Eagles sign tackle Demetress Bell

The Eagles, wasting little time finding their new left tackle after losing Jason Peters for the season, announced the signing of tackle Demetress Bell to a 5 year contract.  While the length of the contract seems a little long, count on the Eagles having an out clause a year or two into the deal.

Demetress Bell is the formerly spelled "Demetrius" Bell who played for the Bills for three seasons and took over as their starting left tackle when Peters signed with the Eagles.  He was one of the better available free agent linemen although he has dealt with a few injuries in his career.  With Peters out for the year, Bell will be counted on to start at left tackle right away.  Barring injuries, he should be a serviceable replacement.

Jason Peters ruptures Achilles tendon, may be lost for the season

The Eagles got some terrible news today: Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jason Peters suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and will have surgery next week.  Peters suffered the injury while training for the upcoming season and likely won't be ready to play until late in the 2012 season, if at all.

This is a huge blow to the Eagles who now must fill a big hole on their offensive line.  They did announce the re-signing of King Dunlap today but that won't be a solution.  Look for them to draft an o-lineman in the first round and possibly look to trade for or sign another veteran left tackle in free agency.

For a team that looked set heading into the 2012 season, losing their best offensive lineman certainly throws a wrench into the Eagles plans.  What looked like a smooth, successful offseason plan now has been thrown off course.

Five Eagles named to the 2011 Pro Bowl

Barring a run to the Super Bowl, the Eagles will be well-represented at the Pro Bowl. The NFL released the Pro Bowl rosters today and five Eagles were named to the team: QB Michael Vick, WR DeSean Jackson, LT Jason Peters, CB Asante Samuel and K David Akers. Jackson was the only one of the five not named as a starter. Each of the five have been named to the Pro Bowl in previous years with Akers leading the way with 5 Pro Bowls under his belt.

Notable Eagles that were left off the Pro Bowl rosters were RB LeSean McCoy and DE Trent Cole. Should the Eagles not make the Super Bowl, expect a few more to be added on after injuries and the players from the NFC representative in the Super Bowl are removed.

Click here for full 2011 Pro Bowl Rosters.

Eagles injury update: Vick likely out, Bunkley's season may not be over

The theme for this Eagles season is injuries, so why wouldn't there be another huge injury update this week? Andy Reid held a press conference today that mostly covered the laundry list of injured players.

Michael Vick doesn't sound likely to play this week against the Falcons, given that he is still feeling sore from his rib injury and he has yet to resume throwing. Reid still refers to Vick as day to day but if he isn't even throwing yet, I don't see how he'll be ready to play this weekend. Expect another start from Kevin Kolb.

In other offensive player news, left tackle Jason Peters will also be out this week as he has surgery on a meniscus tear. This isn't a major operation so he won't be sidelined for a long stretch of time, but I wouldn't count on him back on the field for a week or two. In his place, King Dunlap gets the start at left tackle. While I'm not a huge fan of Peters and his multiple penalties per game, Dunlap still represents a big downgrade at LT.

Also recovering from injuries for the Eagles are LeSean McCoy and Todd Herremans, who are sore but will likely practice tomorrow. The Eagles offense can't afford to be without McCoy, it's MVP. Riley Cooper and Asante Samuel have been cleared to practice and should play this week.

As for other good news, it appears that Brodrick Bunkley won't miss the season as he will attempt to rehab his elbow injury rather than have surgery. That means that practice squad rookie Jeff Owens will have to remain on the practice squad despite rumors circulating that he was going to be added to the roster.

That's a whole lot of injuries. Remind me why the NFL wants to expand to an 18 game season again?

Eagles Preseason Game 3 Thoughts

If you've ever wondered why wins and losses are completely meaningless in the preseason then look no further than the Eagles 20-17 win over the Chiefs on Friday night. Sure, the Eagles had a nice come from behind win in the final minute of the game but anyone who watched any of the action when the starters were in the game knows that the Birds are nowhere close to ready to start the season. From an offensive line that can't block to a weak passing game to stupid penalties to missed tackles, the Eagles looked a lot like a team that is going to struggle to go .500 than a team that has any chance at the playoffs. Here are my positives and negatives from the Eagles third preseason game.

Positives:

Red Zone offense: The Eagles first team offense finally broke through in the red-zone as LeSean McCoy ran it in from the 18 yard line in the first quarter. Of course, they did fail on their next two attempts in the red zone but at least they were successful once this entire preseason!

