Training Camp Preview: Wide Receiver

The Eagles kick off training camp this Friday with a lot of big headlines. Many positions are in competition for the starting job but one position just might be the deepest position on the team. Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant have been the three receivers for the past 4 years and have been very consistent. Desean Jackson is going to fit extremely well in Chip Kelly's offense. His speed and good hands are going to help him get the ball a lot more than he did with Reid. Kelly might use him like Percy Harvin and Randall Cobb where he can line up more than just at the Z receiver spot. He is being used in the slot, punt returner again, and at running back which is a new aspect of his game that might be a big asset to the Eagles. Jeremy Maclin has had the most receptions in his first 4 seasons than any Eagle in history but the one thing that concerns me and many other Eagle fans and analyst is, he has yet to break 1,000 yards in a season. This might be due to all the weapons on the Eagles or maybe injuries that have been a bit of a concern the past couple years. Scoring 7 touchdowns last year led the team last season, he isn't the tallest player but he has good size to help out in the red zone. Chip Kelly will want Maclin to be able to block which is a weak point so if he wants to stay on the field, that will have to be a part of his game. Jason Avant has improved every single year in receptions with over 60 last season, but he never scores in the end zone and just doesn't fit the mold as a WR for Chip Kelly. His blocking is very good which will be his strong point in order to still start at slot. Now lets talk about the depth of the position with currently Riley Cooper, Damaris Johnson, Arrelious Benn, and Ifeanyi Momah battling for two or three spots. I believe Riley Cooper is a lock to make the team, last year he was exactly what the Eagles needed in the red zone especially against the Dallas Cowboys his two highlight reel one handed grabs which proves his ability to go up and get the football which isn't a strength of Jackson, Maclin, maybe not Avant who has the best hands on the team. Now I have a different opinion on Damaris Johnson than most and here it is. Honestly I don't understand why we need him, yes he is extremely fast but we have Desean Jackson who is a much better version of Johnson. The Eagles need big receivers as our backups and I think Arrelious Benn will beat him out for the 5th WR spot. Chip Kelly does like fast, versatile players but I believe Jackson and Maclin can be the ones lined up in different spots as well as Tight End James Casey. Arrelious Benn didn't pan out well in Tampa Bay, he did start 25 games for them and is a pretty big guy standing at 6'2 and 188 pounds, so he is no small guy. His highest yard total in his 3 years was in 2011 with 441 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is most likely the biggest at risk to get cut of the players mentioned but if he can show his physicality in the red zone and again block well in the preseason and training camp, he should beat out Johnson who isn't of much use unless Desean Jackson goes down after injuries. Now I want to talk a little bit about Ifeanyi Momah who stands at a towering 6'7 but is coming off a ACL tear at Boston College. His huge speed is such a plus it is so hard to pass him up as a number 6 WR. I don't think he can make it if 5 receivers are kept but if there is 6 they need to let him be on the sidelines and learn and also maybe contribute in the red zone. Is he a upgrade over someone like Plaxico Burress.....I would think so since there is a higher ceiling. In Boston College he had 6 touchdowns in two years before his ACL tear which isn't very impressive but he has the raw ability that Chip Kelly could mold into a player like Plaxico Burress, if he doesn't make the roster expect him to be on the practice squad and be a call up in case of a injury. Wide Receiver is arguably the deepest position on the team and the speed, size, and skills can help the Eagles get back to the playoffs and make the offense get back to one of the best in the league. 

Predicted Depth Chart

1. Desean Jackson

2. Jeremy Maclin

3. Jason Avant

4. Riley Cooper

5. Damaris Johnson

6. Arrelious Benn

Ifeanyi Momah - Practice Squad

 

