A rare photo of Victor Abiamiri getting some pressure.


If Victor Abiamiri's future with the Eagles wasn't cloudy enough, it's not going to help that he will be heading into the 2010 season with little to no workout time as he recovers from microfracture knee surgery he had done on February 9th.

Apparently the Eagles did a good job of keeping it quiet, but now that mini-camp is starting and he's not participating, it was time to let everyone know.

"It's a big injury," Eagles' trainer Rick Burkholder said. "It's knocked some guys out of playing, but plenty of people have come back and played, too. He's got youth on his side."

His youth might be looked at as an advantage if he'd have a healthy season to speak of on the NFL level. However Abiamiri has the dubious distinction of never playing a full 16-game season and has not produced anywhere near his second-round status.

In fact, since getting drafted in 2007, Abiamiri has played in 29 games (of a possible 48), and has only four sacks. He's more of a run-stopper than a pass-rusher, but he's also never had more than 13 tackles in a season.

And even if he's not a pass-rusher, it's still an unacceptably low number. To put that in perspective, over the same three-year period, Joselio Hanson and Ellis Hobbs each have 2.5 sacks and both have more than tripled his number of tackles.

With Ricky Sapp being moved to SAM linebacker, there's still a chance Abiamiri makes the final roster as the sixth defensive end. But don't be surprised if he gets the axe during the final cuts of training camp, either.
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Don't worry Brent, we'll be watching you closely.


They say it takes three years to evaluate a draft class, so now with the 2009 season in the rear-view mirror the 2007 class has had their three years. However, it might not be fair to look back on this class just yet.

Kevin Kolb, the first Eagles' selection in '07, has only started two games in those three years while he waited behind Donovan McNabb. Only now is he getting the opportunity to show what he can really do as he will have a full offseason as the team's starter and will have, at least, 16 games to prove his worth.

Stewart Bradley and Brent Celek, taken in the third and fifth rounds respectively, have each shown flashes of superstar ability, but must do it again if they're going to be taken seriously as elite players in this league.

Both did very well in their first seasons as the starters, but anyone can have one good year and then fall off. These two young guys have a lot to prove, but with far different circumstances surrounding them.

While Celek simply has to show that he can replicate his '09 season, Bradley faces a much more difficult challenge in returning from a major knee injury. A year removed from his Pro Bowl-caliber season, he will have to show that the injury hasn't hampered his progress as a player and have an even better season than he did in '08.

Then, there's Victor Abiamiri.

Like Kolb, Abiamiri was a second-round pick, but he's done even less than Kolb has in his three years in Philadelphia.

Abiamiri is constantly hurt, and when he is finally healthy he's all-but nonexistent on the field to the point where I sometimes forget he's on this team. If he can't find a way to stay healthy and meaningfully contribute, he is going to find his way out of town and desperate to find a team that will take him.

The Eagles have shown faith in him over the past couple seasons, but after the trade for Darryl Tapp it looks like the Birds are prepping for life after Abiamiri and view any contribution from him as a plus.

It's got to kill any competitive player when you're being counted on to produce and can't, but it's got to be even worse when nothing is expected of you at all.

The Eagles other picks -- Tony Hunt (third round), C.J. Gaddis (fifth round), Rashad Barksdale (sixth round), and Nate Ilaoa (seventh round) -- are no longer on the team and, as far as I know, are no longer in the NFL.

So, needless to say, not a whole lot will be expected from them -- unless we count their boss at Nationwide or State Farm.

Kolb, Abiamiri, Bradley, and Celek will all play a vital role in the upcoming season, and if they're able to make an impact it would make for a very successful draft class, despite the four other failed picks.

And by the way, Kolb, Bradley, and Celek all came from picks collected when the Eagles traded out of the first round with the Dallas Cowboys -- a move heavily criticized by everyone, including myself.

But if all three of those guys go on to be the stars the Eagles expect them to be, would you really trade any of the three for Anthony Spencer?
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Laws is only one of several guys who must step up.


Since the free agent class was very weak this offseason, the Eagles are going to have to do most of their improving internally. They will have to squeeze everything they can out of a few guys who have not lived up to their billing as either high draft picks or high-priced free agents.

And it's not just guys like Trevor Laws, Stacy Andrews, and Victor Abiamiri. They're the obvious bunch to point to because Laws and Abiamiri were second-round picks who haven't panned out yet, and Andrews was given a heft payday to bring him to Philadelphia.

