I dont like when they report like this they only say what the good thing that are going on not about the players having trouble. What do expect from the team reports though all teams have them and they are all the same. News papers are better about givening both sides.
The practice concluded and the teams gathered in a big group to have their closing words. Linebacker Shawn Barber led the speech and was given many props in the form of "all right Barbs" and "let's go Barbs" chants from his teammates. Having Barber back on team is great on the field, but his presence at practice and in the locker room is something that absolutely cannot be overlooked.
Quote:
On a nice rush to the outside, running back Reno Mahe was able to get around the defense and twist his way into the end zone. The continued great play of Mahe during this training camp is definitely noteworthy, but the real meat of this particular snap was the scrap between right tackle Jon Runyan and defensive end Juqua Thomas. The two got pretty heated as Mahe faught passed them on the right and the jostling continued all the way into the end zone, when the line of scrimmage was the 20-yard line. Both helmets flew off and some swings were taken. Eventually enough players made it over there to get in the way of the mammoth Runyan and the extremely agitated Thomas. These players are really ready to hit someone in a different color
The Eagles welcomed back some players to the practice field. Running back Ryan Moats, linebacker Chris Gocong and cornerback Donald Strickland. Moats was off the practice field thbe longest with a sprained knee and it will be interesting to see if Moats is in the lineup for Thursday's preseason game against Cleveland.
Lito Sheppard wasn't very pleased about Baskett making that last catch (see below) so the next time the ball went his way, Sheppard made an outstanding pass defense on an inside route by Baskett. Definitely a great play from the Pro Bowl cornerback.
Coming off of his short performance in the Eagles first preseason game, wide receiver Hank Baskett continued to show his brilliance on the practice field. On an out pattern, with the ball thrown behind him, Baskett was able to adjust in mid-air and pull in the catch that was quite behind him which put the crowd in a frenzy. You seriously can't say enough about his play, although, I was pretty disappointed that he didn't play more on Sunday night. Let's see how he does on Thursday.
Running back Ryan Moats looked solid in his return to the practice field after missing significant time. Sporting tights only on his injured leg, Moats looked pretty smooth coming out of the backfield during the team install drills. He hobbled a tiny bit coming back to the huddle, but that's expected for the back recovering from knee problems.
Linebacker Omar Gaither continued to impress me with his command of the defense when on the field. Gaither is extremely vocal and energetic ... similar to his fellow middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Being a rookie, it's very promising to see the young guy out there taking charge and directing the defense.
One-on-ones were the next drill worked after team install. Always the most entertaining drill to watch, which pits the O-Lineman against the guys on the defensive side of the ball. One of the best battle's was between left tackle William Thomas and defensive end Trent Cole. Both guys seemed to really get into it with each other. Cole bull-rushed Thomas and got right into his face. And in case you missed it, Trent Cole basically dominated Raiders tackle Robert Gallery during Sunday's game.
Today was, as many of you know i'm sure, the first training camp practice for rookie defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley. During the one-on-one drills, Bunkley was put up against rookie guard Max Jean-Gilles. Bunkley looked to be in great form and didn't show any signs of rust. It also maybe have been the fact that he had fresh legs. Whatever the case, it's good to have Bunkley in camp.
Running back Brian Westbrook sat out team workouts Tuesday due to a foot sprain and is not expected to play in Thursday's preseason contest against Cleveland. Reports indicate that it's not the foot he hurt last year and it's not a Lis Franc sprain.
Meanwhile, receiver Reggie Brown suffered a calf strain in the morning workout. His status for Thursday is yet to be determined.
On a positive note, running back Ryan Moats was back on the field, joining Correll Buckhalter and Reno Mahe.
The team also signed Marty Johnson on Tuesday. Recently released by the Broncos, he ran for 424 yards and two touchdowns with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe in 2006. He also caught 22 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson attended Utah, where he rushed for 802 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns as a senior in 2004, helping the Utes win the Fiesta Bowl.
The Eagles added two linemen to help their suddenly depleted offensive line, signing offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers and Dejuan Skinner, who was released on July 21 by the Eagles.
Rodgers, a rookie free agent signee of the Tennessee Titans in 2005, he spent that year on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad but was released prior to the start of 2006 training camp.
