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A Homecoming For New FB Eckel
 
October 21, 2008 | Last Updated: 10/21/08 6:07 PM ET | Comments (57)
By: JOE DOLAN


When Kyle Eckel got word of what would be his newest NFL stop, he didn't exactly need to factor in the consequences of relocating immediately.

The former Navy fullback was inked to a two-year contract Tuesday to help solidify a revolving-door position in Philadelphia, his hometown and where most of his close family still resides. To make room for Eckel, the Eagles released safety J.R. Reed.

"I definitely know what this team means to the city of Philadelphia. I definitely know what it means to me," Eckel said. "I grew up watching Randall Cunningham and loving those guys. A lot of good memories about it."

FB Eckel
New Eagles FB Kyle Eckel
Local high school football connoisseurs likely won't need much of a spark to call the bruising Eckel to mind. He played his Friday night ball at Episcopal Academy in Merion, where he was honored as a first-team all-city selection as a senior, joining Chicago Bears running back Kevin Jones in the backfield. In fact, former high school rival and fellow all-city honoree Matt Ryan of Penn Charter will start at quarterback for Atlanta at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

"That's the first I've thought of that," Eckel said.

When he moved to college, Eckel thrived in the Midshipmen's signature triple-option offense. For his career, he rushed for 2,906 yards and 25 touchdowns, both fourth in school history, and he rushed for over 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons.

Despite bouncing around training camps with the Patriots and Dolphins since leaving the military in October of 2006, Eckel saw his first game action in 2007. In 12 career regular season games, all with the Patriots, Eckel ran the ball 33 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns, while also registering 12 special-teams tackles. The special teams experience is something the Eagles not only value from the fullback spot, but require.

And they still seem to have not found their fit at the position. Since not re-signing Thomas Tapeh in free agency, Eckel marks the sixth different fullback the Eagles have brought in – or squeezed onto – the roster.

Eckel said coaches haven't gone into a lot of specifics in their short meetings, concentrating instead on the fundamentals of the Eagles' scheme and administrative dealings.

"As far as how they're going to use me, I don't know," Eckel said. "But it's my job to get prepared. However way they want to use me, I've got to be prepared to meet their challenge."

For now, Dan Klecko will remain at fullback while Eckel explores the nuances of the offense. But at the least, he's smart and versatile.

And he knows what Philadelphia expects.

"This is a pretty exciting day," Eckel said, "but at the same time, I've really got to understand that you've got to put the fanfare aside and really get cracking away at the playbook and the business."

