LJ at LT
Posted: May 22nd, 2015 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 175 Comments »Did the Eagles want Dion Jordan in the 2013 Draft? We won’t know until Chip Kelly writes his memoir (after winning Super Bowls and then taking over as head coach at New Hampshire). The Eagles drafted Lane Johnson. Whether they “settled” for him or got their guy, it turned out to be a great pick.
Johnson started all 16 games at RT in 2013. He played well after a bit of a slow start. He then got suspended for 4 games in 2014. Johnson returned and started the final 12 games. He started a bit slow, but got up to speed pretty quickly and had a good year.
Heading into Year 3, Johnson has established himself as one of the better RTs in the NFL. Johnson isn’t complacent though. He went out to LA and worked out with Jay Glazer in the offseason. Glazer isn’t just the top inside source in the NFL, he also is a MMA training guru. Sounds like Johnson had a quiet, pleasant trip to Cali.
“First of all, Lane is an elite athlete, and he got right into the program. He was awesome,” Glazer said. “What we do have is we will grind you out, and grind you and grind you until somebody just says ‘get Randy Couture off me (in the ring).’ And that’s what we kind of do is utilize that, so a guy like Lane who threw up nine times in the first three days because he’s never been through something like this. So he came to us at 310 pounds, and he left at 310.
Yikes. I’ve also thrown up a few times in my offseason trips to Cali. PBR training isn’t the same as MMA training, but it can be equally tough on the body.
This next bit is pretty cool.
“And he’s totally changed his body composition. He told me that when he went in to test (at the start of the offseason conditioning program at the NovaCare Complex), he had the highest new muscle growth, the highest fat-loss change and highest body composition change of anyone on his team. And the highest velocity output and the highest force output for anybody in his position, so all the big guys. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
That’s really impressive for an OT.
Maybe this is the season that Johnson takes the next step and becomes a dominant player. That would be fun to watch. He is a very good run blocker. I think DeMarco Murray will enjoy going to that side at least a couple of times a game. Here’s one good example of Johnson’s run blocking.
Not too shabby.
As for the future, Lane Johnson is talented enough to take over for Jason Peters at LT. Johnson is a terrific athlete and has worked hard to become a good pass blocker. Johnson played both LT and RT in college so moving to the other side wouldn’t be completely foreign to him.
The Eagles have the flexibility to think of Johnson as the LT of the future or to keep him at RT and draft someone else for LT. Maybe the Eagles take a guy that is 6-7, 330 and doesn’t have great feet. Plug him in on the right side and slide Johnson over. Or maybe they find a guy that is 6-5, 300 with great feet. Put him at LT and keep Johnson right where he is. That flexibility is a huge asset when planning for the future.
God forbid something happens to Jason Peters this year, I would guess that Johnson slides over to that spot and then Andrew Gardner or Matt Tobin would likely take over at RT.
Peters is 33. In theory, his career should be winding down. But Peters is a bit of an anomaly. His combination of size and athleticism is beyond rare. Try freaky. Maybe he plays just this year. Maybe he’s good for 2 more years. Maybe 3. Who knows? The coaches will watch him closely. You don’t want to stick with a player too long, especially at a critical position like LT. It will be interesting to see when he starts to show definitive signs that age is becoming a factor. He is human, after all. Right?
* * * * *
Speaking of Peters, many of you have asked about converting players to OL. Peters did it. About that…Peters played TE at Arkansas. But he was 6-4, 323. There was no question he would be an OL in the NFL.
Eric Tomlinson 6-6, 263
Andrew Gleichert 6-5, 264
Those guys have the frame to play OL, but would need to add 25 pounds to even become small OL. I think Tomlinson has good TE potential so I doubt they do anything with him. Gleichert played TE and even some FB. I’m not sure if he’d be comfortable as an OL. I don’t see either guy as a convert at this point.
DL Travis Raciti could be interesting as a conversion candidate. He is nasty, physical and athletic. The Eagles like his potential as a DE for now, but if things get crowded or he struggles…who knows. Maybe they’d try a move.
_
Converting Raciti would be a Seahawks like move.
Out of the other 31 teams that came to my mind were the Patriots.
They never done it, but seahawks have done it twice and their ol coach seems to prefer the athletic dl to ol. There is a seahawks blogger who think beau Allen, mihalek or tj McBride was potential dl to ol coverts
Tommy, couldn’t open your link for LJ’s not too shabby run blocking stream. Other than that, great insights into behind the scenes.
Repost from my comments in the Oline article:
Say Tobin performs about the same in this preseason as last year’s. Do you consider him for the starting RG position?
He’s showed the potential, has the size, got a decent amount of experience last year, and is still only 24. Plus, it’s easier to have him gain experience and continuity with the other +talent around him.
Looking at your depth chart, can you really imagine Tobin filling in for Peters in the case of an injury? What’s happened in the past is that someone will slide outside from G, like Herremans last year and potentially Barbre this year, and the next player up steps into the guard role. That leaves two players in new roles and potentially hurts the continuity of the line overall. Wouldn’t you rather keep Barbre at the swing tackle reserve while Tobin develops into a potential full time starter?
Why would a young player like Tobin perform at the same level as last year?
..
he is more healthy then last yeat (I assume)
..
He now has NFL game experience
..
the young mans body is a year more mature
..
And most important, young players who work hard and recieve quality coaching IMPROVE
..
Also expect Tobin to have better chemistry with his line mates then he had last year…
…
if Tobin is the SAME as last year, he is either injured, or a failure.
…
I don’t know many things in this life that you won’t improve at when you invest 5 months of training towards it…you work hard at something, while gaining experience, you will improve…
..
If Tobin is the same as last year, then tobin and Stoutland failed this offseason.. We should see improvement… How much improvement?, is the question
I am very wait and see with him. He will improve, that is right, but like you said how much. Is his improvement good enough.
I wouldn’t say Stoutland has failed. I think he has done a very good job so far. You
I think your missing the point of my comment. I was simply stating that you would have to consider Tobin at RG because of the potential he showed last preseason (by playing very well). Additionally, that he wouldn’t be as good of a backup for all of the positions as Barbre. I wasnt really commenting on the degree of his improvement.
