Ryan Grigson, former Director of Personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles, has flown the coop. He has accepted the GM position with the Indianapolis Colts, which was left vacant after Indy Jim Irsay fired vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, GM Chris Polian last week on Black Monday.

Grigson’s name began appearing in the press last week when he was reported as a leading candidate in the GM search for the St. Louis Rams.

Though most Eagles fans know little about Grigson, Delco Times beat writer Bob Grotz described him on Twitter as being general manager Howie Roseman’s “right hand man.”

As it turns out, Philadelphia fans aren’t the only ones who don’t know much about Grigson. He was not well-known among this town’s beat writers, either.

Les Bowen of the Daily News had this to say about Grigson:

I know the Eagles value his scouting expertise very highly, he rose steadily through the ranks over nine seasons, after being hired as a Western scout.

Grigson leaves the Eagles after being with the team for nine years, four of which were as the team’s college scouting director. He was named as director of personnel in 2010.

The Colts made the official announcement about Grigson at 4 pm EST. Howie Roseman issued this statement about the move:

“Although we will miss Ryan personally and professionally we could not be happier for him. He has been a great advisor to me and somebody I have leaned on to bounce ideas off of many times over my career. He leaves no stone left unturned in his efforts to find good players and we were lucky to have him here in Philadelphia. In addition to his skills as a talent evaluator, we can’t say enough about Ryan as a person. He is one of the best family men I have come across in the NFL and we wish he, Cynthia and his children all the best.”

The departure of the individual who was the head of college scouting 3 months ahead of the draft? And with a clear need for smart draft choices in key positions, like linebacker this year?

Awesome.

The path to succession for Grigson’s now vacant post with the Eagles is murky at best. If the Eagles promote from within, than a logical choice may be Anthony Patch, assistant director of college scouting.

Among his very first duties in Indianapolis will be to draft Peyton Manning’s successor and decide if he will do the unthinkable and allow Manning, the league’s only 4-time MVP to become a free agent.

God bless. That will make enduring the whole dream team thing seem like a cake walk.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/phillysportmuse.

Ike Taylor via AxsDeny on Flickr

One of the most glaring needs for the Philadelphia Eagles that was not addressed in April’s NFL draft was for a starting cornerback. With the likely retirement of Ellis Hobbs, the Eagles’ secondary could use some assistance.

Until recently, speculation as to the landing spot of Oakland Raiders free agent Nnamdi Asomugha always featured the Birds. Sure, competition is tough, but a defense with a less than stellar 2010 season and a new defensive coordinator needs a proven star. But whatever team gets Asomugha needs to be prepared to pay a hefty price in order to beat out other competition on the NFL for the corner. Add to that the fact that Asomugha turns 30 in July, and it increasingly sounds like making a play for the star corner is a move wholly uncharacteristic for the Eagles.

That’s all good and fine, but it begs the question: Who will start at corner with Asante Samuel? 3rd round draft pick Curtis Marsh is not ready to step in and fill that need.

So what are the Eagles going to do? » Continue reading “Look at All These Rumors: Eagles Eying Ike Taylor?”

Photo courtesy of The Ohio State Athletic Department

It’s not surprising that the mess going down at The Ohio State University regarding recently resigned head coach Jim Tressel is having an impact on teams in the NFL. In fact, CSN Philly notes that under Tressel, 62 Ohio State players were drafted into the NFL.

New Eagles player linebacker Brian Rolle, the 193rd overall pick in April’s NFL draft , says that he was offered a car by a booster while at OSU.

In an interview with ESPN radio, Rolle said

“Somebody actually offered me a car and I said no. I actually bought a 2002 VW Jetta in ’09, and someone offered to give me another car, a better car, and cheaper, but me being the type of a person I am I said no to it because I wasn’t raised to do something like that.”

Rolle went on to say that he didn’t give in to temptation because of his morals and, ironically, values that Tressel helped instill in him.

A link to the full interview is available here.

A number of reports have surfaced about the purchase of new cars for OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor and a formal inquiry has been launched by the NCAA. He and 4 of his teammates are suspended for the 1st 5 games of the 2011 season regarding the exchange of memorabilia for money and tattoos.

It is not known at this time if Pryor or his teammates will try to enter July’s supplemental draft, which will take place even if the lockout is still in effect.

Watching national coverage of sporting events involving Philadelphia teams the past several days has revealed a disturbing pattern: An upsetting amount of inexplicable cheesesteak references. Sports broadcasters, the fans of Philadelphia sports teams implore you: Learn something more about Philadelphia other than the fact that cheesesteaks are eaten in this city.

