According to Geoff Mosher of the Wilmington News Journal, Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Winston Justice had successful knee surgery Tuesday under the care of Dr. James Andrews in Alabama.


The surgery is being labeled a success because, according to reports, Andrews found nothing else wrong with Justice's knee and was not forced to perform microfracture surgery.

Microfracture surgery, as mentioned Monday, would have been career-threatening.

Instead, Justice is looking at just under a month of rehab time and should be back to full strength in short order with no ill effects on his 2011 season. The news also means the team can, and should, target much more pressing areas of need in April's draft.


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According to Adam Caplan of FOXSports.com, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs will be forced to retire from the NFL after sustaining his second serious neck injury in as many years.

"(Hobbs) will retire because of his second serious neck injury in the past two seasons," Caplan wrote. "This one, a source said, will end his career because it’s higher up in his neck."

Hobbs sustained the injury while returning a kickoff against the New York Giants. A Giants player led with the crown of his helmet and hit Hobbs in the head at full speed. Unfortunately, due to the inconsistencies of the new player-safety rules, the Giants player was not flagged nor fined.

To me, that hit was more dangerous than anything Asante Samuel was fined for, and is much more easily avoidable.


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I go onto Philly.com every day for one reason, and one reason only -- to read Sheil Kapadia's Moving the Chains blog.

Unlike the other writers of the site who do nothing but try to stir the pot with their half-wit opinions and made-up sources, Kapadia looks at real stats and attempts to dissect them.

Most recently Kapadia took a look at the Eagles' special teams stats and where they need to improve. What he discovered is that David Akers had a good year as we suspected, the coverage units were better than expected, punt returns were middle of the pack, and kickoff returns were atrocious.

By "atrocious" I mean the third-worst in the league.


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Smith will be an integral piece of striking a new deal.


Save for the hulking presence of Philadelphia Eagles' offensive lineman Winston Justice, last night's NFL Players Association One Team Tour event at Philadelphia's Water Works restaurant could have easily been confused with your typical Teamsters' rally.

Flanked by current and former NFL players, members of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, and other local labor leaders, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith made an impassioned plea in support of the players, as negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement with NFL owners - and commissioner Roger Goodell - may soon threaten the start of the 2011 season.

"I don't think either Roger or I are out there to try to send any messages to each other," said Smith. "It's important for both of us to get a deal done as quickly as possible."

One of the goals of last night's event, whether stated or otherwise, was to gain support from fans across the country - many of whom dismiss the negotations as one group of millionaires doing battle against another.

"We're all in this together," said Eagles' cornerback Ellis Hobbs, who is currently recovering from a career-threatening neck injury. "What I want to try to do is to show the fans that what you see on TV is not who we are. We're just like you: we work hard, we play hard, and we just want the type of justice due to us."

In the eyes of the NFLPA, that justice would come in the form of a new collective bargaining agreement that's fair and equitable to both sides. In a sport where the average career is only three and a half years, it is hard to fault the players, who are simply seeking financial security for the impact that the game has on their bodies.

"We want to play games, but we're the ones out there playing, and we just want a fair deal," said Winston Justice, the Eagles' NFLPA player representative. "We want to be out there more than the fans do, but we just want to be treated fairly."

With less than 90 days remaining before the current CBA runs out on March 3, both sides are bracing themselves for the very real possibility of a labor stoppage.

In a one-page letter dated December 1, Smith advised players to save their last three game checks of the 2010 season in preparation for a lockout. "The deadline has now passed," Smith wrote. "It is important that you protect yourself and your family."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello responded to the letter by saying: "It is disappointing and inexplicable, especially for fans... We are ready to meet and negotiate anytime and anywhere... One side can't do it alone."

One of the major points of contention is the owners' desire to expand the regular season to 18 games by reducing the preseason from four games to two. However, with the recent spike in concussions and other serious injuries, the NFLPA is strongly opposed to any changes to the 16-game schedule as it stands now.

"Given our current system, two extra games means a shorter career... exposes us to more injuries," said Smith. "That's not moving forward - right now, that's moving backward."

"I think it's ridiculous," said Hobbs. "Me alone, to go through injuries time after time, day after day, the injury that I just suffered - now you're adding two more games onto the end of that... I really don't see it making sense."

It's been 23 years since the NFL last faced labor discord. Back in 1987, the NFLPA went on strike for 24 days, but nearly 90 players crossed the picket lines, and the union quickly lost any leverage it had against the owners. Now, almost a quarter of a century later, the players' union realizes that they need to stand to together in order to achieve their ultimate goal.

"We're facing a lockout," said Smith. "Our players understand what the stakes are, and I've been brutal with them. If the players lack solidarity, we lose."
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Aaron Rodgers at the "One Team Tour" in Green Bay.


The NFLPA (National Football League Players Association) is coming to Philadelphia as part of its "One Team Tour," and 2 Minutes to Midnight Green is giving YOU an opportunity to win a pair of tickets to this special event.

The event is to be held at the spectacular Water Works restaurant in Philadelphia on Tuesday, December 7th from 6-730PM. Guests will include Winston Justice, Ellis Hobbs, other current Eagles who will be named closer to the time of the event, head of the NFLPA DeMaurice Smith and other NFLPA executives will be on hand as well.

