Full House
Posted: July 27th, 2017 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 37 Comments »The full Eagles team hit the field on Thursday. This was just a 10-10-10 practice, so it was pretty limited in terms of length and action.
The big news of the day is that Jordan Matthews was a full participant. He missed a lot of time in the spring and there has been a lot of speculation this week about whether he was really injured or if this had to do with his contract situation. Doug Pederson said earlier in the week that Matthews would be limited to start camp. That wasn’t the case and he had a full day. To be fair, pads weren’t on and this was a short practice. We’ll have to wait and see if Matthews is limited at all this weekend.
Jeff McLane has a good story on the situation.
He hustled as always and entertained many questions afterward, as usual. But the Matthews who used to run out every catch even after it was whistled dead wasn’t as spry. The interviewee who is normally as candid as any player declined to go into detail about the injury that the Eagles have labeled “tendinitis.”
“I hate putting a specific word on it because then people say, ‘Oh, well, I played with that before,’” Matthews said. “Trust me, if I could be out here and play, I would be out here playing. … That should never be a question about me when it comes to this game.”
And yet that hasn’t stopped public criticism about the severity of his injury or speculation that Matthews didn’t practice during organized team activities and minicamp in May and June because he was distracted by his contract situation.
“I would never literally do that,” Matthews said. “If you [reporters] know me from the time that I’ve been here, I go to work. This is a privilege to be able to play football regardless, whether it’s the Philadelphia Eagles vs. anybody.
Matthews isn’t as important because of the upgrades at WR, but he is still a key part of the passing game. Carson Wentz likes him personally and trusts him as a receiver. Matthews knows the offense well and he’s willing to do anything he can to help the team win.
It will be interesting to see if Matthews is bothered by the knee or is able to stay on the practice field and help the offense take a big step forward this year.
*****
Jimmy Bama had a great day on Thursday.
Fast forward to the 12:40 mark of the video below. Jimmy and Jeff McLane are watching Greg Ward field punts when Doug Pederson walks over and chats with them for three minutes. They tell him this is live and he still sits there and talks. Very cool by Doug.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) July 27, 2017
Jimmy made the point that Doug sounds so much more natural in this setting and he’s right. Doug doesn’t interview well. Put cameras on him and a microphone in front of him and something weird happens. But get him in a relaxed setting and he’s worlds different.
In Jimmy’s practice notes, he talks about timing the punters to see who was better. Donnie Jones had an average hangtime of 4.95 and rookie Cameron Johnston had an average hangtime of 4.45. Doesn’t sound like Jones will be losing his job any time soon. And Jones noticed Jimmy timing the punts, which led to this.
Later in practice, Jones walked over and asked if I was timing his punts. I confirmed that I was, so he took a look at his numbers in my notes. I then asked him about some speculation that he was going to retire soon. Nope. He said he plans to play for another four years if he can, and cited a handful of other kickers and punters still in the NFL at the age of 40.
So Jimmy got an impromptu interview with the coach and a scoop from the punter. Not a bad day at all.
*****
Fran Duffy and Chris McPherson had some good practice notes.
3. One quick depth chart note that I picked up early in practice when the first-team defense took the field – cornerback Ron Brooks worked with the first-team nickel package in the slot, with Jalen Mills (left corner) and Patrick Robinson (right) on the outside. In the spring, with Brooks on the sideline, we saw Mills slide into the slot with rookie Rasul Douglas stepping in outside in those looks. We’re all excited to see how the rotation evolves as camp progresses. – FD
As much as we want Rasul Douglas to play well and start, it is more likely that Patrick Robinson will play better and have the job initially. Douglas has a lot of learning to do and it could take a while for things to click.
10. Linebacker Jordan Hicks was a limited participant due to the finger injury he suffered while on his honeymoon. He wore a soft cast on his hand. Najee Goode was the first-team middle linebacker in Hicks’ absence. Hicks wants fans to know that he’ll be fine. – CM
Interesting that Goode got snaps at MLB. Apparently Joe Walker was with the #2 defense. I assume Walker will stay as the #2 MLB when Hicks is a full go and Goode moves to the backups, but we’ll have to see. Goode can play OLB or MLB.
12. Dillon Gordon will be an X-factor for the Eagles’ offense. He lined up as a third tight end. He was a fullback. On short-yardage situations, how will teams handle seeing the Eagles line up in the I-formation with the 322-pound Gordon leading the way for Blount, who is 250 pounds. – CM
I’m really curious to see if Gordon plays LT or LG with the #2 offense. The Eagles worked him more at OG last summer, but he got some time at LT in game situations and showed LT potential. That’s something you take seriously. We do know the coaches like Gordon and seem to want to find ways to use him. Very good sign for a young player.
