Vick Feels Progress; Baskett to Colts
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Vick Feels Progress; Baskett to Colts
Les Bowen and Daily News staff
Scout team quarterback Michael Vick got two onehanded catches from rookie wideout Brandon Gibson yesterday, Gibson mimicking Marques Colston for the defense.
"Let's hope that once he gets out there in the game, he'll make the same kind of catches, and I think he will," Vick said.
"It feels good to be out there," said Vick, taken off the exempt list Tuesday. Vick, who will be eligible to play next week against Kansas City, could not practice with the team when he was on that list. "Get my legs back up under me, keep my mind fresh in football and in this offense I'm just happy -- I'm a football player, this is a great feeling for me ... My body has done a good job of responding to the conditioning and the beating I've put on it the last three or four weeks. I'm just excited."
The only development out of practice was that starting defensive end Victor Abiamiri left about midway through after experiencing groin discomfort, the Eagles said. Abiamiri did not want to discuss the matter. He seemed to be moving normally, though.
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BROWN JUST WANTS A CHANCE
Agent Jim Ivler confirmed to your Eagletarian this morning that WR Hank Baskett "is on his way to Indy to sign with the Colts." Baskett was released by the Eagles Tuesday and then cleared waivers yesterday, making him a free agent. Baskett was scheduled to make $1.5 million.
A little surprising that neither John Harbaugh in Baltimore or Steve Spagnuolo in St. Louis jumped in to make a waiver claim; guess the money was high for a backup-type. Indy is a perfect fit for Hank and his bride, Kendra. Mrs. Baskett just radiates that wholesome midwestern charm.
Also a little surprising was that the Eagles cut Baskett instead of Reggie Brown (unless you factor in the cap hit the Eagles would have taken for cutting Brown). Brown didn't sound to thrilled Thursday to have moved up to No. 5 or No. 6 on the wideout depth chart, instead of getting released, so he could cut a deal someplace where he might really play.
"You just try to stay positive. You try as hard as you can, and you keep working hard," Brown said. "Even a rose can grow out of piles of bull(spit). Why can't I?"
Or, as Stephen Stills once wrote, after evoking a similar "rose" image: "Don't be angry, don't be sad,
Don't sit cryin' over good things you've had."
Doubtful Reggie knows much about Stephen Stills, but he seemed to agree with the gist.
"I think they're going to give me a chance to play sooner or later. I'm going to go out there and try to do the best I can and help this team as much as possible, whether it's on special teams or anything," Brown said.
Will he be active this week?
"I don't know if I'm up, so I can't get excited yet," he said.
Asked if he wished he could have gone elsewhere, the 2005 second-round pick said "I just want to play. I think I'll get an opportunity to play here, and make the best of it ... I've been dealing with (not playing) since last year ... I can't sit around and hope and wish. I just gotta go out there and make something happen."
Is it a compliment that the team released Baskett and kept Brown?.
"A compliment? I'm still not playing. I don't see how you can see that as a compliment," he said.
Brown suggested reporters who wanted to know if he is playing this week should ask Eagles coach Andy Reid.
"I'm just as lost as you guys, he said.
Love the one you're with, Reggie.
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HERREMANS UPDATE
Left guard Todd Herremans said that right now, he expects to be wheeling his repaired left foot around on that little cart for three more weeks. So if all goes super-well, he might get back in the lineup a few weeks after the Birds’ bye.
“I want to shoot for the first Washington game (Oct. 26) so I can make all the divisional games,” said Herremans, who suffered what the team initially called a “stress reaction” during workouts at Lehigh. MRIs eventually showed it as a stress fracture.
Nick Cole seems to be a reasonably good sub for Herremans, but Herremans’ ability to slide outside and play tackle could come in handy, with Shawn Andrews down for the season.
“Winston (Justice) is doing a great job” subbing for Andrews, Herremans said. “I’m proud of him. I just want to get back and play guard right now.”
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SAINTS INJURIES
The Saints rested a lot of banged-up players Wednesday, including cornerback Tracy Porter (knee), tight end Jeremy Shockey (heel/ankle), offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod (ankle) and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy (knee), Brian Alle-Walsh, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports. Tight end Darnell Dinkins (foot) and offensive tackle Jammal Brown (hip) also did not practice. Safety Roman Harper (hamstring) was limited.
Tailback Pierre Thomas (knee) did get back on the field for the first time, going through a full practice while wearing a heavy brace. Thomas said he is determined to play against the Eagles, but he the decision will be up to the coaching staff.
Porter said he also hopes to play, but said he'll leave it up to the coaches and trainers. If he can't go, veteran Randall Gay and rookie Malcolm Jenkins both would likely move up one notch on the depth chart.
