Eagles’ Quintin Demps Is Not a Starter

I’ve stood by the fact that I don’t believe Quintin Demps should be a starter, but that he may eventually turn into a starting-caliber player. However, Thursday’s preseason game against the Jaguars has me thinking a bit differently.

Overall, Demps didn’t play a terrible game. However, one particular play really sticks out from that game, and has me 100 percent convinced that Demps is not ready to start this year, and may never be the starter that the Eagles want and expect him to be.

Without going back and looking, I don’t remember the exact situation of the play.

From what I recall, the Jaguars were headed into the redzone from about the Eagles 25 yard line (or so). David Garrard used the play-fake to freeze the linebackers and hit Marcedes Lewis about ten yards down the field on what I believe was just an out pattern.

Demps comes flying into the screen, lunges at Lewis and simply bounces off of him. That doesn’t sound so bad, but it gets a whole lot worse when you see that he bounces off because at no point does he extend his arms to wrap Lewis up, or even just simply lower his shoulder into him as Dawk would do from time to time.

Then I thought back to the NFC Championship game when he just gave a slight shoulder check to Tim Hightower on the goal line and I realized then that Demps is afraid of contact.

Now, I don’t mean that he’s going to turn and run away, but when push comes to shove, he doesn’t want to lay his body on the line to make that tackle.

He will, however, take a shot at a quarterback who’s not looking and who threw the ball several seconds before he got there. It’s cheap, and it’s cowardly. However, it seems like it’s the only time he’ll hit somebody.

As a fan, as a former player, as a coach, and as a man, it’s absolutely unthinkable that this kid has made it all the way to the ranks of being a starter in the NFL when he obviously does not like contact. What exactly are the Eagles thinking putting him out there on the field?

Not only does it put the team at risk to be playing a kid that won’t hit anybody, but it puts him at risk as well. The guys who are afraid of contact are the ones who get injured the most often. They don’t know how to give a hit, and they don’t know how to receive a hit, which of course leads to things like broken collarbones (i.e. Roy Williams) and other injuries of the like.

Now, this would not be a big deal if he were a corner, a wide receiver, or even a quarterback. I think it’s terrible that such players make up the NFL today, but it’s something that has become the norm. However, if you want to play free safety, you have better have the reckless abandon of a Banshee warrior.

Dawkins had, and has, that. It’s what made, and makes, him a great safety, and a great overall player. Demps, on the other hand, apparently learned nothing under his time with Dawkins the way that Quintin Mikell did. You can see Dawkins in the way that Mikell plays because he took that same type of mentality.

Demps is just another finesse kid that the Eagles don’t need.

What’s even more maddening is that they have a guy in Sean Jones sitting on the bench who would gladly sacrifice his body to take someone else’s head off just for the sheer joy of hearing the pop. That’s a football player, that’s what a safety must be willing to do.

If Demps wants any kind of career in the NFL, he better start learning how to play in man coverage against a receiver, because cornerback is the only position on defense where it’s acceptable (to a degree) to not want contact. Hell, Deion Sanders had about four or five tackles over his entire career, yet he’s remembered as one of the best ever.

Macho Harris isn’t afraid to hit, start him. Sean Jones isn’t afraid to hit, start him. Quintin Demps will avoid contact if at all possible, and quite frankly he’s not someone I want stepping into the shoes of Brian “Weapon X” Dawkins. Jones or Harris might suplex somebody, and at this point I’d be surprised if Demps would be man enough to give them a friendly hug.

Ride the pine, son. This is the NFL.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Preseason Edition: All-NFC East Team (Offense)

The NFC East is arguably not only the most competitive division in the NFL, but it may also be the most talented. The NFC East boasts what some still might call the most talented roster (at least on paper) in Dallas, the 2008 Super Bowl champion New York Giants, a young but talented Washington team, and the always-contending Philadelphia Eagles.

So what kind of offense could the NFC East rosters put together? Let’s find out.

 

Quarterback

Starter: Donovan McNabb (Second: Tony Romo)

For me, and really mostly anyone besides delusional Giants fans, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo are the obvious choices here. McNabb gets the nod for obvious reasons, among them the fact that he has won in the playoffs and has taken his team to the biggest stage that the NFL has to offer, only to fall three points short of the ultimate prize.

