This afternoon, I posed a simple question to players in the Eagles locker room: Based on what you’ve seen, which teammate do you think is poised to have a really good year?
Selection was based simply on who was available. But it just so happened to be four defensive players and four offensive players. Here are their responses.
Throughout the course of the week, we’ll be providing position-by-position previews of the entire Eagles roster. We start with the defensive line.
From Darryl Tapp to Brandon Graham to Derek Landri, here’s a player-by-player review of the Eagles defensive line from Friday night’s game against the Browns.
You can feel Andy Reid’s grip growing tighter. The closer it gets to cut-down day, the harder he clasps onto his collection of talent along the defensive front.
“You know how I feel about that. If I can keep them all, I will,” said Reid. “As many as you can keep. I think that’s an important position. Put a lot of responsibility on them. We’ll have to see how the numbers turn out, but I don’t like giving up good defensive linemen.”
Here are 10 things I’ll be keeping an eye on tonight when the Eagles take on the Browns.
From Fletcher Cox to Phillip Hunt, here’s a player-by-player breakdown of how the Eagles’ defensive linemen performed against the Patriots.
We’ve written quite a bit in this space about the Eagles’ defensive line depth, and specifically the decisions the coaches are going to face at defensive end.
Here are the players in the mix: Jason Babin, Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Phillip Hunt and Darryl Tapp.
Of that group, Babin, Cole, Graham and Curry are locks to make the roster. If the Birds keep six defensive ends (a high number, especially considering Cullen Jenkins and Fletcher Cox can play outside), Hunt and Tapp could both make the team.
But more likely, one of them will be cut, or possibly traded.
Damaris Johnson was lined up one-on-one with Brandon Hughes and had a step on the cornerback down the left sideline.
Michael Vick let go of the football, but before it arrived, Hughes made contact with Johnson, broke up the pass and landed on the 5-foot-8 wide receiver.
Johnson grimaced and was slow to get up. You could almost see him consider staying down for a moment, but instead, he fought through the initial pain and jogged towards the sideline.
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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.
