Yesterday the Eagles signed veteran free agent guard Evan Mathis. He has played seven years in the NFL. He has started 22 games with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008 to 2010. In 2008 he played for the Dolphins and prior to that he played two years with the Carolina Panthers from 2005 to 2007.
He was a third round draft choice of the Panthers in 2005 after being a four-year starter at Alabama. He maybe the answer to the Eagles problem at the right tackle position. If Mathis can get the job done at the left guard position, the Eagles may be able to move current starting left guard, Todd Herremans to right tackle in place of injured Winston Justice and King Dunlap.
Currently Dunlap is starting at right tackle in place of Justice. The Eagles haven’t told us when they think Justice will return to action. He’s recovering from a knee operation during the off season.
Justice was benched in the Packers playoff game. The coaching staff have given him a pass on that one because he was playing on an injured knee. Still he has question marks. He was solid for most of the season, but still had his moments. They’ve told him clearly that he must improve or run the risk of losing his job.
Dunlap has only started a couple of games in his career. He stands 6’7″ and has trouble dealing with strong and powerful defensive ends. The former free agent has improved quite a bit, but I don’t know whether the Eagles would be comfortable starting Dunlap on Michael Vick’s blind side.
Like all the other players who have signed a new deal after the CBA was done, Mathis won’t be able to practice until Thursday morning.
I will trust in Caoch Mudd to figure out the best combination.
From what I have been hearing from camp, if the O-line isn’t doing their job, Coach Washburn is getting all over them. This type of demanding leadership is sure to make us better on both sides of the offensive and defensive lines.
GO BIRDS!!
Im hearing that they have Austin Howard running with the first team this morning, so i guess they dont plan on moving herremans to that side… But i think this evan mathis move was for depth purposes… My initial thought was that theyre gonna move herremans to the RT spot then mathis would take his spot at guard, that may still be possible…
I hate when the o line is hurt and beat up. To me there the most important group that needs to function together on a consistant basis.
From Peter King’s SI monday morning QB:
“#5) I think my British friend Neil Hornsby has done the fans of the hidden game of football a good service with his deep analysis of players on profootballfocus.com. The site tracks every player’s plays in the league, and its finding of who actually is playing well and who isn’t is often a surprise. On Sunday, after the Eagles signed an invisible guard named Evan Mathis, Neil came out with this gem: Mathis has played 724 snaps over the past two years and allowed zero sacks.”
very interesting…..
Read a nice stat on Mathis this morning from profootballfocus.com… Last season he only gave up one hurry. Not even a sack. And hasn’t given up a single sack in 724 snaps over the last 2 seasons.
Wow, I like that move. Pair him up with Mudd and man…..we’re riding high in all phases of the game going into this year.
G:
I want to see this young man play.
Good thing they didn’t draft an OT (sarcasm)
maybe they can play the 27 year old rookie at OT all 6 foot of him.
I am thinking WJ begins the Season on “PUP” list and will be ineligible until after Week #5 of the Season (Early October)
Coach Mudd will run lots of combo’s out there during Camp and Preseaon but I I think come the beginning of the Season, the Starting line-up will be from L to R
LT – Peters , LG- Mathis, Center Jackson or McGlynn, RG D Watkins , RT Todd Herramans
run the – you still grumpy and negative about the team? Wow, all I can say is Wow
Paul, you do know that there’s a preseason PUP list, and a regular season PUP list. Justice could be back for the start of the season if healthy and that’s what the coaches desire.
And I think people are jumping the gun on Mathis – I agree he’s intriguing and all, but like Reggie Wells last year and a bunch of other in the past – just cause they bring in a FA Ol, doesn’t mean he’s starting. I think they see Mathis as another prospect to bring in to compete with the rookies and encumbant OL backups for depth/maybe a guard spot.
All i know is the contract issues with Watkins need to be resolved ASAP…if he’s gonna be on Vicks blind side, he needs to be getting in as much work as possibile especially being a rookie…But adding Mathis does present some options if this Watkins contract issue is ironed out soon…@shamburg, thanks for the info, about Mathis good to know!
