For weeks Andy Reid waited for somebody to step in and take the starting right tackle spot, but it didn’t happen. Winston Justice has yet to practice as he recovers from off season knee surgery and free agent signing Ryan Harris will be undergoing back surgery for the fourth time tomorrow.
King Dunlap has been the team’s starting right tackle for the past two weeks, but Reid doesn’t have confidence in him over the long haul. He has shown that he can be a decent backup, but not a starter on Vick’s blindside so, Reid did something today that he had resisted doing for the entire training camp.
He moved left guard Todd Herremans to right tackle. Free agent guard Evan Mathis who was signed at the end of the lockout will move in at left guard. Mathis has some experience and has started over twenty games in his NFL career.
Reid was asked about Justice’s health. “He’s not all the way back yet, he’s close, and so I don’t want to do anything where we have setbacks”, Reid said. “When he comes back I want to make sure that he can come back and practice and not have any setbacks; an extra day or two or three will help him out I think.”
In another development, it looks like rookie Jason Kelce is going to start the season as the number one center. If he’s going to keep his job after that awful performance against the Browns, he’s going to be the starter all season.
Reid was asked if he still had confidence in Kelce after looking at the tape of the game.
“You know, I thought he did a good job”, Reid said. “Now listen, everybody, we all have stuff that we have to work on, but he did a nice job considering he’s a young guy. He’s one of the guys we’re talking about that got a little bit better than he was in Pittsburgh and can continue to build on what he had learned there with the extended reps, so I was fairly pleased with him.”
Veteran Jamaal Jackson has to see the writing on the wall. When you’ve been around a while, you know when you don’t have a shot at the job.
“Kelce was in there today”, Reid responded after being asked who the starting center was. “We went over some of the things that we didn’t execute right, I’m saying as an offense and defense, we corrected some mistakes today and from the game, and had those guys in place there.”
Thank the Lord
Hank Fraley 2 in the middle..you heard t here first!
After what I seen from Kelce the other day, he’s the last guy you want in the middle?
what’s with Reid putting rookie suspects that have not impressed one bit in the center of the offensive line and defense?
Songs- Because Reid thinks his system is above all.
Finally is right ..Im pissed becuase everyone on this damn board being saying this for like2 months..
This was a power move. Theyre saying we want to win it all NOW. I thing Todd has always been a RT instead of a LG anyway. He has the toughness, strength, size, instincts, to be a great RT. He has experience at every position on that Line anyway… What a power move…
Songs and ozzman – OR, you two don’t get it and they only played him for one preseason game so far in the context of – we know exactly what we can get from Jamal Jackson. So essentially, knowing what we all know now, you two are really jumping the gun assuming they actually want to start Kelce in a real game. Typical negadelph – “I’m so appalled and angry at this thing I’m assuming will happen in the future but in all reality hasn’t happened yet”.
Its funny, I don’t see how JH doesn’t get the same criticism that is shot at me. I”m not saying he deserves it, but he already claims to work for the team and he openly kisses the team’s ass. I just shoot down baseless negativity – which makes negadelphs assume I have some blind and all positive view of everything the team does. Fascinating but not that surprising considering the pattern behavior of a negadelph – oversimplify, assume, catastrophize, exaggerate, rinse and finally, repeat.
Then they put mathis in at LG. I envisioned them doing that but didnt sa it. Im happy they did that… Think about this, what if they would have moved Herremans to RT after they didnt bring Runyan back? maybe that would have changed alot on that line.. just a thought. But Watkins still has alot of work to do and i feel that he will be a good player as we go forward. He cant look any worst than he on thursday nite… expect him to rebound in a big way…
i like heremans at right tackle thats the most important position on the line becusae vick is left handed.. heremans is 6’6 320 and can run.. hopefully he does well and he can play natural there ..
