Who is going to back up Michael Vick? Mike Kafka has the lead right now because he knows the offense very well, but will the experience of Trent Edwards win out, or will rookie Nick Foles win the job with his stronger arm.
This could ultimately have play a large role in the season because of Vick’s habit of getting injured and missing a game or two each season. Will the guy they have backing him up be able to lead the Birds to wins in those games?
Is seventh round draft pick running back Bryce Brown anywhere near as good as his combination of size and speed? This spring I got a chance to see what made him the top high school running back in the nation a few years ago, but I still don’t know whether he can play. He’s got great hands with good quickness and strength. Brown looks like the real deal but will he be able to take the pounding which is dished out to running backs in the NFL.
I’m looking forward to seeing if rookie free agent wide receiver Damaris Johnson can continue to excel when the team puts on the pads. This diminutive receiver is lightning fast and quick.
Surprisingly Johnson runs very good routes and seems to have a high football I.Q. The little guy from Tulsa was able to run some routes that the Birds have designed for DeSean Jackson. He gets in and out of his cuts at full speed, which makes it very difficult to cover him.
He’s about as big as a mouse out on the football field, but he may add another gear to the Eagles line up. I could see the Eagles running the “Fast Break” offense when he goes on the field with Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.
Can the little fellow take the pounding which comes with playing in the NFL?
Will second tight end Clay Harbor separate himself from the other tight ends by catching the football more consistently? I can tell that Reid and Marty Mornhinweg want to make the two tight end sets a bigger part of the offense. Will he continue to drop a couple of passes each day at training camp?
Will back up wide receiver Riley Cooper live up to his potential or continue to drop passes and leave the door open for rookie Marvin McNutt to beat him out? McNutt was catching everything that came his way during the OTA’s, but he’s got a lot to learn before being able to execute this offense.
Can Demetress Bell hold things down at left tackle? This question could wind up being the most important of all. He looked fairly athletic in the OTA’s, but he’s not Jason Peters. Hopefully the Birds won’t have to make tight end Brent Celek their third offensive tackle like he was for most of the 2011 season.
Should be a great camp
I will be focusing in on LT D Bell whose success is probably the critical for this Eagle Offense to reach it’s potential… I also will be watching the backfield for the Battles at FB and back-up RB which will also be important since there is not much NFL Experience behind RB McCoy on this Roster and whoever wins the FB Position will be a 1st Year Pro
I agree with G-Man about make or break Seasons for TE Harbor, WR Cooper who really need to step up in their 3rd Seasons as Eagles if they want to remain with the Team.. I see some strong battles at WR between McNutt,Cooper,Johnson,Gilyard for those 4th/5th or possible 6th WR spots
The OL has a lot of battles at the Back-up Center and Guard Positions where there will be stiff competition between Mike Gibson,Justin Vanveverde,Steve Vallos, Dallas Reynolds and Draft Pick Brandon Washington for about 3 Roster Spots
At OT where the Eagles probably carry 4 OT,’s you have Herremans, D Bell and probably K Dunlap as locks and then a battle between DJ Jones, Tom Welch and Draft Pick Dennis Kelly for that 4th and final Spot.. I think Draft Pick Kelly ends up on the Practice Squad and needs a good year of seasoning.. DJ Jones and Welch I believe can become quality back-ups with the good Coaching from Howard Mudd..
anyone see the article in yardbarker – the cowboys posted a birthday twitter to vick – funny article
excellnet points Pman – lots of interesting things to watch.. lots and lots of speed.. if Bell can hold up at LT.. all good stuff
I would have to say that it is nice to have the top things that we are focusing on not all center around the defense this year.
Not so sure Kelly would clear waivers and make it to PS. Oline/Dline have not been allowed to get into physical line play in OTA’s and he has looked a little strange “pushing air” around with that huge body. This guy may come alive when the hitting starts in TC. Expect the Dline with all its speed to overwhelm the rooks early.
Iggles
OT D Kelly was not even invited to the NFL Combine and was generally not rated as a Top OT Prospect and most had him listed as a 6th/7th and even as a undrafted Free-Agent in the Draft and surprised many by being Drafted in the 5th Round by the Eagles so I don’t believe he was on many teams Radar to begin with.. He’s reminds me a lot of a King Dunlap type of Raw Talent which will end up being a 2-3 Year Project for the Eagles or someone else… but you never know like you said, maybe with the pads on, he’s lights out and mashes defensender all up and down the field but there are lots of questions about his footwork and techniue which I am sure Coach Mudd can improve relatively quickly..