The Eagles got in the first workout yesterday and I had my eyes on middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, who is returning to action for the first time since he had the season-ending knee injury at last year’s “Flight Night”.
Remember that many times players take a couple of years to successfully recover from off season knee surgery.¬† First, their knee recovers physically in strength and flexibility, then their mind has to recover to the point that they don’t think about the knee any longer.
It’s a process of gaining enough confidence in the leg, so that they don’t think about it.
I could see he had his mind on his knee which was understandable.¬† Each time some guys fell on the ground, he slows down to make sure he didn’t get his leg caught up on them.¬† You can’t play with that mentality so he has a ways to go to get back to where he was a year ago.
He will try to make a bigger jump on Saturday morning when he puts on the pads and hits for the first time in over a year.¬† If he’s thinking about his knee in shorts, he’s sure to be thinking about it in pads.
This is part of the rigorous path back from knee surgery.
Eagles new weakside (Will) linebacker Ernie Sims’ speed jumps out at you when you watch him on the field.¬† I can still see that he’s unsure of the defensive coverages to an extent.¬† Sims will need to master these coverages, so that he can utilize his speed to make some big plays.
I also want to see him rely more on the mental aspect of the game rather his physical ability to make big plays.¬† He’ll be able to make more of an impact when he learns how to utilize opposing offenses’ tendencies.¬† A guy with the athletic ability of Sims should be able to make more big plays than the anemic number Sims put up in Detroit.
I liked what I saw in the first day from strongside (Sam) linebacker Moise Fokou.¬† The kid is doing what they want him to do by concentrating on holding up the tight end.¬† Too many times during Chris Gocong’s time here, the opposing tight end got a free release and was down the field putting pressure on the safeties in zone and beating the linebackers and safeties in man to man.
Fokou’s main goal this preseason is to be able to jam the tight end and hold him up in his sleep.¬† He needs to be able to look in the backfield but have a feel for where the tight end is at all times.
I don’t see how they’re going to play little rookie Keenan Clayton behind Fokou at Sam linebacker.¬† Clayton looks like a safety from a size stand point.¬† Yes he can run with any tight end in the league, but what will he do when the tight end blocks him.
The guy I like is local product Simoni Lawrence.¬† He doesn’t have blazing speed but he’s got some size and good instincts.
I knew Joe Mays was on his way out of here, but I thought he was going to be cut.¬† Instead the Eagles traded him to Denver for injured running J.J. Arrington.¬† If Arrington does make the team, the Birds will get a draft pick from the Broncos, so Arrington’s chances of making the team are very slim.
