Post by EagleGene on Jul 17, 2005 3:49:56 GMT -5
Training Camp Preview: Eagles
by Ted Carlson - Senior Editor, Fanball.com
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Leading up to the start of training camps in July, we are taking a team-by-team tour with fantasy previews for each NFL squad. We'll detail the key offseason moves, position battles to watch, and other things to keep an eye on as the clubs prepare for the season ahead.
Notable Offseason Moves: The Eagles generated a heap of noise last offseason when they signed Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse, but after a trip to the Super Bowl, Andy Reid and company were more about tweaking and trimming over the past few months. Quarterback Mike McMahon, who signed a two-year deal, is the only notable addition to the club. He replaces the departed Jeff Blake and reunites with assistant head coach Marty Mornhinweg.
The other notes on the positive side of the ledger were all re-signings, beginning with offensive coordinator Brad Childress. He agreed to a deal that will keep him with the Eagles through 2008. Running back Correll Buckhalter (two years), linebacker Jeremiah Trotter (five), defensive end Hugh Douglas (one), fullback Jon Ritchie (one), and linebacker Keith Adams (one) also opted to remain in the city of Brotherly Love.
In addition, restricted free agent running back Brian Westbrook begrudgingly signed a one-year tender, but he's still hoping for a long-term deal. The same goes for defensive tackle Corey Simon, who was slapped with the franchise tag and came up in numerous trade rumors.
Along with Blake, the Eagles waived goodbye to offensive guard Jermane Mayberry, who signed with the Saints. Mayberry had been with the Eagles since being picked in the first round of the 1996 draft, but the Eagles prepared for his departure by drafting Shane Andrews last year. The team also cut ties with another former first-round pick, wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, but that separation wasn't exactly tearful.
Running back Dorsey Levens (FA), defensive end Derrick Burgess (Raiders), and linebackers Nate Wayne (Jaguars) and Ike Reese (Falcons) fill out the rest of the "loss" column. Technically we should also toss free agent tight end Chad Lewis into this section, but if his Lisfranc sprain is healed enough, chances are good that he'll be back in the fold.
Position Battles: Quarterback Koy Detmer is returning for his eighth season with the Eagles, but he's most valuable as a holder for field goals and extra points. McMahon will challenge Koy for primary backup spot, a job which mainly consists of fielding phone calls from Wilma and Sam McNabb and keeping Donovan's 'fro tight.
Despite all the criticism, Todd Pinkston remains entrenched as one starting receiver. If Owens shows up, he'll be the other starter, and Greg Lewis stands to take over Mitchell's role in the slot. If Owens skips camp, then the situation gets much more interesting. Lewis worked with the first-string offense this summer, but rookie Reggie Brown has been impressive and could work his way into a significant role.
After Ritchie tore his ACL last September, fullback Josh Parry jumped into the starting lineup and impressed. The inexperienced Parry and the hard-headed veteran Ritchie will fight for the starting job in camp.
On the other side of the ball, the Eagles feature a couple key question marks heading into August. First, Burgess' departure opened up the right defensive end spot, and the team has a wide-open, three-way battle heading into camp. The Eagles would love to see 2003 first-round pick Jerome McDougle finally step up and perform, but considering what we've seen the past two years, we'll take the under. N.D. Kalu is aiming for the job after missing all of 2004 with a torn ACL, and the veteran Douglas shouldn't be counted out.
Second, the weakside linebacker job will be a two-man battle with a sleeper pick thrown in. Adams, a special teams ace, gained some valuable experience (including a playoff start against Atlanta) late last season and is the leader heading into camp. However, veteran and former starter Mark Simoneau is hot on his heels. The darkhorse for the spot is second-round rookie Matt McCoy, who is more likely to be part of a rotation rather than a full-time starter.
Keep an Eye On: The pressing question on everyone's lips is if Owens will emerge from his Chocolate Parlour (with his Oompa Loompas) and delight the people of Lehigh Valley. Owens and his agent, Mr. Slugsworth, are attempting to squeeze more money out of the Eagles, but given the franchise's history in that department, they'd have a better chance of getting Tom Cruise to see a psychiatrist.
