Eagles vs. Jaguars: Week 3 inactives: Gaither out

The Eagles and Jaguars have announced their inactive players for their Week 3 contest:

Eagles: DE Antwan Barnes, LB Keenan Clayton, LB Omar Gaither, TE Clay Harbor, OL Austin Howard, QB Mike Kafka, CB Trevard Lindley, DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim

Jaguars: FB Brock Bolen, DT Landon Cohen, LB Justin Durant, OL KEvin Haslam, RB Deji Karim, DE Austen Lane, TE Zach Potter, S Anthony Smith

Gaither being inactive is the biggest surprise for the Eagles. Given how poorly he played last week, though, he deserves to be benched. Offseason acquisition Darryl Tapp finally gets to play this week while Antwan Barnes gets scratched. I'm also still surprised that the Eagles aren't playing Clay Harbor. I'd rather have him in the lineup than all the extra offensive linemen or even the 4 running backs they have suited up.

Expect a close game this week. Go Birds!

Eagles vs. Packers: Week One inactives

Eagles football is back! Here are the Week One inactives as announced by the teams:

Eagles: LB Jamar Chaney, LB Keenan Clayton, OL Austin Howard, OL Max Jean-Gilles, QB Mike Kafka, DE Darryl Tapp, DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, G Reggie Wells

Packers: FB Quinn Johnson, OL T.J. Lang, G Nick McDonald, DE Mike Neal, OL Marshall Newhouse, TE Andrew Quarless, CB Brandon Underwood, DE C.J. Wilson

With no injuries for the Eagles, there really aren't any surprising inactives for them this week. My guess is that Wells just doesn't have a strong enough knowledge of the offense to be an effective backup just yet. Tapp hasn't been that impressive in the preseason so count on him being inactive most weeks. I'm somewhat shocked that the Eagles are dressing all six of their cornerbacks, including Jorrick Calvin. I would expect to see him returning kicks.

For the Packers, all of their key players are healthy and playing.

While I picked against the Eagles this week, you can bet I'll be rooting hard for them to take down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. It's going to take a tremendous defensive effort and some explosive offensive plays but I think the Eagles should at least make it a close game. GO BIRDS!

7 draft picks signed, 6 more to go for the Eagles

Even though were are still months away from any meaningful football that doesn't mean the Eagles aren't hard at work getting their team together. As expected when you draft 13 players, the Eagles have been hard at work signing all of their rookie players. So far, the Birds have managed to reach agreements with 7 of their picks, most of whom were picked in the later rounds. The early round picks, like Brandon Graham and Nate Allen, will take longer to sign as the agents and teams wait to see what kind of money early round picks get.

Here is a complete list of Eagles draft picks and their contract status:

Brandon Graham, DE: No contract yet
Nate Allen, S: No contract yet
Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE: No contract yet
Trevard Lindley, CB: 4 years, 2.31 million, $525,000 signing bonus
Keenan Clayton, LB: 4 years, unknown salary, unknown signing bonus
Mike Kafka, QB: No contract yet
Clay Harbor, TE/FB: No contract yet
Ricky Sapp, DE: 4 years, unknown salary, $212,000 signing bonus
Riley Cooper, WR: No contract yet
Charles Scott, RB: 4 years, 1.88 million, $90,000 signing bonus
Jamar Chaney, LB: 4 years, 1.85 million, $60,000 signing bonus
Jeff Owens, DT: 4 years, 1.83 million, $44,000 signing bonus
Kurt Coleman, S: 4 years, 1.883 million, $43,400 signing bonus

All salary information comes from the National Football Post. I will update this list as more players are signed and as more salaries are announced.

