Philadelphia Eagles OTAs: Latest Player Reports and Analysis
The NFL is currently in the early stages of its offseason program, although you wouldn't necessarily know it in Philadelphia, where there's an eerie quiet around the team. Call it culture, call it head coach Chip Kelly keeping the media away from OTAs, but there haven't been a ton of developments with the Birds since the draft.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, either. The team is going about its preparations for the season ahead, and everything that comes out until then is merely noise, perhaps even a distraction.
Yet even Kelly with all his will and power can't keep every little tidbit a secret. There are some stories emanating out of the NovaCare Complex as reporters occasionally do catch up with players, although maybe not always the most interesting nuggets.
Hey, something is better than nothing, right? Let's catch up with the latest and biggest news with the Eagles as we anxiously await the access that comes with the opening of training camp in July.
Sam Bradford Hits the Field…
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No matter how you feel about Sam Bradford as the starting quarterback for the Eagles, one thing is for certain—the team will only go as far as he takes them. Admittedly, that is a scary thought for a player who is coming off his second torn ACL in as many seasons.
The good news is Bradford's most recent injury was last August, which means he'll be 13 months removed from surgery by the time Week 1 rolls around. That means he should be ready to go come opening day, a feeling reinforced by the fact that he is already practicing for Philadelphia.
Tim McManus for Philadelphia Magazine reported Bradford and Kelly hit the field for the first time at the first practice of the spring back on May 8. The simple fact that the signal-caller is out there—apparently without limitations—should be reassuring for Eagles fans.
Kelly spoke about where Bradford is at in relation to what the offense is working on.
"He can run around. It's a total non‑contact thing. We don't have any equipment on. He can run around, we just haven't specifically sat down to see what he can do, but we're in the infancy stages of our offseason program."
Of course, there will be doubts about Bradford's health every time he drops back and plants to throw, every time he takes a hit, and those doubts will exist until he makes it through a 16-game schedule. Still, it's a positive that he's even out there at all right now, one not to be taken for granted.
… but Mark Sanchez Is Competing for the Starting QB Job
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If you think Mark Sanchez is just going to hand the starting quarterback job over to Bradford, you've got another thing coming. Don't bother comparing paychecks or pedigree, and forget the way last season ended for Philadelphia with Sanchez under center, he's heading to training camp expecting a battle.
At least, that's how Sanchez explained his decision to re-sign with the Eagles this offseason to Rob Ellis on Breakfast on Broad. Despite the prevailing theory that the position is Bradford's to lose, Sanchez believes he'll have every opportunity.
"Really just talking with Coach Kelly and knowing I'm coming with the opportunity to compete for the starting job," he said. "That was important to me."
It's not impossible that Sanchez is under center on opening day, either. If Bradford shows any rust or is slow to pick up Philly's offense, Sanchez could realistically be the best option. The Eagles apparently prepared for the possibility as well, adding playing-time incentives into Sanchez's new contract, according to Spotrac.
That being said, Sanchez winning the job is unlikely provided Bradford is healthy and ready to play. The Eagles saw what Sanchez could do in 2014, and while he's a capable backup, it's safe to say he's no long-term solution.
Connor Barwin Says Marcus Smith Will Be a Whole New Player
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Marcus Smith was never going to start for the Eagles as a rookie, not while Trent Cole, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham were all on the roster. Still, even by the most pessimistic projections, the 26th overall pick of the 2014 draft was terribly disappointing in his first season.
According to Football Outsiders, Smith played just 68 defensive snaps last year. He failed to record so much as a single tackle or official NFL statistic of any kind.
Yet Barwin gives hope to those who wish to hold off from labeling Smith a bust too quickly. The Pro Bowl outside linebacker revealed Smith hit the weight room hard this offseason, and the result could be an entirely different player in '15. Via CSNPhilly.com, he said:
"Physically, he looks different. He gained 15 pounds, he put on a lot of muscle," Barwin said. "He's one of the stronger guys on our defense now. He took the offseason and did what he needed to do, which was get bigger, stronger."
Of course, it's not abnormal for second-year players to add weight after a full year in an NFL conditioning program. That doesn't mean Smith, who was incredibly raw coming out of Louisville to begin with, is suddenly going to become a solid contributor.
Then again, the Eagles may have no choice but to rely on Smith this season. Cole was released, leaving Barwin, Graham and a lack of any established depth behind them. The time is now for the first-round pick to make the impact that is expected of a player with his pedigree.
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Brandon Graham Loses Weight
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Speaking of Graham, he's back in Philly, fresh off signing a four-year contract extension during free agency. For the first time since he was selected 13th overall by the Eagles in 2010, he'll be a fixture in the starting lineup.
How did Graham celebrate his big promotion? By going on a diet, apparently. The outside linebacker posted on his Instagram account (via Bleeding Green Nation) that he and his wife lost a combined 25 pounds over the offseason.
Theoretically, the weight loss could help Graham in the area he struggles most—dropping into coverage. It's not that he isn't usually in position, but keeping up and getting his body around to cover smaller backs and receivers in the flat has proven problematic at times.
Of course, the concern is whether Graham will lose any of the power that's made him so effective at setting the edge and rushing the passer. Of course, if the drop in weight increases athleticism, any loss in that area could be negated.
Graham was listed at 265 pounds, for whatever that's worth. One has to imagine he's either playing closer to that weight or slightly less, but likely not a dramatic difference. Time will tell whether the change is merely cosmetic, or it results in a positive or negative impact on the field.
Malcolm Jenkins Defends Chip Kelly
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Say what you want about the moves Kelly made in the head coach's first offseason in charge of Philadelphia's personnel. No, really, say what you want about them.
Kelly put the Eagles through a wild and turbulent offseason, the many additions and subtractions geared toward reshaping the roster to fit his vision. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't, but there's no reason anybody should have to like or agree with every move that was made.
Yet Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the most outspoken defenders of Kelly this offseason, and he was at it again over the weekend, with CSNPhilly.com there to catch the latest comments.
“No one player is bigger than the team, and that’s me included,” Jenkins said Saturday at Jahri Evans’ youth football camp. “Every move he makes is to make the team better, so I can live with any decision that he makes because I know that’s where it comes from."
Well, thank you for the oh-so-enlightening statement that transactions are made with the goal of improving the roster. The only problem is they don't all necessarily result in improvement.
Kelly deserves a chance to prove he knows not only what he's doing on the sidelines, but in the front office, and he'll get that in due time when his team takes the field. Until then, it's fair to question whether the Eagles are actually better in 2015 than they were in '14.
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