• March 29, 2024

Harris Practices, King Dunlap Continues To Start, As Justice Improves

Yesterday Ryan Harris was back at practice. Winston Justice continued to work out on the side and he’s getting closer to returning to action. The starter against the Steelers was King Dunlap and he continues to be the guy in their with the first team.

“Well, right now King is playing with the first group. And listen, King played very well in this game,” said Reid. “I think he’s worked himself into football shape and kind of getting what we expected earlier but everybody was a little rusty at the beginning so we’re working through that and he did a nice job, there.”

The fact that Reid kept Dunlap in place as the starter after Harris returned to practice yesterday, says something for how Dunlap played against the Steelers. Now Dunlap, the former free agent will try to establish himself as the starter by having another solid performance this time against the Cleveland Browns.

I don’t see how the Birds can make Harris the starter after he was shut down by the back spasms. Can you depend on a guy, who plays a quarter of football, then can’t practice for a week?

I could see them starting Dunlap for now and having Harris ready to take over if the young tackle struggles.

You could say the Birds have a problem at their right tackle spot or you could say they have a competition for starting position, either way we don’t yet know who the starter will be on week one. Justice is trying to get back on the field after undergoing microfracture surgery.

“He’s making progress, I mean, he’s strong”, Reid. “The trainers are putting pressure on, it’s his left leg, so they’re putting pressure on his right leg and just comparing it to how much he’s able to support on his left leg. He can’t stick it in the ground quite enough, at this point. Now, it’s better than it was last week when they did the same thing. So he’s making progress on it. It’s just a matter of him, those offensive lineman, they can stick those feet in the ground and be strong. He’s better than he was, he’s making progress. I think he’s on track. He’s working very hard. So we’ll just see, we’ll see how it all works out.”

I don’t see a way in which Justice is able to get back on the practice field and win back his starting job in such a short period of time.

So as things stand now, our starter at right tackle will be Dunlap or Harris, with the health factor forcing us to lean toward Dunlap.

I also need to include the recently-signed Reggie Wells into the conversation. He was on the Eagles roster for most of the season a year ago as a guard, but Reid wants to take a look at him at the tackle position. “I’d really like to see him take some snaps at the right-tackle spot and continue the competition there,” Reid said.

When Eagles starting quarterback Michael Vick was asked about it, he didn’t seemed concerned about who was protecting his blindside.

“Ultimately, at some point we’ll find a guy who is going to be that guy,” said Michael Vick. “We just have to have confidence in whoever is going to be out there, and trust and believe in them. It’s not a big concern — we can always help out in protection.”

I think this position might be changing throughout the season. Both Harris and Justice will be fighting to stay healthy, while Dunlap continues to learn his craft.

If you want to leave a message about Philly sports to have it put up on GCobb.com, give us a call at (856) 673-6282 and leave your message. For the latest Philly sports news and updates, you can follow us on twitter (@GarryCobb).

GCOBB

Read Previous

The Browns Game Is Do or Die For Rookie MLB Casey Matthews

Read Next

Oswalt Turns In Another Encouraging Performance

0 0 votes
Article Rating
14 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
paulman
paulman
August 21, 2011 11:31 am

Why don’t the Eagles just stop this madness of revolving RT’s and slide T Herremans over from his Guard spot over to RT..can he be any worse that what they have right now, at least you know Herremans is goign to come to play everyday, know his playbook and have the confidence of the rest of his teammated…I don’t understand the big mystery here.. Then let McGlynn/ and newly signed R Wells battle for the LG spot, I could see with a regular camp of letting 2-3 players fight it out for the Starters spot but with 2 weeks to go before the Regular Season starts and having the most important OL Position (RT protects Vicks blind side) is still in a state of flux, I think it’s inexcusable at this point of getting ready for the season and stop the mish-mashing of players and units, and get your best 5 OL out there and get as much work as possible…

daggolden
daggolden
August 21, 2011 11:37 am

Amen Paulman.

runtheball09
runtheball09
August 21, 2011 12:08 pm

Winston Justice and King Dunlap are my new Reggie Brown and LJ Smith’s. Can’t wait till they’re distant memories.

runtheball09
runtheball09
August 21, 2011 12:10 pm

Allow me to speak for Vick. GET ME A BOOKEND MORONS!

