Q & A With Andy Reid

[PhillyPhreak54]

Life goes on after Owens, Reid says

By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Scrambled eggs, home fries, and an assortment of fruit filled Andy Reid's breakfast plate early yesterday morning at the NFL owners' meetings.

A couple of curious reporters from Dallas and two others from Philadelphia sat at the same table as the Eagles' head coach in a room filled with his NFC peers, excluding Bill Parcells, the Cowboys' in-demand leader who has yet to publicly comment on his team's signing of Terrell Owens.

Apparently, Parcells has become far too important to attend such functions, despite the fact he has missed the playoffs during two of his three seasons in Dallas.

Anyway, here's a sampling of what Reid had to say on the subjects of T.O. in Dallas (the answers were predictably short) and the Eagles, who are attempting to rebound from last season's 6-10 trip to the bottom of the NFC East.

Question: How will Parcells handle T.O.?

A: He'll have a good time. He'll be all right.

Q: How do you feel about T.O. being in the same division?

A: He's part of their team. It's a team sport. T.O. will be the first one to tell you that.

Q: What was your life like with T.O.?

A: The first year was great.

Q: The second year?

A: No comment.

Q: Would you do the T.O. thing all over again?

A: I don't get into [second-guessing]. I don't say I shouldn't have done it. I did what I did, and you live with it.

Q: Have you heard or seen anything about T.O. saying he got a bad rap in Philadelphia?

A: I'm probably going to see it in July.

[July is when Owens' book about his Philadelphia experience will be released.]

Q: Have you heard T.O.'s rap song?

A: Yes, I have. It's always been one of my goals to get my name in a rap song. I still didn't make it.

Q: How and when did you listen to the song?

A: My son played it for me.

Q: Do you worry about any lingering fallout from the T.O. saga?

A: We've got so many guys up at [the NovaCare Complex] right now. Just about our whole team because of all the injuries. They've all been together and been able to get things off their chests. I think that's been a positive. You always get a good feel there in that first minicamp when you have everybody there, but right now I feel good about it.

Q: How would you categorize your wide receiver situation without T.O.?

A: I've never really said who's the No. 1 or who's the No. 2. I've always just said spread the ball around. That makes it tough on the defense. As long as you have guys who can run routes and catch the football, we're OK. You balance it out with the run game and go play.

It has a chance to be a strong corps. We added Jabar Gaffney, who has a chance to be a good player in this offense. Todd Pinkston's coming back and he's a good football player. You add Greg Lewis in there, and Reggie Brown and it's a pretty decent group.

Q: What's the team's interest in Buffalo's Eric Moulds?

A: We've looked at him. We're kind of going through that evaluation process right now.

Q: Do you need a star receiver to win?

A: I don't think you have to have the superstar. They don't have to be great players. They can be good players and do the things that are asked from them in the offense.

Q: Do you think Reggie Brown can be your top receiver?

A: He did a nice job for us. He runs great routes. After a bit there, we just put him at one spot and let him concentrate on that. He improved throughout the season. He's tough, he's fast and he's quick. He has to continue to catch Donovan [McNabb]'s football a lot this off-season.

Q: What did you like about Gaffney?

A: One thing that jumps out at you when you look at his tapes is he doesn't drop the ball. Great hands and runs very good routes. In this offense, those things go a long way. He has a good feel for the safety. We're going to use him a lot as the inside [slot] receiver in three-receiver sets. He wasn't afraid to cross the middle with linebackers and safeties.

Q: What will your offensive line look like this season, and is [left tackle] Tra Thomas going to be able to return from back surgery?

A: Tra is OK right now. Todd Herremans showed me some things last year at that position. He can play tackle, and he can jump in at guard. There's going to be some competition at the center spot. Jamaal Jackson has showed some good things. Hank [Fraley] has done a good job in the years he's been here. There's going to be some competition there.

Q: Will the offensive line be set by training camp?

A: I want competition. Artis Hicks [last year's starting left guard] isn't chopped liver, either. He's been starting for me for two years now. Put all those guys in the mix and it should be great competition.

Q: What about Dhani Jones as the strong-side linebacker?

A: He can do a better job than he did last year.

Q: Have you answered the questions you wanted to answer in free agency?

A: I thought [defensive end] Darren Howard was an important addition. It's been a bit under the radar, but I'm OK with that, too. He gives us a little pass rush we needed, and he can jump inside and rush over the guard, which he has had a lot of success with over the years. That will help us.

The quote about Dhani is telling. It shocks me that he is still on this team. Seriously. Cut the icehole and go get Hillenmeyer.

[rjs246]

Umprompted Todd Herremans references make any interview worth my time.

[ice grillin you]

i like that he basically said that herremans is not a guard...as ive said before him at guard would be a nightmare


just run good routes catch the ball and everything will be ok...wtf??

[PhillyPhreak54]

How do you interpret him saying Herremans is not a guard?!?

[Tomahawk]

"He can play tackle and jump in at guard."

Phreak, how could you possibly construe that to mean Herremans has any ability to play guard? Fool.

[PhillyPhreak54]

  - And Tom Heckert has said that Herremans canplay OG too.

There was also a little sidebar piece in the actual paper about Westbrook and one of the things Reid said was that he passed way too much last year and he wants to go back to his 58-42 balance that he siad they have done it years past.

[ice grillin you]

he can 'jump in' at guard

hes clearly saying in a pinch he can play guard...but that hes not a guard...which if youve ever seen him you can see that he isnt

[PhillyPhreak54]

Stop.

You've never seen him play OG.

No offense, man. But if Tom Heckert and Andy Reid think he can play OG I will take their word for it. Juan Castillo can get him redy to play LG. YOu put you best players out on the field and Herremans is one of the top 5 OL on the team.

[ice grillin you]

artis hicks can play guard too...i bet tra can play guard if he 'jumped in' there as well.....runyan get your ass to LG stat

[PhillyPhreak54]

And yet you continue to ignore the fact that Tom Heckert has said that Herremans can play OG.

Thats cool..you can deny it now. But when he is the starting LG we'll see whats up.

[SunMo]

i can't believe you two are having this arguement....again.

[ice grillin you]

im not saying he wont play guard...im saying he CANT play guard

[PhillyPhreak54]

How can you say that? Because he is 6'6? You haven't seen him play OG.

[ice grillin you]

well see....good to know that the eagles got a guy that can 'jump in' there tho

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Herremans was drafted as a pure tackle.  He is only being pimped as a guard, because the Eagles want him in there playing in games, as he'll probably be the new LT in 2007.  You don't want a guy stepping in to play the most important position on the offensive line after basically sitting out a whole season.

Unfortunately, I think Herremans over Clarke at LG means a more pass-wacky offense.