Nick Cole gets the nod against the Steelers

With All-Pro Right Guard Shawn Andrews still on the shelf with an ankle injury (official reports: High Ankle Sprain) the Eagles have been auditioning just about every back-up lineman they have in his slot. Last year's "6th man" Scott Young played game 1 (granted all of a couple series), last year's 4th round behemoth Max Jean-Gilles played game 2 (and played pretty well), and now, last year's undrafted free agent find Nick Cole has been given the nod to start game 3 with the first unit offense.

Some folks don't know what to make of this. The basic reason: lingering speculation about the status of Shawn Andrews. The team says its a high ankle sprain on his surgically repaired right ankle (an injury he sustained in his rookie year - 2004). Some suspect its worse than that and that Andrews could miss significant time this year (if not all of 2007). I haven't seen the Eagles conduct themselves as if they expect the "Big Kid" to miss the 2007 season, but there are two ways to analyze coach Reid's decision to start Nick Cole at RG this week against the Steelers:

Glass half-empty: It is an indication Big Red realizes the Big Kid is not going to be available to start the season. High ankle sprains (no, not buying into the "he's done!" crapola) are tough injuries, especially for a guy on a repaired ankle who weighs well in excess of 300 lbs...So, with the realization that Andrews could very well miss some meaningful time (September perhaps?) - Andy Reid wants to find the best replacement. Period. End of story. The coaching staff knows what Scott Young can do, they've had a good long look at Max Jean-Gilles, and now they decided its time to give Cole gets his shot.

Glass half-full: Andy Reid expects Andrews will return on time and is not planning on the Big Kid missing half the season or whatever. So, instead of focusing on O-line unit cohesion with a guy who's not going to be in there, AR and Juan Castillo see game 3 as a way to find out what Nick Cole has got. Can he be a starting caliber player? Its a question that needs to be answered. I mean, given injuries, back-up linemen are just like everyone else - one play away from being the starter. This is a chance for the Eagles to find out if a guy they think of as perhaps a deep reserve guy has the chalks to be a starting O-lineman in the NFL, or maybe just a top back-up.

We Eagles fans like to think that we've got one of the deepest, most talented Offensive lines in team history, and certainly one the deepest in the NFL this season. But how did we get that impression? Mostly because we drafted two big linemen in 2006 (and we're lauded for getting them as "steals" when we chose them in the draft) and because two undrafted rookie free agents (Nick Cole and Pat McCoy) made the team. That's it. These guys didn't PLAY last year. Cole got on the field as short-yardage "fullback" (giving new meaning to the term actually) blocker last year, but aside from the "Frig" impersonation, the coaches really didn't see him play along the line.

We've basically anointed the Eagles O-Line as incredibly deep and talented because the coaches selected 5 guys to be the back-ups to a really talented group of STARTERS....Maybe its high time we saw them play before making such a confident declaration.

Bloom and the Eagles Run Game

Lots of stuff on Jeremy Bloom, who has basically been annointed the Eagles return man since Bethel Johnson (who signed a 1-year tender) was cut because he could never get on the field for mini-camps. And if what I've read it any indication, we've made the right choice. Little dribs and drabs from camp saw Bloom has been catching everything that has come his way, and it looks like he's ready to be a football player and not a skier. I tell you, having a guy with a bit of explosiveness back there will be a breath of fresh air after a few years of dependable, but god-awful-slow Reno Mahe....so long as he doesn't fumble....

Now here's a question: Bloom looks good now, but what if he doesn't pan out? I wouldn't go so far as put on him on any sort of "indispensable Eagles" list, but dang, it'll be awful nice if he can stay healthy...

Another thing I've noticed, local writers questioning whether or not the Eagles will remain committed to the run this season. As in, now that Donovan's back, will the coaches forget to run (or in some cases it comes off like, will Donovan be so selfish that he all but demands they go pass-happy again).

Here is how I see it: even with Jeff Garcia in there, the Eagles remained a predominately passing team, they just ran a bit more and found that a better balance really benefited both the run AND the pass by keeping teams honest. Let's not kid ourselves: the Eagles did not suddenly morph into a 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust K.C. or Pittsburgh team. (weird deja vu moment: I dreamt I typed this into my blog months ago, this exact paragraph, heck before Garcia had even left the team....eerie). I hope and expect the Birds to maintain that better balance because of two things: 1) It gets the ball in Westbrook's hands more often, and the Eagles have a really powerful O-line to pave the way and 2) A bit more running will keep defenses honest and not just let them throw caution to the wind and just rush McNabb (AND his knee) pell mell.

And another thing: I think the Eagles will remain a team that passes to get the lead and runs to keep it. In the past, they've passed to get the lead and then sorta gave the run a half-hearted attempt and then resorted to passing again. I think a good mixture early on, in which AR and MM use runs to step up certain passes, will go a long long way to keeping the offense unpredictable and McNabb out of harm's way.

Eagle Talk

Man, after reading Les Bowen's article about Juan Castillo, I've got to say, I wonder if we'd be taking rock-solid offensive lines for granted (like we are) if we didn't have him on the coaching staff. Its weird, after decades of putting up with sub-par offensive lines (and that's being generous) Eagles fans have gotten used to both mass and talent during the Andy Reid era...the notion of the Eagles having ProBowl linemen is no longer a joke (heck with Shawn Andrews, the Eagles may enjoy a Will Shields-type "Perennial ProBowler" for the foreseeable future.).