Training Camp Preview: Inside Linebacker

The Eagles training camp begins Monday when Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and the rookies report to the Nova Care Complex which of course is the start of the new change in Philadelphia Eagles Football under Head Coach Chip Kelly who is preparing for his first trianing camp ever in the NFL as a head coach. Well the fans are clearly excited as there has been already over 4,500 tickets taken for the attendance of training camp which is the first since the 1940s to be hosted in Philadelphia. Many of the positions are solidified for instance the offensive line but most are in competition for the starting job including the most coveted position in the NFL, the quarterbackf position but guess what and this might come as a schock......we are not talking about the quarterbacks in this article! (Mind blown)? well you shouldn't be. Lets talk about the inside linebacker position, a position that isn't really in competition for the spots but more is to see where the young players fall in line on the depth chart as we know veteran Demeco Ryans and second year pro Mychal Kendricks are going to be the two guys in the middle of the 3-4 defense for the start of the season unless any serious injuries occur which we hope obviously does not happen. Demeco Ryans had a team high 148 tackles last year and has said he is more comfortable in a 4-3 but did play both when he was in Houston so his production should not drop all that much and certainly the scheme won't hold him back from being a big force on the field that the Eagles really need, plus he is a leader on and off the football field for these players. Mychal Kendricks is a interesting player to watch in camp, he had a up and down season last year and did have some big games like against Baltimore in week 2 when he had the game winning pass deflection over Ray Rice but then again, he seemed to be lost at times. The 3-4 actually should really help Kendricks, he was a very productive pass rusher when he was in college and could be lined up all over the field this year. Looking to the bench where there is some good young talent such as 4 year player Jamar Chaney who started all 16 games in 2011 and was a big piece in that team with over 100 tackles and he should be a very good depth player in case of injuries. Shaun Phillips is a guy that really intrigues me. Yes maybe he isn't a starting caliber linebacker in the NFL but he is a monster on special teams. The Eagles already have one of the best special teamers in the game in safety Colt Anderson and adding Phillips really makes the special teams dangerous. Chip Kelly wants points scored on all 3 offensive, defense, and special teams. Shaun Phillips led the Panthers with 16 special teams tackles, he has great hard hitting ability and will be a good backup but I do see him behind Jamar Chaney on the roster and maybe even Casey Matthews who also reunites with Chip Kelly as Matthews played for Kelly at Oregon in 2010. Matthews started some games in 2011 but looked lost and couldn't shed his blocks hense why he got benched for Jamar Chaney and Akeem Jordan last season in the depth chart. Matthews is going into his third year which could be the charm for him to assert himself in training camp and maybe get some playing time in 2013, but as long as the Eagles defense is in a 3-4 or "Hybrid Scheme" I don't think there is any way he gets to start unless of injury or Kendricks does not pan out. Last player I will talk about is one that is  very underrated and that player is Emmanuel Acho formally of Texas University and the Cleveland Browns. Last year he was not able to play in the season after a torn miniscus in August of last year. He has great raw talent but needs to get down the system and work on his smarts on the field before he makes a big impact. He is a fast player who could really make a difference on special teams as long as he is healthy which he says he is 100 percent ready for the season. It all depends who makes the roster on how many linebackers Chip Kelly keeps. I would believe he keeps 4 or 5 inside line backers as in this order.

1. Demeco Ryans (Starter)
2. Mychal Kendricks(Starter)
3. Jamar Chaney
4. Emmanuel Acho

Eagle Eye Focus Podcast with Eagles Offensive Guard Julian Vandervelde

2 Biggest Training Camp Battles

The Eagles kick off training camp in a couple weeks with plenty of top headlines for fans to be excited about. With Chip Kelly in his first year as head coach there are many new players that have come in and are now in fierce competitions for the starting spots, but which one is the most heated and most important for the Eagles?

Quarterback: Michael Vick vs Nick Foles vs Matt Barkley vs Dennis Dixon
The most important position in the NFL is up for grabs for the Eagles with Michael Vick as most national media s the "Front Runner" as he is the veteran who has been the starter for the past 3 seasons but Nick Foles impressed last year in his 10 starts. Most people don't think Foles or Barkley will start because Chip Kelly likes mobile quarterbacks like he had in Oregon which is why Dennis Dixon makes perfect sense, He hasn't been given a NFL starting chance also played for Kelly in Oregon so I personally believe Dixon is the best choice but the battle is up for grabs. Kelly said he doesn't need a mobile guy to run his offense which helps Foles but Barkley could be like Russell Wilson last year. If he can come in and impress during training camp and during the preseason, He might be given the nod for week 1. Michael Vick will have to earn the job by limiting his turnovers significantly and one other thing that is extremely important in Chip's offense is getting the ball out quickly. This was not one of Vick's strengths last year as he was the #1 QB in time the ball was in his hands. Foles and Barkley in college showed they are easily capable of that and so is Dixon, just look at the film of Dixon's senior year. Right now I give the advantage to Nick Foles because of how well he played last year and his strong arm and ability to run a fast pace offense will really boat well with Kelly.

