One of the most attractive areas of the Eagles football team for prospective coaches will be surprisingly the offensive line. important questions which needs to be asked concerning the Eagles is who should return. Lets start with the offense.
On the offensive line the Eagles will look to get left tackle Jason Peters back. There was a chance that the big fella could have returned this season if the Birds had been in the playoff hunt, so everybody feels very confident about his return next season.
He could be outstanding in any system, so the team is anxious to get him back.
Next to Peters will be left guard Evan Mathis, who started out slowly but has recovered to have an outstanding season. Mathis will be back and it will provide the Eagles with a side of their offensive line to run behind. Getting Peters back and teaming him up with Mathis will give the Birds a running game with LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown running behind them.
Center Jason Kelce will return at the center position from a knee injury, which will give the Birds a chance to reestablish strength up the middle. He showed us while healthy that he’s one of the league’s best young centers.
At right guard, veteran Jake Scott stepped in and has played very well, but offensive line coach Howard Mudd won’t be back, so Scott’s return is in question. Can he play as well in another system? Remember that the Birds were able to grab him off the street very late in the season and that says he’s not in demand.
Scott will likely be battling for his job with former number one pick Danny Watkins and other yet to be named competition. The Baylor product has been a major disappointment and could be released next year if he doesn’t step up his game.
At the right tackle position, Todd Herremans will return from a broken bone in his foot, which put him on the injured reserve list. Like the rest of the offensive line, this wasn’t a good year for Herremans, but he’s very capable of coming back with a quality season.
Bottomline the Birds will have three quality players returning on their offensive line in 2013 and that should be very appealing to all of the prospective coaching candidates. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly would be excited about having two of the league’s most athletic offensive linemen in Peters and Kelce in front of his offensive skill people.
Strange to be talking about this Oline as a positive. I think there is a strong feeling here that they should still draft in case Peters doesn’t come back. Of if he does, then you can slide Heremans back to G.
My Plan for the 2013 OL is this
Jason Peters will return 100%, no doubt in the mind and be the LT
Evan Mathis will return at LG
Jason Kelce will return at Center
Jake Scott will return at RG (he must be re-signed)
Luke Joeckel wil be drafted in the 1st Round and be Starting RT from Day 1
Herremans will either be Traded (which is unlikely due to his Contract)
be Released (which I think he should) or possibly will re-structure he deal to remain an Eagles and will be 1st Back-up to either OT or Guard Position
Watkins remains as a Back-up for Guard
Reynolds remains as a Back-up for Center
Kelly remains Back-up for OT
Then draft an interior OL (Guard/Center) for Depth in the later Rounds
you have made the point on numerous occassions about howard coming back from a torn achilles and how he won’t ever be good again. Dude all he does is stand in a batters box and hit, jog around the bases 35 times per year. Peters is in the trenches! getting hit from all angles! jake scott was on the scrap heap– we know how important o. line is, no way a starting o lineman is unemployed in november– no way!
Exactly! Especially at over 350 LBS!
How in God’s name, in any way, shape, or form can you say, the Offensive line is any sort of a plus?!? Even when they were healthy last year, they were HORRID!!!! Peters will be 30, coming off of 2 torn Achilles Tendon tears, & is over 350Lbs (what makes you think, he will EVER be able to play), DunCrap is garbage, Mathis is okay, if not mediocre, Kelce is promising, but undersized, & coming off of a season ending injury, Watkins is a bust, & should never see the field again, Scott is an old fill in, Kelly is an unproven question mark, & Herramans is on the decline, had a bad season, in which also ended with a season ending injury. Exactly what hallucinogens are you on GC?!? This entire line is HORRID, & needs to be rebuilt! We need 2 OT’s & another OG, depending on what happens with Mathis & Herramans. Come on, the Offensive line is the top priority, followed by, both safeties, then CB, SAM, & big WR.
Also, in no way, shape, or form, is Chip Kelly’s Offensive sceme conducive, to making a winning NFL Team, let alone a Championship team. I want NO MORE running QB’s, aimlessly throwing the ball, all over the field, to one trick pony, midget, pussy WR’s! DJax, & Maclin have to go, & be replaced with bigger, talented, true #1 & #2 WR’s!
Jake Scott is only 31 Years old (same age as Evan Mathis and 1 Year Older than Herremans).. Scott has missed very few games due to injury that I can recall from his Colts and Titan’s days and body wise is probably a lot healthier than Herremans, which has had ankle,foot,shoulder and now, knee issues….