The Green Room’s Kristine Reese and Philly Sports Muse’s Brandyn Campbell plead their cases.

Kristine says:

I have been a Phillies fan all my life.  And it hasn’t been easy. I was born in Philadelphia, raised in Minnesota, attended college in Cincinnati and now reside in New York, 3 miles away from Citi Field. While my parents now live in Philadelphia, and it is my second home, my opportunities to watch a Phillies game live are few and far between. Last night I finally had the chance to finally watch Cliff Lee start for my favorite baseball team on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and yet, I was mad.

Let me first say that I understand how difficult it is to be a sports analyst, especially for a sport as complex and stat oriented as baseball. But ESPN, I have a major bone to pick with you.

Stop. Talking. About. Cheesesteaks.

9 times in last night’s telecast the word cheesesteak was mentioned by one of the 3 broadcasters. 9 times. Add that to the half dozen or so mentions from Thursday night’s draft coverage (not to mention the MILLIONS of other times it has been referenced while discussing Philly sports) and you have convinced the entire country that all the people of Philadelphia do is sit around, yell at people at sports events (after all, don’t we have the “worst” sports fans?) and eat cheesesteaks? Come on, man! (to quote the man who likes to talk about Cheesesteaks and Philly sports)

Maybe people think that all anyone who lives in Philadelphia maintains a steady cheesesteak diet. Well, people, you are mistaken. Don’t get me wrong, I have had a delicious cheesesteak or two in my time but they hardly define this great city. In fact, I could come up with a list of delicious things to eat in the city of Philadelphia that WOULD NOT include eating a cheesesteak.

So, please, PLEASE try to paint a picture of this wonderful, historic and beautiful city with something other than cheesesteaks.

Brandyn says:

Why are people so lazy when it comes to learning about Philadelphia?

These individuals, many of whom seem to have been granted hefty broadcast contracts, know three facts about this place and see no reason to broaden their knowledge base. Philadelphia is cheesesteaks, Rocky and booing Santa Claus. The end.

I can almost forgive the lay person with no contact with this city to know little else about it. However, if you’re in broadcasting I would think that, at the very least, you’d want to have at least one other fact at your finger tips. You want to constantly make references to food somehow when talking about Philadelphia, its teams and it fans, you say? Let’s pretend this is a multiple choice test. Pick one or more of the following items to use if you wish to still sound ignorant, but wish to switch up your stereotypical reinforcements of Philadelphia:

A) Tastykakes
B) Soft pretzels
C) Scrapple
D) Water ice » Continue reading “For the Love of God: Stop. Talking. About. Cheesesteaks.”

After the euphoria of being drafted into the NFL has gone and camera crews have left their homes, reality will soon set in for the most recent additions to the National Football League. The 2011 rookie class is totally and unquestionably screwed until the lockout ends.

The newly drafted players are the collateral damage in the legal warfare between the NFL and the NFLPA. The harsh reality is that there  is no mentoring from coaches, no access to trainers or to team facilities. This week they were welcomed to a new organization and then immediately shut out of it. The newest members of the NFL will have to figure out how to work hard as best they can on their own and hope that time being wasted in the courts by their older, supposedly wiser colleagues won’t negatively affect their efforts to transition to the NFL.

In the midst of this lockout mess came warm welcomes by Eagles players via Twitter to the newest additions to their team. Nothing prevents the rookie class from interacting with current players, so these are important connections to develop and strengthen as the lockout wears on.

Jamar Chaney sent out a warm welcome to all of the newly drafted Eagles:

Before the full picture of  the 2011 draft class was complete, Chaney and some other Eagles weighed in on their thoughts on some of the Eagles selections. » Continue reading “New Eagles Receive Warm Welcome from Teammates”

The 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft is in the books. As always, it was a mixture of the nerves, excitement, tears and surprises.

And boos. Lots and lots of boos for Commissioner Roger Goodell. That part was especially delightful.

Some of the most highly touted players going into the draft–Mark Ingram and Temple’s Muhammad Wilkerson among them–were among the last picks of the round, going at numbers 28 and 30, respectively.

Let’s get to the real question: What did the Eagles do? For one, they surprised many by not trading out of the first round. Instead, they acquired Baylor OG Danny Watkins as their selection. The move demonstrated the Eagles eagerness to address a shabby offensive line in 2010. Many, including Philly Sports Muse, had projected that the Eagles would take Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi is this spot. But the selection of Watkins indicated a consistent rationale on the part of the Eagles organization–protection of the quarterback.