Safety: Patrick Chung vs Kenny Phillips vs Earl Wolff vs Nate Allen vs Kurt Coleman
Probably the largest battle besides the QB competition heading into training camp and it is a very interesting one. Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman started last season under Andy Reid but both struggled and neither in my opinion is going to start. Coleman in most analyst eyes will not make the roster as there is too much depth. Allen if healthy could compete for the job, but he has to really show up in training camp. You might want to keep your eyes on Earl Wolff the fifth round pick out of NC State. He resembles Brian Dawkins a lot with his hard hitting ability. Kenny Phillips hasn't been able to stay healthy and if that happens again, Wolff could see a lot of time and that goes for Chung too who is under sized and has some injury concerns. I give the advantage to Chung and Phillips to start based on Allen and Coleman's inability to stay consistent and healthy plus Wolff as a rookie has to get the scheme down. Chung and Phillips are two proven veterans who both were stellar in New England and New York plus they make a great combination of speed, size, and play making ability.

Wide Receiver, Running Back, and Offensive line have depth battles with backups but the QB and Safety battles are the ones during training camp that you should keep a eye on because of how important both positions are and, the players in the battles that will most likely last all the way through training camp and the preseason in my opinion of course.

Rookie to make biggest impact

The Eagles made some need draft picks early and late in Chip Kelly's first draft  drafting OT Lane Johnson 4th overall, Zach Ertz a big tight end from Stanford, Earl Wolff from NC State who resembles Dawkins at the safety position and many more prospects but which one will make the biggest impact and help the Eagles win in their first season? Chip Kelly seems to be leaning towards using a two tight end system a lot like the Patriots did with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez who I will not comment on.....I think everyone reading this knows what is going on. The Eagles signed James Casey and still have Celek on the roster so yes the snaps might not be as much for Zach Ertz but with Casey being so versatile, Ertz if impressive in the preseason could easily beat out Celek for the starting job as Kelly is not afraid to make changes. Ertz rare size and speed for a tight end resembles a Jimmy Graham or Aaron Hernandez....sorry again for mentioning his name in this tough time but Ertz could pan out to be like these guys. I believe Zach Ertz will be the most impactful rookie, yes Lane Johnson will probably start at right tackle but he is a bit raw still. Bennie Logan is a interesting situation, he is coming in to a new 3-4 defense which might require him to start at DE along with Issac Sopoaga and Fletcher Cox so he may be very productive but he is not a sure thing to get on the field a lot with Cedric Thorton and Vinny Curry on the roster as well who in my opinion, could both breakout in Curry's second year and Thorton's third on the Eagles.Other than Zach Ertz a player who could make a really big impact is 7th rd pick Jordan Poyer, Carry Williams and Bradley Fletcher do look like the starters as of now but with Williams missing time and both Williams and Fletcher have not been consistent starting corners, Poyer's aggressive press coverage skills could get some good playing time in the slot and outside if Williams does not perform. Brandon Boykin showed some good skills last year in the slot position but there were times that he could not handle his man, just look at week 3 against the Cardinals, Boykin got absolutely destroyed by Larry Fitzgerald so no spot on the Eagles corner back depth chart is taken they are all up for grabs. Many Eagles rookies this year are going to be on the field but one that might be in due to injuries and could earn a spot is safety Earl Wolff who was very impressive in NC State with a total of 119 tackles and was a absolute tackling machine. Out of all the rookies on the Eagles roster, I give Zach Ertz the edge to be the most productive for many reasons with his physical skills and with a offensive head coach in Chip Kelly, he is set up to succeed in his first year maybe even better than 1st rd pick Tyler Eifert of the Bengals.

Does Foles or Vick give the Eagles a legit shot at the playoffs in 2013?