(By the way, I recently found out that Laws and Abiamiri were roommates at Notre Dame. Both second-round picks, both from Notre Dame, both are disappointments, and they were roommates. Maybe they need to find someone else to bunk with?)

But guys like Stewart Bradley, Todd Herremans, Chris Gocong, Brodrick Bunkley, and Mike Patterson must all be better than they've been in previous seasons. Bradley is of course a special case because of his injury, but he is going to have to battle through it and be the linebacker he was in '08 so this defense can get better around him.

Gocong is an obvious guy as well. He looks poised to be in a training camp battle with last year's seventh-round pick Moise Fokou for the SAM linebacker position and, while it's good to see Fokou make the team as a late-round pick, everyone is hoping that Gocong can win the job.

He hasn't really taken his game to the next level like I thought he would a couple seasons ago, but maybe on a contract year he'll have the extra bit of motivation to play up to his obvious athletic ability.

Bunkley and Patterson are guys who regressed last season after the duo had a Pro Bowl-caliber season in '08. It could have been the lack of sufficient talent around them in the front seven, but they appeared to lose the hard-nosed attitude that had some calling them one of the best defensive tackle tandems in the league.

Neither guy is a great pass-rusher, but they've got to be more stout against the run. The Cowboys offensive line man-handled those guys, and with Bradley likely playing at less than 100 percent behind them, they're going to have to eat up blocks and allow him to roam free behind them.

Herremans got thrown around by Albert Haynesworth and the rest of the defensive tackles he faced, and will have to increase his upper-body strength if he wants to keep his spot. He can't keep getting pushed back into McNabb and expect to keep his job, so a few more reps on the bench press will go a long way.

The Eagles will of course look to make moves in the draft, but a class of rookies is only going to do so much. If this team wants a legitimate shot at taking the next step in 2010, they're going to need the young veterans on this team to take their game to the next level.
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Could the Tapp trade mean the end for Abiamiri?


One second-round disappointment seems to have surpassed another second-round disappointment before he even touches to field for his new team.

Darryl Tapp, for whom the Eagles traded Tuesday evening, is a second-round pick who has not lived up to his second-round billing. But the word around town is that he will immediately step in front of Victor Abiamiri, a guy who's been even more disappointing for the Eagles than Tapp was for the Seahawks.

The fact that Abiamiri isn't even in the discussion as a possible solution across from Trent Cole shows you what the fans think of him, but trading a fourth-round pick for a guy far from worth it shows what the organization thinks about him.

Clearly the Eagles have thrown out all expectations for Abiamiri and now view any progress he makes as a bonus. The last two seasons he's been expected to come in and push Parker for the starting job, but untimely injuries prevented that from happening.

He's now an afterthought around the city and on the team, and could find himself on the way out if he's unable to make a contribution in 2010.

I've already said 2010 is a make-or-break season for Abiamiri, but all this move does is make things worse for the young defensive end. And once the Eagles draft a defensive end, things will only get worse for Abiamiri, who could wind up being a surprise training camp cut if he were to once again injure himself.

The Eagles already have Cole, Parker, Tapp, Darren Howard, and will soon have a rookie on the roster as well. The Birds carried six defensive ends in '09, so they could do it again in 2010, but Abiamiri will still have to prove that he's worthy of that sixth spot.

Simply being a high pick won't help Abiamiri anymore. Bryan Smith was a third-round pick, but Reid had no trouble cutting him loose once it became clear he wasn't going to contribute.

Smith is now out of the league, and Abiamiri might be on his way out of Philly.
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2010 is a make-or-break season for Trevor Laws.


The Eagles drafted Trevor Laws in the second round back in 2008 with the hopes that he could be a good addition to an already-impressive defensive tackle tandem in Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, and maybe even push one of them for some starting snaps.

It goes without saying that it has not happened yet. In fact, Laws seemingly took steps backwards in his second season and was a non-factor all season long. He didn't have any meaningful stats and was even a healthy scratch for the last month of so of the season.

Laws was -- unbelievably -- taken two spots before the Eagles' young superstar DeSean Jackson, but he hasn't even been able to replicate Jacksons snaps or games played, much less his production.

His rookie season seemed promising as Laws was getting more and more snaps as the season went on. He would come in and relieve either Patterson or Bunkley, and because he's a quicker tackle, was even helping get a pass-rush up the middle outside of the Eagles' nickel package.

