Gambling on Reno

Reno Mahe is set to return: punts and to the Eagles. I wonder if he feels vindicated? Is he aware that he was such a lightning rod for criticism in his last two years on the team? Fans inexplicably vilified Mahe for doing nothing particularly well. A jack of all trades, master of none type deal. The very definition of a journeyman professional football player.

But what we've come to appreciate about Mahe in the past week that we failed to take into account over the past couple of years is the one thing it turns out he did do particularly well. Catch punts and hold onto the ball.

Of course, Mahe's return is just the latest evidence that Andy Reid, Tom Heckert, and Rory Segrest are in deep doo doo as far as special teams is concerned. Sure Mahe is a known commodity with Big Red. But the fact remains that Reid's "solution" to the sudden crisis in the kick/punt return game - a crisis of his own making over the past three weeks - is to turn to a player who was completely out of football. Did I miss something or did Mahe not try out in any team's camp this summer?

Let's hope he's in shape, but really who cares. He's going to be on the field for 7-8 plays - none of them consecutive (knock on wood, I just guaranteed an offside kickoff and/or punt penalties requiring re-kicks) - and he doesn't even have to exert himself after the catch. Heck, fans would be thrilled with 5 uneventful fair catches. In theory, its so easy Brian Westbrook could have done that (and not risked getting injured). Unfortunately, it's not something G. Lew or JR Reed could do.

The larger issue is that he hasn't participated in a professional football activity, practice, etc. for at least 9 months. Reid is going to rely on a punt returner after only five days of practice? Even G. Lew had more reps than that.

Is this about Reid's comfort level with Mahe? Is it that Reid's ego won't let him admit the mistake of letting Jeremy Bloom go, so they can't go out and ask him to come back? Or is this just a coach grasping at straws - anything, even if it is Reno Mahe - to help bail him out of the hole he has dug for himself and his team? Methinks the last choice.

Seriously. Reno Mahe?  Eric Metcalf or Roy Green weren't available?

Welcome back Reno. No hard feelings. Good luck