Scouts' Take: Linebackers
As the countdown to the season opener continues, the Daily News had two NFL scouts break down the Eagles by position. Each scout was provided anonymity to allow them to speak freely.
Scouts' Take: Linebackers
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
Two scouts offer their take on Casey Matthews and the rest of the Eagles' linebackers. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
As the countdown to the season opener continues, the Daily News had two NFL scouts break down the Eagles by position. Each scout was provided anonymity to allow them to speak freely.
Over the next few days here on Eagletarian, we will provide the "Scouts' Take," with the full rundown appearing in Thursday's special Daily News preview section.
Here is what the scouts had to say about the linebackers:
Scout 1: "It’s a very, very average group. I like Casey Matthews. He’s not his brother, but he’s always around the football and is smart. But would I be nervous with him as my starting middle linebacker? Yeah. I would much prefer if he were in the middle with two really good veterans on either side. Then you wouldn’t even worry about having a rookie in there. They’ve just got a lot of issues, starting with consistency. You’re putting your trust in a bunch of young guys who don’t have a lot of snaps. And that would make me nervous.’’
Scout 2: "The key, at least initially, is going to be Matthews. We weren’t very high on him when he came out. We didn’t think he could be a starting middle linebacker. But they obviously do. I like (Jamar) Chaney, but I think he’s a better fit at MIKE because he’s got that speed and explosion that you need in the middle. To me, it looks like just an average group. I don’t see them getting their hands on footballs. I don’t see them knocking the ball loose. I don’t see them making impactful hits. The only guy I see close to that is Chaney.’’
Here is yesterday's evaluation of the offensive line.
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In light of the Dream Team hype, we took a look at how this year's lineup compares on paper to the Eagles teams in 1960, 1980, 1990 and 2004.
Comments (50)
Drumgoole, all the great teams have great linebackers. How about the Patriots with Brady having Bruskie and Vrabel, or the current Steelers group if you want to be current. Football is football no matter past or present, and you need good linebackers to win.— watsonmr- Football good.
— hallux - Wow frank105... you are absolutely PROOF that teh Eagles have some DUMB fans.— Cr0we
- I love all these fans pretend like they'll accept nothing less than a SB from Reid, then spend half their lives pissing their time away.— p-diddy
- Are the average, or are they very average?— p-diddy
- I guess that having a great linebacker like Lawrence Taylor did not help the Giants. Likewise, Butkus, Bednarik, Lewis, Nitschke, etc were not all that important in helping their teams. What is so hard to understand is the obsessional thinking by Reid. He never leets the facts interfere with his ideas.— Drumgoole
- Frank go jump off a bridge already you and charlie bore me. Yack Yack AR wont win a superbowl. You are a DebbieDowner go play in traffic.. Yes Parcells didn't win with the Pats, Jets, Dallas, or now Miami.. but he has 2 superbowls with the Giants.. 4 failing teams make him bad? Debbie Downer go play in traffic now.— Dave76
- Frank has the online version of Tourettes.— CenterFielderGaryMaddox
- I like Andy Reid, he has been a good coach and there are a whole list of teams that would love to have him as a head coach, but I do believe that this will not be a Super Bowl season. There are just way too many questions. A poor group of linebackers, a poor offensive line, a 31 year old injury prone QB. Stranger things have happened, but it will take a whole ton of breaks for this team to win more than one playoff game. We will find out in 5 days won't we.— golson@florida
- They don't have talent at Linebacker. A 4th round rookie who every other team had him as a sixth or more tot he point a career special teams player. Chaney is decent and the rest would have trouble making about 3/4 of the NFL rosters.— UncleStosh
- Matthews is a ballplayer. Chaney is a beast. Fokou is holding Clayton's spot until he gets his head out of his behind and acts like he gives a damn in practice. If he doesn't Rolle will take the spot away soon, anyway. Yes, they are young, yes they are smallish, but don't let anybody tell you they don't have talent at linebacker.— Paul SoTX
- Hey Frank 105 it took Cowher 13 years and one SB loss. Get a grip! You want the other great coaches that served here before him? Reid is the winningest coach in Eagles history.— Zeedog
- I have to agree with Frank...who cares that we make the playoffs almost every year? Isn't the only goal is to win the Super bowl? The bottom line is after 13 years of failure. One superbowl loss, FOUR championship game loses is unacceptable!! Any other half decent coach wins 1 or 2 rings. The problem is and always will be, is that he get's outcoached in every big game. He's the worst game day coach in the history of the league, which includes clock management and adjustments. I don't care how many playoffs you've been too..YOU HAVE TO WIN THE BIG ONE AFTER ALL THOSE CHANCES. He finally has the so called talent. So if he doesn't win it this year, he should be gone. I hope— kchaz
- Frank, your comment that Andy has never won nor Vick is not very insightful. Thats like saying no team/coach/player that has never won before can win it all. Werent they all saying how Rodgers had never won a playoff game last year? And the post about this being a linebackers article is spot on, why must I sift through the top comments by you and CG25 about Reid on every article that is not discussing Reid? Do you even watch the games, if so, why? if you think every season will end in disappointment it must not be much fun. We get it, there are fans that hate Reid, now post something interesting because nobody cares to read the same snarky bs everyday.— peteike
Comment removed.- Scouts are always 100% accurate with their player assessments so the Eagles should cut Matthews right now. I wonder which one of these two recommended the 49ers take Alex Smith instead of Aaron Rodgers.— guyguy4
- As usual, what's blatantly obvious to EVERYONE is oblivious to Reid.— ej610
- We all thought Charlie Manual was an idiot until he won the world series...Now he is a fan favorite. You negative folks kill me on this website.— briman
- Dick LeBeau knows a bit about defense. It is easier to find 250 lb athletes than it is to find others, he is quoted as saying. 5 SB trophies in the case. Their chart says pay the LBs. Oh, and those SBs , 3 different coaches. Hmmmmmm— oldBird
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Scout # 2 is right in stating Chaney is the player in the group...But different systems need different talents..Castillo obviously wants Chaney's speed for covering the Tight Ends, versus running sideline to sideline from the middle....I expect Rolle and Clayton to both get increased playing time as the season goes on..Time will tell— bearsfriend
- The Eagles problems are with Andy Reid.The reports on LB's are the good LB's are out of position and overall they are not impact players who will stop the runners at point of meeting.— tulsaphil
- Comment removed.