SI.com’s Don Bank’s couldn’t find anything bad to say about Watkins:

“Guard and tackle are two of the Eagles’ biggest needs, and Watkins can play both spots. A former fireman who grew up playing hockey in British Columbia, Canada, Watkins is already 26, but he’s a mature and reliable presence who would instantly upgrade a Philly offensive line that was decimated by injuries last season.”

Watkins is 6’3, 310 pounds and has huge hands that have a span of 10.1. So where are his disadvantages?

According to PhiladephiaEagles.com, Watkins has only “average strength and does not get much movement run blocking. Will be 27 years old in November.”

His age can be an asset–it can bring a maturity, work ethic and wisdom atypical of most NFL rookies. That said, football is a violent sport that ages the body quickly, so Watkins may feel his age and older very quickly when facing NFL defenses.

I like the pick. The rationale and strategy behind it aren’t huge suprises, and all offensive line picks for the Birds will have the tremendous benefit of working with Howard Mudd. Watkins will work hard, and with any luck he’ll help to strengthen a sorely shoddy o-line.

The Eagles must begin to address their extensive needs on the other side of the ball, including an untested defensive coordinator,  with their 2nd and 3rd round picks.

Welcome to the second edition of the Aerys Huddle! As the NFL draft starts tomorrow, the chat, comprised of the NFL reporters of Aerys Sports,  focused on the draft and picks for our teams. Consider it a little bit of mock drafting and a whole lot of chatting.

Without further ado…welcome to the Huddle.

Brandyn (Eagles): Alright! Starting out easy. Who do you think will be the 1st pick overall in the 2011 draft?

Kristine (Jets): Who I think and who should be are two different things-but I think it will be Cam.

Packers (Lauren): I think Von Miller might be a surprise for #2 – but I don’t think anyone will take it from Cam Newton. However, Rodgers was predicted for #1 and fell to #24.

Melissa (Lions): Cam Newton will probably be the first pick, but he shouldn’t be. I don’t see him being a franchise QB at all. But I think he’s too temptin for teams to pass up.

Brenda (Broncos): Carolina, good grief. I really think Cam Newton is a mistake. He’s talented, but such a risk. Plus, new coach Ron Rivera is a defensive guy. For Denver’s sake, draft Newton. For logic’s sake, think about someone else.

Colleen (Bears): Picking a QB as your first pick is always a risky choice.

Brandyn (Eagles): I agree–I think Cam will be first, but I don’t think he’s going to turn out to be that impressive in the NFL.

Melissa (Lions): Brenda’s exactly right. Cam Newton is the “easy” pick for teams. But I don’t think he’s the “right” pick for anyone. At least not early on.

Kristine (Jets): My only hesitation is that maybe Carolina is playing everyone. But that seems like a lot of effort to get someone to ask to trade up. I just dont see how they couldnt, They are dropping all kinds of hints that it will be Cam.

Brandyn (Eagles): That’s interesting about Rodgers–I didn’t realize that.

Colleen (Bears): Brandyn, I think Cam might go the way of Grossman.

Packers (Lauren): Yes. It was a big controversy that he waited around for a long time, expecting to at least be a Top 3 pick. The Packers lucked out – this was still in the Favre glory days.

Brandyn (Eagles): Ooh. I could see that.

Brenda (Broncos): If Carolina picks Newton, then that’s just admitting drafting Jimmy Clausen last year was a bad idea. What will Carolina do in 2012? Hope to snag Andrew Luck for the trifecta?

Colleen (Bears): Everyone thought he was going to be fantastic, he went too early in the draft and turned out to be…well, a terrible, terrible choice.

Kristine (Jets): They would have to give up their 2012 season to get luck.

Packers (Lauren): There is a reason that the first 5 teams to pick are usually the same. Picking the “best” player isn’t always the best route.

Kristine (Jets): Exactly. And there are so many needs this year.

Emily (Steelers): The Panthers could always pick Pryor next year.

Brandyn (Eagles): Moving on in the 1st round-Broncos with the #2 overall pick. Who are you taking, Brenda? » Continue reading “Aerys Huddle: NFL Draft Edition – Round 1″

We’re in the home stretch: One week until the 2011 NFL draft begins.

Let’s take a look at some of the latest mock draft projections and see who the experts are liking for the Eagles selections with one week to go. Moving the Chains does an excellent job of assessing the latest picks from some of the major experts, so I have pulled from MTC’s most recent mock draft round up for this post.

