make one more decision and make the roster 75, and it appears, by all reports that LB Craig Kobel is the guy, he'll either go on I.R. or get cut.
The big cut, the one that hurts, the one to pare down to the 53-man roster occurs next weekend. The Eagles will play their final preseason game Thursday versus the NY Jets and you can be sure that very few regulars will be in there. I doubt we'll see McNabb, and if AR is willing to take out Westbrook after one-play in his traditional "tune-up" game (the recently flubbed Game 3), then I doubt Brian will even bother to put on pads....Other players likewise will be nursed to prevent injury: Kearse, save his knee, Dawk - maybe a series just to break a sweat, L.J. - perhaps, if only to get some timing down, but I doubt it.
I would like to see FA pick-up DT Ian Scott suit up, and it would cool if LaJuan Ramsey could go, as he's nursing a high-ankle sprain - if he can go Thursday then he's ready for Green Bay.
In other news, the Eagles traded veteran QB Kelly Holcomb to the Minnesota Vikings for a future draft pick in 2009. (Some reports had said a 6th rounder in 2008), but the PE.com says differently. Hmmm, well it certainly won't be a high pick, but perhaps its conditional - I could see a pick - based on whether Holcomb earns playing time - ranging from rounds 5-7 (maybe a 5 or but a 6 is more realistic - whoops, some places, like ProFootballTalk are "confirming its a 6th rounder in 2009). I mean at this stage, the only thing you can hope for is a late rounder. Even though teams need back-ups, most teams understood the Eagles weren't going to keep 4 QBs on the roster and if no one had bellied-up-to-the-bar, the Birds would've cut him this weekend...so why trade at all? Well because once Holcomb becomes a FA, there's the possibility of a bidding war (o.k., more like a bidding skirmish), as several teams (hmm, Falcons perhaps) NEED a viable back-up QB, and Holcomb could probably start for a couple of team in the NFL...so trade a pick and pre-empt the other teams.
Next-topic: putting the Championship debate to rest.
Showing posts with label Roster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roster. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Busy Week(s) Ahead
Man, here I was, getting comfy, arising in the morning to watch a little prime-time TV from the East Coast, and taking care of the myriad small things that cropped up in the week I've had since the end of my last project. Life just seems to pile up in a hurry between vet visit, PT test, finding a spare dry day to do the lawn, laundry, etc, etc, etc....
Well, I'm going on order for a little while, so I am going to be even busier, working a fairly routine schedule instead of the flex time I had been doing. (Heck most folks probably didn't even know I was working, just figured I was another unemployed blogger)...
SO, while I will be keeping up with the Birds and watching as some local TV when the opportunity arises, I do not know if I will be blogging daily.
So why not take this time to get a little Eagles talk in...(many, hold on, I had to tune in some ESPN...god I love this Slingbox)...there was some talk today on Philly.com about whether or not so folks are getting a little ahead of themselves in their exuberance about the Birds. Specifically, the Eagles still have a lot of question marks (some defense (at DT, LB) and special teams (who's going to be the return man))...some of the same questions we had last year! and should we getting overly excited about Bunkley, Ramsey, Bradley and Gocong potentially being called on to be prime-time producers....
I will say this: No team can be 100% sure that the players it has on the roster are going to perform to their peak ability, but relying on younger players to seize their opportunity, step-up and take charge is a way of life in the NFL. I mean, take a look at the defending Champs....they lost a slew of defensive players, yet some pundits are still fawning over the Colts off-season because they added some more offensive weapons...Heck, ESPN's Len Pasquarelli just did a piece on the Colts relying on "in-house" replacements this year - yet that hasn't squelched talk of the Colts pulling a Superbowl two-fer.
For the Eagles, there is cause for optimism. Why? Because they have clearly improved their team. Part of the problem last year was a lack of play-making on D, an inability to keep their D-Line rotation going, etc. So lets take a look at what they've done.
A) They've gotten BIGGER. JJ admitted that the Birds were too small last year - something he's never really done before. Did they get massively larger on the D-Line, not really, but the replace some up-n-down players (Walker and Rayburn) with vets who've performed steadier (Reagor and Scott) with their former teams. Factor in the return of Jevon Kearse and the D-Line has a chance to be very good. Remember in the Summer of 2006. A lot of us thought the Eagles D-line would be the strength of the team, perhaps the best they'd assembled since the heyday of Buddy Ryan's Gang Green D. Oops, were we wrong.