McNabb is borderline Hall of Fame quarterback, with a Super Bowl ring (or lack thereof) being the only thing that will keep him out of Canton. By the time his career is over, he will join only three other quarterbacks to pass for over 30,000 yards, and rush for over 5,000. The other three are Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, and the late Steve McNair.

Two of those quarterbacks (Young and Tarkenton) are in the Hall of Fame, and McNair could be enshrined one day. Young is the only one of the three to have a Super Bowl ring.

Romo has the skills, but needs to start winning games for his team, rather than throwing them away. Eli Manning has proved he’s capable, but is not a standout in terms of production or overall talent.

Jason Campbell is still progressing and while I believe he has more upside than Manning or even Romo, he must show it before being considered.

 

Running Back

Starter: Brian Westbrook (Second: Clinton Portis)

When healthy, Brian Westbrook may be the most dangerous player in the NFL. Some may argue Adrian Peterson, but AP does not make the plays in the passing game that Westbrook can make, even though he’s miles ahead as a runner.

Portis is an incredibly talented running back, but isn’t as explosive as Westbrook is. I suppose they’re different types of backs, and it really all depends on what you want to do with your offense, but if you’re going to pass to your back at all, Westbrook is the obvious choice.

Marion Barber could make a case for this, but until he shows that he can be a game-changer and take some pressure off of Romo, he won’t enter the class of Westbrook or Portis. Brandon Jacobs is a good bruising kind of back but needs a guy to take carries away from him or he’ll wear himself down.

 

Fullback

Starter: Madison Hedgecock (Second: Leonard Weaver)

Hedgecock is an old school kind of battering-ram fullback, which personally, I love. He’s a dying breed in the NFL because while he’s able to catch and run out of the backfield, it’s not what he’s best at doing, or what he’d rather be doing.

He wants to stick his nose in there and pop a linebacker to make way for Jacobs, which is how the fullback position is played.

Weaver is part of the evolving fullback. He’s a guy who can do it all out of the backfield, including taking handoffs and catching over the middle or in the flats, but his blocking suffers because he focuses on these different elements. He’s perfect for a west coast scheme, however, and is just what the Eagles need.

Deon Anderson is the kind of triple-threat that Weaver is, but he’s not quite on the same level. Mike Sellers is surely a close third and in most any other division might be the very best fullback, but the East is stacked at the position this year.

He’s an incredibly underrated guy, and I may even be guilty of it now, but putting him ahead of Hedgecock or Weaver didn’t seem right.

 

Tight End

Starter: Jason Witten (Second: Chris Cooley)

Witten is a top five tight end in the NFL, so it’s certainly not a surprise that he’s on the top of a pretty good crop of tight ends coming out of the East. He can catch, he can block, and better than any other tight end in this division, he can run after the catch.

He’s a nightmare to cover, then he’s a nightmare to tackle. Said simply, the man is good.

Cooley may be the most versatile of the tight ends. He is able to not only play tight end, but can line up in the backfield as a fullback, or even a tailback if necessary. He’s a headache for defenses because he moves around so much and can make a catch anywhere. There’s not really a specific weakness in his game; he’s just not the same caliber as Witten.

Kevin Boss and Brent Celek are guys still coming into their own. Boss is a great security blanket for Manning, whereas Celek is more of a target for McNabb. Both players are very good for their teams and in a few years could be making a list like this very difficult.

 

Right Tackle

Starter: Shawn Andrews (Second: Marc Colombo)

Andrews is a difficult guy to place, but when healthy, he’s hands down the very best. Even though he hasn’t played right tackle in the NFL yet, he is making the switch this year and should be great doing it (the qualifier again being “if he’s healthy).

He played right tackle in college, and was a terrific right guard in the NFL, so it’s not a stretch to say he should be just fine.

With Andrews out at the moment, the starter would be Marc Colombo of the Dallas Cowboys. He’s a guy who’s not going to make any headlines, but he does his job and he does it well. The other two teams don’t have a right tackle set in stone, but guys like Kareem McKenzie could be starting for the Giants, and Stephon Heyer for the Redskins.

While both are good players, neither are going to challenge Andrews or Colombo.

 

Right Guard

Starter: Chris Snee (Second: Leonard Davis)

Snee is one of the best in the game at the guard position, and is the hands-down favorite to win the spot for the All-NFC East team. Like most linemen, you don’t hear a whole lot about Chris Snee, but as an Eagles fan, you know who he is every time you watch him blow up a defender.