In other news, Spuds reports that DE Jevon Kearse enters camp at 248 lbs. That's smaller than MLB Jeremiah Trotter....I am not sure what to make of it, truth be told. I mean he's never been massive, but he IS a guy that will drop weight as the season goes along, and I think the coaches need to make sure he gets on a little more bulk over the next 5 weeks before the season starts.

Oh, by the way: the real hitting starts, of course, few are naive enough to believe that the mini-camps are truly "no contact" as advertised, but with the vets in camp, suiting up for the first time, now is the time for fans to get their first glimpse at some real football contact.

Back to Work

Well, I've be hitting the books the next couple of weeks as I prepare myself for a job certification during my Reserve time, so I'll try and make sure I take a little bit of time to make some shorter entries and keep this blog fresh....

First things first:
Transformers rocked! I feared that Michael Bay would ruin it, but it turned out to be an inspired choice, the king of the car chase in a movie featuring "Autobots" (yeah I know that's not what it stands for). Transformers proved to be the perfect vehicle for a dude who likes to blow things up as gigantic fighting robots turned into a perfect excuse to decimate the landscape. Were there flaws? Sure were. But I tell you this, they were easily overlooked/forgiven by the sheer amount of whiz-BANG fun that Bay instilled in the 2 hours and 15 minutes.

In the real world: The Eagles wrapped up the rookie/young guy portion of training camp and all the veterans will report tonight, er, now (as I write this). So the real work begin tomorrow. Trying to read all I can about it and stay in touch with what's going on. I'll provide some impressions of how things are going later on.

Training Camp is Here!

FINALLY!
The drought is over!
Eagles news can flow once again.
Are you psyched? - You should be
Are you hopeful? - damn skippy
Are you still wondering how the the various issues (injuries, rookies, roster spots) surrounding the Birds will play out? you bet

But we'll finally start to get seeing some answers.

Now this has lead to the usually pre-camp/day of opening "what to watch for articles"

Here are a few I found useful:
Ray Diddy's piece for Comcast - I really like what he had to say about Stewart Bradley.
Les Bowen's piece, which doesn't offer much new, except for the fact that he links to Donovan McNabb's BLOG! I'll go check it out after I post this.
And of course the coverage from Eagles.com. Wherein I first read that Andy Reid said during his opening press conference that Donovan will wear a knee brace (as added insurance during camp) but that during the season he expects they won't have it on (that's both a good sign AND a little bit of a risk).

Okay, so now that I've given you some good links, you probably asking, alright dude, but what do YOU think? (and if not, why'd you come here? Both of you, I mean it)...well here are my top issues for the 2007 training camp:

Team-wide: Injuries. Okay so this one is easy, almost too easy. The franchise QB is on the mend from a torn-ACL....and let's face it, no realistic SuperBowl aspirations will be reached if Donovan is not able to come back strong. Can they be a dangerous team with A.J. at QB, sure, they beat a few teams with him, but I'm much less confident about being able to make a legit-run at things with our second-string (not unless the Eagles do a complete 180 and become a running team with a rock-solid D...hmm, don't hold you breath, the 2007 Eagles are not going to transform into the 2005 Steelers during August.)

Its also easy to forget that there are two other key players returning from injury: Jevon Kearse (who its thought might've been able to return, late, late last year {if of course, the Eagles had gone deep enough AND he wasn't already on IR}) So what does that mean? It means Kearse's injury occurred so early into the '06 campaign that he's the farthest along in his rehab. The opposite is true for the final in our injury trio: TE L.J. Smith, who had surgery to repair the dreaded "sports hernia" this off-season. Matter of fact, it looks like L.J. is the only Eagle that will be limited as camp starts (considering that some teams have already lost players to some injuries, etc, its not a bad start).

Other key issues, by department:
Offense - not many big question marks on the offense side of the ball (other than the injuries one I just spent two paragraphs yammering about). Two things strike me:
1. How will our new "big backs" look. If you're like me and lamented the fact that the Eagles didn't really have a large option in the backfield to complement Westbrook then you're also probably juiced about the fact that the Eagles drafted RBs Tony Hunt and Nate "Big Nasti" Ilaoa. NOW, we get to see if these two young guys make any sort of impression. I know it'll just be pre-season games, but I'm telling you, after I get reassured that Donovan is going to be ok, my #1 priority for this TC offense will be watching the running backs.

2. Kevin Curtis. I will also be intrigued by seeing our newest Stormin' Mormon in action. He is, after all, our new "burner", and I tell you, I loved Donte' Stallworth's play last year. I'm hoping Curtis is the same type of performer.

Defense - lots of questions on D but I will limit myself to a few major ones:
My top concern/question mark: with me it all starts on the line. How do the new DTs (Montae Reagor, Ian Scott) mesh into JJ's rotation? Is Broderick Bunkley serious about become a pro football player? Will 2nd rd pick Victor Abiamiri (an impressive young man from Notre Dame) be able to make a dent at DE (he would be our biggest DE, by the way - Kearse, Cole and Juqua Thomas are all slightly smaller fastballs).

