McDougle Making It Tough For Eagles
August 26, 2008
| Last Updated: 8/26/08 7:07 AM ET
|
Comments (73)
By: STEVE LIENERT
Thursday's final preseason game against the Jets may be meaningless for some, but players like defensive end Jerome McDougle are battling for their football lives.
McDougle, the 15th overall selection in the 2003 draft, enters his sixth NFL season looking to make an impact. He has battled injuries throughout his career, but his play against New England last Friday showed he may be ready to contribute.
McDougle's main competition at defensive end, free-agent signee Chris Clemons, has been unable to get on the field due to a calf strain after signing a five-year contract with the Eagles in the offseason. Clemons' absence has opened the door for McDougle to make the team.
 |
| DE Jerome McDougle |
"This is a big game for (McDougle), no question about it," Johnson said. "Bryan Smith and, of course, hopefully Chris is going to be healthy. I'm not sure right now. It's going to be a little bit tough."
Clemons has had a rough go of it during his short tenure in Philadelphia. After being hospitalized with dehydration during training camp, Clemons has only played in the first preseason contest against Pittsburgh, recording two tackles.
Meanwhile, McDougle has made the most of his opportunity. In three preseason games so far, McDougle has two sacks, a forced fumble and four solo tackles. According to Johnson, his performance has been a pleasant surprise.
"We didn't know how Mac was going to play this year coming off of injuries in the last couple of years," Johnson said.
Furthermore, McDougle's attitude has been exemplary.
"I'm just focused on trying to get better everyday," McDougle said. "I'm not focused on numbers. I want to make the team, obviously, but that's not my ultimate goal. My ultimate goal is to continue to get better.
"I know it sounds cliché but when you take that approach I think it's better for you mentally and physically because you are focusing on one thing and not a whole bunch of things."
This isn't the first time that McDougle has tantalized the Eagles with flashes of greatness. In the 2004 season opener against the Giants, McDougle put himself on the NFL map after he blew up New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning with a violent sack.
So, after McDougle had his way with New England starting right tackle Nick Kaczur during the second half of last Friday's game against the Patriots, perhaps McDougle has whetted the Eagles' appetite once again.
"There are options on the table," Johnson said. "How many guys do we keep? McDougle has had a good preseason; I think everybody knows that. He's fighting for a job. We'll just have to see what happens and how many linemen we are going to keep. The numbers game comes in. But, Mac has had a good preseason. We know Chris hasn't been out there, so that's a factor."
That's what makes a meaningless preseason game meaningful.
"I'm not going to get down into numbers and how many we are going to keep and all that," Johnson said. "It's probably one of the things we're going to have to decide after this game, no question."
cmiko83
08/26/08
11:05 pm ET |
my final roster (in depth order): OFFENSE QB: McNabb, Kolb, Feeley HB: Westbrook, Buckhalter, Booker FB: Hunt WR: Curtis, Brown, Jackson, Baskett, Avant, Lewis TE: Smith, Celek, Schobel LT: Thomas, Dunlap LG: Herremans, McGlynn C: Jackson, Cole RG: Andrews, Jean-Gilles RT: Runyan, Justice DEFENSE LE: Parker, McDougal, Abiamiri RE: Cole, Smith, Clemons DT: Patterson, Bunkley, Laws, Klecko LOLB: Gocong, Boiman MLB: Bradley, Mays ROLB: Gaither, Jordan FS: Dawkins, Demps SS: Mikell, Paschal CB: Samuel, Sheppard, Brown, Hanson SPECIAL TEAMS LS: Dorenbos K: Akers P: Rocca
|
cmiko83
08/26/08
11:05 pm ET |
my final roster (in depth order): OFFENSE QB: McNabb, Kolb, Feeley HB: Westbrook, Buckhalter, Booker FB: Hunt WR: Curtis, Brown, Jackson, Baskett, Avant, Lewis TE: Smith, Celek, Schobel LT: Thomas, Dunlap LG: Herremans, McGlynn C: Jackson, Cole RG: Andrews, Jean-Gilles RT: Runyan, Justice DEFENSE LE: Parker, McDougal, Abiamiri RE: Cole, Smith, Clemons DT: Patterson, Bunkley, Laws, Klecko LOLB: Gocong, Boiman MLB: Bradley, Mays ROLB: Gaither, Jordan FS: Dawkins, Demps SS: Mikell, Paschal CB: Samuel, Sheppard, Brown, Hanson SPECIAL TEAMS LS: Dorenbos K: Akers P: Rocca
|
jhjenkins
08/26/08
10:33 pm ET |
Why not cut Feely? If Kolb is the second then he has to be ready for the first. If #5 gets hurt you go get a vet. Heck Vinny won games for folks last year.
