The Sports Xchange
NFL Team Report – Philadelphia Eagles – INSIDE SLANT
After signing nine free agents, including seven on the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles feel they don’t have to focus on specific needs and can take the best player available with their selections in next week’s draft, including their first-round pick, the fourth overall.
“We went into free agency trying to fill specific holes,” general manager Howie Roseman said. “That was the purpose of the players we signed in free agency, so we could go into the draft with a blank slate.
“We feel we’re at that position right now where we can take anything and it will make sense for our team because we don’t have a glaring, must-have (need) right at this moment to get on the field and play.”
To a degree, he’s right. With the free-agent additions of cornerbacks Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams, safeties Patrick Chung and Kenny Phillips and rush linebacker Connor Barwin, the Eagles already have addressed their greatest immediate needs coming off last season’s immensely disappointing 4-12 record.
But that doesn’t mean their roster isn’t still in need of upgrading. There are questions at quarterback, where 32-year-old turnover machine Michael Vick and second-year man Nick Foles are the top two players on the depth chart.
Even with offensive tackles Jason Peters and Todd Herremans and center Jason Kelce back from major injuries, they still have a hole in their offensive line at right guard. They’re hoping the light finally will go on for 2011 first-round pick Danny Watkins. But if it doesn’t, Herremans may have to move back inside, which means they’d need a right tackle.
Adding Barwin should help a pass rush that finished 22nd in the league in sacks per pass play last season, but they still could use more help there. And with the exception of Williams, there are questions about all of the free-agent corners and safeties that they signed.
“You don’t want to force things,” Roseman said. “We’re trying to do it the right way. We want to make sure we’re drafting people based on our grades. We want to make sure we’re drafting people based on what we think are the best players available, not what we need at this moment. Because those are where the mistakes are made.”
Drafting for need, the Eagles made a lot of mistakes in the 2010 and 2011 drafts, which along with their disastrous 2011 “Dream Team” free-agent class, is why they’re in the pickle they’re in today.
They selected 24 players in the 2010-11 drafts and have just four starters to show for it – kicker Alex Henery (fourth round, 2011), Kelce (sixth round, 2011), defensive end/linebacker Brandon Graham (first round, 2010) and safety Kurt Coleman (seventh round, 2010).
They have gotten just 176 total starts out of those 24 players. Only 13 still are with the team.
“What we learned from those drafts is you can’t force,” Roseman said. “You can’t force your board. You can’t have so much urgency in terms of filling a need that you change the evaluation process. We’ve talked about that a lot. It’s something we won’t do again.
“It’s a hard lesson when you talk about those numbers. It’s disappointing to be in that situation. At the same time, we think we have some guys from those drafts who are going to be major contributors for us going forward.”
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NFL Team Report – Philadelphia Eagles – NOTES, QUOTES
–Running back LeSean McCoy is excited about the tempo of the team’s offense, while realizing there will be the need for multiple backs to play.
McCoy said, “This is the kind of offense where it’s not a debate, ‘Oh, I could do it myself,’ because, one, you’re going to do more plays than any other offense, even in practice. For two, the amount of hits. You’re running so much. If you’re faking it or you’re running it, or if it’s a pass or not, you’re constantly going. I think any back, no matter how great of a shape that he’s in, he’s going to need some extra help.
“I know that, and Bryce (Brown) is good enough that he can play. I think every team has two good backs if you look around the league and I think Bryce is good enough and I’m confident in myself that I think us together will work well. In this offense, you need another back. And don’t be surprised if Chris Polk gets some carries because you’re running so much it’s like a freaking track meet. It’s like a relay, you need extra guys.”
–The Eagles’ new coach Chip Kelly is big on science and nutrition. That has been evident at the team’s pre-draft minicamp this week. As players come off the practice field at the NovaCare Complex, there are personalized protein recovery shakes and fruit waiting for them on tables on the way to the locker room. Players have been wearing heart monitors during practice and sleep monitors at home.
“It’s like he came in and overhauled the building,” said guard Danny Watkins. “Actually, he did take the doors off in some rooms. He’s changed everything. Strength and conditioning (is different). Nutrition. How we recover. And the major stuff. The offense and how we’re running things out here.”
–Kelly said there is no front-runner for the starting quarterback job. Michael Vick, Nick Foles and Dennis Dixon all have taken reps with the first team, although Kelly said there really isn’t even a first team yet.
“First team means nothing to us at this point,” he said. “It’s how many reps can we get? I don’t care if you were in first-team reps, second-team reps, third-team reps. We don’t grade you any differently. Our whole mantra right now is, ‘I don’t care who is in with the ones, who is in with the twos.’ We’ve just got to make sure we’ve got 11 (out there on the field). The depth chart is more of a seating chart than it is a depth chart.”