*****
Brandon Lee Gowton has your OL depth chart for now.
First team offensive line: Jason Peters – Isaac Seumalo – Jason Kelce – Brandon Brooks – Lane Johnson. Second team offensive line: Dillon Gordon – Chance Warmack – Stefen Wisniewski – Josh Andrews – Halapoulivaati Vaitai. After practice, Pederson noted the development of Gordon and Big V helped the team feel comfortable about trading Allen Barbre.
That is written in pencil, not ink. Still, interesting to see where there are starting the players off for camp. I am glad to see them using Gordon at LT. Find out if he can play there. That’s a critical position and Jason Peters isn’t getting any younger. Trying to develop Gordon for the future would be smart.
*****
Speaking of JP…
A lot of first-team offense vs. second-team defense means plenty of Derek Barnett vs. Jason Peters. Good way to learn for rookie.
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) July 27, 2017
That is a great education for a rookie. You might worry that a young player who gets blocked too much would lose some confidence, but I don’t see Barnett as that kind of guy. I think it will just light a fire under him and make him that much hungrier to beat the star veteran on the next play.
Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes.
_
“Iron sharpens iron”
PBR sharpens Tommy.
Great post to open up a great season!
Hearing about the entire team practicing today ( relatively healthy and fresh) gets me very excited. I can’t wait to see everyone on this roster play on Aug 10th. That is right around the corner. It has been way too long since we watched an Eagles game. Pre-Season, Regular season I could care less. Watching the Eagles play…Music to my ears!
I love Doug in that setting. Way more comfortable than during PC’s. Its also the reason why Im not judging Dougs coaching on how he handle PC’s because then Chip Kelly would be the greatest coach of all time (during 2013 he was super fun, in 2015 he just became granky)
It’s funny cause I love the Chip media trolling in the beginning, thought he was just very funny, clever and so relaxed it inspired a lot of confidence. By the end of his time here the same thing had become unbearable to wittness, everything was combative, snark and blatant, obvious lies or misdirections meant to divert criticism. I feel like there is a lesson there for all of us. I actually sort of like the fact that Doug is not a smartass during PC’s. As long as the players respect him, it doesnt matter wether the journos do.
And AR got real smart alecky and smug. His disdain for the reporters i took as disdain for the fans. As GM he shud never schit on the fans or the press.
I agree, mostly. But I am myself a journalist. And I routinely get annoyed by the hyperbolic and, quite frankly, needlessly confrontational and hysterical tone with which news media increasingly operate. They ask, honestly, dumb questions very often. And they write dumb articles often. I don’t care for poorly executed and forced ‘gotcha-journalism’ for the sake of drama only. And as a fan I get annoyed with this, even as I realise all too well that they do it to maximise the page traffic per hour hour because its the reality of their business model. So I enjoyed watching Kelly tell reporters that Foles was going to be the starting QB for “the next 1000 years.” It was, frankly, the perfect response to an exhaustingly stupid recurring question designed only to stir up controversy about a topic that was not, at that time controversial or even possible to give a reasonable answer to. But like I said, it very quickly stopped being funny when the bullshitting became about making excuses and diverting blame.
That comment wins and is worthy of much greater focus.
I would certainly be Glad to read your work ..
Thanks Dave. But I am danish and write in danish, so you might have a challenge on your hands 🙂 Greetings from Europe.
Agreed. Think it is funny when people try to base the opinions on the coach based solely on his press conferences.
True, fans and media killed Reid for years about his pressers yet he won a ton of games, the players loved him and we had our longest golden age.
Pederson gets nervous obviously at the podium and starts to freelance where he gets into trouble or sounds confused.
slow day when people are excited to hear from a punter…
Kempski has a funny history with Donnie Jones. He started watching K-P-LS competitions and really getting into it some time ago. Jones has consistently dominated every bit of competition we get for him. Kempski’s kind of elevated him to a sort of folk hero, dubbing him Donnie J’owns
http://media.phillyvoice.com/media/images/Donnie_pimp.width-704.png
Seahawks signed DE Marcus Smith, formerly of the Eagles.
The 26th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Smith was cut by the Eagles on Wednesday and cleared waivers Thursday. It’s likely a deal for the league minimum with little or no guaranteed money. Seattle loves taking fliers on pass rushers, and Smith joins ex-Dolphins first-round bust Dion Jordan as ones who have joined the Seahawks this year. Smith will compete for a pass-rushing depth job in this loaded front.
