SB Nation - Jack Ikegwuonu

Geoffrey Pope in, the Iguana out

JasonB — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:36:34 -0000

The Eagles announced today that they've released CB Jack Ikegwuonu(for the 2nd time this year) and signed CB Geoffrey Pope off the Bengals practice squad. From PE.com

Pope (6-0, 186) started the 2009 season on the Cincinnati Bengals active roster and appeared in four games, playing mostly on special teams. He was waived on October 8, but was signed to their practice squad the next day and has been there for the balance of the year.

Pope came into the league as a UDFA signed by the Dolphins in 2007. He spent time with the Giants, where he actually got a superbowl ring and played in the 07-08 playoffs. I suppose the thought is that having played under Steve Spagnuolo in New York, he'd at least have a working knowledge of the system here.

Injuries to Gresham, Bulaga, Thurmond, Johnson may alter draft stock

Mocking Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:51:31 -0000

More photos » by Greg Wahl-Stephens - AP

Browse more photos »

Oklahoma senior tight end Jermaine Gresham had the option of redshirting this season following a major knee injury. He's chosen not to and will enter the 2010 NFL Draft.Gresham's talent is undeniable. He has good hands, can block and possesses optimum size.

However, his draft stock will ride heavily on if he can participate at the NFL Scouting Combine. Should he run poorly, it could push him to the third round. If he runs how he's expected -- between the 4.65 and the 4.75 range -- he should be a fringe first-round pick.

Iowa left tackle Bryan Bulaga is one of the more dominant players in the country, but he's missed the last three games due to a thyroid issue. He's been cleared to play again, but it's a little difficult to tell what kind of impact this condition will have on his NFL future. It will likely have some impact on how teams view Bulaga. The interview process and medical check will be keys if Bulaga decides to skip his senior season.

Walter Thurmond, the talented senior cornerback from Oregon, has torn his ACL, MCL and PCL in his right knee. Viewed by most by a probable second-round pick, this will be hard for Thurmond to come back from. Ultimately, this could be a case similar to that of Jack Ikegwuonu of the Eagles. Coming out of Wisconsin, Ikegwuonu was considered by many early in his career as a top cornerback prospect. Knee injuries slowed him down and pushed him to the fourth round. The same could happen to Thurmond.

By now, you're probably aware of the unfortunate incident that happened to Southern California running back Stafon Johnson. While it might not seem that a throat injury of this nature would impact his football career, consider that Johnson won't be in football shape for the foreseeable future, and that's assuming he'll even be allowed to play again. For a player who likely would have been a late-round pick, free agency might be in Johnson's future.

Some Familiar Faces Join the Eagles Practice Squad

Bob_Q — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:44 -0000

View full size photo »

This morning, the Eagles announced the completion of their practice squad with the signing of three additional players: fullback Marcus Mailei, cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu, and safety Reshard Langford. This makes seven of the eight practice squad players former Eagles that were released on Saturday, with the newcomer being linebacker Jeremy Leman. Here is a little more information about Leman from our friend Dave Spadaro:

The 6-2, 240-pound Leman was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a rookie free agent in 2008, but was released by the Vikings prior to the start of the regular season. He signed with the Panthers during the 2009 off-season and saw action in all four preseason games, registering 19 tackles.

A native of Champaign, IL, Leman was a four-year starter at Illinois and finished his collegiate career with 407 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He earned first-team All-America honors following his senior season in 2007.

That gives the Eagles eight players on the practice squad. Players can be dropped or added at any time, as long as the numbers of players on the practice squad does not exceed eight. Players can also be signed off the practice squad and added to another team's 53-man roster.

While the practice squad is by no means final, it is nice to see that Eagles haven't given up on young projects like Mailei and Ike, who still have the chance to develop into quality players once the depth above them clears up a bit. However, remember that placing these players on the practice squad means that any other team can claim them off waivers at any time throughout the season (ala LB Andy Studebaker from last year) so there is a chance we won't be seeing some them at training camp next year.

The Linc - Gus the Groundhog makes the Eagles

JasonB — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:00:26 -0000

Bob Ford: Eagles' roster feels unfinished | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/06/2009
For the Eagles, apparently, it's also a long way to next Sunday and the season opener at Carolina. The roster announced yesterday was like an off-the-rack suit, loose in some spots, tight in others, and destined to undergo alterations sooner rather than later.