–Even though Andy Reid was the guy who drafted him, nobody seems happier with the coaching change in Philadelphia than guard Danny Watkins. Watkins, the team’s first-round pick in 2011, struggled under former offensive line coach Howard Mudd. While many of the Eagles’ other offensive linemen, including left tackle Jason Peters and center Jason Kelce, blossomed under Mudd, Watkins had problems learning Mudd’s unorthodox pass-set and didn’t react well to his tough-love coaching. The Eagles’ new offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, who never has coached in the NFL before, already has established a rapport with Watkins.
Said Watkins: “I think we just feed off each other’s enthusiasm. He always makes time for me. If he’s in a meeting with coach (Kelly), he’ll make a point of shooting me a quick text saying, ‘Hey, meet me at this time. We’ll meet in the morning and in the afternoon and after practice.’ It’s good that I have that ability (to do that). He’s the kind of guy you want to work for. You don’t look at him like he’s your boss.”
Asked about Mudd, Watkins said, “That’s done and over with. That was the old era. (Stoutland) has a different style of coaching (than Mudd). And I think a lot of players respond better to that. It’s not the old-school traditional way. The way he’s doing it, I like it.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Nick can run (the read-option). Everybody’s got two legs.” – Michael Vick on fellow QB Nick Foles’ ability to run the read-option offense.
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NFL Team Report – Philadelphia Eagles – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
TEAM NEEDS
Cornerback: Both of their starters, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, are gone. Asomugha was released and Rodgers-Cromartie was a free agent who the Eagles didn’t attempt to re-sign. They added athletic but oft-injured corner Bradley Fletcher on the first day of the free agency signing period and former Raven Cary Williams on the second, giving them two press corners with excellent size. But Fletcher started just four games last year for the Rams. The top corner in the draft, Alabama’s Dee Milliner, will be a serious consideration for the Eagles with the fourth overall pick.
Safety: The Eagles signed ex-Patriot Patrick Chung and ex-Giant Kenny Phillips. But both are medical risks, particularly Phillips. Even if Chung can manage to stay healthy, and even if he can manage to play better than he did last year, when he was benched by the Patriots, they still need more help at the position. Former second-round pick Nate Allen has been a disappointment and was benched last season. Inconsistent Kurt Coleman is better suited to be a backup and core special-teamer.
Tackle: The Eagles will be getting their two starting tackles back from injury: All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters (ruptured Achilles tendon) and right tackle Todd Herremans (broken foot). But Peters is 31 and Herremans is 30. And with 2011 first-round pick Danny Watkins so far a bust at guard, Herremans may be moving back inside if the Eagles can find another starting tackle. They have interest in free agent Eric Winston. If they don’t sign him, they may go offensive line with their first-round pick.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (1)
–G Jake Scott signed with the Eagles in the second half of the season and played well as their starting right guard. But the Eagles likely will go younger.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
–S Colt Anderson: Potential RFA; $1M/1 yr, $300,000 guaranteed.
–LS Jon Dorenbos: Potential UFA; 4 yrs.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
–LB Emmanuel Acho (trade Browns).
–T Allen Barbre: FA; yerms unknown.
–LB Connor Barwin: UFA Texans; $36M/6 yrs, $8M guaranteed.
–WR Arrelious Benn (trade).
–DE Everette Brown: FA; terms unknown.
–TE James Casey: UFA Texans; $12M/3 yrs, $6M guaranteed.
–S Patrick Chung: UFA Patriots; $10M/3 yrs, $2.285M SB/$4M guaranteed.
–QB Dennis Dixon: FA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–CB Bradley Fletcher: UFA Rams; $5.25M/2 yrs, $1.6M SB/$2.35M guaranteed.
–DE Clifton Geathers (trade Colts).
–P Donnie Jones: UFA Texans; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–S Kenny Phillips: UFA Giants; $2M/1 yr, $1M RB.
–LB Jason Phillips: UFA Panthers; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–NT Isaac Sopoaga: UFA 49ers; $11M/3 yrs.
–CB Cary Williams: UFA Ravens; $17M/3 yrs, $10.5M guaranteed.
PLAYER LOST
–CB Nnamdi Asomugah (released).
–T King Dunlap: UFA Chargers; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–QB Trent Edwards (released).
–FB Stanley Havili (traded Colts).
–DT Cullen Jenkins (released).
–LB Akeem Jordan: UFA Chiefs; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–DT Derek Landri: UFA Buccaneers; $2.75M/2 yrs, $1.25M guaranteed.
–RB Dion Lewis (traded Browns).
–P Mat McBriar (released).
–DT Mike Patterson (released).
–CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: UFA Broncos; $5M/1 yr, $5M guaranteed.
–DE Darryl Tapp: UFA Redskins; 1 yr, terms unknown.
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