Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Evaluating Birds heading into minicamp
Training camp, when the rough stuff begins, is when Eagles head coach Doug Pederson learns what kind of team he has.
The mandatory minicamp provides the boss and his players a snapshot of what they could be this season.
And so, it is next week when the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles hold their three-day minicamp beginning Tuesday.
The Eagles barely have gotten a look at plus 30-year-old newcomers Michael Bennett (32), Haloti Ngata (34) and Mike Wallace (30). Darren Sproles (34) hasn’t been around much after being shutdown last year with knee and wrist injuries.
Quarterback Carson Wentz (knee), offensive tackle Jason Peters (knee) and linebacker Jordan Hicks (Achilles’ tendon) are coming back from season-ending injuries.
Pederson’s coaching staff has changed significantly at offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The following is an evaluation of what we’ve seen of the roster by position.
Are the Eagles better now than last year at this time?
Until Wentz proves the left knee is 100 percent, there’s a question here. Looks great in practice, doesn’t always translate to the field under fire. Nick Foles looks great, too. And he’s loaded with confidence and locker room cred. The elite quarterbacks are the ones who win in the playoffs. Foles beat Tom Brady in the ultimate shootout.
Better. The Eagles couldn’t afford to keep leading rusher LeGarrette Blount, and he’ll be missed. The jury is out on Jay Ajayi and how productive he can be on those oft-questioned knees. Corey Clement looks great. Make that awesome. He’s another Ahmad Bradshaw. We’ll see how much gas Sproles has left at the minicamp. Donnell Pumphrey and Wendell Smallwood might not make the team. Matt Jones might. Worse. No worries about Alshon Jeffery, who had a Pro Bowl-caliber season playing with a torn rotator cuff. Nelson Agholor is in a contract year and coming of his best season. Is Mike Wallace better than Torrey Smith? Can Markus Wheaton stay on the field? Is Mack Hollins strictly a special teams guy? Too many questions.
Better. Zach Ertz is elite. Richard Rodgers was signed to fill Brent Celek’s role as a blocker. It’s early but rookie draft pick Dallas Goedert looks like an upgrade over Trey Burton.
Better. The group that made the difference in the Super Bowl returns intact. Peters, 36, has something left. Hal Vaitai was outstanding coming off the bench at left tackle last season. Good enough that JP ultimately might have to move inside.
Better. The names are eye-opening; Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Tim Jernigan, Derek Barnett, Ngata, Chris Long and Michael Bennett. On paper, the Eagles are loaded here. But Graham is coming off ankle surgery. Jernigan had back surgery. Ngata isn’t a first-round draft pick anymore. He played just five games before tearing a biceps last year. Bennett barely has been seen over the offseason, and still hasn’t explained why he was indicted for allegedly pushing some old-timer in a wheelchair two Super Bowls ago. Rookie fourthround pick Josh Sweat could get an opportunity here.
Worse. Nigel Bradham had his best season ever in 2017, and the Eagles rewarded him with a new contract. Hicks is almost all the way back from a torn Achilles’ tendon. Corey Nelson was brought in to challenge for playing time, but accidentally ran into Paul Worrilow, who tore an ACL. Kamu Grugier-Hill is a possibility to step up here. Joe Walker still is on the roster. Mychal Kendricks is gone. It’s probably a good thing the Eagles don’t play three linebackers at the same time much.
Worse. The only guy that has to be replaced is nickel cornerback Patrick Robinson. The Eagles can choose from among Sidney Jones, rookie fourthround pick Avonte Maddox and De’Vante Busby, among others. Jones may end up challenging Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills for playing time outside. Tom Brady torched the returning veterans in the Super Bowl.
Better. Jake Elliott had a monster season, his 61-yard walk-off field goal against the Giants kickstarting the Eagles to an amazing start. His deep kickoffs should help offset the new rule barring the kicking team from taking a running start. Veteran punter/ holder Donnie Jones will be missed. Though rookie Cameron Johnston has a thundering leg, he was inconsistent in the battle with Jones last year. Rick Lovato quietly has emerged as one of the premier long snappers in the league.
Worse. Pederson didn’t get the respect he deserved for leading the Eagles to a SB title despite losing his starting quarterback, his starting left tackle, his kicker, his starting middle linebacker and his top special teams player. Pederson will be challenged by the loss of offensive coordinator Frank Reich, the kindred spirit who took the head coaching job at Indianapolis, as well as quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, now offensive coordinator of Minnesota. Reich was a master at finding weaknesses. DeFilippo was a stickler for fundamentals. Wide receivers coach Mike Groh is the new OC, Press Taylor the new QBs coach. Worse.