Yesterday the Eagles added another set of brothers to the team to go along with Shawn and Stacy Andrews. DT Jervonti Jackson, brother of center Jamaal Jackson, was offered a contract.
"All I needed was a crease, a way to get my foot in the door," said Jackson (6-5, 300). "Now I have to show them there was a great reason for them to bring me back."
Jackson (6-5, 300) was a four-year starter for FAU, and helped lead the Owls to back-to-back bowl wins in 2008 and 2009."I had to show them I could move pretty good for my size. I didn't get pushed around. I felt like I did pretty good," Jackson said about his performance during the three-day mini-camp.
Wake Forest Punter Sam Swank explained why he decided to to sign with the Eagles despite having offers to sign a UDFA contract elsewhere.
Swank said he had free-agent offers from three teams, the Eagles, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. His decision to sign with Philadelphia was largely geographical -- he had lived in nearby Allentown, Pa., for seven years before his family moved to Jacksonville Beach, Fla., when he was 10, and Philadelphia is on the East Coast and thus only a two-hour flight from his family.
"San Francisco is way out there, and Cleveland is Cleveland," Swank said. "Since I had the hometown ties to the Eagles, I thought it would be a lot of fun to give them a try."
Swank also said that he was not asked to kick FGs during the Eagles first minicamp. He only punted and kicked off. The good news is that he did so pain free and is feeling no effects from the quad injury that made him miss a portion of his senior season.
Speaking of punters... The Eagles have signed another one. UDFA Bobby Kelsey from Illinois State. The Daily News assumes that this means Sam Swank will focus primarily on kicking rather than punting in training camp this year.