B) Then there are the Linebackers...gone is scrub Dhani Jones, and last year's opening day WILL Matt McCoy is definitely on the roster bubble at this point. In comes Takeo Spikes, who simply LOOKS like a LB, and a plan to reduce the pressure on Trotter but getting play-making LB Omar Gaither to sub for him regularly. As far as the SAM LB goes, new guys Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong may or may not be stars-in-waiting. But you know what? It doesn't matter. Jones did nothing last year. Not a single memorable play (but that didn't stop the annoying air banjo'ing). Gocong and Bradley simply cannot do any worse. They're bigger, and while I expect that they'll struggle if called on to play too much coverage, both have the size to help in run support.
More on a reason to be optimistic about the Special Teams later (but I will preface it this way: the improvement has something to do like the lack of player named Mahe...:) jK Reno, we love ya!
Well, I'm going on order for a little while, so I am going to be even busier, working a fairly routine schedule instead of the flex time I had been doing. (Heck most folks probably didn't even know I was working, just figured I was another unemployed blogger)...
SO, while I will be keeping up with the Birds and watching as some local TV when the opportunity arises, I do not know if I will be blogging daily.
So why not take this time to get a little Eagles talk in...(many, hold on, I had to tune in some ESPN...god I love this Slingbox)...there was some talk today on Philly.com about whether or not so folks are getting a little ahead of themselves in their exuberance about the Birds. Specifically, the Eagles still have a lot of question marks (some defense (at DT, LB) and special teams (who's going to be the return man))...some of the same questions we had last year! and should we getting overly excited about Bunkley, Ramsey, Bradley and Gocong potentially being called on to be prime-time producers....
I will say this: No team can be 100% sure that the players it has on the roster are going to perform to their peak ability, but relying on younger players to seize their opportunity, step-up and take charge is a way of life in the NFL. I mean, take a look at the defending Champs....they lost a slew of defensive players, yet some pundits are still fawning over the Colts off-season because they added some more offensive weapons...Heck, ESPN's Len Pasquarelli just did a piece on the Colts relying on "in-house" replacements this year - yet that hasn't squelched talk of the Colts pulling a Superbowl two-fer.
For the Eagles, there is cause for optimism. Why? Because they have clearly improved their team. Part of the problem last year was a lack of play-making on D, an inability to keep their D-Line rotation going, etc. So lets take a look at what they've done.
A) They've gotten BIGGER. JJ admitted that the Birds were too small last year - something he's never really done before. Did they get massively larger on the D-Line, not really, but the replace some up-n-down players (Walker and Rayburn) with vets who've performed steadier (Reagor and Scott) with their former teams. Factor in the return of Jevon Kearse and the D-Line has a chance to be very good. Remember in the Summer of 2006. A lot of us thought the Eagles D-line would be the strength of the team, perhaps the best they'd assembled since the heyday of Buddy Ryan's Gang Green D. Oops, were we wrong.
B) Then there are the Linebackers...gone is scrub Dhani Jones, and last year's opening day WILL Matt McCoy is definitely on the roster bubble at this point. In comes Takeo Spikes, who simply LOOKS like a LB, and a plan to reduce the pressure on Trotter but getting play-making LB Omar Gaither to sub for him regularly. As far as the SAM LB goes, new guys Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong may or may not be stars-in-waiting. But you know what? It doesn't matter. Jones did nothing last year. Not a single memorable play (but that didn't stop the annoying air banjo'ing). Gocong and Bradley simply cannot do any worse. They're bigger, and while I expect that they'll struggle if called on to play too much coverage, both have the size to help in run support.
More on a reason to be optimistic about the Special Teams later (but I will preface it this way: the improvement has something to do like the lack of player named Mahe...:) jK Reno, we love ya!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Thinking Ahead about the Birds
hmm, I've been tossing around a few ideas about what to write about the Eagles.
I think I'll start with some musing about what the roster might look like next year. You see, I understand the reasoning behind the Eagles roster composition last year. But this year things are a little different (no dual-role 3rd TE/Longsnapper, no Reno, an acknowledged need to address glaring depth needs on D to name just a few).
