Nnamdi’s Future
Posted: February 1st, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 89 Comments »After the final game of the season you had several players complaining to the media about attitudes in the locker room. They talked about players being selfish and things like that. I’m told that most of the comments were aimed at one person…Nnamdi Asomugha.
In 2012 Nnamdi was the second highest paid Eagle (behind Vick). That meant that expectations were high. He needed to play at an elite level. He needed to be the right kind of presence on the field and in the locker room. How’d he do? Miss, miss, and miss.
To outsiders, Nnamdi seems like a great guy. He is very charitable. Not only is he a good citizen compared to most football players, he’s a good citizen compared to most citizens. He’s well spoken. There is no trouble with him. Quality guy.
The problem with Nnamdi is in the football world. He’s not a “life or death” kind of football guy. Ronnie Lott cut off part of a finger to avoid missing a regular season game. Compare that to Nnamdi on the plays where he stood and watched as opposing players waltzed into the endzone.
Nnamdi never takes the blame for problems. When beaten on a pass play, his arm goes up like a divining rod and starts pointing toward Kurt Coleman or Nate Allen. No CB is perfect. There are plays when you’re going to get burned. Just acknowledge it and move on. Nnamdi never blames the guy in the mirror. He’s too busy pointing the finger elsewhere. No one likes an overpaid guy who blames others at the drop of a hat. That is one of the fastest ways to make enemies in a locker room.
Michael Vick had his share of bad moments in 2012. You didn’t see him on the sideline screaming at King Dunlap or Danny Watkins. I don’t recall him getting grilled by the press and just saying “Did you see Demetress Bell’s blocking?”. Vick always took the blame and protected his teammates and coaches.
Nnamdi can be a tough, physical player. Remember the 2011 hit on TE Chris Cooley? Nnamdi unloaded on him and ended Cooley’s season. There were times this year against the run when Nnamdi would go make an impressive tackle in traffic. The very next play he would reach for the runner/receiver passively. That’s what makes him so frustrating. He can be a really tough player. He chooses not to more often than not.
What is the argument for keeping Nnamdi? He has poor ball skills, to put it mildly. His long speed is gone. He is an inconsistent hitter/tackler. He isn’t a leader. He frustrates his teammates by playing the blame game too much.
Nnamdi’s best game, in my mind, was against Megatron and the Lions. Nnamdi was physical with Calvin Johnson. He was well-prepared for what to expect on short routes and broke up an early 3rd down pass due to that. Nnamdi picked off a pass in that game. He looked good. The problem is that you can’t always match him up with a big WR. Speedy guys kill Nnamdi. He just can’t run with them.
If Nnamdi was a long time Eagle and had a cheap salary you’d argue to keep him around as a backup and specialist. He’s due $15.5M this year. There is 0.00 percent chance he gets that. I will be involved in a love triangle with Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt before Nnamdi gets to stay under that deal.
I’m sure Nnamdi would be willing to take a pay cut so he could stay here. I just don’t think Chip Kelly will want him. He’s not getting a top player. He’s not getting a leader. If anything, Nnamdi has a sense of entitlement from his career. No one disputes that he was a top CB in Oakland. The problem is that things have changed. The talent is gone, but Nnamdi still acts as if he’s an elite player. You can get away with certain things when you’re a star. You can’t do that when you start to fade. As of December 2012, Nnamdi hadn’t realized this.
If Chip does decide to keep Nnamdi on a re-worked deal, it will be because someone did a hell of a sales job. I just don’t see that happening.
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Vick did unleash some nastiness in the press at his final PC after the Giants debacle. Some people wondered about what was going on. Who was he talking about? Who was Vick mad at? Nnamdi was one of his targets. I can’t say for sure who others were.
I didn’t get too caught up in the players ripping guys to the media. Players are human. They need to vent. You don’t want to make too much of it. Antrel Rolle publicly ripped Tom Coughlin in the middle of the 2011 season. Now they love each other.
I do think the locker room got dysfunctional this year. It became clear by midseason that Andy was gone. Vick was hurt. Some of the players were happy to have Nick Foles on the field. The love for Vick as a person had faded due to frustration with the INTs and fumbles. I’m sure there were more than a few Vick/Foles arguments among teammates. Jason Babin was being an unlikable ass and not playing well enough to cover that up.
