Cornelius Ingram is the second Bird to suffer a torn ACL.


Philadelphia Eagles tight end Cornelius Ingram has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that will sideline him for his rookie season according to Reuben Frank.

Ingram, who was drafted in the fifth round of this year's draft, missed the entire 2008 season with the Florida Gators in his final year at college with a torn ACL in the same knee.

The Eagles had him take a MRI this morning in which the results showed that he had a torn ACL. It was first characterized as knee swelling according to Frank.

Losing Ingram is huge for the Birds as they were relying on him backing up first-year starter Brent Celek at tight end. They weren't just hoping for him to be a capable backup, but to also make plays too.

The only other options at tight end on the roster are Matt Schobel and Eugene Bright—neither of which are having great camps. For one, Schobel hasn't been practicing, and Bright hasn't shined but will only gain experience.

This makes the decision not to pony up a second round pick to acquire future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was traded to the Atlanta Falcons, even more mind blowing.

UPDATE: Eagles have signed Rob Myers, rookie free agent tight end out of Utah State. In order to make room for the tight end, Punter/Kicker Ken Parrish was cut.

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Witten continuing to run after having his helmet knocked off.


Originally, tight ends were really just a sixth lineman.

They were there to block, mainly because throwing the ball was not nearly as common even 30 years ago as it is today.

Today, tight ends are expected to have perhaps the best skill-set of any position on the field. They are expected to be able to block like a tackle, but catch like a wide receiver. Since the decline of the H-back, they are the true utility players on offense.

Let's also not forget to throw in that many of them are expected to play an H-back type of role from time to time.

To be the best at the tight end position one must have natural size. Most are in the 6'3"-6'6" range and between 230-250 pounds. That's not exactly an easy body type to find. Then, if you do find someone like that, they also must have the natural ability to block and catch the football.

It goes without saying, good tight ends are tough to come by.

The respective teams of these players, however, have tested the odds and hit the jackpot.



5. Chris Cooley (Washington Redskins)

73 games started, 314 receptions, 3,457 yards, 11 YPR, 28 TDs, 2-time Pro Bowler

Originally, this spot was going to go to Owen Daniels. However after looking at the numbers and some film a second time, I decided to go with Cooley.

Cooley has averaged around seven touchdowns a year, where Daniels has average around four. Daniels brought in 70 receptions last year, a great number for a tight end. However, Cooley racked up 83 receptions.

The only stat that Daniels had over Cooley was that Daniels had two touchdowns last year, where Cooley only had one.

However, looking at the entire career, Cooley has played in much more of a run-first type of offense where Daniels has had a wide-open passing attack, which gives him more of an opportunity.

Cooley also plays the H-back position on occasion, and plays it well. Daniels is not asked to do that, so the advantage has to go to Cooley.

Overall, Cooley is a very complete tight end with good natural ball-catching ability. He's a very good blocker and a good route-runner. He's also now made back-to-back Pro Bowls and if the Redskins can decide on how to deal with the quarterback position, he will more than likely be headed to more.



4. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts)

79 games started, 256 receptions, 3,082 yards, 12 YPR, 31 TDs

Playing in the same conference as Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez has not been good to Dallas Clark as far as gaining the recognition to get a Pro Bowl nod goes.

Because those guys would always get in, he would get snubbed. Even after having 58 receptions and 11 touchdowns in 2007, Clark still could not find his way into the Pro Bowl.

Even last year with 77 receptions and six touchdowns should have earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl, but again no dice.

With Gonzalez out of the conference, I expect Clark to make his first Pro Bowl about four years too late, but better late than never.

He is Peyton Manning's go-to guy. Even above Reggie Wayne or when Marvin Harrison was in Indy, Clark was still Manning's go-to guy.

Look for big things out of Dallas Clark, even playing in the toughest division in football, the AFC South.



3. Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys)

85 games started, 429 receptions, 4,935 yards, 11.5 YPR, 25 TDs, 5-time Pro Bowler and 1-time All-Pro

As far as toughness goes, there may not be a tight end in the league tougher than Jason Witten.

He brings back visions of Mike Ditka and Mark Bavaro because of the hard-nosed way in which he plays the game.

The most famous example would have to be during a night game against the Eagles in which he was hit by two Eagles, bounced off the hit, but lost his helmet. He continued to run down the field, nearly scoring before finally being brought down.

That, my friends, takes guts.

On top of the toughness he's a very good blocker. He is probably the best blocker on this list but, while he can catch very well, does not have the pass-catching ability of the other guys.

Witten will be a focal point of the Cowboys offense this season with the departure of Terrell Owens, so don't be surprised to see his receptions in the triple-digits, and his touchdowns in double-digits.



2. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers)

89 games started, 400 receptions, 5,066 yards, 12.7 YPR, 51 TDs, 5-time Pro Bowler and 3-time All-Pro

Antonio Gates is the best tight end to ever play for the San Diego Chargers. And yes, that includes Hall-of-Famer Kellen Winslow.

