SB Nation - Eldra Buckley

The Linc - And we turn our eyes to Carolina

JasonB — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:39:51 -0000

by Joseph Kaczmarek - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, right, gestures while speaking to students at Nueva Esperanza Academy in Philadelphia on Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009. Vick told the students his decisions imperiled the goals he had set for himself since childhood. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

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Max Jean-Gilles Official Website - Excited for the season
"The preseason just flew by and right now, I would have to say that it was all a blur. This year as a whole went by pretty fast and everything including mini camps, OTA’s and training camp went by pretty fast too. Now the season is here and we are getting ready to play the first game of the season against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday in North Carolina."

Eagles Fly Into Carolina Favored 2 Points Against Panthers
The Eagles are two point favorites on the road in Carolina this weekend.

Peppers no worry for Eagles' Shawn Andrews | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/08/2009
"I don't want to get into a hissing match - but at the same time, I'm a beast, too," he said yesterday after practice at the NovaCare Complex. "It's not a me-and-Peppers thing. It's a team deal. But, since you asked about the individual battle - I'm a beast, too. Let the beasting begin, if you will."

Report: Jon Runyan in Kansas City for a Workout with the Chiefs - Arrowhead Pride
Jon Runyan in Kansas City for a Workout with the Chiefs

NFC East Rivals: Offensive Line | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/06/2009
A look at the offensive lines of the Eagles NFC East rivals.

More after the jump including news on Eldra Buckley, Newsday's take on Vick, & Joe Banner speaks about NFC East rivals.

The Human Condition : Philadelphia Eagles Sign Michael Vick? A Philly Fan Calls for Cooler Heads
Even Newsweek has chimed in on the Michael Vick signing.

Eagles' Prez Banner: Anyone in Beast could win it all - NFC East - ESPN
"Any one (of the teams in the NFC East) is capable of winning the division," Banner said. "Any one of them is capable of winning the Super Bowl. That's how good this division is."

Buckley A Success Story For Eagles - Philadelphia Eagles
After spending two seasons on the San Diego Chargers practice squad hoping for a chance in a crowded backfield that, at times, included stalwarts LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles, Buckley came to the Eagles' mini-camp in the spring and looked like a roster long shot.

Eagles drop preseason finale to Jets

JasonB — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:28:54 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) is sacked by New York Jets safety Eric Smith (33) during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game at Giants Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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If I had to invent a word to describe tonight, I would call it "preseasony." No name guys coming out of nowhere for big games, sloppy coverage, missed blocks, penalties... all the stuff you'd expect from a game played entirely by second, third, and fourth stringers.

There's really no point in talking about the game itself, so after the jump I have some thoughts on specific players and some position battles. The good news is that preseason is over, roster cuts come this weekend, and we've got the real thing to look forward to in a little over a week's time.

First off, see ya Lorenzo Booker. Eldra Buckley will make the team as the 3rd RB on his special teams play alone.

Michael Vick... I suppose you could say this game was more about him than maybe any other player and Vick looked like a guy who hadn't played QB in two years. He made a few decent plays with his legs including converting a third and short, a TD from the wildcat on the goal line, and a 16 yard scramble. Athletically he's not at his peak right now, but he doesn't look that far off.

As for plays with his arm, again he looked he hadn't played in two years. The game seemed to be moving too quickly for him, but that's to be expected at this point. It certainly didn't help that the blocking in front of him was absolutely terrible. He's rusty and if you didn't expect that to be the case... then you should have.

I will say... could the WildVick formation be the answer to our short yardage woes? It worked tonight?

Kevin Kolb needs to play more. His problems are all the things guys develop by playing. Sensing when the blitz is coming, knowing where to go with it when you see pressure, having that mental "clock." That's all stuff that guys get by being in games. Problem is, he may not play again until next preseason. He was under pressure all night as well, which also made it tougher to evaluate. He does need to learn to deal with that pressure better, especially learning to not run backwards!

Yes, it was somewhat satisfying to watch Jeremy Maclin draw a big PI penalty on Lito Sheppard...

Jack Ikegwuonu... Up and down for him tonight. He had a pick and a nice return afterward, but got absolutely smoked by a guy for a TD late in the game.

Brandon Gibson. I don't know exactly who's spot he's competing for(Baskett or Brown) but he's done pretty much everything he could to make the team.