Jason Peters eager to prove Eagles right | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/06/2009
The Eagles grade every player on every team, and when Reid glanced at Peters' scouting report two years ago it got his attention.

Eagles: Cutdown analysis - NFC East - ESPN
I guess putting quarterback Michael Vick on the commissioner's special exemption list might qualify, but it might only be for a day or two. The Eagles kept A.J. Feeley on the 53-man roster, probably so they can keep trying to trade him. As long as Vick's on that exemption list, he can't practice with the Eagles. But they can take him off the list at any time.

Eagles Notes: Eagles shed 3 from 2008 draft | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/06/2009
When the team announced its 53-man roster, and 2008 draft picks Bryan Smith and Jack Ikegwuonu were missing from the list, it came as a bit of a surprise. "Obviously, we had big expectations for both of those guys," Eagles general manager Tom Heckert said last night on a conference call.

Goodell displays good judgment with Vick ruling - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Goodell has earned the nickname "The Hammer" for vowing to restore order to the NFL, which has been overwhelmed by a series of misbehaving players. While he hasn’t hesitated to drop down lengthy suspensions, he’s also demonstrated a forceful but fair sensibility.

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)

Browse more photos »

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.

Eagles camp notes - Brandon Gibson, Jack Ikegwuonu impress

JasonB — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:04:17 -0000

News and notes from Eagles camp pulled from around the web.

- Merrill Reese was a guest on WIP this afternoon and said that Harold Carmichael was very impressed with rookie WR Brandon Gibson. Carmichael said that Gibson reminded him of former Eagle Chris Carter. It should be interesting to follow Gibson this offseason, a number of draftniks said he was on of the steals of the late rounds. Many people liked his ability, but truly terrible QB play limited him production in college last year. The Eagles practice blog also highlighted a number of nice plays from Gibson.

Oh and I think we have our first contender for the Na Brown award!

- Jack Ikegwuonu was also singled out for exceptional play in the morning session.

On defense, the player who shined was Jack Ikegwuonu. On the first play of the drill, he closed beautifully to knock down a McNabb pass in the corner of the end zone, showing a burst of speed that means he's close to fully recovered from last year's knee injury. He also showed impressive jamming technique at the line, effectively delaying a receiver's release twice.

- Also worth mentioning is rookie TE Cornelius Ingram. Watching practice footage today, I saw McNabb hook up with Ingram for multiple touchdowns in red zone drills.

The Linc - Cornelius Ingram's knee, Jack Ikegwuonu's trial, & Donovan McNabb's legacy

JasonB — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:39:20 -0000

View full size photo »

10-Pack: Integration of the African-American QB | Sporting News
Both Donovan McNabb and Randall Cunningham make the list of significant moments in the history of black QBs in the NFL.

Ingram says no problems with knee | Philadelphia Daily News | 07/07/2009
This has to be good news for Eagles fans: Rookie tight end Cornelius Ingram reports that his surgically repaired left knee has had no problems during his summer training.

Ikegwuonu trial under way | Philly | 07/07/2009
Jack Ikegwuonu's trial is finally underway. He is accused of breaking into a house and stealing an xbox. His brother, who was charged in the same incident, has already been acquitted and the "victim" in the case has said Jack was not involved.

Diehl wants to be best left tackle in NFC - NFC East - ESPN
The Giants' David Diehl wants to be the best LT in the NFC East, but Matt Mosely says Jason Peters currently holds that title.

SB Nation Adds Mobile Commenting and Retweeting Features - Blog Huddle
We are always working to evolve our platform here at SB Nation and we have two exciting new features to announce this morning: Mobile Commenting and the ability to retweet posts that you find interesting.

The Linc - Jack Ikegwuono, Brent Celek, Eagles take the crown, & the Texans' porno jersey

JasonB — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:46:32 -0000

Eagles' Jack Ikegwuonu aims to get on track | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/15/2009
Jack Ikegwuonu wants both his legal and his leg problems behind him, and it's possible they could be in his rearview mirror by the time he arrives for the start of training camp late next month at Lehigh University.

Eagles' Celek insists he'll be the best tight end on the block | Philadelphia Daily News | 06/15/2009
Brent Celek caught 19 passes in the playoffs, including 10 in the NFC Championship Game, then had the pleasure of spending the next 3 months listening to Eagles fans beat the drum for a tight end in the first round of the April draft.