2nd of my personal concern list: how will the LB corps evolve over TC. Ok, last year was an unmitigated disaster with the linebackers. We got next to nothing from them last year (No big plays, heck, damn few normal plays), with the lone exception of rookie Omar Gaither (who gave us a glimpse of what other teams LBs tend to do for their teams - some crunching hits, the occasional INT, etc). Now with Takeo Spikes in the nest, Trotter vowing to keep the weight off and come back refreshed and two BRAND new guys likely to compete for time on the strong-side -- Chris Gocong and Stewart Bradley -- how are things going to pan out.

going on down the position chart: we come to Safety. Now the Eagles did NOT use a high round pick to bolster the secondary - something I was damn near SURE they would prior to the draft. (ed. - shows you what YOU know). Will Sean Considine validate the Eagles coaches' faith that he is a starting-caliber safety. He apparently dedicated this off-season to putting on some bulk, so he doesn't get run-over against the run. Besides that: this camp will decide WHO is the Eagles 4th safety. I am sure that Dawkins, Considine and Mikell will be the top 3, who rounds out the group? Draft pick Gaddis (who played both S/CB in college?) probably....there are a LOT of roster question this camp. Competition and nearly every position along the defense is WIDE OPEN.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for more analysis as training camp progresses.

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!

Day 2 - Eagles Get "Nasti"

Ok, the post-QB-selection has begun to wear off, and while I still cannot fathom the logic, I can say this, the Eagles may have mystified the phaithful with their first selection, they did not neglect the team overall.

Day 2 brought four potential players. 2 DBs, 1 TE and 1 FB. With their first pick (5th round) the Eagles selected C.J. Gaddis a CB/S from Clemson. (hmmm, is it too much to ask that the first player we've taken from Clemson since Brian Dawkins could someday be his replacement?). Anyway....

The best news of the day. The Eagles draft Nate Ilaoa, nickname: Nasti, from UH, my former "hometown" school.
Check out these clips.

or this catch and run


If he can translate his game to the NFL, current FB Thomas Tapeh is going to be on the unemployment line....

Simply Indefensible

Try as I might, I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind the Eagles early draft “Strategy” as I use that term very loosely. What’s all the more frustrating is that I woke up at 0100 to watch the frickin’ draft, waited for hours and hours, only to see the Birds blow the big one.

For those of you are unaware a small recap: The Eagles held the #26 pick overall. I believe that with the top 7 DBs all off the board by the time their pick arose, that they decided to trade down. They found a partner in, of all teams, the Dallas Cowboys.

The trade: Cowboys receive Pick #26 (Rd 1)

Eagles receive, (Browns/Cowboys Pick #36 (Rd 2), Cowboys Pick #87 (Rd 3), Cowboys Pick #15x (Rd 5). In essence receiving the 3 choices for their #1 slot at 26. Not bad. Not a stunner of a deal. About equal value for both teams, with “equal value” being a relative term entirely dependent on the selections made by the respective teams.

Dallas chose Purdue DE Anthony Spencer, delaying the wait for the Phaithful by hours after an already arduous 5-6 hour wait until the pick 26.

Finally the Eagles were on the clock, and nearly all the players we might have targeted at #26 were still on the board (exceptions, LB Posluszny, TE Greg Olsen, DT Alan Branch).

And with the 36^th selection the Eagles select (drum roll Clark): Kevin Kolb (pronounced Cobb) – QB, Houston.

WHAT THE FUCK!!???

We wait for hours and hours and hours, with plenty of depth needs in the secondary and LB corps, and the Eagles draft a goddamn fucking QUARTERBACK???? You’re shittin’ me right? This is the second inexplicable decision in-a-row for the Coaching Staff. The first ended the 2006 season with a lame-ass punt, the next could hamstring the Birds ability to find a valuable secondary help because we chose a guy nobody had ever heard of?

This is another case of the coaching staff outsmarting itself. YES, both the Lions and Dolphins chose a QB shortly after the Eagles. BUT THOSE TEAMS NEED QBs, we DON’T! Moreover, who gives a flying fuck if one of them might’ve chosen “Kernel Kolb”??? Not me that’s for sure.

I have yet to hear an adequate reason why a QB was chosen, and I ain't buying the "best player on the board" bullshit. Unless this guy can cover a WR across the middle, he ain't going to be helping the current group of players win a championship. Moreover, I have yet to hear a good reason why we chose a guy that we could quite easily have chosen in round 3 or even in a move up in round 4. I just have to shake my head about this one fellas. Its a real disappointment.

What about the rest of the draft?
Pick #57 DE – Victor Abiamiri – Notre Dame. Ok, Getting a young DE isn’t a problem for me. I guess the jury will have to decide, cause he’s going to get compared to Spencer from Day 1.

Pick #87 OLB – Steward Bradley – Nebraska. Well I was happy to see the Eagles try and find another LB to develop. Can this guy step right in and play? Maybe. The Eagles are wide open at LB. Again, the Birds passed on Poz and waited to grab this guy. Hope the gamble pays off.

Pick #90 RB – Tony Hunt – Penn State. FINALLY, a pick that I truly cheered. After we lost out on Brian Leonard (which I thought was dumb, btw), I was hoping and hoping we wouldn’t waste another Day 1 pick on some distant future team. I think we all wanted a contributor, and Hunt, Hunt has a chance to be one. This guy runs tough, if he makes the transition, we’re going to have a tough, tough, ground game.

75 Years of Eagles Football

One note before I get in the Eagles 75th anniversary. This line by Peter King, which I know I've thought many times in the past week, but never got around to posting (ed. which is why he's the syndicated Sportswriter dumbass): "I think we need to remember two things as draft-mania ratchets up in the next 48 hours: Half of these first-day picks will be total washouts after three years. That's not me throwing a wet blanket on your fun; it's historical fact."

Well anyway, the draft is not today's focus. Nope. Even though I am definitely getting psyched about it (though I may experience some interruption cause the guys will be out to install our new fiber-optic cable on Sunday morning (which is right in the middle of Day 1 for me). Today's focus is just what the Title says: the Eagles doing a fine job of celebrating 75 years as a franchise.

Go here to visit the Eagles Virtual Museum.
There is a slick, awesome intro video, downloadable .pdfs for all-time rosters, etc. Its really top-notch.

The only thing I don't really dig. The throwback uniforms. The Eagles decided to go with the very first uniforms:O.K. so (as dug up by Rodman) the Eagles are debuting the uniforms against the Lions this year, and in their very first HOME game they ever played, they played the franchise that would eventually become the Detroit Lions. So they chose their very first uniforms.

Sjoebarry elaborates: "Midway through the 1931 season, Philadelphia's representative in the NFL, the Frankford Yellow Jackets, went bankrupt and ceased operations. After more than a year of searching for a suitable replacement, the NFL awarded the dormant franchise to a syndicate headed by former Yellow Jackets owners Bert Bell and Lud Wray, in exchange for an entry fee of $2,500. Drawing inspiration from the insignia of the centerpiece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, the National Recovery Act, Bell and Wray named the new franchise the Philadelphia Eagles. (Neither the Eagles nor the NFL officially regard the two franchises as the same, citing the aforementioned period of dormancy; furthermore, almost no Yellow Jackets players were on the Eagles' first roster. Some observers, however, believe the two teams should be treated as one.) The Eagles, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the defunct Cincinnati Reds, joined the NFL as expansion teams."

But that doesn't mean I have to like them.
When I think of the Eagles, I don't think baby blue and gold
I don't bleed blue and gold
I BLEED GREEN

Some Random Thoughts about the Eagles and other things

Ok, I wanted to start today by relaying this information I got in an email from Grassfire: the addresses for Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos, the two border agent punished (wrongly IMO) for shooting a Mexican drug-runner. A drug-runner who was not only promised immunity for his "testimony" but also, like the mongrel, turned around and sued the U.S. government. You know, only in America - with our twisted fucked-up legal system - could a fucking criminal not only go scott-free, be used to imprison the agents who sought to arrest him, AND then sue!

If you're outraged, then I encourage you to read the stories for yourself, decide for yourself and then if want go here and sign the online petition. Anyway, regardless of whether that link generates anything, I would like to relay the addresses for the two former agents:

Jose Compean #58080180
FCI Elkton
P.O. Box 10
Lisbon, OH 44432

Ignacio Ramos #58079-180
FCI Yazoo City Medium Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 5888
Yazoo City, MS 39194

Those addresses must be precise or else the facilities will not deliver the letter.

OK, with that off my chest, let talk some Eagles.
The "big" news today is that FA safety Mike Doss canceled his scheduled visit because he signed with the Minnesota Vikings (the first stop on his "tour").

YAWN.
If you're anything like me, that's very underwhelming news. Would the Eagles have signed him if he actually came to NovaCare. Well considering he signed a 1yr-$1mill/deal its certainly possible. But honestly, does it really matter? The Eagles need to look long-term and find a successor to Brian Dawkins. That translates into taking a safety on Day 1, not signing a dude coming off a major knee injury (torn ACL) who is looking for a 1yr-prove-he-can-still-play deal so that might be able to cash-in in 2008.

Other notable notes, this blurb from Don Banks - Inside the NFL column on SI. Talking about all the trades this off-season:
"It seemed like just a couple years back, nobody traded," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said at last week's NFL annual meeting in Phoenix. "And then people talked about how nobody's trading, and all of a sudden everybody's trading. (The Spikes deal) worked for us because we wanted to get a veteran linebacker or two...We thought that was important for us."

O.K. that could be read a couple of ways - but lets have some fun with this. The pursuit of Ryan Fowler was serious and would not have precluded the Spikes Deal (I think it might've to be honest). If the Eagles possibly are still seeking to bring in a second vet LB - Let me chime the Ike Reese gong again. Even so, I think the Birds will wait until AFTER the draft to make any more moves. They'll see what areas they were able to address, and if LB or DB depth is still an issue, perhaps another vet signing will occur before the May mini-camp.

Big Red is Back and so am I

Coach Andy Reid returned to the Eagles facilities, a week later than originally suggested but looking none the worse for wear. His boys' legal troubles are far from over, and I am sure there will be a spotlight on the two whenever their court dates arrive, but for their sake and the team's I hope things don't get out of hand.

The two should be punished appropriately for their crimes. If that means some jail time, so be it. If they have good enough lawyers to plea bargain for half-way houses, rehab/treatment facilities, and the like, then I think a thousand hours of community service might shake the right tree (that's about six months of 40hr work weeks....) - and no, helping the team doesn't constitute community service.

Well anyway, the Eagles were mentioned as interested in trading for the Denver Broncos middle linebacker Al Wilson, which would be really cool, except of course, I don't see many needs on the Denver team that the Eagles have excess with. Perhaps some D-Line guys, but if reports are true, Denver may be floating this trade idea because they need to trim some salary after an expensive spending binge in free agency. That means cheaper guys, and that means draft picks, which the Eagles hoard this time of year.

