The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
‘Dream Team’ lessons resonate as Pederson seeks chemistry
There’s something the Eagles need to keep in mind as they upgrade their playoff roster with free agents, trades and next month, draft picks.
Remember the Dream Team.
If you believe some of the estimates, it will be September before NFL business is close to being usual due to the insidiousness of the coronavirus.
That means no real offseason and a lot of ugly, mistake-filled football in the firstever season with seven playoff berths because we all know that practice — grinding is what the players call it — makes perfect.
There’s also a frame of reference for Doug Pederson and the Eagles.
It was August of 2011, and the Eagles were signing marquee free agents with such frequency that head coach Andy Reid stopped attending the news conferences at Lehigh University.
It was destroying Reid’s routine at training camp, which was more valuable than ever. The players had been locked out of all organized gatherings that summer. Reid was breaking in a new defensive coordinator in Juan Castillo, a new defensive line coach in Jim Washburn and bringing an offensive line coach, Howard Mudd, out of retirement.
Reid also didn’t know much about some of the guys team president Joe “All-In” Banner added to the roster.
By the time Reid and the squad got used to each other and their roles, it was too late. The Eagles started 1-4, won their last four games to finish 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
The Giants won the NFC East with a ghastly 9-7 record and beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.
The Dream Team, as it was dubbed in 2011, featured three new starters on offense, all on the offensive line. The new parts were offensive lineman Evan Mathis and draft picks Jason Kelce and Danny Watkins, who played center and guard. The Eagles also added free agent quarterback Vince Young, running back Ronnie Brown and wide receiver