The Cardinals must be kicking themselves for not thinking of moving Davis inside to guard and keeping him there, because the man once regarded as a bust has turned into a Pro Bowl-caliber guard for the Dallas Cowboys and only continues to get better.

He’s a dominating guy on the inside, and should make life easier for smaller guys like Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

Stacy Andrews should be very good at right guard, but he’s coming off a torn ACL and is moving to the inside from tackle, so we’ll just have to wait and see how he does. Randy Thomas in Washington is by no means a standout, and on any of the other three teams in the division is only a backup type of player.

 

Center

Starter: Andre Gurode (Second: Shaun O’Hara)

Picking a starter between these two was extremely difficult, but in the end Gurode’s grit and tough play wins him the starting nod over more of a technique-driven player in Shaun O’Hara.

Gurode and O’Hara run their lines very well, and a case could be made for either of these men depending upon what you’re looking for out of a center. There really is not a wrong answer, and either way you’re getting a Pro Bowl-caliber center.

Jamaal Jackson has been slipping over the past couple of years, or he may be in the conversation; but he’ll have to have a stellar year to get back to being regarded as one of the best centers in the game again. Casey Rabach is a viable starter in Washington, but again, not much more than that.

Left Guard

Starter: Todd Herremans (Second: Rich Seubert)

Left guard may be the weakest position of the stellar offensive linemen that the NFC East has to offer, but it seems to be clear that Herremans is the best of a weak bunch. Seubert could have a case for the starting spot, but Herremans is younger and a better pass blocker.

Kyle Kosier and Derrick Dockery are certainly not bad players by any means, and at one point Dockery was even considered one of the best in the entire league, but after failing to live up to a huge contract in Buffalo he was released and is trying to rebuild his reputation the same place it started: in Washington.

 

Left Tackle

Starter: Jason Peters (2nd: Chris Samuels)

Jason Peters is the biggest name on the offensive line, and for good reason. He’s one of the best left tackles in the game, and certainly the very best in the NFC East. He’s got great feet, and is very good at anticipating a defensive end’s movements.

The Eagles just traded for him from the Buffalo Bills this past offseason, but he’s already the best in the division.

Chris Samuels is another guy with pretty good feet, but on occassion he will be slow out of his stance and allow a defensive end to just run around him. The athleticism is there, so his erratic play is a mystery and could point to a poor work ethic, but short of spending time around him and the team, there’s no way to be sure.

David Diehl may be getting a challenge from rookie William Beatty, for it seems as though the Giants aren’t ready to cement Diehl as the starter at left tackle. However, Beatty could also be pushed over to right tackle, so it’s a story worth watching. Flozell Adams is a good left tackle, but isn’t on the same level as Peters, and doesn’t quite beat out Samuels.

 

Wide Receiver

Starters: DeSean Jackson, Roy Williams (Second: Santana Moss, Kevin Curtis)

DeSean Jackson is the best receiver in the NFC East. Even entering his second season, he has shown that he has the talent and the capabilities to be a No. 1 receiver. He’ll get a great chance to put up some big numbers in Reid’s offense, and could really open a lot of eyes.

Roy Williams has caught a lot of heat in Dallas and many aren’t sure that he’s truly a No. 1 receiver. However, looking at his body of work in Detroit, and his new-found work ethic in Dallas, he’s gearing up to have a big year catching Tony Romo-thrown passes. He’s still a guy that defenses always must keep an eye on, because he has the talent to explode.

Santana Moss and Kevin Curtis are both speedy guys who can be a nightmare if they get behind the coverage. Moss is the better of the two, as he is the No. 1 guy in Washington, but Curtis proved his worth after his 1,000 yard season in 2007 during his first year as an Eagle.

Rookies Jeremy Maclin and Hakeem Nicks may find their way onto this team next year, but for now they are just rookies and will need to show something first.

No Giants player made it onto this receiving corps, and the reasoning is simple: they’re just not that good. Steve Smith is probably the best they have to offer, and he’s a No. 2 guy even on a poor team.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Rob Myers Could Wind Up As Second Tight End

There’s a pleasant surprise in the midst of all the question marks floating around the Eagles’ tight end dilemma, and that’s the emergence of rookie Rob Myers out of Utah State.