Then Wilson was all but gone to the Giants, but I just read that he failed his physical with the vaGiants, so it looks like that won't happen. The Giants got bit again when the Texans matched their offer to restricted free agent FB Vonta Leach, so I guess Reuben Droughens won't have a new running mate. The Cowboys did bolster their secondary by signing Ken Hamlin, formerly of the Seahawks. Not earth-shattering, but its a solid move, playing a rookie opposite Roy Williams was a disaster for the Cowpokes last season as Pat Watkins got lit up time and again. Funny thing is, this year he'd probably be a lot better. He's tall, rangy, and he's not slow, just inexperienced. Still Hamlin only signed for one-year, so this gives the 2nd-yr guy some space to breathe.

Let's Talk Some Eagles!

Well, the forums are abuzz with word from Adam Schefter over on NFL Network that the Eagles have signed former Colts DT Montae Reagor to a 3yr/$8mill deal.

The acquisition isn't going to make Eagles fans ga-ga. I mean, Reagor is a 285-lb pass-rushing disruptor-type; not the giant 300-lb+ run-stuffer that a lot of us would love to have and feel, quite correctly I might add, this team needs. That said, here is why the signing makes some sense: Reagor fits the Eagles system. Now I don't like a system that seems allergic to big DT the way Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson's system seems to be, but Reagor would've been a solid contributor to the Colts SB run last year if he hadn't gotten injured.

We can debate the pro/cons of DT weights all day long, it doesn't change the fact that the Birds are going to scheme with an "undertackle" (a "lighter" guy like Mike Patterson or Reagor) and a somewhat larger DT who's primary function I would like to believe is to consume blocks at the point of attack. (I use the quotes, because the Eagles don't have a true big-body at DT, Brodrick Bunkley and Sam Rayburn are the largest - listed at 300 & 303 respectively).

Here is what the signing does in an instant: It makes some folks expendable. With them under contract, look for the Eagles to make some draft day moves and I think we may just see a name like Rayburn or Walker fly the nest to another team in return for a Day 2 pick.

This is how the DT situation shakes out after the signing:
Patterson and Bunkley still have to thought of as being our starters, we NEED them to be. Reagor, Rayburn, Darwin Walker and LaJuan Ramsey round out the DT currently on the team.
6 names. for 5 positions. Even a Cowboys fan can do that math...

I can see it breaking out like this with Patterson, Bunkley, Reagor and Ramsey being our top 4 with both Walker and Rayburn's names being bandied about as trade-bait. Not that I think Ramsey is all-that, but I think the way the other two have peaked or plateaued Ramsey got the better upside...(who knows maybe that makes HIM more likely to get traded). AR likes him his linemen though, and even though the Eagles "only" invested a 6th round pick in Ramsey, I think he showed enough promise last year (before a late season fade) to warrant somewhat higher expectations this year.

Could both Walker AND Rayburn go with the final spot getting filled in by someone else? I guess its possible, but I'm not sure JJ would want to trust 3 or his 4 primary DT slots to two second-year guys and Reagor....I think the competition Raegor's addition brings to the bunch is a good thing. Ramsey cannot sit on his hands, neither can Walker or Rayburn, all those dudes better bring it, cause if the Eagles don't move on of them on draft day, then you can bank on a move later on.

Buck's Back

Well the Eagles fill the complimentary RB role today by re-signing Correll Buckhalter to a two-year contract. I like Buckhalter, and it was great seeing him come back so strong after missing two entire years to knees injuries.

While its a plus for continuity, it doesn't address the fundamental flaw in our backfield by not having a true hammer to bust up the gut on 3rd and 1. Moreover, with McNabb rehabbing, I expect all-too-rare QB sneak to be practically eliminated from the Eagles repertoire this year; making a large reliable ball-carrier a little bit more than a nicety and more on the necessity side.

I do hope the signing does not preclude the Birds from taking a guy like Brian Leonard from Rutgers or another BOUS (back of unusual size) [kudos to whoever identified the proper movie reference].

Besides a potential draft pick, I really do not anticipate any further work being done to address the offense - it basically returns intact, with the sole difference being Curtis instead of Stallworth.

So Much for THAT Theory

Well folks, hours after posting a little diddy about Jack and Diane (that's code for the Eagles and their WR situation) about how the Eagles might just look to the draft to supply a WR to address the hole left by Donte' Stallworth's departure (scroll down) the Eagles blew that out of the water by announcing they've reached terms with FA WR Kevin Curtis.

6 years/30 mill (which a couple of escalators that could make it worth $32 mill) - $9.5 of which is guaranteed money.

Not bad. According Profootballtalk.com the salary breaks out thusly: Curtis gets a $7 million in bonus money: $2 million signing bonus and a $5 million roster bonus. The remainder of the guaranteed money comes from a fully-guaranteed base salary of $1 million in 2007 and $1.5 million in guaranteed base salary in 2008. His total 2008 base salary is $2 million, and he's due to receive a $1.5 million roster bonus in March of next year.

Right now I have no clue how this affects the Eagles Cap, but I doubt they'd make a signing would require them to get all shifty with the cap and have to cut players to have any further flexibility (they might go ahead and convert someone else's deal to Create some space)....