Lets start with the an overlooked item: the loss of TE/LongSnapper Mike Bartrum. Sorry to say the quiet, steady professionalism of our 3rd string TE is probably gone, as Bartrum's injury looks like its going to force him into retirement (at least that was the earl prognosis, and I haven't heard anything positive since). That leaves us with Jon Dorenbos as our Long-snapper, but here's the thing, that is all he does. So we're going to have to retain 3 specialists, Kicker - David Akers, Punter - Rocca or Dirk J. and Dorenbos - Long-snapper. That leaves 50 roster slots open.
How would I break them down/see them shaking out at this point? Well, lets baseline this with two assumptions: the Eagles do not acquire any more veteran players (via trade, FA, etc) and that the Eagles' draft brings them 6 picks (for my basis here: 1 DL, 1 LB, 2 DB, 1 RB, 1 TE)
Now lets begin with the obvious 25 men per side of the ball
Offense:
OL (10) - this assume no draftees, no ufas rising up to make the squad, I think the Eagles could return the same 10 guys as last year and do very well for themselves.
QB (3) - McNabb, AJ, Holcomb (in that order)
RB (3) - Westbrook, Buckhalter, a big young back in the draft (what about Moats?)
FB (1) - Tapeh, or a big young back from the draft
WR (6) - Curtis, Reggie B, Baskett, Avant, GLew, and either Bloom or Bethel Johnson
TE (2) - LJ and Schobel (note the absence of the drafted TE, let it be for now)
Defense
DL (10) - I think 5 DEs & 5 DTs are about right. The Top 8 I expect to see on the roster: Kearse, Howard, Cole and Juqua at DE, Reagor, Patterson, Bunkley and Ramsey at DT. The other two spots are flexible, either could be draft picks and/or some combination of Rayburn, McDougle (I cannot believe I just typed that) or assorted SEPTA turnstiles.
LB (7) - Seven LBs is more than the Eagles normally carry. Still, with the need for depth, I can see them (in a 25/25 set) perhaps making room. 3 guys I fully expect to see in Eagles uniforms (2 guaranteed): Takeo Spikes (g), Jeremiah Trotter, Omar Gaither (g). The other 4 would be made up of: Gocong, Tank Daniels, Matt McCoy, Dhani Jones, draft pick. If we use a decent pick for a LB prospect, the competition at LB during camp will be intense.
DB (8) - I debated a 6 LB/9 DB set for a bit, but figure it this way: 4 S, 4 CB is fairly safe. Since I am predicating this on drafting two DBs, it mean that someone (Joselio Hanson most likely) will be out of a job back there (another reason 9 DBs is a decent way to go).
4 CBs: Lito, Sheldon, Will James are set: drafted CB vs Hanson for #4 slot
4 S: Dawk, Mikell, Considine and drafted S
Roster Squeezes: in this scenario, we have a decent one at the Off Skill Positions: 4 Backs, 6 WRs and 2 TEs wouldn't leave room for any drafted Skill positions other than (potentially) a big back. It mean sayonara Ryan Moats for sure (unless Tapeh gets the ax). I have the Birds carrying 6 WR (last year it was 5, but Mahe was the 5th back/PR). With the KR/PR coming from the WR corps I decided to bump the roster group up to 6. If it stays at 5, I would think that means bad things for Greg Lewis.
Further problems at TE, just 2 TEs seems unrealistic for Andy Reid, but Bartrum was our #3 for years, and I don't think we can trot Dorenbos out there...And if we draft one, like I think we could.....yikes....this is where the squeeze might come into play regarding whether or not we really kept 10 each across the lines. I do realize right now that extra spot is being alotted to the LB Corps, and the Eagles could very well keep just 6 there, but if they do, I think they'd do it to keep 9 DBs....
Anyway, that how I see things panning out at this point. Lots of interesting possibilities with the draft just a few weeks away. Is there anything I've missed?
I think I'll start with some musing about what the roster might look like next year. You see, I understand the reasoning behind the Eagles roster composition last year. But this year things are a little different (no dual-role 3rd TE/Longsnapper, no Reno, an acknowledged need to address glaring depth needs on D to name just a few).
Lets start with the an overlooked item: the loss of TE/LongSnapper Mike Bartrum. Sorry to say the quiet, steady professionalism of our 3rd string TE is probably gone, as Bartrum's injury looks like its going to force him into retirement (at least that was the earl prognosis, and I haven't heard anything positive since). That leaves us with Jon Dorenbos as our Long-snapper, but here's the thing, that is all he does. So we're going to have to retain 3 specialists, Kicker - David Akers, Punter - Rocca or Dirk J. and Dorenbos - Long-snapper. That leaves 50 roster slots open.