A Homecoming For New FB Eckel
   
usmcbatsy
10/22/08
2:39 pm ET
You wanna see some KE college film? Check this out, he's a effin' mac truck! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3gVzMuXK0o P.S. Prillest, you're an idiot.
herzogja
10/22/08
2:34 pm ET
nacintron! ok your right im an **** he was supportin his team well he can go back to tampa and do that cause he has no job. there is an a reason why they cut him. we arent at practice or see how he does behind the scences. we brought him here to return kicks and well we saw how that went (he was a bum) yea he hit some people here and there. which was good LAST year. what has he done for us lately NOTHING. He doesn't play wasn't any type of impact on Special teams. Im not saying considine is anything great but the coaching staff and the front office sees that he is better then jr reed and cut him. we arent there everyday... we see the games on sunday and read up on whats going on.
alberto.torres@...
10/22/08
10:33 am ET
Think about this we got a fullback with good stats considering that he has been on several teams thus far he is a native of philly which i bet his dream of playing with the eagles has come true... And i do agree with everyone else that we should of kept Reed over Considine... but Reed was the same person who fumbled punts we kept signing and cutting signing and cutting for what reason i really dont know but if he was a key piece than we would of never done that to him in the first place i.e. Quintin Demps quintin mikell obviously we will pick up better Safeties but we are pretty good at that but we just got to move on from this think about it everyone praised dan klecko for playing good on special teams and playing DT so that would move him back to that position and now we got a person with experience to be a fullback hello we need to protect Mcnabb since Andrews aint playing u cant expect westbrook and buck to protect mcnabb always thats what the FB is for especially Booker which should be cut cuz i dont know what he does for us just adds another player on the field to complete the game... he is short stocky and can protect the QB and defend and help lead the RB for more yards even though westbrook is the beast of all beasts but we dont want to revisit the injury list with westbrook on it... I think this is a good pick up better than the Tracy White guy yes but lets see how he helps us out on defense and special teams... If desean jackson pulled off a 68 yard punt return on the Redskins for a TD so if we are focusing on the Special teams alot more that means that they are trying to get shorter yards for our offense to score early and often and rest our offense and manage the clock if you play well gain yards on special teams the offense can manage the clock with the run and finish off with a pass play than let the defense on the field and let the offense take charge of the game thats how you win the game.... if offense plays more the defense gets tired our defense stops there offense limiting there production on the field.....
l_duran1@...
10/22/08
10:07 am ET
Why is considine still on the team? I have not seen him since he bit it in the Cowboy game, Reed has not gotten a shot in the rotation yet, is it becasue of his inactivity? CConsidine should have been cut, if someone else picks Reed like oh I don't know the Cowgals I will be extremely displeased and cussing alot. Sometime we make some really bad moves, like thinking Hunt could play FB...what was that? Last year it was the return game now ti's this. What is really going on up there. go chceck the Blast at... www.philadelphiaeaglesnews.com/lduran7
iheartwestbrook@...
10/22/08
10:00 am ET
jr reed will be missed,he was hard hitting and knew the system which is all you can ask for in a backup,i bet dallas takes a shot at him considering their depth(talent) issues in the secondary
eagle3686@...
10/22/08
9:50 am ET
which of the two is better, considine, or reed. personally, I'll say reed he is a lot more toughness to him and has done more than considine. I still dont see why we have booker right now, at least both considine and reed contr. on spc teams
nacintron@...
10/22/08
8:29 am ET
Herzogja! You're a ****. You're happy JR's gone just because he wore a Tampa jersey. What does that have to do with the Eagles? That's where JR's from you idiot. He's showin' support for his home team.
eaglefan03@...
10/22/08
3:07 am ET
Although I agree this should have been done 2 months ago kyle is a smart kid and will be a very pleasant suprise here i had the chance to know kyle when we were younger he is a great kid and tremendous talent he will make a believer out of everyone hay belechik liked him has to mean something
kag281
10/22/08
1:28 am ET
should of cut lorenzo booker. i had high hopes for him i really thought he was going to be our secret weapon but seriously this guy brings nothing to the table. all he does is take touches away from buck who is a much more explosive player... jr reed busted his a** for that job and overcame so much adversity he should have an honorary roster spot.
eviladam420
10/21/08
11:48 pm ET
Hopefully this will prove to be a good move for the Birds. We need some continuity at the FB position and I think Klecko can contribute much more on the D-Line in his natural position. I agree with ss11jr that we should have gotten Lorenzo Neal or even Tony Richardson would have been great but instead we get stuck in this carousel. Considine should have been cut, he must be related to someone in the FO because he's worthless compared to JR Reed. And whoever said we should have cut Buckhalter and signed Shaun "Old Man" Alexander better take a whiff of some smelling salt to wake the hell up! He's a has been who never was that great. Eckel better step it up. We need to improve NOW to climb up the ranks in the division! Either way, I stand behind our Eagles 100%. GO BIRDS!!!
crackmunkee6@...
10/21/08
11:30 pm ET
What the f***. Why JR? Why not Considine? JR is legit, and he is a factor on special teams.
Scotto_65
10/21/08
11:29 pm ET
Such a strange move, this kinda thing may pay off in what the 12th game. This move is about 6 months too late to say the least. This means that he'll be taking practice reps from the klecko who is the interim FB as of right now. Klecko was playing well at DT though and I was disappointed to see him get taken out of that rotation. I love how some people are high on this guy already strictly because he played on NE... that means nothing. READ THE NEWS BEFORE YOU MAKE DUMB a** COMMENTS PEOPLE. Anyone who is crying about the Eagles not bringing Tapeh back doesn't know anything that is going on... he's been inactive for the Vikings because he hid a offseason knee surgery from them allegedly. JR Reed was everything you could hope for in a player... sad to see him go! I don't think he was the worst player on this roster or even his position!