There will be a free tailgate-style happy hour (food and drinks), gift bags for those who attend, and door prizes that will be an assortment of autographed Eagles gear.

(Attendance is limited only to this with tickets for this exclusive event.)

Right about now, I know you're interested. How do you win the tickets, you ask? Easy.

The point of this event is to thank NFL fans around the country and, most importantly, thank the greatest fans in the world in Philadelphia. Those who attend are expected to come decked out -- head to toe -- in Eagles gear.

So, with that said, here's how you can win the tickets:

1. Send me a picture of you (or you and some friends) in your wildest Eagles get-up. It can be from a game you've gone to, or something you think up on the spot to win the tickets. But if it's the latter, you'd be expected to wear that same get-up to the event! (A shirt with our name on it might not hurt either. We like suck-ups and walking billboards)

That is the easiest way, but there is a second option if you don't own a camera. It's not going to be as easy to win the tickets if you go with option No. 2, but it's still there to consider:

2. Send me your wildest Eagles story. Whether it's something you've done just to be able to see an Eagles game, something you've done at a game, if you've beaten up a Giants fan just because you were having a bad day, etc. Some sort of verification of your story will help you out, but we'll be running on the honor system.

Send your picture and/or story to me at 2minutestomidnightgreen(at)gmail(dot)com (you may direct any questions here as well).

The winner will be chosen by me and contacted Sunday afternoon after the early games. I encourage everyone to send in a submission as this event is definitely worth going to and something you'll likely never forget.

Also, ALL submissions will be reviewed.

We have two pairs of two tickets to give away, so that means there can be two winners who can then pick a buddy to take along.

To recap:

• Free food
• Free drinks
• Meet some Eagles players
• Win some autographed gear

If you haven't sent in your submission yet, I'm not sure what you're doing.
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Hobbs' NFL career could end after another neck injury.


After suffering a helmet-to-helmet hit against the New York Giants that left him motionless on the field for over 10 minutes, Ellis Hobbs is expected to undergo his second neck surgery in the same calendar year.

And according to the sources ESPN's Adam Schefter has spoken to, Hobbs would prefer this be his very last and has seriously contemplated retirement.

"There's a good chance of that [Hobbs retiring]," a source told Shefter Saturday.

Another source told Schefter that "if Hobbs had to make a decision today, he would retire." But, like Schefter notes, Hobbs has been advised to take his time and not rush a decision. It's understandable why he'd be ready to walk away from the game right now, but given the success of the surgery and his recovery, it's possible he could return next season.

Garry Cobb of GCobb.com said last week that he believes Hobbs should retire before suffering any life-altering injuries.

"This is solely my opinion," Cobb writes, "but if I had damage to a disc in my neck and back area, which has to involve the spinal column, I would retire immediately. If he’s looking at things clearly, Hobbs should retire rather than risk being paralyzed."

It's hard to argue with that reasoning, but football players do what they do because they're some of the toughest (and hard-headed) people on the planet. There are a lot of guys who keep playing when their knees have basically eroded away or they can't move their shoulder or they're permanently dizzy from concussions because football is all they know.

But that's an argument coming from a former player, so to say he would retire immediately if given the same situation has to carry some weight.

I don't think anyone would blame Hobbs either way. If he walked away from the game, everyone would understand. He's going to be a free agent at the end of the season and it might be difficult to get a team to take a chance on him. He might just figure now is the time to walk away.

Conversely, I don't believe anyone would look down on him for wanting to come back, either.

We likely won't get any confirmation one way or the other until deep in the offseason, but right now it looks like Hobbs' playing career is over.
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Hobbs' latest injury puts the Eagles defense in a bind.


No, this isn't an old article from last season. For the second straight year, Ellis Hobbs is reportedly going to miss the rest of the season due to a neck injury.

The news is being reported by CSNPhilly.com's Derrick Gunn.

Hobbs was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit with New York Giants reserve defensive end Dave Tollefson on a kick return. Once Tollefson and Hobbs collided, Hobbs dropped the ball and immediately went motionless.

He laid on the field for a good 10 minutes before being taken off on a stretcher.

"He was upset because he wanted to get up and go," head coach Andy Reid told the media after the game. "Sometimes that happens in those situations. I told him to stay down there and trust the guys that were working with him. I said, 'Let's just make sure things are OK, and let's not do anything stupid here.'"

Hobbs did not lose mobility in his extremities as he gave the thumbs up on his way out of the stadium and walked out of the X-ray room later. The X-rays were negative, but an MRI later revealed a disc injury. And given Hobbs' history, the team isn't expected to take any chances.

Dimitri Patterson will continue to start at right corner, and Trevard Lindley will likely see an increased role as the team's dime corner.

But even with Lindley there to step up and take a larger role, I would expect the team to bring in another corner. Lindley only gives them four corners since Jorrick Calvin is mainly a kick returner who was not expected to contribute on defense.

With Hobbs out, Calvin will likely be the guy returning kicks for the rest of the year.

Hobbs, playing on a restricted free agent tender, is unlikely to be re-signed during the offseason after losing his job to Patterson and has most likely played his last game as an Eagle.