Schiller, bc noone like you lol… you criticize what everyone has to say. People can have opinions regardless of what you think or what you say… I notice you never have anything to say about what the eagles do or certain players in particular, your too busy trying to criticize someone for there feelings about the team… give your thoughts on the teams dont come on here always ready to beat sm1 up for there opinions…
@Jon Hart schiller has no opinions on anything. he’s an unoriginal piece of shit
i noticed another black lineman is gone, hmmm… maybe I actually am making informed observations after all… you all will just borrow everything i say anyways. Howard Mudd the old grand wizard…. lol… dude loves him some white men
Today as far as I am concerned is the 1st Day of real camp as far as the Eagles go.. WR’s MAclin/SMith practiced, Dixon and LAws practiced and now the chamgles along the OL occurred which many of us thought would happen to bput th ebest team on the field..Abou t 10 Practice sessions left with a Pre-Season game to go vs the Jets and some real difficult decisions for the Coaching Staff to go thru to get the best 53 Player Roster as possible.. Along the OL/DL/CB/S/WR/TE positions, therer may be some big names released and not make this squad
Players who will need to step up are J Jackson, T Laws, C Harbor,M McGlynn, J Parker, Teo Neisham, C Marsh, B Hughes, C Anderson and the 5th/6th WR spot whether it C Hall, S Moss, THiggins, Turner or G Jones
First off, TO ALL THE GCOBB PEEPS. BE SAFE & CAREFUL, IN THIS WEATHER, 2NIGHT! STAY HOME & BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!
GOD BLESS!
Square peg in round hole Andy, at it again! Way to go Andy, why not wait until week 1, you stubborn, egotistical, stupid, bastard! You now have a week with an entire new O-line to gel, with another guy at a foreign position! @#$%ing brlliant! Get ready for the SB parade, dream team!
Marsh and hughes are locks to make the team paul. Hughes is a special player. the odd man out at the corners spot and you didnt mention is joselio hanson who may be traded… bc the birds will keep 6 corners obviously the big 3 then the next guys in line lindley, marsh and hughes… hughes is very talented and the eagles have been trying to hide him but teams have the tape and see he can play… so hanson is done here…
I didn’t mention Hanson because it’s a forgone conclusion that he’s a goner so there is not roster spot for him to battle for..
I could see them keeping 6 CB, but that means only 9 DL with 6 LB and 4 Safety
which is cutting it close on the DL (That would mean 5 DE and 4 DT)
I like Hughes alot and think he has some nice potential, I would not be surprised to see C Marsh come up with a injury so the Eagles can stash him on IR for next year.. Teams do it every year to hide a player or 2 that they want to keep around for the future..
And that makes sense…
This move is nothing more than a panicky, desperation move. Everybody on here, with any sort of brain, knew their line was horrid! Wouldn’t it have been easier & better, to have left Watkins at his natural left side of the O-line, move a veteran in Herremans to RG & just sign a freaking good RT. Herremans is also recovering from a nagging foot injury, that is going to hurt them. Wait until the Jets game, when he gets beat like a drum. We will be back to square 1 again, this time, next week. Bank on it!!!
Go dream team!
Jon Hart you hit the nail right on the head about schiller. He does nothing but criticize what everyone else says and how no one here can tell the future. But never lets everyone know about his actual opinions on things that happen. That way he can never be wrong because he never actually says anything.
Stubborn Reid rears his ugly head again. Now that the Eagles won’t be able to run on the left side I guess that means…they have to pass some more. Shock to anyone here? Even though I l think Herremans will be a good tackle, it’s a bad idea when you have to insert another green player on the line. It would have made more sense for the Eagles to have re-inserted Jamal Jackson and signed Shawn Andrews. Based on the fact that the guy played games with Giants last year and started at the end of the season that’s more than sufficient info for me to see that the guy is surgically/psychologically repaired enough to be able to play for now.
DDCar, I agree. It is sort of a desperate move. I do look at it more of a last resort. I think Andy wanted to avoid it until there was no other choice and after the Cleveland game, there’s no other choice. Clearly not a move they wanted to make, but had to make. Let’s hope our line gets it together because we cannot win with our QB on his back,
guys 3 spots left in the fantasy football league. For an invite shoot me an email astuckey05 at gmail. com
Interesting point butch – definitely shifts the strength of the line presumably. But I don’t quite understand your statement ‘Now that the Eagles won’t be able to run on the left side’. What about the left side of Peters Mathis and Jackson/Kelce do we know that says they can’t run block? As far as I’m concerned, that hasn’t been ever on the field so…. what are you talking about? If it turns out that way, that will be disappointing. But how do you know? And if we had a strength there and it shifts to the right side, OK then, I’m confident Shady and Brown can run both directions.
I think a more reasonable concern here is lack of depth. This move does suggest that there’s very little if at all, depth on the OL. That’s my concern.
DD, I hope you didn’t throw yourself in front of the tornado tonight because you surely seem to suggest you got close. How is this ‘another guy at a foreign position’? Herramans played tackle in college and has done it for the Eagles before. Moving around OL is a very standard thing in the NFL. You’re just fitting this into one of the cookie-cutter anti Reid cliche’s. Its interesting that Butch brings up Shawn Andrews because he was a tackle in college and excelled here at guard. And wow, that Westbrook at receiver really sucked right?