Don’t think its a good philosophy to use a lesser player at an important position just in case one gets injured. You start the best players you have, and adjust if the injury comes.
Tobin and Barbre are going to have a battle for the RG job in TC.
If Tobin wins then you have Barbre as the first man off the bench for all put C.
If Barbre wins, then Tobin in the primary backup at LG and RG, and if one of the tackles goes down you slot in him at RG and kick Barbre to T.
Well I guess that all depends on how Barbre plays as RG. I do think if Tobin plays as good as he did last PS then he may get the starting job.
In case of Peter’s injury it would only make sense for LJ to slide to the left, Barbre go to RT, and Tobin go to RG if he isn’t already there.
Does anyone else feel that Lane could be in the mold of Jason Peters athletically? I love Jason Peters, not sure if we will ever see another lineman like him physically, but I think Lane could be very similar in regards to athletic O-Lineman.
I absolutely think Lane and Greg Robinson have the potental to grow into JP type LT….
I’m not sure he will ever be able to hold the weight that JP does and moves with, but tackle is not really an anchoring position anyway. Since his strength and mobility is there on pretty close to the same level, he definitely has that potential to be the closest thing to the next JP anyone is going to get.
Would have liked to see Lanes quotes from Spadaro intwrview included in this article since he talked about a lot of what Glazier talks about.. Lane explained his MMA training in detail, talked about how he lost almost 4% body fat, talked about wanting to be violent this year, and that he realizes he is more athletic and talented then most tackles and that he want to reach consistent elite status this year..
..
2013 was a great OL, but rookie lane is child’s play compared to the #1 rated RT in the NFL that we will see this year, people like to be doom n gloom and complaim about what the OL lost, but it’s a mistake to not consider what the OL is gaining with the improvements of Elite Talent likr Lane…
…
For the next decade, Lane will be one of the top 5 most talented players on our roster…what a Gem of a draft pick
ANybuddy got a way to get semen out of cloths??!? I just jizzed all over my zubaz readinb bout Lane TRAIN!!
great, GEAGLE’s brother is here now too.
You could try jumping in a lake
SEAGLE woulda been a cool name…since it is warm and the shore and the birds… you missed the boat man.. dogs are cool too tho..
Then there’s his malnourished brother with fish eyes and bad skin… SMEAGLE. “You can never trade my precious…”
Eh.. a seagull (SEAGLE) is a bird.. a Smeagle is some wacked out dude.. could be his distant cousin or something but not brother… also those movies are not my cup of tea.
That’s true, a Seagull is more like an Eagle than Smeagol, a character from The Hobbit (I will not watch those movies unless forced, Clockwork Orange-style). Apparently, there is also a kind of sea slug called a Smeagol. Learn something every day.
interesting..
Seagull (SEAGLE)would work quite well. After all the definitions for the word include: “a squawk at one end and sh!tt at the other”; a gigolo; and this –
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=seagull
Thx for that too funny
Let’s hope he can stay off the drugs. 12 games a year doesn’t cut it.
I just hope the quest to (one day) replace Jason Peters is nothing like the search for a Dawkins replacement
aka the quest to find the holy grail.
The Bills, Texans and Skims are teams being considered for this years HardKnocks,,,
Bills please! Rex Ryan will always make a good show, plus they have huge talent everywhere except QB so they should have some really good roster battles.
That and LeSalt McCoy will probably be fun to watch for what idiocy he will say about the Eagles.
Bills are my AFC mistress, I’m a big fan of that defense.. Shady Being traded there was sposed to be exciting for me.. Then he behaved like a donkey and I liked the Billls more before they gave away Kiko for shady
Bennett is an AWFULLY big Umpa F’n Loompa…
[…] LJ at LT – Tommy Lawlor of IgglesBlitz.com […]
The good thing about O-line is that is seems to be a position that guys can play well at into their 30s. It would be nice to get some mid-round guys this year that could develop for a year or two and then compete for an open tackle position. Maybe Peters does have 2-3 years left in the tank. We could end up being fine there.
Unfortunately the last time we were in this sort of predicament when Tray (William-Tra) Thomas and John Runyan aged it didn’t work out so well. Their leaving actually seemed to coincide with the wind-down of the dominance of AR’s Eagles. The sad part was we had a plan in place back then. It just didn’t work out, like so many other plans. So the way I look at it we will be no worse off than the Stacey Andrews Eagles in a year or two.
The freaks can have long careers. Because their athleticism was so high to start, even with significant decline, they can compete with younger players.
I also think size, technique, and attitude play a big factor. Runyan wasn’t very athletic but he played to 35/36ish because he was not only smart and large, but just always seemed to be pissed off. Which is why I loved that ugly sob.
I loved the battles between him and Strahan. Both of them always said they would circle their calendars for their meetings.
I threw up nine times reading this article.
http://i.imgur.com/fRXK2VW.gif
!!!!!!!!!
Our RB duo for the year. Looking swole!
http://i.imgur.com/uTGXSEZ.jpg
Man that’s weird to see
Demarco Murray pointing at his penis?
Just the tip.
Just the tip!
Demarco in an Eagles jersey… Something about it just doesn’t seem right.
It’ll be right when there’s some Cowgirls jerseys on the ground all over him.
Even better if the Cryboys jerseys are splattered on the gound just outside the goalline, while the odd-looking #29 green jersey is just inside.
Byron Maxwell looked Yoked up too… Eric Rowe looks like he has a frame to grow into a big strong DB
I didn’t expect Matthews to be so swole… On TV he looks so much smaller.
Where is Sproles?
He’s standing in front of both guys . . .
Murray’s pointing to him.
LMAO!!
It’s good to have a reason to smile during the off-season.
Made me really LOL!!
We can only hope that the old memories will fade with the ground-pounding new ones. GROUND pounding.
Feels good to say that. Grrrround Poundinnnnnggggg.
Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen look……..different…..