We shouldn't need to tell readers how important Owens' potential holdout is to this offense and fantasy leagues. Making the situation even murkier are the ankle and knee injuries. Although Terrell played in the Super Bowl and wanted to play Summer League basketball, it's risky to assume that he is 100 percent healthy until we actually see him running, cutting, jumping, and taking hits. Owens has long been a beast regarding his physical health and he's likely followed a strict rehab process, but fantasy owners might want to be sure before using a high-round pick on Terrell.
Outside of Owens, the top fantasy question is how the Eagles will shape their backfield now that Buckhalter is back. Reid is known for using more than one runner, and we expect Westbrook and Buckhalter to be a 1-2 punch as long as both are healthy. The dynamic Westbrook will certainly get the most touches, but the bigger Buckhalter stands to handle short-yardage and goal line work. Also, there are some whispers that rookie Ryan Moats will also factor into Reid's rotation. We'll be watching.
Back on the subject of contract demands, we also need to pay attention to Simon, Westbrook, and Hollis Thomas. All three players want new deals, although Westbrook and Thomas appear ready to move reluctantly forward with their current situation. A once-dominant defender, Simon showed up out-of-shape last season and was disappointing. The Eagles have enough pieces to move forward without their franchise player, but we're a little wary of Corey becoming a distraction.
The Eagles also have a couple huge questions on the offensive line. Left tackle Tra Thomas missed offseason workouts due to a blood clot. The three-time Pro Bowler is in charge of protecting McNabb's backside, and the team needs him to be healthy and in shape. Andrews, who is slated to start at right guard, played just one game in his rookie season due to a broken fibula, but the team is expecting him to be a force up front. He looked healthy during spring practices, but we'll want to see him before handing out our own stamp of approval.
Lastly, fantasy owners looking for a sleeper tight end will want to pay attention to L.J. Smith this summer. He's taken off the Chad Lewis training wheels and undergone back surgery, and all reports point to the third-year player taking on a much bigger role in this offense.
Updated on Saturday, Jul 16, 2005 5:48 pm EDT
by Ted Carlson - Senior Editor, Fanball.com
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Leading up to the start of training camps in July, we are taking a team-by-team tour with fantasy previews for each NFL squad. We'll detail the key offseason moves, position battles to watch, and other things to keep an eye on as the clubs prepare for the season ahead.
Notable Offseason Moves: The Eagles generated a heap of noise last offseason when they signed Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse, but after a trip to the Super Bowl, Andy Reid and company were more about tweaking and trimming over the past few months. Quarterback Mike McMahon, who signed a two-year deal, is the only notable addition to the club. He replaces the departed Jeff Blake and reunites with assistant head coach Marty Mornhinweg.
The other notes on the positive side of the ledger were all re-signings, beginning with offensive coordinator Brad Childress. He agreed to a deal that will keep him with the Eagles through 2008. Running back Correll Buckhalter (two years), linebacker Jeremiah Trotter (five), defensive end Hugh Douglas (one), fullback Jon Ritchie (one), and linebacker Keith Adams (one) also opted to remain in the city of Brotherly Love.
In addition, restricted free agent running back Brian Westbrook begrudgingly signed a one-year tender, but he's still hoping for a long-term deal. The same goes for defensive tackle Corey Simon, who was slapped with the franchise tag and came up in numerous trade rumors.
Along with Blake, the Eagles waived goodbye to offensive guard Jermane Mayberry, who signed with the Saints. Mayberry had been with the Eagles since being picked in the first round of the 1996 draft, but the Eagles prepared for his departure by drafting Shane Andrews last year. The team also cut ties with another former first-round pick, wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, but that separation wasn't exactly tearful.
Running back Dorsey Levens (FA), defensive end Derrick Burgess (Raiders), and linebackers Nate Wayne (Jaguars) and Ike Reese (Falcons) fill out the rest of the "loss" column. Technically we should also toss free agent tight end Chad Lewis into this section, but if his Lisfranc sprain is healed enough, chances are good that he'll be back in the fold.
