From time to time, we hear about the information that can be gleaned from a player who played with a team that his current team is preparing to play. The latest installment of Hard Knocks provides an example of that dynamic.
Former Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who now plays for the Browns, provided a scouting report as to three key members of the Philly offense in advance of Cleveland’s preseason game against the Eagles. Though the intended audience was his defensive teammates, the rest of us were privy to it as well.
“Playing with Nick Foles, I realized on his long balls, his deep balls, he has like a teardrop effect,” Kendricks tells the room (and the rest of us). “He’s tall and he likes to drop it literally from the sky. So, corners, the timing’s just a little slower on the ball coming.”
That’s an assessment that other teams could have picked up from watching film. The next one would have been less obvious.
"[Zach Ertz] I think is the best receiver on the team,” Kendricks explains. “Notice I said ‘receiver.’ When it comes to blocking, you hit his f—king ass over and over, he doesn’t want any smoke.”
Kendricks also had a less-than-effusive assessment of the team’s swing tackle, who has played a lot the last two years.
“Big V?” Kendricks adds. "[Halapoulivaati] Vaitai. He’s so big that his size allows him to do what he does. You see, but he doesn’t have the quickest feet and he’s not the strongest. He doesn’t trust his feet at all. You get on him, his confidence will go down.”
It will be interesting to see what the Eagles have to say about the things Kendricks said, and it will be interesting to see whether other teams end up making use of Kendricks’ assessment when preparing to face the Eagles.