Schill, Jon gets less hate on his ass sniffing because he admits it.
He don’t conceal his love for the front offices cracks.
You on the other hand try to act as if you’re objective and you’re not. You’re a schill.
Don’t be too quick to give Roseman credit guys..Yes he may get a pass for this free agent frenzy but his draft last season leaves a lot to be desired.
Look at our first 3 picks in last year’s draft?
Brandon Graham – couldn’t crack the starting line up before injured/ and he actually costed extra to move up and get.
Nate Allen – Was getting ran over and was suspect right after the Titans game last season before he was injured.
Daniel Te”o-Nesheim – Well I guess there’s nothing to say here.
It’s possible we may not have one impact starter from last year’s draft and Hunt have showed us more in a few preseason games than Graham ever showed before injured.
Let’s now look at this year’s draft.
Watkins a 27 year old Fireman was taken in the 1st round and have not showed anything special at all.
At least Roseman can cover his draft deficiencies if they continue to bring in stud free agents.
Yet it’s still a losing proposition when a team can not successfully build through the draft.
I know the jury is still out on Graham but there’s never been a player that was picked high for the Eagles who played terrible in his rookie season who turned out to be a player worth keeping.
Nate Allen is what he is. He should not have been an Eagle with Earl Thomas sitting there for the taken.
If Buddy was drafting for defense ..would he have taken Nate Allen with Earl Thomas sitting there?
Howie better get it right for if this team don’t get the prize this year, they’ll be a mass exodus with these 1 year players, along with serious scrutiny when the newness wear off of this offseason, and everyone see our suspect draft picks have crippled our future.
Schill, HUH!? WTF are you talking about!? I was just telling everyone to be careful. You guys need to read more thoroughly. 😆
Songs, butt sniffing? Love there cracks? Whats with all the homo references? You saying these things is beyond me. Noone values your opinions. Notice? I seeit. Get over it. Its not me loving the front office bc i rip them when they deserve it, but im balanced. Thats the difference between you n I. Your unbalanced with your thoughts and opinions. How can you rip an organization after they made big moves all off season, then made a power move not a desperate one by moving Herremans to the RT? You need to be more balanced with your thoughts and opinions of the team then maybe others will respect n actually care about what you have to say…
Joon Hart ..we rip them because the Eagles brass are always a day late and a dollar short.
We’ve been calling for the Eagles to move Herremans if they were going to ignore the postion for years now.
Everyone knew the Eagles needed a Right Tackle….How do they respond?
Drafting a 27 year old Right Tackle to play left gaurd.
Would it hurt to draft a player that excelled at their position in college, and have them play that position in the NFL?
Here’s some examples.
We drafted Winston Justice in the 2nd Round to be the heir to the Right Tackle position once Tre would retire. He was garbage so we flipped him to the left side where he’s garbage. Wasted 2nd round pick.
Let’s draft a damn offensive lineman who can play at his natural position. Is that too much to ask?
songs, if you put your hands up in front of you, palms facing the wall in front of you, and you stick out your thumbs, your left hand will form an L. Try it out brother, never fails.
That said, you have to understand, ‘natural position’ on the OL does not translate from college to the NFL. That’s a universal for the sport, if you don’t know that, you aren’t watching other teams/keeping up with league. If that’s the case, and you’re just an Eagles guy, that’s fine, can’t blame you for that. But seriously, you’re offbase here.
I am hoping this lunatic mudd figures this out, maybe he has clue about what to do, we will see
You guys are great, nice food for thought. A lot of times you guys are correct in your views the same way a mother who has a son who is gifted in math, but constanly calls him a moron becasue his reading is a bit slow even though his comphrension is top rate.
Thats how we are hear on this sight, and yeah we are a bit unbalanced in finding vault with our team. That is not a big issue though if you see something wrong then say it, not knocking a sigle person on that issue (So don’t try and quote me),
the thing is the shear dark hatred wears you thin when you keep reading the same hate over and over. I walk away from these posts sometimes pinching the bride of my nose.
Mine you not complaining about the legitimate grips, but more so the unbalanced personal hate.
