Something is going on. There is too much of nothing to talk about to feel settled. The Eagles need a new cornerbacks coach. They need a new director of player personnel. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is scheduled to interview with Oakland about its head coaching position and could also be a candidate in Indianapolis.
That sound you hear is crickets chirping.
Why do I feel like we're going to wait, wait, wait and then all of a sudden the news of the offseason is going to drop in on us all at once? Or maybe there really is not going to be a major change here, and other than a tweak to and fro, business as usual will carry the offseason at the NovaCare Complex.
Maybe I just want to have a headlines-grabbing day or two of news to relieve the extreme boredom of waiting for the NFL's postseason to get over with once and for all so that every team can be 0-0 and the 2012 season can officially begin.
The days go by slowly for me. Far too slowly. I know the Eagles are working behind the scenes, but they aren't inviting my input. Doors are closed. Meetings are held. Plans are made.
And I sit by, as do you, waiting to get a sense of what is going to happen next. In the meantime, the mind wanders ...
- Linebacker Jamar Chaney had successful surgery this week to repair a herniated disk in his neck and ... what?!?!?! A herniated disk in his neck? How serious is that injury? I don't know the answer, but alarms are raised anytime I hear that a player has a neck injury. Giants linebacker Antonio Peirce had a similar injury, as I recall, and didn't recover. I hope the injury isn't as severe as Pierce's. Chaney is a fine, young player who has a good future in this league. Certainly, though, his injury raises the awareness that the Eagles need solutions at linebacker in the offseason.
- Interesting article from draft guru Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. He went back and re-evaluated the 2011 NFL draft and he bumped the Eagles' grade from a "C" given shortly after the draft to an "A" after the rookies performed during the season. Here are some of the things Gosselin said about the Eagles ...
"The New York Giants will be the team to beat in the NFC East in 2012. But don't lose sight of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles failed to live up to their self-proclaimed 'Dream Team' status in 2011, but coach Andy Reid put the season of under achievement to good use. Reid flooded the field with youth on the way to an 8-8 finish, an investment in time that should benefit the Eagles in the future.
"Philadelphia finished the season with a league-high 10 rookies on the roster. Four of them were in the starting lineup when the Eagles stormed down the stretch with a four-game winning streak to capture second place in the NFC East.
"On the season, Philadelphia's rookie class started a combined 46 games. Only two NFL teams claimed more.
"Center Jason Kelce and guard Danny Watkins were season-long starters in a Philadelphia offense that finished fifth in the NFL in rushing, ninth in passing and fourth overall. Watkins was a first-round pick and Kelce a sixth.
"Brian Rolle also started at linebacker the final 13 games of the season for the NFL's eighth-ranked defense and Jaiquawn Jarrett finished up as the starting free safety. Jarrett was a second-round pick and Rolle a sixth.
"Fourth-rounder Casey Matthews also started games at linebacker, and fifth-rounder Dion Lewis returned kickoffs and served as the primary backup to Pro Bowl halfback LeSean McCoy.
"In addition, the Eagles broke in two rookie specialists in 2011, fourth-round placekicker Alex Henery and undrafted punter Chas Henry. Henry converted 24 of 27 field goals on his way to a team runnerup 118 points and Henry compiled a net average of 37 yards with only nine touchbacks.
"So the Eagles have something to show for their failure in 2011 -- a young, promising future."
We'll see what means moving forward. But it's important to keep in mind the roster turnover the Eagles had, and how bright the future should be for the team.
- Haven't paid a lick of attention yet to the mock drafts, but I suppose I should. OK, I just did. I took a look at Mel Kiper, Jr.'s mock draft on ESPN.com and he has the Eagles taking .... Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. Sounds good to me. I honestly believe that the Eagles aren't fundamentally opposed to taking a linebacker in the first round. They haven't done so under head coach Andy Reid, I know, but if there is one on the board in the first round who rates highly, then they would do it.
- Nothing new to report, otherwise. The Pro Bowl is around the corner. Some post-season awards have been announced. We're still waiting to hear from Andy Reid and there is nothing scheduled as far as a press conference goes. We will have complete coverage from next week's Senior Bowl as we really start focusing on April's draft.
- I find it interesting that the first full offseason in the post-Collective Bargaining Agreement world in the NFL is a bit upside down. Instead of having the usual post-draft mini-camp, the Eagles will hold a rookie camp two weeks after the draft. Then they will have Organized Team Activities in early June ahead of a mandatory full-team mini-camp in mid-June.
