(Image via MattWargo.com)
The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of their mandatory minicamp and, as was the case with OTAs the past few weeks, fans are looking for clues of what it may all mean.
Guess what? You’re going to have to keep on guessing. Chip Kelly won’t speak in definitive terms at this stage, but notes that the team is improving each and every day. The pace of practice no longer seems as feverish because they have grown used to the speed.
Though we are still a long way from the start of the season, some of the progress at the NovaCare is already worth shouting about — the o-line that was decimated by injuries in the 2012 season was back together at minicamp. Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, Todd Herremans, and Evan Mathis, whose injuries all required surgery, were all present at the start of camp on Tuesday. There is no guarantee that players like Peters will be playing back at his former Pro Bowl level, but having them all back in relative health is a significant sign of progress for the Eagles offense.
While these offseason activities are very important for any team, particularly one with a new coaching staff, Kelly cautions that there is only so much that can be done and determined by the OTAs and minicamp.
“You put the big boy pads on, some guys really step up and other guys you thought were really good and all of a sudden, ‘Where has he been’ and so it’s tough to really evaluate.”
The biggest area of difficulty to evaluate sans pads is one that is most critical for the Eagles heading into the 2013 season due to the collective bargaining agreement — the secondary, particularly the cornerback position.
“One of the biggest positions that’s really been difficult for us is [cornerback] because we can’t play press man from the CBA rules. How good are they in man coverage? I don’t know because we can’t play it. Normally when you go to camp and see them in preseason they are doing one on ones every day. You are getting the chance to see [CB Cary Williams] and [CB Bradley Fletcher] and those guys compete against [wide receiver DeSean Jackson] and [WR Jeremy Maclin]. We haven’t been able to do that. We knew the rules going in, so instead of complaining about it, what can we get accomplished? A lot of scheme stuff, lot of assignment things, learning how to tempo, learning how to practice.”
The quarterback competition will continue to be one of the biggest areas of focus until a starter is announced, and Kelly revealed a seemingly simple formula for what he seeks in his starter.
“Who can move us the best and who gets the football team up and down the field…It doesn’t have to be that he throws a prettier ball or all those things, there is a lot of different things. How do you manage a game, how do you secure the football? Are we not turning it over? Are we constantly moving in a positive direction? Are we getting into third and short and converting them? Things like that. It really is who moves the team the best is what we are looking for at the quarterbacks.”
It seems so basic, yet we’re still no closer to an answer. And that means one thing: let the guessing continue!
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
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