For the Eagles’ 1st round selection, two names pop up most frequently: Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi and Colorado CB Jimmy Smith.

CBSSports.com’s Chad Reuter and Rob Rang both think the Eagles will go with the Big Ten offensive lineman. Says Rang:

“Selecting a right tackle with enhanced pass blocking skills compared to current backup King Dunlap would be wise, especially considering he’ll be protecting the blindside of the left-handed Michael Vick.”

Scout.com’s John Christ and Adam Caplan of Foxsports.com predict the Eagles will take Jimmy Smith as their first round pick.  Caplan writes:

“This selection is really about taking the best player available at the position of need. There are no other players here other than Smith and possibly Akeem Ayers who make sense. The Eagles could get a developmental guard later on.”

NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan likes Colorado OT Nate Solder for the Eagles’ 1st round selection, saying that the Birds would love Solder’s pass blocking skills. » Continue reading “One Week to the Draft: Eagles Mock Draft Round Up”

Screen shot via Android Market

Planning on being camped out in front of your television for the NFL draft? Me too. In case some annoying reality called life gets in the way and pulls you away from your TV next weekend, have no fear. The Eagles and your PDA to the rescue.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the first NFL team to release an app to tell you about their selections in the NFL draft. According to an Eagles press release, the app (for the iPhone and Android) will do the following during the draft:

• Live feed with all player picks, including a tracker of each Eagles draft choice
• Alerts/Notifications to the home screen for each Eagles draft pick
• Best Available Option – based on NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock’s Big Board (can also be sorted by position)
• Prospect profiles and player analysis

And for the rest of the year:

• Top news stories from PhiladelphiaEagles.com
• XML-based video feed and link to PhiladelphiaEagles.com video
• Live social media tab displaying hashtag #Eagles

The application is available now for Android users. Those of us with iPhones will have to wait a wee bit longer for our shot at the app. Though not too much longer, hopefully, as we’re only nine days away from the start of the draft.

Brian Rolle. Photo courtesy of The Ohio State Athletic Department

The National Football Post reports that the Eagles worked out two Ohio State linebackers on Monday.

A source indicated that the team held a private workout for Brian Rolle and Ross Homan.

Rolle, at 5′ 9 and 229 lbs, performed well at the combine. He had 28 bench press reps, finishing 4th for linebackers. He was 3rd in the 40 yard dash with a time of 4.53. Rolle performed particularly well in the 3-cone drill, finishing 3rd with a time of 6.89 seconds.

Of Rolle’s Pro Day performance last week, Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch wrote

“Since he can apparently run as well as a defensive back, maybe Brian Rolle will become one? Yesterday at Ohio State’s pro day, Rolle, a linebacker by trade, posted a stellar 40-yard dash time of 4.51 seconds. And then, after doing linebacker drills, he jumped into the defensive back drills, as well. He did pretty good, safety Jermale Hines said of Rolle’s moonlighting. “B-Rolle is a pretty athletic guy; I knew he’d do well.” It was all part of trying to add value, Rolle said. He has been downgraded by NFL scouts for his size (just under 5 feet 10, about 230 pounds), so why not give them something else to think about? ‘Most definitely, if I could play more than one position, then I think I just moved (up) on guys’ (draft) charts,” Rolle said. “(They might think), ‘We don’t have a guy who plays three downs at linebacker; he can play in the back end, or whatever it may be.”

Ross Homan. Photo courtesy of The Ohio State Athletic Department

Ross Homan, also present at the workout, stands at 6’0″ and weights 240 pounds. He demonstrated impressive strength at the combine, completing 32 bench press reps–the most for any linebacker. Homan completed the 40 yard dash in 4.68 seconds and completed the 3-cone drill in 7.21 seconds.

NFL.com’s Gil Brandt said the following about Homan’s Pro Day performance on March 11:

“With defensive tackle prospect Cameron Heyward sidelined for Ohio State’s pro day on Friday, linebacker Ross Homan made the most of his opportunity to solidify his draft position before a packed house that exceeded Wisconsin’s booming turnout earlier this month.

Homan (6 5/8, 234) isn’t the tallest backer in the draft class, but he’s a well-built, quality football player who performed well at the combine — well enough to hold onto his numbers from the event, save for the 40-yard dash, which we ran again in 4.63. Homan looked sharp in linebacker drills, which took place under ideal conditions on indoor FieldTurf.”