Observations: QB misfires, Cooper and Allen
The Eagles took the field for another day of practice with rookies and selected veterans Tuesday morning. Here's what I saw from Nate Allen, Riley Cooper and others.
Observations: QB misfires, Cooper and Allen
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
The Eagles took the field once again Wednesday morning for practice with rookies and selected vets.
The only difference from Tuesday? Second-round pick Nate Allen was on the field.
Here are my observations:
* During red-zone drills, Michael Vick looked for rookie Riley Cooper on a fade, with Trevard Lindley covering him. The 6-foot Lindley definitely would have been whistled for a holding or pass interference penalty if this were a real game, and the pass fell incomplete.
But I wonder how often we'll see the Eagles run the fade with Cooper over the next few weeks. Andy Reid said during his press conference that Cooper was a guy the Eagles did not expect to be available in the fifth round of April's draft, so they snagged him. He's big (6-3), and he plays big, Reid said.
Earlier in practice, the corners had a tough time jamming Cooper at the line of scrimmage. We'll have to see if the veteran corners have the same trouble once the pads are on this weekend.
* Random thought: At some point, Cooper needs to team up with a QB or another receiver who has the last name "Sterling" so we can use "Sterling-Cooper" on a daily basis. Who can make this happen?
* Allen got on the field and will be the starting free safety unless someone takes the job from him. Not too much to report on him the first day, other than that he seems legitimately excited to be here. During the portion of practice where Sean McDermott installs the Eagles' blitzes, he was showing Allen the correct gap to burst through and the right angle to take.
Later, secondary coach Dick Jauron spent time with the defensive backs, focusing on calls and shifts when the offense shows motion or lines up in specific packages/formations.
* I'm looking forward to seeing how Lindley does against the first-team receivers this weekend. He's done a good job so far.
* For fans in attendance, or those of you reading tweets, blogs, etc., a word of caution when it comes to judging the quarterbacks. Just because a pass is incomplete during these practices, doesn't mean it's the fault of Kevin Kolb, Vick or Mike Kafka. It could mean that the wide receiver, tight end or running back made a mistake on his route. For example, there was one play where Vick fired to Dobson Collins, and at first glance, it looked like he threw behind the receiver. But when they came back to the huddle, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg spent 30 seconds or so going over the play with Collins. It appeared he wasn't where he was supposed to be.
* Many of you have already asked who looks good and who doesn't, but it's just too early to tell. Keep in mind that the only projected defensive starter here is Allen. And the only projected offensive starter is Kolb. Other rookies will play a role, but often times they're going up against players who have little or no chance to make the team during these early practices.
* Earlier I posted about the decision to release LB/DE Alex Hall. Essentially, the Eagles traded Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong for Trevard Lindley and Ernie Sims. Reid said today that he thinks Hall can be a good fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. Many of you asked on Twitter why they traded for him then. Good question. Either an error in thinking he could play DE or SAM for them, or they knew he probably wouldn't fit, but figured they would at least take a look during OTAs anyway.
* Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson were back on the side field working out this morning. Afterwards, they went over to the fans and signed autographs. Nice touch.
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At first glance, this front office is really starting to scare me. I hope they know as much as they think they do— nyphillyguy- They took Hall as a way to shut up fans for throwing away one of the toughest and hardest working Eagles, Brown, and a consistently misused, but too polite to tell the coaches they were wrong, OLB in Gocong for what seemed like nothing at the time. They knew what Hall was at the time, knew he didn't fit, but Cleveland wanted a way to get rid of him in a easy way (it's been noted he fell out of favor with the new coaches there) and Philly wanted something else to take away the attention of shipping Brown and his looming disgrunteledness out of town in an easy way. "Hey, you take our trash, and we'll take your trash, both of us spin it as finding somebody else hidden treasures, and nobody knows we trashed our trash"....— Bleue
- time will tell us whether the off season changes will help or hurt, but the most important thing is to get out of training camp without any season ending injuries. Cross your fingers Eagles fans!!!— unbelieveable!
