Posts Tagged ‘OTA’

Much ado about nothing: Fun with the faux Philadelphia Eagles depth chart

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

Ah, a little offseason intrigue.  Could a mere Philadelphia Eagles fan, who attended the team’s Academy for Men last weekend, have

Who will be number 1 on the Eagles’ depth chart? Unfortunately, at this stage we know not.

uncovered perhaps THE biggest bit of information about what Chip Kelly currently thinks about this team and its players abilities?

Very probably not.  There has been a lot of buzz about pictures taken and posted on SB Nation’s Bleeding Green Nation site that featured what appeared to be an unofficial depth chart.

And why wouldn’t we be interested?  There is not even an attempt at an updated chart on PhiladelphiaEagles.com, with names of players no longer on the team featured.  So what, oh what, are writers and fans supposed to focus on these days?

Anything, really, and if it’s the unlikely scenario that a fan has captured the deepest, darkest secrets of the NovaCare, then so be it.

The biggest non-story from the non-depth chart?  That Nick Foles is listed as the starting quarterback.  GASP!  He’s been taking reps with the first team in OTAs this week – clearly this means a decision on the starting quarterback has been made…Right?

Kurt Coleman and Colt Anderson are listed as the team’s starting safeties.  I know we have over three months to go until the regular season gets underway, but that seems very unlikely, regardless of what transpires during the rest of OTAs and training camp.

Also?  The chart would indicate that all of the Eagles’ 3-4 moves on defense were for naught, as the faux-depth chart indicates the 4-3 scheme of old.

According to Les Bowen of The Daily Newsthe Birds have stated that the chart was developed for the Academy by the Marketing department.  Talented as they are, the team’s marketing brains won’t have a role in creating who we see on the field this season.  Phew.

So, truly, the story is a bunch of hoopla about nothing, but it was fun for the few seconds it seemed that maybe a great mystery had been uncovered in the offseason.

Back to reality!

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Get ready for a look inside Chip Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles practice

Monday, May 13th, 2013

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

(Image via GCobb.com)

Today is big day for the Philadelphia Eagles.  It will be the first time that Chip Kelly will lead a full-team practice via OTAs, and it’s the first opportunity media will have to observe first-hand what they’ve heard about.

The super-fast pace of practices.  The communications that will change the league, at least according to Brent Celek.

This comes right on the heels of this weekend’s three-day rookie minicamp.  Philadelphia’s youngest members will be tired after their crash course but will also be enlivened at the opportunity to now practice alongside their more seasoned teammates.

Two of the Birds’ drafted rookies will be absent, however — TE Zach Ertz and DB Jordan Poyer.  No, they don’t need a rest after the intense weekend.  They will be out of action until they graduate from college, adhering to an NFL rule that permits participation in only one minicamp until the completion of finals.  Ertz will graduate from Stanford on June 16, and Poyner from Oregon State on June 10.  Each will miss a total of seven practices between then and now.

Aside from Ertz and Poyer, the rest of the Eagles had better be well-rested  to compete in Kelly’s “track meet.”  In addition to the excitement of seeing the new normal for Eagles practice, much attention will be payed to how players are used in these practices, first and foremost in the quarterback competition.  How will reps be split between the five QBs currently on the Eagles roster, and how will former USC quarterback Matt Barkley perform in initial competition against Nick Foles and Mike Vick?  1st-round selection Lane Johnson lined up at right tackle over the weekend — will that remain the case, and what will that mean for the rest of the offensive line?  And who will line up in the first team defensive backfield for the Eagles, an area that remains a concern?

While the final answers to these questions won’t be revealed for some time, we’re getting closer.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports