Early returns

Eagles, Giants prove deft at reloading through draft

I spent the weekend with the Eagles and the Giants as they put their teams through post-draft minicamps and got a chance to look closely at the respective talent each team will bring to the 2002 season. Because of the salary cap, Philadelphia has more freedom to adjust to personnel issues than does New York. But then again the Giants went to the Super Bowl just two years ago and sometimes that's the price you pay.

The Eagles lost running back Correll Buckhalter to a freak non-contact injury for the season at the first practice. Philadelphia is in such good cap shape the team can actually look at the free agents on the street at this position. Whether it will be Dorsey Levens, Ricky Watters or Richard Huntley, the Eagles are in the driver's seat when it comes to personnel and that's something most teams can no longer say.

With Buckhalter gone, third-round pick Brian Westbrook could be an interesting option. I hope Philadelphia doesn't put too much pressure on the Villanova product too early in his career.

Wonder how the club will handle the departure of middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter? Barry Gardner, a 1999 second-round pick, will simply slide into Trotter's spot and, with the addition of Shawn Barber from the Redskins, the Eagles will simply move forward. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson publicly recognizes that there are things Gardner can't do as well as Trotter, but he pointed out to me that Gardner has his own strengths and that the Eagles would scheme to them.

As I listened to Johnson speak, it was just so apparent that he really understands the mentality required to coach modern pro football. It was almost as if he was treating Trotter's departure like a season-ending injury and was moving on from there.

The Eagles are stockpiling talent in their secondary. They already have two of the best corners in the league in Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, along with one of the finest safeties in Brian Dawkins, but they haven't sat still.

First, they acquired free-agent safety Blaine Bishop to replace Damon Moore and then they drafted three good-looking prospects with their top three picks, corners Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, and safety Mike Lewis.

The Eagles are preparing themselves for the future salary demands of their starters, giving themselves the option of paying or passing. Andy Reid may land in a position to trade a player down the road if need be. For example, cornerback Al Harris only started two games last year and will not break into the lineup again this season. But he could definitely start for some other teams in this league. If that team happened to have a quality running back to give, a deal could be made.

The Giants are still going to have to battle out of the cap jail, but as I watched them practice I realized they're a lot better off than, say, the Ravens are. So far there have been no wholesale changes to the team's personnel. In fact, some of the young players looked quite good.

There was no doubt in my mind after watching first-round selection Jeremy Shockey practice that he's the real deal. The rookie tight end will have an immediate impact on the offense. In the practice I attended, Jim Fassel was working on getting Shockey the ball four or five different ways and he was impressive.

Shockey will run away from linebacker coverage and he may overpower safety coverage. What impressed me most was the way he caught the ball. I literally stood five feet from many of his receptions and I couldn't hear the ball hitting his hands. And after he catches the ball, he's immediately upfield looking to score.

Protecting Kerry Collins long enough to get the ball to this new weapon might be a tough task. But offensive line coach Jim McNally told me he loves his group because, "no one has ever heard of them and they work real hard."

Gone are Ron Stone, Glenn Parker and Lomas Brown. Replacing these veterans are guys like Chris Bober, Omar Smith and Jeff Hatch. I've known McNally for many years and he truly welcomes the challenge of reconstructing his unit.

Lots of eyes were on the team's second-round pick, Auburn receiver Tim Carter. But people should have been watching second-year wideout Jonathan Carter. The coaches and personnel people remarked numerous times about how much strength and size the 2001 fifth-rounder has developed and how he may be ready to explode.

The rookie who jumped out at me the most was seventh-rounder Daryl Jones from Miami. He had the same explosiveness, route running and hands that Wayne Chrebet showed when he came to the Jets' minicamp in 1995.

Jones looks like a slot guy who on third downs could be very dangerous. If the Giants can get production from a few young inexpensive wideouts, they will recover quickly.

There's no doubt in my mind the Giants are going to need some of these low-priced unheralded players to come through for them this year as general manager Ernie Accorsi steers the team through the tricky waters of the cap. After watching practice and talking with the coaches I feel he has a good chance to get that done.

As one coach said to me after practice, "The year we went to the Super Bowl no one thought we would do anything. It feels the same way this year."

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.

 

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