BLUE 1,026 Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) By Mark Eckel/The Times The Times, Trenton You think about what could go right or what might go wrong for the Eagles in 2011 – and, yes, there will be a 2011 season – and it starts with the offensive line. If all goes well, the Eagles could put together a solid line that will keep quarterback Michael Vick upright, open holes for running back LeSean McCoy, and lead the Eagles back to the playoffs and maybe even further than that. Then again, if injury, lack of experience or simply players who are not good enough form the 2011 line, Vick might not make it halfway through the season, McCoy will have nowhere to run and the Eagles will be home the day after New Year’s. There are two keys to what happens up front for the Eagles – new offensive line coach Howard Mudd, who the team coaxed out of retirement after a very successful run with the Indianapolis Colts, and veteran Todd Herremans. Mudd’s success with the Colts came from having a very quick, if not overly huge, athletic line that provided quarterback Peyton Manning plenty of time to find open receivers. There will be some rebuilding, or at least retooling, with what the Eagles currently have to fit Mudd’s style. And that leads to Herremans, the veteran lineman who has become the team’s most consistent player over the past few years. Herremans has been a fixture for the team at left guard since being drafted in the fourth round out of Saignaw Valley State in 2005. There have been times when he’s had to move out to left tackle, but in his six years in the league, his position has been left guard. Could that change this season? Eagles head coach Andy Reid has said publicly that it’s a longshot that Herremans moves to right tackle, a position a lot of scouts have said is his more natural position, but he didn’t rule it out. Read More: NJ.com Edited June 21, 2011 by BLUE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bangy 19 Posted June 21, 2011 If that is his natural position why the hell has Reid been lining him up at guard instead? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GA_Eagle 595 Posted June 21, 2011 If that is his natural position why the hell has Reid been lining him up at guard instead? We had a RT, previously, that was a better player in Runyan. As for the past two seasons, well there's been a lot of injuries, a likely desire to justify the Justice pick, a couple of former all pro brothers at RG/RT that haven't been on the field, and a pro bowl center that has played like one offensive series in the last season, I'm sure I'm missing some things. I can see how if you've got one thing working why you might not wanna mess with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westbrookforsix 28 Posted June 23, 2011 If that is his natural position why the hell has Reid been lining him up at guard instead? Tackles are usually better athletes... so when they are huge tackles, they can slide inside to guard and dominate without much trouble. LG is a very important spot on the line and you can only have so many tackles playing tackle at one time. He was next to Tra Thomas for a while, and then Jason Peters came immediately after Thomas. His real spot is LT and not RT and if you move him to RT then you have a LG hole. It's also backwards (obviously). You're sliding and pushing with opposite legs, and punching with opposite inside hands. He might not be the best RT anymore after all this seasoning he's had at the very, very important position of LG. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bangy 19 Posted June 23, 2011 Oh don't get me wrong I understand that the guard positions are very important and I can understand that with a player like Runyan playing there it is the smarter choice to keep him at guard, but when you have a player as good as he is meant to be playing G when you have a player as bad as Justice surely it would of been smarter to move him outside and try Justice inside. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GA_Eagle 595 Posted June 23, 2011 Oh don't get me wrong I understand that the guard positions are very important and I can understand that with a player like Runyan playing there it is the smarter choice to keep him at guard, but when you have a player as good as he is meant to be playing G when you have a player as bad as Justice surely it would of been smarter to move him outside and try Justice inside. To be fair to Justice, he played pretty well at times since getting the starting gig. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westbrookforsix 28 Posted June 24, 2011 To be fair to Justice, he played pretty well at times since getting the starting gig. At least Justice wasn't in the bottom 15 RT's according to FO. And he was tried at G, but fit better at RT. I think Herremans also got a RT shot. It appears Herremans is a left-side player. He's a great player where he's at, but I don't know if he's got the talent and skill to completely re-learn his technique to play on the right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanbrock 1,684 Posted June 24, 2011 I think Austin Howard is going to be a player. Watch out for him at RT. He's got a nasty streak like Big Jon did and apparently Watkins does too. Having those two on the right side would make McCoy and the other backs very happy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GA_Eagle 595 Posted June 24, 2011 I would like it very much if you are right on that Sean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
