Yardbarker: Eastern Washington Eagles

The Linc - Eagles to pick up Vick's bonus

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:28:51 -0500

More photos » Jeff Christensen - AP Michael Vick was apparently present for picture day at a local elementary school. Browse more photos » Eagles to Pick Up Vick's Bonus | CSNPhilly The Eagles will reportedly pay Mike Vick's $1.5 million roster bonus due March 10th. Wilson: Where will Hank Baskett land? | National Football Post Hopefully not here. Why did Emmitt knee-cap Dan Snyder? - NFC East Blog - ESPN Emmit Smith really hates Redskins' owner Dan Synder. I mean really hates him. Gonzo: Dizzy over Eagles' quarterback spin | Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/07/2010 You know how I know Gonzo thinks he's controversial and sticking it to the man? He tells me he is several times in this article. Roethlisberger Accused of Sexual Assault in Georgia - Behind the Steel Curtain ESPN isn't pretending this one didn't happen...

Eagles, without Smith, lose again

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:04:00 -0500

Jamar Smith out with injury, the rest of the Eagles struggled at Northern Kentucky University.

Dean lifts Eastern Washington past Montana 69-68

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:30:02 -0500

CHENEY, Wash. -- Glen Dean had 23 points and seven assists, and sank a foul shot with 2.5 seconds left that carried Eastern Washington to a 69-68 victory over Montana on Sunday.

St. Louis Rams are "Definite" Favorite to Land Michael Vick

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:36:00 -0500

Following reports that the Eagles are planning on retaining Michael Vick on the roster for the 2010-2011 season, Jason LaCanfora is reporting that the St. Louis Rams are the "definite" favorites for Vick.Don't you just love conflicting reports in the off-season. It wouldn't be an off-season without them.Despite the reports of Vick remaining in Philadelphia, many media outlets are also touting the Rams as the top dogs to land Vick. Pun intended.If I was to place a wager, I would place it on that the Eagles are trying to drive up the selling price of Vick by convincing everyone else that they fully intend on keeping him.It makes too much sense. The connections are there, and they are plentiful.Head coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur both have ties to Andy Reid, and have surely received high scouting reports on Vick.If that's not enough, GM Billy Devaney is familiar with Vick and his exceptional talents from their mutual time in Atlanta with the Falcons.If Vick can be half the athlete he was in Atlanta, the Rams should be in good condition. They have a variety of talent on the offensive side of the ball.The youth and talent is there in St. Louis at the skill positions, but the offensive line left much to be desired. What will help the sack problem? Oh, I don't know, maybe a quarterback that can stretch the field and escape the pocket with ease. Stay tuned.

Daily Cal: Bears Blow Out Eagles, Improve to 2-0

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Matt Kawahara Kevin Riley dropped back, was enveloped by two Eastern Washington rushers and flipped the ball backward onto the ground. Jahvid Best picked it up, found some open field and turned the play into a 15-yard gain. Like the rest of the Cal football team's 59-7 win over the Eagles, the play didn't start off pretty, but it got the job done. The Bears came out sluggish in the first half, then turned it on after halftime to post their second blowout in as many games this season. Eastern Washington actually outgained Cal by a total of 193 yards to 192 in the first half, but the Bears tightened up in the second, allowing just 42 yards while their offense piled on 35 more points to make the final score more indicative of the lopsided matchup. "I wasn't very happy (at halftime) so they heard a little about that," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "But I think they understood that we hadn't done everything we wanted to do. "I was happy to see the focus in the second half. They were able to really put it together." The Eagles hung around early thanks to the poise and strong-enough arm of quarterback Matt Nichols. Nichols threw mostly short and intermediate passes, but he consistently found holes in the Bears' zone defense and completed 22 of 30 attempts in the first half for 187 yards and a touchdown. After Cal struck first on a Riley keeper for a touchdown, Nichols orchestrated a steady 11-play touchdown drive that included a 36-yard completion and 4-yard scoring pass to tie the game. The first quarter ended that way, tied 7-7. Eastern Washington wouldn't come within 20 yards of the end zone again. The Eagles were again moving methodically on their opening drive of the second quarter until linebacker Mike Mohamed sacked Nichols and forced a fumble that Mychal Kendricks returned 45 yards to set up a field goal. Vince D'Amato's kick made it 17-7. Link to rest of article.