Rodgers attended Lambuth University, in Jackson, Tenn., where as a senior he earned first-team All Mid-South Conference, NAIA Honorable Mention All-America and NAIAfootball.net honorable mention All-America honors.
The 26-year-old Skinner originally signed as a rookie free agent with the Eagles this past spring, but was released on July 21. Skinner (6-5, 349) started two seasons at right guard for West Texas A&M after transferring from East Mississippi College. He was a first team All-LSC South selection as a senior and received All-America honorable mention honors.
In addition to Westbrook, Perry and Brown, here's a look at the team's other injured players:
Wide receiver Todd Pinkston still has soreness in his Achilles.
Offensive tackle Calvin Armstrong has a knee injury.
Offensive guard Adrien Clarke has a back injury.
Offensive guard Scott Young has a hamstring injury.
Offensive tackle Pat McCoy has a concussion.
Linebacker Greg Richmond has a back injury.
Reid will update his team's injury situation and announce his personnel rotation for Thursday night following the team's mock game on Wednesday morning.
Jeremy Bloom is returning kicks, which is what the Eagles envisioned when they took a chance on the Olympic skier in April's NFL Draft. Bloom is fundamentally a north-south runner and doesn't waste much time juking one way or the other. Two weeks ago, special teams coordinator John Harbaugh mentioned that he likes his kick returners to run north-south, which helps explain why Bloom was highly regarded by the Eagles. But it's hard to confidently evaluate a returner until they're in a game and the gunners are there to hit and not run past them. At this special team's practice, the players are in shorts and shells and Bloom will not be touched.
While working 7-on-7's, cornerback Sheldon Brown made an excellent play on wide receiver Hank Baskett. The rookie wide out lined up split left and did a 10-yard in pattern, which Brown defended perfectly and was able to knock the ball away before Baskett could bring it in. Brown, who has been a Pro Bowl-caliber player the last couple of years, expects to have another stellar again this year.
A few observations from my favorite drill, the lineman one-on-ones. Defensive end Jevon Kearse was the first to participate in the drill and was lined up against tackle Pat McCoy. It wasn't much of a contest. Kearse beat him easily. The best match-up of the drill had tackle Winston Justice lined up against defense end Darren Howard. On the first snap, Howard beat Justice cleanly to the inside. On the second however, Justice took on Howard's bull rush and kept him away from the quarterback spot. Defensive end Trent Cole also got some work against Justice and looked very sharp. Expect a huge year from the defensive line who, in my opinion, will lead this defense to great things this season.
Rookie wide receiver Jason Avant looked very sharp during the wide receiver individual practices. He was running good routes, sharp cuts and made some nice deep catches. Avant has been impressing everyone thus far with his skill and will only get better as the preseason wares on.
THE NEWS
Linebacker Matt McCoy was named the Eagles starter on the weakside. McCoy was deactivated for 12 games last season and played sparingly in the others. He passed veteran Shawn Barber on the depth chart.
Our View
McCoy is the type of player that likes to get dirty. That could translate into success for the Eagles, and if not they have a veteran option in Barber to replace him
I actually have really liked what I have seen from him so far and think this is the right move. He has played with very high intensity and is all over the place, I really like this move.
Two weeks and two preseason games ago, I gave the 53-man roster my first attempt. It wasn't easy then. And that was before Hank Baskett emerged as The Real Deal, before Todd Pinkston's balky Achilles tendon kept him out of two weeks of practice, before the offensive line depth took a hit with injuries and, of course, before Brodrick Bunkley signed his contract and reported to training camp.
How much have things changed in the last two weeks from this perspective? Let's examine the roster and see how two plus two equals 53 players to keep ...
QUARTERBACK (3)
Nothing has changed here. The top three at the moment are, in this order, Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia and Koy Detmer.
McNabb has been outstanding in camp and Garcia really stepped it up against Cleveland, which was comforting. Detmer will likely play a bit against the Ravens, and he needs to have some success.
Fourth quarterback Timmy Chang has shown a few things, though. He's making progress, but I'm not sure he's there yet to make a difference.
So I'm sticking with three -- McNabb, Garcia, Detmer. Chang would be fine on my practice squad. With three preseason games remaining, the young man will get a lot of reps and a chance to move up.