UPDATE: Hobbs' agent has confirmed that Hobbs is heading to the IR.

*Don't forget to check out 2M2MG's breaking news section! It's an up-to-the-minute running post to keep you informed on all the goings-on around Philly sports. Bookmark it today!
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Patterson will be the starting right corner Sunday.


After two very good games from Dimitri Patterson that included 11 tackles, two interceptions, and one touchdown, Ellis Hobbs finds himself on the outside looking in as head coach Andy Reid announced Wednesday that Patterson would continue to be the starting right cornerback.

"Dimitri is [the starter]," Reid said. "Ellis, we're going to ease him back in and he's going to be out there. You'll see him returning a little bit and we'll see how he does with that. We'll just see how he does this week. He's a little better this week than he was last week. He's feeling a little bit better than what he has. So we'll just ease him in and see how he does."

At this point in the season, it's the right move. Like Michael Vick taking over for Kevin Kolb or Antonio Dixon taking over for Brodrick Bunkley, Patterson proved his worth when given the chance and, at least in the short-term, is an improvement.

Not being afraid to make the tough call is what makes an average team good, or a good team great, and Reid has shown he's not willing to bend to football clichés and will in fact stick with an injury replacement.

The big question now is whether or not Patterson can keep up his stellar play and keep Hobbs on the sideline, or if he'll tail off and eventually give way to the average but mostly consistent Hobbs.

In other injury news...

Reid also announced that Ernie Sims has a slight ankle sprain but will practice, as will starting free safety Nate Allen. Max Jean-Gilles is also going to be practicing and Reid said he could rotate with Nick Cole this Sunday against the New York Giants. Running back LeSean McCoy and defensive end Juqua Parker both got the day off.

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Patterson's performance could earn him more starts.


Ellis Hobbs practiced all week leading up to the Eagles' rout of the Washington Redskins on Monday night, but did not wind up playing. Instead, Dimitri Patterson got his second consecutive start and made the best of it.

Patterson recorded his second and third interception of the season and scored his very first touchdown. Outside of one big play, Patterson shut down anyone he lined up against and showed once again that he's a very sure tackler.

But we all know players don't lose their spot due to injury, right?

Kevin Kolb would tell you that's simply not true with Andy Reid. And make no mistake, if Reid wants Patterson to play, Sean McDermott will play Patterson and Hobbs will take a demotion all the way down to the fourth corner.

Hobbs hasn't played poorly this season (sans his meeting with Kenny Britt), but like Vick taking over for Kolb and Antonio Dixon taking over for Brodrick Bunkley, the team has shown the guy with the hot hand will play.

Right now, Patterson undoubtedly has the hot hand.

But even if Hobbs gets pushed out by Patterson, he would likely still have a fairly large role in the defense. Joselio Hanson is the nickel corner and that's how it's going to stay. He's been moved around and has seen time on the outside, but has been unimpressive. So Hobbs would become the backup for both Patterson and Asante Samuel.

If something happened to either one of those guys, Hobbs would step in. If something happened to Hanson, Patterson would likely kick to the inside and Hobbs would start in his place. So while Hobbs would technically be the fourth corner, he would always be just one snap away from seeing time.

On top of the time he'd see on defense, Hobbs could also take over the kick return duties. Jorrick Calvin has shown some flashes, but he muffed the catch on the opening kickoff and fumbled on another return later in the game against the Redskins. He got lucky he was able to fall back on top of the ball.

The way Reid has been willing to sit starters and go with the guys who are playing best is what has the Eagles in first place in the division. Sticking with the pattern and starting Patterson seems like the only option at this point.
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Al Harris could be a great addition to a young defense.


From 1998 to 2002, Al Harris played corner for the Philadelphia Eagles. Before the 2003 season, he was traded to the Green Bay Packers and went on to be a starter there until this season when injuries and the strong play of rookie Sam Shields made him expendable.

Harris was placed on waivers a few days ago and, after not being claimed by any of the 31 other teams, is now an unrestricted free agent. He has history in Philadelphia, the Eagles are in need of some depth at corner, and Harris has shown Pro Bowl ability.

But, at almost 36 years old coming off an injury, should the Eagles even consider adding Harris?

Well, that would clearly depend on a couple different things. For starters, exactly how long is it going to take for Ellis Hobbs to get back to action? He was said to be seeking a second opinion on a hip injury that kept him out of the Eagles' win over the Colts this past Sunday, and could possibly miss more time than originally thought.

And secondly, how much would it cost to bring him in? Harris was slated to make $2.5 million this year, but unless he's willing to take much, much less than that he won't be an Eagle any time soon. My guess is the team wouldn't be willing to do anything more than the minimum with some playing time and performance escalators.

According to head coach Andy Reid, he and general manager Howie Roseman have discussed bringing Harris in, but didn't elaborate on how serious those talks have been.

"We actually talked about Al a little bit," Reid said Monday. "I don't know where Al is, necessarily physically, he's close to 36 years old and coming off of an injury similar to [Eagles fullback Leonard] Weaver's if you take out the bit of nerve damage [Weaver] had there. So it's a pretty significant injury he's coming off of and I'd just have to look at that a little bit more."

