Burgess Out; McCray, Clark Added
The Eagles today announced that they have released veteran defensive end Derrick Burgess and signed defensive end Bobby McCray.
Burgess Out; McCray, Clark Added
Daily News staff and Les Bowen
The Eagles today announced that they have released veteran defensive end Derrick Burgess and signed defensive end Bobby McCray.
Burgess, 32, was on the roster for the last two games, playing only in Tuesday's loss to the Vikings, for a handful of plays. He was a starter on the Birds' 2004 Super Bowl team, then led the league in sacks after leaving in free agency and going to Oakland. Burgess then played for New England, but had not been in the NFL this season when the Eagles brought him back.
McCray (6-6, 260), a seven-year veteran, was originally a seventh-round draft choice of Jacksonville in 2004. He
spent four seasons with the Jaguars (2004-07) and two with the New Orleans Saints (2008-09), and had 29.5 career sacks in 93 games (37 starts). He spent the 2010 preseason with the Saints but was released in the final roster cut.
Last summer, McCray married actress and Kardashian pal Khadijah Haqq.
Also, the Eagles announced that they have signed defensive tackle Jeremy Clark to a three-year deal. He was with the Eagles in 2007, spending the season on the practice squad. Since then, he has been with the Giants, Falcons, Cardinals, Cowboys and Redskins, the last three of those all this season.
Clark replaces rookie DT Jeff Owens, who went down for the season with a patellar tendon tear in his first NFL game Tuesday night.
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Special teams coordinator Bobby April said that while big returns usually require something extraordinary from the returner, the Eagles just haven't blocked well enough to set up big returns. It seems possible Gerard Lawson will get a shot this week against Dallas.
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Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said he thinks Michael Vick's quad injury is going to be OK for Sunday, but that Andy Reid will decide whether Vick will play. (All signs point to Kevin Kolb starting at QB in a meaningless game.) He agreed with a questioner that Vick sometimes tries to do too much, but said that isn't always a bad thing (presumably, if you take care of the ball). He would like to see Vick do more to protect himself. (Can you tuck one of those little spray thingys of Mace into your waistband, or is that a uniform violation?)
Mornhinweg's overall message was that the Birds "left details on the field" against Minnesota
Kolb told reporters he tries not to think about anything beyond this season, tries to stay sharp, knowing he could be called upon to lead the team again at any time.
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Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott agreed that the Eagles just haven't been getting sufficient pressure lately.
"We've got to get to the quarterback on a consistent basis, whether from blitzing or a four-man front."
McDermott said teams are emphasizing getting the ball out, giving the rushers less time to work.
It's unclear whether Dimitri Patterson or Joselio Hanson will start Sunday against the Cowboys. Hanson, who took over in the third quarter against Minnesota, said he hasn't been told anything. McDermott mentioned speaking with Patterson this morning, and said he expects Patterson to bounce back well.
McDermott also acknowleged that the defensive injury picture has limited him in some respects. "There's probably some deviation" from what you would like to be able to do, even though you try to stay aggressive, he said.
McDermott said he would see how the middle linebacking situation shakes out if and when Stewart Bradley recovers from his elbow injury.
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- The Eagles have not won an NFL championship for 50 years. There's nothing wrong with Eagles fans complaining. Nothing. There's nothing wrong with Eagles fans wanting to be on top. If you are satisfied with being an also-ran every year, that's fine. We don't have that loser mentality. If Reid is satisfied with being a Schottenheimer clone that's fine. He can be that somewhere else.
— Bob1 - I'm beginning to think that Dimitri Patterson and Matt Carle(Flyers) are the same guy! Both are absolutely horrible defenders that favor themselves as offensive weapons.
Patterson, I fear, became "boys" with Asante Samuel and thinks he can "ballhawk" by jumping routes! Hate to break this to you Dimitri but Asante gets burned a lot and he's much better than you. JUST COVER YOUR GUY YOU IDIOT!!!
Why on Earth did it take the Eagles 2½ games, 4 TD's, and a 15yd personal foul to final bench this dope??
And they get rid of Jason Babin, who was fun to watch last season?? Looks like another 10-6 season and a 1st round playoff loss. Not bad considering most pundits picked Philly to be 7-9 or 8-8, at best, with no playoffs.
They are still a very young team which could set them up for a series of title runs over the next 3-4 years!— rickah88 - Title runs with a coach that refuses to run the ball to help out his QB who is getting hammered or to keep the opposing offense from his terrible defense...I don't think so. This year is the final proof t hat smart people needed to see that Andy Reid will never win a championship. He still makes the same mistakes as he did years ago.
- Completely agree. Your first sentence is dead on, and the fact that he didn't run the ball - Vick dropped back nearly 50 times, and McCoy rushed 5 times in the 2nd half - is a disgrace. — Bob1
- @ remyy - If we beat the Cowboys with candy arm Kolb we will equal the same amount of wins with 5 last season. All of this to have the same results. I will name you a coach with the same results....Marty Schottenheimer. Get a clue pal. Andy has ruined this defense by not selecting the proper talent at LB, CB and DE. Even when you have Super Man playing QB it doesn't matter because our defense is garbage and Andy refuses to ever run the ball with the running backs.
- Go Birds— CptObvious
- I beleive the problem with Babin was that McDermott did not know how to use him. Tenn has him moving around and that is the type of player he is, athletic enough to move around and be disruptive. McDermott is not ready for prime time yet.— jkeough
- I think soft players hurt the team. This is true of Samuels and Jackson. It was difficult watching them play against Minnesota. I can't help but believe their team mates know this as wel and resent itl. How can you have one standard of playing physical football for the entire team, but not these two? Trade them in the off season and get some real talent.— chestermarty
- They don't play Vick this Sunday unless Reid and Co. don't care about the playoffs and next season. I've never seen a team do a worse job protecting its quarterback, and I'm talking about the coaches, not the offensive line.— tacklinjoe
- Good comment about Ried's stupid Def philosophy of small but quick
DLM, it like the WCO is a relic of the past now, big DLM, that dominant, are back in, but as usually, Reid is 3 to 4 years behind the curve. Static Andy who can't seem to adjust to save his life??
McNabb is gone now, when will Lurie send this other fraud packing??— mikey48 - 100% agree with Over Exposed. Everything he has mentioned was a weakness before the season and continues to be so now. McDoormatt is terrible, I am not entirely sure his players respect him. Remyy; we're tired of the same act, until he wins the S.B. H HASN'T WON ANYTHING!
- Whoa whoa whoa, who said Harrison was a PREMIERE running back?
Do you even watch the Eagles, or are you just completely stupid? McCoy is getting there, he is NOT a top RB in this league. He still cuts backwards too much, he doesn't hit the hole well, and he holds the ball like a loaf of bread. One of Westbrook's best attributes was pass blocking, and that's what McCoy is getting great at this year. Let him block.
Do you also forget Weaver is out? Say bye bye to our best lead blocker. Our run game is not solid, why does everyone always think that? If our O-line is as terrible as you all say, why on earth would you run the ball MORE than what you're doing?
You guys baffle me. This team HAS a shot, when most of you all said they had NONE. Anything can happen in the playoffs. In terms of our weaknesses, we'll fix them in the offseason like we always do, for now, go birds. - I wish this had an edit button, but let me stress to Over_Exposed that he is a fool to believe that either Harrison OR McCoy are premiere running backs in this league. You, my friend, are insane to believe such silliness.
- We won the division in a rebuilding year you morons! you think D Jax, Maclin, Mc Coy, Vick, Celek, Allen, Cole, etc. all suck? It's a miracle. Go to DC!— Girth Brooks
overexposed...— dexter55