Mike Kafka: Nice game from the rookie as he completed 9 of his 13 passes for 93 yards and led the Eagles on a nice two-minute drive for the game-winning touchdown. I may be in the minority but if Kevin Kolb goes down, I'm much more comfortable with Kafka as the starting quarterback than Michael Vick. Of course, if Kolb goes down the Eagles will probably just sign a veteran QB like Jeff Garcia to be the starter.
Trevard Lindley: Lindley was another rookie making an impact as he played some with the first team and even had an interception. He should probably help Macho Harris pack his bags at this point.

David Akers: He went two for two on field goals and remains perfect in the preseason.

Negatives:

Offensive line: Once again, the Eagles offensive line was just terrible, this time giving 5 sacks as they continue to allow the opposing defense to do pretty much whatever they want. I continue to hold out hope that all of the line problems are simply due to a lack of consistency because of all of the injuries, but, with the season just around the corner, I don't see how the line is going to just magically flip a switch and be good. If they don't gel, and fast, this is going to be a long, long season for the Eagles.

Jason Peters: He continues to be a drive-killer as he had two false start penalties called on him. Remind me again how this guy was a Pro Bowler?

Passing offense: The first team offense was completely out of sync for the entire game as Kevin Kolb went just 11 for 25 for 103 yards. I'm not sure if the injury to DeSean Jackson hampered the passing attack or if Kolb simply can't get comfortable behind his suspect offensive line but the offense certainly didn't look like it was ready for real game action.

Running game: Besides Shady McCoy's 18 yard touchdown run, the Eagles running game was pretty pathetic. While most of the blame likely goes to the aforementioned offensive line, Eagles running backs didn't get much of anything going on the ground. Mike Bell, making his Eagles preseason debut, didn't look impressive as he managed only 17 yards on 8 carries.

DeSean Jackson: Jackson left the game early in the first quarter with an upper back injury that has been diagnosed as a neck strain. His injury didn't look incredibly serious so hopefully the Eagles just kept him out of the game as a precaution.

Trent Cole: Cole left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury. While X-rays came back negative on the ankle, Cole still could have sprained it and that could cost him some time. Let's hope for the best but, obviously, losing both their best offensive and defensive player for any amount of time would be a huge blow to the Eagles.
(Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images)

Eagles to send 6 to 2010 Pro Bowl (maybe)

The initial Pro Bowl rosters were announced today and the Eagles are going to be well-represented in Miami. As of now, six Eagles have made the NFC team: K David Akers, DE Trent Cole, WR/KR DeSean Jackson, T Jason Peters, CB Asante Samuel and FB Leonard Weaver. Each player, with the possible exception of Peters, is very deserving of a spot and was basically a lock to make the team. Jackson was so good that he even made it for two positions, something that has never happened before.

It's hard to argue that the Eagles should have more players in the Pro Bowl, but a case can be made for Sheldon Brown. Brown has had an excellent year and would certainly be the first cornerback to make the team should one of the current NFC CB's get injured. A case could also be made for Brent Celek and even Donovan McNabb, but both were hurt by playing at positions filled with a ton of talent. Many players end up dropping out of the Pro Bowl so I wouldn't be surprised if an Eagle or two gets added in the coming weeks.

Of course, if all goes well, none of the Eagles will play in the Pro Bowl. Remember, the Pro Bowl is being played the weekend before the Super Bowl during the "dead week", so if the Eagles make the Super Bowl none of their players would play for the NFC. I'm sure they wouldn't be too disappointed if they don't get to suit up for the Pro Bowl.

Eagles/Chargers Inactives: Westbrook in, Peters, Demps out

The Eagles and Chargers have announced their inactive players for their big Week 10 clash:

Eagles: WR Kevin Curtis, DB Quintin Demps, RB P.J. Hill, DB Jack Ikegwuonu, LB Akeem Jordan, QB Kevin Kolb, OL Mike McGlynn, LT Jason Peters

Chargers: WR Buster Davis, LB Tim Dobbins, G Tyrone Green, C Nick Hardwick, CB Dante Hughes, DL Vaughn Martin, LB Jyles Tucker, QB Charlie Whitehurst

With Jason Peters sitting out today, the Eagles will start Todd Herremans at left tackle, Nick Cole at left guard and Stacy Andrews at right guard. With the way Andrews has played this year, I would expect the Chargers to be licking their chops. Demps is out after suffering an injury against the Cowboys, leaving the secondary pretty thin. Jordan and Curtis are also out with injuries, as expected. There is some good news for the Eagles as Brian Westbrook will return to the field, although he is expected to be limited.

It's all hands on deck for the Chargers as they have no significant injuries.

With all of the injuries and having to travel across the country, the Eagles have a lot to overcome this week. Let's hope they can get it done in sunny San Diego. GO BIRDS!