He seemed to be progressively getting better and better, but there were no big plays to speak of or anything to really make him stand out. However, there wasn't anything like that for Bunkley in his rookie season either, so there was no reason to panic.

But this offseason, I saw him working out day after day with the trainers off to the side with the walking wounded. He was injured for a good portion of training camp, and though he seemed to be moving well enough as far as I could see, day after day he was missing more and more practices.

Missing practice could have been the reason for his lack of production, or it could have been a lingering injury, but either way he wasn't nearly productive enough for the Eagles and is now facing a crossroads in his career.

Next year will be his third season, and if he doesn't produce, the Eagles could let him walk once his rookie contract is up. In order to avoid that, Laws is going to have to show that he has the power and quickness to make an impact and get a pass-rush up the middle. That's why he was drafted, and if he can't do it, he will be shown the door.

Andy Reid hasn't had much success with second round picks over the years (Matt McCoy, Barry Gardener, Quinton Caver, Victor Abiamiri, etc.), so seeing Laws fail to make an impact wouldn't exactly be a surprise, though it would be a disappointment.

Laws certainly has the talent to produce at this level, so as long as he stays healthy and is able to participate in training camp this season, my personal belief is that Laws will produce the way they expect him to, and that he will make an already-impressive defensive tackle tandem in Patterson and Bunkley even better.
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2010 is a make-or-break season for Stacy Andrews.


Over the past few seasons, the Eagles have been a team making a splash in the early-goings of free agency. Last offseason, that splash was made in the form of former Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman, and brother of Shawn, Stacy Andrews.

He was immediately slated to take over the right guard position, with his equally disappointing brother slated to play next to him at right tackle. He started the first game against the Carolina Panthers, but it quickly became evident that something just wasn't right with Stacy.

He didn't seem to be going full-force. He seemed timid when planting on that surgically-repaired knee and it was affecting his game in every facet. Andy Reid then made the decision to play him only sparingly, then not at all.

It was a very bad way to get started in Philadelphia, especially considering the emotional roller coaster that his brother Shawn has put this city through. The Andrews name was also a bit stained coming in, so he's done himself no favors with the Philadelphia media or fanbase.

His poor season even has some people ready to get rid of him right now, even though he signed a lucrative six-year deal with the Birds less than a year ago.

Of course, anyone talking about getting rid of Stacy already are either speaking out of anger and frustration on the part of the Andrews brothers, speaking out of ignorance, or just trying to heat up an angry fanbase and gain some readers. Or it could be a combination of the three.

And since we don't beat around the bush here at 2M2MG, I'm of course talking about Jeff McLane's article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, in which he discusses players who should "stay" or "go."

In which, he says that it's time for Stacy Andrews to be shown the door. Really? After only one season recovering from major knee surgery you're ready to get rid of the guy? Let me just say that I'm incredibly thankful that this clown does not have a say in the Eagles' personnel.

It's people like McLane who give Philadelphia a bad rep as an ignorant bunch who are more interested in learning new methods of torturing visiting fans than actually learning anything about the sport they're watching/covering.

He's also the guy who gave us such gems as, when discussing whether or not Jeremiah Trotter should stay: "Proved he can still play. Maybe backs up Bradley. Just not here."

He might back up Stewart Bradley, just not here? Where else is he going to be Bradley's backup? My guess is that when he says "here," he means his article. Okay, but it's still poor writing. Of course he's not going to be the backup for Bradley if you have him walking in free agency.

Is it nitpicking? Maybe, I don't believe so, but maybe.

It's just another example of the ignorance that plagues a lot of the people in the Philly media. I don't want to list the ones who aren't morons and actually know what they're talking about because I might leave someone out, but the readers know who I'm talking about.

Anyway, enough of my tangent.

Stacy is a high-quality player who can certainly help this team if he's able to come back healthy and stronger next season, which I believe he will.

I think Reid puts a lot of blame on his strength and conditioning coaches for not having guys like Stacy, as well as his brother Shawn, Victor Abiamiri, Quintin Demps, and others, ready to go before the season or during the season.

Hence their firing.

It's going to be an interesting offseason watching the Andrews brothers and their fight to get back into the starting lineup for this team, and I believe it will have a positive outcome for both players. And if one or both of these guys can start full-time for the Birds next season, we could once again be talking about the Eagles as having one of the best lines in the league.

