Andy Reid ended Shawn Andrews’ 2009 season today, placing him on injured reserve after his balky back just would not allow him back on the field. Reid’s statement on the transaction was brief, but somehow conveys the frustration of a teacher who has finally given up on a wayward student:
“It’s disappointing to lose any player for the entire season, but we have full confidence in the other linemen we have on this roster to help this team succeed. We wish Shawn all the best as he recovers and rehabilitates from this injury.”
Despite the pain I’m sure back spasms entail, I think the Eagles’ brass believes the enigmatic Andrews could have played through them. In their minds if his last name was Runyan or Thomas, he would have and they’ve just had enough waiting for him to be that tough guy.
Will this stint on the IR end his career in green? Can he redeem himself in their eyes by busting his tail in rehab and stop the incessant YouTubing and twittering.
If Andrews’ back is really that bad and he never gets to suit up for the Birds again it’ll be tragic. Say what you will about his eccentric behavior -the twitters, the hair cut, the childish air about him – the dude can maul. With better health, both mental and physical, Andrews could have possibly been the best lineman in Eagles history. He certainly was the most athletic I’ve ever seen. A true dancing bear.
If this is a case of a guy simply losing the will to compete, to not endure the aches and pains Monday mornings bring, then it’s a shame but a heck of lot easier to see him walk away.
During the off-season it seemed like he still had some emotional issues he was working through. His talk of how much he wanted to play and how hard he was working to get back seemed to be more for his own benefit than ours, trying to convince himself that was the truth, because we weren’t buying it.
Some will call him a pussy for not wanting to play through the pain. I’m not sure that’s fair. If you don’t love what you’re doing you don’t love what you’re doing. If you make the Pro Bowl as an NFL lineman you can’t be a pussy.
Andrews needs to continue to get healthy before he can contribute anything on the field. Whether or not he’s an Eagle when he does that is the question. And maybe getting healthy in the head finally lets him come to grips with the fact he just doesn’t want to play anymore, and he can finally twitter that to the world.
As much as Andy Reid and his front office staff have been criticized in the past for poor drafting, you have to hand it to them when it comes to knowing when to let go of players.
The latest example, cornerback Rod Hood.
Hood signed with the Eagles in 2003 as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn. He enjoyed some success as a nickel and part-time starter for the Birds through 2006. When he hit the unrestricted free agent market in 2007, the Eagles made little effort to resign him and he subsequently inked a 5 year, $15 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite some success in 2007, Hood regressed in 2008 and was released after the season as a cost cutting move. He signed on with the Cleveland Browns, but was released today after a poor training camp.
Granted, Hood had a good season in 2007, but the Eagles are excellent at knowing their own players. They knew Hood wasn’t worth what other teams were willing to spend on him, and wisely let him take the big dollars elsewhere rather than ponying up the money themselves.
The same went for players like Jeremiah Trotter, Lito Sheppard, Corey Simon, Ike Reese, Duce Staley, Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Hugh Douglas, and Michael Lewis. All were more valued by other teams (or by their agents) than the Eagles, and all flopped when the left.
It’ll be interesting to see how the latest crop of vets—Brian Dawkins and Correll Buckhalter—who the Birds let sign elsewhere for big money fare away from Philly.
Say what you will about the drafts (which seem to be producing lately), the Birds know their pro personnel as well as any other team, and are masterful in knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.
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The third preseason game is in the books and it’s time to speculate on the makings of the final 53-man roster, which needs to be finalized by Sept. 5.
Quarterbacks (Three – Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick)
Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb will be there, but after that things could be tricky for Andy Reid.
Does he keep Michael Vick on the roster so he can practice with the team if he’s suspended for the first couple of weeks of the season, or do you keep him off the roster and have him sit out practices?
Either way, things don’t look good for A.J. Feeley’s future in Philadelphia.
My guess is Reid releases Feeley so he can find work elsewhere before it gets too late, and keeps Vick on the roster so he can continue to get reps in practice.
Running Backs (Four – Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Leonard Weaver, Eldra Buckley)
Westbrook, McCoy, and Weaver are all obvious choices to make the team.
