Eagles add RB? Reid talks QBs
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Eagles add RB? Reid talks QBs
Daily News staff
UPDATED:
The Eagles are expected to sign running back Joique Bell off the Buffalo Bills practice squad, a source close to the situation confirmed to the Daily News. (An earlier version of this post said the signing had taken place. Apparently, it hasn't.)
Bell was the Harlon Hill award winner as the Division II player of the year last season at Wayne State, when he ran 2,084 yards and posted 29 touchdowns.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bills and then was among the final cuts before the regular season began. He was signed to the Bills' practice squad the following day.
The Eagles cannot sign a player off another team's practice squad without putting him on their 53, so somebody will have to go if Bell is added.
The Eagles have four running backs at the moment: LeSean McCoy, Mike Bell, Eldra Buckley and fullback Owen Schmitt. McCoy and Schmitt definitely aren't going anywhere.
EARLIER
Andy Reid is aware of the notion that many fans think Michael Vick gives the Eagles the best chance to win right now at quarterback. He doesn’t really care.
“I can’t please everybody,” he said. “I know that. I’m here to make the decision that is right for the team … I think it’s a beautiful situation. I’ve got two quarterbacks that can play and a third young one that I think down the road here will be a good one at a very important position … I’m a happy guy. There are a lot of teams that don’t have good quarterbacks. I think we can win with both guys.”
Pressed again, Reid said, “We’ll see how it all works out. I’m not here to justify one over the other. I’m not doing that. I’m very proud of Michael. Michael is a heck of a player. He was one of the all time greats in this league at one time. He’s on his way back. Kevin’s future, he doesn’t have the same experience, but it’s a bright one.”
Asked whether Vick’s performance put more pressure on Kolb upon his return, Reid said, “You play quarterback in the National Football League. There’s pressure on you. You control what you can control and you go play. That’s how this things works. I’m not big on all that other stuff. Go play the game.”
As for whether Vick’s role will be expanded, Reid said, “We’ll see how it goes.”
On Kolb, Reid said, "I think Kevin have a lot of confidence in himself. I think the players have a lot of confidence in him. At that position, sometimes things aren’t going to go the way you want them all the time. Kevin’s a tough kid and that’s what you have to bank on. He’ll be fine. He’s an upbeat guy that knows he can play the game."
And on Vick, "I was very proud of him. It’s a true testament if you work hard, keep your nose clean, good things can happen. I’m proud of the way he led the football team yesterday. He made some plays that I thought were unique and that he can do in his game."
As for the physical condition of Kolb and linebacker Stewart Bradley coming off concussions, Reid said, "they have been cleared in every way you can do it."
"You’ve got keep an eye on them," he said. "They go practice, that’s what they do ... You put them out there and see if there are any signs of anything, which rick will do, and then you go play. They’re good to go unless something crazy comes up."
Vick was sacked six times yesterday and the Eagles have allowed 12 sacks in two games.
Detroit played to its strength defensively, with an aggressive approach, especially from its front four, but Reid said the Eagles will work this week on doing a better job of handling the blitz.
“They were bringing more than you could block,” Reid said. “We normally don’t see that quite as much as they were doing it. With that, I’ve got to give the quarterback the opportunity to get the football out of his hands. I can help him with playcalls in that type of situation. There were times when we didn’t handle the blitz the right way. Maybe we weren’t pushing the line the right way and communicating all the way across. It’s not one person, it’s not one position. It’s all of us on that thing, doing a little bit better … That should never be able to happen to us.”
Reid also addressed how Detroit was able to rally and make thegame much tighter than it seemingly should have been in the fourth quarter. He was asked if that letdown was the sign of a young team.
"I keep my ears open down there," Reid said. "I heard the veteran players saying it, but it’s everybody bringing it together. Offensively, you can stall, if you have 28 points on the board, you have to get more. If you have 35 points, you have to get more. You have to have a greedy, greedy attitude. When the offense stalls and the defense allows things to happen, that’s a bad combination. When you look at it offensively, the best way to establish it is to stay on the field … That’s something we can learn from. You should never let that happen as a football team."