Myers was brought in the day after it was confirmed that Cornelius Ingram had a torn ACL and would not be available for the entire 2009 season, and he’s impressed since day one. The first impression was that he was very fast, and that impression has not faded in the least. He’s got more speed than your average tight end, which could create a lot of problems for covering linebackers.

At 6’4 and 240 pounds, he’s the same size as Ingram minus about five pounds, but is much faster for that missing five pounds. Myers seems to have good hands as well, hauling in four receptions in the Eagles most recent preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

What’s really working in Myers’ favor is the fact that the Eagles are incredibly thin at tight end at the moment, which will give him the chance to show that they should give him a shot. The feeling is that they’re tired of Schobel’s lack of production, and no one is really convinced that Eugene Bright is an NFL tight end.

There was talk of the Eagles bringing in former Cowboys tight end Tony Curtis, but nothing has happened with that. A minor move like that would probably have been done by now if the Eagles were really intent on bringing him in. This could signal that Curtis is delusional and making some demands, or that the Eagles are ready to give Myers a shot to prove himself.

Even if (Tony) Curtis does find his way onto this roster, it may still be as the third tight end behind Brent Celek and Myers, which would mean an end to the Matt Schobel era in Philadelphia. Schobel seems like a good enough guy, but I’m not sure that many in Philly would shed a tear upon hearing of his departure.

Myers is about the same player as Ingram, and could be used in much of the same ways, including putting him in the slot or using him as a redzone target. The Eagles are always a mystery, but don’t be surprised if Myers gets his first NFL job with the Eagles.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Would Matt Jones Have Been a Better Fit Than Michael Vick?

In a heavily-publicized move, the Eagles signed “quarterback” Michael Vick to a two-year contract just a couple of weeks ago.

Now they’re dealing with the ripples that the move has caused in the hopes that the on-field production outweighs the headache they’re enduring at the moment.

The idea is that Vick will be a utility, or gadget type of player. He might line up anywhere on the field including quarterback, wide receiver, or running back.

The plan is that his presence alone will cause a panic and confusion for the defense, allowing the Eagles’ offense to take advantage of said confusion and create a big play.

However, is it possible that there was a better option available? Namely, Matt Jones.

From the football side of things, Jones was actually progressing quite well in Jacksonville before his most recent run-in with the law for possession of cocaine.

He was a gadget guy coming out of college, and was eventually stuck in as a wide receiver though there was talk of him playing tight and end and his college position, quarterback.

He’s not the athlete that Vick is, but then again that could be said of any player. However, Jones is also more versatile than Vick.

While Vick probably has the athleticism to play running back, or even line up at wide receiver, Jones has shown that he can catch and is a viable option at wide receiver, and is probably big enough to play tight end at 6’6″ and 242 pounds.

While Jones has not played tight end in the NFL, he would certainly be better than the Eagles’ options behind Brent Celek (Eugene Bright, Rob Myers, and Matt Schobel).

On top of that, he’s a great red-zone target and could operate the wildcat just as well as Vick with his prior experience playing quarterback, which as I said is in fact his natural position.

As a quarterback, Jones may even stack up with Vick. Jones wasn’t a terrific quarterback in terms of his mechanics and when it came down to the little details, but he had a fairly strong arm and could get the job done.

Vick’s troubles as a quarterback are well-documented, and it’s unclear if he’ll ever be able to really get all of the nuances of being an NFL quarterback.

From a PR standpoint, it makes even more sense.

Bringing in Michael Vick has not been good for the Eagles’ reputation as a company outside of NFL circles, and while the move has been praised by a few who believe Vick deserved a second chance, it has mostly been met with harsh criticism and confusion.

Signing Jones would have probably been the opposite. Outside of the Philadelphia scene, the move to bring Jones in probably would have gone unnoticed and blown off as just another signing. There quite certainly wouldn’t be anyone at the NovaCare complex to protest the signing of Jones.

Yes, defensive coordinators and opposing teams will worry about Vick much more than they would have worried about Jones, but after running the wildcat a few times, or catching a few fades in the corner of the endzone, teams would have certainly started to take notice to Jones’ presence on the field.

Let’s also not forget that Jones is a guy that Eagles were interested in, and some thought he may have even fallen to the Eagles with the 31st overall pick that year.