How would I break them down/see them shaking out at this point? Well, lets baseline this with two assumptions: the Eagles do not acquire any more veteran players (via trade, FA, etc) and that the Eagles' draft brings them 6 picks (for my basis here: 1 DL, 1 LB, 2 DB, 1 RB, 1 TE)
Now lets begin with the obvious 25 men per side of the ball
Offense:
OL (10) - this assume no draftees, no ufas rising up to make the squad, I think the Eagles could return the same 10 guys as last year and do very well for themselves.
QB (3) - McNabb, AJ, Holcomb (in that order)
RB (3) - Westbrook, Buckhalter, a big young back in the draft (what about Moats?)
FB (1) - Tapeh, or a big young back from the draft
WR (6) - Curtis, Reggie B, Baskett, Avant, GLew, and either Bloom or Bethel Johnson
TE (2) - LJ and Schobel (note the absence of the drafted TE, let it be for now)
Defense
DL (10) - I think 5 DEs & 5 DTs are about right. The Top 8 I expect to see on the roster: Kearse, Howard, Cole and Juqua at DE, Reagor, Patterson, Bunkley and Ramsey at DT. The other two spots are flexible, either could be draft picks and/or some combination of Rayburn, McDougle (I cannot believe I just typed that) or assorted SEPTA turnstiles.
LB (7) - Seven LBs is more than the Eagles normally carry. Still, with the need for depth, I can see them (in a 25/25 set) perhaps making room. 3 guys I fully expect to see in Eagles uniforms (2 guaranteed): Takeo Spikes (g), Jeremiah Trotter, Omar Gaither (g). The other 4 would be made up of: Gocong, Tank Daniels, Matt McCoy, Dhani Jones, draft pick. If we use a decent pick for a LB prospect, the competition at LB during camp will be intense.
DB (8) - I debated a 6 LB/9 DB set for a bit, but figure it this way: 4 S, 4 CB is fairly safe. Since I am predicating this on drafting two DBs, it mean that someone (Joselio Hanson most likely) will be out of a job back there (another reason 9 DBs is a decent way to go).
4 CBs: Lito, Sheldon, Will James are set: drafted CB vs Hanson for #4 slot
4 S: Dawk, Mikell, Considine and drafted S
Roster Squeezes: in this scenario, we have a decent one at the Off Skill Positions: 4 Backs, 6 WRs and 2 TEs wouldn't leave room for any drafted Skill positions other than (potentially) a big back. It mean sayonara Ryan Moats for sure (unless Tapeh gets the ax). I have the Birds carrying 6 WR (last year it was 5, but Mahe was the 5th back/PR). With the KR/PR coming from the WR corps I decided to bump the roster group up to 6. If it stays at 5, I would think that means bad things for Greg Lewis.
Further problems at TE, just 2 TEs seems unrealistic for Andy Reid, but Bartrum was our #3 for years, and I don't think we can trot Dorenbos out there...And if we draft one, like I think we could.....yikes....this is where the squeeze might come into play regarding whether or not we really kept 10 each across the lines. I do realize right now that extra spot is being alotted to the LB Corps, and the Eagles could very well keep just 6 there, but if they do, I think they'd do it to keep 9 DBs....
Anyway, that how I see things panning out at this point. Lots of interesting possibilities with the draft just a few weeks away. Is there anything I've missed?
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Cut Down Day
My first impression of the Eagles moves on cut down day:
- Well well well, I had thought the Eagles would keep 6 WR, instead of their traditional 5 just based on a lack of depth...instead they keep 5 and go with 6 RBs...
- Parry and Fraley traded for draft picks eh? Well that is a typical move...Hicks and Thomas went in draft-day move up deals, and this year was one of the first where the Eagles did NOT have extra picks lying about....Heckert, Reid and Banner LOVE having extra picks come draft day though, and these are moves for the future...you could almost see the writing on the wall when the Front Office signed Fraley's competition to a long-term extension...Parry, well he was a decent blocker, but he couldn't run for sh*t and was ineffective as a pass-catcher (to say the least)...
- Am glad to see Tapeh grab a spot, he got some skills as a runner and he's BIG...
- for all you thinking about plucking a gem out of some other team's garbage - I think the Eagles will look to Tapeh to be the team's "big back"
- Took bad for J.R. Reed, the comeback story of camp, I think if he'd busted some runs and flashed a few field-position-reversing returns, like he did in 2004, he'd have forced his way onto the roster...I still think he's got potential, if anyone gets injured...I think JR's phone could be ringing...