His basketball background makes him great at being able to use his body to shield away a defender and make the tough grab. Whether it's a linebacker, safety, or corner he beats every single one of them.

Even while nursing a nagging injury last season he was able to haul in 60 receptions, eight touchdowns, and make the Pro Bowl. With numbers like that, the AFC West does not want to see this guy healthy.

For that matter, neither does the rest of the league.

Of all the offensive weapons that the Chargers possess, Gates is probably the best of the bunch.



1. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons)

174 games started, 916 receptions, 10,940 yards, 11.9 YPR, 76 TDs, 10-time Pro Bowler and 5-time All-Pro

This is a fairly obvious pick, but the right one.

Gonzalez is the best tight end to ever play the game, and is still the best doing it. Nearly 100 receptions, over 1,000 yards, and 10 touchdowns certainly warrant a first place spot on this list.

He already holds the record for receptions, yards, and touchdowns by a tight end. Each year that he plays is only adding on to records that will never be broken.

He will most likely go over 1,000 receptions for his career, which is an incredible feat even for a wide receiver, much less a tight end.

He's already reached double-digit Pro Bowls, but that was all in the AFC. I'm sure he'd love to wear a blue jersey for the NFC this year, and most likely will do just that.

He wants to win a Super Bowl before his career is over, and him being on the field gives the Falcons a much better chance to win their first, and his first.
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For all of you pessimistic Eagles' fans, it would appear as the Joe Banner may be keeping his word and trading for a player we all want.

Unfortunately, that player is not Anquan Boldin. In fact, he's not a wide receiver at all.

Well, kinda.

Don Banks of SI.com is reporting that the Eagles and Atlanta Falcons are in the running for Tony Gonzalez. He claims in his report that the Eagles have expressed their willingness to part ways with a third-round pick for the 33-year old tight end.

The report does not say what the Falcons have offered, but I'm assuming only a fourth if the Eagles are in the lead. Nothing else makes sense, considering the Chiefs and Eagles actually play one another this year. So, that's not it.

The change at GM evidently has done nothing to cheapen the price tag for Gonzalez as the Chiefs are still asking for a second-round pick.

The Chiefs are worried about the backlash if the fan base perceives the deal as a bargain for the other team, whether it be the Eagles or Falcons, so it may cause them to stand strong in their demands for a second-round pick. Which, by the way, is not going to happen.

While Gonzalez is no doubt a first-ballot Hall of Fame guy, he is 33 years old and not worth a second round pick to the rest of the league.

Personally if I'm the Eagles, I'm doing it. I would haggle them right down to the last second, but if they refuse to budge I would give them what they want.

I understand 33 is the tail-end of a player's career, but what he can do for your team right away and maybe for another two to three years is priceless. Especially for a team like the Eagles or Falcons who are starved for a dominating tight end.

For the Eagles, it's perfect. They like Brent Celek (as they should) but don't believe he's a viable starter at this point in his career. So, start Tony G. for about two years while allowing Celek to get some snaps and learn.

What do you think Celek could do with a teacher like Tony Gonzalez? That alone is an exciting thought.

The thought is that if the Falcons lose out on Gonzalez that they will attempt to draft TE Bradon Pettigrew in this weekend's draft.

So, Philly Nation, it looks like if the Eagles can get Scott Pioli to budge on the third-round pick, we'll have the tight end we all crave.
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A source close to Tony Gonzalez has said that he would still like to be traded. This comes in contrary to Clark Hunt’s statements that Gonzalez is “excited about the changes” that the Chiefs have made this offseason.

Those changes include bringing in Matt Cassel from New England, as well as Scott Pioli, and former offensive coordinator Todd Haley from the Arizona Cardinals.

Gonzalez was on the trading block last year during the season, but then-GM Carl Peterson pulled his name off the block after he could not get the compensation for Gonzalez he was looking for (somewhere in the area of a 2nd round pick, only as high as a 3rd was ever offered).

Hunt has said that Gonzalez is excited about the new high-octane passing attack that the Chiefs would seem likely to implement, based on Haley’s history with the Arizona Cardinals.

In Arizona, Haley’s offense included three receivers all with over 1,000 yards receiving in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. His quarterback, Kurt Warner, was an MVP candidate for much of the season while passing for over 4,500 yards.

The only problem is Cassel is not Warner, Dwayne Bowe is not Larry Fitzgerald, and I’m not even sure who the Chiefs’ other receivers are to even compare them to Boldin or Breaston.

So while Haley brings the style and system along with him, he does not bring the talent.

The other thing that Haley brings is the worst running offense in the league, something that can’t make already-disgruntled running back Larry Johnson any happier, and the same system that has Edgerrin James fed up with Arizona and requesting his release.

Johnson has not been happy in Kansas City for a long time and has even gone so far as to say he “doesn’t feel comfortable” in Kansas City altogether.

Gonzalez would like to win a championship before he retires, and Johnson wants to be in a system which will use him better than Haley’s.

So while the motives may be different, both players would like the same result: To be playing in some other city in 2009.
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