At the same time, I don’t want to make too much of that. Winning is the great deodorant, as the saying goes. When the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, they had a clubhouse “full of characters”. When the team was losing, those same players and antics suddenly were labeled “a distraction” and “a sign of poor leadership”.
When you win, things get spun in a positive manner. When you lose, things get spun the other way. Think about it. A players only meeting that results in winning is taken as a sign that the team came together. A players only meeting that doesn’t work is a sign of a fractured locker room.
The Eagles struggled in 2012 due to turnovers and simple errors on the field a lot more than any dissension in the locker room.
* * * * *
I think we’ll know a lot more about the Eagles DC situation by next Wednesday. If the team is truly waiting for one of the assistant coaches in the Super Bowl, a meeting should be set up by mid-week. If we hear nothing, then it could turn out that the Eagles are in fact waiting for a college coach. I still don’t buy that, but the rumors continue to be out there that Todd Grantham and Kirby Smart are targets. Just doesn’t seem likely to me.
Ed Donatell (SF-DBs) and Ted Monachino (BAL-LBs) are the most prominent names in the search right now. I mentioned the other day that one name that isn’t getting talked about but interests me is Jim Leavitt, the Niners LBs coach.
Noah Becker shared a link on Twitter yesterday to a post on Leavitt as a candidate “lurking in the shadows”. Good read. Leavitt and Chip Kelly did face each other in an Oregon-USF game. Noah also pointed out they faced each other in a New Hampshire-USF game.
No one is pretending to have inside knowledge. This is all just speculation. But it does make for good fun to try and think of candidates that are flying under the radar.
* * * * *
What will the Eagles do with the #4 pick?
I’m still back and forth with who/what I want. The chance to add an impact player intrigues the heck out of me. The thought of trading back excites me. The only thing I’m pretty sure of right now is that I don’t want a QB with that pick.
Sheil Kapadia took at look back at the #4 picks of the last decade. This gives you an idea of the kind of players who can be gotten there, both good and bad. There really isn’t anyone on the list who was a total bust. Cedric Benson had off-field issues, but when focused was a darn good RB. Aaron Curry is the closest thing, but he’s young enough that he can still turn his career around.
Be sure to check out another item from Sheil on that post. Bill Barnwell from Grantland ripped Pat Shurmur to shreds. As Bill noted, let’s hope Pat is a better OC than HC.
* * * * *
Jimmy Bama wrote up some thoughts on offensive team needs for the Eagles.
Did he really mention Manute Bol? Yes he did.
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The CB situation will be very interesting to watch this offseason. I fully agree that keeping Nnamdi seems like a longshot and he hasn’t done anywhere near enough to justify keeping him, even at a reduced salary. Having said that, DRC is a FA. How likely is it that the Eagles would want to keep him? And on top of that, how likely is it that DRC would not want to go out and test the market? Based on how they used Marsh and Hughes, I would guess those guys aren’t ready to step in either as starters, so really, you’re talking about Boykin and two empty spots at CB. That seems like it would be incredibly hard to fill both spots plus at least one spot at safety (not to mention all the other holes on the team) in just one offseason. To me, while I think Nnamdi absolutely SHOULD be gone, the one thing that may work in his favor is the desperation at the position.
I have no idea what the Eagles think of DRC. The guy from the first 6 games is worth keeping. The guy from the final 10 games was a highly inconsistent tease, that lacked effort all too often. Will Chip Kelly see this as a player worth saving or someone he wants no part of?
Finding 2 starting corners would be tough, but not impossible. There are some available in FA. There is a solid group in the draft. And we still have Brandon Hughes and Curtis Marsh as possibilities.
You’re absolutely right about the assessment of DRC, and if he was signed for next year, I would definitely say we keep him another year and hope that you can get the best out of him. The issue is that keeping him is not entirely under the Eagles control anymore, at least not unless they use the franchise tag on him, which would seem like a lot of money for an inconsistent player. I don’t think he is worth getting into a bidding war for, but I would imagine a few teams would be interested in developing on his potential talent.
All we need is another 2002 draft. Two starting corners and a safety. We did it once. And if we just substitute a pro bowler NT for Westbrook…
I like the optimism. Ur r smartz!!!
I’d find it hard to believe that Chip wants to pay an inconsistent CB with bad technique who doesn’t like to tackle $10M. And if they go zone, I don’t see where DRC would fit.
So is Boykin a starter, or is he strictly a slot guy?
