Scouting Combine Media Day

Posted: February 21st, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 45 Comments »

I didn’t put up an early post since Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman were going to meet the media in the afternoon in Indy at the Scouting Combine.  Smart move because they rewarded me with thousands and thousands of interesting nuggets.  Oh wait, my abacus needs adjusting.  That total now reads…practically none.

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I wasn’t expecting Chip and Howie to spill the beans on anything major, but I was hoping for some bit of info that might be fun to write about.

I’ll watch the the PCs in full on PE.com when I get home tonight and see if there are any nuggets that didn’t make the rounds that might actually be interesting.

The quick highlight comments regarded QB and Nnamdi Asomugha.  Chip said he likes Nick Foles and wants to coach him.  Doesn’t really offer much insight.  Howie was asked about trading Foles and said the Eagles aren’t in the habit of getting rid of good, young players.  I think he left out the part about “…unless the price is right”.

When asked about Nnamdi, Kelly said “I think Nnamdi has a skill set that can play football.”  I have yet to hear the actual audio and I’m curious if the delivery makes that quote worse or a bit less worse.  No matter how you cut it, that’s not a compliment.  Hopefully he’ll be an ex-Eagles sooner rather than later.

* * * * *

Speaking of Howie Roseman, Derek from Iggles Blog put up a post with some quick thoughts on him.  Seems like Derek is a huge fan of the Tom Gamble hire.

* * * * *

OT Eric Fisher had a great showing at the Senior Bowl.  He is in Indy for the Combine now and actually got re-measured today.  The Senior Bowl does their measuring.  The Combine does theirs.  Sometimes the two groups get different results.

Fisher’s arm length was 34 inches in Mobile.  It was measured at 34.5 today in Indy.

Jimmy Bama had some fun with that in a hilarious post you all should check out.

A few people have asked about Fisher as a prospect for the Eagles at #4.  After watching tape on him and re-watching some Senior Bowl stuff…no.  Fisher is very good, but just isn’t worth the #4 pick in the draft.  Luke Joeckel is a better LT and will be a Top 5 pick.  Fisher could go in the Top 10, but he’s a notch below.

* * * * *

I’m cutting this short.  There will be lots of Chip and Howie stuff to watch/read tonight and then comment on.

Jimmy and I are planning to do a podcast on the draft tonight.  We’ll talk about the players the Eagles will look at for #4 (obvious stuff).

What not so obvious things might you like us to cover if we get the chance?

_

  • http://twitter.com/JackfinBauer Jack Bauer

    Jimmy’s article on Fisher was hilarious. I’ll see your 1/2″ and raise you 1 1/4″

    Jake Long Senior Bowl 01/21/13
    Arm Length: 32 1/8″

    Jake Long Combine 02/21/13
    Arm Length: 33 3/8″

    Long’s arms have grown .04″ per day since the senior bowl and should put him at 36″ by the Draft…..

    • TommyLawlor

      Kyle Long?

      • http://twitter.com/JackfinBauer Jack Bauer

        Kyle Long would be correct….apologies

    • A_T_G

      We should put him at safety. Let Nnamdi point at someone who can reach him.

  • http://twitter.com/RIPworms RIP Worms

    Jimmy’s post was classic. And BountyBowl did him a solid with his tweet, “@Jimmy_Beast just won the Internet 56-3″. But I digress.

    I’d like to hear you and Jimmy talk about what the defensive backfield might realistically look like next year. Ideally you would replace both corners and both safeties with legitimate starting-caliber players. But that’s a lot to do in one off-season.

    So….
    - do you bring back one of DRC or Nnamdi on a short-term team-friendly deal?
    - do you go looking for value in the free agent market (e.g., good nickel backs who may deserve a promotion to the outside)?
    - do you draft someone in the first two days who you think could start?
    - do you go after multiple mid-round guys and hope to hit on someone?
    - do you bring in a bunch of practice-squad level guys from around the league and hope some competition delivers a diamond in the rough?
    - or do you simply draft a guy whose arms are still growing so that in a few years he can take away half the field without moving his feet?

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.verhoog Matthew Verhoog

      That sounds like a whole show, It would be nice if they cut Nnamdi so we could know for sure he is gone.

  • Ark87

    “What not so obvious things might you like us to cover if we get the chance?”