That is not okay…. 🙂
For those not clicking the link to workout article, this is the best of what Jay Glazer had to say about Lane:
“Most athletes, especially football players, they throw so much money out, they think they’ve made it,” Glazer said. “And it’s harder and harder to reach these guys. Most of these guys think that they did enough because they’re famous and have money. Lane is not like that at all. Lane really wants to make 10 Pro Bowls, whatever it takes. He is zero partying whatsoever. Practice starts at 11:00; he’s here at 9:30 every day.
“He got his diet down and he was really all in. And for a guy like that, I can’t tell you how he got that attitude to work hard. I literally have to convince guys why they’re working hard. I should never have to have that conversation with a professional athlete ever in my life, and you do have it with 90 percent of them. Lane was different.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to my other guys, but he’s probably my favorite guy I’ve ever trained in my entire life. Just because he was always like “I’ll never be late, I’ll never miss, whatever you say.”
Johnson plans another trip to California to the same program for a five-week pre-Training Camp tune-up. He knows what to expect. He knows the dark places his body and mind will go. The purpose is to advance his career, to make the sacrifices now to win each of those 10-second fights that occur in the course of a football game.
“I’m excited, I really am,” Johnson said. “I feel like it’s coming together just the way I want.”
Thank MIami for never having to find out if we would’ve taken Jordan, which I personally don’t think we would have but most people think other wise.
Way to go Dolphins.
We can debate Chip’s veracity, but he did say that they were set to take Dion.
Thank Miami because if he cleans himself up, we can end up with both Lane and Dion…
I was so against Jordan. It sucks to see him not do well, but he was so slight…
He was 250 pounds. He’s now 295 pounds.
But how much of it is useful weight? Muscle earned the old-fashioned way? Work.
Thanks for that. No surprise that Johnson fits the Kelly mold, but I find it interesting that Chip said he was the 2nd on the board after Jordan, who Miami snagged. I wonder if Chip feels like he lucked out?
Really disappointed in Dion and the situation he landed in at Miami – the locker room was toxic, the coaches completely misused him, and Miami living is a hedonistic paradise for young well-to-do individuals. Dion really messed up – so upsetting and a real waste of potential. I hope he leaves Miami and gets his life turned around.
i can only blame him, lots of other guys thriving.
Here’s the thing about blame: it distracts. There was a freakishly gifted kid who, for whatever reasons, went to Miami and disappeared. Does that man still possess those gifts? His body and mind have changed substantially, I would venture. If there is even a scintilla of possibility that he could resume his on-the-field prowess, in the right environment, I, for one, would love to see it happen. I’m not looking at accountability – not because it isn’t critical – because I think he has to know that he made some choices that may have ruined his chances of success in the NFL. He has to know that his time is almost up. If he doesn’t know that, he’s already finished.
Dion will have 1 more chance waiting for him if he wants it. But he has to really want it, as in want it enough to really commit to changing his life,. I assume he lost a lot of his love for the game in Miami. He was all but certai he would be in Phillly with chip and Azz playing In the same defense that he became a star in at Oregon.. He then gets stole by a team with a defense he was a poor fit for from day one..out of position behind a star like wake… These idiots even played him as a 4-3 SAM…
.
This doesn’t excuse the kid, but to me it seems like a clear case of losing his love for the game… He Wont be gifted another chance, you don’t get automatically reinstated, he will have to prove himself….but that last chance will be there for him if he wants it, but it will require a true commitment to turning his life around.. If joining chip kelly on what will be a top 10 defense by then can’t get him to clean up his life and get his career back on track, nothing will
…
He would be an awesome #4 OLB
“Dion will have 1 more chance waiting for him if he wants it.” doubtful
Yeah ok… If he takes the steps to get reinstated, you are crazy if you think no one will give him a shot, Rolondo McClain now starts for the Cowboys… Drops mic……..
If Dion signs with the Hardyboys EVER. that will be the clearest sign to me that he just doesn’t get it. Jerry Tarkanian Jones will take a flyer on any high risk/low character potential game-changer, and I don’t doubt for a second he’d jump at the chance to get Jordan at a low cost. I’m not impugning Dion’s character, but his risk factor is big, and he’ll have to do better by himself. Better Philly (if Chip will extend an offer) or NE, where Belichick will make his role crystal clear and within reach.
He can only blame himself. No one forced him to do any of the crap that he did to ruin himself.
gets his life turned around in philly…
Allegedly he is distancing himself from the Dolphins, hasnt responded to team mates….Miami is done with him.. If he is smart enough, he will clean up his act, and realize that he is going to get one more shot IF he wants it.
He is going to get a shot to be Reunited with Azzinaro and Chip, back In the Oregon Defense he loved, on what will probably be an elite defense by the time he is reinstated… It’s up to him if he wants it.. If chip rescuing him from Miami isn’t enough to get him to clean up his act and get himself reinstated, then his career is essentially over. But the young man does have “1 last Chamce” waiting for him, it’s up to him if he really wants it.. Hopefully the chip kelly reunion Carrot is enough to make hims excited about playing football again, so he commits himself to making the changes in his life needed to take advantage of what may be his last lifeline….
..
The do.phins are done with him, he won’t ever wear a dolphins jersey again,but if he gets reinstated after this next season, what will Jordans contract status be? Does a suspended year count as a contract year? How much would he have left on the deal after this next season?
.
The Eagles and Dion can finally have each other. Dion can be an eagle if he wants to in one year. Hopefully he cleans himself up and takes advantage of it… If chip cN rehabilite Dions career, he will have managed to end up with the #3 and #4 picks In the 2013draft, which would be some serious baller moves if he can get Dion back on track
He really is all about football, he is already married with a kid, this is a very simple, live and die football Friday night lights type
..
I was surprised to hear that Josh Huff is also married.. Psycho Braman is a quiet family man who is a big Softee for daddy’s girl..
..
Gone are the days of woman being kicked off party Bus’s, and videos of Eagles losing 20,000$ to bad rap battle..
..