HALFBACK (4)
Two weeks ago, I had the Eagles keeping three halfbacks -- Brian Westbrook, Ryan Moats and Bruce Perry. I had Reno Mahe on the bubble to possibly make the team as a return man.
Now I think the Eagles will keep four, but I'm not sure which four. Westbrook and Moats and Mahe are in. Westbrook's foot sprain is coming along well, says head coach Andy Reid, and he is the go-to player in this offense. Moats enjoyed a fine day on Sunday in practice -- although he's fumbling way too much for my liking.
Mahe is just a solid football player. He is having a great preseason and he does so many things for the team.
The fourth halfback is, at the moment, unclear. Perry struggled against the Raiders and then missed the Cleveland game. Meanwhile, Correll Buckhalter looks very good in practice and could see some significant time in Baltimore.
Marty Johnson played well against Cleveland and deserves a lot of credit, but I don't know if he can crack this foursome right now. He might be worth keeping around for a while, though. He packs some punch with the ball in his hands.
FULLBACK (1)
There can be only one. No way the Eagles can squeeze in another fullback on this already-crowded roster. Josh Parry is starting and there is no disputing that. However, I see Thomas Tapeh ready to make his move. It wouldn't surprise me to see Tapeh play a lot on Thursday at fullback. The Eagles need to find out about him.
Rookie Jason Davis has played both positions and I like him. He's athletic and he's a physical blocker. He has a chance in this league.
Parry isn't all that incredibly gifted, but he never makes a mental mistake. That's extremely important in this offense.
I would handicap the position this way: Parry has the advantage, but Tapeh is coming, with Davis a full stride behind. These three games will tell the story of this position.
Stephen Spach is still in the mix, but he's not seeing all that many reps. He will have a touch time making it here.
WIDE RECEIVER (6)
I penciled in six receivers two weeks ago and I'm sticking with it now. However, the six at the top of the list has changed and continues to remain unsettled.
This much I know: Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, Darnerien McCants and Jason Avant are taking the most reps in practice. Then comes Greg Lewis. Then comes Jabar Gaffney and Bill Sampy.
WR Jabar Gaffney: Where does he fit in?
Six receivers? Good luck.
I say that Brown, Baskett and Avant are right there as far as locks. McCants isn't there yet, but he's playing well as a receiver and is one of the top special teams players on the team. I don't think anybody is remotely close to a lock after that.
Lewis is experienced here, he's a good receiver and he helps on special teams. Gaffney is, according to the coaches, making strides. He could be working his way back up the depth chart, but time is ticking.
Todd Pinkston? He practiced both Saturday and Sunday, a good sign. Playing on Thursday would be an encouraging step forward.
Two weeks ago I said Brown, Gaffney, Lewis and Pinkston were at the top of the depth chart based on practice reps and experience, etc. That isn't the case now.
Pick six from among this group: Brown, Baskett, McCants, Avant, Pinkston, Lewis, Gaffney, Sampy. Justin Jenkins is hurt and not playing. Jeremy Bloom has too much ground to catch up and can make this team -- as I see it -- by busting some returns in the three preseason games ahead.
This picture can change at any time and it probably will.
TIGHT END (3)
This stays at three -- L.J. Smith, Matt Schobel, Mike Bartrum. Schobel has been outstanding since his two-day struggle and no longer do you hear talk of Andy Thorn taking his position.
Smith made a great catch in the back of the end zone in Sunday morning's practice and it's clear he is a vital part of this offense. Bartrum is fine, thank you, as the third tight end and long snapper.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10)
Two weeks ago, to crunch the numbers, I had the Eagles keeping eight linemen. That just doesn't work. Ten is more realistic, although the team might be able to get away with nine on the active roster and a player or two on the practice squad who could help if needed.
The five starters -- William Thomas, Todd Herremans, Jamaal Jackson, Shawn Andrews and Jon Runyan -- are locks. Hank Fraley is a lock as the backup center and a versatile guard who has also played well in the preseason there. Winston Justice is making strides as a backup tackle, as is Max Jean-Gilles at guard.
That gives you eight players. A ninth or 10th player would come from a list that includes Trey Darilek, Scott Young, Adrien Clarke, Calvin Armstrong and Pat McCoy. Problem is, Young, Clarke and Armstrong have missed a game with injuries and are not in practice right now.
