Currently, Nick Cole, Mike McGlynn, and A.Q. Shipley are the only guys who can play center on the roster. Cole and McGlynn are guards first who can play center in a squeeze, while Shipley is the only true center.
Shipley, however, is extremely young and has no playing experience. It’s going to be difficult for him to pick up the entire offense and be able to make the line calls. Cole had been playing on the line all season long but couldn’t make the calls when he was put in the driver’s seat, so it’s no walk in the park.
Hank Fraley, however, would be a guy who could come in and on day one make all the calls necessary and run this offensive line without a hitch. He did it for five seasons in Philly before spending the last three in Cleveland, so we know he can do it again.
The coach hasn’t changed, the quarterback hasn’t changed, the offensive coordinator hasn’t changed, so coming in and retaking his old position with his former team shouldn’t take anything more than a refresher course through training camp.
He will already know the offense and, maybe most importantly, have a rapport with Donovan McNabb. The only obstacle will be the create a rapport with Todd Herremans and whoever starts at right guard (most likely Stacy Andrews).
That, however, will come during the offseason.
The move makes too much sense to ignore. They need a veteran to come in and fill in for Jackson until he’s healthy enough to come back, so who better to do it than the guy who lost the job to him in 2006?
Fraley isn’t a superstar, but he would certainly be a good option until Jackson gets off the PUP, and could even fill in for the entire season if Jackson has a couple setbacks and is forced to miss all of 2010.