Chip is really putting together a 53 roster, of good people, who love football and will do all the little extra things chip asks of them during the week, not because they have to, but because they want to, they want to do anything to get better and the believe Chip knows what he is doing and is only trying to make them better…
..
You can’t snap your fingers and create this culture in one offseason, but once this is fully built, it should end up paying off in a big way…. I don’t think chip has had an Eagles team yet THATS even close to his vision and what we will evolve into
mccoy is hosting Ridiculousness.. good show but thats not the type of guy Chip wants on his team… he wants guys who only get paid by the Eagles (of course endorsements too) but not a guy who gets paid to be on shows and at clubs to make even more COIN… #culture
There’s no reason to demonize the guy because he wants to make money off of his own name. I really don’t get this mentality.
i just think its more about just loving football and only football… off season mtv show is prob no biggie but club promotions.. just asking for unneeded trouble..
I’m not sure we are “demonizing” anybody, just simply saying glad that dynamic is on another team.
No idea what that is.. This is the first im hearing of it… Don’t know if chip cares about this in the offseason, but I would bet anything he would never have put up with for example: Brandon Marshall who wanted to travel to New York from chicqgo, every Tuesday during the season to film a show
..I’m sure when the trainers read the data they collect from each player, chip probably isn’t going to want the player who stayed out TIL 2am on a Wednesday during the season, putting alcohol im his body… He wants the guy who took sleep serious, took his “recovery” serious, did everything the trainers mapped out for you In order for you to be art your best on game day…
That kind of thing -heck, even endorsements or talk show appearances but especially on camera “hosting” or performing -is a lot of work. If you’re doing a TV hosting gig, you’re in for a 10 hour day plus a couple days of prep.
You can’t blame a coach for wanting to keep his players away from that.
Chip is like an elite high-stakes poker player that on the outside plays an aggressive, put the pressure on your opponent(s) style – raise out of position, three and four bet, slow play with the nuts (ha!) – but on the inside has all the mathematical calculations made in his head and plays the percentages to his advantage. There will be times he loses to a bad beat or a better played hand, but in the long run, he will win more often than not.
When you can virtually eliminate character concerns and identify/measure football passion, you’re taking huge variables out of the equation that goes into the likelihood of a player succeeding or not. Chip is building the NFL version of a special forces group.
Good post mate..
..
You are absolutely right… In addition,injuries play such a huge role in how seasons unfold. It’s bad enough you are going to lose key players to injury, if you can NOT lose players due to suspensions (drug tests, arrests) you will have an advantage over the majority of the league.. Take advantage of how shameful players have become, really great players doing despicable things, terrorizing victims while also letting Down their team by getting suspended… Suspensions are happening more and more, and it happens to some of the most talented players, if we can eliminate the variable of players getting suspended for Charecter, you give yourself advantages against most franchises….
“On February 19, 2010 Kiki Alonso was arrested and charged with a DUI. It was a controversial situation for the Oregon Ducks football program, as it had gone through a large volume of player misbehavior off of the field. Kelly and the program been criticized greatly by fans for being too lenient on star players for the sake of winning just days prior to Kiko’s arrest. Coach Kelly made the decision to suspend Kiko for the DUII for the entire 2010 season. In 2011 Kiko was given another chance to be a star on the Ducks football team, but he was arrested again in May 2011 for burglary, criminal tresspassing and mischief. The charges stemmed from a burglary attempt on a female victim who reported Alonso, who is 6’4 245 pounds, banged on her door and demanded to let him in to her home. The woman called 911, and Alonso smashed down her door and entered her home. He was also found to be intoxicated from alcohol at the scene. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to probation, community service, and alcohol abuse counseling. His guilty plea allowed him to avoid going to jail Despite calls from the local team supporters to kick Kiko off of the team, he was then given a third chance by Kelly, being re-instated to the Ducks football team in early September 2011.”
Alonso is still only 24 so, who knows, maybe he has grown up some. This piece might explain something about why Kelly is now insisting on examining the character of players. He doesn’t want a repeat of HIS college experience. Maybe also explains why he goes to so many Pro Days, etc. At Oregon, he used an outside recruiter.
Wow. Great stuff.
What’s the chances of JP and LJ flipping sides in 2016?
I’d have thought that might get another year of top end production from JP?
Think you leave JP at LT until he cannot do it any more – and then probably he retires or gets cut. You are not spending $10m for a RT who is declining physically.
With our lack of young talented depth it may be a good idea.
Or maybe move him to Guard depending on how Mathis works out
It’s possible. Maybe JP wouldn’t mind moving to RT so much, but I could see him having an issue with G. Who knows though.
As long as he is getting paid and on a winning team while realizing he is getting older, idk.
Yeah. The reason I don’t see him moving to G is that he is still a VERY good T. Moving him to RT in the future may be able to prolong that elite play. I think in 2017 he will still be a good T. I don’t think you want to waste a good T on the G position. It’s just easier to find a good G then T.
Think Peters will be very careful with choosing the right time to retire – he should get into the hall of fame, but he is not assured of a first ballet at this point. Will want to go out on a high and not have a bad final year or making a transition at this point.
Think it all depends on injuries, think Peters will be fine even if he looses a step – he is that athletic and he has become such a technician that he can make up for that. Only thing that drives him out of the game is injuries or when he feels he has had enough.
Luckily besides 2012 he has been relatively injury free. Let’s hope it stays like that, but yes I agree with you.
I think the only way he doesn’t get first ballot HOF is if he manages to be in an unusually great HOF possible inductee class.
He has had a HOF career as it is, but with his talents he should be able to play at a higher level then when many other OL HOFers have played till age wise. Hopefully sports science extends his resume.
I don’t know 2016, but I think that’s a good idea for the future. Never thought about that. Not sure how JP would feel about it though.
Somewhere between 0% and .5%.
So I’m saying there IS a chance.
Maybe in another year? Maybe even this year if age catches up to Peters.
PFF rated Jason Peters the 14th best player in the NFL last year.
..
mathis was the #2 rated Guard
..
Only three 3-4 DE graded higher then Cox
.
BG also made the top 100 list
..
