Eagles fans, Ellis Hobbs, more links

Several links to get to this morning. Some you may have seen, but we wanted to include them all just in case.

** Many of you have expressed concern that the Eagles need a blocking tight end. A fan asked ESPN.com's Matt Mosley if that's a need the Eagles should address. Here was his response:

I think Eagles fans are getting greedy -- and there's nothing wrong with that. You have three pretty decent options at tight end right now, but it wouldn't hurt to have another big body. If something comes along, Eagles tight ends coach Tom Melvin and the personnel staff will probably make a move. But that would be more of a luxury. It's not like the Eagles are going to come out this year with a bunch of double tight end looks. I think it's more likely that Philadelphia might try to sign defensive end Greg Ellis once he's released from the Cowboys. He's 33, but he could still be productive as a pass-rushing specialist.

** One ex-Eagle is doing a good job of figuring out life after football. Keith Byars has been named head coach of
Boca Raton Community High School, according to WPBF.com. He was also scheduled to chair a Big Brothers Big Sisters golf tournament over the weekend. "I'm a football lifer," he told the Web site.

** NFL.com's Steve Wyche rounds up some of the league's most underrated linebackers, including the Eagles' Stewart Bradley:

[Redskins LB London] Fletcher and the New York Giants' Antonio Pierce might be the more highly regarded 4-3 middle linebackers in the NFC East, but Bradley could be poised to make a move to leapfrog one, if not both. In his first full season as the starter, the 6-4, 255-pound Bradley had 108 tackles (the Eagles had him down for 151 tackles, including nine for loss). He is rangier and younger than all of his MLB peers in the division and he plays in a system that allows him to be aggressive attacking the line of scrimmage.

** NFL.com's Pat Kirwan includes Reggie Brown on his list of players at a crossroads in their careers:

Brown was a rising star who never quite made it over the top. He should be in the NFL for years to come, but it might be as a solid receiver in a group of receivers. Can he do what Antonio Bryant did down in Tampa? Brown needs a big season in 2009 or the Eagles' offense will become the DeSean Jackson/Jeremy Maclin show.

** The Sporting News is putting together rankings for each position. The most recent list was of returners, and new Eagle Ellis Hobbs came in at No. 9:

DeSean Jackson and Quintin Demps handled the return duties in Philly last year, but Hobbs was better than both of them while playing in New England. His 28.5-yard kickoff-return average was second only to Manning, and he produced seven returns of 40 yards or more. Hobbs should get a legitimate shot to win the job with the Eagles in '09, especially if Demps wins one of the starting safety spots.

Where other Eagles ranked: Jason Peters third among OTs; Shawn Andrews fourth among OGs (even though he might soon have to change lists); Stacy Andrews 20th among OGs; Jamaal Jackson fifth among centers; Brent Celek 19th among TEs; Trent Cole 15th among DEs; Broderick Bunkley 18th among DTs; Asante Samuel fourth among CBs; Sean Jones 14th among safeties; Quintin Mikell 15th among safeties.

** Adam Schein of FoxSports.com ranks the Eagles his third-best franchise.

** In case you missed it, yesterday we wrote about the Eagles reportedly adding assistant Brian Stewart from the Cowboys, and what people thought about him getting canned in Dallas after last season.

** Moving the Chains is thinking of joining Facebook. What do we think? Should we start an MTC account? Should we just start a group? I'm open to suggestions here. And yes, we're already on Twitter.

** Correction: The Eagles actually get back to work tomorrow, not today. I had it wrong in the initial post. Apologies.