Archive: July, 2010
Daily News staff
Nate Mink reporting ...
BETHLEHEM -- Everyone can exhale.
DeSean Jackson appeared fine walking out of the locker room with no limp or visible bandages before he hopped into his black Porsche and sped off without comment.
Les Bowen and Nate Mink
Update: Nobody can say for sure what DeSean Jackson was thinking as he left the practice field on a cart Saturday afternoon, a forearm pressed to his face. But one thought that might have flitted through No.10's mind was the fact that he entered the first full day of workouts without that contract revision he was seeking, and now, here he is, with some sort of back injury, the Eagles said, still making just $480,000 this year.
Jackson, the Eagles' marquee receiver, was running a slant pattern Saturday afternoon, in the noncontact, no-pads session of the day, when he hauled in a Kevin Kolb pass, between Asante Samuel and Omar Gaither, then landed awkwardly on his tailbone.
Eventually, Jackson limped off the field, favoring his right leg, then rode the cart into the locker room.
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
BETHLEHEM -- After the draft and free agency, it was hard to see how Joe Mays fit into the Eagles' crowded linebacking picture.
Turns out he didn't.
The Eagles traded Mays to the Denver Broncos for former Arizona Cardinals running back J.J. Arrington, a team source confirmed to the Daily News. If Arrington does not make the team, the Eagles will receive a sixth-round pick in 2012.
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
UPDATE: The Eagles say Brandon Graham's flight to Philadelphia this morning was uneventful and he is about to arrive at Lehigh, making him a go for the afternoon practice. Graham is scheduled to speak to reporters following Eagles coach Andy Reid's scheduled news conference, at the conclusion of practice, which is closed to the publi today.
EARLIER: A few days ago, only one first-round pick in the entire NFL had signed and a lot of people (well, me, anyhow) were poised to begin the ceremonial wringing of hands over how long it might take to get Eagles first-round defensive end Brandon Graham into camp.
Eagles officials didn't say much. They agreed that the pace was ridiculously slow. But even though head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott showed a little frustration, a little impatience, the front-office guys were nonchalant. Their attitude was "when it happens, it happens."
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
The Eagles signed veteran safety Antoine Harris today and released safety Brett Johnson.
The 5-10, 205-pound Harris had spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He also spent a year with the Tennessee Titans. He played in 10 games last year and had three tackles. He played his college ball at Louisville.
Johnson was waived injured. He was an undrafted rookie out of Cal who initially had signed with the Bills. The Bills released him and he signed with the Eagles.
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
The Eagles completed the three-day rookie phase of training camp Thursday morning with a 90-minute workout. The veterans report this afternoon, and the first full-squad practice will be Friday afternoon. The Friday workout will be closed to the public.
Quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick both were given the morning off. Rookie Mike Kafka was the only QB on the field.
Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg spoke after practice. He said the two biggest things he wants to see out of Kolb this season are: 1) a high completion percentage; and 2) a low interception count. He follows Donovan McNabb, who has one of the best interception percentages in NFL history.
Daily News staff
A lot of attention has been focused on Michael Vick this offseason and especially recently.
Vick will be on national television tonight, taking part in "Pros vs. Joe's" on Spike-TV (10 p.m.). The episode was taped in March. (Keep that in mind if you watch the clip below.)
This follows last week's season premiere that featured former Eagles Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens.
Nate Mink
Coach Andy Reid held a news conference this morning and here are some of his comments:
On what makes Nate Allen starting material:
“Nate’s very intelligent. He has very good ball skills. Somehow he got labeled as not being a physical guy. I think he’s a very physical player off of what he did in college. I’ll be curious how he sustains once the veterans get in here and we start cranking it up.”
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
In a bit of a surprise, the Eagles today released linebacker/defensive end Alex Hall, the guy they got from Cleveland for Chris Gocong, in order to make roster room for second-round rookie safety Nate Allen, who officially signed.
The April 2 deal sent Gocong and corner Sheldon Brown to Cleveland (to be reunited with former Birds GM Tom Heckert) for Hall and fourth- and fifth-round picks. Hall, primarily a pass-rusher, was viewed as a similar player to Gocong, who was a strongside starter who fell out of favor last season.
Hall played in 30 games with the Browns over two seasons after arriving as a seventh-round draft pick.
Daily News staff
Today is the first anniversary of the death of Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who succumbed to melanoma at age 68.
Looking back at what was said about him immediately after his death, words like "beloved," "tough" and "the best" were repeatedly used.
The tributes rolled in that evening after the team called a news conference to announce Johnson's passing: from former players, from former Eagles assistants who has gone on to jobs as coordinators themselves or head coaches.