Eagles Preseason Game 3 Thoughts

(AP Photo/Mel Evans)

How many times are you ever going to hear this: Kevin Kolb led the Eagles to a come-from-behind win! It must be the preseason.

The Eagles played their 3rd preseason game, the most important one because the starters play 3 quarters, against the Jaguars on Thursday night. While the mere presence of Michael Vick made all the headlines, there were still some interesting performances by some players who are fighting for a spot on the roster. While the Birds won 33-32, and that is always a good thing, there still seems to be a lot of kinks that need to be worked out. Here is a quick look at some of the positives and negatives for the Eagles in their 3rd preseason game.

Positives:
-The first team defense. Sure, they gave up a lot of points, but it wasn't the fault of the defense. They swarmed the Jaguars all night, with nearly every starting defensive lineman getting a hit on Jaguars quarterback David Garrard. Even DT Mike Patterson got in on the action, recording the lone sack of the night.

-Asante Samuel. He was everywhere on Thursday, getting an interception and a forced fumble. He got a little banged up at one point but Asante looks ready to start the season.

-Jason Babin. He has earned his spot by once again being a difference-maker on the field. Babin didn't record a sack this time but he constantly put pressure on and forced a fumble. Welcome to the team, Jason Babin. Sorry, Bryan Smith, despite your interception, you are a goner.

-Jason Avant. Everyone talks about DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis and Jeremy Maclin in the passing game but Jason Avant could have the best year out of all of them. He caught 5 passes for 92 yards and is really emerging.

-Kevin Kolb. He actually looked pretty good out there at times. Don't tell anyone I admitted that.

-David Akers. 4/4 on field goals is a good day. I wish he didn't have to kick so many.

Negatives:
-The first team offense in the first half. I don't know if it was Michael Vick or what but the first team offense looked off. Stop me if you've heard this before but they moved the ball well at times but they were stopped in the red zone and had to settle for field goals twice. The play selection in the first half was incredibly skewed with 3 times as many runs as passes. Most of the problems with the offense are likely related to...

-Donovan McNabb in the first half. McNabb looked out of sync until late in the second quarter when Michael Vick's night was done. After that, McNabb got into a nice rhythm and started hitting the open receivers with regularity. Was it a coincidence that once Vick was done McNabb got into a rhythm?

-Jason Peters. I guess 60 million doesn't buy what it used to. He needs to get it together.

-Discipline. It was better this week but 8 penalties for 62 yards still isn't great. There are too many plays getting called back and drives getting killed because of stupid penalties.
-Special Teams. This is still the least special unit the Eagles have. The Jags had too many long returns.

-The running game. Oh, wait, what running game? They only had 66 yards on the ground but when you have 19 total rushes, I guess you can't expect more. Obviously, when Brian Westbrook plays this will be better.

Shawn Andrews: To play or not to play?

It seems that we have a difference in opinions on when Shawn Andrews will return to the Eagles.

Andrews, who hasn't participated in any preseason activities since the first day, thinks he will be ready for Week One. Andrews is back in Philadelphia after going out to the West Coast and getting his back examined, and he appears to be in good spirits and believes he will be able to suit up against the Panthers on September 13th.

The Eagles aren't so sure, with Coach Andy Reid's mindset being that Winston Justice will be the right tackle until further notice. Reid says he has "no idea" when Andrews will be ready so he has to just go with what he has, no matter how scary it might be to think that Justice is a starter.

While the much-maligned offensive line is starting to come together now that Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews have now returned to practice, Shawn Andrews and his ailing back are still a mystery. While it could be plausible for Shawn to be ready for the first week, should the Eagles rush to get him into the starting line-up? On the one hand, he is a former Pro Bowler, but on the other, how in-shape could he possibly be if he hasn't practiced for months?

We've been through all of this before with Shawn Andrews. Last season, he battled depression all preseason and was MIA for training camp, only to show up and play in the first game of the season, proving he can get ready quickly. Of course, Andrews subsequently got injured in Week Two and was out for the rest of the year, so the Eagles would be smart to avoid rushing him back. Another factor in this situation is the fact that he is changing positions from right guard to right tackle. If Andrews doesn't even practice at his new position, how is he supposed to have any clue what he's doing out there?

So, will he or won't he play? While having Winston Justice start along the Eagles offensive line is not the best situation, if it's only for a few weeks while Andrews gets up to speed, that might not be so bad. Of course, an even smarter move would be to start Stacy Andrews at right tackle and have Nick Cole play right guard until Shawn Andrews is ready; hopefully the Eagles have looked into that.

Coach Reid has the right idea in this situation. Shawn Andrews can't be counted on until he actually starts playing, so the team has to move ahead with plans assuming he won't be suiting up. One thing we have all learned is that you can't rely on Shawn Andrews at all. If he plays, great, if he doesn't, make sure you have a contingency plan in place.