Didinger: NFL Notes: Time is Now For McNabb
McNabb wanted the team to get better and more explosive players on offense. They’ve done that. McNabb wanted his contract reworked. The Eagles did that, boosting a deal that was worth some $19 million to $24.5 million with incentives that could bump it up even more. "OK, Don," they are saying. "You got what you wanted. Now go win us a Super Bowl."

Fan-Demonium: Part 2 - The Offensive Line - Philadelphia Eagles
I've been reflecting on some of the areas where the Eagles needed to improve in the off-season. While the team did almost reach the Super Bowl they were not exactly a juggernaut in the regular season. Now that changes have been made in free agency and the draft, today let's take a look and see just how much the Eagles have improved on the offensive line ...

Bloghead: Eagles Take Softball Crown - Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles squad defeated the defending champion Baltimore Ravens to win the sixth annual NFL softball tournament at the NovaCare Complex on Friday. Teams representing the Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, the NFL league office and the New York Jets participated in the event.

Inside the Iggles | A Philadelphia Eagles Blog
I love predicting so-called "breakout" players prior to a new Eagles‘ season. I haven’t always had the best of luck, although last year I went with Quintin Mikell, who ended up having a career year.

Ibanez, Donaghy cases refuel the debate about blogging | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/14/2009
Is what bloggers do journalism? Is what journalists do passe? Should bloggers assume the same standards as journalists? Should the MSM ignore or embrace them? And are the two entities performing the same function or something inherently different? And what about mainstream media journalists who blog for their newspapers?

Porn company wants to advertise on Texans' practice jerseys - Shutdown Corn... - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The NFL now allows individual teams to sell advertising space on their practice jerseys, and the Houston Texans have made it known that they'd like to take advantage of the new policy

Bird Droppings - Philadelphia Eagles links 6/10/09

JasonB — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:06:12 -0000

View full size photo »

PhillyBurbs.com: Gaither wants back in lineup
"Look at the numbers," Gaither said. "When I got benched, I was first among linebackers and second on the defense in tackles for loss. I was third on the team in tackles. I was first among linebackers in pass knockdowns. I was leading linebackers in sacks.

Eagles' fullback Weaver learned on the job | Philadelphia Daily News | 06/10/2009
Enough of this trying to convert guys from other positions into fullbacks! Finally, a real fullback, with a pedigree! A guy who really knows the ins and outs of blocking!

Didinger: Top 5 Punters in Eagles History
Ray Didinger ranks the top 5 punters in Eagles history

Eagles' Maclin is getting praise from Andy Reid -- themorningcall.com
Andy Reid couldn't hide his enthusiasm over rookie first-round pick Jeremy Maclin last week when the Eagles opened their current organized team activity workouts.

Stewart Bradley one of many candidates to fill main leadership void on Eagles' defense - lehighvalleylive.com
Leadership comes in many forms, according to the Eagles left behind in the wake of undisputed defensive leader Brian Dawkins' highly publicized offseason departure.

Eagles give Ikegwuono extended look
Barring an unexpected move over the coming seven weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles will be awash in defensive backs when they open training camp next month. For the moment, however, they're missing both of their projected starting cornerbacks, which is providing a group of younger players with an opportunity to make an impression as the Birds go through the last of their offseason minicamps.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Philadelphia remains dominant Army-Navy host
Philadelphia will host five of the next eight Army-Navy football games, the Naval Academy announced on Tuesday.

Bird Droppings 5/28/09

JasonB — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:00:19 -0000

Everyone like the new banner made by andyswaistline?

Hank Baskett has been working hard to stay in shape this offseason...

23-year-old blonde beauty(Kendra Wilkinson) also credits some bedroom activity for staying in shape.

"A lot of that," added fiance Baskett, smiling.
Speaking of Hank & Kendra, their new reality show will debut on E! June 7th.
Former Eagles' nickel corner Rod Hood found a new gig with the Cleveland Browns after being cut by the Cards this offseason.
Bob Ford says Ellis Hobbs and Sheldon Brown are professional mirror images of one another.
John Gonzalez tells people to "Give the QB stuff a rest"
Lorenzo Booker thinks the Eagles #2 running back is... Lorenzo Booker.
Cornelius Ingram left practice with a contusion on his surgically repaired knee yesterday, but is expected to return to the field today.
Jack Ikegwuonu is enjoying practice.