Babin had a sack. There's another guy who's done pretty much everything he could to earn a roster spot.

These backup o-lineman really struggled. The Jets did blitz quite a bit for preseason, but the second and third stringers certainly didn't handle it. Kolb and Vick were under pressure all night. The backs also did a pretty bad job picking up rushers.

Tony Curtis caught a TD pass in his Eagles debut. He had 4 catches for 40 yards.

Danny Amendola looked like a guy willing to do anything to win a job out there. He did a nice job on those sweep pitch plays they ran with Vick, he was aggressive on returns, and made two catches.

I'd be remiss is I didn't mention how bad Sav Rocca was tonight. He must have shanked two or three punts tonight. Not sure what happened with him, but he struggled.

Finally, way to go Danny Woodhead of the Jets. That guy worked his tail of tonight and had a great game. Ran for 158 yards and 2 TDs. Hopefully he wins himself a job.

Questions to Ask Tonight as the Eagles Face the Jets

Bob_Q — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:52:13 -0000

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So here we are, mere hours away from the kickoff of the final preseason game and the storylines continue to swirl around the Eagles organization. Will Vick be able to play before week six? Who wins the starting free safety position? Will certain Eagles entice the Jets into a trade? The list goes on, and the game is sure to keep fans' eyes glued to the screen. Here is a brief rundown of what to look for at each position.

Quarterback: How will Kevin Kolb perform in his first preseason start this year? Also, will Michael Vick get a chance to showcase his superstar moves with a big play or two?

Running Back: In his last chance to make the team over Lorenzo Booker, will Eldra Buckley sink or swim?

Fullback: Can RFA Marcus Mailei build upon last game's touchdown and crack the final roster?

Tight End: Will the newly acquired Tony Curtis garner enough playing time to give the coaching staff a decent look at his ability?

Wide Receiver: In the intense battle between Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, and Brandon Gibson for the final two receiver slots, who will emerge victorious?

More after the jump...

Left Tackle: Can King Dunlap use his immense size to effectively protect Kolb's blindside?

Left Guard: With Todd Herremans still out, will rookie Fenuki Tupou be able to make a significant push for a roster spot?

Center: Will RFA Dallas Reynolds impress in what could very well be his last game as an Eagle?

Right Guard: Can Mike Gibson or Paul Fanaika convince the coaches they're worth keeping on the active roster?

Right Tackle: Will Winston Justice make the most of his significant playing time?

Left Defensive End: Can Jason Babin continue his impressive performance and crack the final roster?

Defensive Tackle: Not much has bee heard out of Josh Gaines since his interception during Flight Night. Will he make some noise tonight?

Right Defensive End: Can second-year man Bryan Smith build on his first ever interception during last week's game?

Weakside Linebacker: Will Tracy White return from his injury and continue his good special teams play, or perhaps nab another interception?

Middle Linebacker: Will this be the last time Matt Wilhelm is seen in an Eagles uniform?

Strongside Linebacker: Can rookie Moise Fokou really go from seventh-round pick to number two SAM?

Left Cornerback: Will Dimitri Patterson shore up his position as the fifth CB with good coverage against the Jets' receiving corps?

Right Cornerback: This is the last chance for Jack Ikegwunou to make the active roster. Will he be "redshirted" on IR for another year if he can't produce?

Strong Safety: Will Reshard Langford play well enough to earn a spot on the practice squad?

Free Safety: With the free safety spot up for grabs, can Sean Jones become an NFL starter once again?

Kicker: Can David Akers raise his fantasy stock with a few good long field goals?

Punter: Will Sav Rocca and the punt unit be able to contain talented return man Leon Washington?

Eagles lose 23-15 to Colts in preseason game two

JasonB — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:49:45 -0000

More photos » by AJ MAST - AP

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For a while there, it actually looked as though the Phillies would outscore the Eagles tonight...

The Eagles first teams continued to struggle in preseason game #2 on the road against the Colts. The first team offenses' struggles started up front with the patchwork offensive line. Only one starter on the Eagles' O-line played tonight, which made it pretty difficult to evaluate the skill players. When the QB doesn't have time and the RB doesn't have holes, there's not much to see.

