Murphy: Eagles' Vaitai off to bad start

LANDOVER, Md. - A HALF HOUR after the sweet merciful sound of the final gun, Halapoulivaati Vaitai was once again alone on an island, trapped inside a small circle of space that had been afforded to him by a crowd of reporters who had gathered at his locker to hear the first-person account of the manhandling that all of them had witnessed. He was wearing a black T-shirt with his number on the back and a personalized moniker above it: THE QUIET ONE, it said.

Quiet or not, there were no words, and everybody seemed to understand it. Rookies who last until the fifth round aren't typically asked to step right out of a college spread offense and into a one-on-one matchup with a grown man of a pass rusher the way the Eagles asked Vaitai to do on Sunday against the Redskins' Ryan Kerrigan. As expected, he'd spent much of the afternoon stumbling backward, trapped in a sort of inverted undertow created by the relentless bull rush of Kerrigan, a defensive end who tallied two of his team's five sacks while working opposite Vaitai. During the massacre, Eagles coach Doug Pederson did everything he could to limit Vaitai's exposure. Afterward, he transitioned directly into the delicate process of rebuilding the kid's confidence, insisting that he had not and would not consider looking elsewhere to fill the gaping void created by Lane Johnson's 10-game suspension.

But there is no way anybody could have watched the game and come away with a conclusion other than this: The Eagles have a huge problem at right tackle, and they'll have a huge problem on the scoreboard until they find a fix.

"Lane is a big part of what we were doing and he was playing well; it is disappointing from that standpoint," Pederson said, "but at the same time, we're handed these cards and we're going to play with the best five guys up front. It is our job as coaches, it is what we are hired to do, to make our players better. We are going to do that this week."

None of what we saw in Sunday's 27-20 loss should have come as a surprise, given how well Johnson had played during the Eagles' 3-1 start, and given that Vaitai was a fifth-round pick who spent his college career playing in Texas Christian's spread offense where he wasn't often asked to hold blocks against 265-pound defensive ends exploding off the ball from three-point stances.

The biggest question about this Eagles team has always been its depth across the board, and we're beginning to see its effects. Take, for instance, the situation in the secondary. Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe didn't appear to be any good, but they were bodies, and the Eagles have a severe shortage of that kind of thing in the defensive backfield. There's a reason Malcolm Jenkins moved from cornerback to safety early on in his NFL career. He simply does not have the foot speed to match up with the more fleet-footed of opposing pass-catchers, and we saw two costly demonstrations of that truth on Sunday. That kind of thing is going to happen when you only dress three cornerbacks.

Then there was the defensive line. After Bennie Logan went down with a groin injury, the Redskins began to gash the Eagles with their zone runs, most of which were angled directly at Connor Barwin and Beau Allen on the right side of the Eagles' defensive line (though the presence of All-Pro tackle Trent Williams on the left side of the Redskins' line had something to do with the play direction as well).

But the depth has always been most precarious - and most pivotal - on the offensive line. Johnson's suspension has created the glaring deficiency that many feared would develop on the opposite side of the line, where left tackle Jason Peters has played quite well despite a 34-year-old body that betrayed him for much of last season. In the process, it has illuminated one of the underacknowledged truths about the Eagles' success leading into Week 6. As impressive as rookie quarterback Carson Wentz has been - despite the loss, he again had his moments - the play of the offensive line was the most important factor in the Eagles' 3-0 start. In fact, it has been the most important factor in virtually everything we've seen with this Eagles' offense since Andy Reid's second year at the helm, and one can argue that Sunday's disaster showed the importance of finding not only a short-term answer to fill in for Johnson over the next nine weeks, but a long-term answer to step in for Peters after this year or next.

Remember, from 2000 through 2008, the Eagles played just 10 regular-season games in which Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas did not start together at right and left tackle, respectively. Six of those games came in the 2005 season, when Thomas missed the last seven weeks due to injury. The Eagles went 6-10 that season. In 2009, Peters replaced Thomas at left tackle, while Winston Justice replaced Runyan. Peters has started at least 13 games in every season since except 2012, which he missed after rupturing his Achilles'.