I am a free speech guy myself so have at it say what you say, but it wears me out that deep dark crap. Guys come on here with uplifting positive out looks and they are branded “Sniffers, FO lovers” etc. Lately I just skip a lot of the comments section and just read the articles. Not that I am any more important than anyone else, but I need to watch what I let into my mind or I will not have any fun with this team.
Anyway like I said before I will keep coming back cause you guys overall are great, and say things I never thought of “Luv ya I do”. but Hell I need Eagle.com just to keep me in the center..haaa.
I have had 10 out of 12 years of unbridaled success and high achievement from my football team, I am justified to be up set about no Superbowls and I sure am, but gosh damn, don’t act like you were sub five wins per season the last ten years. Like Samuels says “You tired of my play making ability”.
Not arguing Reids case either way, but damn show some realness and fair minded thinking, and less blind hate at the personal level.
As always “LONG LIVE THE EAGLES”
mono – I admire your balance, perspective and restraint. I could use a dose of it for sure, as I’m too often caught up in the fray of this site. Cheers and enjoy the season, as I know you will.
That’s the bottom line hear brothers (and I do mean all of you/us) – we all enjoy something about the Eagles – that’s why we post here. If we can’t hold onto that joy of being an Eagles fan this season – with this amazing cast of characters and the sorry NFC East around us….. well… that’d be a damn shame. It’s about to be another start to a NFL season and we have a bunch of talent and a fighting chance. Let’s enjoy this season – I know I will.
You’ve got to be kidding? Moving Herremans to right tackle is okay for the short run, however good defenses are going to destroy their new center and left guard. This statement is not a knock against Kelce and Watkins. We are talking about rookies playing without the benefit of OTA’s and a shorten off season. If this team is poised for a Super Bowl run, protecting Vick is paramount! Who’s in charge, Reid or Mudd?
This is so stupid. This is like a sinking ship where you have 11 holes and ten fingers. You move one finger and you still got water coming in the damn boat.
Does Andy expect Howard Mudd to produce an NFL tackle to be moulded with a 7th round pick King Dunlap and an overrated injured So-Cal RT?
So dumb, so dumb. Seriously why did we not draft a right tackle? What is there answer? Where is Derrick Gunn or someone in the media to ask this?
Herremans will play RT until WJ is 100% healthy and returns to Football shape (which won’t be for another month or so) I don’t see the surprise or the big deal about this move at all.. and who knoews if Herreman’s plays well (and the same with MAthis at LG) maybe they stay there as Starters.. It’s all about getting your 5 best OL out there as a Unit and right now, this is it..
The offensive and defensive line coaches are the shining spots on an otherwise weak coaching staff. I am going to give mudd the benefit of the doubt and see what happens. I am more concerned about the offense inability to execute a drive, game plan after three games, where is Jackson, and vick’ s play has been poor, other than the last game, he’s had time to throw, execute, but his play is sloppy
Not to change the Subject, just read an article where 49ers RB F Gore’s Agent (Drew Rosenwhore) is having a sit-douwn meeting with 49ers Front Office personnel come Tommorrow.. Now Gore is under contract (Signed a pretty decent extension a couple yars back but now wants more $$$)
Now the 49ers have a ton of other issues like who is theri QB, a new Coach and probably have been one of the worst teams all Pre-Season with not a lot of godo news to go around.. IS Rosenhaus taking advantage of the situation, Does Gore really care about his teammated and why friction this may cause on a team that could use some veteran leadership from one of their best players.. But keep an eye on this Story for I feel that Roasenwhore will try to pull the same crap with the Eagles concerning D-Jax.. and the Eagles do not need any distractions at this point and have enough going on just getting ready for the Season… Any thoughts out there..
Someone posted an article when we first signed Mathis that he hadn’t allowed a sack in all his starts or some ish like that. I’m content with that. It seems like he’s been doing an ok job when he’s played. I think having a well-rounded (no pun intended) line is more important than having just a dominant left side.
I like this move.
@paulman you don’t think this is robbing peter to pay paul? Herremans was lock at left guard. I just think it’s dumb that we didn’t address the issue in the draft. We drafted a kicker in the 4th round when we could have just signed another lock in Akers and drafted an OT in the 4th. Andy Reid is dumb and that’s the bottom line. I still think the 26 year old fireman was some PR stunt bullcrap. Yea they probably liked him and yea he might have been the best player at his position lb. for lb. but everything is not black and white, we should have weighted Right Tackle more heavily than Right Guard. I still think Andy Reid knew he blew it when he didn’t move up to grab Nate Solder. The word was he loved him and Belichek once again left Andy in his wake.
