Gunzlingr
05-05-2003, 08:47 AM
This, presumably, is why they pay Jim Johnson the big bucks, why the Eagles nudged their defensive coordinator up near the $1-million-a-year mark back in January, when the San Francisco 49ers wanted to interview him to be their head coach.
For the second successive year, Johnson must integrate four new starters into a very successful defensive unit - a unit that didn't really need to change much, from a football perspective, but once again had a couple of key changes thrust upon it by free agency.
In the Eagles' first minicamp, which ended yesterday, Johnson said he mostly looked for reassurance the new starters had sufficient tools. Chemistry and cohesion will come later, probably not until training camp concludes and the season starts.
"That's part of [the game]," Johnson said this past weekend, when asked about changes that include second-year safety Mike Lewis starting for departed starter Blaine Bishop, free-agent additions Mark Simoneau and Nate Wayne starting for departed middle linebacker Levon Kirkland and departed weakside linebacker Shawn Barber, respectively, and either rehabbing foot-injury victim Derrick Burgess or first-round draft pick Jerome McDougle presumably starting for departed defensive end Hugh Douglas.
"The biggest thing is just making sure," he continued. "I was concerned about the 'Mike' linebacker. From what I've seen so far [from Simoneau], I feel very comfortable with that. The 'Will' linebacker the same thing with Nate Wayne, I think we're going to be fine there. I think they're going to fit into our system good."
more (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/5787825.htm)
For the second successive year, Johnson must integrate four new starters into a very successful defensive unit - a unit that didn't really need to change much, from a football perspective, but once again had a couple of key changes thrust upon it by free agency.
In the Eagles' first minicamp, which ended yesterday, Johnson said he mostly looked for reassurance the new starters had sufficient tools. Chemistry and cohesion will come later, probably not until training camp concludes and the season starts.
"That's part of [the game]," Johnson said this past weekend, when asked about changes that include second-year safety Mike Lewis starting for departed starter Blaine Bishop, free-agent additions Mark Simoneau and Nate Wayne starting for departed middle linebacker Levon Kirkland and departed weakside linebacker Shawn Barber, respectively, and either rehabbing foot-injury victim Derrick Burgess or first-round draft pick Jerome McDougle presumably starting for departed defensive end Hugh Douglas.
"The biggest thing is just making sure," he continued. "I was concerned about the 'Mike' linebacker. From what I've seen so far [from Simoneau], I feel very comfortable with that. The 'Will' linebacker the same thing with Nate Wayne, I think we're going to be fine there. I think they're going to fit into our system good."
more (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/5787825.htm)