    We’ve heard the speculation about our #4 pick and frankly it’s a little depressing. No “special” players, nobody will give us much to move up an not get a special player, bleh. The thing about picking #4, make a wishlist of your 4 favorite players in order, you’re guaranteed to get 1. Not a whole lot to talk about.

    Positive notes:
    It’s actually a pretty deep draft
    Safeties and CB’s galore!

    So can we kinda go over that concept a little bit? The reasons to not be depressed that is.

    • brza

      Thats a good point. The depth is great at our positions of need. The problem is unfortunately this year we don’t have any extra picks in the top three rounds like we usually do. Maybe, you could talk about possible trades that could net us an extra Day 1 or 2 pick?

      Although, its probable that the only options we’d have to do that would be a trade down or Foles. Or do you think Cole or Graham would have any trade value? What about Maclin in a scenario where we acquire a bigger WR who could complement DJax better like Bowe or Hartline?

      I’m not suggesting it’d be wise to unload any of those guys but it would just be interesting to think about what type of pick(s) we could get in return and then who the targets could be for those picks.

      By the way, extending the offseason would be a horrible move for the fans. Its already agony waiting for FA and the draft as it is now. Don’t know how we’d fill the long winter months if everything gets pushed back. The NFL needs a serious one-league farm system played in the spring. No NFL-Europe stuff with completely new rosters each year but a system like MLB where you can follow one team and identify with the prospects. Its likely less than 1% of the prospects will ever become starters in the NFL but I’m sure there are enough fans that would follow a league with real ties to their favorite NFL teams if it was played in the offseason.

      The problem with CFL is that once it gets interesting the NFL season starts plus the game is different (3-downs, 12 players wtf?). Arena is just a completely different game thats unappealing to fans of the strategy of 11-on-11 football. XFL and USFL had no ties to NFL teams to feed off existing fanbases. And NFL Europe had boring rules (no blitz etc) and completely new rosters each year that also made it impossible to grow solid fanbases. I think a real NFL spring league would have potential though.

  • austinfan

    I don’t think HOwie got taken in the Herremans and Cole negotiations as implied by Derek, that has AR’s fingerprints all over it, “I’m tired of dealing with bad feelings from Joe’s hard ball tactics!”

    Howie brought in Donohue and Mueller, now Gamble. Talk about a secure individual, three football men with outstanding credentials to work under a guy who lacks “football guy” cred.

    “You want football guys, I’ll give you football guys!”

    All comes down to whether you believe Lurie when he said he reviewed the last few drafts and Howie was head and shoulders above everyone else in the war room in player evaluation. Either Lurie’s blowing smoke, or Howie’s draft board kept getting screwed up by other people. Given that Howie and his hand chosen people are the only ones left standing, draw your own conclusions.

  • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.verhoog Matthew Verhoog

    I think there needs to be a discussion on what Linemen have the best beards and hair. Everyone knows that hair is a source of strength (check out Samson in the book of Judges, good with a jawbone, but bad taste in women). I assume a beard, being backwards hair, help with pass blocking, while long hair gives forwards strength to aid in run blocking.

    • Anders

      Thats why Watkins sucks in pass pro, he got no beard, where Mathis are good at both and he got a good beard and long hair.

      • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.verhoog Matthew Verhoog

        Fear the beard.

    • A_T_G

      I think you identified a new measurable for the combine.

    • xeynon

      If this were true, though, Jake Scott would be the best lineman in the NFL.

      • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.verhoog Matthew Verhoog

        Would you tell Jake that he isn’t the best lineman in the NFL? – Side Note. Jake Scott is the best lineman in the NFL.

  • http://www.facebook.com/normanahaupt Norman Haupt

    Would like a 2 season recap of downton abbey.

    • TommyLawlor

      Nnamdi Asomugha is the man to ask about that. I’m busy watching every cop show with a hot chick on it. And Jimmy Bama can’t even spell PBS.

      • http://www.facebook.com/normanahaupt Norman Haupt

        I asked him, but he couldn’t follow it. Something about over the top and he just couldn’t keep up.

        • D3FB

          It’s not nice to point fingers, mister.

  • http://twitter.com/KeeepSwinging Anthony Hart

    Are you guys going to do a free agency preview show? I know that there’s still franchise tags to be applied and teams can talk to their guys, but I’d like to hear your thoughts on a few players who have a good chance to make free agency and might fit with the Eagles. Maybe guys like Louis Delmas, Delanie Walker, and Greg Toler?