Yes Schill, about the PUP lists..
I think B Grahams misses the entire 2011 Season (Eagles being very careful about thier big investment) and I believe W Justice injury was a little wrose than originally thought and his knee has been slow to bounce back and I do not think he will be ready by Week 1.. He hasn’t played/practiced in about 8 months and will need more than a few weeks to get ready for live NFL Regular Season action..
Realtalk- Watkins on Vick’s blindside? He’s not playing tackle as far as what has been reported.
Ok Paul. We’ll see. How’s Carlos Rogers, Hightower and keeping Kolb look right about now? Sorry man, you know I write off ALL of your predictions
Look i’ll say this with all of the moves the Eagles are making now to make a Superbowl run, they are not gonna try and band aid up their offensive line. They will make another move/trade or signing and bring in an NFL starter/ good lineman to play RT. They brought in Howard Mudd and they drafted a 26 year old rookie because they thought he was more NFL ready than the other rookies. They didn’t make all these moves to move forward with a average at best and banged up RT. King Dunlap is not the answer or Mathis.
Schiller, you know better than to call out Paulman on his “predictions” — hes the resident moron who’s predictions never come true. Lets just hope he says the Eagles won’t win a Superbowl this year….then we’re a shoe-in!
I also agree with schiller, Paulman has no clue what he’s talking about. I’ve seen on here multiple times that he has said Marlin Jackson will be the starting RCB for the Eagles this year.
Enough said!
Eagles go 16-0 and win the Super Bowl 26-9 over the Baltimore Ravens
Starting Safety Marlin “Billie Jean” Jackson wins Super Bowl MVP with 2 INT’s and a Fumble Recovery run-back for a TD off of a blocked FG by C Jenkins
Paulman I’m going to go a step further and say we will go 18-0 and win the Superbowl. That would help to alleviate years and years of letdowns; I believe 18-0 plus the SB win.
Damn you Paulman you POS
LOL..dont worry about it…we all know that Paulman will change that prediction in a day or two…
get Justice and Dulap outta here….
All teams will be aoming towards taking us out!
There will be no sleepers so Andy and Juan better be on the task….Andy…Run the damn Ball!
The whole league is jealoue…BEEEEEE-ITCHES!
IT FEELS GREAT TO BE AN EAGLES FAN
I second that too Songs
LOL songs….run the ball?
Come on now brother, you know better than that!!
Big Red may have thrown all of his chips in, but I believe that it is a physical impossibility for him to have a balanced run / pass attack. The best we can home for is a 40/60 split with a bunch of the short passes that he says are a substitute for a real running game.
Things may have looked like they are changing in a good direction…and don’t get me wrong, they are…but some things are just too cemented to change!!
schiller thanks for putting words in my mouth. when did i say i’m grumpy about the team? when you have a glaring hole that we all knew was going to be a problem and they go and draft this 27 year old 6 foot guy you expect the fans to not hold them accountable? go back to giving spadaro a blow job
run – Sorry if you misunderstood me – I didn’t say “run said he was grumpy” – I didn’t put any words in your mouth, I simply gave my impression of your tone. Maybe angry, frustrated, grouchy?
Dude, you are clearly upset with the front office – so don’t go denying that tough guy.
But to your actual football points – your opinion is that going into this offseason the Eagles had only 1 glaring hole? Really? Shit man, I need to suggest some reading for you – it’s called the Kama Sutra – read it and you’ll be opened up to recognizing a lot more than just 1 hole!
But seriously – what are you talking about – corner? How can you be upset about them not addressing that in the draft after what they did. Would you rather they draft two stud corners and then sign an OL? Or are you talking about RT?
And you have an issue with Watkins’s age? So if he plays great football for the Eagles for many years and they win a superbowl or two, you’ll be like “f them, they drafted him at 27”!? Or do you care about football more than age? And his height? WTF does that have to do with anything?
Dude, can you possible wade through your deep hate and make some sense for once?