3 Things to watch Saturday
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3 Things to watch Saturday
One preseason game down and 10 days until the next one against New England. What does that mean for the Eagles after last night’s 24-23 win over Pittsburgh?
The competition for roster spots heats up. Here are three battles to watch starting Saturday as coach Andy Reid and his coaches practice for the first time after reviewing game tape.
Wide receiver: Third-year veteran Chad Hall vs. sixth-round pick Marvin McNutt vs. undrafted free agent Damaris Johnson. The Eagles will keep six receivers, but after DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, and injured Riley Cooper, only two of these three can stay.
Unless he gets a case of fumble-itis as a punt returner, Johnson seems set since he locked down the No. 1 punt-return spot on merit. That, however, hurts Hall’s chances since Brandon Boykin will handle the kick-return duties.
If it’s McNutt vs. Hall strictly in a battle for the last receiving spot, then these next few weeks will be telling. Too early to call this one.
Linebacker: Akeem Jordan vs. Keenan Clayton. Does Reid keep the sixth-year veteran whose biggest value is on special teams, or the third-year former fourth-round draft pick who looked good at 2011 season’s end and may still hold promise?
That question doesn’t work in Jordan’s favor. And yet, Jordan is second team on the depth chart at strongside linebacker and Clayton is third team on the weakside.
The coaches know what they have in Jordan. What Clayton shows them in the days ahead will decide the winner.
The backfield: RB Chris Polk vs. FBs Stanley Havili or Emil Igwenagu. If the Eagles are gauging pure talent, Polk wins hands down. He’s a little behind Bryce Brown as a runner, but is adept at catching passes out of the backfield.
The questions: Do the Eagles need to keep a fullback just to have one? Or can they make Brown or Polk into some semblance of one?
What are your thoughts?
Other training camp numbers battles include one on the offensive line between left guard Julian Vandervelde, who also plays center, and center Dallas Reynolds; defensive ends Brandon Graham and Phillip Hunt; cornerbacks Brandon Hughes and new acquisition Kevin Thomas. Also, how does injured special-teams star safety Colt Anderson fit into the equation?
If Hall doesn't take punts or kickoffs, there is no way he makes the team.— UncleStosh- Akeem Jordan vs. Keenan Clayton. I'll be on the edge of my seat for that one.— watsonmr
- cut riley cooper and cut both jordan and clayton, get somebody better off waiver wire.— sammydelphia
- Hall will always be on standby if needed..Jordan had a better game than Clayton. I can see cutting Riley C. if McNutt plays really well. Halivi will be on the FB but probably won't play much. Polk looks good on Special teams. Dion and Hunt are making a strong case to stay. I don't remember seeing C. Harris play.— Rick SP 4 LIFE
- i'm not sure the eagles keep 6 WRs, but i hope they do. i think cooper will go on the PUP list. that would mean DJ, McNutt, and Hall could all make it. some of the other WRs look good too tho, like Gilyard and Hamler catched TDs and even Akpla and some of the other guys. i'm a big hall fan, but he is def on the bubble.— Mr.Sinatra
- How about safety? I guess theres no battle to watch there, seeing they that all pretty much stink! The good QB'S will continue to torch us down the middle of the field. We'll see it again next week. Not to worry though, week one is against Cleveland.Then again, maybe we should worry seeing our red zone offense wasn't addressed last offseason either.— Geno D
- Two Eagles I have seen enough of are Hall and J. Jarrett. As much as they want him to be, Hall is no Welker any comparison between Jarret and Dawkins is plain insulting. I know they tried to draw comparisons to both when promoting them but they aren't. They both remind me of how the Eagles insisted telling us Lorenzo Booker was good, we just weren't as smart as they were. Meanwhile has that guy ever made a single impact play in the NFL? I would be surprised if the same wouldn't be true with either of these players
- Is the author Chad Hall's publicist, or what? The guy is toast! And making Polk or Brown into a fullback is REALLY dumb. I'm hoping we're done with that kind of idiocy where we make a running back into 'some semblance' of a fullback, or anyone at all into 'some semblance' of a punt returner. Season starts soon, John, time to get up to speed.— Richard S
- Hall, in this Camp is a pretty tough cut. Jarrett is done, through and finished in this town. In my opinion, The Linebackers are horrible to the man, there is some possibility with Cheney, Mathews and Rolle, the rest can be dropped without much fan fare, all seem to physically immature to fend off blockers. If we're not going to use a FB, why keep a FB, it's best to keep the absolute best receiver of the bunch who is capable of blocking blitzing DBs, and Linebackers. Last and not least, Kafka, if he doesn't have the arm now, he's not going to develop on before there is an absolute need later, if called on to perform.
These are easy cuts based on performances and expected improvement.— Dexter - Hall is done. Polk will go to the practice squad. Jorden is done only because the don't want to cut a fourth round pick. Jarrett won't get cut but should. There are a couple WR that looked good but they all do this time of year.— Ssteve115
- The discussion hopefully is NOT Brown or Polk, both have shown too much (and different, complementary strengths) to let either one go. To me, the question is three tight ends and no fullback, or two TEs and a FB. That said, for what we ask from our fullbacks, you'd have to think we'd have that more than covered between the third TE and Polk.
Re WRs, hopefully the Hall talk is a plant to keep McNutt as focused as possible (or Roach's reflection of just what a good guy Hall is), because if Hall is on this team instead of one of the other receivers mentioned here, we'll know our roster strategy continues to be haunted by ghosts of Banner...— SJerseyexpat - Hall has to go. Possibly same for Cooper. Johnson is a talent at WR and PR. And, don't undersell Gilyard. The guy can play... As for RB, you need a FB in short yardage situations. Preferably a guy who can catch, as an option, in this offense. Problem is, neither FB in camp is very impressive. Feeling here is that the Birds sign a veteran before camp is over, and Polk goes on the practice squad. Jordan or Clayton? Really? Makes no matter...— topwonk
