Happy Labor Day to all our U.S. readers…and Happy Labour Day to all our Canadian and English and international fans!
This blurbicus will have to sit here and hopefully not create too much of a stench until September 3, as I must sojourn down the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve my wifey who is stranded on Smith Island…
Yes, it may be a holiday for some, but for the Eagles and the rest of the NFL, the work goes on, and the rosters are still churning.
Exhibit One, per Jeff McLane of the Philly Inquirer:
Only hours after making the Eagles Final Cut, CB Trevard Lindley was waived…
The same thing happened to Lindley last season… made the initial cut, then waived… waddup with that? Is this some new technique of motivation for success I have not yet tuned into?
Then the Eagles signed offensive lineman Nathan Menkin after he was released by the Texans on Friday. The 6-foot-4, 296-pound Menkin is listed as a tackle and a guard. Houston signed Menkin as an undrafted rookie free agent. He played college football at tiny Mary Hardin-Baylor in Texas. Menkin was an AFCA All-American tackle as a senior. The Great Sage-Lion JB says he is very quick of foot. Tommy Lawlor says he’s “a natural in space”….
All of which says to me: “Practice Squad”…
The Eagles now have nine offensive linemen on their roster. They had nine originally, but released guard Julian Vandervelde Friday night after they traded for safety David Sims, who came from the Browns. Vandervelde was a candidate to return to the Eagles practice squad, but the Buccaneers picked up the Eagles’ 2011 fifth-round draft pick on Saturday.
The Eagles have already brought back several players to their practice squad that they released on Friday. Wide receiver Marvin McNutt, linebacker Ryan Rau, tight end Chase Ford and fullback Emil Igwenagu are the first four. There could be others.
The Eagles also signed center Chase Beeler to their practice squad. Beeler spent all of last season on the 49ers’ practice squad, but was released by San Francisco on Friday. The Eagles still have three more spots on their practice squad to fill.
Brett Brackett, whom the Eagles released on Friday, was also a practice squad candidate. But the tight end confirmed via text message that he signed with the Jaguars. And the Raiders claimed linebacker Keenan Clayton, a 2010 fourth round pick of the Eagles, a day after he was released.
To make room for Menkin on the 53-man roster the Eagles released Trevard Lindley. The cornerback surprised many by making the squad, but it did not last for very long. Last year, Lindley survived final cut down day, but he was waived a few days later when the Eagles re-signed cornerback Joselio Hanson.
That brings us to my main man, Darryl Tapp, and the 29th reason why I have a man-crush on the guy….
This dude is about TEAM TEAM TEAM….
Darryl Tapp, DE, 6-1, 270, in his 7th year out of Virginia Tech… I love his enthusiasm and his desire to be an Eagle…and he put his money where his mouth is…
Darryl Tapp agreed to restructure his contract and take a pay cut before the Eagles narrowed their roster to 53 on Friday, according to an NFL source. The defensive end was slated to earn $2.575 million this season. The Eagles and Tapp are still working on a new figure.
The Eagles have asked players with hefty contracts on the roster bubble to restructure their contracts before. Last season before the cut-down day deadline, tackle Winston Justice and defensive end Juqua Parker took pay cuts.
Antonio Dixon was approached about restructuring his contract earlier this week. The defensive tackle, who was slated to make approximately $1.9 million this season, said “No”…and was released on Friday.
“That was a hard one,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said of cutting Dixon. “He brings great personality to this team. He’s somebody we care about both personally and professionally. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. And that was one of them.”
Last March, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins agreed to restructure his contract.
Tapp is one of six defensive ends currently on the Eagles roster. He joins a formidable group that includes Trent Cole, Jason Babin, Brandon Graham, Phillip Hunt and Vinny Curry. Roseman said that the Eagles could dress as many as five on game days because of the importance the Eagles defense places on their line play. Curry, a rookie, would appear to be the most likely to be inactive on game days to start the season.
Tapp, who signed with the Eagles in March 2010 after a nice career stint in Seattle, is in the last year of his contract. He’s recorded 5.5 sacks in two seasons with the Birds. Last season, Tapp was slowed by injuries. He performed well this preseason, though…and was perhaps the loudest and most enthusiastic cheerleader on the sidelines as well.
Tapp can get after it… he is at the peak of his game. This will be the greatest year of his career. Book it.
He has already taken one for the team.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
