DRC: I'll Play Nickel If That's What Team Needs
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
DRC: I'll Play Nickel If That's What Team Needs
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
BETHLEHEM -- Where to begin?
Here at the center of the NFL universe, all of a goshdarned sudden, huge stories just seem to be just wandering down from the low hills surrounding the practice fields and chasing us, instead of the other way around.
We had interviews with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Vince Young, Andy Reid and Joe Banner this morning. Nnamdi Asomugha apparently is scheduled for tomorrow.
Headline No. 1: DRC says a three-cornered defense isn't a problem for him.
"That'd be all right with me," he said, about the possibility of lining up as the nickel corner, with older heads Asante Samuel and Asomugha also in the equation. "Long as I can get on the field and just compete."
Rodgers-Cromartie said he was excited, not flustered, to find that Asomugha had trumped him as the Eagles' big cornerback acquistion, even as DRC was flying in from Arizona in the wake of the Kevin Kolb trade.
Headline No. 2: Young showed for practice, even though he can't work out until Aug. 4, conferring on the field and on the sideline with the other QBs and QB coach Doug Pederson. Young has jersey No. 9, perhaps an homage to Sterve McNair, his Tennessee mentor. Later, Young called the new-look Eagles "a dream team."
Asked why he chose to pursue a backup role in Philadelphia to restart his career, Young said: "Andy Reid."
Both Young and Reid referenced a meeting at the 2006 Maxwell Club banquet.
"I met him a long time ago. Some things just stand out about him, there's a respect across the league, as well as how players talk about him, and have respect as well," said Young, the third overall pick in the 2006 draft. "I really felt like it was a good fit for myself. I had a lot of opportunities, but I felt like this was a great opportunity for me to get better as a quarterback and learn from him, as well as learn from the rest of the quarterbacks here -- Michael Vick."
Headline No. 3: Reid finally shed some light on wideout Jeremy Maclin's excused absence. Reid said Maclin is "still ill."
Maclin reportedly lost weight early in the offseason with a mono-type illness. When he joined lockout workouts in South Jersey in late May and early June, he said he was over that problem and back to normal. Apparently not. The Eagles offered no further update.
Headline No. 4: Banner spoke passionately about the front office's attempts to load up the wagon and win a Super Bowl.
"It's dramatic. We went in with an aggressive plan," Banner said on the day after the Eagles shocked the football world by signing Asomugha to a five-year deal. Banner said agent Ben Dogra told the Birds they were Asomugha's top choice from the beginning "if the economics were right." Sometime in the middle of Friday afternoon, that began to seem likely, Banner said.
Banner called the Eagles "one of the most desirable places to play in the league," and acknowledged reports that Asomugha left money on the table to join Vick and the Eagles.
"My impression is that there were some higher offers," Banner said. "I don't think there's any doubt he wanted to be here very badly."
Banner wouldn't discuss possible new deals for Vick or holdout DeSean Jackson, but assured reporters "we still have some flexibility" under the $123 million cap.
"We're doing everything and anything we can," Banner said. "The expectations are high."
Asked if there was a big focus on "legacy," Banner said: "There's a big focus on relieving the stress and pain of having been so close of having been so close so many times and not winning it all. We're very focused on getting that knot out of our stomachs."
Shocking moves to start free agency; keep the intensity level until a Lombardi Trophy at Novacare ...johnnyu— john ullman- Very pleased to see the team first, it's all about winning attitude from DRC. Philly fans will love him to death if he keeps that up and performs well. Young's comments are a little less mature and more self interested. Teams win championships b/c everyone is willing to do whatever is asked of them, not b/c they have a lot of guys that have been rated 95 in Madden. Awesome moves F.O. Let's pray for good health throughout the season. With that, this could actually be the year.— HorshamGuy
- Keeping in mind that 47% of the plays against the Eagles' defense last season involved multiple wide receiver sets and keeping in mind that injuries happen, I hope the Eagles stand pat with the three corners.— dasher
- Fire Reid— Bubba James
- A good offensive cordinator will line up with single back and two TE's, have QB work the eagles linbackers, and pitch to the RB rolling out of backfield, thus avoid the eagles 3 corners— camasbud
Comment removed.- Are you still in high school? You certainly sound like it... Sorry if you really are a teenager, because then I would have no reason to call you out. Post away, young man. — goeagles87
- Starting to get a little concerned about Maclin. An illness where you spend months sick and losing weight is nothing trivial....— sla6yer
- Trading away ANY of our Three Gems is out of the question in my mind. With the emphasis on the pass rush, opposing QB's will be hard pressed to get the ball deep, so keep the middle swept with LB's and especially safeties, and we should be able to hold teams to hopefully 19-24 PPG. And if Andy can fix the O=Line (Oh god...how long have I been saying this???)and we get our skill guys rolling, NFC Championship game here we come. (How some other teams like Green Bay and the Saints do will determine if we can claw our way to the Super Bowl. Then we'll see how WELL he fixed the O-Line.) FLY EAGLES FLY!!!— TBear
- I'm all for having 3 of them as well but man, it's a ton of money to tie up on one position. Trimming Hanson's 2 mil would help.— hillbillybirdsfan
- Man, this is gonna be GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!
— madaboutit - This has been an amazing few days for life long Eagles fans, but it's asking to much to have all 3 on the Team. I refuse to believe that's a possibility. I still have a concern about Right Tackle, and Linebacker. When you have been an Eagles, Sixers and Phillies fan as long as I have, skepticism is just part of your make up. This week for the Eagles is akin to the announcement the Sixers signed Doctor J
— Dexter - I'm trying to be as positive as possible, but how can they expect to get to the Supper Bowl with such inexperience at linebacker. This team as constantly undervalued that position since Reid has been coach.— LasVegasScott
- free agency aint over yet nancies— PHLtoLAX