Daily Cal: Best Meets Old Track Foe in Eagles' Jones on Saturday

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:01:00 -0500

Matt Kawahara When Eastern Washington tailback Taiwan Jones steps onto the field at Memorial Stadium this weekend, it won't be the first time and he and Jahvid Best have run against each other on Cal soil. Best and Jones -- who hails from Antioch, Calif. -- were both high school track standouts at Salesian High and Deer Valley High, respectively. On May 27, 2007, they competed in the 100 and 200 meters in the North Coast Section Meet of Champions at Edwards Stadium. Best took first place in both races, Jones second. A week later, Best would win the 100-meter title at the CIF State Championships with a time of 10.31 seconds, while Jones would finish fourth in 10.58. "I remember racing him in high school," Best said. "He's pretty fast." Now over two years later, they'll face off once again on Saturday, when the No. 10 Cal football team plays the Eagles at 2:30 p.m. Many know Best for his time on the gridiron, but Jones was a standout football player himself at Deer Valley. As a senior, the two-way starter rushed for 1,466 yards and 13 touchdowns, recorded 37 tackles and three interceptions and was named Most Valuable Player of the Bay Valley Athletic League. In his freshman season at Eastern Washington, Jones played cornerback and moonlighted as a kick returner, showing off his speed with a 93-yard return for a touchdown against Northern Colorado. When four seniors graduated after the 2008 season, the Eagles' coaching staff decided to try him at tailback. Link to rest of article.

Rams Sign Eight Players To Their Practice Squad

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:21:55 -0500

The Rams added seventh-round choice Chris Ogbonnaya and 2008 Eagles third-round defensive end Bryan Smith to their practice squad, joining cornerback...

Reid’s draft record takes another hit

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:49:27 -0500

Another year and another Andy Reid high draft pick gets cut. Defensive end Bryan Smith, the 83rd-overall pick in the 2008 draft out of McNeese State, was cut yesterday as the Eagles trimmed their roster down to 53. Smith was an undersized end who never showed the burst or strength to play at the NFL level. When [...]