- Are Frank and Charlie the same guy?— camasbud
- This team should make the playoffs this year - if the coaching staff doesn't get conservative in crucial times of each game, if Vick keeps his head and does not make lots of mistakes, if we can manage somehow to stop the run...lots if "If's"— Tom Man
- Andy Reid has NEVER won a Super Bowl in 13 long years...and sick Vick is 31 years old and has NEVER won a Super Bowl...and yet you morons think the Eagles will magically win a Super Bowl this season...you are dumb as a rock, and don't even know it.— frank105
- I most certainly wish our linebackers were better or at least more experienced. But every team has weaknesses. My gripe is that the commentaries always compare the Eagles to perfection instead of keeping things in context and comparing the Eagles to the norms for the league.
Do I wish the linebacker corp was better? You bet. Do I acknowledge that in the age of the salary cap every team will have some weak players somewhere? You bet.— Falkirk - weak at middle linebacker and weak at safety.
andy always goes into the season self sabotaging himself and his teams success.
in january we will all be wailing and nashing our teeth because eagles got beat up the gut in the playoffs.— bloodymess - frank105, so you finally admit you're not an Eagles fan. I figured you were some troll from the Cowgirls or Ginas. How long did it take Cowher to win that Super Bowl smart guy?— cous76
- Eagles will not win the Super Bowl. Bad Karma.— ManU63
- Sadly, "Scout 2" is exactly right. Have to believe that at some point Chaney is back in the middle, and Matthews is doing his thing on special teams. Till then ...— FishFryFrank
- Eagles have the dumbest fans....they are happy with 10-6 and first round playoff loss at home.....no wonder Andy Reid has been here for 13 long years with NO Super Bowl...and still has not been fired......dumb fans ensure Reid's job security.— frank105
- Right. Because the fans hire and fire the coaches. Troll. — OldWhiteandRich
- frank105 is the leader of the dumbest fans — fred13
- "Reid is 128-82-1" quote from todays' article by Les Bowen. Les's article is absolutely right that Reid will be in the Hall of Fame. If you want to bash Andy, why not post on that article? In regards to THIS article, the linebackers are worrisome. I like Chaney and Matthews, Fokou is below average. They could use a vet in there, lets say, Lance Briggs.— cletisvandam
- Reid in the Hall of Fame? He's only had a team in the Super-bowl once and has an abysmal record in league championship games against huge underdogs. I'm sorry, I just don't see it. Obviously winning the big one changes things. — auntesther
- More stupid comments from frank105, BOOK IT. Oh and #22 is still on the roster, BOOK IT.— Flyboy24
- Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha....Reid run out of town...yeah right. Wake up.— PorkChopExpress
- Reid is awful...but some dumb fans think that 10-6 with a first round playoff loss at home is good.— frank105
- Could be worse. Think Lion, Browns, Raiders. It would be nice to finally have a SB thou— urbnasty
- Uh Raiders beat the Eagles in a superbowl already — Tom Man
- Hey frank105... "yawn".— MVKrum
- Hey frank105... "yawn".— MVKrum
- Hey frank105... "yawn".— MVKrum
- i know nickels' little chart says you don't pay linebackers but it absolutely makes no sense that they would just ignore this position year after year -- and constantly pay for it with big losses.— snakeplissken
- My biggestproblem with A. Reid its that he had D,Mcnabb for 10 years never gave him the offense help he need it at WR.....and he never run the ball, he need to understade that to win a championship u need to run the ball— T.K.O
- Andy Reid is awful....Reid is going into his 13th season and HAS NEVER WON THE SUPER BOWL...NEVER..Mike Tomlin with the Steelers won a Super Bowl in his SECOND SEASON...Bill Bellichek with the Patriots WON A SUPER BOWL IN HIS SECOND SEASON, and also Bellichek won Super Bowls in his FOURTH AND AGAIN IN HIS FIFTH SEASON....even Mike McCarthy last season with Packers WON THE SUPER BOWL IN HIS FIFTH SEASON...Come on Andy Reid has been here THRIRTEEN SEASONS...and ZERO SUPERBOWL WINS...ZERO..pathetic....If Reid does not win a Super Bowl this season with this DREAM TEAM and $100 million QB...Reid will be run out of town...period.— frank105
- Dear Editor:
Could you please add a button next to the "Like", "Dislike", etc. buttons called "Report Stupidity"?
Thanks— gaitherfan - Both guys say "average", with good secondary play and good line play, the Eagles "should" be able to live with that. The big question is the O-Line. That unit will make or break the season. At this point, anything can happen.— Craig321
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Eagletarian is your home for comprehensive coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Les Bowen
Daily News Staff Writer
Paul Domowitch
Daily News NFL Columnist
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