– For the last time, McNabb is fine [Bleeding Green Nation] –  What’s up with the media’s love affair with McNabb’s injuries.  This is TENDINITIS for Christ’s sake.  Since when is tendinitis a major news story on ESPN?  This is absolutely ridiculous.  If this were any other QB, this wouldn’t even be a story.  What’s next, “McNabb stubs toe, gets paper cut on throwing finger” as ESPN.com’s next story?  Well, McNabb spoke out and you can read what he had to say at BGN.

– Picture of McNabb at the OTAs [Iggles Blog] — In the quote from the BGN article, McNabb talks about how the media criticizes his weight.  This may be a bad picture, but he is looking a little chubbier than last year.

Keeping track of some signings:

– Eagles sign DT von Oelhoffen to a 1-year deal.  They also inked LB Andy Studebaker and OG Mike Gibson to 4-year deals.

– The Eagles also inked Quintin Demps, also a 4-year deal.  I’m excited to see what kind of player this guy turns out to be.  I see potential there.

– The Eagles also locked up their GM until 2011.

What else is going on:

– DeSean Jackson and Asante Samuel Tweaked Their Hammies [Iggles Blog] — You gotta stretch those out guys! Haven’t they seen The Cable Guy?

– Video: DeSean Jackson Interview [Inside the Iggles] — I’m on the DeSean bandwagon.  The video shows some highlights from minicamp: the dude looks good — Action Jackson!  Apparently, he’s Philly’s new A.I. [The 700 Level]

– So… what really happened this spring? [Dave Spadaro] — Spads goes over the major stories coming out of the OTAs.  We’re really beating a dead horse with the Lito Sheppard situation.  He also analyzes the state of the WRs and looks at the DL.

Spads poses the question, “Can J.R. Reed challenge Considine in camp?”  It should be the other way around.  Considine is a joke.  He has to earn the spot from Reed, not the other way around.

Curtis had a good camp, Brown is catching balls with more consistency, and DeSean Jackson has the mental part down.

The defensive line looks sick — I agree.  The Eagles have stockpiled talent on the line.  They should be able to let them loose this year.  I’ll be paying close attention to Abiamiri this camp.  If he steps up, with the outside rushers the Eagles have, and Trent Cole, they can be dangerous.

Jason Davis looks like a lock to be the starting FB.

The Eagles’ nickel package has me excited: Asante and Lito on the outside.  Sheldon playing the slot.  Gaither and Bradley in the middle.  Dawkins and Q roaming in the back.  I like it.

The Lito story leads me to the next story…

– An article Lito Sheppard should read… [Bleeding Green Nation] — The consensus amongst a few GMs is that Lito is nothing more than 3rd CB.  I.e., Lito should stop bitching about his contract, stay healthy, hit harder, make more plays, and then we can talk.

So I promised an Eagles link up and there you have it.  These days in Eagles news are slow.  We’ll really get into full gear when the Eagles kick off training camp in late July at Lehigh University.  Until then, we can keep hoping that the Phillies continue to put up 20 on the scoreboard.

There is an outstanding article I came across over at the Eagles eye that talks about where the Eagles stand in 2008.  They discuss which players will be the starters next season, which free agents they may go after, which players they will let go, and what the Eagles may look for in the draft.

To summarize the article: Trent Cole and Juqua Thomas should the starters at defensive end next year.  Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard have been disappointing this season, so the Eagles may target another defensive end in free agency, possibly the Chiefs’ Jared Allen or Ravens’ Terrell Suggs, or the Eagles may draft another defensive end if they don’t think Victor Ambiamiri is making the progress they had hoped for; he didn’t get a lot of snaps this year, so it’s hard to tell how he is doing.

We all know the four safeties the Eagles were looking at in last year’s draft (Landry, Griffin, Nelson, and Meriweather) were drafted before the Eagles were up in the draft, so they really missed out  on a player that they hoped could attempt to assume Dawkins’ role when Dawkins’ time to retire comes (I hate talking about it, but he is 34).  Mikell has had a pretty good year; J.R. Reed hasn’t been bad, especially for a player who was counted out because of injuries; and Sean Considine simply sucks. If the Eagles like a safety in this year’s draft, you can be pretty sure they will use their first round pick on that position.

We all know how well the Eagle’s young linebackers are developing.  I’m extremely impressed with Gaither, Gocong, and Bradley. I like what they have at that position, so if Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis or Penn State’s Dan Connor are available, I think the Eagles would pass on them.  Laurinaitis should be drafted in the top 10 because he does stuff like this (YouTube video), but Connor could fall to a spot where the Eagles could pick him up.

The Eagles could use another OT to succeed Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan and I’m scared about Winston Justice’s development after the Giant’s debacle, but the guy never gave up a sack in college football (I think; regardless, he was damn good in college).  The Eagles were going to draft him with their first pick, but Bunkley fell so they took him and then Justice fell, so they traded up in the second round to get him, so a double bonus for them.  The Eagles could use another OT, but I think they should target one in the 2nd or 3rd round rather than their 1st round pick, which I think they should use to get a safety or DeSean Jackson.

Finally, what will the Eagles do about L.J. Smith?  I think they’ll let him go unless his free-agent stock decreases because lets face it: he’s injury prone, drops passes, fumbles, and is a below average pass blocker, but other than that he’s awesome!  He does a lot of good things to the passing game and has bad-ass tattoos.  The article mentions that Dallas Clark is a free agent, but Indy will almost certainly resign him.  I think Brent Celek will be a very solid player,  not a pro-bowler, but a sure handed player who can block, and that’s about all you can really ask for from the 5th round selection.  I think the Eagles should draft another TE late to add depth, but I have no problem with Celek as the starter going into next season.

One final note.  Apparently there were some rumors the Eagles would trade for Chad Johnson in the offseason, but the chances of that are probably as good as the Eagles making the playoffs this year: none.