This certainly isn't an excuse, because the injuries to the offensive line are very real and if we're forced to enter the season with this group starting things won't be pretty. The lone bright spot on offense was a perfectly thrown 23 yard TD pass to Desean Jackson, who had burnt two Colts defenders.

The first team defense was arguably worse than the offense giving up 14 points in the first quarter. The low point was a 76 yard TD to Reggie Wayne where either Ellis Hobbs got massively burnt or the team just blew the coverage. Either way, it wasn't pretty. The defense was missing both Sheldon Brown and Trent Cole, but their absences don't excuse how flat the defense looked tonight.

The team did start to show some life in the 4th quarter under the leadership of Temple product Adam DiMichele. The game was well over, but DiMichele did lead them on a couple good drives including one that culminated in a 21 yard TD to rookie WR Brandon Gibson.

Some player highlights and low lights after the jump.

Although King Dunlap generally did hold his own for most of the game, he was absolutely embarrassed on a play in the red where Dwight Freeney put a wicked spin move on him and stripped McNabb of the football.

The Eagles averaged less than a yard and half per rush tonight. The offense line was held together with tape but still... a yard and a half?

Jason Babin made a name for himself. A good portion of the nearly 1,300 comments in the game threads were suggestions for Babin nicknames. My favorite was Philly's Babin-Back Ribs. Babin had a sack and forced fumble from Manning early in the game. He spent most of the night in the Indy backfield and certainly earned the start he was given tonight.

Jeremy Maclin struggled tonight. Not only did he have another fumble on a return(that's 2 in 2 games) but he never really looked in the flow of the offense. To be fair, no one did... but still. He finished the night with 4 catches.

Another rookie WR who also caught 4 passes did manage to impress tonight. Brandon Gibson averaged twice as many yards per catch as Maclin and caught himself a TD. BTW, did anyone else constantly find themselves confusing Maclin and Gibson? They look very similar on the field and their numbers (18 & 19) are hard to differentiate. I actually yelled out Maclin's name on Gibsons' TD catch.

Temple product Adam DiMichele did a nice job out there and got himself a TD pass in what is likely his final game with the Eagles and maybe his NFL career. It would nice to see him get a shot somewhere, because I don't think he looked totally out of place playing in an NFL game. He completed 14 of his 22 passes for 130 yards and a TD.

While we're on QBs, I have to give a wag of the finger to A.J. Feeley. How do you a throw a pass to a back in the middle of the field with 11 seconds left in the first half and no timeouts? That's just poor clock management/decision making on his part. That ball needs to go directly to the sidelines or get thrown away. The last thing you want to do with it is to throw it directly to the middle of the field. As a veteran, he should know better.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Lorenzo Booker, who really struggled tonight. Again, I recognize how poor the offensive line was... but Booker had 8 yards on 7 carries. The next tackle he breaks will probably be his first... He just never seems to get that extra yard he needs. With Eldra Buckley showing some good things(although he did fumble tonight) Booker's roster spot is looking more and more unlikely.

Leonard Weaver left the game with what Andy Reid called a "sprained MCL." Reid said he should be ok.

Next up is the always important 3rd preseason game at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The starters will likely play into the second half and the game will feature the return of Mike Vick.

Patriots 27 Eagles 25 - Oh yeah, there was a football game tonight

JasonB — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:56:41 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

4 months ago: New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, lower, blocks a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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The Eagles lost a close preseason game tonight to the Patriots. It was a game of two halves that saw the Patriots starters outplay the Eagles' starters, but the Bird's backups clearly outplay the Pats' scrubs.

Obviously, you'd prefer the former...

But does anyone care? I have to make a confession, I barely watched the game after the Vick news broke. I have a feeling I'm not the only one. The biggest local sports story of this year has and will completely overshadow this game.

Still I have a few quick thoughts after the jump.

[Note by JasonB, 08/13/09 11:06 PM EDT ] Injury update

Andy Reid just said Brent Celek had an AC sprain in his shoulder and will be "ok in a couple of days." Also, Jason Peters strained his quad.

The first team offensive line struggled in pass protection. I thought they were very strong in the run game, but McNabb got sacked twice and had to run around far too much. That said, this is a group that has been banged up and hasn't played together much. I'm not panicking yet, but we need to see improvement as the preseason rolls on.

LeSean McCoy was probably the player of the game from an Eagles perspective. The rookie ran for 55 yards on 10 carries and generally looked very confident and poised out there. You could have never guessed that was a rookie in his first NFL game.

