Eagles fans may be tempted to read too much into Eli Stowers needing extra time, but the reality of playing tight end in the NFL makes that kind of patience pretty reasonable.
Jon Ferrari, the Eagles’ assistant GM, laid out just how much a tight end has to process when he’s lined up outside the tackle during an appearance on the New Heights Show with Jason and Travis Kelce. Ferrari was there to discuss some of the more misunderstood officiating calls and how the Michigan game clock got so messed up, but the conversation turned to the difficulty of blocking at that spot.
“Fans don’t understand how hard it is to block in the NFL, especially when you’re outside the tackle, how hard it is to block. There’s a lot of space.
So, you have to be aware of blindside blocks, meaning blocking backward toward you’re own endline. When you’re flexed, you have to be aware of a crack back block, where you block inside, you can’t block high or low.
And then, you have to be aware of blocks in the back, so you’ve got to get him on the side. You have to check a lot boxes to legally block, especially in the run game when you’re blocking outside in, and it’s really hard.”
Ferrari added more detail on why that part of the job takes time to master.
“That’s why it’s so hard. You’ve gotta think about exactly where you are, what direction you’re traveling, where the opponent is, what is he looking at - there’s so much to think about in those blocks, which obviously we know come on you in a second.”
That helps explain the buzz around Stowers during training camp, when the coaches said the rookie had plenty to learn about the position, especially as a blocker. It’s not the sort of thing that clicks overnight, and it now looks like a longer-term project than something solved in one offseason.
“Tight end’s a position that requires a lot of versatility,” Eagles OC Sean Mannion explained in mid-August. “I know Eli’s put a lot of work into improving as a blocker, and along with that entire position group, there’s a huge commitment to being productive in both areas.”
Stowers was eventually placed on injured reserve after dealing with quadriceps and hamstring injuries before the regular season opener, which means he’ll miss at least four weeks. Some have pointed to that move as a way to take attention off the idea that the rookie wasn’t quite ready yet. But even if Stowers does need more time, that doesn’t make him any less worth believing in.
In Other News...
Eagles Fans May Not Like Whats Coming To Tailgating
Changes to tailgating at the Eagles sports complex are expected to start on October 4, with hand parking set to become part of the routine. Under that system, attendants will direct vehicles into specific spaces, a shift aimed at curbing the oversized tailgate setups that have been spreading across multiple parking spots and creating traffic and parking headaches around the lots.
For fans, the bigger question now is how much those familiar game-day gatherings will change once the new setup is in place. An official explanation from the Eagles or the Sports Complex Parking Venture is still expected, but until that arrives, tailgaters are left reading the tea leaves on a move that looks designed to tighten control of one of the most visible parts of the pregame scene. [Read more 🡒]
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The more unsettled part of the injury picture sits elsewhere, with safety Drew Mukuba out of practice and wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg, while edge rusher Jonathan Greenard continues working his way back from a pec strain. Greenard still has not made his Eagles debut, but the rehabilitation reports have been positive, leaving the team with at least some optimism as it waits to see how quickly the defensive pieces around Carter can come together. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Are Hiding A Line Decision Tennessee Could Expose
Landon Dickersons move to injured reserve has left the Eagles with a real early-season puzzle on the offensive line, and they have been noticeably tight-lipped about how they plan to solve it. With Dickerson sidelined by a bone bruise in his knee until at least Week 6, the discussion has shifted to who gets the next turn inside, with Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and Fred Johnson all in the mix as the team tries to protect its interior and keep the offense on schedule.
The timing makes the secrecy a little more interesting, because Tennessee offers exactly the kind of front that can test an unsettled line. The Titans bring a tough interior rush led by All-Pro Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers, which means the Eagles may not get much time to keep this decision under wraps once the game starts. If there is a wrinkle here, Tennessee has the personnel to expose it. [Read more 🡒]