Eagles backup tight end Clay Harbor has been getting plenty of opportunities to make plays for the Birds this training camp because starting tight end Brent Celek injured his knee on the first day of full-team workouts.
Harbor hadn’t been able to catch the ball consistently during the OTA’s, and it prompted the Eagles to look for veteran tight ends like Visanthe Shiancoe, who signed with the Patriots and for Pro Bowl Jeremy Shockey.
It’s amazing how the threat of losing your job has gotten Harbor’s has corrected his dropping the football problem so far in this training camp.
“I was having trouble running and cutting, so I was concentrating on that instead of catching the football. I’m healed up now and I’m playing with confidence,” Harbor said. “(The questions) don’t bother me. I know I can catch and I just have to go out there and show it in practice.
Harbor has had to focus on his blocking since he was drafted by the Eagles because blocking linebackers and defensive linemen hadn’t been his job in college where he was a recording-setting wide receiver. Now as the Eagles number-two tight end, blocking is one of Harbor’s most important duties.
“You want to get (Celek) out on routes, great hands, great routes,” Harbor said. “You’ve got to be able to block. … You’ve got to have a guy who is stout enough to pick up blitzes. I’m feeling more comfortable with the scheme. Now that that aspect is cleared up, it’s just second nature.”
Clay has good hands during the seasons but he sucks very badly at blocking ive been watching him in camp.