- 10 both on O and D line? That's a lot of dudes to carry up front...I like all the D-linemen, but am a bit surprised at the # of rookies the Eagles kept...McCoy and Cole? you mean on of them wouldn't make it through to the practice squad? They must be good though, cause their play evidently convinced the Front office to git-while-the-gittin'-was-good and trade Fraley (our primary experienced back-up)
- I really thought McCants would make the team, but then again all the speculation about the WR position was predicated on them retaining 6 on the roster...since they're going with 5, those they kept (Stallworth, Brown, Avant, Baskett and Lewis) make sense....
- I did not think the Eagles would keep so many backs...Westbrook, Buckhalter, Moats, Mahe, and Bruce Perry? Plus Tapeh as the FB...I'm just not sold on the utility of keeping both Perry and Mahe...I had thought that Mahe versatility would made him less likely to get cut than Perry, but I didn't think they'd keep them both...perhaps, if they decide to bring in another guy from somewhere, the expendable body will come from this group....
Hmm, what about some the players on other teams who got cut...Keith, the bullet, Adams failed to made the Carolina squad, could he come back...he wouldn't replace rookie LB Gaither, but he could bump STs-maven J. Short and he's been a starter on this club...not a particularly effective one, but he could be valuable reserve...
Please don't bring up Ron Dayne...he's washed up....I'm intrigued by Najeh Davenport, cause when he was healthy he was a load...but I don't think plucking dudes who cannot make the roster on one of the worst teams in the league is a particularly encouraging sign...
Saw World Trade Center last night, will try and get a review out on that too...
- Well well well, I had thought the Eagles would keep 6 WR, instead of their traditional 5 just based on a lack of depth...instead they keep 5 and go with 6 RBs...
- Parry and Fraley traded for draft picks eh? Well that is a typical move...Hicks and Thomas went in draft-day move up deals, and this year was one of the first where the Eagles did NOT have extra picks lying about....Heckert, Reid and Banner LOVE having extra picks come draft day though, and these are moves for the future...you could almost see the writing on the wall when the Front Office signed Fraley's competition to a long-term extension...Parry, well he was a decent blocker, but he couldn't run for sh*t and was ineffective as a pass-catcher (to say the least)...
- Am glad to see Tapeh grab a spot, he got some skills as a runner and he's BIG...
- for all you thinking about plucking a gem out of some other team's garbage - I think the Eagles will look to Tapeh to be the team's "big back"
- Took bad for J.R. Reed, the comeback story of camp, I think if he'd busted some runs and flashed a few field-position-reversing returns, like he did in 2004, he'd have forced his way onto the roster...I still think he's got potential, if anyone gets injured...I think JR's phone could be ringing...
- 10 both on O and D line? That's a lot of dudes to carry up front...I like all the D-linemen, but am a bit surprised at the # of rookies the Eagles kept...McCoy and Cole? you mean on of them wouldn't make it through to the practice squad? They must be good though, cause their play evidently convinced the Front office to git-while-the-gittin'-was-good and trade Fraley (our primary experienced back-up)
- I really thought McCants would make the team, but then again all the speculation about the WR position was predicated on them retaining 6 on the roster...since they're going with 5, those they kept (Stallworth, Brown, Avant, Baskett and Lewis) make sense....
- I did not think the Eagles would keep so many backs...Westbrook, Buckhalter, Moats, Mahe, and Bruce Perry? Plus Tapeh as the FB...I'm just not sold on the utility of keeping both Perry and Mahe...I had thought that Mahe versatility would made him less likely to get cut than Perry, but I didn't think they'd keep them both...perhaps, if they decide to bring in another guy from somewhere, the expendable body will come from this group....
Hmm, what about some the players on other teams who got cut...Keith, the bullet, Adams failed to made the Carolina squad, could he come back...he wouldn't replace rookie LB Gaither, but he could bump STs-maven J. Short and he's been a starter on this club...not a particularly effective one, but he could be valuable reserve...
Please don't bring up Ron Dayne...he's washed up....I'm intrigued by Najeh Davenport, cause when he was healthy he was a load...but I don't think plucking dudes who cannot make the roster on one of the worst teams in the league is a particularly encouraging sign...
Saw World Trade Center last night, will try and get a review out on that too...
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