In other words, the Eagles' two worst seasons since 1999 - the only two seasons they posted a losing record between 2000-14 - have come in the two seasons when their left tackle missed an extended stretch of games, and the decline phase of the Reid regime coincided with their search for a tackle to start opposite Peters: first came Justice, then Todd Herremans, and then, in 2013, Lane Johnson.

Whenever a team has a weakness at one of the island positions, there is a trickle-down effect, and you saw it throughout Sunday's loss. The Eagles spent most of the game running their offense away from Vaitai's side. Their running backs carried the ball left. Their quarterback shifted his pocket left. Darren Sproles and Zach Ertz routinely incorporated chip blocks into their routes to assist Vaitai.

On the few occasions Wentz had time to throw, you saw the promise of this offense with him at the helm: A seam pass to Ertz that traveled 22 yards before the defenders could react to its release. An effortless 23-yard throw to Dorial Green-Beckham in the middle of the field. A beautiful 54-yard deep ball that hit Jordan Matthews in stride and set up a field goal.

But even the most talented of quarterback's is near worthless if his offensive line can't block four with five. One need only look to Indianapolis to see an example of this truth. The Eagles' offensive tackle issue isn't going away even after Johnson comes back. Vaitai or elsewhere, the success of the whole thing could hinge on finding a solution.

More games: friv

The state of the Eagles' offensive line can be understood by looking at who starts at left tackle. Jason Peters, a 34-year-old, 13-year veteran who might one day give an induction speech at the Hall of Fame, is still protecting the quarterback's blind side.

Even though that quarterback will be a rookie, Peters' presence suggests the line is built for this season. When factoring in left guard Allen Barbre, center Jason Kelce, right guard Brandon Brooks, and right tackle Lane Johnson, the Eagles are not waiting for 2018 with this group. It's designed to help keep the quarterback healthy and be a stabilizing force for an offense that lacks explosive players.

The five projected starters combined for 317 career starts. Two are over 30 years old. All have at least four years of experience in the NFL. If the Eagles are in a rebuilding stage, it's not reflected in their meeting room.

"It's very beneficial to have five guys who've been working with each other," Peters said. "We've got good chemistry right now, and I just hope we've got Lane to kick the season off."

That chemistry is expected to be disrupted if Lane Johnson is suspended 10 games for a second violation involving performance-enhancing drugs, as expected. But the suspension had not yet been levied, and the Eagles were entering the season with Johnson as the starting right tackle.

Johnson is supposed to be a cornerstone player for the Eagles. The No. 4 overall pick in 2013, he has started every game he has played with the Eagles and signed a five-year, $56 million contract extension during the offseason. The deal reflects that he'll eventually be the left tackle. But he's not there yet because of Peters, who said he's not the only one confident he can still play at a high level - others are, too.

"What's been most impressive to me about Jason is at his age, just the quickness he still possesses and the athleticism he still possesses," offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. "That's probably why he's going to be one of the all-time greats, and he'll go down as one of the all-time greats and be in the Hall of Fame."

Next to Peters, the Eagles retained Barbre as the starter after he started 16 games last season. Barbre would slide to right tackle during Johnson's suspension. The fact that he's even in the lineup illustrates the team's win-now approach with the offensive line.

Barbre was supposed to compete with veteran Stefen Wisniewski and rookie Isaac Seumalo to be the starting left guard, but the team has kept him as the first-teamer since the spring. Barbre, 32, started his first full season last year.

Johnson, Kelce, and Brooks are all in their primes. The Eagles structured their contracts so they could be starters for an extended period if they remain healthy and play at a high level. Brooks and Kelce are under contract through 2020, and Johnson has a deal through 2021.

One decision where the debate of now vs. later is applicable involves who will start at left guard during a Johnson suspension. Seumalo received the initial nod before a pectoral injury opened an opportunity for Wisniewski. Seumalo was the team's third-round pick and is under contract for four seasons - he would seem to be a player who could be a part of the line's future.

Wisniewski, 27, has started all 77 games in his career, but he's with the Eagles on only a one-year deal. He signed with the expectation that he would have a chance to compete for a starting job before spending most of the summer backing up Brooks at right guard.

