Birds' questions: Odds, return men, running backs
With training camp 2 months away, here are some questions to ponder ...
As Memorial Day weekend is upon us, we hit exactly two months until training camp. Rookies arrive at Lehigh on July 21 and practice the following day. The remainder of the team arrives July 24.
Between now and then, the Eagles have three more camps. Rookies and selected veterans return next week for workouts Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The entire team is in for OTAs from June 3 to 6 and June 9-12.
As we count down the days, we thought it might be interesting to hit on a couple of issues and see how you are feeling ...
* Jeff Haney in the Las Vegas Sun cites the Grand Sierra Sports Book (granted, we have never heard of them) as having the over/under for Eagles' win this season at 8.5. Are you taking the over or the under? By the way, New England is at a crazy 13.5.
* Also according to Haney, citing the Las Vegas Hilton sports book (we have heard of them and been there, too), the Eagles' odds to win the division are 9-2. Dallas is listed at 5-9, the Giants at 7-2 and the Redskins at 7-1.
* Special teams clearly has been a big part of the Eagles' offseason plans with their free-agent acquisitions and the drafting of potential kick/punt returners. If the season started today, who is back there receiving the first kickoff and/or the first punt -- DeSean Jackson, Lorenzo Booker, Quintin Demps, Bam Childress, JR Reed, Correll Buckhalter, somebody else?
* Les Bowen wrote about the running back situation the other day with Tony Hunt and Lorenzo Booker vying for carries behind Brian Westbrook. Here is the breakdown of carries by running backs last season: Westbrook, 278; Buckhalter, 62; Hunt 10. Fullback Thomas Tapeh had 5. The Eagles generally had three running backs activated last year with Reno Mahe being one of them to return kicks and Hunt often deactivated. How do you see that playing out this season? Will the three active running backs be Westbrook, Booker and Hunt, with Buckhalter not even making the team?
* And the age-old question about the Eagles: Will they add a wide receiver before the season begins? All signs point against that happening, but remember what they did with Donte' Stallworth.