My thoughts on this deal
- Do I like the signing? I'm O.K. with it. Personally, I would've spent the same money to keep Donte' but I think the Birds adequately addressed the hole left by his departure. Curtis is NOT a bad player.
- Now that the Eagles have addressed WR, there is no chance they'll draft one
- The signing paves the way for the Eagles to do the following in the draft: Round 1 (#26) - take the best defensive player available (LB, DB) Round 2 - take the best Big Back to compliment Westbrook (Rutgers' Leonard anyone?), Round 3 - address the position you didn't in Round 1 (DB or LB, perhaps even DL)
- This deal shows me the Eagles weren't "afraid" to make a deal, or "cheap" as many of accused them of being. But I don't Super-agent Drew Rosenhaus would've accepted a similar deal for Stallworth. Of course, I also think that based on the substance program stuff, the Eagles probably would've wanted stricter language written in the contract and more protection. Finally Tom Heckert on Sirius' NFL Talk show discussed how the Eagles weren't interested in matching or making a Patriots-type offer that all but guarantees Stallworth will be an unrestricted free agent next year as well (unless they decide to break the bank for him and pay all those bonuses).
- Barring injury (crossed fingers) Curtis and Reggie Brown will be the Starting WRs for the Eagles on Opening Day.
The Rest of the WR corps breaks out like this in my mind:
First WR off the Bench in the 3-WR set: Hank Baskett
Second WR off the Bench for 4-WR sets: Jason Avant
#5 WR/KR: Jeremy Bloom or Bethel Johnson - open competition
Odd-man out right now: Greg Lewis and whichever undrafted camp cuts from last year (Like JJ Outlaw and Gasperson, etc) that held out some hope to make the team.

Is the deal a good one? Well the Eagles willing to spend tells me that they could've kept Donte'. That said, the Eagles paid what the market currently demands for a player like Curtis (just two years ago that price mightve been in the 5yr/low20s range, just goes to show you what a difference a year or two makes).

Curtis' numbers dipped last year after a strong '05 campaign. The reasons are plain: 1) Isaac Bruce was not injured very much in '06 like he was in '05, so Curtis clearly was the #3 behind Bruce and all-world Torry Holt for the Rams last year; 2) New coach Scott Linehan RAN the ball A LOT more last year, which meant fewer 3-WR sets and fewer chances for Curtis.

What will be able to do with the Eagles? Time will tell. The Eagles don't spend money frivolously, but I have to hope this signing works out better than the Darren Howard signing....(who by the way, could be gone after the '07 season with little cap damage if he underachieves again).

Potential Replacement WR in the Draft?

I don't normally jump on whatever player just had his "pro-day" splattered all over NFL Network, primarily because trying to predict the NFL draft is an exercise in futility.

However I started to formulate some alternatives the Eagles might consider to bolster the team. Lets face it, the Eagles let Donte' Stallworth walk away, and apparently are not all that interested in getting into a bidding war for the services of the clear #2/3 wideout like Kevin Curtis - despite his speed.

Perhaps the Eagles might go for a player like Dwayne Bowe of LSU. He's big and fast, 6'2", 218 with the ubiquitous "40 time" ranging from 4.4 to 4.5 seconds. The funny part: as I caught a relatively rare glimpse of NFL Network on TV tonight, the commentator wasn't all that impressed with his speed...is 4.4-4.5 not fast enough anymore...for a guy that size!! You're kidding me right?

Ok, so I still believe that the Eagles have some more pressing needs on defense. BUT if they plug a couple of holes (say a Big back and a DB), I wouldn't be upset at all if they landed a prospect like Bowe with the #26 pick...

Looking Ahead at Some Possibilities

There is a LOT of talk going on in the Nest lately. Names like Corey Dillon (RB), Kevin Curtis (WR), Mike Doss (S) and Ryan Fowler (who? LB) are being bandied about as potential Free Agent acquisitions.

But then again you already know that, cause my Rants page is not exactly stop #1 on the Eagles information train. Nor should it be. It is one of the best for analysis on the Eagles moves if you ask me.

IF some of the players the Eagles are rumored as pursuing wind up signing with the Birds, in the next week or so we could have:
- our WR corps set (either with Curtis or Stallworth, dunno which way this goes, but apparently Andy Reid came in front his family sabbatical to give the pitch to Curtis and called him personally to ask him to make Philly a stop on his FA tour. That counts for A LOT in my opinion. if you asked me right now - Curtis has the inside track).
- a big complimentary back to WB (so Dillon is interest in the Birds, if the price is right, it may happen)
- a new safety (Mike Doss, again, its reported that Big Red himself called Doss to ask him to consider the Eagles. In Bird-land, when the man with all the feathers flaps, things get done)
- potential LB (this RFA Ryan Fowler or perhaps a vet like Donnie Edwards or Ike Reese).

Personally, I would be happy if any TWO of the above occurred...

If so, the outlook for the Eagles Draft Day strategy would change some.
Defense First:
LB - not guaranteed, but I definitely think that if no FA help is signed that the Eagles would look to shore up the LB position with a first day pick. We need another play-maker besides OG.
DE - oddly enough, a late round pick here -- perhaps to see if they can strike some "Cole Gold" again--makes sense. Obviously McDougle is a waste of time, and I just can't see him surviving training camp to make the roster (again). A young DE also could provide the Birds some future flexibility--after the 2007 season-- say to cut a player like Darren Howard (if he has another disappointing year) or even Kearse (should he be unable to recover from his injury).
S/CB - Will James is here for another year and if Doss comes in a DB on Day 1 might NOT be the most obvious choice. However, a DB could make sense, it would let the coaches groom a young guy (in anticipation of James leaving) w/o having to rely on him to play a ton. IF Doss signs then we'll have our 4 safeties for the next couple of years, so a CB would be the way to go. If NOT then a safety would be at least an equal if not greater need for the DBs.
DT - We got two last year, lets see if they can play. Unless by some weird chance a really good one falls into our lap, I just don't see it.