If I were in their shoes, I would definitely bring him in. Harris not only brings a wealth of talent and experience, but might be that veteran presence the team needs to play more disciplined.

Harris was known as a guy who would draw a lot of flags for his rough play during his time in Philadelphia, and carries an attitude with him that a lot of the young guys would be forced to respect. Juqua Parker is currently the most seasoned vet on the defense, but he's more of a soft-spoken lunch pale type of guy.

So if the price is right, Harris is definitely a guy who should be an Eagle again. Reid has done it with guys like Jeremiah Trotter and Hugh Douglas with relative success, so why not give Harris the same do-over?
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Hobbs' absence could give Patterson a chance to shine.


After not practicing all week, backup left tackle King Dunlap and cornerback Ellis Hobbs have been officially ruled out for the Eagles' Week 9 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Dunlap had been starting in Jason Peters' absence, but Peters is expected to start against the Colts so Dunlap was going to head back to the bench anyway. He has proven to be a valuable backup, but now the undrafted free agent Austin Howard will be the guy called upon should Peters have a setback in the coming weeks.

Hobbs, as we knew, was already ruled out as a starter. The team hadn't ruled out the possibility of him perhaps playing in a reserve role, but Hobbs will sit this one out and open up some playing time for rookie Trevard Lindley.

Lindley is expected to see time when the defense goes to its dime set and could even platoon with Dimitri Patterson as the man across from Asante Samuel on the right side.

As for the rest of the Eagles' injury report, Peters (knee), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (concussion), defensive end Juqua Parker (hip), defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (elbow), reserve lineman Nick Cole (knee), defensive end Brandon Graham (ankle), and quarterback Michael Vick (rib) were all listed as probable.

There were not any players listed as questionable or doubtful, and everyone listed as probable is expected to play barring any setbacks. Of the seven listed, only Cole is either not a starter or expected to see a lot of time in a rotational role.

Outside of Hobbs, the Eagles will have every one of their starters available to them, which is obviously very important when playing a quality team like the Colts. But if it takes Vick, Jackson, and Peters too long to get back into the swing of things after missing some time it still might not be enough.

The offense is going to have to score a lot of point on the arm of Vick and the rest of the offense if they're going to out-duel Peyton Manning -- recently ranked as the eighth-based player in NFL history by NFL Films' Top 100 series -- and even the slightest mistake due to an injury or otherwise could mean a .500 record for the Birds after eight weeks.
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Finding out Hobbs was injured is the best possible news.


Anyone watching the Eagles-Titans Week 7 game -- with or without a medical degree -- could tell Ellis Hobbs was injured. His change of direction was that of the Tin Man pre-Dorothy and the physicality with which he usually plays was nowhere to be found.

What we didn't know, however, was that Hobbs has apparently been playing through a hip injury for some time. He claims he didn't tell the coaches or the media anything about it because he didn't think it was a big deal but, after getting torn apart against Tennessee, realized that it's clearly impeding his play.

That realization led him to disclose his injury to the team and led to a doctor's visit. What exactly the doctor told him hasn't been disclosed, but Hobbs describes himself as "day to day" even though head coach Andy Reid has said Hobbs will "struggle to get to the game."

Right now, I'm torn on what to think about Hobbs. I certainly understand and respect playing through an injury to help the team, but I also believe there's a point at which that player is hurting the team -- and Hobbs clearly crossed that point.

Every player is going to believe his presence on the field gives his team the best chance to win because that's the mentality it takes to get to the NFL in the first place. But that is where the coach is supposed to come in. He gets paid to decide who plays and who doesn't and, along with the help of the team doctors, decides whether or not an injured player should play or not.

But Hobbs took that ability away from Reid when he decided not to even disclose the injury. Had Reid known about the severity of the injury, there's a good chance they would have a) not played him at all, or b) been more aware of the injury and replaced him at halftime or so of the Titans game.

That alone might have been enough to prevent Kenny Britt's huge day and could have given the Eagles' offense a chance to pull out the win at the end of the game.

It appears as though Hobbs is definitely out for the Eagles' Week 9 game against the Indianapolis Colts, which means the team will be going in at less than full strength against the best quarterback in the league and an impressive young group of receivers.

All in all, it smells like the makings of a disaster.

It will, however, tell us if Reid was being sincere when he said Patterson being inserted into the starting role was due to Hobbs' injury and not a performance-based demotion. The old adage says a player can't lose his spot due to injury, but Kevin Kolb would beg to differ.

Reid has shown he won't hesitate to go with the hot hand, so if Patterson has a miraculous game and is able to shut down Reggie Wayne (who he'll likely be covering along with free safety Nate Allen) it's likely he could be the starter until he falters.

Which, come to think of it, could be why Hobbs was hesitant to disclose his injury in the first place.
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Brown plays with an attitude the Eagles could use.


While I'm not ready to jump on the "cut Ellis Hobbs" bandwagon that so many Eagles fans have boarded, I am reminded -- and once again annoyed by -- the decision that led to Hobbs becoming the starter.

That decision, of course, was to trade Sheldon Brown, along with Chris Gocong, to the Cleveland Browns for a fourth-and fifth-round pick and OLB/DE Alex Hall.