Speaking of RBs, we saw a nice contribution from Eldra Buckley tonight. Buckley ran for one TD and caught another. Buckley had 6 catches including a 24 yarder. He may have taken the lead in the fight for the 3rd RB spot, that said... Lorenzo Booker's 25 yard one handed grab down the sideline was probably the play of the game.

I think it's safe to say we've got ourselves a fullback. Not only did Leonard Weaver do a nice job lead blocking for McCoy, he caught passes, he got a first down on short yardage... He was everything he was advertised to be.

Jeremy Maclin really settled into the game. He muffed a punt early on, but we can hopefully chalk that up to rookie nerves. He went on to have a really nice punt return, caught 2 passes for 44 yards, drew a big pass interefence penalty after burning the corner, and averaged 25 yards per kick return. Overall, I thought it was a promising showing from the rookie.

I recorded the game and I'll be back Monday with a more in depth film review. In the meantime, I have a feeling we won't have any trouble finding things to discuss...

The Linc - Buckley steps up, Booker "drops" down, Avant shines

JasonB — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:54:50 -0000

More photos » by Rich Schultz - AP

4 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles rookie LeSean McCoy, left, talks to injured running back Brian Westbrook (36) on the sidelines during the morning session of NFL football training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. on Friday, July, 31, 2009. Westbrook is recovering from ankle surgery and won't be able to practice until mid-August. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

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Buckley steps up to steal RB spotlight | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal
On Friday, with all eyes fixated on second-round pick LeSean McCoy's competition against maligned incumbent Lorenzo Booker, third-stringer Eldra Buckley somehow managed to steal the spotlight.

At least one Beast team likes full contact - NFC East - ESPN
Yes, there's more risk for injury when you go "live" during practice, but there's also a chance that you're team is tougher heading into the season. Phillips acted as if his team didn't have any trouble being physical. But several members of the Cowboys were on the field when the Ravens finished them off with a couple of 80-yard runs last season.

Jason Avant Shines During Passing Drills
Andy Reid hates to see the ball on the ground. He will not tolerate fumbles and he takes note every time a receiver drops a catchable pass.

FB Weaver bringing excitement | Philly | 08/01/2009
Fullback Leonard Weaver drew applause from the crowd here during pass-blocking drills. Running backs, fullbacks and tight ends took turns going one-on-one against a linebacker or safety. Weaver clearly stood out, getting the best of Omar Gaither on a couple occasions. The new Birds' fullback has shown his versatility throughout the day. In the receiving game, he got past rookie LB Moise Fokou for a catch that picked up a big chunk of yardage. And in 11-on-11s, he had a 30-yard run.

Some first impressions from Lehigh | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/31/2009
After dropping a couple of passes before the live-hitting session, the Eagles' running back was reprimanded by offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg on the sideline. Then on his first carry during the live session, he was stopped for no gain and stripped of the football. If Booker can't catch the football, he will not make this football team.

News on McNabb, Shawn Andrews, and injured Eagles after the jump.

PhillyBurbs.com: Back still bothers Shawn Andrews
Andrews was absent Thursday on Day 1 of full-team practice at Eagles training camp after his surgically repaired back "tightened up" following the morning conditioning run on the Lehigh University practice fields.

NFC favorites? McNabb wants to 'finish this thing off in Miami' - USATODAY.com
"We have a lot of new faces, and for me to sit here and say, 'Hey, we're a Super Bowl team, and we're going to win the Super,' I don't believe in all that," McNabb says. "I think that's something that at the end of the year we'll find out who wins and who doesn't. I think we have a great team … but we have to put the pieces of the puzzle together. And if we can do that, hopefully we can ride on and take it and be able to finish this thing off in Miami."

Philadelphia Eagles place six players on PUP list - lehighvalleylive.com
Six Philadelphia Eagle players, including All-Pro running back Brian Westbrook, were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list today.

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp Preview - Running Backs

JasonB — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:07:06 -0000

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This is the next installment in our series of 12 positions in 12 days previewing the upcoming Eagles training camp. Rookie and selected vets report to Lehigh July 26th and each day leading up to that date we will bring you a preview of a different position battle.

