Eagles Add CB Prater, Waive Curtis Marsh


The Eagles today claimed cornerback Shaun Prater off waivers from the Bengals and waived/injured Curtis Marsh.

Prater (5-10, 190) was a fifth-round pick out of Iowa in 2012, but was sidelined during his rookie season because of a knee injury (patella tendinitis, per the Bengals’ Web site). He was a three-year starter and two-time All-Big Ten first-team selection with the Hawkeyes. Prater had seven career interceptions and forced four fumbles as a senior.

According to Bengals.com, Prater was a linebacker/safety in high school. But the coaches at Iowa moved him to cornerback.

“I had no idea how to play corner,” he said. “I’m a football junkie. I watched Deion Sanders for his man coverage, Darrelle Revis for his press coverage. Off technique from Champ Bailey.”

He may be a “football junkie” but Prater has other interests as well.

“I’d love to go work for the FBI,” Prater said. “Both of us [him and his brother] want to do something dangerous, exciting. A secret agent. The Navy. Or SWAT. We’re people that love to take risks. It makes us feel alive instead of working 9 to 5 at a desk.”

Per Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals would have liked to keep Prater on their practice squad, but he was the team’s seventh-best corner.

As for Marsh, the 2011 third-round pick injured his hand during the preseason. The Eagles’ top three picks from that draft – Danny Watkins, Jaiquawn Jarrett and Marsh – are not currently on the 53-man roster. Marsh had a chance to earn playing time last year with the struggles in the secondary, but he couldn’t get on the field. He had good speed and size measurables coming out of Utah State, but never put it together here.

The Eagles still have six cornerbacks on the roster: Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher, Brandon Boykin, Prater, Brandon Hughes and rookie Jordan Poyer.

Williams and Fletcher figure to start, with Boykin as the nickel.

Follow Sheil Kapadia on Twitter and e-mail him at skapadia@phillymag.com.
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