McDougle ready to give it another go with the Birds
PHILADELPHIA >> The Eagles brought back cornerback Dexter McDougle, who spent eight games with them during the 2017 season.
If McDougle (5-10, 190) is in shape, he could provide the Eagles with experienced depth in the wake of injuries to cornerback Sidney Jones, who hurt his hamstring last Thursday, and to a lesser extent veteran Corey Graham, who has an ailing hamstring.
McDougle originally was the Jets’ 2014 third-round pick out of Maryland, where he intercepted six passes. To make room for McDougle, the Eagles released defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao, who sacked Eli Manning in his last game. Vaeao appeared in all 16 games as an undrafted rookie out of Washington State. He sacked Jay Cutler and Manning that season.
Last year Vaeao appeared in 11 games but failed to register a sack.
The Eagles also signed defensive tackle Winston Craig to the practice squad. Craig takes the place of linebacker Kyle Wilson, who was released.
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With 48 catches, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is on pace to finish with 128, which would shatter the club record of 90 set by Brian Westbrook in the 2007 season. Only Adam Thielen of the Vikings, with 58 receptions, has caught more passes than Ertz this season.
Ertz also is on track for
1,280 receiving yards, which would be fourth on the alltime single-season list topped by Mike Quick (1,409 yards in
1983). Then there is wide receiver Nelson Agholor, with
32 receptions for 303 yards and one touchdown. He’s on pace for what would be career-bests of 86 catches and
808 receiving yards. Agholor had two catches for 90 yards in the recent 3413
blowout of the Giants, including a 58-yarder on one of those broken plays that made him and Carson Wentz so lethal last season.
“Those off-schedule plays are plays that don’t necessarily come off in a game the way you practice them,” offensive coordinator Mike Groh said. “Those kinds of plays change games and you see it each and every week, not just with the Eagles but throughout the NFL. It was heads up on Nelson’s part, particularly the ball that was tipped that he grabbed out of the air and turned into a first down and an explosive play. And then the other thirddown conversion where Carson pulls up when we are not in rhythm, and Nelson does a good job of seeing it down the field and breaking to his left, and Carson sees him and we got a big play. Those plays change the game.”
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NOTES >> Teams that returned a fumble for a touchdown this season are 8-1, the Panthers one of the winners. The Eagles lost when Linval Joseph of the Vikings gashed them for a 64-yard score with a fumble return. The Cardinals are the exception to the fumble return so far, as they returned one last week and were defeated, 27-17, by the Vikings . ... For the third straight season the Eagles are leading the league in time of possession at an average of 32:47. ... The Eagles are 4-2 versus the Panthers in Philly, including a 3-2 record at the Linc. That includes the humbling 14-3 setback in the 2003 NFC title game. The Eagles have won 17 of 21 games at home under Doug Pederson. … On the local front, Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore (Imhotep Charter) is a product of Philadelphia and wide receiver Damiere Byrd (Timber Creek Regional) is from Sicklerville, N.J. … The Eagles signed linebacker B.J. Bello (6-2, 229) to the practice squad. He appeared in 16 games for the Browns last season.