       The Eagles are ready to get into training camp with a heated 3 (Or as I like to say 4 way) battle for the starting spot at Quarterback and with a veteran in Michael Vick who everyone has been saying as of late "Fits perfect in Chip Kelly's system" and bla bla bla all about what Kelly is going to do. Well Kelly has proven he doesn't care what the media says when he drafted Matt Barkley and decided to keep Foles when odds are the Eagles could have gotten some really good picks for a guy who impressed me and many others last season. With Vick, Foles, Barkley (And Dennis Dixon) competing in training camp this July for the job, the question for the season is, which one can get us to the post season and gives us a chance at our first Super Bowl? After a brutal season last year for Michael Vick, it looked like the 32 year old veteran would not be back in midnight green this summer, well Kelly liked what he saw enough to bring him back. It just seemed like last year Vick couldn't hang on to the football....nope that is exactly what happened. His costly mistakes and mental errors continued time and time again to cost the Eagles losses after starting off hot at 3-1 to drop their next 5. Then came Nick Foles the rookie third round pick out of Arizona, a completely wrecked offensive line plagued by injuries to every starter except for solid veteran left guard Evan Mathis was all that stood in front of Foles and a hungry defensive line. Foles showed poise and composure in his starts with his ability to move around in the pocket and stretch plays. This is what I really liked in Foles. I don't think Kelly needs a RG3 or Cam Newton as a mobile guy no I think he just needs a guy that has the ability to stretch the field with his legs and get the ball out of his hands quickly, plus not make so many mistakes. Foles only won 1 game but it was one that really won over a lot of the Eagles fans and media. After trailing by less than 7 with a final drive, Foles drove down the field and with no time on the clock, again rolled to his right with his legs and fired a rocket to Maclin to win it. This shows Foles has the "Clutch Gene" that starting QB s in the league need to have so that is a plus for when or if playoff time roles around for the Eagles. The kid can handle the pressure, yet so can Michael Vick, just look at the Miracle in the New Meadow lands or if that is too out dated already then how about week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Alright so you get the whole recap, I am sure people reading this saw everything I was talking about lets talk about who has the advantage to get the Eagles to the playoffs. Michael Vick has one thing over Foles that might be big for a new head coach like Chip Kelly, he has experience. Vick has started in playoff games before and has shown he can lead a team, with a new system and quicker throws, the turnovers can be significantly removed. I think another thing that Vick has going for him is the teammates look to him as a leader and that is hard to do sometimes if your a young guy like Foles, you have to earn the respect of your teammates but hey Foles looks like he is doing that. Vick though has the team, he has been the starter for 3 years with a playoff appearance. I have read some articles online and it seems like fans are fed up with Michael Vick. I am not so done with him. I saw what he can do in 2010 I am still clinging to that hope that we see that guy again and Kelly is my last hope. Nick Foles on the other hand is a mature young second year QB who looked impressive last year (As I said previously). If we are looking to the future then yes it is time to go to Nick Foles......or Matt Barkley. He is grasping the new offense very well from what I hear and is getting more first team reps so yes maybe he can take another step to get Philadelphia back to the post season. With Foles though I believe it might take a little more time. If the Eagles want to start off with Foles then there will most likely be some growing pains with a young QB and a new Head Coach. Eagles fans, My message to you is this. If you want to win now then Vick might be the answer. I know most fans are saying the turnovers and how good Foles looked last year and all that about why Vick shouldn't start which is a very reasonable opinion on why Foles should start and I am all for Foles, I think he would be a good starter and would be comfortable as him as our future with Barkley (And Dixon) also in the picture.
As of right now I am going to give it to Michael Vick as the guy who has the ability RIGHT NOW, I can't stress that enough I am not saying he is the future. Vick will improve greatly if he starts but if not.....odds are he won't be on the roster at the start of week 1. Which means Dennis Dixon comes in and steals the hearts of Eagles fans with his miraculous play!!!!! A guy can dream can't he?

Is Carry Williams guaranteed a spot as a starter?

The Eagles are ready to start their first training camp under Head Coach Chip Kelly but there are a few players who are tending to talk with the media a lot. The Eagles signed Williams after releasing Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie to come into start after a big year in Baltimore. Well so far it he hasn't gotten off to the best start the Eagles were hoping for. The Eagles also singed Bradley Fletcher from the Rams and now is looking to get a much bigger role in Philadelphia. Carry Williams has missed a lot of the "Voluntary OTAs" due to little things such as a dental appointment or going to his daughters dance recital. He has been all over the media and I personally don't like the way he has handled his business as of now. Now the question is heading into training camp is he a unquestioned starter? Of course Chip Kelly is going to say it is wide open but for corner back which was arguably the Eagles worst position last year, a young player like Curtis Marsh, Jordan Poyer, or even Brandon Boykin could start if they impress in training camp and the pre-season. As of right now Carry Williams will most likely be taking first team snaps at the start but if 7th rd pick out of Oregon State Jordan Poyer makes a impact look out because Kelly will pull the trigger on a young gun if he is playing big time. Poyer to me would be the next guy up or Curtis Marsh to start if they could beat out Fletcher or Williams. Poyer played the press coverage at Oregon State and did a really good job at it.  Carry Williams had 4 interceptions during the season last year after Ladarius Webb had his season ending injury and showed some really good stuff in the playoffs where he had a int against the Colts and was big against the 49ers in the Super Bowl. I like the aggressive play and grit Williams brings so hopefully he can stay out of the spot light and just play some football which is exactly what the Eagles need at this point, they can't really afford to have many distractions as they prepare for their first season under Head Coach Chip Kelly.