Reid: Andrews to IR for 'Sore Back'
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Reid: Andrews to IR for 'Sore Back'
Les Bowen and Daily News staff
Eagles coach Andy Reid denied Wednesday that the reason tackle Shawn Andrews was placed on injured reserve was anything but medical.
As far as he is concerned, Reid said, Andrews' back problem is why his season is over. But when asked for specifics about the injury, he kept using words like "sore," which are not indicative of a season-ending injury.
"He has a sore back. Its been recurring," Reid said during a news conference. "It's that simple ... He's not able to function right now."
Eagles right guard Stacy Andrews said he can see the amount of pain his brother is in when he gets up or sits down.
"A back is something you can't play with," said Stacy. "I've dealt with a tight back when I was out of shape and whatnot so I know how it feels. But I really don't know what amount of pain he's in."
He said he didn't know if his brother would need more surgery, but he feels they will play together eventually. Stacy signed a free agent contract with the Birds on the first day of the signing period in part for the chance to play alongside Shawn.
"I know he wants to be out playing," Stacy said. "I know he loves football."
Reid declined to be specific about the MRI exam Andrews apparently underwent Monday, which a team source has said was viewed by several doctors. Andrews was put on IR on Tuesday when the team activated quarterback Jeff Garcia.
In mid-August, Andrews visited Dr. Robert Watkins, who operated on his back last year. The Eagles have said Watkins found no structural problem. It isn't clear whether that diagnosis changed after the setback Andrews suffered last week.
"I'm not getting into what Dr. Watkins said or didn't say," Reid said.
Reid said left guard Todd Herremans (foot) remains out this week, and indeed, Herremans, still pushing his foot around on a rolling cart, said he is targeting the bye week for his return.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb (rib), linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder) and safety Quintin Demps were not scheduled to practice, Reid said.
Asked about the possibility of former Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan returning, Reid did not indicate that was imminent. Runyan has worked out for three teams, including the Eagles, as he attempts to recover from offseason microfracture surgery on his knee.
"I needed to see him work out," Reid siad. "Where I'm at rosterwise, I'm good right now."
The Eagles have nine offensive lineman on the 53-man roster and do not have a true backup for right tackle Winston Justice without making other moves along the line.
The coach also reiterated that Kevin Kolb is the starting quarterback if McNabb cannot play Sunday. The Eagles added Jeff Garcia on Monday.
Reid said McNabb's rib needs to get "sticky," so it isn't moving up and down, before he plays. McNabb will not practice today but Reid said he is making progress and that it was too early to tell what his availability might be.
"I’m taking it day by day literally," he said. "That’s kind of what you do with rib injuries. You just kind of see how the thing heals up. It was fractured, so it takes a little bit of time. It was fractured all the way through."
McNabb broke a rib in the rear of his ribcage when he was tackled on a touchdown run in the thrd quarter against Carolina.
Michael Vick and Garcia will run the scout team this week. Garcia would be the emergency QB if McNabb ends up playing.
In a conference call with New Orleans reporters, Reid was asked what changes he would make in the offense if Kolb were the quarterback instead of McNabb. "We don’t change much. It’s what we do," he said. "We did it throughout training camp. We’ll stick with the system there."
He also was asked about what Kolb working with the first team will mean for his preparation. "He’ll be in charge of the offense during the practice here," Reid said. "It allows him to get 100 percent of the reps, which I would say is most different from coming in as a relief pitcher there, as a backup.
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Meanwhile ...
* National Football Post is reporting that seven teams contacted the Eagles about wide receiver Hank Baskett before he was released Tuesday. That included the Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns,Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, a league source. Baskett is expected to draw heavy interest on the waiver wire.
* Also, the Saints are practicing outdoors today, as they begin preparations for a trip to face the Eagles, our firends at the Times-Picayune are reporting. The Saints opened last week with a victory over Detroit indoors at the Superdome.
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To read our post on Kevin Kolb's comment and wat Drew Brees says about playing in Philly, click here.
To read our earlier report on the state of the 53-man roster, click here.
umm, he basically has no other option then to say a player was placed on IR for medical reasons, otherwise the player's union would file a grievance.— joeolive- No matter, the "sports writers" and the rest of the fanatics aren't concerned with reality. It's the story that sells and this one is about Shawn Andrews being more concerned with YouTube than football. Forget that he is a tackle trying to play football with a bad back. To Gonzo, Sheridan and the rest of the drama queens the NFL might as well be a daytime soap opera where they are living out their fantasy of writing the story lines.— sla6yer
- Reid is soft on his guy...but even he realizes it is time for Shawn to get well .....and he now has a year to heal, to think and to figure out where football will be in his life....but the Eagles to thier credit hae to move on...— nuggett
- This is just Reid being Reid. He doesn't ever dog a guy out in the media. Saying Shawn is "sore" is all you need to know. That is as close to saying "soft" as it gets without actually saying it.— Denali
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- I agree completely with Denali...he wanted to say Shawn was soft mentally and physically....— GangGreen
- I guess at the moment there is no true backup for Justice, but Herremans can play there when he comes back, and McGlynn is on the taxi squad, right? The position is covered without Shawn, but the quality of the line is a different story.— tacklinjoe
- How does putting Andrews on IR affect salary cap? It's very obvious Shawn Andrews doesn't want to play football why not just cut him? Let BidKid73 focus on his music & youtube.— K_Ball
- Actually, Stacy Andrews can play tackle. At a pro-bowl level, no less. And they have more depth at guard than they do at tackle, so if Stacy slides outside, they can plug in three guys at that open slot at guard - Nick Cole (upon return of Herremans), Max Jean-Gilles, and Mike McGlynn (upon his return from a minor injury). So if Justice goes down or under-performs, look for Stacy Andrews to play RT. And then, let the REAL hating begin. Stacy has no idea what's in store for him by way of guilt-by-association. The only news in this piece, by the way, is that Reid has no interest in Runyan. Not surprising, but the fact he was blunt about it is news. VERY GOOD NEWS! "Living in the Past" makes a nice Jethro Tull song title, but it's no way to run an organization. Just ask the US automakers.— montgomeryhopkins
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- Anyone who thinks Runyan can go up against that pass rush that resides in the Meadowlands is an idiot.— dont_be_a_hater
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- how come no one is mentioning how galatically STUPID the eagles are for not getting something for Baskett when other teams apparently were trying to give something for him??? "No thanks guys, we don't want an extra draft pick in 2011. We'll just let him go and you guys can fight it out yourselves. Have at 'em."— philzrule
- I think fat men must stick together, how else to explain Reid's man-love for Big Useless Baby Andrews.— BananaHammock
