Last night, I was getting ready to head over to NBC-10 to tape a segment of their Sports Final show with John Clarke, Howard Eskin and Brian Baldinger when I looked out onto the Lincoln Financial Field turf and couldn't believe my eyes.
What I saw was a punt drill during the Flight Night practice where the hawks, the outside guys who leave first and try to get downfield and make the tackle on the punt returner, were battling two blockers.
I saw a player beating the two blocks and racing downfield to make the play. The battle between the hawk and the blockers is common place but the surprise was the number on the jersey of the hawk. It was #86.
Yes, Reggie Brown wants to make this football team so bad that he's now willing to play special teams. He wasn't so eager a year ago but the risk of being without a job has gotten his attention.
if Brown proves he can be a special teams contributor, it will change the wide receiver situation. Backups Jason Avant and Hank Baskett had an advantage on him a year ago because they played special teams and did a good job of contributing on them.
Now with Brown's eagerness to be a special teams contributor, the Eagles could have a tougher time deciding who stays and who goes. I'm going to keep an eye on Brown's special teams play as the camp continues.
It's fairly simple, if you're not starting then you should be contributing on the special teams or the team is wasting a roster spot. Somebody has to man the special teams positions and the team members who are designed to do it are the backups.
Starters are involved as well but the heart of the special teams are the backups. That fact is now clear to Reggie Brown.