- Cut Vick!!!!!!!!! He sucks!!!!!— jdld610
Riley-Cooper? uh, yeah. love ya your work Sheil, but lets leave the jokes to Les and Domo...— bboybeballin- Gocong/Hall/Sapp there's a pattern here. Eagles management thinks they're smarter then the league when it comes to playing guys outside their position.— dragoon6
Hmm, would the DeSean Jackson-Riley Cooper tandem be called "Mini Cooper"?— Mabus- Riley Cooper looked like a good pick in April. I'll be surprised if he's not the 4th receiver, and if he can play special teams, Hank Baskett is probably shopping for another city. That was one place I agreed with the Birds. He seems more like a 3rd rounder, and if you don't have a lot of big receivers, then you just take him in the 5th, no questions asked. If he, Celek, and Ingram are all healthy, then that trio of bigs with Maclin, Jackson, and Avant spells a lot of trouble for defenses. Then all we need is an offensive line and enough running plays to make play action work -- minor details.— tacklinjoe
- Cut Vick, Cut Cooper.. neither of them knows the playbook.— 4in5out7gone
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Yup Yup.....I be real dumb. I just like watchin me sum feetball- i be dum 2.. i Kapitailize ledders in the Middle of centences + youse two peereods at teh end!..— CrayzeeGuy
They have a whole bunch of linebackers trying to make the squad this year. Hall didn't ever stand a chance, so what? Sapp is a wrecking crew and he will be a starting LB someday. He is at DE right now, but that doesn't mean he will stay there. They see him as a Joker type, that moves all over. Lindley was All-SEC ahead of Haden at Florida as a junior. He was playing hurt, when he played as a senior.- If I was McNabb or Moss, I would sue the moron using their good names. I am sure they could get the black and white TV he watches in his mom's basement.
- Did Omar Gaither turn into Ray Lewis? Sapp wasn't going to make the team at LB because it took the Eagles two OTAs to realize what the rest of the league figured out by watching film: Sapp can't cover, no fluidity, useless in space, etc. He can't play LB. Not now, not ever. If your "wrecking crew" doesn't make the team as a 3rd down DE and special teams player, he doesn't make the team. Already looks like a wasted pick.— dragoon6
McNabbtoDirt, you am funny..— Richard Saunders- HAH! As 'dumb' as McNagg2Lose calls us, he shows how dumb he is himself by continuing to post on this site. I guarantee he's (she's) not posting on the Deadskins site.
- It's not fair that we have to be saddled with Vick just because Andy wasn't home enough to teach his kids not to do hard core drugs and now feels like he has to save the world. It is like a dark cloud hanging over the team that I love.— lax1724
- How Sapp would look like a wasted pick before a snap in preseason is a mystery to me. Maybe you just moan and cry because talk radio controls your every thought?
- McNabbtoMoss must be Dustin Bufflin in disguise,.— phillyjim7
- Comment removed.
- In two months Shanahan will be wishing for the old days when he had John Elway at QB. He hasn't won a damn thing since then, in case you haven't noticed.
- We already are getting excuses for Kolb...that didn't take long @ all.— somertonspartan
- Comment removed.
- goin out on a limb here, but, I'm gonna say McNabbtoMoss' only football experience was playing Madden '96 for genesis, My man, you obviously know nothing about football or life...lock yourself back into your mom's basement and cry to Jessie Jackson about why the Eagles let your lover, no. 5, go. It might have something to do with him tanking big-time games. Eerily similar to the way you tank big-time moments in your depressing life. I now see why there is such an intimate connection.— mmcf1414
- because paulsotx, im basing my opinion on people like Reese who played the position and watch the guy play. You're basing yours on ESPN pre draft player rankings. There's a reason Sapp fell in the draft, and a reason his position has been changed twice before his first camp. one of us will be right. I hope its you. but it doesn't look good for Gocong part deux.— dragoon6
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