Demarco led the legue in runs of over 20 yards, with 7 more runs then any other RB which is impressive when you add in the stat of how many tackles he had to break last year
..
Jordan Mathews was 11th in the league on the list of WR’s with the most big plays…
lol @ Maxwell.. Spads asked him about his first week of experiencing chippractice? He said “Man It was hard, that first week of practice I was thinking, man I’m about to give this money back lol, but after the first week you get used to it, it’s like Wow, how much better am I going to be now that I’m training like this?”… Also talked about how addicting the feeling of winning a Super Bowl is, I’m here chasing that feeling ” trying to win another one….
…
Agholor: …”when I took a visit out here I kind of understood right off the bat howthings were going to go because they made it very clear, it is very special how we dot hings here. I only visited 3teams, but all I knew after I visited here which was my first visit is its going to be hard for another team to do things the way Eagles do things, so I hope I end up here”.,..also went into detail about differences he saw in the eagles compared to other teams..
..
I don’t want to spoil the interview, but there is a lot of other really interesting exciting answers that Nelson gave…..Check it out on PE.
Lane intweview and the Maxwell intweviews were also pretty good
..
I knew Byron was a big long corner, but I was surprised how rocked up he looks… Hopefully Spads gets Marcus Smith in studio soon
Sounds like an interesting insight into not only how different this team operates but the mind state of our players. You can really see as to why Chip wants high character guys that are “dialed” in and are willing to buy into his system. Players that live and breath football that all they want to do is improve, not just collect a check.
Yeah, it’s an ethos that is diametrically opposed to the ways of the league. Arrogant owners, cheaters, substance abusers, spouse abusers…and the players who play for them, imitating their superiors. Dallas WAS America’s Team, and then something happened. Jerry Jones transformed a classy organization into a scandalous one, and now the best cheaters in the NFL are America’s Team. Fitting, I guess when elected officials lie to get votes and march in stride to please their billionaire benefactors.
Agree. However when Dallas was winning those Championships it wasn’t due to character they were called America’s team it was due to the championships and the huge market. Dallas was a big party team durring those times reportedly filled with drug use and improper behavior.
The name Cowboys which is viewed as an American thing (not true) assisted also. So did the fact that back then it was a very blue collar state which people just wrongly nowadays assume with America. Unfortunately it’s not character that insinuates the term “America’s Team”, it’s championships, stereotypes, and names such as Cowboys or Patriots. Golden boy QBs such Brady or Aikmen help as well.
I wasn’t using the word “class” as a synonym for character. From the time the Houston Texans became the Dallas Cowboys, when Clint Murchison used his oil windfalls to create an NFL franchise in Texas, the Cowboys were about the business of winning games, and they did it with a high degree of frequency. Schramm and Brandt and Landry were the braintrust and they were known and respected for finding and deploying talent from all corners of the country. They weren’t chiorboys, but they weren’t seen as the lowlifes that Jerry Jones has habitually signed. Landry was a disciplinarian/coach who rubbed some of his players the wrong way, but he got the results he was seeking. You are right, the tag America’s Team was related to success on the field, not character. I was trying to contrast that serious approach to a challenge with the era of Jones’ enabling and Bellichick’s cheating. It seems to be a trajectory that describes our society and our politics as well.
Live and breath football sounds ideal, but often leaves little room for preparation for real life.
from lancasteronline: ‘A low-keyed, self-assured person, Chuck (as he was known to and called by all) was a teacher of “life’s lessons.” Almost to a man, his players will tell you, “I learned more from Chuck about life off the field than on.” The later-life success of so many of his former Steelers is testimony to this.’
Referring to Noll.
I agree with that, but notice how Chip likes to draft players that have usually completed their education or are close to completing. Sounds very important to him. Not just football guys but guys that without football would still be successful at life.
When I say live and breathe football what I mean is a person that wants to improve in every aspect of their game on a continuous basis. Not for just the contract but because they love the game. Of course they still have the right to get their lives ready post football and to properly care for their families. I doubt Chip or anyone else expects them to ignore every other aspect of their life.
What’s the overs/unders on number of days until Ray Rice will be introduced as a Dallas cowboy?
..
They might as well bring him in, what’s one more a scumbag matter? At this point, Dallas can’t lower their image, it’s already rock bottom, at this point they might as well sigń every talented scumbag they can get..
Ray rice kind of sucked his last year in the nfl though. Why take on the PR nightmare for a bad player?
Because your Runningback is Darren McFadden and the Cowboys have no shame
This would have been my response. Jones could care less about the image of his team. As long as he’s a billionaire, he’ll continue to do what he wants regardless of the outcome.
I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already. They can start up a woman beaters’ support group.
Size Matters. Only 11 guys on the current Eagles roster are under 6 foot and 7 of those 11 are 5’11″…Big guys beat up smaller guys.
That’s what she said
http://i.imgur.com/UJGroSv.gif
Compare the 1980 Raiders to the 1980 Eagles.
Big guys beat the littler guys.
____________
Al Davis believed in big powerful, fast players.
A combination, he once said, of the Yankees and Dodgers of the early- to mid-50s.
Davis was way ahead of just about everyone. His genius lay in his ability to turn over his roster every few years — from the mid-60s to the early ’90s — and continue fielding great teams that fit his “Power-Speed” blueprint.
(Steelers of the ’70s were very big, very powerful, and very fast. Just couldn’t turn the roster over like the Raiders did.)
Hey great article Tommy, you should tell your friend Jimmy that he is way to negative to even be fun to read. Us fans want to hear the good stuff not all the bad stuff that could happen. Not sure what happened to him maybe hemail is going bald or something.
I like Kempski a lot. He’s knows his football and he’s a good writer. He doesn’t seem as funny or funky as late. Maybe the PhillyVoice gig requires this of him.
Totally agree. One of my favorite sites 4 times a day. Like you said just not as fun lately.
Could be his bosses want him to write for a more mature audience than guys like us. Well, not you and me, I mean the other guys…
Also, not the other intelligent fellas’ who are upvoting my comment.
