Who makes the cut: LBs
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Who makes the cut: LBs
Jonathan Tamari
Our look at who makes the Eagles’ 53-man roster continues today with a review of the linebackers. (Earlier, we took a look at defensive end, offensive line, running backs and cornerbacks).
On offense the big concern is right tackle. On defense, it’s linebacker. We think the Eagles have the linemen to rush the quarterback and we know their corners have cover skills. But as the d-line races at the quarterback, do they have a group of three linebackers who can stop the run and occasionally cover a tight end?
Ever since the summer spending spree many fans have been hoping for a veteran addition to a very inexperienced linebacker group. It seems that if the Eagles were eager to bring in one of the players already on the market, they would have done so already. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be watching the waiver wire when cuts arrive. If that happens, it probably means bringing in an outside linebacker, since it would be hard to slap even a veteran right into the middle this close to the start of the season.
First cuts come Tuesday when the 90-man roster is pared down to 80. Final cuts are on Sept. 3.
Likely to keep: 5-6.
Locks: Whether or not he starts on opening day, Casey Matthews will be on the team. The Eagles invested a fourth-round pick in him and like his potential. Jamar Chaney will be starting somewhere – either the SAM position he has played since training camp or back in the middle if Matthews falters. Moise Fokou, with 15 career starts, is actually the elder statesman among the starters. Keenan Clayton, a former safety, is great in coverage. The team wants him to get more physical; he should get more chances this year to show if he can do it.
Near lock: Brain Rolle is listed at five-foot-10 and that might be the biggest exaggeration on the Eagles official roster. Still, the team thought enough of him to give him a shot with the first team nickel. It’s a sign that they like his ability. Rolle should get a chance to contribute on special teams to start the year.
Bubble: Akeem Jordan can play all three linebacker positions and has 20 career starts, but he hasn’t had many opportunities this preseason. In the snaps he has played, he hasn’t shined. If the Eagles bring in a veteran he’s probably the odd man out. Greg Lloyd had knee surgery as a junior, was hampered by the injury as a senior and suffered a high ankle sprain in training camp. Sounds like the seventh rounder is an IR candidate.
Gone: Brandon Peguese, Rashad Jeanty.
farley: The Trotter-Emmons years were pretty good.— p-diddy- The Eagles should get a serviceable veteran. If the Eagles are really "all in", they shouldn't be waiting for Matthews to use the first half of the season (at least) to learn his position. Not faulting Matthews though.— p-diddy
- Cowboys - 5 Superbowls
Giants - 3 Superbowls
Redskins - 3 Superbowls
Even the Saints - 1 Superbowl
Eagles? - 0 Superbowls...— gelang - The Iggles got to run the ball this year. Period. LBs are weak. Yes. But the real win is Penn State "small ball" football. Let's start acting like a blue collar football program. Run the f'n ball! Let Vick pick his targets when it's not so obvious. Run. Run. And run some more. It's football. let it happen at the line of scrimmage.— broadstreetbullynyc
- The Iggles got to run the ball this year. Period. LBs are weak. Yes. But the real win is Penn State "small ball" football. Let's start acting like a blue collar football program. Run the f'n ball! Let Vick pick his targets when it's not so obvious. Run. Run. And run some more. It's football. let it happen at the line of scrimmage.— broadstreetbullynyc
- every article written you get these so called fans who wine over every any team weaknesses like other teams dont have holes the reality is we hit and miss in the draft most of our hits are on offense and we plug the holes on defense with free agents etc but andy always puts a winner on the field and if I have a chance every year i'll take it ....love my Eagles and I want them to win d superbowl but it takes talent and some luck lets not hit the panic button in preseason ........and no off season and shortened training camp I wouldnt expect them to start the season at their best— positive eagle
- Jarrad Page made a big difference at SS. Smart, savvy player with size. The Eagles have run the ball better than in previous years. Maklin back will help as well as a healthy Antonio Dixon. The obsession with RT will get fixed one way or the other.— oldBird
- Everyone talks about how the run doesn't work in the NFL anymore, but historically the run really shines in the Super Bowl. So many teams came in gunning with the west coast offense, only to be chewed up by a grinding running game. You can take the best pass defense in the league, and if they've been out there for 10 minutes or more getting chewed up while they're trying to stop the run, they get real tired. All of a sudden they start getting burned by the long bomb, and a three touchdown lead becomes a loss. Just look at the Eagles-Giants game in week 15 last year. Michael Vick opened them up with the run, and that's when the passes started to fall.