Unlike my gut feeling for guys like Victor Abiamiri and Quintin Demps, I believe that Stacy's story will have a positive outcome and he will become the starter that the Eagles envisioned when they brought him to town.

Will he be shown the door if he can't produce in 2010? Probably not, but it will certainly cause the team to lose faith in him. So, in that sense, 2010 is a make-or-break season for Stacy.
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2010 is a make-or-break season for Victor Abiamiri.


If I could vote for one guy who has been the biggest disappointment on the defensive side of the ball, I would quickly cast my ballot for Victor Abiamiri, the former second round selection back in 2007.

Abiamiri was the forgotten second round pick in '07 because of all the attention the Eagles' other second round pick, quarterback Kevin Kolb, was receiving in the media. He came in without a whole lot of expectations, other than the expectations of a second round pick.

His rookie season was a wash as he only played in six games and didn't record any noteworthy stats. It was a bit disappointing, but there's not a whole lot you can say about a rookie who doesn't produce. The first year is really about learning the system, finding your groove, and fitting in as a player.

His second season, however, he came in with a lot of expectations. Juqua Parker was this team's starter, but the coaching staff was really hoping for Abiamiri to step up and take the spot. However, after an injury and missing some time, he was unable to fully rebound with two sacks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in 10 games played.

Then this season wasn't any better as Abiamiri was once again injured before the season began and was forced to miss seven games of the season. He was once again only able to accrue two sacks over the course of the season and was really a non-factor, falling to third on the depth chart behind Parker and newcomer Jason Babin.

Abiamiri seems to be quickly falling out of favor with the coaching staff and really has to put together a strong offseason if he wants to get a look as the starter. The Eagles will most likely go out and find another defensive end, whether it's in free agency or through the draft, so Abiamiri will face substantial competition.

Until the Birds do go out and get another guy, Parker will remain the starter with Abiamiri given every chance to take the spot. However, if he gets hurt in the offseason again, he's going to be put onto the backburner and forgotten about when the starters are decided in late August.

He's been contributing in the nickel packages as a defensive tackle, but that will only keep him around for so long.

2010 could very well be Abiamiri's final season as an Eagle if he's unable to take that next step and show the coaches that he's ready to start full time. They're not going to give him a second contract to be a backup, so if he's not starting in 2010 don't expect to see him back for 2011.
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Babin's size and strength may just earn him a spot.


When Jason Babin was signed by the Eagles, it wasn't a move that got much publicity. A small blurb was placed here or there beneath a more important story or mentioned a passing sidenote. He was considered a camp body without much of a shot at making this team. Well, that may all be changing.

Babin impressed a lot of people last night when the Eagles went into Indianapolis to play Peyton Manning and the Colts. Babin was getting very good pressure, and looked extremely quick off the ball. A couple times he caused Manning to rush, which caused a bad throw.

This is exactly what the Eagles are looking for out of their defensive ends, and it's something that they have not been getting -- outside of Trent Cole. Darren Howard was able to get pressure last year, but a lot of his sacks came from playing the tackle position in the nickel on obvious passing situations.

Babin was a first-round pick back in 2004, so the potential is there and the talent has been showcased on some level, it just needs to translate onto a professional football field.

I was there for Babin's introductory press conference, which few members of the media actually stuck around for, and he said that he felt like the Eagles defense was a perfect fit for him. He said that he loves getting around the edge and getting after the quarterback, which is what the Eagles do. He may have been right, and in only a couple weeks with the team is moving up quickly.

He played right end on Thursday night in place of an injured Cole, and he's got a huge task in front of him if he's intent on playing right end. Left end, however, is more of an open position with Juqua Parker's arrest, and Abiamiri's injury. Not to mention that Abiamiri was less than impressive last night.

If Babin can show something while playing at the other end position, he may have overcome his difficult odds to make this team's final roster.
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Shawn and Stacy Andrews are apparently "100 percent."

The biggest training camp story continues to be the absence of first-round pick Jeremy Maclin.

According to Andy Reid the talks are continuing, but nothing has been signed or even agreed upon at this point. Right now, all he's missing is meetings. However at 8:45 tomorrow morning it gets real and he officially starts missing valuable time.

Reid pointed out how vital the camps are and how being there on time last year helped DeSean Jackson immensely with learning the playbook, getting his timing down, and everything else. A lot goes into an NFL training camp; missing is not an option for a young player with lofty expectations like Maclin.