@runtheball — you make some good points, but then you say asinine stuff like “andy reid is dumb”……this is the best coach in Eagles history, the winningest coach in Eagles history, he transformed a basement dweller into a perennial contender.
I understand the frustration with him, he’s not perfect, but the man knows what hes doing. He’s going to win us a Superbowl sooner rather than later. It took Bill Cowher 15 years to bring a title to Pittsburgh.
Lets relax, he knows what the goal is and his number one priority is to bring a Superbowl to Philadelphia — he’ll do it.
I Definintely would have liked the Eagles grab an OT (Preferably from last years class which was much more deeper and talented than this years group)
but not having WJ availalbe (which sounds like it caught the team by surprise) and maybe is just another bad break of the NFL Lockout since there was no communication between coaches/medical staff and players..and by this teime the Draft was already over, they attempted to address in Free-Agency and again, not a whole lot of good OT unemployed
I would have liked them bring in Former Sain John Stinchomb for a look and workout and I believe is still on the streets looking for a team, but bottom limne now, is that they have to get the RT position resolved by the start of the Season and sinec WJ is still not ready and R HArris is done with his back surgery, the EAgles needed to do something.. Herremans has longed for this opportunity to play at OT again and has stated so many times,, It is imperative that you have solid OT play and can get by with average Guard Play and MAthis or Wells or even McGlynn could probably hold their own..
Back to the Draft though , the reaches in the 2nd Rd & 3 Rd may come back to haunt the EAgles for there they still could have addressed the OT position but probably not a player that could help this season but I still say the S Jarrett and CB Marsh were taken a good Round tto ROund and a 1/2
too soon..
Birdo, the fact that a case can be made that Reid is the best football coach in Eagles is a sad statement about the success of the franchise, the fact is, however, he is not the best coach, Vermeil is, and although he does not have playoff wins with the eagles, buddy Ryan has more super bowl wins than Reid as an assistant , and possibly the architect of two of the greatest defenses in NFL history, learn up birdo
I don’t want to sound like a whiner..but the Eagles have made their own bed here concerning the OL with some questionable early rounds Draft Selections and Deals..
The 2009 Draft was the strongest in years at tthe OL and the OT position specifically.. The Eagles move up 11 Spots to grab a DE from a mediocre DL Class..
In 2010 Draft, probably had the deepest DE/DT’s in recent memory and the Eagles stand pat and Pick a OG (Who they could have gotten a similarly talented OG in the 3rd Round)
In 2008 Draft, the Eagles traded their 1st Round Pick in the J Peters deal
In 2007 Draft, The Eagles traded out the 1st Round to the PAnthers who selected RT Jeff Otah (who has had some injuries, but is an All-Pro Talent when healthy and will probably be a 10 year starter in the NFL)
See the Pattern here, over-reaching for players when there is Quality depth at a position in the Draft is foolish (See D Watkins) and over-reaching for players when there is no quality depth at a positon is foolish too..(See Jarrett)
Everyone knew that Safety Depth in this Years Draft was very limited and weak, we also knew that the amount of Quality Free-Agencts in the Safety Group this yaer was very high (Landry,Weddle, Pollard,Sanders,Harper,etc,etc) so why take a kid like Jarrett (who I like) in the mid-2nd Round is beyond me..
Agreed paulman, and this is the reason-they are scurrying around tp put together a patchwork offensive line, poor drafting by the eagles under Reid, especially at the top rounds
I have a good idea…Let’s draft a center in the 1st round next year to man that right tackle spot.
Jakedog, I agree with your earlier post. I believe that Mudd will get things going in the right direction, but not having had OTA’s and an abreviated camp, means that we will most likely have some trouble early in the season. Hopefully it doesn’t get one of our stars injured, but I believe that he will find the right combination and get things worked out. Even the veteran guys are learning different concepts from Coach Mudd, so it is going to take some time. Maybe the Colts will have a salary-cap casualty on the line that we can pick up, a guy familiar with the system who can help right away.
I have an even BETTER IDEA …How about we let them play the season out
Anybody with any football knowledge should have known things were going to be rocky at the start….New Coaches, New blocking schemes, New Defensive schemes etc..NO MINICAMPS, NO OTA, shortened Training camp…
all this equals to what we have now…
But the all knowing EAGLE FAN thinks we should be in mid-season form after 3 pre-season games….
I’m convinced we just need something to say…LMAO
gotta luv it – luv it!