SB Nation Philly: All Posts by Jason Brewer

Philadelphia Eagles experimenting with WR Jason Avant on defense

2013-05-19T15:12:33Z

Last week we reported that TE Clay Harbor was taking some practice snaps at linebacker. It turns out, he's not alone as WR Jason Avant has been taking snaps with the secondary.

"I always say I never compare myself to other guys because those other guys, they're not me," he said. "It's one of those things that I work hard, I'm going to continue to work hard and whatever that may be, whatever the team wants to do with me, I'm going to do it as best as I can for the team, whatever that may be."

Avant says the move is a compliment, not a sign that his roster spot could be in jeopardy.

"I don't necessarily think it'll cloud my future. I really think it's an honor anyway for a coach to think you can do other things."

We've certainly seen some examples of players with positional versatility in the NFL. The Patriots are probably the most notable example using LB Mike Vrabel as a TE and WR Troy Brown in the secondary.

It's tough to say what Chip Kelly's plans are for guys like Avant & Harbor at this point. It is only May, so we could simply be seeing some experimentation that is never used in the regular season. Maybe, as Harbor said, it's simply preparing for potential emergencies.

It will be interesting to watch as the summer continues and training camp starts whether we continue to see offensive players working on defense.

Is Michael Vick the new Darron Thomas?

2013-05-19T12:35:24Z

Everyone is wondering if Michael Vick can cut it in Chip Kelly's new read-option-based offense. Will his line speed and ability to scramble outweigh Vick's questionable decision making and slowness getting rid of the ball?

I spoke with Charles Fischer, who has written about Kelly for years as head of the highly respected blog FishDuck, which obsessively analyzes Oregon Ducks strategy and plays. His thinks Vick will be incredible.

The reason is Darron Thomas. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it shouldn't for NFL fans. Following two amazing years at Oregon, Thomas went pro after his junior year. "He didn't get a sniff from NFL teams," Fischer notes. The peak of his pro career has been signing with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League - for their practice squad.

Duck fans were mystified why Thomas thought going pro was a good idea - until they saw Marcus Mariota play last season. ESPN named the redshirt freshman as PAC-12 Player of the Year - ahead of a certain Mr. Barkley from USC - and he ranked 7th in the nation in passing efficiency as he led Oregon to the number 2 ranking in final polls and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State.

As we've seen, Chip Kelly holds open competitions for all roster slots, including quarterback. But what if you've led your team to the national championship game, thrown for 363 yards and 2 touchdowns against Nick Fairley's Auburn in a last-second loss, and set Oregon's all-time record for touchdowns (66)? Thomas did all that, but nothing guarantees you a job under Chip. May the best man win. In retrospect, it looks like Thomas saw the Mariota steamroller headed his way and went pro before he could be benched.

Fischer's point is that Kelly's coaching made Thomas a world-beating QB despite a lack of elite skills. "Even though he couldn't throw an NFL ball, Kelly used the play action to make him a star. As a pocket passer, Thomas would have been a third stringer."

With Vick, on the other hand, no one disputes his arm strength or running ability. Fischer is salivating.

Some people doubt that the read option can work at the pro level at all, given the elite speed and brutal hitting of NFL linebackers (ask Robert Griffin III). Many more doubt that Vick can handle that pounding, given his injury problems under Andy Reid.

Some of this concern misreads Kelly's offense. Chip never calls the sort of quarterback run plays that Johnny Manziel gets at Texas A&M, 18-20 times a game. The possibility of a QB run is just there to keep the defense honest, despite this common misconception about his strategy. In his 2009 NIKE coaching workshop, he hammered this point home. "We want the ball in the running back's hands. We do not want the quarterback carrying the ball. ... We want the quarterback giving the ball unless he cannot. ... This is a downhill play and the line is blocking for the running back, so give him the ball." Has he made himself clear yet?