Hopefully he’ll play a lot when the Eagles meet Seattle. Carson can sit back in the pocket and take a nap.
I just hope he makes the team. They deserve him.
Lol!
HaHa!!
A few years ago when I said Dion was going to steal Smith’s job, no one believed me…
Eagles SLB Mychal Kendricks said he asked the team to trade or release him back in January.
The Eagles declined Kendricks’ request. Kendricks doesn’t have much of a role in DC Jim Schwartz’s defense as the third linebacker. Perhaps the Eagles are holding onto Kendricks in the event WLB Nigel Bradham is suspended following his July 4 battery charge settlement
Sure he didn’t get a ton of opportunity last year. He sure did get paid as though he did though. The good thing is that when he played he played well. He wasn’t exactly high impact, but he was very solid. I have no remorse in not trading him away. People complain about LB depth and to me if he gets his shit together he can play the strong side better than Nigel.
I’m sure cutting him wouldn’t save any money or that would of happened a long time ago, judging from the cash grabs this off-season. Obviously no one wants to trade for that contract number or that would of happened a long time ago as well.
For now, he servers a important enough purpose on this team. He should come to work smiling every day, because he is paid like a star and he only looks like one before the whistle.
I want him to meet his potential, but at this point, he is what he is. Maybe he gets a shot this year due to injury or something.
Yup, he overruns some plays and makes mental errors at times. However, he is an outstanding blitzer and cover LB.
As Schwartz has made very clear, the defensive scheme is not adjusted to maximize individual’s strengths.
Outside of Trotter and Disco Stew before his torn ACL, Kendricks is an upgrade over every linebacker that started for the birds since 2003. It’s easy to hate on Kendricks when Hicks has become a stud and Nigel had a good initial season with the team.
2011
LLB Brian Rolle
MLB Jamar Chaney
RLB Akeem Jordan
2010
LLB Ernie Sims
MLB Stewart Bradley
RLB Moise Fokou
2009
LLB Akeem Jordan
MLB Jeremiah Trotter
RLB Chris Gocong
2008
LLB Chris Gocong
MLB Stewart Bradley
RLB Omar Gaither
2007
LLB Chris Gocong
MLB Omar Gaither
RLB Takeo Spikes
2006
LLB Dhani Jones
MLB Jeremiah Trotter
RLB Matt McCoy
2005
LLB Dhani Jones
MLB Jeremiah Trotter*
RLB Keith Adams
2004
LLB Mark Simoneau
MLB Jeremiah Trotter*
RLB Dhani Jones
Keith Adams was a beast in 05!
Until last year, Kendricks had better stats every year of his career than Adams in 2005.
It was a joke. He was really bad!
He was no Ernie Sims.
Only ones i actually despised were Dhani Jones , Simoneau and Dhani Jones.
Personal, I wasn’t a big fan of the lb who wore the bowties, I forget his name 😉
Starts w a Dh .. like me
..
He’s on tv w badass Jeremy Bloom.
“the defensive scheme is not adjusted to maximize individual’s strengths.” I find fault with this. The way the NFL is set up, no team has all stars at every position. That leaves it up to the coaches to maximize the talent that is there and mask the weaknesses. The scheme Schwartz uses reminds me of the civil war when soldiers lined up across from each other waiting for the enemy to get lined up before starting. You know exactly what to expect. JJ was the best with his blitzes. He kept offenses off balance all game long. He used what he had and covered the weak spots. Luckily the birds have a strong DL and hopefully they can get pressure.
Ah, the disappointment. I was so sure Gaither and Fokou were going to be steals.
I hate Richard Sherman and any quote he uses!
I look forward to when his play falls off a cliff like Revis and Russell Wilson yells “You f***ing suck” to him in front of the media at practice.
1. Father Time is undefeated.
2. Doesn’t sound like Russell Wilson’s style.
I can’t wait to see Cox & Jernigan in action for the first time. Hopefully it’ll be a long beautiful partnership.
Good read on the ringer website about the eagles D line
https://theringer.com/philadelphia-eagles-defense-pass-rush-8fa9cd3d2791
Mays is among my favorite national guys. Younger fun guy with an obsession with the trenches. The guy opposite him in his podcast however, Kevin Clark, I absolutely loathe. No eye for talent, just swears by sparq with an absolute certainty. He recently wrote this gem: https://theringer.com/2017-nfl-preview-dallas-cowboys-secondary-jumping-leaping-byron-jones-fc8714c38107
You know, articles like this and seeing the OL ranked 3rd overall make it really hard to maintain a realistic expectations.