wmonell
wmonell
August 21, 2011 12:31 pm

Seriously fellas, damn lol.
I guess just trust in Mudd/Reid.
Blindside blocker carousel isn’t the brightest spot on our team at the moment.

anderson silva
anderson silva
August 21, 2011 1:11 pm

Pman, I get what you are saying about moving Herremanns. But there may be value in NOT screwing with the one side of the line that actually works. I am not suggesting I have a smart guy answer, but it is at least a different point of view to consider. Plug and play experiments at RT may yet yield a solution. “May” being the operative word in that sentence.

paulman
paulman
August 21, 2011 2:58 pm

I understand what your saying Anderson,
But looking at the availalbe OL there seems to be a lot more depth with players who can play Guard (McGlynn,Mathis,Wells,Watkins) where as the most improtant position in protecting VIcks Blind side is filled with question marks and I now think with nolya coupld of weeks to go before the Season starts it’s time to get the 5 best OL out there and start working together…

I think an OL of LT Peters, LG Mathis or McGlynn, C Kelce, RG Watkins and RT Herremans may be the strongest unit they have …

anderson silva
anderson silva
August 21, 2011 3:17 pm

You could be right, I am truly not sure. The wild card is coach Mudd. He is a position coach, so he doesn’t regularly speak to the media, which makes it difficult to know what he is thinking. His track record gets him the benefit of the doubt, but we are not really going to know what he is thinking for awhile. I’d be a bit more comfortable if Harris wasn’t having back soreness, I expected better things from him. On the other hand, Tra Thomas had much the same issues for a bit in the 2nd half of his career. The Eagles training staff did a fantastic job of rehabbing him up and dealing with his problems. Shawn Andrews is the other side of the same coin. I think it is going to take some time to get the whole thing sorted out.

bsmvideos
August 21, 2011 3:19 pm

Trust in Reid??? LOL

This is the guy who season after season put his faith in a player coming off TORN ACL surgery.

Sent Akers in to kick after he had just plopped on the groun in pain.

Let McNabb play with a broken leg.

Reid is truly comical when it comes to players and their injuries. I laughing now just thinking of watching Akers pass out. I just could’nt believe he sent him back out.

Then Jamal Jackson. Tears his ACL at the end of the season. Every football fan of average knowledge knows you can’t come back from that injury that soon. Ah but the Crystal ball told Andy something else. Drafts no center.

Kick returner. I’m happy with the guys we have. Opening season lost to Greenbay a few years ago.

And this year. Linebacker. I am going try a undersized rookie at the middle.
The crystal ball told me to.

Now we have back spasm guy, knee injury guy, and could not start for my college team guy, competing for the right to protect the blindside of our forget the superbowl if he gets hurt QB.

Thanks Crystal Ball. After all these player signings I was actually beginning to believe you had changed.

This is almost as dumb as hiring the guy who coached one of the worst offensive lines in Eagles history as your defensive coordinator.

Please Sign a right tackle as soon as the teams start cutting good players.

Then you can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.

paulman
paulman
August 21, 2011 3:21 pm

I believe former Saint’s RT John Stinchomb is still out there..

DDCar
DDCar
August 21, 2011 6:09 pm

PAUL, I was just thinking that. Get rid of both Duncrap & Justice, keep Harris as a backup, & sign Stinchomb. Problem solved. Then the LB’s have to be resolved. That’s an even bigger problem!

runtheball09
runtheball09
August 21, 2011 6:55 pm

BSM thank you

nsidious
nsidious
August 22, 2011 11:36 am

G:

Herremans feet must not be compatible with playing OT. That’s the only conclusion I can make. Slow feet = OG. He’s a beast inside, and it’s natural to think he’d be the same on the end of the line. But that possibility has been floated every year for about 4 years now, and it’s never even been tried, let alone implemented. So, unless Big Red is planning a “wild-cat offense” moment, surprising the entire league, it appears that Herremans will remain an OG.
I do not have the lack of confidence in Dunlap that is rife on this website. I understand that exposes me to criticism. So be it. I haven’t seen the young man screw up a whole helluva lot. I will admit that he’s not equipped with the quickest feet. But I do like him lined up against the Giants. I look forward to seeing who Big Red and Mudd guy start on opening day. I don’t think the sky is falling by the way.

schiller
schiller
August 22, 2011 11:41 am

Nsid – agreed. I think that IS why they don’t want herramans at OT.