Philadelphia Eagles 2010 Draft Round-up

The Eagles came to the draft table this year with a clear focus: get as many defensive players as possible. While last year was all about offensive weapons for the Eagles, this year is all about loading up with a ton of defensive guys at every position for a loaded competition in training camp. In all, the Eagles made 13 picks, 9 of them defensive players. By the end, they had addressed every position on the field with the exception of the offensive line, a shocking revelation given Andy Reid's penchant for drafting them early and often. Here's a look at every player the Eagles selected at the 2010 draft:

Round 1, pick 13 (13): Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
The Eagles first move in the draft was to trade up and get a top pass-rusher in Graham. While many thought the Eagles would be making a grab at a safety, clearly the Eagles felt they weren't getting enough pressure on the quarterback last season. Graham is a high motor player who specializes in making tackles behind the line of scrimmage so he should fit right in opposite of Trent Cole. The biggest knock on Graham is that he's a bit undersized but the Eagles think that's a plus because they can move him to linebacker on certain plays. While this pick wasn't what we all expected, it could turn out to be a perfect fit for the Eagles.


Round 2, pick 5 (37): Nate Allen, S, South Florida
With the "Donovan McNabb pick", the Eagles got their secondary help. Many experts have been commenting that the drop-off from Earl Thomas, the safety the Eagles could have had in the first round, down to Allen, is minimal. While Allen isn't a big hitter in the Brian Dawkins mold, he will still be a great fit for the Eagles at free safety given his playmaking skills and his strength in coverage. Sick of tight ends burning the Eagles every game? Allen could be the answer to that ongoing problem. In fact, Allen is so good at coverage that the Eagles could play him at cornerback as well.

Round 3, pick 22 (86): Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington
This is a name we're all going to need some time to learn how to say. After trading down three separate times, the Eagles finally took Te'o-Nesheim late in the 3rd round. Te'o-Nesheim is another one of those tweener guys in the NFL; he's not quite big enough to be along the defensive line and he's not quite athletic enough to be a linebacker. The Eagles love his motor and will use him along the d-line as they hope to have added another lineman to the rotation.


Round 4, pick 7 (105): Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky
On Day 3 of the draft, the Eagles finally get a cornerback. Lindley is one of those classic draft picks that has a ton of talent but fell due to injuries. In fact, Lindley was one of the best corners in college before his relatively unproductive senior year dropped his draft stock. If this guy plays up to his talent, he could be quite a steal for the Eagles.

Round 4, pick 23 (121): Keenan Clayton, LB, Oklahoma
The Eagles kicked off their flurry of late 4th/early 5th round picks with a bit of a reach in Clayton. Many experts thought Clayton, an undersized linebacker, could be had a few rounds later but clearly there is something in him the Eagles liked. While Clayton will be in the mix for a linebacker spot, I would expect him to contribute mostly on special teams for a few years. Given his speed and athleticism, there could be some thought of moving him to strong safety.

Round 4, pick 24 (122): Mike Kafka, QB, Northwestern
Finally, 6 picks into their draft, the Eagles take an offensive player in Kafka. A developmental quarterback, Kafka will be the third stringer for the next few years as he learns the Eagles system. Given that he is coming from a spread offense that threw the ball all over the field, Kafka figures to be a great fit for the Eagles West Coast Offense. Of course, as with any spread quarterback, Kafka is going to need some time learning how to take the ball from center and reading defenses. As the video shows below, though, Kafka was the MVP of the East-West Shrine Game and has some real potential.


Round 4, pick 27 (125): Clay Harbor, TE/FB, Missouri State
In Harbor, the Eagles grabbed their first offensive weapon of the draft. It's difficult to get a read on what the Eagles plan to do with Harbor, who was formerly a wide receiver but shifted to tight end in college, as most scouts think of him as an H-back. The Eagles likely will line him up all over the field, utilizing him out of the backfield as well as a secondary pass catching threat to Brent Celek at tight end. I haven't seen much talk about how well he blocks, though; if he wants serious playing time, he's going to have to protect Kevin Kolb.

Round 5, pick 3 (134): Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson
It's like a broken record for the Eagles: another under-sized defenesive end. Sapp was another projected early round talent that fell due to injury concerns after he rebounded slowly from an ACL injury back in 2008. While this guy was really productive at DE in college, he could very likely be moving to linebacker as there is no way the Eagles are drafting all of these linemen for the rotation. Sapp has some big-time potential, though, so he could turn out to be quite a steal.


