Eagles assemble Final 53 plus Practice Squad...
It will be a solid week of cramming the playbook in preparation for the opener with the Packers, with almost 20 new faces on the Eagles roster...
It is remarkable... the Eagles may now be the youngest team in the NFL...coupled with the biggest roster turnover I've witnessed in a lifetime. One-third of the roster is comprised of guys who weren’t here last season.
The entertainment value of following the Eagles this season is dramatically increased for me by the youth movement angle, as well as the presence of the New Faces (like veterans OL Reggie Wells from the Cardinals and DE Antwan Barnes from the Ravens), who are being asked to help stabilize key areas of concern.
Tying up some loose ends this Labor Day before we get into the Green Bay Packers game prep later in the week:
The Practice Squad is almost complete with the following transactions:
| » | 9/6/2010 | TE Garrett Mills | Signed to the practice squad |
| » | 9/5/2010 | OL Dallas Reynolds | Signed to the practice squad |
| » | 9/5/2010 | C A.Q. Shipley | Signed to the practice squad |
| » | 9/5/2010 | DT Jeff Owens | Signed to the practice squad |
| » | 9/5/2010 | WR Chad Hall | Signed to the practice squad |
| » | 9/5/2010 | RB Martell Mallett | Signed to the practice squad |
Nice to see Chad Hall and Martell Mallet in particular rewarded in some way for their hard work this past spring and summer...So exactly what kind of compensation does a PS player receive?
To confirm Practice Squad salaries, this is pretty straightforward: "NFL Practice Squad players are paid $5,200 a week minimum, but teams may choose to pay them more if they'd like... This doesn't usually happen. The players will also get small signing bonuses, usually in the area of a couple thousand bucks..." ---Source: John Bena, Comcast "Inside The Red Zone"...
I know, it isn't the goal of any player to end up on the PS... However, it keeps you visible to the team, lets you develop your skills, and opens the door for other teams to observe and give you a chance... So if a guy were a long shot, and was grateful for the chance to be in camp, it becomes a pretty fair deal... Some guys end up with long careers in the NFL after being on the PS a year... others, well, they just fade away... I know, to some, $5,200 a week doesn’t sound like much... but if you were on the PS for, say 18 weeks, that’s a 93K-a-year gig... plus the ongoing possibility of being called up to the 53-man roster... Like I said, it’s not the ultimate goal of any player, but it does provide some opportunities to get better and make a team at some point...
Oh, and some of you may be wondering about Rookie DE Ricky Sapp? He ended up being placed on Injured Reserve...he was not released...and the IR is a good alternative for Sapp, for whom the Eagles still have high hopes... Since a player on the Practice Squad can be signed by another team if the Eagles don't match an offer, Sapp is safely stashed away as an Eagle until next season.
Looking at Walter Football.com last night to see if Walter had raised his opinion of the Eagles based on the newest trades and acquisitions...but no new blessing was bestowed upon us by the cranky Walter. Although he projects the Eagles as an 8-10 Win team, he still ranks us only 18th in the league power rankings. Walter rants:...."I'm very concerned about this offensive line. Kevin Kolb has been under pressure nearly every time he has dropped back in the pocket. Perhaps if Jason Peters quit eating Doritos on the sidelines between plays, Kolb's protection would be better. Blame JaMarcus Russell for giving Peters the idea." ...Jeez, kind of a shallow review! Has Walter ever even touched an actual football?
Walter goes on to rank the Redskins #14, ahead of us! 2010 NFL Projected WIN Total: 8-10...
He ranks the Packers #2..."My dad was out of the country on business for two weeks, so when I had dinner with him this past Wednesday, he asked me to give him a recap of the NFL preseason. When I told him that the Packers beat the Colts by the score of 59-24, he nearly choked on his food. Aaron Rodgers, you almost killed my dad! 2010 NFL Projected WIN Total: 11-13"... OK, Walter...thanks for the locker room bulletin board incentive...go Eagles!
The Eagles are off today and Tuesday then launch into their normal work week to prepare for the Green Bay Packers. The Birds will be practicing in the vintage 1960 Kelly Green helmets in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of their NFL championship defeat of the Pack at Franklin Field.
