Eagles Add Three More Rookie Free Agents, Sign OG Murphy
Last Thursday and over the weekend, the Eagles added a league-high 13 rookies via the NFL Draft. On Monday, they finalized short-term contracts with 11 undrafted free agent players. And yet, despite their massive amount of acquisitions as of late, Philadelphia did not stop adding to their offseason roster, as they announced a few more moves today. Three more first-year free agents have been signed, as well as a veteran offensive guard who was recently waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Each of the three rookies who have signed are listed below with a brief description regarding them:
- RB Keithon Flemming: His 16 touchdowns in 2009 led the West Texas A&M squad and wowed some local scouts, but a severely dislocated elbow that kept him out of six games is what many believe cost Flemming a legitimate chance to get drafted. His lack of consistency early in his collegiate career and performance against supposed lesser competition also contributed to that fact, but the running back still possesses the versatility and determination to make it in the NFL. He’s pretty small at 5-foot-10 and 208 pounds, but has proven to be a weapon in both the rushing and receiving aspects of the game, and could very well battle for a reserve job in the backfield this offseason.
- DE/OLB Eric Moncur: His opportunities in college with Miami were limited due to a variety of injuries, but Moncur has clearly been of interest to the Eagles, especially because of his speed around the edge of defensive lines and towards opposing teams’ quarterbacks as a pass rusher. He visited with the Philly organization prior to the Draft, and–though often criticized for avoiding blocks and lacking the consistency to play as an every-down defender–figures to compete for a reserve role, whether that be with the defensive linemen or the linebacker corps.
- CB Devin Ross (pictured): Arguably one of the most decorated and highly-touted players who was surprisingly not picked in the Draft, Ross provides the Eagles with an immediate candidate to play a situational role in the secondary. A two-time recipient of All-Pac-10 awards while in the NCAA and playing for Arizona, the cornerback showed a lot of promise in his final two seasons as a Wildcat; it was primarily his lack of experience in his first two years and undersized frame that made teams hesitant on Draft day to select him. Nevertheless, he has a serious amount of upside and seems as if he can truly make an impact this offseason, battling for a roster spot with his aggressive coverage techniques and impressive ability to read opponents’ plays.
Besides the players mentioned and described, the veteran added–guard Shawn Murphy–is also likely to compete for a roster spot this offseason. Originally selected in the 4th-round of the 2008 Draft by the Dolphins, the lineman is best known for his skills as a run blocker and overall amount of versatility. Quite speedy for a player who was most recently measured as being 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, he was a two-year starter at Utah State while in college, and played for the Buccaneers this past season in a reserve role. He is expected to battle with guys like Mike McGlynn and some of the acquired rookies for a backup job on the o-line.