The only thing that could be causing a delay at this point is the length. He waited to sign so the Eagles are limited in what they can spend on their last rookie. They may be bickering about a few tens of thousands of dollars, but my guess is that the Eagles want to give him a six-year deal like was originally reported a month ago, but he wants a four-year deal.

Again, that's just a guess. We'll hear more once something is agreed upon, I'm sure.

Brian Westbrook, Victor Abiamiri, and Andrews Bros. Injury Updates

On the injury front, it appears as though Brian Westbrook and Victor Abiamiri will be ready to return by mid-August. For those of you saying, "Um, when did Abiamiri get hurt?" it was apparently a few days ago. He was benching and strained his pec.

The best news is Westbrook. Some people were questioning if he'd be able to make it back for Week 1, but the news now is that he may even see some time in the third game of the preseason just to shake off some rust before Week 1.

Abiamiri's injury is costly for him. If he doesn't return until mid-August it means that he's probably missing all of camp, and most certainly won't be a starter, at the least at the beginning of the year.

This gives Juqua Parker a great shot to keep his job, but is just another knock against Abiamiri. He just can't stay healthy long enough to try and win this job. I'm sure the coaches are frustrated with him at this point.

Some more good news is that the Andrews brothers are good to go. Someone asked Dave Spadaro if the brothers were ready to go and all he said was, "Yes, 100 percent."

Good to hear, hopefully it stays that way

Pinkston Returns to the Eagles

Relax, not as a player.

The Eagles have brought Pinkston in as a coaching intern. I would assume he's going to be shadowing David Culley, the Eagles' wide receivers coach. However, there is no word on what exactly Pinkston will be doing.

Pinkston caught a lot of heat as a player, some deserving and some not, but he always seemed to at least be a smart guy. Even if you don't think he was a very good player keep in mind the old saying, "Those who can't do, teach."

John Madden and Bill Cowher are Hall of Fame coaches (Madden is in already, Cowher will be one day) but were just awful players.

Interesting sidenote: John Madden was actually drafted by the Eagles in 1958 out of Cal-Poly. Maybe you learned something today.
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For a fan, there's nothing better than opening week. That first game ends months of frustration and hanging on to any kind of football fix he/she can get (i.e. the draft).

For a player, there's nothing better than being in a battle. A battle with a person you see every day, a person wearing the same colors as you. Going in every day knowing that if you're not at the top of your game on that practice field, you'll never see that playing field.

No player cares to know how that bench feels.

The stress is incredible, the mental toughness must be at its highest level, and your body must be at its peak.

It's that time from a couple weeks after the draft right up until the Saturday before that first game. It's that time that will make or break a season, a career.

Every season there are a few key battles during camps (mini-camp, training camp, etc.) that will shape the team for the coming year, and this year is no different for the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles.

In fact, there may be more for the Eagles this year than any prior year.

Old faces are gone, new faces are ready to step in, but how will it break down?

Free Safety - Sean Jones vs. Quintin Demps

Jones is the veteran, Demps is the young guy. However Demps has a year on Jones as far as seniority with the Eagles is concerned.

Jones has been highly underrated during his time in the league with Cleveland. If you've been an Eagles fan for more than five minutes, you've seen the stat that he's third in the league over the past three years in interceptions by a safety with 14 (behind Ed Reed and O.J. Atogwe).

Jones is a ballhawk. He's a guy who can change a game with that key interception or deflection. He played well on a bad Cleveland defense, so what might he be able to do surrounded by the third-best defense in the league?

Demps is coming into his second year after being drafted in the fourth round out of UTEP (Texas El-Paso). His key role with the team in his rookie year was in the return game, and he did a decent job. He had one return for a touchdown, but unfortunately it came in a game that will only be remembered for the benching of Donovan McNabb.

In some spot duty last season, Demps looked lost at times. He also made some dumb rookie mistakes.

For examples of both, just look at the NFC Championship game vs. the Arizona Cardinals. His late hit on Kurt Warner was wrong, stupid, costly, and if I were Reid he wouldn't have seen the field again.

Then there was the triple pass from Warner to Edge to Warner to Fitzgerald 60 yards down the field. Demps falls over himself and Fitz walks into the endzone. Can Demps be trusted this early in his career?

I don't believe so.