As for the young vs. vet idea. yes that has been a strong line in the past but i also believe the FO has decided to balance that because they believe some key experience and vet presence is needed (i.e. Klecko). McDougle is going to play his *** off and they know it. I also believe given Andy's comments that he is changing things up so the team does not start slow. They are not interesting in learning for the first 2-3 weeks Clemmons will not be ready to start MAc will.
|
Epilerik
08/26/08
10:22 pm ET |
I don't like it. I see Culpepper being taken up soon after cuts anyways, after a team realizes it failed the off-season.
And with McNabb's injury history and Kolb being inexperienced, it's not a good idea to cut Feeley
|
badger_24k@...
08/26/08
9:07 pm ET |
Whats everyone think about releasing feeley, he is not going to see the field ne way and if he does that means mcnabb abd kolb are injured so the eagles season will be screwed then ne way, and if we get desprite theres always culpepper or someone like that, but releasing feeley now would make it possible to keep howard and mcglynn and justice and dorenbos instead of having to release one of them, we would still have to cut reed which would be a great choice to me ne way
|
phillyfandan
08/26/08
8:55 pm ET |
true good point, i just dont think justice is going to replace runyan down the line. the eagles i think can draft another good tackle this year, because winston just hasnt worked out. plus the eagles are stuck with 6 WR's this year due to the injury to curtis. they have to go 9 if they want to keep 3 TE's and a long snap specialist. they have to go 9.
|
Epilerik
08/26/08
8:49 pm ET |
I see us keeping 10 linemen. The main starting 5 are good, we know that. But Thomas and Runyan are old and in the last years of their contracts. They need guys that can replace them next year if they leave, and they need depth behind those guys. Hence McGlynn, Justice, and Dunlap, along with Jean-Gilles and Nick Cole who are locks. So that's 10.
No, if we're going to keep 7 DEs, it'll mean either 5 WRs, or 5 LBs, or 4 CBs.
With the injuries to Brown and Curtis, I doubt only 5 WRs
With the way they've all contributed on special teams, I don't like narrowing it down to 6 LBs as it is
So that's why I think 4 CBs is the only option. Demps can play that, and we have two practice squad eligible guys, and Ikegwuonu can come back after week 6-9 if anyone anywhere goes down for the season
But we're all forgetting Gocong can do a little DE too, so we really don't NEED 7 DEs. But it'd be nice to keep them from the Giants and to have Gocong focus only on LB
|
phillyfandan
08/26/08
8:43 pm ET |
i dont know y that sent twice
|
phillyfandan
08/26/08
8:36 pm ET |
whats this mcglynn gets cut, no way. maybe i could see justice. i know reid loves keepin 10 in the trenches but i'm pretty sure their gonna go 9 this year. tra, todd, jamal, big kid, big jon. keep maxy, mike, nick, and the king. if theirs an injury to a tackle move todd over there and put max at LG. if a G goes down ya got maxy.your set and you save a roster spot.
|
phillyfandan
08/26/08
8:36 pm ET |
whats this mcglynn gets cut, no way. maybe i could see justice. i know reid loves keepin 10 in the trenches but i'm pretty sure their gonna go 9 this year. tra, todd, jamal, big kid, big jon. keep maxy, mike, nick, and the king. if theirs an injury to a tackle move todd over there and put max at LG. if a G goes down ya got maxy.your set and you save a roster spot.
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
7:15 pm ET |
99% of the time the Eagles value young draft picks more than veterans...just ask takeo and trotter
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
7:13 pm ET |
Smith gets cut?! You are not smart at all...3rd round ROOKIE...use your head
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
7:12 pm ET |
0% chance McGlynn gets cut...whens the last 4th round rookie to ever get cut in the Andy Reid era?
|
Ugly.penny@...
