This probably wasn't the season that Stacy Andrews or the Eagles expected when the mammoth offensive lineman joined the organization last off-season as a free agent after spending his first five years with the Cincinnati Bengals. Andrews, the brother of Eagles' offensive lineman Shawn Andrews, started only two games at right guard during a 2009 season in which he never full recovered from the knee injury he suffered in December of 2008.
"I've learned a lot," Andrews said, looking back on the season. "I've healed up, obviously that was my main thing, to heal up and pick everything up technique-wise, playbook-wise, scheme-wise. So I feel like I've made great strides in that.
"Of course you want to be out there, but at the same time you want to be out there at your best so you can perform at your top level."
Andrews, 6-foot-7, 342 pounds, was unable to participate in any of last off-season's activities until training camp, when he was still working his way back from injury.
"It was just me coming from an injury, not having a mini-camp, not having a training camp, so I was behind on that," Andrews said. "I'm just going to stay focused this off-season and work my tail off and come back in ready to go."
Andrews, who played right tackle in Cincinnati, said that right guard definitely be his position moving forward with the Eagles.
"That's the spot that I'm in and that's the spot where I'm going to get the done when the time comes," he said.
Head coach Andy Reid said that although Andrews didn't play very much in 2009, he trusts Andrews to be ready in 2010.
"We'll see how things work out here for the future," Reid said. "The one thing I know about Stacy is he's a very hard worker and he wants to be the best. I can work with that. I think an offseason here will be great for him. He'll work with (offensive line coach) Juan (Castillo) and do some things there."
Meanwhile, Andrews said that his brother Shawn is currently in Los Angeles, getting his injured back healed up and preparing to begin his rehab in the next week or so. Reid said that Shawn Andrews' recovery is more uncertain than his brother's.
"I don't have an answer for you on that," Reid said when asked if he expects Shawn Andrews to be back next season. "I know where he is in his rehab and he's doing well with that. What the future holds, it's too early to tell on that."
Elsewhere on the injury-plagued offensive line, Stacy Andrews offered his prognosis for center Jamaal Jackson, whose season-ending ACL tear in week 16 occurred at a similar point chronologically to Andrews' from the previous season.
"Jamaal's a hard worker," Andrews said, "so you just have to keep going at 110 (percent) and not slack off at all. I know he's a hard worker and he'll be back."
Reid also gave his update on Jackson's recovery.
"I'm going to tell you that the surgery went well, but until you really get on that knee and you're pushing it and seeing that. Right now he's on crutches and just coming off of the surgery. It's too early to tell. The doctors felt good about it."
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 10:15 p.m., January 11