Boykin is ideal for the slot. I think he’s capable of starting, but I don’t know that he would be a top starter. You’re probably best off by having him in the slot, a role he’s ideal for.
Seems the Eagles are going to some sore of zone blitz scheme.
Can Boykin play zone? Can he tackle well enough to start?
I’d feel better if he was an inch taller and 10 lbs heavier.
I think the tackling is the only question. He definitely didn’t look bad or like he was slacking last season, but I’m not sure how much the coaches would come to trust him this offseason. He has the quckiness for zone, and his height shouldn’t be a problem at all with how high he can jump.
Boykin can’t get bigger. He’s rocked out at 183. Maybe he adds a couple of pounds, but I doubt 10.
Re: Answer two Eagles 3-4 Trivia Questions
T_S_O_P asked in T-Law’s last post:
“Two history questions: (1) Are the the Eagles the longest serving 4-3 team unbroken going back to 1985 (MC’s last HC season)? (2) Number 91 Reggie White was in place when Buddy arrived, but did he ever play a down for Cambell?”
Answers:
1. The Chicago Bears have never played the 3-4 as its base defense. But next to the Bears, the Eagles are the longest running 4-3 base defense team . . . starting in 1986 with the arrival of Buddy Ryan.
The Eagles began using the 3-4 in 1977, in Dick Vermeil’s 2nd season as the Eagles head coach. After the ’76 season, Atlanta fired then-HC Marion Campbell — whom Vermeil immediately hired to convert the Eagles’ defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4. (Vermeil’s first DC was former New England HC John Mazur.)
Vermeil called Campbell his 1st-round pick for 1977. Vermeil’s predecessor, Mike McCormack, had traded all of the Eagles’ 1st-Rd picks from ’74-’78 for QB Roman Gabriel, MLB Bill Bergey — who should be in the HOF — and QB Mike Boryla. (The earliest choice Vermeil made before ’79 was Vanderbilt OLB Reggie Wilkes Rd 3 of the ’78 draft — Vermeil’s third draft as HC.)
But the key to making that Eagles’ 3-4 work under Campbell was Vermeil’s selection of NT Charlie Johnson from the U-Colorado in Rd 7 of the ’77 draft. Johnson, though great in college, was 25 years old when drafted — so he slid down the board. But he was a dominant inside player who routinely demanded double teams, freeing up MLBs Bergey and Frank LeMaster.
After Vermeil retired following strike-shortened ’82 season, owner Leonard Tose elevated D-coordinator Campbell to the HC position. Campbell continued to run the 3-4, but some poor drafting had gutted the defense.
Until . . .
2. Reggie White came to the Eagles via the NFL’s three-round special USFL Supplemental Draft in 1984 — which dispersed those USFL players who’d have been eligble for the ’84 NFL draft but who’d already signed with the USFL.
Choosing fourth, the Eagles selected Reggie White. (The Bucs went first and chose Steve Young. The Oilers went second and drafted Nebraska Heisman RB Mike Rozier from Camden NJ. And the Viking drafted future HOF OT Gary Zimmerman third.)
Early in the ’85 season, new owner Norman Braman was persuaded (remarkably in the hindsight of how he later ran the franchise) to buy-out Reggie White’s contract with the USFL Memphis Showboats and sign White to a lucrative deal to join the Eagles.
White arrived in time to play in the Eagles’ fourth game of the ’85 season– against the NY Giants.
Playing in HC Marion Campbell’s 3-4 at LDE and wearing No. 91 and playing RDE in Campbell’s 3-4 defense, White introduced himself to the NFL in a stunning performance.
White recorded 2½ sacks, 10 tackles and tipped a pass that CB Herman Edwards returned 3 yards for the Eagles’ only TD that day.
White finished the ’85 season with 13.5 sacks in 12 games.
Campbell, of course, was fired after the season. And along came Buddy Ryan and the 4-3 that the Eagles have been running ever since.
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Sorry, T-LAW, for digressing. Couldn’t resist the question, the history, and the Herm Edwards punctuation mark . . . who, as slow as he was, played a better CB for the Eagles than Nnamdi.
Great info as always.
Wow. I doubt a 3-4 end has ever introduced himself in such a manner. Just wow.
Count me in on the sign DRC bandwagon. I believe that with the right coach, DRC can be a solid and sometimes great CB for the Eagles. I have faith that Chip Kelly will have a good DBs coach who can get inside DRC’s head and get him in the right place/mindset.