srt081@...
10/21/08
11:11 pm ET
farewell JR, heck of a man right there
chrslbrt@...
10/21/08
10:58 pm ET
I agree with yankee. I agree. A great move in signing a fullback. We needed a real one, and apparently, he has some stats to go with it. But I still think we should cut Constadine. On that monday night game, he might as well have been a Cowgirl. He practically gave T.O. the touchdown. How hard is it. When your in cover anything in safety, you never bite on a short route. And its not the first time he's done something like that. That year Dawkins was injured, he got trucked, mossed, and burn every game. I havent seen much of J.R. Reed but I remember that hit on randy moss.
phillyphandan@...
10/21/08
10:57 pm ET
I'm more than glad to hear we have gotten an expeirenced fullback w/ special team skills but I'm not so glad to hear they released Reed, think they should've cut Considine over Reed any day of the year. That guy has been cut~signed~cut~signed by the eagles so many times its almost like they are toyin w/ him & the guy can play and I'm sure he'll prove it to the Eagles one day...it always comes back to bite us in the rear. I think they should throw Klecko in on passing plays and throw "newjack" in on running plays because I'd bet this guy is faster than Klecko...then again it all depends on who blocks better too, haven't seen much/any of this guy yet so time will tell.
herzogja
10/21/08
10:18 pm ET
Im glad they got rid of J.R Reed..espeically after him rockin tampa bay rays gear (as he was cleaning out his locker) he's a bum go
yankees5rf@...
10/21/08
10:12 pm ET
i dont mind the move to sign a fullback because we do need one but y cut J.R. reed why didnt we cut considine
guglielmi.nick@...
10/21/08
10:12 pm ET
I'm glad they got rid of J.R. I don't like him at all and hes an awful return man.
ss11jr@...
10/21/08
9:56 pm ET
OK, seriously, does anyone else think the Eagles FO might have a multiple personality disorder? This is like the punt returner debacle all over again. All these goofy FB experiments gone wrong when they could've had a Lorenzo Neal this off season for example for less money, time, and effort. Now 6 games in, Kyle Eckel - a Philly high school standout mind you - has to learn the system on the fly. So silly. Don't even get me started on cutting a GAMER and HITTER like JR Reed while idiots like "arm miss tackler" Considine, Tank "can't get off special teams" Daniels, and GLew "call me the 6th mediocre Philly receiver" still have jobs!!
VirginiaEagleFan
10/21/08
9:20 pm ET
Alvarez, Weapon X is a great video on B-dawk with some great hits. Guys, new fullback is actually a real fullback and putting Klecko back on the D-line is equally as important!! We need to stop the run!! And I do like him but Reid's days were numbered.
thatphillymofo215@...
10/21/08
9:00 pm ET
Ps LETS GO PHILLIES !!!!! F A TAMMPABAY BUT LETS GO BUCS LOL WHOOP DALLAS's ASSS|
thatphillymofo215@...
10/21/08
8:55 pm ET
man ppl on here are quick to disbeleive in this team the eagles arent done for the season wit dallas losin every game now **** its like a setof steps look at who we face in the comin weeks i know the d will tear up the rookie and hopefully this pick up does sumthing in the redzone im never givin up on this team and nor should yall i dont kno the statas of curtis but **** look at desean i guarentee the rest of the season that guy will be puttin sum tds in i just dont kno why they didnt pick up shawn alexander and drop buck but u kno what can u do better those games than later down the line we have the advantage now to put dallas in last god i love t.o. when he starts jawin parcells did a good thing lmao im sure there will be a brokeback mountain 3 brad johnson and t. o . romo as the female lmao but na im all the way in Fin denver i cant goto games like alot of yall can but i floss my **** like im in philly cheer this team on we still have a chance i think wit all the philly mofos like my self can make this stadium a force thats the**** philly is known for this year is phillys yearyea we be 4th but i kno dallas will F up and we can beat the dead skins and she li awayand at home for them shi li giants bwest will break out and im right we still have the chances to do it up ok im blazed as F and im done talkin GO BIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
alvarez08629
10/21/08
8:07 pm ET
I just don't get some of you so call Eagles Fan. Last 3 weeks I read tons of posts about how the Eagles need a fullback or how we need to give Demps some playing time. Now we are going to get what we all want but you so call fans a crying any way. Listen Eckel is a good player, better then what we have now. If we give Demps some playing time, it will help the Eagles to know if can take over for weapon x or if they need to draft a safety next year. I hate to even say it but the end of the era has come for the man called Weapon X. Watch this video if call your self an Eagles Fan. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=721534054926264193&ei=fW3-SMnpEJOwrAK6r9HtDg&q=brian+dawkins+weapon+x&hl=en
sleeper319
10/21/08
7:56 pm ET
Also, I wish people would quit talking about our coach that lead us to 4 straight NFC Title games and a Super Bowl. Only one losing season in his tenure. What he does works most of the time if you give it time. He has made decisions for this franchise that has kept us a competitor each year. Remeber when we (including myself) wanted Ricky Williams rather than McNabb. It worked. Runyan and Tra Thomas, B West, Outstanding corners since forever. So before you criticize a few mistakes, may you should think of where we would be without the best coach in the league. Andy Reid, I salute you.
sleeper319
10/21/08
7:51 pm ET
I gotta agree with jrcash. You can't down play everything that Dawkins is still doing for this organization. Not only a beast talent wise, but the undisputed leader of our GREAT defense. I like this move though. Klecko is doing good at FB, but when he was being rotated in on the line we had the #1 rushing defense in the league. Now that he's out of the rotation we haven't been as solid. In a week or two, maybe in time for the Giants game, we'll be rotating Klecko back into the line and be back to the best rush D in league.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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