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Stallworth expected to fill No. 1 receiver spot for Eagles
By DAN GELSTON
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - Donte' Stallworth could not contain his excitement about joining Philadelphia: He patted his Eagles helmet, said the green made him look good and let out a big "Whoo!"
Only out of New Orleans a day, the Eagles' new No. 1 receiver believes a change of scenery could be exactly what he needs to fulfill his potential as the 13th overall pick in the 2002 draft.
"I can help the team win games, if that's catching deep balls down the field or catching short passes and making long runs down the field, I can do it," he said after practice Tuesday.
Stallworth was a nice addition to an Eagles' receiving corps with plenty of depth, but no true top target since Terrell Owens was banished midway through last season. Stallworth showed flashes of becoming a true No. 1 in four seasons with the Saints, including 70 receptions for 945 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
He has 195 catches for 2,791 yards and 23 TDs in 56 games, including 32 starts.
Like Owens, Stallworth (whose No. 18 is the reverse of T.O's No. 81) sometimes made as much noise off the field as he did on it. Stallworth violated team rules during minicamp and clashed with Saints coach Sean Payton over offseason workouts. Stallworth, who had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in January, also spent the early part of training camp nursing a sore hamstring.
Saints receiver Joe Horn tried to mentor Stallworth and took some of the blame for not installing enough professionalism in the newest Eagle. Stallworth said any rifts with Payton were blown out of proportion, and that injuries kept him from doing everything he wanted on the field.
"They were expecting me to do some things I wasn't able to do," Stallworth said.
Stallworth, acquired Monday for veteran linebacker Mark Simoneau and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2007, said he had taken Horn's advice and matured over the last year.
"Joe's like my big brother," he said. "That was probably the worst part of me leaving because he's been like a big brother. I told him you can't the blame. I'm 25 years old and I'm my own person. That's my guy until the day I die."
The Eagles have been looking for an upgrade at wideout since a bitter parting with Owens, who had 20 TDs in 21 career games with Philadelphia. Stallworth joins a crowded receiving corps that includes promising second-year pro Reggie Brown, longtime starter Todd Pinkston, rookies Hank Baskett and Jason Avant, and veterans Greg Lewis, Darnerien McCants and Jabar Gaffney.
The Eagles likely will carry six wideouts, so the coaching staff faces some tough decisions before finals cuts must be made by Saturday.
Pinkston and Lewis didn't want to talk Tuesday about Stallworth's arrival. Others tried to downplay his impact.
"Hopefully I've made enough of an impression that they'll keep me around," McCants said. "My job is to catch touchdowns so that's what I'm going to try and do."
Added Avant: "If it's going to improve the Eagles, I'm all for it."
Stallworth is a speedy, physical receiver who can stretch the field. In 2002, he became the first NFL rookie in 20 years to catch a TD in each of his first four games. His eight TDs that season set a team record for rookies.
"His running style is a physical running style rather than shaking-and-baking and making a man completely miss," said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "He's a playmaker and typically catches the ball on a consistent basis so I am happy to have him in."
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/99-08302006-704632.html
By DAN GELSTON
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - Donte' Stallworth could not contain his excitement about joining Philadelphia: He patted his Eagles helmet, said the green made him look good and let out a big "Whoo!"
Only out of New Orleans a day, the Eagles' new No. 1 receiver believes a change of scenery could be exactly what he needs to fulfill his potential as the 13th overall pick in the 2002 draft.
"I can help the team win games, if that's catching deep balls down the field or catching short passes and making long runs down the field, I can do it," he said after practice Tuesday.
Stallworth was a nice addition to an Eagles' receiving corps with plenty of depth, but no true top target since Terrell Owens was banished midway through last season. Stallworth showed flashes of becoming a true No. 1 in four seasons with the Saints, including 70 receptions for 945 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
He has 195 catches for 2,791 yards and 23 TDs in 56 games, including 32 starts.
Like Owens, Stallworth (whose No. 18 is the reverse of T.O's No. 81) sometimes made as much noise off the field as he did on it. Stallworth violated team rules during minicamp and clashed with Saints coach Sean Payton over offseason workouts. Stallworth, who had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in January, also spent the early part of training camp nursing a sore hamstring.
Saints receiver Joe Horn tried to mentor Stallworth and took some of the blame for not installing enough professionalism in the newest Eagle. Stallworth said any rifts with Payton were blown out of proportion, and that injuries kept him from doing everything he wanted on the field.
"They were expecting me to do some things I wasn't able to do," Stallworth said.
Stallworth, acquired Monday for veteran linebacker Mark Simoneau and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2007, said he had taken Horn's advice and matured over the last year.
"Joe's like my big brother," he said. "That was probably the worst part of me leaving because he's been like a big brother. I told him you can't the blame. I'm 25 years old and I'm my own person. That's my guy until the day I die."
The Eagles have been looking for an upgrade at wideout since a bitter parting with Owens, who had 20 TDs in 21 career games with Philadelphia. Stallworth joins a crowded receiving corps that includes promising second-year pro Reggie Brown, longtime starter Todd Pinkston, rookies Hank Baskett and Jason Avant, and veterans Greg Lewis, Darnerien McCants and Jabar Gaffney.
The Eagles likely will carry six wideouts, so the coaching staff faces some tough decisions before finals cuts must be made by Saturday.
Pinkston and Lewis didn't want to talk Tuesday about Stallworth's arrival. Others tried to downplay his impact.
"Hopefully I've made enough of an impression that they'll keep me around," McCants said. "My job is to catch touchdowns so that's what I'm going to try and do."
Added Avant: "If it's going to improve the Eagles, I'm all for it."
Stallworth is a speedy, physical receiver who can stretch the field. In 2002, he became the first NFL rookie in 20 years to catch a TD in each of his first four games. His eight TDs that season set a team record for rookies.
"His running style is a physical running style rather than shaking-and-baking and making a man completely miss," said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "He's a playmaker and typically catches the ball on a consistent basis so I am happy to have him in."
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/99-08302006-704632.html