Lorenzo Booker has been terrible from the get go in Philly, and his preseason performance hasn’t been any better. He hasn’t shown the hands or elusive moves we all thought he’d bring from Miami when the Eagles acquired him, and he has no shot at making this team.
It comes down to Kyle Eckel and Buckley.
Reid could take Eckel as a second fullback, but Weaver’s ability to run the ball on short-yardage essentially nullifies Eckel’s role from last season. Buckley, although he looked like an undrafted rookie on Thursday, has shown some flashes of being a decent runner, and if the Eagles think he’s more of a contributor on special teams than Eckel he’ll be the choice.
Wide Receiver (Six – DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, Brandon Gibson)
It pains me not to list Reggie Brown as one of the six receivers the Eagles retain, but his salary and corresponding performance just don’t add up. I’m hoping Reid and company can at least turn him into a draft pick before the season begins. So much for my prediction three years ago that he’d be a poor man’s Marvin Harrison.
Baskett stays on because of his blocking and special teams play (and his HOT wife coming to games). Gibson is a guy who may spend a lot of weeks on the inactive list on game days but has shown he could be another Avant-type possession guy down the road.
Tight Ends (Three – Brent Celek, Rob Myers, Tony Curtis)
The Matt Schobel era is mercifully over, as the oft-injured free agent signee will not be back in 2009. Curtis is a pure blocker—something the Birds haven’t bothered with at this position for a very long time.
Offensive Lineman (10 – Jason Peters, Shawn Andrews, Stacy Andrews, Todd Herremans, Jamaal Jackson, Nick Cole, Max Jean-Gilles, Mike McGlynn, King Dunlap, Winston Justice)
No real surprises here. Justice has really taken advantage of Shawn Andrews’ absence and played well at right tackle. Ditto that for Dunlap, who performed admirably while Peters was on the shelf. McGlynn is versatile enough, and Reid probably loves the guy’s tenacity. Look for one of the Birds’ two draft picks—Fenuki Tepou or Paul Fanaika to make the practice squad.
Defensive Lineman (10 – Trent Cole, Darren Howard, Victor Abiamiri, Chris Clemons, Jason Babin, Mike Patterson, Broderick Bunkley, Trevor Laws, Dan Klecko, Juqua Parker)
Parker squeaks in despite the fact he got busted for pot this preseason. He better not get comfortable though—he could be the last guy on the roster if injuries crop up during the season.
Bryan Smith hasn’t shown any of the burst they hoped for off the edge, and when you’re undersized you better be fast and/or strong (see Dwight Freeney). Smith doesn’t seem to be either.
Linebackers (Six – Joe Mays, Akeem Jordan, Chris Gocong, Omar Gaither, Moise Fokou, Matt Wilhelm, Tracy White)
Losing Stewart Bradley kills the Eagles. He was by the far the most talented player in that group, and his absence has shown during the preseason. Here’s hoping some combo of Mays, Gaither, and maybe Fokou can fill the void. Wilhelm’s hold on a roster spot is tenuous. White is there strictly for special teams—which looks real shaky already. Maybe it wasn’t just Rory Seagrest last season?
Cornerbacks (Four – Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson)
Jack Ikegwunou could be practice squad-bound, as could Dimitri Patterson. Both have potential but are caught behind a very deep and talented bunch.
Safeties (Four – Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Sean Jones, Victor Harris)
Harris hasn’t set the world on fire, but his ability to play special teams and both S and CB gives him the advantage over Ikegwunou and Patterson.
Special Teams (Three – David Akers, Sav Rocca, Jon Dorenbos)
No surprises here.
According to Derrick Gunn of Comcastsportsnet.com rumors are swirling that Donovan McNabb and the Eagles are working on a contract extension.
McNabb, signed through 2010, will make $9.2 million in 2009 and $10 million in 2010.
If this is true the Birds have finally come to their senses. McNabb is the best quarterback this franchise has ever seen and is coming off one of his top seasons despite not having the weapons other top QB’s usually have at their disposal.
If this deal finally goes down I hope it puts to rest any Kevin Kolb speculation. Whether the kid can play or not I don’t know, but McNabb is heads and tails better, and like it or not haters, the Birds’ best chance to win a Super Bowl.
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