On the injury front, defensive lineman Brandon Graham has a shoulder strain that Reid described as more of a spasm and had an MRI today. Offensive lineman Austin Howard had a back strain.
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To read our earlier interview with Kevin Kolb, click here.
We'll see how it goes....Andy Reid for give me a cheesesteak! It's a beautiful situatuion....Andy reid for got any Tastycakes? I can't please everybody....Andy Reid for and I really don't care as long as Jeffery is happy!— jakster
No, it would be a beautiful situation if kolb could actually play- Yeah Vick might of just saved ur job this year— Eaglesfan804
- it's going to take more then a 3 point win over the dreadful lions to get on the conVick bandwagon,,Kevin Kolb will play this week lets see what he's does with jacksonville..what nitwit(pp) said Jay Cutler couldn't play???he's only the NFL's top rated QB......wolf.
— wolf 4 - Kolb has put in his time and desrves a chance. But I'd hate to see a season go up in flames just to apease Kolb's ego. If he doesn't perform. Vick should get the starting job.— PhillyFanSouth
Comment removed.- Wolf....there you go again blaming the QB for not playing defense good enough. Vick didn't give up 32 points my man. Just like McNabb didn't lose all those so called important games all by himself. With your theory, you weren't a good enough fan and that's why the Eagles only won by 3 pts.— PhillyFanSouth
- Running vick onto the field every other play won't get Kolb and more comfotable.— hititwheretheyaint
- Explain how Vick was "one of the all time greats" in the NFL? As what? A running QB? It certainly isn't from touchdown passes, lack of interceptions, accuracy rating or Super Bowl wins. This franchise is an absolute JOKE.— MichaelZoe
- Class of the NFC East?? Excuse me, donovanwitarealteamnow, but correct me if I'm wrong, didn't the mighty redskins lose yesterday to Houston? Weren't they up, I think 17 points and lost in OT?? Or was I just imagining that?— tiredofthewhining
- Andy says...therefor it is....You have heard it from on high.....
the dictator has spoken.....and from far far on high Jeffery is please that Sndy gets all the criticism for everything and he can jsut sit back and watch Joe count his money....— nuggett - DonovanwitaRealTeamNow -- you a loser too man. didnt you say that we were going to lose and that we will have a 2-14 season. you talk just to talk i see. just as bad as bill20 and wolf
- Please fire Reid, Banner, and that goofy new GM we have,. they are all clowns....they will be so stubborn that no matter what, they will play softy Kolb cause of the McNabb trade..as long as the 3 stoogies still run this team, we will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never win the SB...PERIOD— phillyfanyo
- Reading between the lines here...You better believe it was a revelation to Reid to see what he saw out of Vick. All of his comments imply genuine satisfaction, even amazement, with his performance. He's going to give Kolb a chance, here, but we'll be seeing plenty of Vick against the Jags, and you better believe that if Kolb stinks it up, Vick will be in there against the Skins. There is no way they'll be hand-wrapping that game for McNabb at home. But Reid's best case scenario is still on the table. That Kolb effectively runs the offense with a major assist from Vick on third down and in the red zone. The D is going to have to respect Vick's in and out presence a lot more from here on out... For all that is said by me and others about Reid's blunders and slow thinking...it cannot be lost on him that Vick has led the team to six touchdowns in about 10 possessions while Kolb hasn't generated anything this year, even during preseason and training camp. Yes, one of the reasons why the staff and reporters were so high on this defense was because they dominated the offense during inter-squad drills and scrimmages...— auntesther
- McNabb was the only reason the redskins even had a chance yesterday, 400+ yards, 119 qb rating. You want him to kick field goals too! Enough about him anyway, we have our own issues that start and end with Kolb.— Eaglesfan804