Hall was a complete disaster from day one and off the top of my head I'm not even sure where he's playing. Last I heard it was in New York with the Giants and I don't find it important enough to even look up.

Either way, he was gone early so we're left with the draft picks.

With those picks, the Eagles drafted cornerback Trevard Lindley and OLB/DE Ricky Sapp.

Both guys have unlimited potential and could make huge impacts for this team down the road, but to this point have been disappointing as rookies.

Sapp was placed (or, more accurately, stashed) on Injured Reserve before the season began and Lindley has spent most of his time as a healthy scratch. He does have one interception, but that was a duck that Andy Reid could have gone out and caught.

So with Brown gone, Hobbs stepped into the starting role. The debacle of Week 7 aside, I think he's been serviceable this season. He has shown that more athletic receivers will beat him, but overall he's done a good job in coverage with help from the rookie safety Nate Allen.

But even still, Brown would have been better. In fact, as it stands right now, Brown doubles Hobbs in tackles (16 to 33) and interceptions (one to two). We can also be relatively certain Brown would not have allowed Kenny Britt to run wild simply by being physical and using his football acumen -- a trait Hobbs seems to be short on.

And now that the team has demoted Hobbs and plans to start reserve corner Dimitri Patterson in his place, I can't help but wonder where this defense would be had they just held on to Brown even for one more year until they found a suitable replacement.

Brown knew this system. He knew how to play in it. In fact, I would say he's the only player who actually got better once Sean McDermott took the reigns.

Brown playing across from Asante Samuel with Nate Allen and Quintin Mikell behind them could have the makings of one of the best secondaries in the league. Add in Joselio Hanson in the nickel and Hobbs as the dime corner and it would have been nearly impossible for opponents to pass the ball.

But instead they're going to see how well a reserve journeyman can handle the starting duties because the guys making the decisions did not have the foresight to see that they were still without a replacement for Brown and should have held onto him until they did.

I'm sure Reggie Wayne is licking his chops at the thought.
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Could Dick Jauron be the missing piece to this defense?


If you watched the Eagles' game this past week, I know for a fact that you were looking for the nearest wall in which to bash your head. I can honestly say that for the first time in my nineteen years of existence, I was legitimately angry at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Remotes, telephones, and pillows were flying in my house with every Kenny Britt reception. I could not fathom how a team, who seemed to have the game in their control, was absolutely dominated by one player and eventually lost the game.

Sean McDermott did a horrible job of making adjustments and managing his defense. You know, there is a guy in the booth named Dick Jauron who wears a cool cowboy hat and is a pretty good defensive coach. Why not give him a crack at it? I'll get to that later.

I counted three goats in this game: Ellis Hobbs, Sean McDermott, and Nate Allen.



Ellis Hobbs

After being matched up against Kenny Britt in the second quarter, Hobbs looked like a freshman on his first day of high school. He was absolutely lost and was being juked while Britt was running his routes.

The amount of separation between Hobbs (or any defender for that matter) and Kenny Britt was wide enough to fit about three Boeing 747s. When Britt got passed him, Hobbs seemed to just shrug it off in the hopes that Nate Allen would pick him up.

Yes, this may be a valid thing to do maybe for three plays. However, if you are a cornerback and are getting consistently smoked by a wideout, maybe it's time for a change. Swallow your pride and speak up. Tell the coach, "Hey, this guy is getting me every time. We should think about doubling him."



Sean McDermott

Aside from being a pretty cool guy, McDermott doesn't know his linebackers from his safeties.

Let me ask you this, how is it that the Eagles defense cannot seem to find a balance in defnding both the pass and run? After having running back Chris Johnson virtually shut down the entire game, the Titans realized that they would have to win through the air.

Instead of tightening up coverage, McDermott left his defense the way it was in the hopes that all will be well by 0:00 in the fourth quarter.

Wrong.

Adjustments are the key to locking up football games. McDermott has got to do a better job of tying up loose ends. Putting Ellis Hobbs on a team's best wide receiver is foolish. Asante Samuel is the best cornerback so why not put him on Britt? Yes, I know that it may screw up the game plan but obviously the original plan isn't working.

Simply put: the Eagles are scared to improvise on the fly.



Nate Allen

I don't have many bad things to say about Nate. He has played up to expectations throughout this entire season. However, in yesterday's game, he seemed to be lost a little bit.

I felt as though the responsibility of him covering Hobbs' lack of skill was getting to his head and making him think too much. Therefore, Allen gave up a couple of big plays. This is expected from a rookie, though.

Dick Jauron was brought on this season to coach the secondary. Jauron has had a few head coaching stints as well as a couple of defensive coordinator positions throughout the years.
From 1995-98, Jauron was stationed in Jacksonville under head coach Tom Coughlin. In those three years, Jauron had a fair amount of success and was able to have his defense rank about 15th each year.

From 2004-05, Jauron was defensive coordinator in Detroit under Steve Mariucci. As you all know, that Lions team was horrible. Anywho, Jauron's defense was ranked 18th and 20th in 2004 and 2005, respectively. In Detroit, Jauron's best defensive players were R.W. McQuarters, Shaun Rogers, Dre' Bly, and Kalimba Edwards.

