ND Kalu Knows He's Gone...

[PhillyPhreak54]

Class act drawing to a close

Age and injuries have reconciled N.D. Kalu to the end of his Eagles career.

By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer

There's a significant difference between the young players and some of the veterans who have three games remaining in this sorry Eagles season to prove something.

Donald Strickland, for example, is a 25-year-old cornerback who could play himself into a significant role with this team next season. He got off to a good start in that respect Sunday with a strong game in the Eagles' 26-23 overtime loss to the New York Giants.
N.D. Kalu, on the other hand, is a 30-year-old defensive end just trying to prove to anybody that he can still play.

After opening this season as the starter at right defensive end, Kalu is closing it as a backup to Trent Cole, and he says he believes his days in an Eagles uniform are quickly winding toward zero.

"You don't think about it, but... you know more than likely I'm not going to be here [next season]," Kalu said before practice yesterday.

Though the Eagles have certainly watched better defensive ends depart via free agency, Kalu is among the most honest and classy men to ever wear this team's uniform. Asked why he thought he'd be gone after the season, the veteran defensive pointed no fingers at his employer.

"I'm 30, and I have one sack," Kalu said. "... You have a star emerging at my position, and [Jerome] McDougle is going to come back strong. It just makes sense. If I were up there making the decisions, that's probably the same decision I would make. Hopefully, I'll go somewhere and do what [Derrick] Burgess did this year. I'll try to reinvent myself."

It remains to be seen if Cole is an emerging star and if McDougle can come back strong from a bullet wound that took away his 2005 season.

Kalu's future isn't exactly clear, either.

The most obvious conclusion is that his career with the Eagles is over, although he still might fit as a backup if he agreed to a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. Kalu, in his fifth season with the Eagles, has not been entirely healthy since the 2003 season, when he was the starter at right defensive end. He earned that job by registering eight sacks as a reserve the year before and moved into the role because Hugh Douglas signed with Jacksonville as a free agent.

He was supposed to be the starter again last season, but Kalu went down in training camp with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. In his absence, Burgess became the starter. After an unspectacular 21/2-sack regular season, Burgess parlayed three postseason sacks into a five-year, $17.8 million deal with the Oakland Raiders.
Burgess has a league-leading 13 sacks this season, 12 more than Kalu and a half more than all of the Eagles' defensive ends combined. That doesn't look good in a year when the Eagles have gone from NFC champions to 5-8 also-rans.

In fairness to Kalu, he wasn't supposed to be the starting defensive end this season, and he was told by linebacker Jeremiah Trotter before the season that he shouldn't expect to be at full strength until two years after his reconstructive knee surgery.

"The first eight weeks, including training camp, I felt great," Kalu said. "Trotter told me this is what you're going to feel, and everything he said came true. At the time when I wasn't being productive - and this is not an excuse - I didn't feel like myself. But I kept rehabbing... and now... I've been feeling stronger. I've wanted a shot to go back out there because I've been feeling better."

Kalu, who also missed nearly two full games with a strained rotator cuff earlier in the season, has improved in the last two games. He hopes to play even better in these final three games, even if he is auditioning to play in another uniform.

"I'm going out with the same intensity I had in training camp," he said. "I'm trying to make a team. At my age, coming off this injury, I really have to prove to people that I'm not only healthy, but I can also be productive if given a chance. These three weeks are very important to me."

[henchmanUK]

He's a classy guy. Shame he couldn't play.

[MURP]

"I'm 30, and I have one sack," Kalu said. "... You have a star emerging at my position, and [Jerome] McDougle is going to come back strong. It just makes sense. If I were up there making the decisions, that's probably the same decision I would make.

That says it all. 

[Mad-Lad]

Maybe some players will be nice enough to throw a going away party for Kalu, with a cash bar of course.

[ice grillin you]

wow...thats a pretty amazing quote

truth is he shouldnt even have been in the league as long as he has been and has gotten more snaps than he ever should have...and he probably realizes this

[Rome]

Kalu was a good situational pass rusher in his prime.  He was never, ever meant to be an every-down defensive lineman.

Too bad.

[DH]

I'll still never forgive him for not blocking that punt against STL in Championship game I.

[Feva]

I'll still never forgive him for not blocking that punt against STL in Championship game I.

I can't tell you how many times I watched that replay hoping that he could have gotten to that ball. 

[hunt]

Kalu was a good situational pass rusher in his prime.  He was never, ever meant to be an every-down defensive lineman.

Too bad.

i can't remember his prime...when was that?

he friggin sucks.

[Rome]

Kalu was a good situational pass rusher in his prime.  He was never, ever meant to be an every-down defensive lineman.

Too bad.

i can't remember his prime...when was that?

he friggin sucks.

Man, you've become quite the negadelphian lately...



He didn't/doesn't suck, dude.  He is what he is... a backup who was thrust into a starter's role when he wasn't capable of filling that role.

Sheesh...

[DH]

I'll still never forgive him for not blocking that punt against STL in Championship game I.

I can't tell you how many times I watched that replay hoping that he could have gotten to that ball. 

I actually met him outside the Vet a few years back and I asked him how close he was to blocking that and he just responded with "Oooooh maaan".

He knew it - he could have been a hero for that one.

[SD_Eagle5]

"I'm 30, and I have one sack," Kalu said. "... You have a star emerging at my position, and [Jerome] McDougle is going to come back strong. It just makes sense.

Saying McDougle will come back strong is wishful thinking. I wouldn't mind seeing an every down end added to the mix. Cole's been good this season but I'm not convinced he's the answer. Hopefully Freeney hits the market and if not I'd like to make a run at Howard.

[hunt]

Kalu was a good situational pass rusher in his prime.  He was never, ever meant to be an every-down defensive lineman.

Too bad.

i can't remember his prime...when was that?

he friggin sucks.

Man, you've become quite the negadelphian lately...



He didn't/doesn't suck, dude.  He is what he is... a backup who was thrust into a starter's role when he wasn't capable of filling that role.

Sheesh...

negawhat??   i represent the trouf for the youf.

kalu was signed for pretty decent $$$ and never lived up to his contract...therefore, i say he sucks. 

[Rome]

Kalu was a good situational pass rusher in his prime.  He was never, ever meant to be an every-down defensive lineman.

Too bad.

i can't remember his prime...when was that?

he friggin sucks.

Man, you've become quite the negadelphian lately...



He didn't/doesn't suck, dude.  He is what he is... a backup who was thrust into a starter's role when he wasn't capable of filling that role.

Sheesh...

   i represent the trouf for the youf.

[mussa]

I don't know where to start to figure this all out, but what current players contracts are going to be up, what players need to be extended for next year?

I remember talk about M. Lewis deserving a contract extension...anybody else??