Herremans either needs to be released or be a back-up and compensated as such.. He was having a terrible season this year before getting injured and
really was only so-so last year in my opinion..
Paul, Scott is a backup at best. There’s a reason he went un-signed, in a linemen starved league, & Herramans ain’t going anywhere. He’s versatile & if he is moved back inside, he will thrive. He IS NOT an OT, & should have NEVER been moved there after 7 years at LG! Another idiotic, egotistical move by the Hindenburg!!!! My cure would be, draft one of the top tackles & sign one in FA, that isn’t Franchised. Ryan Clady, Sebastian Vollmer, Jake Long, Branden Albert, Andre Smith, Jermon Bushrod, & Phil Loadholt are all available Tackles & Andy Levitre, & Ryan Lilja are available Guards. All will be MAJOR upgrades, to the hot mess that is out there now!
Dcar – agree.
Everybody coming back healthy is the old Andy Greed philosophy.
The 1st pick in the draft should be a offensive tackle.
80 year old watkins was a bust from day one and another of the Andy Greed “I’m smarter than the entire history of the NFL” thinking.
If the Eagles hire that wacko from Oregon then they might as well keep FAT BOY. Let him tinker with the team for another 14 years till he gets it right.
If you go college go Stanford Head coach. If you go NFL take the Bengals defensive coordinator. Anybody but some offensive pass happy guru.
Everytime I watch the highlignts of Peyton Manning I can’t help but notice how clean his jersey is. A perfect pocket formed around him. I also hear he commands respect to any teammate that doubts he’s the leader in the huddle.
I have read that Foles has the same personality. Maybe McSmiles and McThug did not control the huddle.
Of course I still blame Andy Greeds horrific predictable play calling for making any line look bad. When your opponent knows that you are going to pass, it would make even the wide 9 look good.
Football Reasons to be thankful this holiday season…
1. No more trading out of the 1st round.
2. No more completely ignoring team needs.
3. No more horrific clock management.
4. No more 80 year old 1st round picks.
5. No more accepting the blame then blaming someone else by firing them.
6. A new coach might accually run the ball to protect a lead.
7. A new coach might consider every position a part of the team.
8. A new coach might not look at the obvious and do it his way anyway.
9. A new coach might accually be in shape and demand the same of his players.
10. A new coach might get rid of all the undersized gimmick players and find a kick returner with breakaway speed.
11. A new coach might actually make Maclin run after the catch instead of doing a mike douglas(falling down).
12. A new coach might show desean jackson what a steak and potatoes looks and taste like. What a weights are and how to use them.
BSM, comment GOLD! Only disagreement I have, is Maclin is a sackless pussy, & needs to go. At least DJax will give you more than him.
bsm,
Home Run!
Actualyl Jake Scott had some offers but held out for more $$ and cost himself
(and did have a minor off the field issue last season) which may have hurt his re-signing propects. .2-3 Year Start in INdy, 3 Year Starter in Tennessee wherr
RB CJ rand wild for a coupld of those seasons.. I am not saying he’s an All-Apro
but having him and Watkins battle it out for next Camp for RG is not bad..
Eagles very unlikely to go out and sign for big bucks on Free-Agency after the luck they have had with busts (Asmo,C Jenkins,VY, R Brown,Steve Smith)
and especially at 4-12 or 5-11 or at 6-10 and ranked in the bottom of the NFC
It time to rebuild thru Draft and stay away from high-priced and other Teams Players who some have health issues..
Ha, really G? comical! …the only plus from the O Line this year for a coach would be Peters and thats due to him not playing. Every starter has struggled on the O Line. I haven’t seen much positive from the group. I’ve seen nothing outstanding about any of the players on the O Line.
The same could be said for the rest of the groups, IE, WR, D Line, DB’s….. In regards to having a down year but having the ability to bounce back in 2013 with a solid season.
I agree with G here. Peters woulda been ready this year if we had not been such a undisciplined team. He could of been back for a playoff push.Yes on Mathis,Kelce,RG can be fixed easily and Todd’s bone will heal and he’ll be ready. Shady and Brown will be a force.
No to Chip Kelly…beat it.
How do you know he would be ready. FACT- He tore his Achilles twice, in less than a month, less than a year ago. He’s over 350 LBS & is 30 years old. What in God’s name, makes you think he’d ever be able to play again, let alone this ridiculously fast? Did he visgit the Lourdes healing fountain? Did he make a deal with the devil? Stop believing the media hype machine, & the spin Doctors, that are releasing bogus information, down at the Nova-Care! He will not be back.
