Philadelphia Eagles' Secret Weapons

DeSean Jackson. No. Jeremy Maclin. No. Brent Celek. No. Give up? I have one offensive and one defense player for you. Jason Avant and Tracy White.
Avant has been linked as McNabb's favorite target before the entrance of Jackson and Maclin. The reason? He is a polished route runner with strong hands and a knack for finding the first down marker on third down. This four year veteran has developed into a solid slot option and a very reliable option on short throws to counter the down-field explosion of Jackson and Maclin. This past season he set career highs in receptions (41), receiving yards (579) and touchdowns (3). He also recorded just his second 100 yard receiving game of his career this against San Diego in November. In that game Avant set a career long catch of 58 yards. He also set single game career records of catches (8) and yards receiving (156). He rarely drops passes and doesn't shy away from contact when he has to go over the middle to convert the third down. I simply cannot find a reason to dislike him. He isn't flashy and exciting, but he is reliable and always gets the job done. My hat is off to you Jason Avant.
On the defensive side of the ball there is one player that stood out in my mind all season. Every time I saw the lackluster effort of the sluggish, unmotivated defense get turned around, only momentarily, it was by the play of number 52, Tracy White. He was brought in as a free agent in 2008 after spending time with Seattle, Jacksonville and Green Bay. White was an undrafted free agent out of Howard, so in order to stay in the league he had to perform well on special teams. He came to Philadelphia as a special teams player, but due to injuries and lifeless play, White got a chance to play live game snaps. Knowing that he must make the most out of every opportunity he got, White played with tremendous passion and energy, something the team has been lacking.
Two unsung heroes, Avant and White, have excelled in their play and as a result they provided the team with some life during points this season where the light at the end of the tunnel looked like the eye of a needle. White took advantage of injuries and poor play by the starting linebackers and worked his way into a very productive season. Perhaps his stats don't suggest he had a tremendous season, but his work ethic on the field caught the eye of the coaches as he showcased his ability as a linebacker, not just a special teamer. Perhaps his play will earn him a considerable look this upcoming training camp. I know he deserves it. As for Avant, his consistency will continue to earn him playing time. He makes the most of his catches and due to his hard work he has earned the respect of his teammates. White and Avant are two of the players that make the wheels on the Eagles' bus go, and hopefully next year they will help the team churn those wheels all the way to the Super Bowl.

Another name to remember

Redshirt freshman John Boyett. Free Safety: Oregon. He replaced the defensive leader T.J Ward for six games this season and lead the Ducks with 78 tackles. He played tremendous in the glorious opportunity he was presented with. Instead of doing nothing with the golden opportunity he made the most of it. He parlayed his efforts into a first team All-America recognition. During the Rose Bowl against Ohio State he displayed his athletic ability. He was playing a two deep zone and followed the eyes of Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor and shaded over to elevate up and pick the ball off. On another play a Buckeye receiver went up for a catch and on his way down Boyett made an outstanding football play. He went low on the receiver cutting out his legs from under him causing the receiver to hit the ground on his shoulder. Due to the impact the receiver lost control of the ball and the end result was an incomplete pass. It was a very smart football play by a very intelligent football player. I cant wait to see over the next three seasons how Boyett grows as a football player. He seems to have all the intangibles a safety needs to be successful in college football. He will take the gift of playing time he had this season and parlay it into a strong sophomore campaign now that he has experienced playing major FBS football against strong competition. I think he will develop into a very good all-around safety by his junior season.