The Wisniewski-vs.-Seumalo question is the dilemma of a team trying to be competitive while clearly building for the future: Do the Eagles start the experienced veteran, or the rookie who could be a long-term starter?

"I'd be lying if I told you I wouldn't be disappointed if I was a backup," Wisniewski said.

Even with the age on the line, the young depth on the roster is different from past years. The Eagles went two seasons without drafting a single offensive linemen; they were the only NFL team to do so. The Eagles emphasized the line in their predraft scouting and in their selections this spring. Seumalo was the top pick after Carson Wentz, and they added Halapoulivaati Vaitai as a developmental tackle in the fifth round.

If that wasn't enough, the Eagles also kept undrafted rookie Dillon Gordon and 25-year-old interior lineman Josh Andrews on their initial 53-man roster, giving them 11 offensive lineman. That number might not stick, but it was Howie Roseman's way of trying to keep an eye on the future of a position that has lacked up-and-coming players.

"We wanted to make sure that not only now but going forward, we weren't cutting guys that we have to use a third-, fourth-, and fifth-round pick to replace," said Roseman, the Eagles' executive vice president of football operations. "It was an area of emphasis, and it's important to put your actions where your words are."

In doing so, the Eagles also moved on from veteran backups. Dennis Kelly was traded to Tennessee, and Andrew Gardner was released. Both have been starters with the Eagles. The end result is a starting lineup that is clearly built for this season, but a depth chart that allows the Eagles to try to develop future starters.

Costly Neglect

The Eagles' starting offensive line might look different -- and be younger -- if they had invested in the position in the draft in recent years. But during Chip Kelly's three seasons with the Eagles, Lane Johnson was the only offensive lineman the team selected. During Andy Reid's 14 seasons, the Eagles averaged 1.8 draft picks per year on offensive linemen, and they drafted 10 in the five years before Kelly's arrival.

The Eagles selected two offensive linemen this year. Of course, some of the Reid-era busts didn't help _ remember Danny Watkins? _ and that's why the pipeline wasn't present when veterans starters such as Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis aged.

Here are the linemen the Eagles have drafted since 2004:

2016: 2 (Isaac Seumalo, 3rd round; Halapoulivaati Vaitai, 5th round)

2015: 0

2014:0

2013: 1 (Lane Johnson, 1st round)

2012: 2 (Dennis Kelly, 5th round; Brandon Washington, 6th round)

2011: 3 (Danny Watkins, 1st round; Julian Vandervelde, 5th round; Jason Kelce, 6th round)

2010: 0

2009: 2 (Fenuki Tupou, 5th round; Paul Fanaika, 7th round. Note: Eagles traded a first-round pick for Jason Peters.)

2008: 3 (Mike McGlynn, 4th round; Mike Gibson, 6th round; King Dunlap, 7th round)

2007: 0

2006: 2 (Winston Justice, 2nd round; Max Jean-Gilles, 4th round)

2005: 3 (Todd Herremans, 4th round; Scott Young, 5th round; Calvin Armstrong, 7th round)

2004: 4 (Shawn Andrews, 1st round; Trey Darilek, 4th round; Adrien Clarke, 7th round; Dominic Furio, 7th round)

Doyel: Colts humbled, hungry, dangerous

They are lying in the weeds now, a better way to enter the season than a year ago when the Indianapolis Colts were favored to reach Super Bowl 50.

The hype was too much, the team bought into it — the words “Super Bowl” were spoken routinely within the organization — and the season unfolded like a seat on a whoopee cushion. The Colts lost their first two games, then quarterback Andrew Luck on two occasions, then backup Matt Hasselbeck. Ending the season with three quarterbacks they found in the recycling bin, the Colts finished 8-8.

It was ugly. The national media pounced. So did the local yokels. Including, ahem, me. We tore the Colts down, and why? Because we exalted them in the first place. They were preseason Super Bowl favorites, you know.

But the weeds, the weeds, the weeds. That is where the Colts reside now, barely noticeable, disguised as something harmless.

I’m seeing a placid pond. I’m seeing weeds in the water. I’m seeing nothing of note, just two eyes peeking up from the weeds.

I’m wondering if that’s an alligator.

