We don’t know for sure, but it certainly sounds like Jeremy Maclin tore the ACL in his right knee. Ā *UPDATE* The Eagles have confirmed that it is a torn ACL.
You hate this for a couple of reasons. First, selfishly, as Eagles fans, you don’t want to lose good players to injury. Mac isn’t a dominant player, but he’s a darn good WR. I think playing for Chip Kelly was going to bring out the best in him.
The injury is also terribleĀ because of how it affects Maclin’s career. He was set to be a free agent at the end of the year. Both he and the team had been slow to talk extension since no one knows exactly what to make of Mac. He’s not an upper echelon WR (Fitz, Calvin, etc.), but he’s not just an average starter either. 2013 was going to be huge for figuring out his value.
I don’t think this is a crushing blow to the Eagles. We know Chip Kelly wants to run the ball. We know that Kelly wants to use TEs quite a bit. This wasn’t going to be the Mac and DJax show that we’ve seen since 2009.
Honestly, I don’t know that the Eagles have to bring in a starting caliber WR. This becomes a huge opportunity for Riley Cooper, Damaris Johnson and Arrelious Benn. Cooper and Benn have the size Kelly loves. Johnson has the elusiveness and RAC ability.
Jimmy Bama and I did a WR preview for the H2H Show and I said on there that I didn’t consider any WR a lock to make the roster. The closest thing to a lock to me was Damaris Johnson. DJax had to show Kelly that they’re on the same page. So far, he’s done exactly that and is off to a great start. Mac had to show Kelly that he would block and be more of a physical player. Kelly has no use for 200-pound finesse WRs. He didn’t need Mac to turn into Earl Campbell, but Mac’s 2012 performance was about as un-Chip Kelly as a WR can play.
I hoped that with Chip’s prodding, Mac, being a high character guy, would embrace the new way of doing business and it would bring out the best in him. Now it sounds like that has been put on hold.
There is no denying that the Eagles are weaker at WR with Mac hurt, but this injury isn’t nearly as crippling as it would have been with Reid at the helm. If you want to throw the ball 40 times a game, you need the right WRs. The 2013 Eagles will run the ball and throw to TEs and WRs. As long as DeSean Jackson stays healthy, the team can overcome losing Mac.
* * * * *
I will be interested to see the type of player they use to fill Mac’s spot. More on that later.
Both Graham and Cole weigh 264 pounds right now. Graham was reportedly up around 275 last year.
Both guys are learning how to play LB. You do need to understand that most of the time a 3-4 OLB is going to be rushing the QB. The key is that you need to be effective when called upon to drop into coverage.
There are other changes in playing LB instead of DE. Those can vary by scheme and coaching staff, just as 4-3 DEs can have different responsibilities. Cole and Graham must learn the subtleties of the position. This isn’t entirely about coverage. The good news is that Bill McGovenr and Bill Davis have coaches some outstanding LBs over the year. Those guys know how to teach.
Let’s go back to coverage for a minute. This may be the first time since high school (or before that) that Cole and Graham are getting instructions on how to cover. Both guys have dropped back some in the past, but that was primarily due to zone blitzes. When they dropped back then, they were DEs. The expectation was for them simply to get to a spot and do their best. Now the players are going to be coached on how to actually cover.
They’ll learn to get to their zone. Once there, they have to identify receivers and patterns. You need to react differently to a WR running a slant than a RB going out to the flat as a checkdown option. The LBs won’t be asked to turn into Troy Vincent and go shut down the targets. The LB needs to keep the ball in front of him. If lucky enough, play the ball. Most likely, sit back and tackle the receiver after he’s caught the short pass.
There will be some situations where the LBs get hung out to dry against a really good player when the offense has the perfect play called. You just have to live with those situations. The whole point in running the 3-4 and using zone blitzes is to try and trick the offense. You just have to know there will be some plays when the trick backfires. You don’t buy stock, expecting to make money on every move. You don’t blitz and expect to win every play.
Cole and Graham need time. I wouldn’t start to judge their progress until the Pats practices. At that point, the guys will be 10 days into camp and will have some idea of what they’re doing.
A couple of interesting nuggets were that ILB Jason Phillips got some snaps with the starters and that the backup DL was Clifton Geathers – Antonio Dixon – Vinny Curry. I don’t want to make too much of the Phillips note. The Eagles love DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks. You just wonder if that happened as a way to develop Phillips into the top backup ILB or if it was just a random happening. I do not think the Eagles are trying to send a signal to Ryans or Kendricks.
As for the backup DL, I like it. I’m utterly fascinated by Geathers. I’m hopeful that Dixon can bounce back at NT. I also think RDE, even in the 3-4, is a good spot for Curry.
2:10 āĀ As I walk from one field to another, the greatĀ Merrill ReeseĀ asks to see my pen for a moment so he can sign a football for a fan. I remember at my first camp several years ago thinking how crazy it was that fans were stoppingĀ Ray DidingerĀ for an autograph.
Soā¦ does anyone want my signature? Hello?? Anyone out there???
Would someone please go ask Mr. Kapadia for his autograph? I always knew Kapadia had some T.O. to his game. How does Tim McManus deal with him everyday?