It’s unclear whether the Eagles would have actually taken Jones, as it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see him passed up for Mike Patterson anyway, but they were definitely kicking around the idea.

At this point, it’s nothing more than a “what-if” scenario, but it’s something worth considering. Vick may turn out to be a fantastic signing, and he may bring it all together and really work for the Eagles this season, but it’s hard to think that maybe, just maybe, there was and still is a better option available.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

With Kevin Kolb Hurt, Could The Philadelphia Eagles Pursue Michael Vick?

Today, the Philadelphia Eagles officially signed on their coaching intern, former Arena League quarterback Matt Nagy, to give the Eagles a third quarterback with Kolb being ruled out for the preseason opener this Thursday.

The Eagles released wide receiver Brandon Robinson to make room for Nagy, who will probably be cut and go back to being a coaching intern after the game, and Robinson will most likely re-join the team at that point.

The rumor mill went crazy today, as everyone knew it would the first time a starting or backup quarterback went down with an injury.

The “Mike Vick to Philly” rumors started swirling and may not stop until Kolb is officially back from his knee injury.

Jeff Lurie said during his “State of the Team” address last weekend that Vick “deserves a second chance,” but that it will not be with Philadelphia.

That, of course, won’t end the rumors, as it’s coming out now that some teams who have publicly said no to Vick, are privately looking into the opportunity to bring in the former face of the entire National Football League.

I’m a personal believer that Vick deserves another shot, and I also believe that if the Eagles brought him in, he could be a weapon. However, I do not believe for a second that Mike Vick will ever be a Philadelphia Eagle.

Barring the injury being more serious for Kolb than first thought, Vick’s name won’t even come up in meetings. The Eagles are all about high character guys who won’t attract bad publicity to the team, and unfortunately Vick does not exactly fit that role. Reid doesn’t like distractions at his camp or for his team, and he knows that No. 7 would do just that.

Don’t expect Vick in midnight green any time soon.

The Eagles like the 31-year-old Nagy, and in fact, they have had him in training camp in years past. They will give him some reps Thursday night, but more than likely, it will be very short-lived.

Also, Trent Cole has been ruled out for Thursday as well. No word on whether the Eagles plan to bring in Simeon Rice or perhaps coax Mike Mamula out of retirement.

Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green for more rumors and everything else!

Call Runyan: It’s No Tall Tale That Jon Runyan Might Return To Depleted Eagles

With the status of Shawn Andrews in question, the Philadelphia Eagles may be prepping for a return by 13-year veteran Jon Runyan.

Andrews, slated as the starting right tackle next to brother Stacy, has yet to see the practice field even with the rehab guys, much less strap on the pads. He continues to work solely inside the facility on treadmills and the like. Unfortunately, his back is the problem yet again.

Andrews has been an injury concern since day one, and it has really stunted his growth as a player in this league. However, when he’s healthy, he’s earned Pro Bowl honors and recognition around the league as one of the best linemen in the game.

Runyan is a guy who has not missed a single game since taking over the starting spot in 1997 with the then-Tennessee Oilers. He’s extremely reliable and a fine tackle. He’s gone under the radar during his career, which has led to many Pro Bowl snubs, but from an objective standpoint, I honestly believe he’s a Hall of Fame tackle.

He’s also a familiar face for a team that is undergoing an overhaul on the offensive line and now an overhaul on defense as well. With Stewart Bradley, Brian Dawkins, and Jim Johnson all gone from this defense, a familiar face would serve them well, even if that face is on offense.

When asked about Shawn’s timetable to come back to practice, head coach Andy Reid answered, “I don’t (have one). He is getting better though, that I can tell you. I’ve just got to see how it goes here day by day, but he is making progress.”

“He is making progress” is an oft-used phrase by Reid to really say that a guy may be getting better, but I can’t or won’t delve into specifics, which is fine.

Reid wasn’t much more specific in his answer regarding the possible return of Runyan.

“I know where he’s at,” Reid told the media on Sunday. “I saw him at the funeral service for [former defensive coordinator] Jim [Johnson] and talked to him there. We have a pretty good idea of where he’s at, and we’ll just see how things go. He’s working hard at getting back, and that’s really what his primary focus should be, whether it’s here or somewhere else.”

With Reid, one usually has to read between the lines. Looking at this, it tells me that there is a real interest in bringing Runyan back to Philadelphia. The problem is that the Eagles will probably want to give him a one-year deal, and I’m sure Runyan is looking for more than that, probably at least two years.

