Don't give up on Watkins
The Eagles bench their first round draft choice.
Don't give up on Watkins
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Danny, we hardly knew ye.
Before he has played a down, the Eagles have benched Danny Watkins, their first round draft choice. They picked him this spring and penciled him in at right guard from the very beginning -- and then, this morning, Watkins was erased by coach Andy Reid. In his place, Kyle DeVan will be the starter for the season opener against St. Louis. DeVan was claimed on waivers the other day after the Indianapolis Colts cut him. All of which raises the question: what would the Eagles have done had the Colts not decided to let DeVan go?
Reid dropped some hints at his Wednesday press conference that the move was going to take place, but he has not confirmed anything -- and he apparently told Watkins not to say anything. Reporters in the locker room sniffed it out, though, and here the Eagles are on the eve of the season opener, making it up as they go along.
Is this any way to win a Super Bowl?
Or develop a rookie offensive lineman?
Say this about Watkins: to take a guy with a relatively limited football background, and to give him no off-season work, and to watch him miss the first few days of an already-abbreviated training camp in a contract dispute, and then to expect him to be able to start on opening day, was probably a stretch. Reid's first hint that Watkins was a work in progress came about 3 weeks ago. His play in subsequent games was viewed by amateur observers (like me) as either substandard or, well, meh.
They likely could have lived with meh.
Now, we know.
But here's the thing: the Eagles have done Watkins a disservice. They did not need to annoint him as the starter on draft day. They could have recognized the reality -- that he was likely to have his hands full, especially in a lockout-encumbered environment, and that the goal was to get him ready as quickly as possible but not necessarily on opening day.
The Eagles went with the anointing, though, which means that as they pull this cumbersome switcheroo at the last minute, they leave everybody thinking that Watkins has failed them. They leave Watkins now in the position of having to fight that perception.
The reality is that the Eagles failed here, not Watkins. They are the ones who miscalculated.
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We didn't give up on Watkins, Andy did! Seriously though, he'll be fine; he's a firefighter so he doesn't have the sensitivity of a five year old girl; that's just a media slant to invent a story. When he's ready , he'll play.— drbob1- I wonder when Andy Reid is going to admit that making Watkins their #1 pick in the draft was a mistake to begin with. Not saying that Watkins won't eventually be a good player, but I don't know where they got the idea that he could be a starter immediately.....especially with the lockout and no OTAs.— SteveS11
- In time I think the will be good— yourdaddy!
Comment removed.- bc3030 The Fire company can't find your house, better use your hose,— gmr18901
- Comment removed.
- Everyone should watch the starting RT for the Bears. I don't know if Watkins was a better pick that Carimi; but, Chicago definitely likes him now. I was puzzled we didn't take the WI standout. Interesting to say the least.— momeara001
- Just another mis calculation at the draft, by a guy who knows it all. How can you take a lineman at the 21 spot and the guy not be able to get on the field. Oh yea thats right he only played for 4 years before this debackle. I know people who played pop warner, CYO HS college football etc and can't get on the field this guy is a bust just keep him for when the fans burn down the LINC..— joe vig
- ROCKSTAR well said— joe vig
- he's a bust bust bust.....— joe vig
- hey bc3030....firefighting is a job for little boys that never grew up? would care to tell that to families of 373 "little boys" whose 10th anniversary of their deaths are this sunday? try a job w/ambition? do you have any idea what it takes to become a fire fighter? the dedication of the men and women who do this job?
your comments may not be the most asinine i've ever read, but they just made my top five.
— ts1754 - Watkins will be a good player one day - maybe this year, who knows? That said, its the Birds that made the mistake of counting on a rookie with little experience to come in and be a starter in a shortened off season and new OL coach. Now they are panicking b/c they have what amounts to a wet paper bag protecting their 100 million dollar investment. Many good moves are now being offset by many stupid ones.— PinkstonsStrengthCoach