Starter: Sean Jones - Demps will be a starter at some point, but now is not that time. I think the Eagles keep him as a returner and maybe give him some time in the defensive backfield.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Rashad Baker, Victor Harris

Cornerback - Sheldon Brown vs. Ellis Hobbs vs. Joselio Hanson

Brown is the incumbent starter, but due to his recent contract squabbles may find himself out of favor with Reid & Co. That's not to say that he would be sat simply because he's complaining about his status on the team, but it could cause some mental lapses for him (like Lito Sheppard last year).

The key here will be if Brown can separate football from business and just shut up and play. If he can, he should be fine, but if not he'll be in trouble.

Hobbs is a guy who the Eagles just traded for over this draft weekend. Two fifth-round picks is a steal for a guy who has started for a team like the New England Patriots over the past few years.

The knock on Hobbs is his size. At 5'9" it will be difficult for him to cover some of the taller receivers. He, like Brown, also has issues with his contract and may or may not throw a fit as well. His contract was a main reason for his trade in the first place. Hopefully he doesn't bring it up until after the season.

Hanson is really a dark horse in all of this, but is a guy who cannot be overlooked either by the media or Brown and Hobbs. Since they both have contract issues and are looking to get paid, Hanson may be able to beat them out by simply focusing on only football and overplaying them in camp.

Hanson got his payday, so there's nothing to worry about on that front. He stepped up big time last year while taking advantage of Sheppard's situation. He got paid, and now looks to fight off new competition and keep his spot.

Starter: Sheldon Brown - I don't believe that Brown will allow his contract situation to distract him. I think he keeps his job for this year and probably gets unloaded next year. Look for Hobbs and Hanson to battle it out, but probably wind up splitting time in the nickel anyway.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Jack Ickegwuonu, Victor Harris

Linebacker - Omar Gaither vs. Akeem Jordan

Gaither has been a starter since halfway through his rookie season. He's taken over for a Philly icon in Jeremiah Trotter, and also was the reason Takeo Spikes was sent packing after only one season.

After being a fifth round selection out of Tennessee, Gaither has far outperformed his expectations. He's football-savvy, and a blue-collar, hard-working player. However after the debacle vs. Baltimore last season, Gaither was inexplicably deemed the scapegoat and benched in favor of Akeem Jordan.

Jordan was an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007 out of D-1AA James Madison in Virginia. Jordan is somewhat undersized at 6'1" and 226 lbs, but he makes up for it with his speed off the edge and his vision to get through to the ball-carrier.

After replacing Gaither in 2008, Jordan impressed by coming on quickly. A huge thing for a new starter is not having that one bad play that sticks out, and I can't recall any for Jordan. All that means is that he did his job. He wasn't spectacular, but he did his job and that's really all that can be expected of a young player.

Starter: Omar Gaither - While I liked the way Jordan played last year, I think that Gaither is just a much more polished linebacker who's not finished getting better. I do not believe he has hit his ceiling quite yet, and the trade talk surrounding him is ridiculous. Look for Gaither on the weakside in '09.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Charleston Hughes, Moise Fukou, Tank Daniels

Left Defensive End - Juqua Parker vs. Darren Howard vs. Victor Abiamiri

Parker, formerly known as Juqua Thomas, has been the starter for the past couple of years, and has done an admirable job in his role. He is a big guy who plays well against the run and can get some pressure on the quarterback.

His weakness is the latter portion of the season. His production drops off significantly after Week 8 or so, and can cause problems for the defense trying to push for a playoff spot in a tough division.

Howard was a big free agent acquisition a few years back after becoming a big name in New Orleans, however his time with the Eagles has been average at best. Howard had bulked up to around 290 in order to be able to play both end and tackle in Jim Johnson's defense.

In 2008, he dropped about 20 pounds and played around 270. The drop really showed and paid off as he led the team with 10 sacks and played like the elite player he was in New Orleans. The problem with Howard is that he will turn 33 during the season, and is a little old to be a starting end.

Abiamiri was a second round pick in 2007 and has a lot of high expectations from the Eagles' coaching staff. He was having a promising training camp last year before a wrist injury sidelined him for a few weeks. He didn't seem to ever fully recover from injury, playing in only 10 games and was only able to muster two sacks.

He's still a young guy, but a guy that the Eagles want to see develop into the player they thought was worthy of a second round pick just a couple of years ago.