It’s the off-season though. You can only cover so much right now without nitpicking and making hypothetical situations.
Off-season, indeed. Maybe it’s time for some of his stick-figures. Those usually crack me up.
I don’t get the doom n gloom about our OL when Mathis and Peters are the only old starters and they graded out as top 3 players at their positions last year. Peters has been healthy since coming back from AChillesthree years ago, and Mathis is a year removed from playing 16 games..l Kelce is a top Center, Lane will be the best RT in football…. We chose to get rid of Herremns to replace him with tobin/Barbre…mChil WOULDNT make that change u less he thought it was an upgrade? WTF is there to be doom n gloom about when it comes to the OL? People are nuts…JP was voted as a top 20 NFL player last year, WTF is there to be Doom n Gloom about? The season before last they were the #1 OL In the NFL. Today Kelce and Lane are better players then they were two years ago…
..
How the hell can anyone be down on our OL? I don’t understand…
Probably doesn’t help that Kempski puts out an article every day about how the age of this group is going to doom the Eagle season. I am with you that the age is being too overstated. Yes Peters is the oldest starting LT in the NFL but he is a freak of nature that I wouldn’t say is going to face plant this season. Hell he is still a top 3 LT in the NFL. Mathis being old to is an overstated statement since he doesn’t have the tread of a normal 34 year old. Kelce is a young stud and one of the top 3 centers, only worry with him is his injury history. Lane is an absolute monster that is young and already possibly the best RT in the league. Don’t know if it will Barbre or Tobin that starts at RG but if it is Tobin then 3 of the 5 starters would be under 27 and this oline wont look as old as perceived.
Maybe Kempski is feeling his own years? Isn’t it all downhill now? 40ish?
I don’t care if Tobin or Barbre are 21 or 38. If either doesn’t play better then Herremans then the OL is not as talented as last year and even thinner.
Even if each were 21 and they both stunk up the joint then it would be the same thing as an aging reclining Herremans, another OL position that needs to be replaced. Just speaking about Tobins age really misses the point.
The injuries last year hurt more than anything else. Fewer injuries is a reasonable expectation, and that alone should make for better line play.
Much as I like Herremans, he played hurt and out of position last year. Replacing his performance from last year should not be hard. For instance, the first 4 games this year he will actually be replaced by Johnson, significant improvement. End of the season he was on the DL, so you’re talking about replacing Gardner.
Point is, improving on last year is reasonable, and does not revolve around Barbre or Tobin.
Barbre is 31, so that’s three oldies out of five. But I agree with your larger point.
Barbre isn’t guaranteed the starting job over Tobin. If Tobin wins they you have 3 youngsters out of 5.
That’s true, though from everything I’ve read, Barbre seems to be the favorite. Either way, I agree that he unit is in good shape for the short term compared to the rest of the league. And the long term will look better a year from now if one or two of these UDFAs shows something.
If it comes down to a serious battle for that spot and neither truly stands out in front of the other then I am probably worried about the quality of our starting RG.
For the people that are extremely high on Tobin I would be concerned if he can’t or barely beats out Barbre.
Barbre is better than you give him credit for.
Why? Why do we find it so easy to doubt what seems to be a solid coaching staff, one that is seeing the players every day and has way more to go on than us?
If those 2 guys play to a high level, that’s great for the team.
Seems to be lost in this discussion, but Barbre WAS the #1 backup last year, and got injured right after he stepped in. AT THAT TIME, Tobin was behind him on the depth chart. Then, Tobin evidently hurt his ankle. So a lot has to happen in training camp before we know who’s doing what.
I understand that, and agree with it 100%. What I’m saying though is that I’m not too high on particularly either one. I’m hoping Tobin beats Barbre out, but if it comes down to a really close battle instead of one really shining then I am worried about the quality of our starting RG considering I do not in anyway think Barbre is a 16 game starter at any position.
Basically what I’m saying is that if neither one truly stands out from the other then the victor may be the less crappy one, or the more average one instead of the slightly less then average one.
Just because you win doesn’t mean you are good.
Barbre has love milage like Mathis and while he isnt a total freak like Mathis (Mathis is the best athlete at guard in the NFL), he is still very athletic and his game is more technique in the run game than just pure power
Sure, as with Mathis and Peters, you can make the case that Barbre’s football age is younger than his chronological age. I don’t think you’d see all this hand-wringing over the O-line of the Cowboys weren’t fortunate enough to have three or four young linemen with All-Pro upside. Just because they’re in great shape doesn’t mean that we’re not in very good shape.
Though replacing Barbre (who isn’t even guaranteed to be a game 1 starter) should be a lot easier than replacing either Mathis or JP.
Saying this team is going to hell in a hand basket due to the OL are over exaggerating, however there is every reason to be worried.
When you have the oldest average OL in the NFL and you have only drafted 1 OL in 3 years you have the right to be worried, especially after last year when the only backup OL that you can arguably be hopeful about being a starter in this league didn’t impress all that much (Tobin). I know there are people that really like him, but I am wait and see with him. If the team is so high on him then why after all his action last year is Barbre listed in front of him on the depth chart? Granted we haven’t even started TC yet.
Add to the fact that our LG doesn’t even want to be here, and we are actually thinner then last year due to the departure of Herremans then I understand the concern.
We have never seen Barbre play guard, and the last time we have seen him in action whether it be TC, PS, or limited action in week one he didn’t look all that good. There is a reason as to why he has bounced around the way he has.
Furthermore Kelce has been injured the past 2 out of 3 years and while that is not something in am real worried about, and they were not considered nagging injuries, the fact is he has been injured 2 out of 3 years.
Peter’s and Mathis are considered old by NFL standards and sometimes in the NFL there is a point where a player can be playing great and then the following year they play like shit. Usually due to age. I highly doubt that will happen with either Peter’s or Mathis, especially Peter’s, but it is a possibility due to age. You can’t run from age. What complicates that is that there is NOBODY on this team that you are comfortable with stepping up in their spot for any length of time. LJ could go to LT, but who takes over RT?
