Friday, August 30, 2013

Twelve cuts down, nine to go for Eagles

The Eagles axed a dozen players Friday including veteran Dallas Reynolds, who started 13 games  at center last season.
                                                    Wide receiver Jeff Maehl still around.
Also released were  linebacker Everette Brown, defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, quarterback Dennis Dixon, defensive end David King, quarterback G.J. Kinne, offensive lineman Matt Kopa, cornerback Trevard Lindley (waived with injury settlement), wide receivers Ifeanyi Momah and Will Murphy, linebacker Adrian Robinson and offensive lineman Matt Tennant.
The Eagles also put rookie DE Joe Kruger on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Right.
With 62 players, the Eagles must make nine more moves to reach the 53 man limit by 6 p.m. Saturday.

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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Last Preseason Game is 'Authentic'

Eagles veteran offensive lineman Matt Tennant has done the drill.

Matt Tennant ... Authentic.
Jobs are won and lost in preseason finales, which is the fate for some when the Eagles oppose the Jets tonight at MetLife Stadium.

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Does Vick start 13 games this season?

Interesting, interesting line posted about the total number of games Eagles quarterback Michael Vick starts this season.

Before the preseason, the under would have been a no-brainer. Now it's not so certain although if it was my dime, I'd still go there.

At any rate here's the line on Vick and Steelers counterpart Ben Roethlisberger courtesy of Bovada (www.Bovada.lv):

Total games started in the 2013  regular season  
Michael Vick - Over/Under 13½
Ben Roethlisberger - Over/Under 14½

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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Chip Kelly owns final say on Eagles roster


Chip Kelly said Tuesday he has the final say on the Eagles' 53-man roster, which must be completed by Saturday evening.
Belichick has total control of 53-man roster.

Which means, well, not a lot if you look at the history of head coaches, control of the roster and Super Bowl titles.

There were five straight Super Bowl winning teams from 2002-06 with the head coach having the final say on the 53-man roster. Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots claimed three of those banners.


However six of the last seven Super Bowl champions came when the coach didn’t have the final say on the roster. The exception was the Steelers with Mike Tomlin in 2009.

"We're on the same page in everything," Kelly said of his relationship with general manager Howie Roseman.  "There has not been a decision that's been made personnel‑wise where I've felt one way and he's felt the other way."

According to NFL Network reporter Albert Breer, in addition to Belichick and Tomlin, the other head coaches with authority over the 53-man roster are Pete Carroll, with the Seattle Seahawks and Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins.

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Eagles running out of healthy cornerbacks

Cornerback Brandon Hughes underwent surgery on his broken hand and is out indefinitely according to the Eagles, who basically have just five healthy corners.

Cornerback Curtis Marsh is out with a broken hand.
Eagles cannot afford to lose Boykin.

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Billy Davis don't need to expose starters Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher to injury. But one of them may have to play in the preseason finale Thursday against the Jets at the Meadowlands. The same with nickel back Brandon Boykin.

Rookie seventh-round pick Jordan Poyer and Trevard Lindley are all that remains of the position.

Offensive lineman Dennis Kelly remains sidelined after lower back surgery.

The good news is Bryce Brown was able to practice after twisting his ankle in the Monday practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly noted that Brown returned to that practice.

"He's good," Kelly said. "I didn't get any reports from our trainers that there were any issues."

The Eagles obviously are looking for help at cornerback.

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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Eagles ax Kenny Phillips, Jamar Chaney

Kenny Phillips’ comeback bid with the Eagles is over.
Jamar Chaney ... Cut by Eagles.

The Eagles cut the veteran safety, unable to come all the way back from knee surgery along with linebacker Jamar Chaney, their 2010 seventh-round pick and 10 other players Sunday. The Eagles need to release one more player to hit the 75-man limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
 

The Eagles hoped Phillips, formerly of the New York Giants, would upgrade the back end of the defense with his coverage ability, balls skills and range.

Unfortunately his problematic knee won’t cooperate. Fifty percent of Kenny Phillips isn’t good enough for on an Eagles defense in transition.

Chaney worked hard but lost snaps to inside linebacker Jake Knott, the undrafted rookie out of Iowa State.

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Eagles' Chip Kelly cuts Oregon player

Offensive lineman Isaac Remington topped the list of 10 players released Sunday by the Eagles.

Remington was one of six players Eagles head coach Chip Kelly coached during his tenure at Oregon.
More decisions ahead for Kelly.

The Eagles have to make three more transactions to reach the 75-man limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday.

In addition to Remington the Eagles cut tight ends Derek Carrier and Will Shaw, defensive end Eddie McClam, wide receiver Nick Miller, offensive tackle Nic Purcell, defensive tackle Daryell Walker, cornerback Eddie Whitley, long snapper James Winchester and punter Brad Wing.

Whitley was waived/injured.

The remaining Oregon players on Kelly's roster are safety Patrick Chung, linebacker Casey Matthews, wide receivers Will Murphy and Jeff Maehl and quarterback Dennis Dixon.

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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Adrian Robinson joins Eagles

The Eagles welcomed linebacker Adrian Robertson to the show ... in Jacksonville.
Eagles fans at EverBank Field.

The Eagles shipped running back Felix Jones to the Steelers for Robertson, who will wear No. 49.