To be able to have your defense rank in the teens with these players is pretty good, you have to admit. It a lot better than having your D rated in the mid-to-high twenties under McDermott.

Imagine Dick Jauron operating a defense with Trent Cole, Stewart Bradley, Asante Samuel, Nate Allen, Ernie Sims, Quintin Mikell, etc. The possibilities are endless.

I know Andy Reid and Co. are not too keen on demoting assistants but "doggone it," the guy (McDermott) has to go. Even if it means switching him to coach the secondary.
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Calvin will add a new dimension to the special teams.


With DeSean Jackson likely to miss the Eagles' Week 7 matchup with the Tennessee Titans, and Ellis Hobbs lacking the big-play ability on kick returns, rookie defensive back Jorrick Calvin will handle all the return duties according to special teams coordinator Bobby April.

"Yeah, he'll be the punt returner and he's going to do the kick returning, too," April announced Thursday. "He'll do both. He did a good job [last week]. [He had a] nice return, and had some good blocks. He did a nice job and he did a nice job handling the ball. He’s been a good pick-up for us."

Jackson, usually an electric punt returner, is averaging only 7.6 yards per return this season with a long of 22 yards. Calvin, on the other hand, is averaging 15.4 yards per return with a long of 44.

Those numbers are a bit skewed since Jackson has double to the return attempts Calvin has, but Calvin has been more explosive with the ball than Jackson. There also seems to be a bit of a reluctance out of Jackson to take the ball and head up the field as well. He seems eager to dance around and do all he can not to get hit rather than taking all the yardage he can get.

Hobbs, the usual kick returner, is a guy who has good field vision and rarely does anything to hurt the team on his returns, but he lacks the second gear that Calvin possesses.

It also doesn't hurt that now the starters can stay off special teams and the team doesn't have to take a step down in production.

Calvin could, in fact, prove to be an upgrade over both players -- which is saying a lot considering the success Jackson has had as a punt returner.

I've been pretty hard on Andy Reid and Howie Roseman for some poor trades they made this season, but Charles Scott straight up for Calvin appears to have been one hell of a steal.
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Macho should have a smooth transition to corner.


It happened a year too late, but the Eagles finally realized their mistake and have moved Macho Harris back to cornerback. And more specifically, they've moved him to right cornerback, where he is seeing significant playing time during mini-camp.

Macho started several games at free safety last season, and was penciled in as the starter heading into mini-camp, but it was obvious to anyone paying the slightest bit of attention that Harris is not a safety and is clearly a natural corner.

But the interesting part of this is that he's seeing time at right cornerback -- the position vacated by Sheldon Brown and currently being filled by Ellis Hobbs. The move could signal that the Birds aren't as sold on Hobbs as they'd like everyone to think.

Hobbs was the guy across from Asante Samuel in 2007 with New England when the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season before being defeated in the Super Bowl, but that was in a completely different system.

With New England, Hobbs was able to play the zone and simply react whereas in Sean McDermott's system he'll be asked to play man and press his receiver. His height (5'8") will make that very difficult.

Harris, on the other hand, is 5'11" and better suited to be the type of corner McDermott wants for his system. However, Harris will have to show that he's capable of sticking with the speedier receivers as he was consistently burnt at safety.

That, however, could also simply have been a case of his ignorance not allowing him to be in the proper position rather than a lack of physical ability.

In other Eagles news, it appears as though the Eagles' interest in former Houston Texans offensive lineman Chester Pitts is minimal. He said recently the Birds told him they'd have a spot for him on the roster, but sources within the organization are saying it's exploratory more than anything.

Shawn Springs will also not be joining the team anytime soon, contrary to ESPN and Boston Globe reports. The Eagles were interested last season, but that was only if he would accept a move to free safety. That's no longer an option the Eagles have to explore after drafting Nate Allen and signing Marlin Jackson.
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Is Justice ready to take his game to the next level?


With training camp the next big event of the NFL offseason, and not much else going on right now, let's take a look at the issues facing the Eagles for the upcoming season in no particular order.

1. Who starts at right cornerback?

Ellis Hobbs is supposed to be the front-runner heading into training camp, but Joselio Hanson is also seeing some reps with Asante Samuel. Hanson has proven himself to be a very good nickel corner, but probably doesn't have the speed or athleticism to play on the outside.

Hobbs has already played the right cornerback position with Samuel, and played it well, during the New England Patriots' undefeated season in 2007. Hanson, on the other hand, was considered a scrub before he moved inside in the nickel.

In other words, he's probably another Rod Hood -- very good in the nickel, but not great on the outside.



2. Who emerges as the third running back?

Last season it was Eldra Buckley, but he saw limited time as a running back and was mostly a special teams player. This season, however, the Birds have brought in some competition for Buckley in the form of a former league MVP and a sixth-round draft pick.

Martell Mallett, the reigning MVP of the CFL, was signed early in the offseason. He is probably a very long shot to make the team, but signing a guy who was voted as the best player in the entire league, even in the CFL, is worth the minimal amount of money it took to sign him.