I’m also on the cut Nnamdi bandwagon. He may well go on and play well somewhere else out of spite and toughen up, but he’s the CB equivalent to a roulette table. Spin the wheel and hit it big on occasion, but mostly what you get is nothing… (though in some cases what Nnamdi gives you is worse than nothing if the rumors are true and he’s a bad teammate).
The more I look at this roster and think about our beloved Eagles, the more I’m drawn to the same idea I come back to year after year… let’s trade back if possible and get some more ammo for the 2/3rd round.
Odd players I’m after at this point:
3rd round: Goodwin
5th round: Mathieu
On Nnmadi, I don’t care how tough he plays as much as how he didn’t elevate the game of those around him. For his paycheck, that needs to be a given Good wishes and goodbye. Truly no hard feelings.
Re: Eagles 4th Pick Options
Take a look at the height of Oregon’s O-linemen and D-lineman — all players recruited by Chip Kelly.
I think that whomever the Eagles select, if the he’s a lineman, he’s going to be tall. The taller the better, it seems, for CK.
So it may be a fair indicator in projecting the Eagles’ choice to find the tallest, best D-lineman or O-lineman . . . and go with him. OT Eric Fisher at 6’7″ is the the type. And Oregon’s own Dion Jordon for DE/OLB at 6’7″ also.
42 Cody Carriger DL 6-6 235 RFr.
44 DeForest Buckner DL 6-7 265 So.
50 Ryan Hagen DT 6-3 285 Sr.
54 Hamani Stevens OL 6-3 298 Jr.
55 Hroniss Grasu OL 6-3 294 Jr.
56 Alex Balducci DL 6-4 290 So.
57 Trevor Fox OL 6-5 290 Sr.
58 James Euscher OL 6-7 291 RSo.
62 Matt Pierson OL 6-6 272 RSo.
63 Mana Greig OL 5-11 291 Sr.
64 Tyler Johnstone OL 6-6 292 RSo.
66 Taylor Hart DT 6-6 292 Sr.
68 Jamal Prater OL 6-4 275 RSo.
70 Matthew McFadden OL 6-4 303 RFr.
71 Everett Benyard OL 6-7 305 Sr.
72 Andre Yruretagoyena OL 6-5 288 RSo.
75 Jake Fisher OL 6-6 294 Jr.
78 Karrington Armstrong OL 6-3 290 Sr.
82 Christian French DE 6-5 242 RSo.
84 Stetzon Bair DL 6-9 270 RSo.
90 Ricky Heimuli DT 6-4 305 Sr.
91 Tony Washington DE 6-3 244 Jr.
92 Wade Keliikipi DT 6-3 295 Sr.
94 Axel McQuaw OL 6-6 275 Sr.
97 Jared Ebert DT 6-5 260 Sr.
98 David Kafovalu DE 6-3 240 Jr.
99 Sam Kamp DL 6-4 251 RSo.
Boy, that Mana Greig must know someone, either at Oregon or someone in the orthotics implant business.
So there may be a future for King Dunlap…
I guessing that Chipper’s guys at Oregon are more evenly proportioned.
I’m not really informed about any prospects this year but if we stay put at #4 I really hope its for an elite CB or OL prospect. More than any other unit on the roster I think we need help in the secondary (going out on a limb there aren’t I?) but the offensive line isn’t getting any younger at the tackle positions either. One thing I really hope we don’t do is reach for a QB. A whiff there would really hurt if a blue chipper at another position was available.
I did watch some of the senior bowl game and between that and some stuff I’ve listened to I’m really feeling Cyprien in the second round, if we decide to not go secondary in the first.
Trying to keep the Winston-Eleanor-Tommy menage a trois out of my mind…
I was so damn excited when the Eagles signed Nnamdi. He’s my biggest FA disappointment, even more than Kearse. Any chance he convinces Chip that he was not used properly and that he’s ready to once again be the stud shut-down cb?
Unfortunately for him, his film’s gonna be doing most of the talking.
That would involve the great sales job I referenced. Nnamdi would have to convince Chip that he fits the new system and would go all out, every play of every game. I’m sure Chip’s counter would be to ask what happened in 2012? Why such inconsistent play, especially the effort with tackling?
Possible for Chip to be sold, but a serious long shot in my book.