Position Battles: Quarterback Koy Detmer is returning for his eighth season with the Eagles, but he's most valuable as a holder for field goals and extra points. McMahon will challenge Koy for primary backup spot, a job which mainly consists of fielding phone calls from Wilma and Sam McNabb and keeping Donovan's 'fro tight.
Despite all the criticism, Todd Pinkston remains entrenched as one starting receiver. If Owens shows up, he'll be the other starter, and Greg Lewis stands to take over Mitchell's role in the slot. If Owens skips camp, then the situation gets much more interesting. Lewis worked with the first-string offense this summer, but rookie Reggie Brown has been impressive and could work his way into a significant role.
After Ritchie tore his ACL last September, fullback Josh Parry jumped into the starting lineup and impressed. The inexperienced Parry and the hard-headed veteran Ritchie will fight for the starting job in camp.
On the other side of the ball, the Eagles feature a couple key question marks heading into August. First, Burgess' departure opened up the right defensive end spot, and the team has a wide-open, three-way battle heading into camp. The Eagles would love to see 2003 first-round pick Jerome McDougle finally step up and perform, but considering what we've seen the past two years, we'll take the under. N.D. Kalu is aiming for the job after missing all of 2004 with a torn ACL, and the veteran Douglas shouldn't be counted out.
Second, the weakside linebacker job will be a two-man battle with a sleeper pick thrown in. Adams, a special teams ace, gained some valuable experience (including a playoff start against Atlanta) late last season and is the leader heading into camp. However, veteran and former starter Mark Simoneau is hot on his heels. The darkhorse for the spot is second-round rookie Matt McCoy, who is more likely to be part of a rotation rather than a full-time starter.
Keep an Eye On: The pressing question on everyone's lips is if Owens will emerge from his Chocolate Parlour (with his Oompa Loompas) and delight the people of Lehigh Valley. Owens and his agent, Mr. Slugsworth, are attempting to squeeze more money out of the Eagles, but given the franchise's history in that department, they'd have a better chance of getting Tom Cruise to see a psychiatrist.
We shouldn't need to tell readers how important Owens' potential holdout is to this offense and fantasy leagues. Making the situation even murkier are the ankle and knee injuries. Although Terrell played in the Super Bowl and wanted to play Summer League basketball, it's risky to assume that he is 100 percent healthy until we actually see him running, cutting, jumping, and taking hits. Owens has long been a beast regarding his physical health and he's likely followed a strict rehab process, but fantasy owners might want to be sure before using a high-round pick on Terrell.
Outside of Owens, the top fantasy question is how the Eagles will shape their backfield now that Buckhalter is back. Reid is known for using more than one runner, and we expect Westbrook and Buckhalter to be a 1-2 punch as long as both are healthy. The dynamic Westbrook will certainly get the most touches, but the bigger Buckhalter stands to handle short-yardage and goal line work. Also, there are some whispers that rookie Ryan Moats will also factor into Reid's rotation. We'll be watching.
Back on the subject of contract demands, we also need to pay attention to Simon, Westbrook, and Hollis Thomas. All three players want new deals, although Westbrook and Thomas appear ready to move reluctantly forward with their current situation. A once-dominant defender, Simon showed up out-of-shape last season and was disappointing. The Eagles have enough pieces to move forward without their franchise player, but we're a little wary of Corey becoming a distraction.
The Eagles also have a couple huge questions on the offensive line. Left tackle Tra Thomas missed offseason workouts due to a blood clot. The three-time Pro Bowler is in charge of protecting McNabb's backside, and the team needs him to be healthy and in shape. Andrews, who is slated to start at right guard, played just one game in his rookie season due to a broken fibula, but the team is expecting him to be a force up front. He looked healthy during spring practices, but we'll want to see him before handing out our own stamp of approval.
Lastly, fantasy owners looking for a sleeper tight end will want to pay attention to L.J. Smith this summer. He's taken off the Chad Lewis training wheels and undergone back surgery, and all reports point to the third-year player taking on a much bigger role in this offense.
Updated on Saturday, Jul 16, 2005 5:48 pm EDT