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Eagles release 19, including K Henery

By WTOP Staff

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with veteran placekicker Alex Henery, the team’s fourth-round draft pick in 2011, and opted for rookie kicker Cody Parkey.

Henery was one of 19 players released as coach Chip Kelly pared his Eagles roster to the regular-season limit of 53 on Saturday.

Among those also released were cornerbacks Curtis Marsh and Roc Carmichael, both of whom were on the 2013 roster; running backs Matthew Tucker and Henry Josey; quarterback G.J. Kinne; wide receivers Damaris Johnson, Ifeanyi Momah, Will Murphy and Quaron Pratt; linebackers Emmanuel Acho and Josh Kaddu; defensive tackles Wade Kelikipi and Damion Square; offensive linemen Kevin Graf and Josh Andrews; running back Kenjon Barner (waived/injured); and safeties Keelan Johnson and Ed Reynolds, a fifth-round draft pick.

Wide receiver Arrelious Benn is headed to injured reserve for the third straight year and second with the Eagles with a lower back injury. Linebacker Travis Long is also headed to IR with a torn ACL suffered in Thursday night’s preseason win over the New York Jets.

Tackle Lane Johnson, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2013, is on the suspended list for the first four games after testing positive for banned substances and does not count against the 53-man roster.

The move to part ways with Henery was expected. He set an Eagles’ accuracy record on field-goal attempts in 2011 by hitting on 88.9 percent and had the fourth-best percentage in team history in 2012 at 87.1 percent. But he missed a key field-goal attempt in last year’s 26-24 playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. He also missed two attempts this preseason, including a 31-yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Everything happens for a reason, that’s how I’m approaching it,” Henery said. “(Parkey) had a great day. He was hitting the ball well.”

Parkey, acquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, kicked for the first time for the Eagles on Thursday night against the Jets and hit field goals from 54 and 53 yards to cement his spot on the final roster.

“I’d love to stay here,” Parkey said Thursday night. “I think I did pretty well, but it’s not up to me anymore. I did what I could and we’ll see what happens from here.”

Parkey signed as an undrafted rookie with the Colts, even though the team had perennial Pro Bowl kicker Adam Vinatieri on the roster.

“You’ve heard of him, huh?” Parkey said with a smile. “When I was there, I was trying to make the team, just like here. If I was able to do something and make another team take notice, that was fine, too. And that’s what happened.”

Henery and Marsh, a third-round pick, were both part of the 2011 draft class that just has another fourth-round pick linebacker Casey Matthews and sixth-round pick center Jason Kelce left from it. First-round pick Danny Watkins was released in 2013 and second-round pick Jaiquawn Jarrett was released in 2012.

The only one of the team’s seven draft picks from this year to not make the roster was Reynolds, a fifth-round pick out of Stanford.

There are also 30 players on the 53-man roster who have been brought in under Kelly the past two years, leaving just 23 players from former head coach Andy Reid.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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