Thoughts on Birds, and on T.O.
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Thoughts on Birds, and on T.O.
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Like many of you, I was interested in what Andy Reid had to say out in California at the NFL Meetings. Paul Domowitch did a fine job of getting all that on here yesterday.
Domo remains convinced that the Eagles are more worried about the running back position than about their left tackle situation, that they very well might end up with either Todd Herremans or Shawn Andrews moving to left tackle, and feeling fine with that. Domo certainly knows his stuff, and he was out there with the Birds braintrust and I was not, but I really can't see the Andy Reid I know prioritizing running back over left tackle.
End of the day, I think both are needs that ought to be addressed early in the draft.Conventional wisdom holds that it's easier to draft an impact running back than an elite left tackle. I don't know which will be targeted first, but I have a hard time envisioning Herremans or Andrews as the first option for the most important offensive line slot, one of the most important positions on the field.
At the combine last month, I heard Andy's spiel about how Andrews was the best college tackle he'd ever seen. I also know that Andrews didn't show up on time for training camp last year while grappling with depression, didn't play after injuring his back in Week 2, and didn't seem to be champing at the bit to return after surgery. Andrews is an amazing talent, but you're going to trust Donovan McNabb's blindside to this guy?
One of the things that made Tra Thomas valuable for so long was that he studied the guys he was going up against, and took pass protection very, very seriously. He would hold, bite, cut, whatever he had to do to keep his QB safe. Andrews has a different makeup. He's at his best on the run, flattening linebackers ahead of screens. I've never heard him described as a student of the game.
Herremans? More the type of personality you'd trust, but when the center is kidding you about how short your arms 
are, you're probably not a potential Pro Bowl tackle. I really think there's a significant move to be made here, either a first-day draft pick or the much-discussed trade for Buffalo's Jason Peters, which you'll recall we brought up a few weeks ago, after hearing John Clayton refer to Eagles interest.
Speaking of Buffalo, our old friend Terrell Owens has decreed that he only needs to show up for mandatory actvities. That's probably true, contractually. But have you ever heard of a receiver coming to a new team who didn't want to get as much work in with his new quarterback as possible? This was not Terrell's attitude 5 years ago when he arrived in sunny Philadelphia, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't how he approached Dallas in 2006. Good luck to Dick Jauron and Trent Edwards; they're going to need it.
I'm thinking maybe Terrell only wants to attend OTAs in which there is no possibilty of snow in Buffalo. In that case, he won't meet his new teammates until training camp.
Finally, the intrepid Sheil Kapadia at Moving the Chains on this site was very thorough in his treatment of the amazing Ryan Moats story, which for once does not involve the former Eagles running back forgetting his assignment or fumbling. This time, Moats, now a Houston Texan, was an apparently innocent victim of an overzealous (and perhaps racially profiling) Dallas cop. Moats was trying to get to a hospital where his wife's mother was dying. Thankfully, it seems the Dallas police are taking the situation seriously.
Voluntary means mandatory, and im sure the Bill's players are already furious with his decision not to show. Cant wait till the Sunday nite opener when the Pats are destroying the Bills, and T.O. is trippin already b4 halloween. Niagara Falls ne1?— Onlineps2beast- Is that picture of Herremans from his stint on "The Bachelor". "I'm a Midwestern guy, just looking for a nice down to earth girl."— celtic_13
- Iffy on Shawn-Boy? Heh heh. Is he the stable person who's gonna be there 16 or 18 plus games? It's a big unknown. I say an OT is drafted and whether it's a first or second rounder may not matter so much. There's talent out there. Then Reid will have an option to use a rookie or a veteran. All those picks suggest an active draft day whether in trades up or trades of current picks for future picks. Or trades for players. Can't wait to see how it plays out.— Chuckle Berry
Comment removed.- Sad story on Moats, but I don't see how it is racial profiling. He ran a red light. Perhaps you can call the cop bigoted, instead.— mikemaddog
- Sad story on Moats, but I don't see how it is racial profiling. He ran a red light. Perhaps you can call the cop bigoted, instead.— mikemaddog
- The Moats story is sad, sad, sad. Having said that, I think the officer should make a better judgement call than that.— Chuckle Berry
- I think I'm with Domo on the OT situation. Herremans can do the job (short arms notwithstanding), as can Andrews. Obviously if a deal can be made for Peters, great, but otherwise don't sweat it. Also, while a RB and Pettigrew might be nice, I wonder if Cal center Alex Mack is on the board at 28, whether the Birds might grab him? Smart, tough, and an anchor on the OL for years to come ...
- Nice story Les. Makes you think about the situation a little more objectively. You are right about who they are planing on putting at tackle....Andrews or Herremans, not exactly as safe and solid as we have had. I personnally dont think that we will be able to get the stud tackle in the draft, they will already be gone at 21 or 28 or where we can move up. So it makes me think I want this Jason Peters guy even more if it can get done! Plus I want to use these top picks on a running back, wide receiver, or TE- Pettigrew. If we would just have signed Tra for at least one more year, we wouldnt be forced to have to use these top picks already.— #1WRneeded
- TO = team killer. Wherever he goes, an implosion is soon to follow. Why these morons continue to pay him lots of $$ to do this is beyond me.— Tar Heel 1
- Just think about how much B.S. we could be going through if T.O. had made his way back to town..... Thankfully that didn't happen, cancer does become malignant at times, and they can concentrate on real needs. If they can get past some of the obvious questions at tackle - does Runyan return for one more year - and concentrate on a real draft, this team just might eek out a memorable season. One can only wonder what it would've been like to have had a real fullback last season.....all those close games with real implications....— 77volks
- I think the Eagles will draft an OT because they'll at least want another option. Can King Dunlap play or not? I'd like to see the Eagles go after Jason Peters. If they were to add another Pro-Bowl lineman, their line would be scary.— p-diddy
- 5isaking is an idiot in a humans body....a loser who is McStinks baggage handler— SkipinWV
- I'm glad T.O. is showing his true colors early! Sorry Buffalo, you're going to need therapy after his tenure is up!
- Don't forget about Runyun. During his interview, Reid sounded like he was still at least considering big John, which I think is a good idea. I'd keep him at right and shift Stacy Andrews to left tackle.— fgdavis