Now for the Offense:
OL - please no more O-Linemen. I know O-Lineman are like crack to AR but could we just have ONE year without drafting a OL? First, we got mega-depth there by scoring with two undrafted guys last year (Pat McCoy and Nick Cole) add in #2 pick Winston Justice and #4 pick Max Jean-Gilles, plus third year man Scott Young....and we've got an entire second offensive line that could probably start for some of the weaker teams in the NFL. Unless something drastic happens I think our 10 OL are set...even if they want to stoke competition, the Front Office has done such a good job digging up undrafted OL gems, why waste a pick?
QB - you know if the right guy comes along, why not spend that second day OL pick on a QB instead. You never know when you might need one.
WR - I think FA will settle this position, and that the Eagles will not expend a pick on a WR unless something unexpected happens.
RB - Depends on FA, but I think the odds of us getting a veteran bruise like Dillon are iffy, at best. Much simpler to use a first day pick to pick up fresh-legged basher like Rugters' Leonard or Penn State's Hunt.

TE - interesting possibilities here. LJ Smith is in the final year of his contract and mediocre dudes like Daniel Graham and Visanthe Shiancoe scoring mega-contracts....You cannot have a roster full of mega-contracts....I think a new TE is a definite possibility in the draft.
K/P - um NO...Akers is here to stay, and I'm pulling for Rocca to knock the ball out da Linc (so to speak)

Eagles Show Some Signs of Life

Alright my fellow Birdwatchers, the Eagles have begun to take a few steps to add some much needed depth/competition to the roster. Shortly after the Bethel Johnson signed, the Eagles announced they'd re-signed Will James to a 1-year contract.

Ok, so a I hear ya, so folks are yawning. BUT. The did host their first two free agent visits as well. the first being a heretofore unheard of guy, restricted free agent Ryan Fowler, a 6-3, 250-pound LB from - of all places - DALLAS. The second and more notable visit: former Rams burner, WR Kevin Curtis. He apparently had nothing but praise for the Eagles. (well what else would you expect the guy to say to or about a team from whom he is seeking millions of dollars).

So here is my take:
- Bethel Johnson is a training camp insurance policy. Is he good enough to be 4 or 5 WR - YES. But his real value will be in the return game. He provides a nice security blanket should last year fifth-round pick Jeremy Bloom be unable to complete his comeback to football. Moreover, if someone gets hurts, he's an experienced guy who can step in to help.
- Will James is a decent re-signing. He gets a one-year "show me" deal, and from his bravado (“I’m a starter and that’s the goal,” James said. “Obviously, I’m not going to the Pro Bowl as a nickel back. That lets you know my intentions.") I'd say that bodes well for the Eagles CB depth. Heck, he was a starter, and played decent, if sparingly for the Eagles as a reserve last year. He'll get more action this year because Rod Hood is as good as gone. This move gives the Eagles a one-year reprieve. Either James plays well and says goodbye in FA or he proves he doesn't have it. Either way, the Birds can look to find a tall CB in the draft without necessarily having the pressure to put in them critical 3-wide situations right away.
- Ryan Fowler - Rarely do players visit the Birds without getting offers...since he was an undrafted FA, the Eagles would not have to surrender a draft pick to sign him, but Dallas does retain the right to match any offer.
- Kevin Curtis - will the Birds bring in the Stormin' Mormon? I'd say Curtis, right now, it looks like the Birds are trying to tell Drew Rosenhaus that they're not going to get taken to the cleaners for Stallworth. My preference remains Donte', but his loss would be assuaged greatly if the Eagles brought in Curtis....

The Sky is Falling, the Sky is Falling

This Chicken Little refrain is growing increasingly common as Eagles fans do their annual fret over the Eagles circumspect attitude towards Free Agency.

A few nincompoops will say the Eagles front office is cheap, or scared to spend the "big dollars" necessary to "win it all." Well folks, the reality is that winning it all takes a unique degree of bounces (luck), freedom from injury (more luck), talent (inherent in almost every roster, though to varying degrees), and key play-making/play-makers stepping up at the opportune times (a little thing called execution helps, but a team can never have enough play-makers). Its is something that happens to only 1 team each year. Heck only a few team each year have a sufficient enough degree of those circumstances occur so that they can contend.

Take the Eagles playoff game vs the Saints. I freely admit that the Saints proved themselves to be the better team that day. But the outcome of the game was still in doubt well into the 4th quarter and was impacted by a wide variety of otherwise small things (the injuries to OG Shawn Andrews and LB Shawn Barber, a key and uncharacteristic drop by Westbrook, etc). This is what stood between the Birds and a trip to Chicago. Conversely, if it wasn't for Lito Sheppard's two game-saving INTs, the Eagles might not have even MADE the playoffs.

So please don't tell me that the front-office isn't committed to winning. How quickly we forget what a REAL money-grubbing front office feels like. Anyone still wish good ole Norm Braman was around running free agents out of town ?