Statistics back this up. Last year, Manziel ran 184 times for 1,349 yards. In Darron Thomas' final season, he ran just 56 times for 206 yards - and led Oregon to a Rose Bowl victory. Mariota (who runs a 4.5 40) ran 106 times for 752 yards last year. He protected himself carefully when he did, and still broke opponents' backs with big plays like a 32-yarder in the Fiesta Bowl and his 86-yard touchdown against Arizona State. Vicks' 4.33 at the combine may have slowed to Mariota's level over the years - you could ask LeSean McCoy - but it's easy to see why Charles Fischer is excited. Chip's offense is designed to spring quarterbacks for big runs without the danger Vick faced last year on sacks and desperate scrambles.

Chip Kelly has shown that his offense can work with a wide range of quarterbacks. He played 9 during his first 3 years at Oregon, and kept winning by adapting his offense to each. Darron Thomas took over only because starting QB Jeremiah Masoli was thrown off the team for off-field antics including drug possession and a burglary conviction.

So why couldn't Nick Foles or Matt Barkley succeed, given their high (if, arguably, not elite) skill levels? Couldn't they run a modified read option, throwing bubble screens and short passes instead of running when the read says to pull the ball? Chip Kelly wants the ball out of his quarterback's hands-or a decision to keep it and run -within 1.5 seconds of the snap, and Fischer thinks they won't have enough time. I think they could pull it off, but it would be too easy for defenses to anticipate those throws and jump on them for pick-6s.

So Michael Vick could be set to have a huge year. He just better not get too comfortable, because next year will bring another open competition at quarterback, and even leading the Eagles to the playoffs wouldn't protect his job against a younger player who's better with the read option's quick decisions. Such as Dennis Dixon.

For more from Mark, check out Taoish.org.

The Linc - Brains over brawn?

2013-05-18T10:00:06Z

Eagles, 76ers using brains over brawn
The Eagles' new coach and the Sixers' new president share neither a sport nor a background - but they are united in a way they probably don't even realize.

How will tight ends fit in Chip Kelly's offense?
Of all the starters left over from the Andy Reid regime, Brent Celek might have reason to fret the most in Chip Kelly's first offseason of player acquisition. The Eagles tight end saw his new coach add two competitors at a position where teams sometimes carry only two players on the 53-man roster.

Three Philadelphia Eagles Numbers That Matter - Birds 24/7
From Chip Kelly's red-zone efficiency to Mychal Kendricks' tackling, here are three numbers that matter.

Vince Young: Graduating from UT even tops winning a national title - CBSSports.com
Vince Young produced arguably the greatest performance in the history of college football on its biggest stage when he carried Texas to the BCS title in the 2006 Rose Bowl. But as spectacular as Young was in Pasadena against top-ranked USC, that day still won't feel quite as special as Friday morning when he is awarded his college degree from UT in the school's graduation ceremonies on campus.

Former Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb and the Hall of Fame argument | PennLive.com
McNabb has long been a polarizing figure in Philadelphia, a highly productive player but with no Super Bowl rings to show for the numbers.

Three AFC scouts analyze Eagles' draft class | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
For objective, expert opinions on the Eagles' batch of rookies, we turned to three AFC scouts, who gave mixed reviews on a few draft picks.

Hope springs eternal in NFL spring minicamps. | SportsonEarth.com : Mike Tanier Article
Nothing breeds optimism quite like May in the NFL, where we get our first chance to be impressed by rookies and new coaches in minicamps. From Chicago to Buffalo to Dallas, hope springs eternal and anything seems possible, even if it isn't.

Cutting Ties | The Sideline View
The one conundrum that isn't discussed enough in the NFL, and which personnel men routinely fail at, is when it is the right time to give up on quarterbacks. In truth, most general managers don't sit in the front office long enough to see their struggling "franchise" quarterbacks develop, let alone make the decision to get rid of them or not.

Bruce Irvin suspended 4 games for PED violation - Field Gulls
He's 6th Seahawk to get a PED suspension in 2 years.

