The Eagles’ fourth overall pick toiled quietly in the background Monday, running with the second team while Dennis Kelly got the reps at right tackle with the ones. Jason Kelce — wearing a large brace on his right leg — got some work in but sat out teams drills, giving way to Dallas Reynolds. Evan Mathis‘ only appearance during practice was on Twitter.
Just how close are we to seeing this line in its (presumed) most potent form?
Todd Herremans says he has not watched the draft since 2005. That was the year the Eagles selected him in the fourth round out of Saginaw Valley State.
But next Thursday could affect the ninth-year pro. After moving to right tackle before the 2011 season, Herremans could be asked to slide back inside to guard, particularly if the Eagles use a first-round pick on someone like Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher or Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson.
So surely Herremans will be tuning in this year, right?
“I’m sure I’ll see it on Twitter,” he said.
Here are three Eagles leftovers to chew on. DeSean Jackson talks tempo. Brandon Graham talks sports science. And Jason Peters talks playoffs.
DeSean Jackson and his teammates had grown accustomed to doing things a certain way at the NovaCare Complex.
From 1999 to 2012, it was the Andy Reid way.
But change has now arrived in the form of Chip Kelly. In the coming weeks and months, players will be asked to step out of their comfort zones and embrace change in a variety of football-related areas.
“First day, we had the team meeting, you could kind of sense the urgency,” Jackson said. “This is what it’s going to be, and it’s on you guys to get the information and dissect it and make the change and make the difference. One thing I can say, he’s letting us be professionals. We have to take accountability to do our jobs.”
Had the 2012 season played out differently, Jason Peters says he could have returned to his usual spot at left tackle.
“I could have, but I didn’t want to risk it with a losing season,” Peters said. “The coaches kind of held me back a little bit.”
“Since January, end of December, I’ve been 100 [percent].”
With sweat dripping down his face after a Tuesday morning workout, Peters addressed the media for the first time since injuring, and then re-injuring, his Achilles’ during the 2012 offseason. Last year was difficult for the 31-year-old. He was coming off his best season as a pro, but was forced to sit back and watch as the struggling offensive line played a major role in the team’s 4-12 season.
The health of the offensive line is obviously a major issue heading into the 2013 season. The Eagles lost Todd Herremans (dislocated foot), Jason Peters (ruptured Achilles) and Jason Kelce (torn MCL, partially torn ACL) to serious injuries in 2012. Their ability to rebound will be critical if Chip Kelly wants to experience some semblance of success in his first year at the helm.
With the offseason program set to begin on April 1 and the first minicamp a little over two weeks away, we checked in on the triumvirate’s status.
How will Trent Cole and Vinny Curry fit in a 3-4? Will Jason Peters return to form? And who is the pick at No. 4? We tackle that and more.
PHOENIX — Plenty to come on Chip Kelly‘s hour-plus session with reporters at the coaches breakfast this morning.
First to some news that came out of it:
Kelly confirmed that the Eagles will hold a private workout with quarterback EJ Manuel. According to his agent, it will take place on Thursday the 28th in Tallahassee. Manuel, who held his pro day at Florida State on Tuesday, also has workouts scheduled with Buffalo (Saturday) and Jacksonville (Monday).
Jason Peters should be available when the Eagles begin practicing, Kelly said. The first three-day minicamp, allotted to teams with new head coaches, is expected to be held in the third week of April.
One of the more intriguing aspects of free agency for the Eagles might have been a move they didn’t make.
On the first day of the new league year, the Birds were linked to right tackle Jake Long. Eventually, Long ended up signing a four-year, $34 million deal with the Rams that includes up to $20 million in guaranteed money if he stays healthy.
The Eagles also expressed interested in right tackle Eric Winston once he was cut by the Chiefs. Les Bowen of the Daily News reports that the team has a number it’s willing to sign Winston at, and a deal is still possible, depending on what he gets offered elsewhere.
So what does all this mean for the current players on the roster?
Can the Eagles’ offensive line be a strength next season? What does the future hold for Danny Watkins? And might Todd Herremans go back to playing guard? Answering those questions and more in today’s Eagles’ offseason primer.
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Sheil Kapadia has been writing about the Eagles since 2008. His previous Philly.com blog, Moving the Chains, was named one of the best in the state by the Associated Press. Sheil's main joys in life are family, football and finding good parking spots.
Tim McManus is a bulldog reporter with a nose for news and story angles that will get people talking. He'll talk about it himself on 97.5 The Fanatic, where he serves as a host and Eagles beat reporter. Tim, an award-winning journalist, will be with the team around the clock.