  • ian_no_2

    Ya know what’s wacky about this draft? The mocks say that KC will draft Joeckel if they get Foles, and almost none of them, less than 10% have the next two (Jax and Oak) picking OL. About 2/3 of mocks have KC taking Geno Smith and Joeckel falling to Philly. So based on this, if you don’t trade Foles to KC, you’ll get Joeckel. Of course there’s no telling whether KC will address QB in another way or what the first three teams are really thinking, but I’d bet they’ve had this discussion at NovaCare.

    • ICDogg

      If Joeckel is really that good, someone will trade up and jump ahead of us to grab him, even if KC doesn’t take him, which they probably will anyway.

      • ian_no_2

        That’s quite possible, but Jax and Oakland both want DL help and have a bunch of appealing choices at their spots.

        • D3FB

          But is trading back to say where the cardinals are really going to hurt them? People seem torn between who is the best of Floyd, Star, Richardson anyway. The edge rushers are pretty much all graded out the same way as well.

          • ian_no_2

            On the current draft value chart, the Eagles would break even trading down to 16 if they receive 16 + the Cards 2nd in 2013, plus a 2nd in 2014 if they finish in the bottom 20, assuming 2013 and 2014 pix are the same value which many think aren’t. If they sweetened the deal by offering 1sts in 2013 and 2014, or a 2013 3rd plus the above plus an additional pick, then it’s worth considering. I personally would make it clear that the Eagles will trade the pick only if someone blows them away with a package, and there’s a possibility that someone gets locked in on a player (often a QB like Geno) that they do that. That may actually be a rationalization for trading Foles to KC – even if KC picks Joeckel, someone will want Geno at 4 so much the Eagles be offered a package 2/3 as sweet as what the Skins paid the Cards for RG3.
            Looking at the mocks as a group: Lotulelei is on the board at 4 in 1/3 of mocks.

            * Joeckel is on the board in most mocks, though for the past four days it’s been more like 40%. Vick was signed over eleven days ago, creating the perception the Foles to KC trade is more likely.
            * Milliner is on the board in about 95% of mocks.
            * Warmack is on the board in, it would appear, all mocks.

            My thinking is: Make a determination on Joeckel v. Lotulelei v. Warmack. Right now I’d say getting Joeckel would be a major boon to the offense with or without a healthy Peters, and he’d be priority no. 1, tho I wouldn’t trade up for him. Then I think Lotulelei’s potential, especially developing alongside Cox, is hard to pass up if he’s on the board at 4, but I’m not inclined to trade up for him because 2 and 3 want DL anyway and will overcharge. If Joeckel and Lotulelei are off the board at 4, I seriously think Warmack at 4 is a good pick, unless someone blows you away with an offer. If CB Milliner is on the board, I would entertain the possibility of trading down because though I think Milliner could anchor the secondary for years, the drop-off between him and Banks or a guy at another position isn’t much. I still think that getting NTs Hankins, Jenkins, or Jesse Williams at 35 would be a good long term move, even if they get Lotulelei at 4. Cox, Lotulelei, and one of those three would give offenses fits for years.

            I was talking about SAM here recently: After you go 4-12, hire a college coach, and switch to the 3-4 you should give Curry an extended chance at SAM if the coaches think it’s a good idea. Now is the time to take Best Available to try to get star players and though I think Damontre Moore will be a Pro Bowler, I wouldn’t reach for a SAM, a CB, S, or anything else. Reach for a player if you’re worried about beating SF in the conference championship.

  • Michael Abrams

    Hey Tommy,

    I’d love to hear you and Jimmy talk about how quickly a new coach/new program can become successful in the NFL. We’re all familiar with the classic 5-year plan, where the team sucks for the first year of the new coach (Andy Reid’s Eagles, Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys, others?) and then is rapidly good by year 2 and a legit contender by year 3. But Harbaugh’s 49ers turned around even faster. What if the team still sucks (or is mediocre) in year 2 of the plan? Are there any good examples of coaches putting it together with the team later than this?

    • qwerty uiop

      Shanahan and the skins?

      • aceandson

        Bill Walsh. Worst in the NFL to SB Champs/greatest team assembled in 3 years.

    • austinfan

      Depends on the depth and the type of talent you inherit.

