Marcus Green Offers Intel on Falcons
PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - In football-crazy Philadelphia Marcus Green might be the one guy in the Eagles locker room people don't recognize.
At least not yet.
That's because the 5-foot-8, 185-pound receiver spent his spring and summer in Atlanta as a sixth-round draft choice out of Louisiana-Monroe.
In the scant five months of his professional career, the 23-year-old Green has already spent time in arguably the two most talented receiving rooms in the NFL with the Falcons and now the Eagles where he was added to the practice squad on Sept. 1.
"Honestly being around D-Jac and Alshon, Nelly and then also being in Atlanta with Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu and Julio Jones, I've seen the best of the best for the past two months," Green said. "Just learning from those guys I can say I've been spoiled with receiving knowledge."
Last week much was made of Washington bringing in former Eagles Wendell Smallwood and Treyvon Hester before the season opener. This time Philadelphia has a little intel with Green spilling the beans a bit on what Dirk Koetter wants accomplished in Atlanta.
"I mean, of course, what coach wouldn't want at least a little insight," Green acknowledged when asked if the Eagles coaching staff had checked in with him. "I did what I could."
And what's the scouting report Green offered?
"Just a lot of quick stuff," he explained when asked about the Falcons offense "Matt Ryan is a pretty slick guy, very smart. So the defense just has to be on their toes and you know they move the ball pretty fast and they line up quick and they try to snap the ball [quickly] and try to keep the defense off balance."
Green enjoyed his time in Atlanta but it was a relationship he built in college at Lousiana-Monroe that fast-tracked his arrival in Philadelphia.
"It wasn't bad," he said of his time with the Falcons. "Definitely two different cultures. Here Coach Doug does a great job. Great culture around here. I've been around him outside of this league. I played with his son in college at ULM. ... So you know, I'm pretty familiar with Doug you know how he does it."
As an undersized speedy receiver, Green is already sitting under the learning tree of his locker neighbor DeSean Jackson.
"Of the guys I've been around probably DJ," Green said when asked which of the great receivers he's been around he can learn the most from. "Watching him as a kid, he's been in the game a long time. Being in a room with him now is [amazing]."
Known for his speed Green, like so many others, was in awe of how Jackson can still open it up at 32.
"I learned that Sunday. You know practice you don't gas it. We will do our practice, some walkthrough, some practice ramps and then in the game, I saw 10 open up. He's still got it. He hasn't lost a step."
-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen