JR Update

[Triple B]

July 28, 2006

Safety J.R. Reed was back returning kicks during this special teams exclusive practice. He showed some good hop after catching the ball and made his cuts well. Reed will be fighting for a spot as a kick returner and these special teams only practices will be key for him.

-- Shane Evans, 2:15 p.m.  

Eagles Look For Big Returns  

July 28, 2006

By ZACH BERMAN

John Harbaugh stepped onto the training camp media tent's podium, sat in front of the sparsely-attended press conference and joked, "This is how I like it."

Two reporters were even talking in the corner of the tent, unaware that the special teams coordinator was about to field questions. His unit, after all, is like the Rodney Dangerfield of the team, earning little respect from the wicked stepsisters offense and defense.

But there will be meetings leading up to Sept. 2 when the coaches pare the roster to 53 players and special teams, most assuredly, will matter. Every year - especially on a team as deep as the Eagles - there are difficult decisions. And every year, those last spots are influenced by special teams.

Harbaugh wants to see who will provide a spark in the return game  

This season, the most intense special teams battles are at the return spots, where the Eagles expect an upgrade over last season but don't know who it will come from.

Among the players vying for those last roster spots at returner are roster holdovers Reno Mahe, Dexter Wynn and Bruce Perry, J.R. Reed from the Physically Unable to Perform list and rookie Jeremy Bloom.

Bloom, who the Eagles drafted primarily for return purposes, is fighting a hamstring injury and hasn't practiced yet at training camp. There's no indication how much his injury will set him back.

"I don't know. I think we will find out as we go here," Harbaugh said. "This is kind of new territory. When we drafted him, we understood there was going to be a transition period.

"The thing is, when he was out there and he was healthy, he looked good. He's quick. I think he's going to be a playmaker, but we've got to get him healthy first."

He seemed to be a player who entered training camp with every opportunity to win that job. His injury could open the spot up for other players.

Mahe, Wynn, Perry and Reed have all practiced at both kick and punt returner, although there are fundamental differences between the two. Mahe and Wynn excel more as punt returners, while Perry and Reed stand out as kick returners.

"Kick returners are more north-south, physical guys," Harbaugh said. "Bloom does it with acceleration, but you've got to change the angles that ways as a kick returner and you've got to run through some arm tackles, a little more physical.

"Punt returner is a more secure catcher, that's the No. 1 thing, more of a side-to-side, make-you-miss type guy. Maybe a little quicker, but they've also got to have speed because when it's time to go north, they've got to get north and get yards."

Who makes the team as a returner often depends on how they can contribute at their other position. Mahe and Perry are both running backs, and while Mahe has been with the Eagles longer, Perry is listed as lining up ahead of Mahe.

But Mahe's strength has always been his versatility, and he's a sure-handed punt returner. While he doesn't he have the explosiveness that the top returners have, he does have enough elusiveness to be efficient. He's also been a hard worker and a team player, important factors for a player when vying for the final spots on the roster - despite his critics among Eagles fans.

"It's funny, everybody in town doesn't want to see Reno out there; he plays so well," Harbaugh said. "Reno is just such a good football player. Reno is a guy that you can trust. When you put him on kickoff coverage you can trust him to do he right thing and make the play. I think that probably goes for offense and all of the other special teams phases."

However, Perry has more potential as a running back and he's also a capable kick returner. While Harbaugh admitted his running style is more conducive to kick returns, the Eagles are trying him on punt returns, too, perhaps as a push to make him more involved.

Perry recognizes punt returning could be an important factor as he fights for a running back spot, and he's rising to the task.

"Reno is just such a good football player. Reno is a guy that you can trust."

-- John Harbaugh

"I've been practicing in the off-season really hard and I'm about 10 times better than I was when I first got here," Perry said. "They're confident in me that I can catch punts. Like anything I can do, I just want to get better and go for it."

The same is true for J.R. Reed, who's returning from a damaged peroneal nerve in his leg. Reed's recovery has been one of the more publicized stories in training camp, but Harbaugh no longer looks at Reed like a charity case that's fighting back from injury.

Rather, Harbaugh views Reed like any other player on the team.

"It's interesting, everybody wants to look for something wrong with J.R. right now and I think we are past that." Harbaugh said. "I'm looking; can he go left, can he go right, can he make this cut, can he make that cut? I think, the way I'm looking at it, it's time to evaluate him for what he is as a player for what he does. And just put him right up against the other guys and see how he compares because he looks fine."

Wynn is a capable kick and punt returner, too, although his spot will come down to whether he can stand out at cornerback in the fight for the dime job.

But his ability just complicates the crowded mix, with a lot of talent and no one who's distinguished himself. Bloom looked like he could have been that player, but his injury made it more disputable.

And in those meetings leading up to Sept. 2, the return spots will certainly be discussed. It could even decide who earns those last few roster spots - and who's unemployed after Labor Day weekend.

"You like to have all of your guys to be able to do both if you could," Harbaugh said. "And they want to do it, you know, the more you can do, the better chance you have to make the team."

[USFPDiddy]

My favorite NFL team is getting healthy again!  Hope to see Reed do well on returns.

One thing to note is that the Eagles don't have a history of giving 30+ year old players long contracts or extensions.  Why would you fellow bulls and ponderous bucs fans care?  Well, JR might get a look there as a result.

Although Brian Dawkins is one of my favorite all time players to watch, it would lessen the pain a bit if JR Reed winds up being next in line.

[E.T.]

Go Reed !

[applepj]

Best of luck to our Bull JR Reed!

[E.T.]

http://www.ronsribs.com/Story/famouspatrons.html

[E.T.]

http://www.rlcustoms.com/nflteams/eagles.html

[E.T.]

http://www.ronsribs.com/Story/jrReed.html

[Triple B]

July 29, 2006

J.R. Reed and Bruce Perry should be 1 and 1A on the depth chart as kickoff return men for the game against Oakland. I would think that duo could provide some dynamite in the return game.

J.R. Reed doesn't appear to have skipped a beat, so the nexts step is this: Can he play at a super-high speed in a preseason game? The Hall of Fame game awaits ...

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=52064