Leavitt 13 seasons at one place in college and two seasons in NFL and he’s 56. Compared to Monachino and Austin who are in their 40s and been in the NFL 7-8 seasons. Leavitt seems to have leadership building a team but does he have enough NFL experience and ability to be innovative as NFL DC?
That really is the big question. I don’t know. I’ve never heard him really get into X’s and O’s.
It’s still obviously early in the process but this is looking like it may be the draft to get your future left tackle for Kelly’s offense. Early to say exactly where Joeckel, Fisher, Lane Johnson go and what options there are to trade down for Fisher or Johnson depending where they go. Milliner is a good prospect but he doesn’t seem like an elite playmaker to take at 4 with athletic OTs on the board for Kelly. DEs – I’m not sure Ansah won’t be better than Moore in a year or two and if they go to a 3-4 Werner doesn’t seem ideal to take at 4 when you might be able to move down and get Ansah (who might be better than Dion Jordan already).
IF you could get Alex Smith and keep that 4th pick, I’d rather get him than draft Geno Smith or any QB at 4 if Kelly just wants a QB that fits better than Foles or Foles/Dixon. Not saying I want Alex Smith or they can get him but to me it’s just one more preferable possible option than taking a QB like Geno 4th who isn’t an ideal fit. Of course Kelly obviously knows better what he wants his NFL offense to be and the QB he wants.
Chip is the key, obviously. I don’t get the feeling he’ll be in love with Geno, but you never know. We’ve got a lot to learn about Chip and how he chooses players at the NFL level.
If Chip is adamant about the 1.5 seconds (though I think it’s really 2.5 seconds) to get rid of the ball, it changes the way you draft OL – drafting to protect Peyton was a lot different than drafting to protect McNabb. Run blocking becomes more important relative to pass blocking (because you don’t have to hold those pass blocks forever) and you don’t necessarily have to use high draft picks (because you just want a good athlete, but not necessarily an elite LT).
So if Kelly is athletic enough for Chip’s OL system, suddenly you’re drafting an OT project in the 3rd to 4th rd, not a top guy in the 1st rd.
The ducks had 373 passing attempts to 685 rushing attempts Also Oregon has never had elite tackles. There best lineman was center Max Unger
They probably trade down if Geno is still available at 4. Zona,Bills,Browns need QBs and are right behind the birds. They all also have new coaches who are gonna want “their” guy to develop which makes the chances one of them trading up more likely.
Is Mr. Barnwell trying to say that starting a bunch of rookies would not lead to good results? Well…duh. His over-simplified analysis always have me wanting more. Should have talked about How Weeden was throwing to another rookie and a second year journeyman, or the rookie RT protecting him.
I didn’t watch enough Browns games to have a valid opinion on Shurmur or their offense. My perception is that Weeden got better as the season went along. The team started with a 5 game losing streak, but played .500 football after that.
I talked to a pretty smart Browns fan in Mobile and he wasn’t anti-Shurmur at all.
Weeden’s gamelog: http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/14878/brandon-weeden
Looking it over, you don’t see the same trajectory you see with Foles, struggle out the gate then improve – Weeden did start with an awful game that weighs down his season stats, but week 8-9 were weak performances, and so were his last two games. So it was more of a roller coaster season.
He had a lot of inexperience at the WR and RB spots, an experienced but limited TE, but also a very good OL (Thomas, Mack, Schwartz), PFF had them ranked third pass blocking, fifth overall.
From my browsing of Dawgsbynature during the headcoach search, I got the sense most aren’t anti-Shurmur. On a side note, while browsing QB numbers, I came upon Cassel’s. No wonder Chiefs fans are desperate for a new QB
“Pretty smart Browns fan in Mobile”
Phil Savage?
I think Howie’s actually been pretty good at trading down and getting good value. With that said, I would hope that he would trade down only if he likes Fisher as much as Joeckel and feels like he can get him at #8.
We need impact players. STL may have a bunch of draft picks, but WAS has RG3.
I agree with this fully. Value is important, but when you have an opportunity to get an impact player, go get him. Trading back in the first round may give you a ton of picks but if it means you are missing out on a talent that you believe could be elite, I don’t think it is worth the trade.
Ferfresh my memory, but isn’t Arizona picking number in eight which case you’ve trading with them puts them ticket number four. If that’s the case then they are almost surely picking Fisher because they need offense of line help desperately.