However, I could be wrong. Perhaps he feels he can only play one more year, and it’s no secret that he’d love to do it in Philadelphia if at all possible. A few years ago he took a discount from the Eagles so he wouldn’t have to uproot his family, and he may be willing to do the same again.

This is especially true if it means he could be looking at a starting job again, whereas most teams will be looking at a 13-year veteran coming off of microfracture knee surgery as an emergency backup. The Eagles, however, know better.

An interesting and convenient nugget to this story is that Runyan may be cleared medically by as early as today by Dr. James Andrews. Runyan is flying to Alabama to get checked out and learn if he can begin his usual running and training.

“My goal all along has been to play this season, and we’ve had this date in mind as when I could begin running, so hopefully I will get clearance from Dr. Andrews,” Runyan said.

Runyan has said he’s in contact with a “number of teams,” one of them being the Philadelphia Eagles.

What they plan to do is always a mystery, but don’t be surprised if you hear about the Eagles bringing Runyan in for a workout in the next week or so.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Leonard Weaver Could See More of an H-Back Role with Eagles

Leonard Weaver was brought to the Philadelphia Eagles because of his versatility, but we could see that taken to new heights once the season starts.

With Cornelius Ingram tearing his ACL again and most likely done for the season, Weaver could see some time at tight end and in an H-Back kind of role. He can do everything that they ask of a tight end, so it just makes sense.

Andy Reid brought up the possibility of this during a press conference on Sunday, and if Reid brings it up, it’s usually because there’s some substance to it. He’s not a guy who will throw out hypotheticals that never come to fruition.

We may see Weaver line up at fullback and motion himself into the tight end position, or vice versa. He will be that guy that the defense will have to keep an extra eye on because he could be going anywhere.

A move like this could see the Eagles keep only two tight ends to make room for an extra running back, namely Kyle Eckel.

The Eagles could then line Weaver up at tight end but still be able to play out of the I-formation with Eckel in front of Brian Westbrook or LeSean McCoy. Eckel is a more than capable fullback, and with him and Weaver on the field at the same time, the running lanes should be plentiful.

It remains to be seen what the Eagles’ true plans are, but at the moment they only have two tight ends with any experience playing the position. The other two guys, Eugene Bright and just-signed-yesterday rookie free agent tight end Rob Myers, have no experience in the NFL, and it’s likely that neither will be on the final 53-man roster.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Jack Ikegwuonu May Get the Axe

Jack Ikegwuonu may wind up never playing a regular season game with the team that drafted him, a rare occurrence for a fourth-round pick.

Ikegwuonu was considered a first-day, if not first-round talent when he gave up his senior season of college football to enter the NFL draft in 2008. However, a major knee injury while preparing for the draft effectively ended any hopes of being drafted in the first day.

He slid to the fourth round, where the Eagles seemingly had the steal of the draft. Everyone, from Mel Kiper to Mike Mayock, was saying that Ikegwuonu was an enormous steal and that the Eagles had a real playmaker.

Unfortunately to date, that has not happened. Ikegwuonu was forced to sit out the entire 2008 season because of his injury, but is back now and in camp. The problem now is that he’s not exactly impressing.

He’s showing a real lack of recovery speed. For a lot of corners, even if they would bite on a fake by the receiver, they have the recovery speed to come up and still make a play. Ikegwuonu hasn’t shown that ability.

Instead, he’s shown that he has a problem sticking with guys off the line initially, and while he is usually able to get a hand on them and even knock them off their pattern at certain times, he is unable to stick with them the whole way.

It would seem that the knee injury was perhaps more serious than first expected, and it has permanently effected his speed.

Just this morning alone he allowed a receiver to get in front of him on a slant route and make the catch. Then he was burnt deep by Brandon Gibson on a straight fly caught for a touchdown, and again by Jeremy Maclin on the same pattern. Maclin, however, was unable to catch the overthrown pass.

The Eagles will keep no more than five corners, and four of those guys have their jobs locked down. Those guys are obviously Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Ellis Hobbs, and Joselio Hanson. That leaves one spot for one guy to step up and prove he belongs.

