Chip: Cary has a point, but...
Eagles coach Chip Kelly agreed Sunday that practicing against a potential opponent has its downside, which corner Cary Williams complained about, but Kelly said he thought the benefits outweighed the problems, given that the Eagles can't play the Patriots until the Super Bowl.
Chip Kelly said he appreciates Cary Williams' input, but the benefits of next week's joint practices with the Patriots outweigh the negatives.
"The value you get for every single player and every single coach in terms of what we're doing, you get a chance to go against another scheme and another team, I think it's really beneficial, as long as you and the other team are on the same page," Kelly said. "I thought it worked out really well for us last year, we had a good understanding of what both teams were trying to get accomplished."
The Patriots came to NovaCare for three days in advance of a preseason game last year. This year, the Eagles will practice in Foxborough, Mass., next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before the preseason game there Aug. 15.
Friday, Williams said he didn't like having to "tip his hand" against a potential opponent, and as a former Baltimore Raven, he didn't like the Patriots, partly because of the Spygate scandal. He noted that New England hasn't won a Super Bowl since its practice of filming other teams' practices was discovered and eliminated.
"I understand where he's coming from," Kelly said. "We do a lot more huddling when we're in those situations, we don't signal as much," to avoid giving anything away.
Kelly did not address Williams' characterization of the Pats as "cheaters."
He noted that the Patriots "get every single film of every game we've ever played" and are not on the Eagles' schedule this year. The only way they could meet would be in the Super Bowl.
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Kelly said safety Earl Wolff has been sidelined with a sore knee but is practicing today, the second public practice at Lincoln Financial Field. Still sidelined in walking boots are wideouts Riley Cooper and Jeff Maehl.
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Kelly said Matthew Tucker is "firmly entrenched" in the fourth running back spot, behind LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles, and Chris Polk. He said David Fluellen and Henry Josey are fighting to be the fifth RB, which implies that there will be a fifth RB on the 53-man roster, or at least on the roster and the 8-member practice squad.