Celek Likes Birds' Offseason
Eagles tight end Brent Celek, at a charity event at Temple Hospital, said he is recovering well from offseason surgeries and is excited about the moves the team has made.
Celek Likes Birds' Offseason
Les Bowen
Brent Celek was at Temple University Hospital Thursday, unveiling the latest initiative of his Take Flight Foundation, a Take Flight Zone at Temple Pediatric Care. This is a bigger version of what Celek did last year at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children -- lots of video gaming stuff for children who are hospitalized or who are just waiting to see a physician.
Celek posed for photos and signed autographs for dozens of North Philly kids, then had a moment to speak with your Eagletarian about his offseason, which included January surgeries on his hip, and for a double hernia.
Celek, 27, said he feels "better than I have probably in the last three of four years."
"I'm super-excited -- I'm excited to show what I can do," said Celek, who came on strong in the second half of the 2011 season to finish with 62 catches for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Forty-nine of those catches and three of the touchdowns happened in the last 10 games, after the offensive line got straightened out well enough not to need Celek's constant help.
"It's been a real good offseason. A lot of guys are working out together, everyone's excited," said Celek, who helped organize erratically attended workouts last spring during the NFL lockout. "Last year, we were trying to work out together, but everybody's in their different towns, there's that uncertainty of when you're ever even going to come back, if there's going to be a season. We know what's going on now, we're working hard with each other, and we're jelling as a team."
Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday that he planned to limit Celek's reps initially, when the Eagles gather for full-team workouts starting May 22, "just to see how he's doing." Reid added that Celek should be full-go for training camp. Celek said he feels he "has to be smart" with what he does for the time being.
Like most Eagles fans, Celek said he was glad to see the Birds trade for Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who should help on and off the field.
"One of my buddies who plays for the Texans [Connor Barwin, a fellow Cincinnati alum], as soon as the trade happened, he told me, 'you not only got one of the best players in the league, but one of the good guys.' From what Connor told me, it was a good find for us," Celek said.
This could be a big year for Celek. Partly because of the rules about hits to defenseless receivers, offenses seem to be looking more to the seams, more to the middle of the field, where Celek likes to rumble.
"The NFL goes through phases. When you see teams that have double tight ends that are being very successful, other people are going to want to move to that," Celek said. The Birds used Celek and fellow tight end Clay Harbor on the field at the same time a lot down the stretch, mimicking the Patriots and other teams pioneering the trend.
Of course, Celek can only be a big weapon if the o-line doesn't need a lot of help again. The dark cloud there is Jason Peters and his twice-torn Achilles'. Nobody really knows what to expect yet from replacement left tackle Demetress Bell.
"Whether I'm in (to block), whether I'm out, I'm not going to worry about that," said Celek, who has bulked up to a sculpted 260 over the past few years.
bedpan--much like your moniker implies. You are used to being pissed. Bet you have a healthy relationship with women.— phildunphy- Of course he said that...but it's also the truth. The Eagles HAVE had a good off season...now translate that into good play on the field and we'll see what we really have.— tpizza
- I'm so sick of the comments from "bedpan" and the like. Just go to work when we have the parade.
We have to put up on the field this year. Bottom line.— carmendmv - YEAH THIS BEDPAN POSTS HIS 1 -5 COMMENT AFTER EACH ARTICLE. To think we will be 1 -2 at home and 0 -3 on the road is ludicrous, especially at this point. The team will be tight, focused, organized, disciplined, and honed, unlike last year. It should be a great season. Reid is a great leader. He doesn't make emotional comments like bedpan. He knows that wins don't come from talk but from hard work and discipline. He has something to prove and he will.— Ben Dawkins
- This comment has been deleted. — bedpan
- bedpan, you are an idiot. it's the moronic vocal minority who makes the rest of us good, loyal, EXCITED Eagles fans look bad. All the real eagles fans I talk to are super pumped about this off season and the upcoming season but if I come online I get to read some depressed loser claim he knows a lot about football while saying ridiculously dumb stuff like "1-5 at the break". We are sorry you can't get laid, but don't come on here and make fun of real Eagles fans. — DigroJones
- Best tightend in the NFL. Not only can he block but he is a ton to get down.— Zeru
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- bedpan needs a big hug from Andy Reid— eaglesanch
- Eagles offseason:
1) Brought back all the coaches from last year's debacle except Johnny Lynn
2) Tried to hire Steve Spagnuolo to coach defense but were rebuffed so we are stuck with Juan Castillo again.
3) Traded for Demeco Ryans
4) Lost Jason Peters for the season
5) Brought back almost all of the same players that have disappointed us for the past several seasons and rewarded them with big contracts
6) traded Asante Samuel for nothing
7) Had a draft like everyone else of which the results wont be known for a few years
8) On record as saying "we're okay there" at safety.
And this all equals hysteria for some reason??
The Eagles PR machine is apparently 10 times greater than Apple's because the masses are eating this up like dog chow. It's funny.
This time next year we'll be talking about how darn close they were and a couple calls here and if McCoy didn't get hurt and yadda yadda yadda...they could have just won it all and will be the team to beat in 2013. lol
And by the way, I've paid for season tickets for 14 years unlike some of you "true fans" so beat it when you tell me to go root for another team.— guyguy4 - I understand your frustration Guyguy4. I've been a fan all my life and the one year I witnessed us in the superbowl life our starting qb threw up on himself. Seems like even when everything is lined up the people that run the team are cursed.— Zeru
- @guyguy4, you forgot, Tried to get Peyton Manning and couldn't ,so now we're stuck with Vick again.— Geno D