So what do you do? You wait. And maybe you find a way to save a spot with nine linemen, rather than 10. Fraley's emergence as a guard helps a lot.
Plus, the Eagles have to hold off until the young linemen are healthy enough to compete. Right now, my number is 10 linemen. I just don't know who those final two will be.
DEFENSIVE LINE (9)
Boy, it would be great to keep an extra defensive linemen, but nine is the most realistic number possible. As hoped, the Eagles have a deep and talented and extremely competitive situation along the defensive line. It's one of the best-looking defensive lines in a long time around here.
Here are the projections: Darren Howard, Jevon Kearse, Trent Cole and Jerome McDougle at the end spots. Juqua Thomas is a fine player for depth, but can he stick around. I'm still having a problem leaving out Jason Short because he's so good as a special teams player, but how can I make him fit here?
Tackle is loaded. Mike Patterson is having a strong summer. Brodrick Bunkley has not been blocked in a week and he's only going to get better. I can't see him lasting long as a reserve. He's so talented.
Darwin Walker was doing well until he suffered a fractured rib, and he needs to be OK before he gets on the field. Sam Rayburn has really stepped up his game in the last couple of weeks to move into the top-four rotation.
Rookie LaJuan Ramsey has been outstanding and I can't see the Eagles letting him go. There are your five tackles.
But can the Eagles really let good players like Ed Jasper and Keyonta Marshall go? This is a true numbers crunch. The Eagles have some assets here, and you here all the trade rumors. They will be working the phone lines in the coming weeks, to be sure.
LINEBACKER (7)
I have to keep the number the same as it was two weeks ago. And I think there are five that are locks: Jeremiah Trotter, Dhani Jones, Matt McCoy, Shawn Barber and Chris Gocong. Gocong hasn't played in the preseason because of a stinger and he's a question mark for Thursday, but the Eagles still love him and expect him, at the very least, to help on special teams.
Mark Simoneau is the jack-of-all-trades linebacker who is the top backup at three positions.
One spot remains. Greg Richmond's back injury isn't helping his case at all. Rookie Omar Gaither is making plays all over the field. Dedrick Roper is a tremendous special teams player. Torrance Daniels is a really good prospect.
Tough call. That's why they play the games, though. Three remain in this preseason. A roster job will be decided in those games at this position.
CORNERBACK (4)
I'm saving a roster spot here and keeping four, not five. Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown and Rod Hood are locks, of course. The fourth spot is open, with Joselio Hanson, Donald Strickland, Dexter Wynn and Matt Clark fighting for that spot.
Right now, it seems like Hanson has the edge based on the number of reps he's taking in practice.
SAFETY (4)
Two weeks ago, I thought the Eagles would keep five safeties. Now I don't see how they can. So let's bump that number down by one.
And it won't be easy to cut one from this talented group.
Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis make it, naturally. Sean Considine is on the field more and more, if you didn't notice, and seems to be a lock. J.R. Reed has emerged and while he hasn't been flashy in the return game, he is tops on the depth chart there and seems to have his speed back.
But what about Quintin Mikell? He's hurt enough to not play in games, but Mikell is a valuable special teams player and a contributor in defensive packages.
Mat Ware actually looks good as a safety -- that's where he is playing these days -- but it's going to be hard for him to make the team. Ditto for Scott Ware, who is in there battling and playing well, but he's in a tough spot. How do you crack this group?
It's a really tough call. Very difficult. They say things have a way of working out in the preseason, so ...
SPECIALISTS (2)
Easy as pie. David Akers has been just about perfect in practice and in games, and Dirk Johnson has suddenly found his groove.
End of story.
That makes for 53 player and, honestly, how much flexibility do the Eagles really have? Could they take a huge risk and keep two quarterbacks with Chang on the practice squad, just in case? Could they keep an extra defensive lineman and knock the offensive line numbers down by one?
Do I have too many halfbacks and not enough cornerbacks on this list?
Questions, questions. The games are going to provide a lot of the answers, as they have already. I'll be back in two weeks to update and I'm sure it will be as confusing then as it is now.
Camp Blog
Camp Blog
Linear Mode