Your 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Roster

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:05:00 -0500

The Eagles made their final cuts today, reducing their roster from 72 players down to the mandated 53. To get there, the Eagles made a series of moves. First, the Eagles placed Michael Vick on their roster exempt list until Week 3, meaning that Vick can't practice with the team until that time. The Eagles then released 17 players and placed OT Fenuki Tupou on Injured Reserve.The following 17 players were cut:WR Danny AmendolaRB Lorenzo BookerLB Tank DanielsFB Kyle EckelG Paul FanaikaDE Josh GainesG Mike GibsonCB Jack IkegwuonuDT Dan KleckoS Reshard LangfordFB Marcus MaileiTE Rob MyersC Dallas ReynoldsTE Matt SchobelDE Bryan SmithLB Matt WilhelmCB Trae WilliamsOf the list, there aren't too many surprises. The exemption of Vick allowed the Eagles to keep A.J. Feeley around as the 3rd QB. That gives them a few weeks to try to trade Feeley. It's a smart move because a quarterback always goes down early in the season and there will be a desperate team out there.The emergence of Jason Babin meant the Eagles could rid themselves of both Dan Klecko and Bryan Smith. While Klecko can still play, Smith was always just too much of a project as an under-sized lineman. It's too bad the Eagles wasted a 3rd rounder on him.Thankfully, the Lorenzo Booker era is over in Philadelphia. Booker, who was acquired for a 4th round pick last year with visions of him being Westbrook-lite, never amounted to anything as an Eagle. The fact that he got beat out by undrafted rookie Eldra Buckley tells you all you need to know about Booker.Jack Ikegwuonu certainly wasn't what the Eagles hoped for after they drafted him last season and stashed him on Injured Reserve. At the beginning of training camp, many thought that Ikegwuonu was nearly assured of making the team. After he never really did anything of note, he was beat out by Dimitri Patterson for the 5th cornerback spot.The Eagles also went with only two tight ends for now, cutting both Matt Schobel and Rob Myers. I would expect that they work to pick up a better backup than Tony Curtis over the next few days.Some of the players cut, like Danny Amendola, Mike Gibson and Rob Myers, have a good shot of coming back to the Eagles on the practice squad. Amendola in particular emerged as a quality prospect who could possibly make an impact with the Eagles a year down the road.Over the last few weeks, I have been making my own projections of the Eagles roster. Here is the Eagles actual roster, with changes from my final version in bold:Offense:QB(3): Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley, (Michael Vick)RB(3): Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Eldra BuckleyFB (1): Leonard WeaverWR(7): DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Jeremy Maclin, Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown, Brandon GibsonTE(2): Brent Celek, Tony CurtisLT(2): Jason Peters, King DunlapLG(2): Todd Herremans, Max Jean-GillesC(2): Jamaal Jackson, Nick ColeRG(2): Stacy Andrews, Mike McGlynnRT(2): Shawn Andrews, Winston JusticeDefense:DE(6): Juqua Parker, Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri, Darren Howard, Chris Clemons, Jason BabinDT(3): Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Trevor LawsLB(6): Chris Gocong, Akeem Jordan, Joe Mays, Omar Gaither, Moise Fokou, Tracy WhiteCB(5): Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson, Ellis Hobbs, Dimitri PattersonFS(2): Quintin Demps, Macho HarrisSS(2): Quintin Mikell, Sean JonesSpecial Teams:K(1): David AkersP(1): Sav RoccaLS(1): Jon Dorenbos

Eagles release '08 third-rounder Smith

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:49:00 -0500

Bryan Smith, a defensive end out of McNeese State drafted in the third round by the Eagles in 2008 has been released according to a tweet by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Smith, a 6-2, 245-pounder, was beaten out at the position by Jason...

Eagles To Waive DE Bryan Smith

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:27:35 -0500

The Eagles are also going to waive defensive end Bryan Smith, a third-round pick from McNeese State last season, according to a separate league...

Eagles cut DT Dan Klecko

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:35:00 -0500

It's cut day in the NFL, and the Eagles have made their first cut: defensive tackle Dan Klecko. Klecko, who signed with the Eagles a year ago to play fullback before converting to DT, spent one season with the Birds and recorded 4 tackles and 2 sacks as a part of the defensive line rotation. The Eagles likely let him go earlier than the rest of their players so they could give Klecko time to find a job elsewhere.Klecko was a casualty of Jason Babin having a stellar preseason with the Eagles. With this move the Eagles will go with only 3 true DT's on the roster in Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson and Trevor Laws but Victor Abiamiri and Darren Howard can both move inside if necessary. Klecko's release also increases the likelihood that the Eagles keep a 7th defensive end, Bryan Smith.Don't feel bad for Dan Klecko, he has three Super Bowl rings from his days playing with the Patriots and Colts. I would look for him to latch on with another team in the next few days as he has a few more years of productivity left in him.