Starter: Juqua Parker - I think Parker will get the nod again this year because he's really the best option. Abiamiri is untapped potential at this point, and Howard really is in the back-end of his career. Parker will start, but the rotation will probably be heavier than ever, with all three of these guys seeing time.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Bryan Smith, Chris Clemons

Center - Jamaal Jackson vs. Nick Cole

Jackson has been the starter at center ever since 2006 when he beat out Hank Fraley for the spot and even having the competition showing up on the cover of SI magazine (pictured above).

After two sub-par seasons from Jackson, who played like a Pro Bowl guy in 2006, the Eagles coaching staff and fans have put him on notice. At this rate, Jackson may find him on the SI cover again. However this time he may not like the outcome.

Cole impressed the staff (and the fans) last year by filling in for Max Jean-Gilles who was filling in for Shawn Andrews at right guard. Cole played extremely well and really surpassed expectations by playing well in the run and pass.

He really helped to calm the nerves of an anxious city after seeing a Pro Bowl right guard and his backup both go down with season-ending injuries. Cole is a good player and certainly deserves his shot.

Starter: Jamaal Jackson - This may be a surprise, but overall I believe Jackson is the best player here. Granted, he hasn't played well over the past couple of years, but that could have been because of the lack of competition. Yes he should have been able to perform regardless, but competition pushes players to play better. He knows he's on a short leash.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Mike McGlynn

Battles Not Determining A Starter:

Wide Receiver - Jeremy Maclin vs. Reggie Brown vs. Hank Baskett

This is assuming that Curtis and D-Jack have the one and two spots locked up, with Avant having time guaranteed somewhere.

Maclin, this year's first round pick, is a guy who may take a couple years to develop, or he'll be an instant sensation. The reason he may take a couple years is because of the offense he ran at Mizzou. I don't think the kid ran a single intermediate route, something a receiver must do a lot in the west coast offense.

He will be a good receiver, whether that is '09 or as late as '11, we'll just have to wait and see. His success will be contingent upon learning the playbook. From there, it's all on his talent, and there's no shortage of that.

Brown may be as good as gone in the minds of Philly fans, but I'm not so sure that Reid & Co. feel the same way. There's a reason they made him a second round pick, and he's shown flashes of that throughout his short time here in Philly.

In his first two years, he accumulated 89 receptions, 1,387 yards, 12 TD's, and one rushing touchown for 13 total. That's not bad for your first two years in the league.

2006 was by far his best season with 46 receptions for 816 yards and nine total touchdowns, including one rushing. He looked to have the speed, the burst, the hands, and the football intelligence to be a successful receiver in the league.

Even in 2007 he had a pretty good year, with a career-high 61 receptions for 780 yards and four touchdowns.

The point being that I do not believe Reggie should be cut or traded or whatever else because he comes out and has one bad year, the first really bad year of his career. He was banged up last year, and should be given another shot to compete.

When healthy, I believe Reggie has a very high ceiling. He may never become more than a two or three, but he certainly warrants a spot on this roster and another chance to prove himself.

Baskett is a guy who I feel is extremely underutilized. They have not used him in positions where he would be a fantastic asset, such as the redzone. The guy is 6'4" and a huge target. They thought enough of him to trade for him as an undrafted rookie free agent before he had even gone to mini-camp, so they must have had a plan for him.

He's a good combination of size and speed, as evidenced by the fact that he's only one of six players in NFL history to have two or more touchdown receptions of 90+ yards.

Battle Winner: Jeremy Maclin - DeSean Jackson's success last year has hopefully opened Reid's eyes to the fact that receivers can contribute right away. As I said, Maclin may be a bit raw in the route-running department for the first year, but that's something that can be coached up. He's got too much talent to sit on the bench.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Brandon Gibson (after talking to some people from WSU, it would appear that Gibson may be a steal in the sixth), Shaheer McBride

Running Back - Lorenzo Booker vs. Kyle Eckel

Booker was not given a large role in the backfield last year, and therefore was not able to do much, only getting on the field during garbage time of a huge win. Booker was brought in because of his similarities to Brian Westbrook with the thought being that he could spell Westbrook.

That never came to fruition, and now Booker's place on this team is being questioned, especially with the addition of second round pick LeSean "Shady" McCoy. However, having sunk a fourth round pick into him, Booker will get every chance to succeed before being let go.

