Jamaal Is Staying; Cuts Are In
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Jamaal Is Staying; Cuts Are In
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
The Eagles are keeping center Jamaal Jackson as a backup. Two other veterans who might have been in danger of getting cut, DE Juqua Parker and RT Winston Justice, agreed to restructure their contracts to stay, a source close to the situation said. Apparently, if Parker and Justice remain backups, they will take a pay cut, but if they end up starting again, and are productive, they can make their full original salaries.
Here is the complete list of Saturday's cuts: S Jamar Adams, RB Eldra Buckley, WR Chad Hall, CB Joselio Hanson, DT Anthony Hargrove, WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, T Austin Howard, S Marlin Jackson, DT Derek Landri, TE Donald Lee, LB Greg Lloyd, C/G Mike McGlynn, WR Sinorice Moss, DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, T Fenuki Tupou and T Reggie Wells.
As expected, DE Brandon Graham starts the season on the physically unable to perform list, where he must stay for six weeks. Justice has been activated from PUP. Ryan Harris, the early favorite to start at right tackle, was released with an injury settlement after back surgery.
Surprises, there were a few. Very few observers would have placed undrafted rookie DT Cedric Thornton ahead of veteran Landri during the preseason. Thornton was good; Landri, who started every game for Carolina last season, was excellent. But they were competing for the fifth DT spot, a guy who probably isn't going to be active on Sunday if the other four are healthy. Thornton might gain from a developmental year, and he is under contract for three years. Landri, a vested veteran, was on a one-year deal that would become fully guaranteed if he were on the Week 1 roster. Stashing him as an inactive for a year wouldn't help Landri or the Eagles very much in the long run.
Also, after Week 1, vets can be signed to nonguaranteed deals. Could Thornton then go to the practice squad and Landri return to the roster, if no one signs him? Absolutely.
"You try to kind of balance having the best team right now, which is obviously our goal, and at the same time being strong going forward," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told a conference call with reporters.
Although your Eagletarian's roster projections were wrong in many particulars, he was right about one thing -- the Birds kept six corners and five safeties. Hanson ended up being released, not traded; the Eagles could have gotten a little something for him earlier in the preseason, but as it became apparent he would have to be cut, offers dried up.
Roseman alluded to rookie RB Dion Lewis as the kickoff returner, and said there were experienced punt returners on the roster, even after Moss and Hall were released. (Hall has practice squad eligibility.)
The current roster -- which very likely will change as the Eagles examine the 1,100-plus cuts across the league -- contains 11 rookies, not including DE Phillip Hunt, a CFL vet who counts as a "first-year player." They have just five wide receivers, which means if they don't add anyone, Steve Smith should be active Week 1 in St. Louis.
Roseman lauded Hunt's strong camp and preseason, and pointed to Hunt when asked about the release of 2010 third-round pick Te'o-Nesheim (who retains practice squad eligibility, by the way.)
"This is a guy that every game he played was making a difference rushing the passer," Roseman said of Hunt. "It's no slight on Te'o, but more of, really, the camp that Phillip Hunt had."
Despite the new kickoff rule, the Birds kept at least two veteran special teams stalwarts, LB Akeem Jordan and S Colt Anderson.
Parker, 33, is the oldest Eagle. Lewis, who doesn't turn 21 until Sept. 27, is the youngest.
The Eagles can form their 8-member practice squad tomorrow.
Comment removed.
Guessing they are not done yet.
I guess they really do like King Dunlap.— jmk1512- Moss, McGlynn, Wells, Landri--they are tough cuts, on the 0-line because there is so little depth.— monsieurms
- Landri and Hall are two players I'd like to have on the roster...insane effort,Philly type guy's....practice squad?...it's 50/50 IMO that either will still be there.
— greenbloodVAEagle - Landi's not eligible.
— phillychaos - Classy attitude by McGlynn - and why is Laws still on this team - he's had 9 good quarters in his career. King Dunlap?? Okay, we get it - he's tall and big. But he can't bend his legs, ahhhhhhhh!!— el guapo
- King Dunlop must have photos of Andy in a compromising position with a box of Twinkies— blaqjaq
- Donald Lee could have been a weapon for us...sigh.— DonovanMcNabb
- WillieHorton,
Cn you do me a favor and explain the "nickels?" I've seen it posted quite a few times and I don't get it. Are you implying that Joey is cheap? Because if that's what you're going for you could've gotten away with it up until this offseason. It has to be something else so please indulge me and explain. It will be greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly,
SeanMan.— SeanMan - Teo hahahahahahahahhaha— HAROLD Eskin
- wow, a guy from the CFL was better then your own THIRD ROUND PICK. that is called BAD DRAFTING and its what REid has been doing the last 6 years. Ever since Modrak left and Reid got all the power the drafts have gotten WORSE AND WORSE with more wasted and idiodic pics. HE WILL NEVER WIN A SB. NEVER. NOT ON ANY PLANET, NOT WITH THIS GARBAGE ROSTER, NOT WITH ANY ROSTER. NEVER.— CharlieGarner25
- So what are they down to on the roster now, Charlie Genius, like 9 or 10 of their 12 draftees last year? Yeah, they TRULY SUCK IT. — ahab
- Ok, so they kept 9 or 10. So what if they aren't that good! Who you bragging about? Chaney the 7th round starting LB and starting out of position at that? Nate Allen? Laws? Oh no I know Bunkley. Oh wait he was a 1st rounder a few years ago and he was essentially cut. If you exclude the three excellent skill position players Andy drafted - DJax, MacLain, and McCoy - Andy has been terrible at drafting. The only way you can use the number of players on a roster as justification for a good draft is if they win the Super Bowl or at least go deep in the playoffs and if you have noticed they haven't done that with Andy's brilliant picks. — Eagle GREEN Mt State
- If we exclude your three remaining teeth I'm sure you'd make Charlie Genius an even better suck. But you'd still be talking out your ash about the Eagles. — ahab