Biggs: Source says Feeley likely cut if he's not traded

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:24:00 -0500

Eagles will waive DE Bryan Smith, 3rd rounder from '08

Projecting the 2009 Eagles 53 man roster, Ver. 5.0

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:50:00 -0500

With the all-important 3rd preseason game now out of the way, it's time for the Eagles to start putting the final touches on their roster. By Tuesday, the Eagles have to cut the roster down to 75 players and by Saturday they have to be down to 53, so look for lots of players to get the axe over the next few days. The 3rd preseason game was a crucial one for all the bubble players on the roster; a good effort could ensure them a spot while a bad one could force them to start packing their bags. This is my fifth attempt at predicting the Eagles Week One roster. Below my roster projection I have also listed several players who are on the bubble and I gave reasons why they might not make the final roster. Changes from my previous projection are listed in bold.Offense:QB(3): Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Kevin KolbRB(3): Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Eldra BuckleyFB (1): Leonard WeaverWR(6): DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Jeremy Maclin, Hank Baskett, Reggie BrownTE(3): Brent Celek, Tony Curtis, Rob MyersLT(2): Jason Peters, King DunlapLG(2): Todd Herremans, Max Jean-GillesC(2): Jamaal Jackson, Nick ColeRG(2): Stacy Andrews, Mike McGlynnRT(2): Shawn Andrews, Winston JusticeDefense:DE(6): Juqua Parker, Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri, Darren Howard, Chris Clemons, Jason BabinDT(4): Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Trevor Laws, Dan KleckoLB(6): Chris Gocong, Akeem Jordan, Joe Mays, Omar Gaither, Moise Fokou, Tracy WhiteCB(4): Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson, Ellis HobbsFS(2): Quintin Demps, Macho HarrisSS(2): Quintin Mikell, Sean JonesSpecial Teams:K(1): David AkersP(1): Sav RoccaLS(1): Jon DorenbosPlayers who will start the season on the injured list: Stewart Bradley, Cornelius IngramBradley's season-ending injury really exposed how thin the Birds were up the middle. Ingram looked like a promising backup tight end, unfortunately we will have to wait another year to find out.Possible to start the season on the injured list: Victor Abiamiri, Shawn AndrewsAbiamiri seems to always be injured, so I am going to leave him in this category until further notice. Andrews has returned to practice, which is a good sign. It might still take him a while to return to game shape.Most likely to get cut/traded: Reggie BrownThe Eagles are searching for a team desperate for wide receiver help so they can unload Brown and keep Brandon Gibson on the roster. Brown still has talent, as he showed against the Jaguars in the 4th quarter, so there has to be trading partner out there somewhere.Players on the bubble:QB A.J. FeeleyFeeley didn't play at all against the Jaguars. Shockingly, and I hate to admit this, Kevin Kolb actually looked passable at quarterback in his first preseason action so it looks like the Eagles will stick with the younger Kolb at backup. Feeley is a capable backup and he will find a home somewhere else in the league.RB Lorenzo BookerThe writing has to be on the wall for Booker by now. In the game against the Jaguars, Booker didn't touch the ball once while Eldra Buckley had 3 rushes and 3 catches. Been nice knowing ya, Lorenzo.RB/FB: Kyle EckelNot enough room for Eckel in the backfield. His fumble against the Jaguars sealed his fate.WR: Brandon GibsonGibson is going to make this team one way or another but I have to put him here until the Eagles do something about Reggie Brown. If Brown isn't traded or cut, then the Eagles must think they can hide Gibson on the practice squad for the year, a risky move because it will make Gibson briefly available to other teams. If I had to put money on it, however, I would say that Gibson is on the Week 1 roster.TE: Matt Schobel, Eugene BrightThe recently signed Tony Curtis is already practicing with the Eagles and as long as he proves to be healthy he will be the veteran backup behind Brent Celek. That would likely leave Schobel off the roster since the Eagles would be smart to have a 3rd TE with some upside. At that point, it's a toss-up between Rob Myers and Eugene Bright for the final spot. I put Myers on the roster for now but I think this battle will come down to who does better in the final preseason game.OL: Mike Gibson, Fenuki Tupou, Chris Patrick, Paul FanaikaI had Mike McGlynn on the cut list last time but he's too valuable to just get rid of. Keeping McGlynn means the Eagles have a backup at every position, so the rest of the guys listed here have to go. Look for Gibson and possibly Tupou to spend the year on the practice squad and be ready to step in when injuries occur.DL: Bryan SmithThe emergence of Jason Babin will likely cost Smith his job. There is still a chance the Eagles cut DT Dan Klecko and go with 3 DT's since Abiamiri can rotate inside. The Eagles might try to stash Smith on the IR so they can keep him around and continue to develop him.LB: Matt Wilhelm, Tank DanielsMatt Wilhelm simply hasn't done enough to earn a roster spot. The emergence of Moise Fokou has essentially cost him a roster spot. There is still a shot for Wilhelm to beat out Tracy White but White is so much more valuable on special teams.DB: Jack Ikegwuonu, Dmitri PattersonJack Ikegwuonu had a shot but he hasn't done enough to force the Eagles to keep a 5th cornerback. The team is already so deep at CB there is really no reason to keep Ike around. I would bet they put Ikegwuonu on the IR for the season and let him work on getting better for next year.That's the team as I see it. Did I leave anyone off? Who needs to be cut? Discuss in the comments section.