Robertson didn't suit up Saturday for the third preseason game against the Jaguars.

Robertson referenced joining the Eagles on his Twitter account:

23 Aug
Its hard wat to say. Thank you God I guess...

Robertson (6-1, 250) played in a dozen games with the Steelers, all on special teams.

Robertson starred at defensive end with Temple. The Harrisburg High product played in all 38 games with the Owls, starting 32. He registered 13 sacks in his junior year to win MAC co-defensive player-of-the-year honors.

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Chip Kelly on sideline signs: "Next question"

Chip Kelly's news conference before the Thursday morning practice went downhill after he started with "Good morning."
What Kelly did at Oregon (BrotherlyLoveSports).

Kelly was asked about the large pictures the Eagles use on the sideline to signal in plays. They're like giant flashcards embossed with Ben Franklin, the Liberty Bell and a cheese steak.

"No," Kelly said. "Next question."

Asked if he could elaborate on the concept Kelly became more indignant.
This Kelly slogan isn't part of Eagles signage.

"I mean, we would tell you what all our signals are, too, but that's not going to help us," Kelly said. "We can go on to something else. I'm not going to explain why we go through that."

Michael Vick will play the first two quarters of the Saturday preseason game in Jacksonville, Nick Foles the next two. Rookie Matt Barkley might play in the second half.
My suggestion: 'Win the day' and get smoothies.

Kelly also has decided the Eagles, for the first time since the 16-game schedule, are going to get Mondays off. Previously the teams had Tuesdays as their off day.

The NFLPA mandates only that players get at least four days off per month.


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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Vick 13th in odds for NFL MVP



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Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, fresh from being named the starter, vaulted up the chart of MVP candidates.


The list courtesy of www.Bovada.lv:

NFL MVP Odds  

Peyton Manning (DEN) QB                    5/1
Aaron Rodgers (GB) QB                        13/2
Colin Kaepernick (SF) QB                      10/1
Drew Brees (NO) QB                              10/1
Adrian Peterson (MIN) RB                      12/1
Tom Brady (NE) QB                               12/1
Matt Ryan (ATL) QB                               15/1
Robert Griffin III (WAS) QB                    18/1
Russell Wilson (SEA) QB                       18/1
Andrew Luck (IND) QB                           25/1
Calvin Johnson (DET) WR                      25/1
Eli Manning (NYG) QB                           25/1 
Michael Vick (PHI) QB                    33/1
Arian Foster (HOU) RB                           33/1 
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) QB                  33/1
Cam Newton (CAR) QB                          33/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) QB                   33/1
Tony Romo (DAL) QB                            33/1


Most Rushing Yards in Regular Season    
Adrian Peterson (MIN) RB                      11/4
Marshawn Lynch (SEA) RB                    7/1
Doug Martin (TB) RB                             10/1
Arian Foster (HOU) RB                           10/1
Alfred Morris (WAS) RB                         12/1
Jamaal Charles (KC) RB                         14/1
C.J. Spiller (BUF) RB                             14/1
Trent Richardson (CLE) RB                    16/1
Chris Johnson (TEN) RB                        18/1
Ray Rice (BAL) RB                                18/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) RB                20/1
Maurice Jones-Drew (JAC) RB               20/1

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Sunday, August 18, 2013

Eagles safety Phillips shelved by quad

Veteran safety Kenny Phillips now has missed a week of work after injuring a quadriceps following back-to-back action at  Lincoln Financial Field.

Broken hand for Marsh.
It's the quad on the same leg as the problematic knee that required microfracture surgery.

A healthy Phillips would be a solid anchor for the Eagles at safety. In his absence rookie Earl Wolff has been getting a lot of snaps. Veteran safety Patrick Chung looks like the only sure starter in the back end he lost his job with the Patriots last year.

Also sitting out Eagles practice Sunday were guard Danny Watkins (concussion), cornerback Curtis Marsh (fractured hand), linebacker Casey Matthews (knee), tight end Emil Igwenagu (concussion), running back Felix Jones (oblique) and offensive tackle Dennis Kelly (back).

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Saturday, August 17, 2013

Jason Peters returns to practice, Eagles sign defensive end

The Eagles welcomed offensive tackle Jason Peters back to practice Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Podium look big for Chip Kelly.
The 31-year-old veteran  of 10 NFL seasons had been sidelined the past two weeks with a hamstring issue on the same leg in which he underwent two surgeries for torn Achilles' tendons.

If Peters stays healthy the Eagles can rank among the top offensive lines in the league.

Here's my top five:



1. SFO
2. DEN
3. CIN
4. MINN
5. WAS/PHL



The Eagles signed defensive end Eddie McClam (6-5, 265), a product of Old Dominion University. McClam spent time with the Detroit Lions last season. He was signed as an undrafted rookie.

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Running back Bryce Brown (quadriceps), long snapper Jon Dorenbos (concussion) and offensive lineman Ed Wang (knee) also got back on the field for the Eagles.

Sitting out practice were cornerback Curtis Marsh (fractured right hand), safety Kenny Phillips (quadriceps), linebacker Casey Matthews (knee), tight end Emil Igwenagu (concussion), guard Danny Watkins (concussion), running back Felix Jones (oblique) and offensive lineman Dennis Kelly (back).

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