08/26/08
7:09 pm ET |
McGlynn gets cut, Dunlap and Justice make it, we have good depth at Guard. On DE: Smith gets cut/PS and we keep 6 DEs: Cole, Abiamiri, Parker, Clemons, McDougle, and Howard. Howard can also be our 5th DT. 5 and 5 with Klecko and Reagor battling for #4. I say we keep McDougal. Remember it is his final year on his contract. If he plays well Birds will re-sign or trade, if he doesn't oh well, at least we won't get penalized. And Smith is still a project at this point.
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:54 pm ET |
personally i think justice makes the team..he still has a ton of talent he just hasnt shown it yet...think about it...can you name more than one long snapper in the nfl?? I cant...but every team has one, they are equally a necessity and waste of a spot all at the same time...but id rather have a good one
|
badger_24k@...
08/26/08
6:50 pm ET |
i doubt thats the case im pretty sure justice will have a roster spot come saturday, and if dorenbos is on this team to be nothing but a long snap spealist then everyone one of them better be going about 100 miles per hour with precise accuracy or it is a complete waste of a spot, but i guess if he can do it perfectly then he'll have a spot
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:45 pm ET |
Im not saying to cut justice, but i am saying if there is one guy that would be cut it would be him....dunlap is outplaying him, cole and jean gilles are solid, mcglynn is a high round draft pick...so as of right now he's probably the odd man out IF AND ONLY IF they decide to go with fewer OL than usual
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:43 pm ET |
because every team in the league has a long snapper...its a dumb position but very vital...you would always like to see that position contribute in some other way but thats just not the case at any level of any football....that would be like just having one player handle all the kicking duties...most nfl kickers could actually punt fairly decently but they are not the best. NFL teams want the best players and each position and if someone can get the ball back to the punter faster and better..you know what he's going to make the team...if you were the GM, what would you do once punts and field goals start getting blocked? and what would you do when the ball is snapped over the punter's head for a safety? Then what do you do? Its actually a pretty important position
|
badger_24k@...
08/26/08
6:41 pm ET |
r u serious, u want to cut justice because of one game, it was his first start against one of the best pass rushing DE in the game, ya he looked bad but he must of been the best option that the eagles had or they would of taken him out, id put money on it that he will hold his own with more experience
|
badger_24k@...
08/26/08
6:36 pm ET |
Y DOES EVERYONE LIKE DORENBOS, HE HIKES THE BALL AT A MAX 10 PLAYS A GAME AND THATS ALL HE DOES - Y PAY HIM AND WASTE A ROSTER SPOT, SOME ONE GIVE ME A GOOD REASON Y HE IS ON THIS TEAM
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:35 pm ET |
dont sass it up badger...in the wise words of bill parcells..."you are what you are" and as of right now he's a tackle who gave up 6 sacks in one game, he's the only player to recieve a personal thank you note from a DE that went to the pro bowl (Osi's 13 sacks...6 came in one game) "dear winston, thank you for single handedly handing me another pro bowl, the 6 sacks i got against you in one game went a long way in the voter's eyes." You're roster is good, but not perfect
|
badger_24k@...
08/26/08
6:28 pm ET |
I no justice hasnt shown ne thing but i think he'll get better and even if he doesnt get ne better he is still a good back up tackle or maybe we could try him at guard to see if that works
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:25 pm ET |
I agree Mayo...considine is the better overall safety, although we all love big hits, that's not what makes a good nfl safety
|
myartz04@...
08/26/08
6:23 pm ET |
Dorenbos no question about it makes this team, so that makes McGlynn expendable?? A high round draft pick?? I don't think so...Andy Reid always keeps plenty for the lines...just don't see them keeping 7 DE's...not enough playing time to go around. Also, if there is anyone on the offensive line that is expendable I think its Justice...this guy hasnt really had a good moment in 2 years...6 sacks dont help him, plus herremans played great at tackle the last game...herremans is the takle of the future, with jean gilles moving in his spot...mcglynn is a lock this year
|
mayoandketchup
08/26/08
6:17 pm ET |
rohash, Considine is one of the best tacklers in the secondary. He's really good at open field tackling, something I've never seen in Reed. Sure Reed can hit hard can cause dropped passes (ie Randy Moss last year) but Considine is much better in the open field, which is more valuable in my opinion.
|
vs 