Eagles Preseason Game 3 Thoughts

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:20:00 -0500

(AP Photo/Mel Evans)How many times are you ever going to hear this: Kevin Kolb led the Eagles to a come-from-behind win! It must be the preseason.The Eagles played their 3rd preseason game, the most important one because the starters play 3 quarters, against the Jaguars on Thursday night. While the mere presence of Michael Vick made all the headlines, there were still some interesting performances by some players who are fighting for a spot on the roster. While the Birds won 33-32, and that is always a good thing, there still seems to be a lot of kinks that need to be worked out. Here is a quick look at some of the positives and negatives for the Eagles in their 3rd preseason game.Positives: -The first team defense. Sure, they gave up a lot of points, but it wasn't the fault of the defense. They swarmed the Jaguars all night, with nearly every starting defensive lineman getting a hit on Jaguars quarterback David Garrard. Even DT Mike Patterson got in on the action, recording the lone sack of the night.-Asante Samuel. He was everywhere on Thursday, getting an interception and a forced fumble. He got a little banged up at one point but Asante looks ready to start the season.-Jason Babin. He has earned his spot by once again being a difference-maker on the field. Babin didn't record a sack this time but he constantly put pressure on and forced a fumble. Welcome to the team, Jason Babin. Sorry, Bryan Smith, despite your interception, you are a goner.-Jason Avant. Everyone talks about DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis and Jeremy Maclin in the passing game but Jason Avant could have the best year out of all of them. He caught 5 passes for 92 yards and is really emerging.-Kevin Kolb. He actually looked pretty good out there at times. Don't tell anyone I admitted that.-David Akers. 4/4 on field goals is a good day. I wish he didn't have to kick so many.Negatives:-The first team offense in the first half. I don't know if it was Michael Vick or what but the first team offense looked off. Stop me if you've heard this before but they moved the ball well at times but they were stopped in the red zone and had to settle for field goals twice. The play selection in the first half was incredibly skewed with 3 times as many runs as passes. Most of the problems with the offense are likely related to...-Donovan McNabb in the first half. McNabb looked out of sync until late in the second quarter when Michael Vick's night was done. After that, McNabb got into a nice rhythm and started hitting the open receivers with regularity. Was it a coincidence that once Vick was done McNabb got into a rhythm?-Jason Peters. I guess 60 million doesn't buy what it used to. He needs to get it together.-Discipline. It was better this week but 8 penalties for 62 yards still isn't great. There are too many plays getting called back and drives getting killed because of stupid penalties.-Special Teams. This is still the least special unit the Eagles have. The Jags had too many long returns.-The running game. Oh, wait, what running game? They only had 66 yards on the ground but when you have 19 total rushes, I guess you can't expect more. Obviously, when Brian Westbrook plays this will be better.