Will Chip Kelly bring the "swinging gate" to the NFL?

2013-05-17T16:41:41Z

There were many unorthodox things Chip Kelly did at Oregon and we here as well as the rest of the NFL has spent a lot of time opining which of those he'll bring with him to the Eagles. We've already seen some examples with his practices.

There's very little to no on-field coaching. The team runs through it's drills at a quick pace and corrections get made in the film room. We've seen 5 quarterbacks throwing, music blaring... It's all very new and different. Same thing with player diets and workouts.

Certainly, we've seen tons of speculation about what Chip might do on offense and defense as well. But what special teams? Specifically, will we see the swinging gate?

Above is an idea of what the "swinging gate" formation looks like when employed on an extra point. It's something Chip Kelly used regularly at Oregon. Most of the team lines up to the right, the snapper, holder and kicker are in the middle and a flanker is out wide and eligible.

Defenders have to respect the formation out to the right because otherwise the holder could toss the ball to the WR he'd walk in. Or as we'll later, sometimes the center can turn and snap the ball straight to him.

The defense also has to watch the kicker or he could just run in, which is something Kelly also did.

Of course, there's also always the option of shifting all those guys on the right to a more traditional location and kicking.

Here's a FishDuck video on the different ways it was employed at Oregon.

Now, I'd be pretty surprised if Alex Henery was ever handed the ball off to run between the tackles... But you do see some very interesting strategy here that fits well with what Kelly does on offense.

This formation is typically only seen at lower levels where one team has a real athletic advantage over the other. That advantage won't be there in the NFL. However, it's interesting to note that there were times in this video where Oregon ran tricky extra points against teams like Alabama, who not only matched Oregon in terms of athletes, but were actually superior.

The swinging gate has been attempted a couple times in recent NFL history. The Titans ran an offensive play using the formation which resulted in an incomplete Vince Young pass. That was in the 07/08 playoffs. The Redskins tried it on special teams in 2009, with the result being an interception thrown by punter Hunter Smith.

The Linc - DeSean Jackson at RB, Clay Harbor at LB?

2013-05-17T12:08:56Z

Eagles' Chip Kelly envisions DeSean Jackson at running back, too - delcotimes.com
Unless Kelly reinvents his system one of the new wrinkles will be wide receiver DeSean Jackson, the king of the go route, getting some looks in the read option at running back.

Eagles experimenting with Jeremy Maclin as punt returner | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
Five years ago, nobody would have thought twice about Jeremy Maclin practicing on punt return. Five years ago, Maclin had entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Eagles, a dynamic receiver out of the University of Missouri who made All-America twice and was one of the college game’s best multi-dimensional threats. Of his 33 career college touchdowns, he scored three on punt returns and two more on kickoffs.

Eagles' Evan Mathis to IRS: 'Audit this'
Eagles offensive lineman Evan Mathis had a special message for the Internal Revenue Service Wednesday afternoon.

Eagles, 76ers using brains over brawn
The Eagles' new coach and the Sixers' new president share neither a sport nor a background - but they are united in a way they probably don't even realize.

Three Philadelphia Eagles Numbers That Matter - Birds 24/7
From Chip Kelly's red-zone efficiency to Mychal Kendricks' tackling, here are three numbers that matter.

DeSean Jackson Documentary Reveals Much | Birds 24/7
DeSean Jackson's relationship with Andy Reid and the Eagles got off on the wrong foot. The receiver and his family were already in the midst of a stressful day. Their draft party back in April of 2008 turned tense as the projected first-rounder slipped and slipped...until finally he was taken 49th by the Eagles. The celebration that ensued was quickly dampened following Jackson's call with his new head coach.

The comeback kids | National Football Post
Ten players we expect to bounce back big during the 2013 fantasy season

Matt Barkley speaks live from the NFLPA rookie premier

2013-05-16T20:51:24Z

Matt Barkley is representing the Eagles at the 2013 NFLPA rookie premier in California. Last year you may remember Nick Foles was there and gave us this sweet shoutout...

