On Spiller, QBs And Outside Linebacker Interest
The Eagles inquired about Bills running back C.J. Spiller prior to landing Darren Sproles, according to CSN’s Geoff Mosher.
Like Sproles, Spiller is a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. He is also four years younger than Sproles. The Bills weren’t interested in moving the five-year vet so talks never got very serious, according to the report. It’s an interesting nugget nonetheless. Clearly, Chip Kelly prioritized finding a versatile weapon to add to the mix this offseason, particularly given the decision to move on from DeSean Jackson.
Spiller rushed for 933 yards on 202 attempts (4.6 avg.) in 2013 and caught 33 balls for 185 yards. Sproles ran for 202 yards on 53 attempts (4.2 avg.) and had 71 receptions for 604 yards.
This weekend, LeSean McCoy said he was open to the idea of receiving a lighter workload in the name of staying fresh. It would have been interesting to see how Kelly and Duce Staley would have utilized Spiller in tandem with one of the top backs in the league.
Eagles not showing interest in Savage, Mettenberger
Peter King writes that local QB prospect Tom Savage has become a hot name in league circles of late. Savage grew up in Springfield, PA and attended Cardinal O’Hara High School. The 6-5, 230-pounder finished his college career at Pitt and threw for close to 3,000 yards with 21 touchdowns to nine interception in 2013. According to King, he will visit or work out for upwards of 25 teams when all is said and done.
We’re told the Eagles, though, have shown little interest in Savage to date. The same can be said for LSU signal-caller Zach Mettenberger. And Tajh Boyd’s camp isn’t looking at Philly as the most likely of landing spots for the Clemson quarterback.
We’ve seen plenty of instances in the past where a team shows little interest in a player during the pre-draft process and comes out of nowhere to select him, though that seems less likely with the current regime, which seems to put a lot of stock in the vetting process. Still, anything is possible on draft day.
Eagles reportedly interested in OLB Powell
Florida outside linebacker Ronald Powell is “getting very serious looks by the Eagles,” according to Philly.com’s Jimmy Kempski. Powell (6-3, 237) was the No. 1 high school prospect in 2010, per Rivals.com.
Powell is an intriguing prospect. His college career hit a bump when he tore his ACL during the spring of 2012. Powell missed the entire 2012 season, but returned in 2013, when he had 4 sacks. Unless you’re Adrian Peterson, there’s a belief that it takes 2 years or longer to fully recover from a torn ACL.