Then there's Charles Scott, a sixth-round pick in this year's draft out of LSU. Scott doesn't seem to fit Andy Reid's mold of a running back at all at 5'11", 240 pounds, but there's a lot of buzz around this kid and he's probably the most likely to make the team.

However, if he can't play special teams, he will most likely find himself on the practice squad to make room for Buckley.



3. Who plays center while Jamaal Jackson rehabs?

Currently, there are three candidates for the center position: Mike McGlynn, A.Q. Shipley, and Nick Cole. McGlynn was a fourth-round pick in 2008, Shipley was a seventh-round pick of the Steelers last season, and Cole is a guy the Eagles have been moving around since he came to Philly as an undrafted free agent in 2006.

Cole played center last season once Jackson went down, but was unimpressive, to say the least.

It's believed that McGlynn and Shipley will battle it out to see who mans the position until Jackson is able to return, and it's likely McGlynn wins the job due to his size advantage (6'4", 315 over Shipley at 6'o", 300), and the fact that he was a fourth-round draft pick.



4. How will Jason Peters and Winston Justice progress?

Peters caught far too much heat last season, and Justice didn't get nearly enough praise. Peters, while he didn't play as well as the Eagles hoped, was still their best lineman, by far, and was often blamed for sacks that were actually the fault of Todd Herremans on the inside.

Justice suffered much in the same way Peters did, as several times Nick Cole/Max Jean-Gilles would block the wrong man on the blitz or on a stunt.

I firmly believe another year in the system will help Peters dramatically, he'll play like the best left tackle in the league, and Justice could have a Pro Bowl season if the guy playing next to him is better than last season.



5. Will Stacy Andrews prove to be worth the money?

The Eagles sunk a lot of money into Stacy Andrews last season with no results. Nothing. He played in the season opener, but that was it. From there he was relegated to special teams duty on the field goal team, but even that was taken from him as the season progressed.

He claims it had nothing to do with his recovery from a torn ACL the year prior, but that was obviously the issue as he looked timid moving forward to run-block or planting his leg to dig in and pass-block.

This season, he's got to take the right guard spot from Cole and play well. With a young guy likely to take over at center for the majority of the season, he and Herremans will be counted on even more to man the interior of the line.

If he's unable to play up to the Eagles' expectations, don't expect him to be around in 2011.
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Trading Sheldon Brown would be an awful mistake.


Seemingly lost in all of the Donovan McNabb trade talks was the fact that Reid told reporters at the owner's meeting that he has been receiving offers for cornerback Sheldon Brown. Brown is currently unhappy with his contract, but the Eagles don't seem likely to budge.

He was a good sport all throughout the 2009 campaign, but it was clear from the start of the season that Brown was not happy with the situation. He clearly believes he's underpaid and would seemingly welcome a change of scenery if it also meant a raise.

Andy Reid is listening to offers for the disgruntled cornerback, but it's unclear what teams are actually offering at this point. Most believe that due to Brown's age he would command nothing more than a third-round pick, but he's only going to be 31 and has never missed a game in his eight-year career.

Reid and the Eagles would like to keep Brown around if at all possible, but a player can only hide his unhappiness and animosity toward his team for so long. Eventually, it will start affecting his play and could have a negative effect on the guys around him.

If they see that beginning to happen, or anticipate that as a problem, Reid and company could use Brown as draft-day bait to either move up in the early rounds, or to simply acquire picks if there are guys still on the board they really like.

There would certainly be a team out there willing to trade for a cornerback who has never missed a game and plays like a linebacker.

Personally, I believe Brown deserves a raise after his performance last season and the way he battled through injuries all year long, but the Eagles don't seem willing to give him anything more than what he's already making.

They believe he's gotten a fair deal and have said they won't even discuss a new one until at least 2011 -- the second-to-last year on a six-year extension signed back in 2004.

Brown is scheduled to make $2.75 million in 2010, which is far below the average for a starting cornerback. However, that's the risk that goes along with signing such a long-term extension.

Hopefully the Eagles will wise up and pay the man what he's worth before something has to be done in terms of shipping him elsewhere. He's the best all-around player on the defensive side of the ball outside of Trent Cole and his absence would be noticed almost immediately.

He brings a toughness that cornerbacks just don't have anymore, and losing a guy like Brown could completely suck the life out of a defense already struggling to find an on-field leader.

Brown is currently worth more to the Eagles than he is to anyone else, so anything they acquire for him in a trade won't seem to be worth it. Not only that, but it doesn't seem like the guys behind him would be capable of filling his shoes.

Joselio Hanson is a very good nickel corner, but he's shown that's where he belongs. Ellis Hobbs is a more-than-serviceable corner, but he's not on the level of Brown and the secondary would experience a drop-off with him as the right cornerback instead of Brown.

It's a messy situation that could come to a boiling point very soon, but hopefully the Eagles can avoid it by simply paying a guy who has done everything the right way and absolutely deserves to finally be paid what he's worth.

If Sheldon Brown isn't a guy who deserves a nice raise as a result of his play and simply doing things the right way, then I'm not quite sure who is.
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Sav Rocca is essentially an unrestricted free agent.


Apparently my assessment of the Eagles-Leonard Weaver contract talks was off. I assumed, quite confidently, that the Eagles would resign Weaver based on what Weaver's agent, Harold Lewis, had been saying throughout the week.