Look, I agree, I would like the Eagles to make a couple of moves to shore up some loose spots on the roster (DB, LB, maybe WR) and cut out some dead weight (McDougle, Jones). I will also be sorely disappointed if they do nothing but let people walk and don't make any more moves to improve the team. That said, I doubt that will happen. The Eagles are waiting for a little bit of pricing sanity, and I think with the limited amount of money they have left, they are waiting for the chips to fall out on Donte' Stallworth before they go trying to sign a veteran "big back" or a bring in a LB to compete for a spot.

Honestly of all the LBs on the market, on the Colts' Cato June fits the Eagles mold (I wish that wasn't true but it is) and he's looking a good payday at a position the Birds don't value that highly (again, I think that is something worth faulting them on).

Some Thoughts as Free Agency Marches Along

Lots of player movement in the first three days of the free agency period in the NFL.

I'll focus on the potential impact to the Eagles and Donte' Stallworth in a second, but here some quick hits:

- The Texans signed RB Ahman Green to a 4-year, $23 Million contract....$5+mill/year for a player on the downside (injuries or no, the 30-year-old Green peaked a few years ago) seems like a bit of a reach. I know he was healthy for most of last year, but he's been a workhorse for a while now, and 30 is that warning line for running backs, who take SO much punishment...Rotoworld suggests that the deal is likely structured to allow the Texans a relatively easy out after two years, and if that's the case (and it likely is, given the relatively modest amount of guaranteed money) it not a terrible signing. One final note, I will present the same caution about this signing that I offered last year about Edgerrin James going to Arizona. Running backs need good O-lines, and the Texans are awful in that department. I know Kubiak brought along the Denver "zone blocking" scheme (nice euphemism for dirty cut blocking), but lets be honest....Houston couldn't keep David Carr upright, but we're supposed to think these guys are turn into run-blocking machines?

Make that A quick hit (singular) cause I want to talk about Stallworth, and that hit wasn't so quick anyway...

But what about the market for the Eagles biggest free agent: Donte Stallworth?
Well folks, there are two schools of thought on this one: no news is good news (i.e. no team seems in a big rush to sign a guy who missed 1/4 of last season with hamstring problems to a big fat contract) and the no news is bad news (the foolish who confuse the Eagles relative silence as a sign of complacency).

But here is what the market is saying about FA WR, and the signs that do not bode well for the potential that the Birds will be able to keep Donte' without breaking the bank:
- Drew Bennett signed a 6yr/30 mill contract with the Rams
- 49ers agreed to a two-year, $4.3 million deal with WR Ashley Lelie. The deal includes a $2 million signing bonus. Not a horrible deal, but Lelie has underachieved his whole career.
- The kicker is this deal: The Patriots plan to sign Miami restricted free-agent wide receiver Wes Welker to a seven-year offers sheet worth $38.5 million. I think this one is the one the Drew Rosenhaus is going to reference regarding Stallworth (the reason is simple: its the BIGGEST DEAL)
This deal is just confusing:
- Jaguars agreed to terms with WR Dennis Northcutt on a five-year contract worth roughly $3.4 million-per-year. He'll get $4.5 million to sign. WHAT the FUCK???!!! Northcutt is next to useless and he gets a hefty pay-day from the Jags??? I have to agree with John Clayton from ESPN when he writes: "It's curious that the Jaguars would spend $4.8 million a year on tackle Tony Pathos when they have two starting tackles under long-term contracts. It is equally baffling that they would spend $3.4 million a year on Dennis Northcutt when they have three receivers who have underachieved the past couple of years. Competition is one thing. Dead cap money from releases are another."

The only good thing: Each of these teams that was looking for add a WR has now done so, the list of potential suitors is getting smaller...Terry Glenn re-upped with Dallas, and with FA WR Kevin Curtis expected to go to either Minnesota or Detroit (to rejoin Mike Martz), I don't know how many destinations for Donte' remain....

*****UPDATE*****
Philly.com just published a report that Donte Stallworth is enrolled in the NFL's substance abuse program. It is mandatory that such information be made available to teams if the player is a free agent, but there was no source on who leaked it to the public (the fines are stiff). Regardless, its means that Donte'--whether he entered voluntarily or failed a drug test (we can say with a degree of surety that it wasn't because of a run-in with the law or else that woulda been all over) --has one strike against him. Another violation would cost him 4 games, and a third is a year suspension.

This will undoubtedly cloud the market for his services, as any teams thinking about signing Stallworth has now been given cause for pause, including the Eagles. I wouldn't go so far as to say this precludes his return to Philly, but any contract the Eagles are likely to offer will almost assuredly contain voidable language to protect the team.

Juqua's Back

Good news for the Philly Phaithful, the Eagles wasted little time bringing back DE Juqua Thomas, who signed a 5-year contract with the Birds (terms undisclosed as I write this). If you've been following the Eagles off-season you'll know that beyond the two big offensive names (Garcia and Stallworth) loomed two key defensive players.

Andy Reid tipped his hat weeks ago, when he said he didn't want to lose a guy like Juqua...Keeping the high-revving DE obviously was the Birds #1 priority heading into free agency.

They why wasn't he signed earlier, like Quintin Mikell, he was with the Birds afterall. Well, there was an odd stipulation in Juqua's contract that stated he could NOT resign with the Eagles until the formal beginning of free agency. I think his agent probably wanted it that way, to ensure that his client would formally become a free agent. A bit of gamesmanship that probably helped a little bit.