LeSean McCoy has a simple goal for the 2013 season.
“I want to be more dominant,” said McCoy on Thursday upon arriving at camp. “The last few years I’ve had good years but I also have to be dominant, especially in this offense with the ability to run the ball more, where I can kind of take over a game. There have been flashes of it in the past but I have the ability to do it day in and day out, game in and game out. I think it’s a different story. Chip has shown that he runs the ball tons.
“Kind of getting back to that old stage where I’m used to taking over a game. I think with all the talent and the supporting cast around me, that should be easy.”
Maybe not easy, but the ingredients are there.
“I joke with Mike all the time about in high school, my whole team had his cleats when he was playing in the NFL,” LeSean McCoy said back in 2010 following a comeback win over the Texans. “Now I’m in the same huddle with him, locker room with him, joking with him, texting him, calling him. I’m a fan of his. I just can’t show him too much. But it’s different. It’s the same for me, for Maclin, for DeSean. Us young guys, to be playing with him, we’re excited. We look up to him.”
This helps us put the current quarterback competition in its proper context. It shows us the challenge that may lie in front of Nick Foles.
Inevitably, Chip Kelly will stumble a time or two as he continues his transition from college to the pro game. Some lessons can only be learned through experience.
Longtime NFL reporter Sal Paolantonio believes that the former Oregon coach is on the verge of making his first notable mistake.
Running back Matthew Tucker and punter Brad Wing spent the first day of training camp on a separate field, barred from participating in practice after failing their conditioning tests. It’s not easy to get in a coach’s doghouse before practices even start, but showing up out of shape is one way to do it.
“Your goal in life is to play in the NFL, and you have to get past a conditioning test to do it,” said Kelly following practice Tuesday. “Ball’s in their court.”
When was the last time you were tackled to the ground?
This is one of the few professions where that is a relevant line of questioning.
Wide receiver Ifeanyi Momah said technically the answer is last week, when he was home with his brothers (He is the youngest of four children.). But not since 2011 has he taken a hit with the pads on. September 3, 2011 to be exact — Boston College’s opener against Northwestern . The 6-7, 240-pound wideout went off for eight catches and 171 yards in that game, but the senior tore the ACL in his left knee along the way and was done for the year.
Still working back from the injury, he was not drafted or signed by an NFL team last season. But he drew interest this offseason after running a 4.40-40 (He reportedly ran a 4.39 privately for the Eagles) and was scooped up by Howie Roseman and Chip Kelly back in March. The Greenlawn, New York native did not stand out this spring during OTAs and minicamp, though the long layoff probably had something to do with it.
Eagles President Don Smolenski sat down with a group of reporters Thursday afternoon to talk about the upcoming training camp.
Some takeaways:
Join Tim and Sheil for a live chat during the second day of the NFL Draft. The Philadelphia Eagles are scheduled to have picks 35 (second round) and 67 (third round). The Jaguars are on the clock at 6:30.
Join Tim and Sheil for a live chat during the first round of the NFL draft. They’ll be providing live updates from the NovaCare Complex.
The Eagles made yet another move Thursday evening, signing Texans outside linebacker Connor Barwin to a six-year deal.
“We didn’t go into this necessarily thinking that we were going to have the opportunity for Connor,” said general manager Howie Roseman. “But as we went through the market in the last couple days, some things popped up that we hadn’t anticipated early on in the free agency process.”
Welcome to Day 2 of our Eagles free agency chat. We’ll be in and out all day with news, rumors, links and some Q&A.
The Eagles are not expected to land Darrelle Revis, Sean Smith or Dashon Goldson. Here’s the latest.
The Eagles have officially released cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
Billed as the second best cover corner in the league behind Darrelle Revis, the Eagles made the splash of the 2011 offseason by locking Asomugha up to a surprise five-year, $60 million contract. His two seasons in Philadelphia were highly disappointing, and the contract soon became out of whack comparative to production.
An upcoming Michael Vick appearance at an Atlanta Barnes and Noble has been cancelled following multiple threats of violence to Vick, his family, store employees and store property.
These threats have been reported to police.
Vick was set to sign copies of his book, “Michael Vick: Finally Free” at three Barnes and Noble locations: in Atlanta, Moorestown, N.J. and Exton, Pa. All have been cancelled because of safety concerns. The Atlanta appearance was scheduled for this Saturday.
There has been a recent uptick in what a source close to Vick calls “credible threats of violence” directed toward the Eagles quarterback and his family.
This live chat will pull in our latest Tweets. Tim and I will jump in with updates and will answer questions as time allows. Meanwhile, you can all discuss amongst yourselves like you do on gamedays.
