Pederson principle on practices lifted from Reid era
PHILADELPHIA >> Doug Pederson trusts the process. He thinks it’s hardly a coincidence the Eagles dominated in the first half of the Andy Reid era, largely because the old ball coach set the tone with physical training camps.
Eagles players circled this Saturday on their calendars because that’s the first of three straight days of full contact workouts in shoulder pads, some of the sessions composed of tackling to the ground.
“I’ll tell you this, this schedule that we’re about to partake for training camp, it took this team to many NFC Championship games, it took them to the Super Bowl and it’s won a ton of games,” Pederson said. “My feeling on it is I went through it as a player in Green Bay with Mike Holmgren, went through it as a player with Coach Reid in 1999 and then obviously back a couple years ago (with the Chiefs). So this schedule is proven. With the rules now, with practicing one time a day and all of that, it allows the players to get plenty of rest in the afternoon, so there won’t be much change.”
The previous three years under Chip Kelly, who was fired in December, the Eagles’ training camps followed almost a purely finesse theme with fast-paced practices but little contact. Kelly was concerned about injuries.
“The only thing I’ll do probably a little different,” Pederson said, “is about every third or fourth day, go ahead the take the pads off and give the players a little break at that time.”
The weather forecast for Saturday is 88 degrees. The mercury drops to 82 for Sunday and Monday.
*** The Eagles tried to upgrade the wide receiving corps with 35-year-old veteran Anquan Boldin. Pederson confirmed there was “a little interest” in Boldin, who signed a one-year contract with the Lions to be reunited with Jim Caldwell.
“We’re continuing to always see about upgrading every position, and he was on the list, obviously,” Pederson said. “We’re monitoring every roster, every free agent that’s out there. If we can help our team somehow, some way, we’ll do it but right now there’s nothing in the works.”
Boldin caught 69 passes for 789 yards (11.4 average) and four touchdowns last year for a bad 49ers team.
*** Rookie sixth-round pick Blake Countess wore a hightech helmet cam Wednesday that he hopes will help him improve in coverage.
Countess will study the video to see what he’s doing wrong with his eyes.
“Eye progressions, just seeing where I’m looking at and being more disciplined with my eyes,” Countess said. “Throughout the play, if your eyes are bad you’re probably going to get beat, especially as a defensive back.”
Pederson said the Chiefs, the team he worked for last year, used the cams.
“Sometimes they can get real jumpy because a player is moving at a high rate of speed,” Pederson said. “But if it looks like it’s a tool that we can use and help develop young players, I’m all for that kind of technology. If it helps you win football games, all for
*** NOTES >> Players are required to pass a conditioning test Thursday morning. It is two sets of 10 sprints with players divided into groups by body types, lightweight to superheavyweight . ... Pederson is pumped over the card tricks flashed by veteran long snapper Jon Dorenbos on America’s Got Talent. “He represents us, the organization, this city on that show like a professional,” Pederson said. “Obviously his talent is something I’m it.” I think that when football is said and done for him, I think he’s definitely got a career in Las Vegas or Atlantic City or wherever. But yeah, I’m pulling for him and excited for where he could go.” Dorenbos, a 14-year veteran, is slated to attend the conditioning test Thursday. After that, Pederson will monitor his availability day by day. He has stiff competition at camp in rookie John DePalma (6-5, 251), out of West Virginia. Dorenbos is due $985,000 this season, DePalma $543,500.