FanHouse StewartBradley

It happens every year at training camp, yet every year seems worse than the ones that preceded it: players get injured, sometimes seriously, and an offseason worth of plans suddenly become meaningless.

The Eagles will be without middle linebacker Stewart Bradley for the season, and things aren't looking good for Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas (and this is while the club tries to negotiate an extension with Roddy White).

And on Sunday, the Ravens' No. 2 wideout, Mark Clayton, strained a hamstring that will keep him out 2-3 preseason games. Compared to Bradley or Douglas, that's good news, but Baltimore also doesn't have much depth at receiver. More than that, quarterback Joe Flacco is just in his second season. Spreading the offensive burden seems like the best strategy to build on the success he had last year, but that becomes problematic if Flacco doesn't have anybody to throw to. Or maybe it doesn't.

The Eagles will be without starting linebacker Stewart Bradley for the season. He tore his ACL during the first week of training camp, leaving a big hole in the middle of their defense (particularly after safety Brian Dawkins wasn't re-signed).

Compounding matters: longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle to cancer and his replacement, 35-year-old Sean McDermott, is in his first year on the job. The Eagles have signed a couple warm bodies -- Matt Wilhelm and Jason Babin -- and second-year linebacker Joe Mays will also get a shot at replacing Bradley. (There was some speculation that Omar Gaither might get the nod but it looks like he'll remain the fourth linebacker, at least for now.)

As we get ready for this week's huge matchup between the Eagles and Redskins, I exchanged e-mails with Derek from the Iggles Blog. Derek was nice enough to offer some insights on the Eagles for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: Another week, another big NFC East battle. Your Eagles are 2-2, which means they've shown you some really good things and some stuff that wasn't so good. Assess where you think Philly is at right now.

Derek: Exactly where we thought they'd be before the season, except switch the results against Pittsburgh and Chicago. Philly is a maturing team with a lot of developing talent. The two problems last week were that too many players were hurt and sometimes "maturing" can also mean "young and untested."

Assuming a few important players can get and stay healthy, this still looks like a team that's going to be in the mix come playoff time. It's just that expectations for immediate awesomeness – rather than season-long improvement – got a little high after the first three games.

Sportz: I noticed on your blog that some questionable coaching decisions may have contributed to the loss to the Bears. How are Andy Reid and his staff regarded among Eagle fans?

What's the most significant thing about the Eagles signing reserve linebacker Rocky Boiman? Oh, I don't know? Not much besides all the bad puns people have been making about a man named Rocky joining a team in Philadelphia.

I hope to avoid the puns and will instead share with you Mr. Boiman's take on sharing the name of perhaps Philly's greatest sports legend, "There's definitely some irony there. It should be a fun thing." Boiman will likely backup a player younger than him, whether it be Stewart Bradley or Chris Gocong. The Eagles signed him to a one year deal but if things go well, he could certainly be here longer.

One of the aspects that makes this a real nice signing is Boiman's extensive experience on special teams, an area the Birds have been severely lacking in the past few seasons.

Boiman's addition helps add some depth where former Eagle Takeo Spikes left a void. At six foot four and 240 pounds, Rocky is best known for his run stopping ability and his penchant for raw eggs. Doh!

This is a slightly modified segment of one that was run on NFL FanHouse last year, in which a specific team blogger scours the internet and interviews a blogger of the opposing team.

I began this season by interviewing Sean Portnoy of Eagles Eye, a Most Valuable Network column that covers the Philadelphia Eagles.

Dan Benton: "Another year, another group of receivers for the Philadelphia Eagles. Who will be Donovan McNabb's go-to guy this weekend?"

Sean Portnoy: "Reggie Brown had a fine season in his second year, serving as the #2 guy when Donte Stallworth was in the lineup and the top receiver when Stallworth was injured. Brown doesn't have the size and/or speed to make you think he's a legit #1 wideout, but the way the Eagles like to spread the ball around, he doesn't need to catch 100 passes. It'll be interesting to see if Kevin Curtis can handle the transition from mostly being a slot guy to someone playing out wide and having to get separation from press coverage. McNabb's usual safety valve, L.J. Smith, is recovering from sports hernia surgery and a separate groin injury, so he may be limited on Sunday. The sleeper guy who could wind up being the second coming of Chad Lewis is Brent Celek, the team's fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati. The rookie tight end played really well in the preseason, and Andy Reid sometimes likes to play promising first-year guys right away in order to see if they can handle the "baptism by fire." Don't be surprised if Celek catches a couple of passes in the middle of the field on third down."

NFL scouts think they know him, but they're wrong ...

Stewart Bradley, linebacker, Nebraska

WHAT NFL SCOUTS ARE SAYING

Pro Football Weekly: Is athletic enough to play in space and drop into zones. Plays off backs and can string out perimeter runs to the sideline. Plays hard. Brings a lot of force as a blitzer. Can match up with tight ends and most backs and carry them down field. Is smart, understands the game and plays with passion. Has special teams background and potential. Shows some tightness in his hips and will take some bad angles. Durability is a consideration (ACL, high school injuries). A big, strong "Sam" linebacker who began his Nebraska career as a defensive end, has lined up at "Mike" and has the versatility sought for a 3-4 defense.

Street and Smith's: Moves well through traffic. Reliable tackler. Plays within the scheme. Lacks top-end speed. Limited range. Big man with the frame to add 15-20 pounds. If Bradley can do that, he could handle defensive-end responsibilities because he has excellent quickness to get around the corner and create havoc. Has fine instincts. "A good kid who could make it as an outside linebacker or defensive end if he adds weight" says an AFC scout.

PROBABLY GETTING DRAFTED

Second or third round. Reading the scouts they're making him out like an extremely versatile 3-4/4-3 combo backer/end with good run, rush and cover skills and some athletic limitations. Maybe a more versatile but less athletic Bobby Carpenter if you will.

GUY WHO WATCHED HIM FOR FOUR YEARS IS SAYING

Bradley has some physical limitations but is a savvy and physical player who will find a great fit with certain teams looking for a bigger outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme or a 4-3 rush end/linebacker who is versatile. Bradley started a little slow in his career but really blossomed the last two seasons. At times he'd disappear but for the most part I found him to be a disruptive and productive force on the edge and near the line. He's really an intriguing prospect but I think many people only wish he were a little more fluid and fast. A solid NFL career is probably in the works, although maybe with a little special teams seasoning before he's trusted to make a run at a regular job.