Round 5, pick 28 (159): Riley Cooper, WR, Florida
Cooper will bring something rare to the Eagles receiving corps: size. Playing with Tim Tebow at Florida, Cooper was a solid possession receiver who made the tough catches. He could stick with the Eagles and be a threat in the redzone, something the team is always looking for. Strangely enough, Cooper was also a star baseball player and was once drafted by the Phillies. He has since quit baseball to focus on football.


Round 6, pick 31 (200): Charles Scott, RB, LSU
Could this be the big back Eagles fans have been clamoring for? Scott, a powerful, straight-ahead runner, appears to be the perfect compliment to LeSean McCoy. While Scott isn't quick, he makes up for it with his size and ability to break tackles. He is coming off a broken collarbone, which likely dropped his draft stock. Look for Scott to compete with Mike Bell for the backup position and push Eldra Buckley off the roster. Suddenly, with Leonard Weaver, Bell and Scott, the Eagles backfield has quite a few backs that can get the tough 3rd and 4th down yards.

Round 7, pick 13 (220): Jamar Chaney, LB, Miss. St.
It always makes me a little wary when every single pundit calls a pick a steal but the drafting of Chaney in the 7th round appears to be just that. Ranked as the third best inside linebacker in the draft, the Eagles traded a 6th round pick next year to scoop him up. Why he fell so far in the draft when many thought he would go in the third or fourth round is a mystery. Chaney does have some injury history but he appears to be an athletic linebacker who is solid against the run. With the Eagles not exactly settled at the linebacker position next year, Chaney has a legitimate shot of not only making the team but also making an impact.

Round 7, pick 36 (243): Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia
The Eagles pick their first defensive tackle very late in the draft. Owens is big and strong but has to be considered a longshot to make the roster. He's another guy coming off some serious injury issues that kept him out most of 2008.

Round 7, pick 37 (244): Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State
Why not wrap up the draft with another defensive player? I suppose Coleman could work his way into a spot in the secondary but he isn't exactly fast and he can't really cover that well, two things that are kind of important in the NFL. If he makes the team, Coleman, a solid tackler, would likely be a special teams guy.

Whew, talk about a haul of players, that's everyone the Eagles took in the 2010 Draft. Be sure to add your comments on the Eagles draft below and grade their draft in the poll to the left!

Eagles pick two, make flurry of trades on Day 2 of the Draft

Day 2 of the NFL Draft is in the books and the Eagles certainly did their part to make it interesting. After they made their first pick early in the second round, the Eagles kept us all watching as they traded down three seperate times before finally deciding to select another player late in the third round. While all of the trading down may be frustrating for the fans, the Eagles made out with quite a haul, turning the 55th overall pick into five total picks, one in the 3rd round, two in the 4th and one in the 5th. As for who they ended up actually drafting, the Eagles went all defense.

Round 2, pick 5 (37th overall): Nate Allen, S, South Florida
After passing on Earl Thomas in the first round, the Eagles finally got their safety using the pick they got from the Donovan McNabb trade. Allen is a playmaker in the secondary who can also cover quite well for a safety. There has already been talk that Allen could be a cornerback in the NFL but he seems like the perfect free safety for the Eagles. Scouting reports say he isn't a great tackler but it would be nice to have a safety that could actually cover a tight end for once. Several draft experts thought Allen could be better than Earl Thomas in the long run so this could turn out to be quite a steal.

Round 3, pick 22 (86th overall): Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE/DT, Washington
The Eagles traded down three times before they drafted Te'o-Nesheim, which probably means they had their sights set on him but didn't want to reach for him. He looks like another guy that can get after the quarterback, as evidenced by his 30 sacks in college. The biggest question on Te'o-Nesheim is his size; scouts wondered if was big enough to actually have an impact along the defensive line in the NFL. Best case scenario with this pick is that he turns into another lineman for the rotation.

The Eagles still have plenty more work to do tomorrow as they still have 9 picks remaining in the 4th through 7th rounds. Look for plenty more wheeling and dealing as there is no way the Birds take that many players.

Here are the Eagles remaining picks:
Round 4, 105th overall
Round 4, 121st overall
Round 4, 122nd overall
Round 4, 125th overall
Round 5, 134th overall
Round 5, 136th overall
Round 6, 200th overall
Round 7, 243rd overall
Round 7, 244th overall