How much will the Colts eat this season? Don’t know, but they’ve removed the words “Super Bowl” from their mouths.

During the 2015 NFL draft, owner Jim Irsay was talking about multiple Super Bowls.During the 2016 NFL draft? He was talking about the AFC South — and how the Colts aren’t the favorite.

“I can’t call us the team to beat in the division because Houston won the division (in 2015) — they’re the team to beat. You have to give them that respect,” Irsay said in April. “Look, we have a lot to prove.”

Before last season General Manager Ryan Grigson was saying what every GM in the league believes but few vocalize — that every move he makes has the Super Bowl in mind. Now? Grigson isn’t mentioning the final Sunday of the season. He’s mentioning all the ones that come before it.

“Every team is good in this league. Anyone can win on any given Sunday,” Grigson said. “You have to constantly be striving for greatness or you are going to be left in the dust.”

Both years, the message filtered into the locker room. A year ago free agent running back Frank Gore was convincing receiver Andre Johnson to join him in Indianapolis because “we can win the Super Bowl if we go to Indy.” Another offseason acquisition, guard Todd Herremans, said of the Colts’ brass: “They are looking to win a Super Bowl — right now.”

This year a more modest message — a mixture of humility and hunger — has seeped into coach Chuck Pagano's locker room.

“Work, work and just continue to work,” left tackle Anthony Castonzo said of the team’s mindset entering 2016. “That’s the way you get better in this league, because everybody has got the talent. What sets people apart is who’s willing to put in that work.”

But talent helps. And the Colts have it. Do they have a Super Bowl helping of it? Don’t ask me, but they can be — should be — better than many of the preseason predictions would suggest. Various websites rank the teams from 1-32 entering the season. At NFL.com, they have the Colts third …

… in the AFC South.

That’s an extreme viewpoint. More common is this tepid praise, this backhanded compliment, from CBSSports.com:

“You could make the case for any of the four clubs (in the AFC South) at this point, even the Titans, given the lack of a true bully on this block. (But we) actually like the Colts to regain their perch.”

With camps starting this week around the league, the pressure is elsewhere. Now it’s on the Houston Texans and even the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South, and on Carolina, Arizona and Seattle overall.

Meanwhile, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is back, healthy and ticked off. He doesn’t like how he played last season, which he began as the emerging face of the NFL after scheduling for himself a busy offseason in the spotlight. Luck has been quiet this offseason, as quiet as a player can be after landing the biggest contract in NFL history.

But even Luck is lying in the weeds. Outside of this market, the general reaction to his record-setting contract was: Huh? Did you see how he played last season beforehe got hurt?

It’s a valid point, but one that misses Luck’s more established track record as one of the NFL’s most successful young quarterbacks.

The Colts addressed two weak spots this offseason, their offensive line and secondary, and believe a fully healed Robert Mathis and the eventual healing of Henry Anderson will address the pass rush. The Colts should be much better than they were a year ago.

And let’s discuss what happened a year ago.

As it was happening, the Colts’ 2015 season was a disappointment, then a Dumpster fire. Given some time to reflect on what happened here — and elsewhere — let’s look at it another way. Fifteen NFL teams had to start at least one backup quarterback last season.

Record of the other 14 teams with a backup quarterback in 2015: 29-47.

Colts’ record with a backup QB: 6-3.

But the offensive line, we said! Luck had no chance! And this is true, up to a point. That point being, there is no guaranteeing the health of any player, especially a quarterback. The Cowboys were believed to have the NFL’s best offensive line last season, and all that got Tony Romo was four starts and two broken collarbones. Dallas went 3-1 with Romo, 1-11 without him.

Could be, we were too high on the Colts before last season — and too harsh on them as it was unfolding.

The 2016 Colts have no such burdens. Andrew Luck faces enormous pressure, but he’s the only one. And if the Colts’ 2016 season rides on Luck being the player he was from 2012-14 — and not the player he was in 2015 — well, they ought to like those odds.

Ranking the NFC East offensive lines

Over the next few weeks, we’ll break down each position in the NFC East to determine a fair ranking of each group. We’ll take into account starters and reserves, since depth and durability play a much bigger factor than given credit for in each individual season.

Today, we will break down each offensive line group. The NFC East, as a whole, consists of four very strong offensive line units. The top two teams could hold their own when matched up against any offensive line in the NFL.

1. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are the cream of the crop, not only the NFC East but the entire NFL. After a long stretch of unsuccessful seasons, with a blueprint that focused on building through the skill positions, the Cowboys decided to change things up. They drafted Tyron Smith with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Smith was just 20 years old at the time, and he was raw but exceptionally fluid and athletic. It didn’t take long for Smith to realize his upside. He has developed into arguably the best left tackle in the NFL. He finished as Pro Football Focus’s top-ranked offensive tackle in 2015 and has finished in PFF’s top five in each of the past three seasons.

After enjoying Smith’s early success, general manager and owner Jerry Jones decided to invest additional premium draft capital in the offensive line. In back-to-back first rounds, in 2013 and 2014, the Cowboys selected center Travis Frederick and guard Zack Martin. Since both players have developed into elite players at their respective positions. A strong argument can be made that either one is the best at their position. Like Smith, they made an impact right away and took no time to emerge as quality starters in their rookie seasons.

During the 2015 NFL Draft, elite offensive line prospect La’el Collins faced a tricky off-field situation prior to the draft. The uncertainty surrounding his situation scared teams away, and he went undrafted. Although plenty of suitors called to sign him as a priority undrafted free agent, the Cowboys were the eventual winners. Collins had his ups and downs as a rookie, but he is immensely talented and expected to take a jump in year two. Doug Free fills out the line, and he is no slouch, either.

The Cowboy’ offensive line is the most dominant in the NFL, with three of the best players at tackle, guard and center. These five men form one of the only NFL lines capable of dominating on both power and zone blocking plays. Make no mistake about it, the offensive line played a key role in the Cowboys’ run in 2014, and if Dallas wants to take back the East in 2016, this line will play a key role again.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

In 2013 and 2014, the Eagles could give the Cowboys and any team in the NFL a run for their money on the offensive line. Left tackle Jason Peters was in his prime and arguably the best offensive lineman in the NFL. Evan Mathis was the best guard in the NFL, by a considerable margin, and Jason Kelce wasn’t too far behind him at the center position. Todd Herremans was a strong starter at guard and Lane Johnson was emerging at right tackle. Then, the Eagles stopped investing in the offensive line.

Two offseasons went by with next to no effort to improve the group up front, and the 2015 season was a disaster. The Eagles released both Mathis and Herremans before the season, leaving them light at guard, and age finally caught up to Peters.

The Eagles did not have a very strong offensive line in 2015, so they did exactly what they had to — they got aggressive and improved. This offseason, the Eagles made fixing the guard position a priority. Free-agent acquisition Brandon Brooks was one of the most dominant run-blocking guards in 2014, and the Eagles hope he can reclaim form after a down season in 2015.

Third-round draft pick Isaac Seumalo is not a mauler, but he graded out well according to most scouts as a pass protector and run blocker. He even played a little bit of left tackle in 2015, and this gives the Eagles more flexibility in case Peters gets injured again.

The team also added a solid interior reserve in veteran Stefen Wisniewski. This line should be much better in 2016, to the point that it could find its way back into the top 10 in the NFL.

3. Washington Redskins

The Redskins’ offensive line was night and day from 2014 to 2015. After finishing as one of the worst offensive lines in 2014, the 2015 version emerged as an above-average unit capable of fashioning stretches of dominance. The Skins’ improved play arrived just as offensive line coach and guru Bill Callahan was brought on. Let’s not give all the credit to Callahan, though; the Redskins figured out a perfect group of five up front, even if the plan changed during the preseason.

The Redskins had expected to use their fifth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Brandon Scherff, at right tackle. Scherff struggled at tackle to start camp, and the Redskins made the change. Give credit to Callahan for figuring this one out quickly. He moved Scherff to right guard and put Morgan Moses at right tackle. Moses emerged as one of the best right tackles in the NFL, and Scherff graded out as an above-average guard. With Trent Williams still performing at a dominant level, and starters Spencer Long and Kory Lichtensteiger providing solid help, the Redskins are on the fringe of emerging as one of the NFL’s elite offensive lines.

4. New York Giants

Although the Giants have invested two first-round picks and one second-round pick in the offensive line over the past four drafts, it hasn’t been enough to turn around a unit that was arguably one of the worst in the NFL prior to the 2013 season. Of course, their deficiencies have at times been hidden in the passing game — where head coach Ben McAdoo’s quick-passing scheme benefits the linemen. In the run game, however, the poor play from the line has resulted in a consistently stagnant run game.

The Giants haven’t whiffed on their early-round draft investments. Center Weston Richburg is on the verge of developing into an elite center, and an argument can be made that he will be the best in the NFC East before long. After shifting over to left guard, Justin Pugh had his best NFL season in 2015. He was one of the better guards in the NFL. 2015 first-round left tackle Ereck Flowers went through his growing pains as a rookie — playing through injury — but he showed flashes of brilliance.

The problem for the Giants is the right side of their line. Starters John Jerry (right guard) and Marshall Newhouse (right tackle) would be reserves on most teams. They are liabilities in the run game, and the Giants have done very little to find talented players to compete with them. It could be another rough season for the Giants’ run game.

Colts Hugh Thornton Hoping that Being Trimmer Leads to Better Blocking

According to Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen, Indianapolis Colts offensive guard Hugh Thornton has ‘slimmed and trimmed’ down this offseason, as he’s shed his weight from 324 to 315 pounds:

“Thornton, a guy has previously been listed at 336 and 324 pounds with the Colts, dropped all the way down to the 300-pound mark earlier this offseason. He says he’s around 315 pounds now,” writes Bowen. 

“This is probably the best I’ve felt in a long time,” Thornton says. “Going back to college, high school, probably just the most well-rounded—physically, mentally, spiritually. I’m just in a great place and I’m excited to see how this transformation is going to take place on the field.”

“In dropping the weight, Thornton decided earlier this offseason such a change was necessary,” added Bowen. 

“Slim and trim,” is how Thornton describes his new look in 2016.

If nothing else, the Colts offensive line’s physique just got collectively better if ESPN ever decides to take another shoot for their “body magazine” again (*shudders*, but somewhere Jack Mewhort is smiling).

Jokes aside, the former 2013 3rd round pick has looked as good as he ever has in a Colts uniform–or sleeveless “T” for that matter these days:

There’s no question that Thornton has been plagued by both injuries and inconsistency in 3 seasons with the Colts in which he’s made 32 career starts. While he has at times shown flashes of his potential, it simply hasn’t been consistent or often enough.

With his starting right guard job up for grabs and entering the last year of his Colts contract, it makes sense that Thornton is entering this offseason in the best shape of his professional career.

Simply put, this could be a make-or-break year for the 4th-year veteran and ultimately decide whether he’ll remain a Colt or be forced to pursue his professional career elsewhere.

While Thornton has his fair share of critics, he still apparently has strong support in Colts owner Jim Irsay, who apparently believes that the young offensive lineman can still become a high end starting guard for the team:

“(Hugh) Thornton has all the capabilities of being an outstanding guard in this league, but he has to stay healthy and he has to mentally make sure that he does everything to prepare himself and avoid penalties on the field,” said Irsay earlier this offseason via the IndyStar’s Stephen Holder. 

One thing that Thornton still does have going for him is youth, as he’ll turn 25 years old in June and theoretically may have time for further development.

Perhaps under the tutelage of new offensive line coach Joe Philbin, who’s been highly regarded for his teaching methods, Thornton can finally reach his full potential:

“Just being in meetings with him and obviously Phase 2 started this week, having the chance to see how he coaches and the style and the passion that he brings to the field I think is going to be great for us,” said Thornton recently regarding Philbin. 

Maybe even the Colts scheme change to more of a zone-blocking system will serve the young offensive guard well, who should be noticeably lighter on his feet.

There’s talent there after all that once made Thornton such an early round selection by the Colts.

For Thornton’s sake, time is of the essence to tap it however.

The Colts brought in four new offensive lineman in this year’s NFL Draft and already cut ties with another early round underachieving offensive lineman, Khaled Holmes(their 2013 4th round pick), recently this offseason.

With last year’s starting center Jonotthan Harrison potentially transitioning to the right guard position and a new batch of rookie bodies (as well as perhaps holdover Joe Reitz) in the mix, and there appears to be much more competition than ever before at Thornton’s starting right guard position.

Certainly much more than departed veteran offensive guards Lance Louis or Todd Herremans ever provided for Thornton in recent seasons.

That being said, a “trimmer and slimmer” Thornton is clearly taking this offseason seriously and putting himself in the best position he can to maintain his starting right guard job in what is shaping up to be a pretty healthy competition this offseason.

Eagles sign center/guard Stefen Wisniewski to 1-year deal

The Philadelphia Eagles signed offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski to a one-year contract on Monday, the team announced.

Wisniewski, 27, can play center and guard.

The Eagles were looking to upgrade both guard spots. Last season, former head coach Chip Kelly released 2014 starters Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans and throughout the 2015 season, the Eagles offensive line struggled, especially at the guard positions.

With Doug Pederson taking over as head coach, the Eagles signed free agentBrandon Brooks last month to a five-year, $40 million contract. Brooks, a former Houston Texan, is expected to play right guard. The left guard spot was manned last season by Allen Barbre, who is still with the team. Wisniewski will likely compete with Barbre and Matt Tobin for the job.

Tobin, who started 13 games at right guard last season, was a restricted free agent this year. He signed his one-year tender Monday.

Wisniewski signed a one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars for $2 million in 2015 and started every game for the team. He beat out second-year player Luke Bowanko, who had started 14 games at center as a rookie in 2014.

Although Wisniewski started every game, he had several errant shotgun snaps, including one in December that sailed over quarterback Blake Bortles' head and was recovered for a touchdown in the Jaguars' 42-39 loss at Tennessee.

The Oakland Raiders drafted Wisniewski in the second round in 2011, and he started every game at left guard as a rookie before moving to center in 2012. Wisniewski missed only three games over the next three seasons, even playing much of the 2014 season with a torn labrum that required offseason surgery.

ESPN's Phil Sheridan and Michael DiRocco contributed to this report.

Todd Herremans' Foundation donates $10,000 to local veterans

Todd Herremans, a former Philadelphia Eagle offensive lineman — No. 79 — presented the Gloucester County Veterans Advisory Council's Vets Helping Vets program with a $10,000 donation from the Herremans Foundation.

Herremans was drawn to the Veterans Helping Veterans program because there are no administrative or other fees, and the organization is local so the money goes directly to helping veterans.

Veterans Helping Veterans assists with whatever a soldier may need. A couple of years ago the group worked with Home Depot to build a ramp for a veteran who hadn't been out of his house for 30 months. A set of steps was built for a World War II Marine and, at the end of the day, he came to the top of the steps in his full uniform and saluted the volunteers.

Vets Helping Vets take in medical supplies like hospital beds and mobile chairs, refurbish them or put in new batteries and give them to those in need. Everything goes 100 percent back to the Vets.

Freeholder Director Damminger said, "This is the third time the Todd Herremans' Foundation has donated to the Vets helping Vets program and we are honored to have been chosen again to receive this generous donation and cannot thank the Foundation enough."

Freeholder Giuseppe (Joe) Chila, liaison to the Veteran's Advisory Committee said, "The Vets Helping Vets program provides assistance to local veterans for a whole range of needs. Every penny of this donation will be used to help local veterans."

The Gloucester County Veterans Advisory Council presented Herremans with a plaque with gratitude for his donation.

Herremans met with the veterans in attendance, signed autographs and smiled for countless photos. 

Veterans in need of assistance should first call the Gloucester County Office of Veteran's Affairs at 856-401-7660 for veterans programs.

Bob Grotz: Bradford not worth the risk, or cost, for Eagles

Let’s be honest about Sam Bradford.

He’s not going to win a Super Bowl with the Eagles. By the time the Eagles put enough of the right pieces around him there will be a new sheriff in town. Providing, that is, Bradford stays healthy.