Shockey didn't get into specifics about his injury, which he suffered in practice last week. But he gave a thumbs-up sign and said, “I'm walking.”
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FEELEY: TIME TO MOVE ON
Former Eagles quarterback A.J. Feeley has been working overtime since landing in Carolina, trying to learn the Panthers' offense, saying he was experiencing information overload.
Feeley was released at the final roster cutdown, which seemed destined to happen once Michael Vick was signed. He then waited for his opportunity. Several teams called, including the Eagles, but Feeley said Carolina was the best fit.
"Just long-term, possibly, for me and where my career is," he said. "Looking at that, and seeing that the writing was on the wall with Philadelphia and I love those guys a lot and I love the place, but it's time to move on."
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DAWKINS MAKING IMPACT IN DENVER
"He brings an intensity to the game, even in practices," linebacker Mario Haggan said. "When you hear a guy like him speak, if you're not ready to play, you don't have a heart."
"The way that guy runs around the field, he saved a bunch of yards (Sunday) with open-field tackles," coach Josh McDaniels said. "And his energy and leadership on the sideline is as good as any player I've ever seen."
Said Dawkins: "I'm a blessed and anointed man to do what I do, and I don't take it for granted. I love what I do. It's an opportunity for me to go out and have a great time. People come to the game to have a great time. I go to the game to have a great time, so I'm not going to allow anything to deter me from that."
So a two week injury all the sudden turns into two months. John Runyan still isn't signed because why? If this line suffers any more injuries in the next 5 weeks, this team is in serious trouble.— pflynn20
Comment removed.- I'm glad Reid has given us plenty of other personel moves to scratch our heads over...i'm not nearly as PO'd about Dawkins as i was in the spring (insert sarcasm here).
- Comment removed.
- We haven't signed Runyan because of a Reid staple: "We like the guys we got and we can win with the guys we got."— Dave34
- Runyan still isn't signed because he's obviously not ready yet to play at a high level. Has anyone else in the NFL signed him? NO....so that tells you all you need to know. "but Herremans’ ability to slide outside and play tackle could come in handy, with Shawn Andrews down for the season." Stacy Andrews was a very good RT last year in Cincy so we already have a guard who can slide out to tackle. A better option also as Herremans hasn't played any RT before, he was a LT and is more suited to pass blocking than run blocking.— JimG
- Was listening to our Eagletarian this morning on WIP. Donovan has a fracture of his right 11th rib, one of the so called "floating ribs". By Sunday's game, the rib will be "sticky", in other words, the pleural surfaces surrounding the rib will adhere to prevent it from moving. Therefore, he will have essentially no chance of causing significant further injury. A flak jacket, an injection of a long-acting local anaesthetic, and an internal motivation to want to play this game, and I would not be shocked to see Donovan playing on Sunday. Neither should you.— arrowamy
- Jon Runyan isn't signed because: a) There's room to put him on the roster; b) he's coming off micro-fracture surgery; and c) he's no good anymore.— Falkirk
- It will be very interesting to see what baskett will do catching balls from the best in the business.Something tells me he will still fail.— stupidgurl
- to THE KID....amazing how you always make it sound as if this team is losing! "scratching our heads?" Over what move? I am sure if the Eagles win the super bowl this year, your comment will be, "with this coach it's going to take us another 11 years to win a super bowl"— vincemcd
Good for Hank. Will be great for him to have footballs hitting him in the numbers.— Richard Saunders- I am very happy for Hank Baskett. I wonder what he will now do with a quarterback who can actually throw accurate passes? He'll be a sub-star under Reggie Wayne!!— knebman
- it is a great opportunity for baskett, as they have nobody at the #2 or #3 receiver spots with any experience with Anthony Gonzalez down...— jim715
- I am so sick of the Eagles and their injury updates. Andrews "tweaks" his back, yet he misses all of training camp, preseason, etc. He then goes on IR, yet we still don't know why when he was medically cleared to play. Now, Herremans goes from a "stress reaction" to "stress fracture" to a 8 week injury. It wouldn't be shocking to see him on IR whent this is all said and done. Seriously, why didn't have the surgery in the preseason? I know Reid's excuse was the swellling had to go down, but come on. With today's technology, I know an MRI could show that it was fractured, swelling or no swelling. What is up with the Medical staff of the Eagles? Things always seem to be more than they seem. Did anyone forget about Ingram? Several teams said his ACL wasn't properly healed, yet the Eagles staff cleared him. Look how that turned out.— eaglegrn21
nick cole is an un-sung hero on this team and deserves a lot of credit for filling in for players at a variety of positions on a moments notice and, seemingly, never screwing up.