Eckel was a mid-season signing, and like Booker, did not get many opportunities. However, unlike Booker, Eckel made the best of his opportunities. He was brought in as a fullback, but used more as a big running back for short-yardage situations.

While he did a good job on offense and special teams, Eckel may not have a place on the roster because of the signing of Leonard Weaver from Seattle. Reid does not like to usually have the same kind of player at the same position, but both of these players fit into that category.

Battle Winner: Kyle Eckel - This is a close call, but I believe Eckel edges Booker here because of his ability to also play special teams. Eckel is a blue-collar guy who Reid will fall in love with because he'll stick his nose into any pile, and player, and will run fearless on the field.

Eckel may be similar to Weaver, but it boils down to contribution, and he will contribute more between offense and special teams, whereas Booker would only play offense. Reid already has a Westbrook-clone in McCoy.

I believe Booker can be a good player, and will be a good pickup for another team after being released in a numbers game.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Eldra Buckley, Walter Mendenhall

All of these battles warrant some attention, as they will shape the team not only for next year, but years to come. This is the most important time of the year for teams around the NFL to find out what they have on their roster.

The Eagles are no different. Stay tuned, it promises to be an exciting time.

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Last season the defensive line was good. Not great, but good. They helped lead the way for the third ranked defense in the NFL, and the best overall defense in the NFC. However, there is room for improvement.

Trent Cole is a Pro Bowl guy, and has been year in and year out. He’s been phenomenal during his career with the Eagles and is recognized throughout the league by offensive coordinators as a guy for whom they must gameplan.

He commands the double team, which should allow for other players to make plays. Unfortunately that has not happened as much as it should from the guys on the other side, specifically Juqua Parker.

Parker accounted for only five sacks last season, being overshadowed by Darren Howard who doubled that amount with 10. Chris Clemons, the third end, finished with one less than Parker with four.

In the Eagles’ Jim Johnson-led defense, no one player will have more than between 13-15 sacks because of all the rotation and various blitz packages for various players. But with that said, five is just simply not enough out of a guy who is supposed to be our starter opposite Cole.

Howard has had a resurgence and could, or rather should, overtake Parker for the starting role while limiting him to a backup status (which for this defense of rotation simply means Howard should start getting some of Parker’s snaps).

Clemons, Victor Abiamiri, and second-year man Bryan Smith should all push for more playing time at defensive end next year. A healthy Abiamiri and Smith will mean more fresh legs and more speed on the edge, allowing for more sacks in ‘09 than in ‘08.

No one should be shocked if the Eagles also decide to take a defensive end in the middle rounds, somewhere between the third and fifth.

Brodrick Bunkley was originally drafted to be an inside pass-rushing presence more than a run-stuffer, but it would appear as though the opposite has happened. Bunkley was only able to muster up two sacks last year (to put that into perspective Dan Klecko had two in the first three games he played defense - more on him later), but came on big in the running game.

Bunkley’s most memorable plays from last season would have to be his stuffs of Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs on fourth-down plays in the playoffs.

Mike Patterson also suffered in the area of rushing the passer, coming up with zero sacks last season. That’s struggling at its best. However Patterson seems to be in the same boat as Bunkley in that he has come on very strong in stopping the run and being a huge presence in the middle.

In their defense, these guys do come off the field on third downs to make way for Johnson’s pass-rushing line consisting of Howard and Abiamiri in the middle.

However with that said, they still need to step up on first and second down to get pressure on the quarterback. If they show they can get to the passer, perhaps they can be left in on third down.

Trevor Laws was the Eagles’ first pick in the draft last year, going 47th overall in the second round. Laws seems to have a lot of potential and should find his way into some healthy playing time in the coming years if he can turn that potential into production when he gets the limited time he’ll likely be receiving for at least another year.

Dan Klecko will likely be coming back to his natural position, and that’s right where he belongs. Weaver is a significant upgrade at fullback, and I’m sure Klecko will be happy to bulk back up and play defense.

He played admirably, but what we saw was the best we were getting out of Klecko on offense. He showed promise last year as a defensive tackle, registering two sacks in the first three games before being switched to fullback.

Now Klecko can go back to defense while making the occasional appearance on offense inside the 20’s.

Overall this is a group filled with immense talent. Some of that talent when untapped last year and must be taken advantage of in 2009. The line is what makes this defense go, and without a good year from the line we Philly fans could go through a rather agonizing season.
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