If camp ended today, Dimitri Patterson would be my pick for the fifth corner. He’s a tough, physical guy who isn’t afraid to do what it takes to get to the ball. In fact, he reminds me a lot of a former Eagle corner, Al Harris.

Like Harris, Patterson would probably see his fair share of pass interference calls, but what also make his share of big plays.

If Ikegwuonu wants to be that fifth guy, he better make some plays in the preseason, or it could very well cost him a job.

 

Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green for other training camp news and notes!

Philadelphia Eagles Lose out on Derrick Burgess to New England Patriots

The New England Patriots announced via their Twitter feed that they have acquired defensive Derrick Burgess from the Oakland Raiders for an undisclosed number of draft picks.

The picks given up are believed to be a third and a fifth-round pick in 2011 as reported by Michael Lombardi. However, Adam Schefter is reporting that he thinks the Raiders got third and fourth-round picks next year, if not more. He keeps reminding us that New England has three second-round picks next year.

It’s also come out now that there were really only two teams ever in the discussion for Derrick Burgess, and that was the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles. The same team and same regime that allowed Burgess to walk a handful of years ago after playing such a huge role in their 2004 Super Bowl run.

Apparently, although Andy Reid would never admit it publicly, he realized that a mistake was made by letting Burgess walk. Very rarely does Reid miss when he allows players to walk, but Burgess may have been that rare circumstance.

However, one could argue that the Eagles would have been crazy to pay Burgess the amount of money that he got from the Raiders. Yes, he had his 16-sack season, and even an 11-sack season the year after that, but over the past two seasons his numbers have significantly dropped.

With eight sacks in 2007 in 14 games and only 3.5 sacks in 2008 in only 10 games, his production took a dive. He also became injury prone. Over the past two seasons, he’s missed eight games. To put that into perspective, Tra Thomas only missed eight games over his entire 11-year career in Philadelphia.

Now, as I said, one could argue that, but I don’t believe that is the case.

Imagine with me, if you will, Derrick Burgess coming off the edge on the right side, while Trent Cole attacked from the left. The amount of pressure would have been astounding, and a real pain for any offensive line and coordinator.

With both of them on the field, which one do you double team? Do you help out your right tackle who ideally shouldn’t be as good of a pass-blocker as your left tackle? Well, then you leave Cole one-on-one and he’ll win the majority of those. Same goes for if you try to double Cole.

The point is that the two of them together would have created an unbelievable amount of havoc and the Eagles missed out on that. Then, Juqua Parker’s little pot-run would not be a big deal in the slightest.

But anyway, they’ve again missed out on that opportunity. They were believed to have offered a third-round pick and a player. Who they offered is still not known, but I’m assuming it will come out in the next few days, if not sooner. It should be quite an interesting name.

It could have been a guy like Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, or even maybe Juqua Parker or Darren Howard. The Raiders need a receiver, or they may have wanted a DE to replace Burgess along with a draft pick. Either way, it will be interesting.

Burgess will be making a position change with New England as he’ll be an outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme. This will be the first time he’s played linebacker, so he may not have the impact that they would like.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green! (Now With Podcasts!)

Jeremy Maclin and the Philadelphia Eagles Finally Agree to Terms

The Philadelphia Eagles and the 19th overall selection, Jeremy Maclin, have finally come to terms on a five-year deal.

Reportedly, the contract is worth $15.5 million with $9.5 million in guaranteed money.

This is a huge step for the Eagles, and more specifically Maclin. He has missed the installation of over 100 passing plays, and has a lot to catch up on. Not to mention tomorrow will be his very first day of an NFL training camp, so he’ll be learning on the fly.

What he’s doing right now is essential to be dropped right into the middle of an active battle zone, which needless to say, would be chaotic to say the least.

However the Eagles have faith that he can come in and make up for the nine days and 18 practices that he has missed.

He’s a smart kid who shouldn’t have too much of a problem with it, although there will be some problems in the early going as he’s buried on the depth chart at the moment.

With camp almost halfway over, he’s got some time with the rest of camp and the preseason, but not much. It will be very interesting to see how he responds and where he winds up on the depth chart come September.

So on a day in which the Eagles get very bad news on the defensive side of the ball, they get very good news on the offensive side.

I’m sure Andy Reid, and Donovan McNabb especially, are elated to have the young kid in camp.

Finally, we’ll get to see what he can do with the pads on.

The interesting thing will be to hear what held up this deal.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010