Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was peppered with questions regarding linebacker Nigel Bradham’s arrest when he stepped to the podium on Wednesday morning. The first-year head coach stood by the newly-added linebacker's place on the team.
"I had a conversation with him last night, laid out my expectations for him," Pederson said. "He’s humbled by it. He understands the situation and the magnitude, but until we get further details from the authorities I can’t speculate any further."
Following the Eagles second assault accusation of the summer, Pederson was asked if he has outlined his expectations for the team off the field.
"Yes I have, I did it back in April," Pederson said. "My first team meeting with them, you always lay out your expectations for them on the field and off the field, and you’ve got to make smart decisions. We’re in a high profile business and being in the city of Philadelphia things get magnified a bit, and you’ve just got to be smart and careful. Obviously we all suffer from our bad choices, bad decisions, and consequences from that. I addressed the team quite often, actually I addressed the rookies just the other night. In tonight’s meeting we’ll have the same similar message."
Having mentioned that he has addressed his expectations for his football team off the field, the first-year head coach was asked whether Bradham’s arrest would be grounds for release.
"I don’t foresee anything like that, no."
There are many similarities between Pederson’s and former head coach Andy Reid’s practice schedule, and the new Eagles coach was asked what they will be doing differently from the Eagles all-time coaching wins leader.
"I’ll tell you this, this schedule that we’re about to partake this training camp, took this team to many NFC championship games, it took them to the Super Bowl, it won a ton of games," Pederson said. "So my feeling on it, I went through it as a player in Green Bay with Mike Holmgren, I went through it as a player with coach Reid in 1999, and then obviously a couple years ago. So this schedule is proven, with the rules now, with practicing one time a day, it allows players to get plenty of rest in the afternoon, so there won’t be much change. The one thing I’ll do probably a little different, every third or fourth day go ahead and take the pads off and give the players a little break at that time.”
Pederson sounded enlivened when asked about the progress of running back from West Virginia Wendell Smallwood after an array of disciplinary inquiries.
"I was excited when we drafted him," Pederson said. "I was excited during rookie camp when we had him in here, the entire offseason program and he came back ready to go in a great frame of mind. He’s going to put himself in a position to help us this season, I believe he’s that good. Excellent route runner, good hands, patient runner. I love the fact that he’s kind of a one-cut, no nonsense type guy. He’s a downhill guy, but fast enough to separate and create some long runs. I’m excited, again, once we get into pads, protection, how well can you protect? A lot of backs in college they come to this level, that’s something they’ve got to learn extremely fast."
The 2015 Big 12 rushing leader will compete with explosive return man Kenjon Barner for the third running back spot. Barner returned two punts for touchdowns last preseason, including a dazzling 92-yarder in which he spun and maneuvered his way to the end zone to close out the first half against Indianapolis last August.
Patrick Del Gaone is a staff writer for Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Del_Gaone.