It’s unusual when you have only drafted 1 OL in 3 years. It’s even more unusual when your average OL age is what it is.
People have every right to be worried because what happened last year, and the OL is one year older and with the departure of Herremans even thinner.
I’m not saying what happened last year will happen again, but the chance of it happening this year is higher then it happening at the start of the season last year.
Also consider the injury history of our new starting QB. He absolutely needs top notch protection.
I think we confuse “every reason to worry” with “some cause for concern” or even “something to keep an eye on”. We have one of the best OL situations in the NFL for 2015. I just checked the schedule, there are no 2016 or 2017 games being played this fall. After this offseason, is there any reason to think Kelly won’t be aggressive about addressing something he sees as an immediate concern?
In an ideal world yes, we would have drafted some young OL talent to groom or possibly step right in. But the NFL is a world of limited resources. Hopefully the depth at LB, RB, WR and maybe even corner will make it easier to focus on OL next year.
Then again, this is Philly. Where “every reason for concern” is often confused with “any excuse to worry”. 😉
Haven’t we had 2 seasons deep-sixed because of OL injury in the last few years?
Giants are said to be interested in Jake Long
well they need a starting LT since they lost theirs to injury, and really asking Flowers to play LT is setting him up to fail, and Pugh should be a guard not a LT.
Long has the raw talent if not for injuries, poor work ethic and lack of technique….. he could stay healthy, be hungry for another shot and find a coach who can improve him….
I know we bitch and moan about our depth chart at OL, but looking at the Giants, they have Dallas Reynolds as their backup guard and Michael Bamiro in contention for backup Tackle….
Pretty sure there are about 30 OL situations this town would find reason to worry over.
Yeah, Mitchell pointed this out to me and after I looked at Flowers more I don’t think he will be that great of a LT in this league if he doesn’t drastically improve his footwork in pass protection. He will be good in the run game but I think quick DE’s and OLBs will abuse him in pass protection. I would love to see BG and Cox abuse him so here is for hoping they stick him there.
Happy Memorial Day weekend to all!
For those of you driving this weekend, be safe and keep your phone discipline strict. Think about it, is viewing or posting that tweet behind the wheel worth the risk of missing the Chip Kelly era? Don’t do it!
I second that. Keep your eyes on the road and stay safe.
I agree with this 100%. I would give a more in-depth detailing of the points with which I agree most strongly, but I am driving about 70 mph right now and I wouldn’t want to be a hazard on the roads.
Besides, if I don’t un-pause the episode of HIMYM I am watching on Netflix soon, it won’t reach the end before I arrive at my destination.
(Not really, driving distracted is stupid.)
Have a question for the board.
Mathis has been very vocal about his contract and his displeasure. Kelce has been quiet and focused.
Should we expect Mathis to be dealt, is CK done with Mathis? Is Kelce secretly unhappy like Mathis because he wants more money, or is he more in line with CK’s culture and likes it here?
Mathis is 34 yrs old. Yawn. No team has given him a chance to get a semi chubby. Hopefully reality and his bros get him focused. BTW he has a nice contract.
He also has Rosenhaus as an agent and we know that he’s all about the money.
Rosenhaus hasn’t been an ass since TO.
I should add though that I agree with you, but I sit on the fan side and Mathis sits with a “possible” larger contract. He may just care about money.
Let him go block block for his little bitch McCoy if that is his mindset. I am sick of these million airs that want to shit on the hand that fed them the wealth.
Lol. If the FO doesn’t have to honor the contract why does he?
He gave himself the wealth really. He made himself one of the best guards in football through his hard work not Luries.
Funny thing is you would probably do the same thing if it were at the end of your career. You would do what was best for you and your family.
If you flip it over its the players that play for the owners so that the owners get their wealth. When you think of it like that, who is really getting who paid?
Please don’t be that guy that calls someone a little bitch on a MB.
If you are a business man you know this is simply business and any business man will tell you he is doing the right thing. The NFL and everyone in it works for money at the end of the day.
The FO does honor his contract. The issue is that if a player isn’t playing up to his contract, then the team asks to restructure. If the player outplays the contract, then they want an “extension” and ask the team for more money (i.e. holding out, not showing up to camp) and that is all Mathis is doing (at least I think).
You’ve got this backwards, sir. His own hands made the wealth, that the owners are so kind to actually give to him.We pay to watch the players–not the owners.
Wouldn’t you try to get as much money as you could at the end of your career considering retirement for him is about 30 years sooner then the average retirement age? That money has to last him for the rest of his life. He is probably trying to put his kid through college at one point.
If you had the opportunity to set your kid future up as best as you could wouldn’t you be doing the same thing? What’s more important, your team that will cut you at some point or your family?
Set the family up Mathis.
Kelce signed a new deal just last offseason.
Mathis deal was signed back in 2012.
They are also in very different places in their lives/careers.
Kelce turns 28 in November. He’s early into his contract. He has paid off his parents house. His brother is also an NFL player. He doesn’t have a wife or family of his own yet, and he’s stated publicly he’s a very low key guy. I don’t think it would surprise anyone if in ten years Kelce is the OC at a HS in the Cleveland area, just hanging out doing what he loves.
Mathis turns 34 in November, he probably has one maybe two years left to do this. He has a wife and young child. He owns a sportsplex, which are expensive to build, and can be very boom or bust. He’s made good money ($15 mil neighborhood pretax) but between the training, nutrition, multiple residences, I would imagine he doesn’t have a massive nest egg. If he gets cut tommorrow he gets a $2 million dollar check from the Eagles, maybe gets a 1 year deal for a couple million and then it’s out on his ass he goes. It’s easy to be sympathetic, he’s just trying to secure the financial future of his young family.
I mean I wish Mathis would stop being a dick about it, but it’s hard to begrudge players trying to maximize their pay. The money has to last him the rest of his life. He will almost assuredly have joint problems and live a shorter life (10-15 years) due to playing football. It’s an honestly odd dichotomy that the average fan tends to side with the billionaire owners who are making windfall profits (anyone who thinks even the worst teams are losing money is dumb). Jeff Luries great great great grandkids never have to work a day in their lives. Most players involved in contract disputes (not the top dollar guys) are just trying to make sure they can put their kids through college, live upper middle class lives for their remaining years and maybe have a little left over at the end to pass on.