Who is to say anyone is an impact player. Joeckel might be amazing! Or he could be terrible. Who is to say STL won’t get 5 impact players with those picks…then your are talking 5 vs. 1. And with RG3 knee, will he still be an impact player?
I can hear the screams now if the Eagles stay at 4; the pick is a bust, and we find out later they were offered a bounty…that’s part of what makes the draft so fascinating and nerve wracking at the same time
If Nnamdi did such a good job shutting down Megatron until the 4th quarter secondary breakdown, is that still a positive indicator that he still has the ability to shut down and be consistently physical with the more bigger, slower opposing WR (although Megatron is undoubtedly an exception than the rule)? Assuming we keep both Nnamdi and DRC for next season, should Nnamdi be assigned to cover bigger and slower WRs, while DRC covers the more speedy WRs?
I posted this in the previous post, but I guess Sheil beat me to it. I made it 3 round deep…
I’ve looked up the last 10 #4 picks in the NFL draft, and this is what I found:
5/10 has gone to the Pro Bowl
8/10 has become good players
4/10 has become ‘cornerstone’ players
2/10 has been busts
The players are:
OT Matt Kalil (Very good)
WR A.J. Green (Elite)
OT Trent Williams (Very good)
LB Aaron Curry (Bust)
RB Darren McFadden (Good)
DE Gaines Adams (Bust)
OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson (Good)
RB Cedric Benson (OK)
QB Philip Rivers (Very good)
DT Dewayne Robertson (OK)
We will have a chance to add an impact player to our franchise, the question is, who will/should it be?
Pick #35 have produced players like:
LB Courtney Upshaw (?)
QB Andy Dalton (OK)
DT Brian Price (Bust)
LB James Laurinaitis (Good)
CB Brandon Flowers (Good)
OG Arron Sears (Bust)
LB Rocky McIntosh (OK)
WR Reggie Brown (Average)
DE Igor Olshansky (OK)
CB Charles Tillmann (Very good)
That gives us a 6-7/10 to add another OK/Good starter.
Pick #66
CB Josh Robinson
LB Dontay Moch
CB Amari Spievey
CB Bradley Fletcher
DE Kendall Langford
CB Usama Young
OT Eric Winston
S O.J. Atogwe
C Nick Hardwick
DT Cory Redding
This shows that you have to hit on the early picks. You can’t count on finding Eric Winston or Nick Hardwick every year. It is of course obvious, but the chance of getting a good/impact players drops significantly each round.
Tommy I think you are way to kind on Nnamdi. Rarely do I think that the kind of venom & scorn the Eagles’ fans direct at a player is fully warranted or due. In some cases, it is really misplaced.
With Nnamdi, I agree with all of the criticism he got this year from the fans and media. Instead of showing that last year was largely a struggle due to learning a new scheme or having to play in zone-read coverage, he struggled from the get go in Week 1 and was targeted early & often this year.
There were a few times I thought Nnamdi responded well to the challenge. More often than not, Nnamdi failed both on the stat sheet, scoreboard, and noticeable effort. Nnadmi criticizing his coaches & teammates again this season was just the caper on a terrible season for him.
Nnamdi’s a loser. Kelly would be well served to get him of a veteran like Nnamdi who never leads by example or through his words.
“I will be involved in a love triangle with Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt before Nnamdi gets to stay under that deal.”
For your sake, I hope you were watching the History Channel when you wrote that.
Now, before your next column, read something about Ron Jeremy being hospitalized – I’d love to see what you work in with that in the back of your mind!
Sadly, I wasn’t watching the History Channel. Just let my mind wander and that’s where it went.
As for Ron Jeremy…yeah that could lead to some awkward references. Or just a post on Fletcher Cox.
Lots of good stuff today Tommy, nice read to wrap up the week. When can we expect the next Helmet2Helmet? After the coaching staff in finalized/announced? I realize there isn’t really much to chat about right now but my commutes have been far less educational/entertaining.
Jimmy & I are hoping to do a show Saturday morning. He’s been doing family stuff this week. What a selfish jerk, huh?
Chip Kelly doesn’t approve.
Nobody was more embarrassing than DRC this year. There were plays he gave up on that i couldn’t believe. Plays that went to the guy he was covering and/or went in his direction that he just simply stopped pursuing while the guy was running past or away from him. That is scary. You don’t build sound defenses with guys like that, never-mind a championship caliber one. I wouldn’t build a street football team with a guy like that actually. Both CB’s should be shown the door IMO…
Do we know when the team will hav a chance to see Peters moving around? Is he still going to be medically limited through the draft? If the team thinks they want something other than OL at #4, it sure would be nice to see Peters is actually healthy first.