And by the way, how many long passing drives will be sustained by the birds, with that offensive line? I can't see the defense getting much rest there, can you? - RUDD, missed out on him.— fman727
- RUDD, missed out on him.— fman727
- Andy Reid is as stubborn about his disasterous LB corps and OL as Bush was about the miserable failure of his presidency and the two lost (and not to mention illegal to begin with) wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. His whole presidency was a miserable failure and now we get the Religious RIght, Tea Partiers, and the right wing of this country blaming the black president for everything. Listen to them at their rallies use racial slurs towards Obama like modern day KKK rallies. All because of Bush. I was so proud of America for voting Bush out of office in a landslide in 2012 and look forward to people voting for Obama again in 2012, so he can continue being the best president of my lifetime.— eldiablodelsol2009
- In the eagles comments section there's no discussion of religion or politics.
— DixonBunz - I love Eagles fans, and truly loathe and despise their fans.— Murrayman
- Dope... — WeArePennState
- Cut Fabio and his hair.— Astro Jones
- Andy Reid stinks. His philosophy does not win Superbowls...He doesn't value Linebackers, and his short yardage offense is Vick left and Vick right. He rolls the dice on the most important position on the defense which is the LBs, and we will get exposed by great offenses. All this = No Supebowl parade again. GIVE ME BILL COWHER!!!!— WeArePennState
- Stephen Tulloch and Barrett Ruud were both on the free agent market and the Eagles should have been all over them. Especially Ruud, who is a tackling machine in the middle.— vinnybravo
- please bring in a veteran!!!!!!— psualum
- please bring in a veteran!!!!!!— psualum
- LOFA TATUPU PLEASE!!!— blueye7
- Danny Watkins looked like my screen door at the shore house after this weekend.— Will T.
- In order for this defense to play to it's strengths, we will need a two score lead in the fourth quarter. That puts the onus squarely on V7 & Co. early in the game. Consideriing that Andy still has not fixed the right side of the line, I question the ability to get the job done. In fact, considering the absolute BATTERING that Vick took in the first few series last night, I don't think V7 will survive the first two games. Rookie center, rookie gaurd and King Dunflop.....ye cats and little fishes. It's enough to make a man weep.— TBear
- I know they like smart players but they draft a guy named "Brain"?— GreenWing
- Cannot remember a strong group of LB's. What is worst this group or our O-line.— farley
- Andy being Andy
This is the best team they have had in years. Fo they have a couple of issues, yes...EVERY TEAM DOES! The statement that they have no big D-tackles is not correct: Dixon, Jenkins, Patterson and Laws area all over 300 lbs. The linebackers are smaller than some teams, but Chaney played well last season, Fokou is decent against the run, and Matthews was a better player at every level than his brother, he deserves a fair shot to prove he can play. When they bring in Rolle and Clayton, they have two very fast LBs who can cover anybody. The plan is to get ahead and then play great pass defense. If you don't like the plan, too bad for you. Go root for the Giants. Just remember that when the Giants had a big lead on the Eagles and put them in exactly the position they are weakest, they came back on them and beat them, too.- The team has bad karma. Will not win Super Bowl.— ManU63
- The Eagles under Reid and Banner, have cut corners/costs at certain positions in order to load up at others. As a result, they reach the part of the season where they have to beat good teams in consecutive weeks, THE PLAYOFFS, and their shortcomings are exposed. This year, they loaded up at positions, and have unproven guys a 3 O-line positions, and in the entire middle of their Def. I have no reason to expect this season will end any differently than Andy Reid's previous....Enough star power to win some games, maybe the division, but significant shortcomings that will result in an early offseason.— gee1971
- I would pay to listen to naggett and Howard Eskin locked in a room for a weekend.— tommy_the_k
- Dude, Cullen Jenkins ISN'T ENOUGH!— Ace-Philadelphia
Comment removed.- The Eagles sure do know what they are doing. Is why they have won how many Super Bowls ? yeah. Thought so. And nobody is hating anybody bozo! The facts are Reid is too "pig-headed" (pun intended) to place any importance in LB's. name and Championship Team that has ever had a rookie middle LB ? Thought so again. Oh Yeah. Bradley signed with Arizona for $9 million. ya think that money had or has anything to do with Bradley not being here anymore ? Or. For that matter. Any other impact LB. And for the record. Read John Smallwood's column on PAtterson. That guy should be out of football. — atthev
- One first down stop or penalty puts the opposition in passing situations. Score a lot of points and take away the run game. Big stud defenses with weak offenses no longer carry the day in the big games.— shadow22
- When should have traded up and got Phil Taylor. That's a big boy. Eagles need to start getting buffet busters at DT.— GrownMan86
- Nuggett...The Eagles have the cover guys to put 8 men in the box and stop the run if they have too— camasbud
- Ohh you mean the 37 yards rushing they had in the 1st half. You are right wow they did expoit our run defense.— briandawkins20moron
- Cut most of them and get some BIG STUDS....the giants, packers, falcons, and others with a running game are licking their chops thinking about their date with us.....apreading the ends, opens up the middle and we have no big DT's and NO big LB's.....Even the browns exploited this with their first team...— nuggett