      AR inherited a lot of aggressive young defenders and added the right DC to get the most out of them, but had to rebuild an offense from scratch, the defense was good enough to win with a conservative offense built around the limitations of his personnel.

      Harbaugh inherited a very talented team that was badly coached, Fangio kept the 3-4, brought in a couple FAs and promoted a few players, Harbaugh made a couple changes on the OL, but SF probably had more top picks on its roster than any team in the NFL.

      Chip is blowing up the team in the sense of changing schemes on both sides of the ball. Problem is that some decent talent then becomes less than optimal and you need to make more changes, and it takes a while for players on both sides of the ball to adjust to the new schemes. So I would have limited expectations for 2013.

  • pjxii
  • planetx1971

    I’m interested to know ho everyone else feels but NORMALLY I’d be really psyched for the fourth pick. But the more I look at all the choices, I just keep coming back to feeling that NEARLY all the options for us would be a reach at four given our needs and the players likely available. I guess at this point I feel most comfortable moving back a bit and adding a pick. Am I missing something? An Idiot? Both? Lol

    • Ark87

      List the 4 best players in the draft. If we get one of them, it isn’t a reach. You could argue that #4-#10 all have roughly the same value as far as players go, but we just have to view that as a good thing, we get our choice of the group and it won’t be considered a reach. We can pick by need.

  • Baloophi

    NFLN had Chip Kelly on… nothing real exciting though he did call Dion Jordan a special player and that he knows all about him having coached him for 5 years.

    Andy Reid also on right before and probably used the phrase “we’re in the middle of that process” no less than 6,000 times. Not gonna miss the old soundbytes. Also of note – apparently he lives right next door to Scott Pioli… Pioli said he had to talk his daughter out of TP-ing the Reid’s house.

  • ICDogg

    If Cox and Kuechly were (based on the info we knew last year about them) in this draft instead of last year’s draft, how high in the ranks would they be considered?

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

      I think Cox would probably fight with Lotulelei, Richardson and Floyd on being the first DT selected, depending on scheme. The DT position actually seems way deeper than last year, but I still think Cox would be a top 10 pick in this years draft. Kuechly would probably be picked around the same spot – MLBs just doesn’t have the same value.

      • D3FB

        Neither does guard yet some people want to take Warmack at 4.

        • ICDogg

          I probably don’t want to take him at 4, but theoretically there would come a point where the best guard was better than any other player available.

    • Anders

      I think Cox would be in top 5 imo. No idea about Kendricks

  • Iskar36

    From Twitter:

    Geoff Mosher
    ‏@GeoffMosherCSN
    Just spoke to Nnamdi Asomugha’s agent, Ben Dogra. Says he on his way to meeting w/Eagles. Expects Eagles to ask for restructure.

    We’ll see if they restructure with Nnamdi or not, but I am not a fan of this at all. Meeting with his agent suggests they are trying to find a way to keep Nnamdi. Keeping him over keeping DRC is absolutely the wrong move in my mind.

    • Anders

      Who say they are keeping him over DRC? That they wont tag him just mean they dont think he is worth 10.6 mill

      • Iskar36

        I agree that just because they didn’t tag DRC doesn’t mean they will not try to sign him to a deal, but why do you have a meeting with Nnamdi’s agent like this? The biggest reason I can think of is to negotiate a restructured deal. Whether or not it happens remains to be seen, but at the very least it suggests that renegotiating his contract is a strategy the Eagles are serious about exploring. Seems like the wrong strategy to me.

        • Anders

          He could be a roleplayer against guys like Megatron or Witten

          • Iskar36

            $5 or $6 Mil is a ton of money to pay to a roleplayer who is not exactly a great guy to have in the locker room.

          • Anders

            I would pay 6 (for me its really only 2 bc we owe him the 4 anyway) to shut down a Megatron or Jason Witten.

          • Iskar36

            The problem is, at some point the teams will find a way to match up their faster guys against Nnamdi and simply put, Nnamdi is not good enough any more to keep up. Not to mention, what are you doing with Nnamdi when you’re not playing Megatron in that one game we play against DET? Boykins had a promising rookie season. I want to keep him at slot and allow him to continue to progress, not hinder his progress. Therefore, you are either stuck with Nnamdi on the outside (which was a major failure last season, and one that is very likely to fail again), or putting Nnamdi at Dime. 6 Mil to an aging dime corner? No way to justify that.