Draft could shuffle Eagles' offensive line

THE OFFENSIVE line arrayed in front of Michael Vick this week at Chip Kelly's first minicamp might look pretty different from the group that takes the field next month, when the team again assembles.

The Eagles hold the fourth overall pick in the April 25-27 NFL draft, and with three offensive tackles expected to go in the top 10, plus a couple of guards, the veterans on the line could soon be welcoming to their group the highest-drafted Eagle since Donovan McNabb arrived (accompanied by boos, local legend holds) second overall in 1999.

If that happens, there's a good chance Danny Watkins will again get the boot from his starting job at right guard. If the new guy is a tackle, it seems likely right tackle Todd Herremans will move inside to guard, either to Watkins' spot or back to Herremans' old left-guard post, which would flip Evan Mathis from left guard to right guard. And of course, at some point center Jason Kelce, nearly recovered from knee surgery, expects to be working back in.

"That's always been a possibility ever since I've been here, pretty much," said Herremans, 30, whose 8-year tenure is now tied for the team's longest with Trent Cole. Cole was drafted a round later. "I just go about my day-to-day business."

Will Herremans be watching Thursday, to see what his future might hold?

"I haven't really watched the draft since I've been in the NFL," Herremans said. "I think I'll see it on Twitter."

Herremans and Mathis spoke to reporters Thursday after the final workout of the minicamp. They are adjusting to a new offense and a new offensive-line coach, Jeff Stoutland from Alabama. Herremans said Stoutland is more like former offensive-line coach Juan Castillo than like Howard Mudd, the o-line coaching legend whose 2-year tenure was nothing short of a disaster.

"Stoutland's probably more comparable to Juan and Juan's school of thought," Herremans said. " 'Stout' uses an array of sets. Juan kind of did the same thing, depending on the protection."

Mudd's hyperaggressive style required offensive linemen to jump-set, pretty much regardless, giving themselves little margin for error.

"He has many tools," Mathis said, when asked about Stoutland. "It's not one way to do things on most plays. You have options. Usually those options rely on you game planning who you're playing, the technique they're going to be using, so you can use your different tools in those scenarios."

Herremans said Stoutland "works [us] a little harder. He's a little louder, I think. He's intense. You can tell he's a college coach; kind of in your face. He kind of has one tone and it's loud. But it's positive. He's not dog-cussing any of us or anything like that.

"Howard was of the school of thought that if you did the rep and you did it right, lock that in and don't do another one," Herremans said. "Stoutland's like what Juan was. He's going to have you repped out, so that you don't have to think about it."

Mathis agreed: "He's verbal. He's outspoken. I think he's a good communicator."

A reporter asked Mathis if the offense is as revolutionary as some of his teammates seem to find it.

"That's a monumental word, revolutionary. I know there's a method to all the madness," Mathis said. "Chip's very good about letting everybody know the reason for doing anything we do. From the outside looking in, whatever we're doing might not make sense to some people, if they actually see it, but he'll never let us do something without explaining why we're doing it."

With Kelce, Herremans (foot) and Jason Peters (Achilles') all presumably back in harness for the season, "I expect a lot of us," Mathis said. "I expect the offensive line to be able to carry the team on its back."