Honestly one of my favorite comments that I have ever read. It’s so true. Most people just assume that because they have made some millions they are set for life. Not true.
They get mad at the players demanding more money, yet if they were in the same situation they would make the move that is best for them and their family and do the same.
I can’t stand the ignorant comments such as, “a contract is a contract”, or “Try making demands at a job like mine and you would just get fired, and that’s what you would deserve.”
Guess what? Unlike all the other sports leagues a contract is not a contract to the FO. Why should the players feel obligated towards it if their management doesn’t.
Guess what? Your not an NFL player therefore the situations revolving around your job are different then there’s.
People just see the contract numbers. They don’t see the LARGE agent fees, the costs of relocation and all of the other highly expensive charges that go with being an NFL player. Not to mention the fact like you said that the money earned over a very short career period has to go to taking care of their families and themselves over the length of the rest of their lives which is proven to be shortened due to their occupation.
Then you get the well if they are smart they would have just invested in something. Every sensible person knows that an investment is an investment, that doesn’t mean it’s even close to panning out. Due to that you also have to have backup money in case that investment doesn’t pan out.
Being upset as a fan is reasonable. You want what’s best for your team, but don’t call the man selfish. He is only doing what most of us would do. Trying to financially secure his family as best as he can for the rest of their lives since his career is winding down. College for your kid ain’t cheap ya know?
Damn, weeman, you brought it in that post. I think the most annoying thing in all of football is what I call “He signed the contract DintHe?” Yes, he signed the one-sided, BS contract that allows him to be cut at any time but forces him to serve the owner if he wants to stay in the career he’s devoted his whole life to. Yes, he plays the business game as it was negotiated by the rich and powerful and an impotent players’ union.
I really don’t think I would trade places with 99.9% of NFL players. They’re messing up their bodies for our entertainment. That money that seems to inspire envy in so many fans doesn’t go as far as one would think. Upper middle class retirements for all-world talented MoFos like Evan Mathis risking their vertebrae on every play versus pampered owners who could buy small countries. Those extra zeros on the end matter, people.
The world is ridden with ten-percenters and anonymous suits skimming the cream off the public good, playing debt games and accumulating great wealth, risking nothing. Yet we get angry at the most talented athletes in the world trying to negotiate a higher salary using the tools that were offered to him.
Agree with everything you said, and thanks for the contract.
That’s a sad thing that we have to distinguish between a billionaire and millionaire. I get it (I think), and I think I understand it.
BTW – some of this info is interesting to know. It changes “my” outlook on where people are. Most people (that I remember) hated TO when he wanted a new contract. I wasn’t upset about that (mostly because I thought he was worth more than Mcnabb), but it screwed the entire team up the following year.
My concern is that Mathis causes a team-wide issue, but I should remember that this is why we have roster turnover with CK.
I wish I could get a few million dollar contract to live off of, but then again I’m clumsy and uncoordinated. so I’m incapable of understanding his line of thinking.
Fantastic post.
Great post.
Re: the dichotomy between billionaire owner and millionaire athlete. The reason fans tend to side with the former is because the owner prevailing in a contract dispute tends to benefit the team (and thus facilitate future success on the field). The truth is that most fans don’t care about Jeffrey Lurie’s profit margin, and they also don’t care about Evan Mathis enjoying an upper middle class lifestyle as a retiree with seven figures in the bank. They just want the team to win, and the best avenue for that is for players to sign team-friendly contracts, perform well, and refrain from seditious financial disputes.
The salary cap is the greatest trick ownership ever pulled.
Yes it helps maintain parity, and keeps clubs from financial ruin, but it also articficially depresses player wages.
I doubt Mathis is dealt.
All the trade thing is simple because the Eagles allowed Rosenhaus to shop Mathis around for a larger contract, but according to Kelly, there has been zero teams willing to pay a bigger contract to Mathis and give the Eagles compensation.
The fact that the Eagles even allow Rosenhaus to shop Mathis around, is a huge gesture.
Thanks, Anders, for putting this in perspective.
If a team that really needs an “athletic” older G for the next year or two were willing to give a draft choice and pay significantly more than the ~$5million he’s due from the Igs, I think Chip would deal.
But since it appears no team is willing to pony up, Mathis is getting $5million, and (as long as he “gets with the program”) Chip can be OK with that. The issue is, will Mathis decide to NOT get with the program, in which case Chip cuts him and he has to sign for less $$ (lacking leverage). And the Igs have to find a starting-caliber left guard really fast.
Mathis, Rosenhaus & Chip are all players, they know that Mathis needs either (i) a fairy godmother of a team or (ii) Chip to blink. As long as Chip doesn’t get into attack mode about Mathis’ attempt to find a better final contract, this should settle down just like it did last year.
Mathis is behaving perfectly rationally for himself, Rosenhaus (ugh) for himself, and (so far) Chip too. Since he didn’t draft a guard this year, i’m hoping he doesn’t lose his temper about this.
This 2015 Eagles team will be special. In a positive way. Chip hasn’t wavered in anyway from his introductory press conference. The main negative for fans is previous injuries to players acquired.
This is football, ish happens!
The Eagles are building a team to take shots and continue to win as a team.
A couple weeks ago Mark Saltveit at Fishduck.com penned an article in which he expressed skepticism that Chip can reach 10 wins in 2015. By his reckoning, Bradford and Alonso could easily both be still rehabbing by the start of the season. Saltveit likes what Kelly is doing, but thinks the new roster will need a season to iron out chemistry and scheme issues.
Here’s the link:
http://fishduck.com/2015/05/chip-kelly-update-reconditioning-the-roster/
Interesting thought process. I agree with his conclusion but naturally I’m more optimistic with how early Sam and Kiko’s injuries were last year and that they will be back for the start of training camp and this offense will jell much earlier than anticipated!