However, it looks like he will now play the 2010 season on a second-round tender.

News of talks had gone quiet, so it was assumed that the two sides were close to getting a deal done, but it must have meant quite the opposite. The two sides could still come together in the next few hours, but it's not looking likely now that he's been tendered.

I guess I should learn to stick to my gut instinct.

I surfed Twitter earlier and was relaying the reports of who was being tendered and at what level, and it looks like a few were off.

There were some mixed reports about Ellis Hobbs specifically, with some saying he'd receive an original-round tender and others saying he'd receive a second-round tender.

Well, as it turns out, it was neither.

Hobbs received a whopping first-round tender from the Eagles, which shows that the Birds really want to keep Hobbs around and are making sure that he doesn't go anywhere. There may have been a team or two out there who would have taken a shot at Hobbs for a third-round pick, but no one will give up a first round pick for a guy who played in the dime last season.

Here's the full list of the restricted free agents and how they were tendered via PhiladelphiaEagles.com:

• WR Jason Avant - Second-round level
• FB Leonard Weaver - Second-round level
• CB Ellis Hobbs - First-round level
• LB Chris Gocong - Original-round level (third round)
• LB Omar Gaither - Original-round level (fifth round)
• OL Nick Cole - Second-round level
• G Max Jean-Gilles - Original-round level (fourth round)
• LB Akeem Jordan - Second-round level
• P Sav Rocca - Right of First Refusal (no draft pick compensation)
• TE Alex Smith - Did not receive tender, will become unrestricted free agent

I thought Sav Rocca would receive a second-round tender -- I would have thought he would have gotten an original-round level tender, but since he was an undrafted free agent, that wouldn't make much sense -- but apparently the Eagles aren't real worried about him leaving.

Now, all they are able to do is match any offer he receives. But if Rocca walks, they won't receive any compensation.
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Jason Avant is a guy the Eagles can't afford to lose.


Thanks to Twitter Nation, I've learned that the Eagles have tendered several of their expected 10 restricted free agents, eight of whom would have been unrestricted free agents in a capped season.

Multiple reports are flying in every few minutes, so it's a bit difficult to keep track of and there's really no way to check the reports since the Eagles have yet to report anything themselves.

The Eagles official website doesn't have a single thing about who has received what, probably because nothing has been made official yet, and most likely won't have a thing until sometime tonight.

Teams have until 11:59 to tender their restricted free agents, then free agency officially kicks off at midnight.



Akeem Jordan

Geoff Mosher is reporting that the Eagles will give Akeem Jordan a second-round tender.

Jordan is expected to compete with Will Witherspoon to be the team's starting WILL, but will most likely be a backup and special teams contributor. Either way, Jordan is a guy the Birds were not going to let get away.

Jordan will make $1.7 million this season on the tender.



Omar Gaither

Jeff McLane is reporting that Omar Gaither will receive a "low tender." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I'm guessing he'll receive an "original round drafted" tender. It just means that if a team wants to sign Gaither, they would have to fork over a fifth round pick to the Eagles in this year's draft.

Gaither is expected to be the primary backup in the middle if he sticks around. The Birds probably don't want to just let him walk, but would certainly take the fifth round pick for him if a team is interested.

Gaither will make $1.2 million if he does in fact receive the tender he's expected to receive.



Nick Cole

Nick Cole, according to Mosher, will receive a second-round tender. It's a bit higher than I expected, but the Eagles clearly like Cole and want to keep him for at least another season just in case Stacy Andrews is unable to go.

Cole will make $1.75 million in 2010 under this tender.



Jason Avant

Adam Caplan is reporting that the Eagles have offered a second-round tender to receiver Jason Avant. It's about what I personally expected the Eagles to do with Avant, although I think everyone would like to see him get an extension immediately.

It's absolutely imperative that the Birds keep Avant, but a first-round tender probably felt like too much. There is most likely not a team willing to give a second-round pick for Avant, so it's a safe bet.

Avant will make $1.75 million next season barring an extension agreement. There is, however, no signs that the Eagles are talking to Avant about an extension.



Chris Gocong

Chris Gocong will receive an "original round drafted" tender, according to Mosher. He actually says that Gocong will receive a third-round tender, but I'm not sure such a thing exists.

Gocong was, however, drafted in the third round so that would make sense.

Gocong will make $1.1 million if this is actually the tender that sticks.



Ellis Hobbs

There is a bit of mixed reporting going on involving Ellis Hobbs. Mosher is reporting that he's received a second-round tender, while Caplan is reporting that he's received an "original round drafted" tender.

There's a pretty decent difference in the money he'd make depending on the tender. He'll make $1.2 million under the "original round drafted" tender, and $1.85 under a second-round tender. Either way he won't be leaving Philadelphia based on the amount of compensation it would take, but it's going to make a difference for him based on salary.



And the others...

It's also believed that Max Jean-Gilles has received an "original round drafted" tender. Alex Smith will not be receiving a tender from the Eagles, so that just leaves Sav Rocca and Leonard Weaver as the only two who haven't been dealt with.

A deal could soon be coming for Weaver, and Rocca will probably receive a second-round tender.
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