Today we take on a very scary position. I say "scary" because it could be "scary" good if all goes well... but if Brian Westbrook isn't healthy and LeSean McCoy isn't ready to play right away, we should be scared for our offense. And our playoff hopes for that matter.

After the jump, let's take on the running backs.

The Bodies

Lorenzo Booker

Eldra Buckley

Kyle Eckel

LeSean McCoy

Brian Westbrook

Presumed starter

If he's healthy... there's no doubt that Brian Westbrook will be the starter at RB and get the lion's share of the touches at the positions. Actually, he'll probably get the lion's share of touches in the whole offense. But again, it all comes down to how healthy he is. Westbrook went under the knife twice this offseason in what were dubbed "minor" procedures to clean up his knee and ankle. The latter surgery will likely cause him to miss all of training camp and preseason.

For a running back that turns 30 this year, that's not the most encouraging offseason. We all know NFL RBs don't really fade away, more often they fall off a cliff. However, if you were to put a positive spin on Westbrook's offseason, you could say that it will only help that he finally got a couple nagging injuries that dogged him for the past two years taken care of. If his surgery this offseason means that he won't sit out of practice every week with everyone praying that his knee swelling from the previous game will go down enough for him to suit up on Sunday... then he could be in line for a great year.

New additions

Eldra Buckley claimed off waivers from the San Diego Chargers

LeSean McCoy drafted in the second round

What to watch for

Perhaps the biggest thing to watch for as far as the RB position goes will be whether the Eagles add another player to the mix. With veterans like Warrick Dunn & Edgerrin James still without teams, there's a chance the Eagles could look to bring in some veteran insurance for Brian Westbrook.

Since Westbrook won't be in camp, the RB position should be a pretty wide open battle. All eyes will be on highly touted rookie Lesean McCoy who will be the most talented, but least experienced back in camp. How quickly he picks up the offense, especially the pass blocking schemes, will be a big story at camp this year.

Last year's receipient of the "Na Brown Award" for the breakout star of training camp, Lorenzo Booker, will actually enter Lehigh this year as the most senior member of the Eagles RB corps. Booker is in his 3rd year in the NFL and second with the Eagles. After a great showing in camp last year, Booker really failed to impress when the pads went on and real games started. He carried the ball just 20 times for an average of 2.7 yards a carry. Most reports suggested that his lack of playing time though, was his inability to grasp the Eagles' pass blocking scheme. The fact is that if Andy Reid can't trust you not get his QB killed, he's not going to put you on the field. My guess is that Booker is in a serious fight for a roster spot this year.

Eldra Buckley is another small, speedy back that will compete for a spot this year. Kyle Eckel, although listed as a fullback, did a nice job running the ball in short yardage last year and should have a chance to carry the ball and compete in camp.

Previous position previews

Quarterback

Fullback

Westbrook to have surgery on injured ankle

JasonB — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:08:12 -0000

More photos » by Bradley C Bower - AP

Philadelphia Eagles rookie running back LeSean McCoy, left, confers with teammate Brian Westbrook, right. (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower)

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Brian Westbrook will undergo his second so called "minor" surgery of the offseason, this time on his injured ankle.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will have surgery to clean up some bone spurs in his right ankle, according to his agent, Todd France.

France had no timetable for Westbrook's return but characterized the procedure as minor. Another source, however, said the surgery could sideline Westbrook well into training camp. Eagles veterans report to training camp on July 29.

"We talked about it when he was at the doctor's office and went through the options and decided it was better to clean it up," France told ESPN. "The ankle has been bothering him since last year."

Westbrook had "minor" surgery on his knee back in February. This ankle injury appears to have been bothering him since last year when he sustained the injury against the Steelers. That begs the question, why wait until now to get it taken care of? The injury bothered him all through last year and even if it felt better after the season and he "re-aggravated" it a few weeks ago as the article suggests... It's odd that they wouldn't have found bone spurs earlier.

Either way, the important thing here is to get Westbrook back to 100%. If cleaning out bone spurs in his ankle is what it takes, get it done. Still, for a RB just about to turn 30 two surgeries in an offseason is not an encouraging development.

I suppose the one bright spot is that Lesean McCoy will likely be the primary back throughout the summer and should get tons of reps. Plus the other backs fighting for spots like Walter Mendenhall, Kyle Eckel, Lorenzo Booker, & Eldra Buckley should get extra reps.