This.
Wow, now that is surprising, if you’re getting it from a source in the organization! Anyone with two eyes can see that Nnamdi was never the player we were so excited to sign, but I never would have guessed he was the locker-room cancer everyone was talking about. Maybe the guy just doesn’t care about football as much as everyone else?
He was decent in the Lions game, but I think sometimes a bit too much credit is given to him for that performance i.e. he “locked Calvin Johnson down”. Matt Stafford was very poor in delivering the ball accurately, and only really seemed to “click” in the fourth quarter, when Castillo failed to adjust to the Lions clearly targeting Hughes. If I were a Lions fan, Stafford would drive me up the wall, literally all the arm-talent in the world, but can’t keep his mechanics consistent and seems to have these stretches of the yips and terrible decisions every season. Ditto on Cutler; it’s almost easier just to have a bum at QB than a guy that can look like one of the best passers in the league or a total scrub on any given play.
So basically, the Eagles FO is going to pay him 4 million dollars to walk in 2013, after signing him for 2 seasons of horrible play for ~30 million dollars. Ugh! Another huge mistake! That’s almost Haynesworth-level.
I too stand corrected on Nnamdi. I didn’t think the locker room stuff was really him — He pointed fingers, but he also seems meek enough to not really be able to start static in the locker room. What do I know?
Given that it costs $4m to cut him, I’d still take NA back on a reduced deal, but I also wouldn’t shed a tear if he was gone.
Definitely disappointing, but unlike Haynesworth, NA wasn’t an ill-advised signing at the time, and he didn’t fail due to complete lack of effort, a la Big Al. He just never fit and wasn’t the player we hoped he’d be.
I am a little surprised to learn how much he was apparently disliked, but I guess it makes sense.
Now that I’ve made that comparison, almost offhand, the situations do strike me a somewhat similar. Haynesworth was coming off two straight All-Pro campaigns and was thought to be the best defender in the NFL. Of course there was trepidation based on his production because of the franchise tags, but him being a slug was clearly not the incontrovertible fact it’s revealed itself as now, in hindsight. His temper was also clearly an issue, but again, quite a few teams, including Tennessee, thought highly of him enough to court him heavily in FA.
Hayneworth was definitely worse, as he was openly, flagrantly defiant to his coaching staff, where as Nnamdi seemed to be much more passive aggressive (remember the postmorten following the Lions game where he sort of gently placed Castillo under the bus?). There were some moments of professional disinterest in actually playing football that were similar. I’m thinking of Haynesworth’s obvious flop against the Eagles contrasted with Nnamdi’s complete lack of interest in tackling Marshawn Lynch on MNF in 2011. I would say that Nnamdi was a little more active in the incredulous looks following blown plays, and generally performed worse during games–although Haynesworth was such a problem in the locker-room that he was suspended.
Yeah, I would have never guessed it about Nnamdi; thought he was a high-character guy. I guess it shows that there is a lot that goes on under the surface that no amount of coverage–in season–is going to reveal.
I’m not going to get into a long thing about it, but some differences:
– Haynesworth signed for $100 mil, even though it was really a $41mil deal with a bunch of backloaded money.
– The Redskins ate $21 million before his second year, had a conversation with him about committing, then he blatantly refused to play the position he was asked to play. The Eagles might have to eat $4m, but that’s a lot less than 21.
– NA didn’t get demoted or lose his starting job.
– NA had a handful of bright moments (Buffalo comeback 2011, Lions 2012, ATL INT 2011) but mostly bad ones. AH played balls out for a half against the Bears, and was memorably caught laying on the ground for 7 seconds in the middle of a blowout.
They’re both disappointments, I just don’t think NA was quite on the same level. AH, while talented and misunderstood, clearly took the money and told the Redskins to piss off. NA at least appeared to be trying, even if he was divisive behind closed doors and a finger-pointer. And really bad at zone defense and part of a secondary that mostly just looked confused.
As far as cornerbacks not giving effort/being passive or just outright bad at tackling, I hate it, but it’s a reality of the position for a lot of guys.
Uou mean we won’t get to see this. “I will be involved in a love triangle with Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt before Nnamdi gets to stay under that deal.”
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