Barkley is currently participating in a live Google Hangout. Check it out and below and submit questions and comments if you like.

[Note by JasonB, 05/16/13 8:25 PM EDT ] The hangout is over, but the video is still available below. Barkley comes in around the 12 minute mark.

Donovan McNabb discusses retirement, hall of fame prospects and more

2013-05-16T18:22:10Z

Donovan McNabb was a guest of 97.5 The Fanatic today to discuss his announcement that he will retire as an Eagle, his legacy and hall of fame prospects.

McNabb first wanted to clear up the reports that his retirement set for the Thursday night game against the Chiefs. He said that it hasn't even been discussed when the ceremony will take place and that it's entirely speculation that will be on Andy Reid's return to Philadelphia.

Obviously that date does make sense for a lot of reasons... but for now it's only speculation.

"We haven't chosen the date yet," McNabb said. "The ceremony is something that we've been communicating back and forth. I want [the retirement ceremony] to be something that is special. Not only for me but for the fans. We're discussing some different things that we want to get done, that I would like to see get done. Everything right now is in the works, nothing is written in stone. It was just one step of acknowledging that I wanted to retire as a Philadelphia Eagle. As things continue to break down for the particular event I'll let everyone know exactly what is going on."

McNabb also said they haven't discussed retiring his number and that would be something totally up to Jeff Lurie.

"That's really not my call," McNabb said of retiring the #5. "I would love for that to happen but if they don't I won't be upset about it.""

Of course, McNabb's tenure in Philadelphia did not end as he or any of us had hoped. He was traded away to the division rival Redskins, which he admits was not something he was happy about.

"When I was traded to the Washington Redskins obviously there was some upsetness and some doubt," McNabb said. "I wanted to step away and kind of think about - reflect on - the great times in Philadelphia. What better a place to go back and retire and close the chapter of my NFL career than to be back in Philadelphia and do it in front of those great fans."

The man is only human, so obviously there had to be a little bitterness when he was traded. Brian Dawkins admitted to the same thing when the Eagles didn't match his offer from the Broncos. But credit to both guys for realizing business is business and this really is their football home.

As for the Hall of fame, McNabb said it would be an honor, but it's not really why he played the game.

"You don't play to say ‘I'm going to be a Hall of Famer, I'm gonna be this, I'm gonna be that.' You play the game to make your mark, to build your legacy and how you wanted to be remembered. Stepping away from the game I think I made a good mark."

Hear the full interview on the 97.5 The Fanatic website.

Felix Jones excited about kick returns with Eagles

2013-05-16T14:24:21Z

The Eagles brought in former Cowboys RB Felix Jones on a year deal last week largely to compete for a 3rd, maybe 2nd string job. As is the case for pretty much any backup RB in the NFL, Jones will need to contribute on special teams, which he says he looking forward to.

"I'm excited about kickoff returns," Jones said. "It's something I always did, something I always wanted to do. Whenever coach gives me an opportunity to go out there and do it, I'm ready to go."

Jones has 64 kick returns in his career averaging 24 yards per return with 1 TD but also 2 fumbles. As PE.com points out, the Eagles finished 26th last in year with an average return of 21 yards.

Jones says he knows he coming into a crowded backfield, but it's something he used to.

"I'm definitely competing for a spot to play. It's going to be fun to learn from those guys, to pick up what they've done to help them out. It's going to help me with my game as well. I always played with a couple backs anyway ever since college. It's always a thrill to have a couple good people in your position because they can push you."

He played alongside Darren McFadden in college and split time with the likes of Marion Barber and DeMarco Murray in the pros.

Jones is by no means a roster lock, but he does seem to have the skill set to fill a role in what Chip Kelly wants to do. Plus, the added element of kick return ability is just another path to a roster spot.