Thoughts on the Eagles first preseason game

(AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Overshadowed by the Michael Vick signing, the Eagles actually played a game on Thursday night! Even though it's only preseason, it's hard not to get excited when you see the Eagles take the field at Lincoln Financial. While the Birds comeback bid fell short against the Patriots, losing 27-25, there was some good that came out of the game. Here are some of the positives and negatives from the Eagles first preseason game.

Positives:
-McNabb and the first team offense. While the first team offense looked sloppy on their first two drives, they began to kick it into gear on the third. Mixing in several shotgun formations, Donovan McNabb, who finished 11 of 18 on the night, led the Eagles down the field with precision, completing passes to three different receivers and letting LeSean McCoy eat up yards on the ground. While the drive ultimately ended in a failure in the red zone with a sack and a field goal, there were some promising signs, especially from...

-LeSean McCoy. The rookie looked really good, eating up yardage on nearly every carry. He finished with 55 yards on 10 carries, a solid 5.5 yards per carry, plus he caught two passes out of the backfield. I have never felt more confident about the Eagles running game when/if Brian Westbrook gets hurt.

-Sheldon Brown. He made a nice play early in the game and later had a pick that pissed Tom Brady off. Sheldon has solidified his starting spot for sure.

-A.J. Feeley. He might be playing for his NFL career now that the Eagles have Vick. Feeley got the bulk of the playing time at QB and had a good showing, leading two touchdown drives and completing 18 of 24 passes for 211 yards. Unless Kevin Kolb is hurt more than has been led on, however, this is likely the end of Feeley's time in Philly.

-Jason Babin. He's on the roster bubble, so picking up the only Eagles sack of the day is a big positive for him.

-Eldra Buckley. Lorenzo Booker better watch his back, Buckley is coming for him. While not particularly great on the ground (23 yards and a TD on 8 carries), Buckley had quite a showing in the passing game, catching 6 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. With Booker basically doing nothing, Buckley has a great shot at earning the 3rd string running back spot.

Negatives:
-Discipline. The Eagles were penalized 8 times for 98 yards, which is unacceptable. From the beginning of the game, the team seemed out of sorts and sloppy. Perhaps they were shocked by the Michael Vick signing?

-Jeremy Maclin. He fumbled his first touch as an Eagle on a punt return. Not a great way to start your career and not a way to endear yourselves to fans and coaches who aren't happy you held out. He later made 2 catches and had a much better punt return, but that wasn't a good first impression.

-The first team defense. After looking solid on the first drive, the first team defense got picked apart by Tom Brady on the second drive. Brady threw a bomb right to Randy Moss that Asante Samuel interfered with, which put the Patriots deep in the Eagles territory. From there, Brady dinked and dunked short passes to lead the Patriots to a touchdown. They redeemed themselves later when Brown picked off Brady, but they could have done better to put more pressure on the Patriots QB. Brady had a good game overall, completing 10 of 15 for 100 yards and 2 TDs. The second and third units fared much better, limiting the Pats to only a pair of field goals in the second half.

-Jason Peters. The big offseason pickup let the Patriots defensive line get by him for two sacks. I know he's surrounded by second team linemen that he's never played with, but he's gotta do better than that.

-Special teams. This supposedly improved unit gave up a punt return touchdown and had several penalties. Every year we hear that the special teams is going to be the amongst the best in the league and every year they disappoint. Let's hope the Eagles get these kinks worked out.

Eagles land Jason Peters

As rumors about a possible trade for Anquan Boldin continue to swirl around Philadelphia, the Eagles appear to be closing in on a deal that would shape up their offensive line. According to several sources, the Eagles appear close to acquiring Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters from the Buffalo Bills, likely for one of their first round picks. Peters has been looking for a bigger contract from the Bills but has been unable to get the deal he wants so Buffalo has been shopping him around the league. While he is under contract through 2010, the Eagles would still likely want to sign Peters to an extension if they acquire him.

The trade itself makes a ton of sense for the Eagles, especially if they can sign Peters for long term. Peters would fill their current hole along the offensive line and he is still only 27 so he could be in Philly for a while.

If the Eagles do give up a first round pick to get Peters, they are essentially guaranteeing that they won't be trading for Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals have said they want 1st and 3rd round picks for Boldin and I doubt the Eagles would trade away both of their first round picks for veteran talent. I don't mind the Eagles pulling the trigger for Peters because, as much as I like Boldin, their need along the offensive line is greater than their need for another wide reciever.

UPDATE: The Eagles have acquired Peters for their late first round pick, a 4th rounder and another pick in 2010