Eagles Haven't Sent a Message to Jake Elliott Yet
PHILADELPHIA - Dave Fipp has a good role model when it comes to communication.
"My personal approach with any of those situations is always just tell the truth," the Eagles special teams coordinator said. "I mean my mom always said to me, ‘Just tell the truth and you won't be wrong.’"
The truth isn't necessarily all that bad for struggling Eagles placekicker Jake Elliott, who compounded his long-range issues by missing a 29-yard field goal against the New York Giants, the kind of hiccup that will start making a coaching staff think.
"I mean obviously missing the 29-yard field goal is not our standard and it's unacceptable," said Fipp. "I know Jake wants to be better in that and knows he needs to be better in that."
In the past few weeks, the Eagles have worked out a pair of kickers - former CFL All-Star Lirim Hajrullahu and ex-Temple and Alabama PK Austin Jones.
The spin inside the organization was that the due diligence had more to do with the uncertainty of a COVID-19 world in that you need to have a contingency plan just in case, something Fipp confirmed.
"I mean I think in those situations really most of that's been, you know, just with the COVID concerns I think the rules and regulations on getting players in here have changed throughout the year," he explained. "Our contingency plans are based off of those also.
"So as those rules have changed it's harder to get somebody in here for a game if a guy went down midweek, it gets harder and harder to get a guy in here as these rules change. So, I think really more of that is contingency plans right now."
Fipp was asked about what the signal of working out kickers sends to the struggling Elliott by SI's EagleMaven, and how he handles the obvious undertones.
"Just having those conversations being honest and truthful and frank," said Fipp. "I think a player always respects that. They just want to know the truth, whatever that is, even if it's the hard truth but that's better than telling somebody something that's not right.
“So, my approach to communication with these players at all times is just really forthcoming and honest with them. I know they can respect that and appreciate that."
Fipp then doubled down on the fact Elliott has nothing to worry about, something amplified by Hajrullahu and Jones not being proven entities and from the outside, looking in, more like contingencies just as Fipp expressed.
"In Jake's case, I mean it's easy because I don't think any of these guys have been coming in here working out to try to take his job," said Fipp.
It is worth noting, however, that the Eagles haven't brought in any punters to look at as contingencies for Cam Johnston recently and despite his big year, Johnston isn't immune to the virus.
That's not necessarily a conspiracy, though, and the difference could be as simple as the organization already having a few punters they would be comfortable with on the speed dial.
Elliott, though, must start righting the ship or the next workout at his position might be a more significant one.
"At the end of the day, all these players know all the time - and I've said this to you guys before going into training camp when you asked about why didn't we have another kicker on the roster or what not. I mean, at the end of the day, these guys know that they're competing for their job every time they're out there," Fipp said.
"They're competing against, not only the other 31 players at their position in the National Football League, but everyone else on the street. I think they're well aware of that."
John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Tuesday and Thursday on "The Middle" with Eytan Shander, Harry Mayes and Barrett Brooks on SportsMap Radio and PhillyVoice.com. He’s also the host of Extending the Play on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
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