Again our next Head Coach should be ….Vic Fangio….stop with this Chip Kelly Mess!!! He’s not an NFL Coach!! Our Defense is a mess!!! I’m sure he would hire a competent, detailed Offensive Coordinator, who is as detailed as he is on defense….VIC FANGIO DAMMIT!!!
G is right to the point that we have Pieces,….but MATHIS HAS NOT BEEN ALL THAT AT Guard. Herramans, is a much better Guard; I would trade Mathis. Agreeing with DCar, I would TRY to sign Ryan Clady, and play him at RT, AND DRAFT TALENTED DEPTH for the O-Line. GO DEFENSE IN THE 1ST ROUND.
The reason Browns had the games he’s had is due to..oline. They struggled against the Bucs,but so has everyone else.
Agree Paulman – Herremans has been below average since the switch to tackle
Wherever Marty or Andy end up – I would offer Herremans and Celek both to them in a trade for Safety help or draft picks for safety help—– Celek has been a bottom 10 TE this year too ( nice to see a game last week where the TE doesn’t drop a 1st down/TD, fumble or deflect an interception to an out of position DB)
Scott is the only reserve starting now on the OLine I would want back next year ( King, Dallas, and Kelly are not as good as Scott)
Finley will be a FA! HMMMM?!?
Jermicheal Finley, is just a name, who has been ineffective even playing with Aaron Rodgers;He’s completely overrated. We are fine with Celek. His bad statistical seasons have been a result of having to help the O- Line block, but when he is involved in the offense he is a weapon.
No to Jermicheal Finley,
Better than Celek.
Overrated, & always has been!
Totally DISAGREE Big Man…….they’re on the same level, and Celek has better hands
Your running your jibs about believeing media hype and your reporting on his weight? Ok pot..meet kettle.
Todds fine on that side.And Celeks been blocking all year..kinda wears you down when your asked to pull double duty and then go take a shot from a safety. Foles shoulda never made that throw.
Herremans and Celek for a safety? To who? This isnt Madden.Those deals dont happen ffor real.
They ran the ball down the Giants throats…that was when Herremans was killing it. Oline is a unit…if one guy is even slacking a bit..everyone looks bad.
Peters will be back.
Justice – Kolb – McNabb – Bunkley trades
Ryans, DRC coming in
E, I don’t deal with, nor believe in media hype. I have my own brain, & it’s common sense, & fact. He was pushing 350, before he got hurt. He tore his achilles twice, in which you can’t do anything, for 3-6 months. Weight gain is inevitable. I’ve had many lower body injuries, including both knees & right achilles tear. So I am a good person for information. I’ve played sports my entire life, & am still in great shape for a 43-44 year old, X-athelete, so I know recovery/ healing times & rehab. He ain’t coming back.
Finley is coming on…Rodgers will make sure hes re’d up.
We do need a playmaking tight.
greg jennings and finley will both be available and both not priorities for GB since either can stay healthy —
Peters, Kelce, and Herremans all returning from injury and all being able to successfully absorb and succeed in a new OC and new OL Coach’s system is a lot to ask — some might not recover to former glory and some might not be good fits to new offensive system —- I’m with Paulman draft an OL in the first.
I think the skills of Evan Mathis, Jake Scott, and Jason Kelce fit the blocking schemes of Howard Mudd. These guys are fast and can move quickly to establish new blocking points in Mudd’s scheme. I’m not sure how well they would do in a standard scheme.
On the other hand Peters and Herremans can play in a standard scheme. And Danny Watkins might do much better in a different scheme. Winston Justice sure plays better away from Mudd.
Dpending on the Coach and their Phillosophy, The Eagles Offensive Line can
easily adjust to a “Zone Blocking Scheme” which most Teams use in their Rushing Attack these days.. Look at the Broncos,Texans,Packers OL as an
example..
Look at OC who have experience with Zone-Blocking Schemes and could be solid choices for the next HC (Jay Gruden from Bengals, Josh MCDaniels from Patriots, TOm CLements from Packers and Mike McCOy from Broncos
and Pete Carmichael from the Saints)
I would not be surprised that one of the above becomes the next HC of the Eagles for their Talent on Offense can be built to their Systems rather easily
Everyone knows that Defense is a re-do with possible new SEcondary, new schemes,etc,etc .. If the Eagles have to rebuild their Offense as well, then this Franchise has 3-5 Years before contending for the Playoffs
It is what it is, Hore one of the O/C I listed to fine tune and keep the Offense productive, hire a Greg Williams/Mike SIngletary type for DC and let them go to Town and rebuild this Defense and at least the Eagles can compete by the 2014 Season for the Playoffs.. if not, it will be a lost decade..
Im sure you know all about healing times for pro athletes with top notch treatment centers too old man.
You weighted him before he got hurt? Did you hear that through the media?Or did he call you and update you? Saw him at your weight watchers meeting?
This topics old D….agree to disagree…we’ll know whos right in spring or in summer. Who cares?
They need to draft defense first round.Too many good defenders in front of that tackle to pass up.
Only defender that wouldnt be a reach is lotulelei.i would Get a great tackle to go with ur franchise qb.. plenty of defense in the later rounds. u trust herremans, or dennis kelly on that right side??kelly played terrible against one of the worst pass rushing d’s in the league last week
It’s bizarre when a “Neutral” reporter jumps in to help power the spin machine, but I know G has to keep his name good with players and the staff too.
Anyway…with the exception of Peters and Herremans the rest of the O-Line can get tossed in the DUNG PILE. Dallas Reynolds seems like he might be coming around, but again that’s after the O-Line started employing some standard drop back blocking for pass protection on some pass plays. The “Howard Mudd” project has been an abject failure and except for occasional win in the trenches the line has been porous since the beginning of the implementation of his techniques. If the Eagles win the last four games it may very well still be Reid evaluating the players…if not get ready for the RETURN OF CHUCKY!!! he, he, he.
Oh yeah…Winston Justice is playing pretty well for those play-off bound Indianapolis Colts.
This just mite me being optimistic, I know, weird coming from a Philly fan. Something tells me that Danny Watkins could benefit from a change in blocking scheme, think about it, he’s a strong old man that is a much better run blocker than he is as a pass blocker.
Cue Dcar in 3,2,1…..
@Frank22 . what happened to him? he seemed like he was coming on last year.To regress this much points to the guys heart to me. He’s not really into it. its just a paycheck to him at this point. and thats sad cause hes only a 2 year player
He sucked when he was drafted, sucked last year, & has gotten worse. He has shown nothing promising, nor of any significance to help this team, or this O-line going forward. Needs to be purged, from the enema, at the seasons end, with the rest of the turds!
@1977
Could not agree more. I think paulman mentioned in the past that he could have some off field issues, what they are I don’t know. Maybe they can get someone in here to lite a fire under his ass! For a old rookie at the time he was highly coveted during the draft. I remember the pats were trying to swing a trade for him.
@BSM, Man you took me to church with your post boy LOL. Had me in hear saying amen and clapping my hands. You a bad man with the post I tell you.
@DCar, I agree with you totally with macbitch send him back to st louis where he belongs
There is no way that the OL should not be the first area to shore up… and using the high 1st rd pick on best possible T available or G/T. D. Kelly has improved considerably since Mudd moved him out to natural right tackle position. Reason: absolutely essential to give Foles (most realistic for starting QB) as much protection as possible.
No Chip Kelly! Hire a pro OC as new HC who is offensively-minded yet who knows important of a balanced attack. Hire a top DC and get the best asst coaches possible to teach young players. Move Roseman to working cap and contracts but bring in best GM/player personnel guy to draft and hire football staff… Mark Ross from Giants or other smart football guy.
In the NFC East, it’s very easy with a few smart player moves, capable coordinators & solid position coaching to win this division. I don’t ever want to see a running QB again, only need QB’s with functional speed to move around in pocket or run for short first downs by sliding when there is occasional breakdown.
RG3 will not last in this league if that idiot Shanahan doesn’t use him more wisely. Foles has proven to be a quick-learner and has all the tools to be a franchise QB. Listen to his teammates and they already know just how good he is. He’s got to work a bit more on movement in pocket and limit those cross-body throws. Get the Oline right by end of training camp and release non-productive and/or old players who have hit their peak, unless they need one or two as backups until the ’14 draft.
**Breaking News from NovaCare**
Coach AR settlement for his separation after 2012 Season has been reached and agreed up by all Parties.. He will Recieve $7 Million for not Coaching or Holding the VP of Football Operations Position in the Front OFfice and will now longer be part of the Eagles Organization..
Word is that GM Roseman has Offered the HC Positoin to Jay Paterno,
that’s right, Joe Pa’s Son who was QB/OFeensive Coordinator for the Nittany Lions .. Good Grief shouted Charlie Brown and many other Eagles Fans…
Please tell me a few things:
1) AR title is title only and no decision making
2) Paterno is your way of pulling my leg
3) Donohue bursts into Roseman’s office and shoots him for being a moron.