With Bradford the Eagles certainly would be capable of contending for the NFC East pennant and a playoff berth this season new head coach in Doug Pederson, new coaching staff or not.

Bradford is that talented and of course the East is that ordinary.

The pieces are in place offensively with DeMarco Murray, Zach Ertz, Brent Celek … OK, we’re already beginning to stretch the point.

Defensively the players are unlikely to spend nearly as much time on the field as during the era of Chip Kelly and his hurry-up-and-go-nowhere offense. If Pederson proved nothing else calling plays during that late Chiefs drive in the divisional loss to the Patriots, it’s that he values time of possession. You’re not going to rush him.

Control the clock, limit turnovers, get takeaways from a defense that will welcome back linebacker Jordan Hicks, who led them in takeaways and has been pronounced 100 percent healthy by the doctors, play solid special teams and you have a shot at the pennant. That’s the Doug Pederson way. Bradford is more than capable of tying that all together.

Without Bradford the Eagles won’t be as competitive. Anyone else wonder what Mark Sanchez is capable of other than his job as veteran backup?

A Sanchez attack means fewer completions and first downs, and much less control of the clock. But he or just about anyone else the Eagles would bring in, including journeyman and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Chase Daniel, a lot cheaper than Bradford.

While it’s true that a team is who it’s quarterback is, the cold, hard truth is the Eagles don’t look at all like a team philosophically willing to roll the dice and surrender a big bucks contract to a quarterback who, for the past three years, has been paid big bucks yet hasn’t proven he can stay healthy for an entire season.

Though Pederson says he’s impressed with Bradford and thinks he would fit the offense the Eagles will run, what’s he going to say? Face it, for Pederson, Bradford, his medical records and his snake-bitten career came with the job.

At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the first of several stops where NFL teams over-analyze the next class of draftable players, Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman and Pederson have indicated in comments that it hasn’t been decided if, let alone when Bradford would be back. That’s rather telling, isn’t it?

You know dollars will have as much to do with the Bradford decision as his upside. Let’s not believe the story about how Bradford’s agent, Tom Condon, allegedly said his client would need a contract averaging $25 million for him to remain in Philadelphia. Or that Condon disliked the Eagles so much for trying to trade Bradford for Marcus Mariota not long after acquiring his client in a trade, that he reportedly insisted any new contract would have to include a no-trade clause.

That said you’d have a tough time arguing that Bradford isn’t going to settle for less than the franchise player salary for 2016. The average of the top five paid quarterbacks this season likely will be around $19 million. Unless Bradford is OK with a Colin Kaepernick pay-as-you-go contract the Eagles would have a rough time stomaching the salary cap hit from that one. This is Sam Bradford, not Russell Wilson.

Anyone who has watched the playoffs should be able to realize the Eagles are more than one quarterback from having a reasonable chance of reaching the Super Bowl. If Bradford gets a huge chunk of money, it’s going to be difficult rebuilding an offensive line already showing age with the high-priced Jason Peters. It’s going to be tough upgrading the receiving corps, hard to re-sign such front-seven necessities as pass rusher Vinny Curry and Cedric Thornton, and not at all easy extending the contracts of such core standouts as Fletcher Cox and Lane Johnson.

If the Eagles keep Bradford, strategically they would be in trouble.

The 2016 quarterback draft class, unfortunately, doesn’t have any sure things. North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz is having a good Senior Bowl, whatever that means. He could drop down to 13, where the Eagles choose.

The Eagles have interviewed him, per reports. We all know when the Eagles talk to a player it’s a done deal … and they go in another direction.

In all seriousness, though, it’s not unheard of for a Division II product like Wentz to play in the NFL.

The collection of current D-II talent who have made it and then some includes Brandon Carr, Danny Woodhead, Nate Washington, Vincent Jackson and Brent Grimes. Todd Herremans, a fixture on the Philly O-line for a decade, was a D-II guy.

Generally, however, it’s safe to say it’s highly unusual for a D-II quarterback to put a team in position to win a Super Bowl.

That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, rather, try not to get too excited. The last time the Eagles thought they reinvented the wheel they fired Chip Kelly.

The last idea Kelly had for a quarterback was Sam Bradford.