When I get confused I like to step back and get real basic. That means typing up my own short and long depth charts. That way I get a better feel for the roster. Sometimes just looking at the roster on the PE.com can give you false confidence in some spots and a feeling of need in an area that is actually okay. It sounds funny, but things are different when you type in each name and see how they fit together.
I did this earlier today. A couple of things hit me in the head. I had completely forgotten about the presence of Dimitri Patterson. He was the CB we signed late in the year when Mike McGlynn went on IR. The Eagles thought enough of him that they put him on the roster. That shows you this is a player that they think could help them in the future. He's not a developmental project.
I think Patterson is important because he gives us a hedge with Jack Ikegwounu. Dimitri has been around the league for 3 or 4 years. He'll be 26 this summer. He could play if we needed someone to fill in at CB. Jack is still a mystery.
Patterson could also be a small hedge against losing MmmBop Hanson. He's a FA and could have some suitors. I think Hanson is limited to being a Nickelback, but we've seen teams take chances on role players in the past.
The CFL star we signed, Byron Parker, played CB up there. I figured we put him outside, but PE.com has him listed as a Safety. Interesting. He was a ballhawk in the Great White North. I have no idea what kind of a hitter/tackler he is. I always like the thought of adding someone with good hands to the secondary. If the team really thought he could be a centerfielder type of FS they could slide Demps to SS and avoid taking a Safety in the first 5 rounds. I still think they'll end up taking a SS to develop for the future.
It does feel good to have a strong rotation already in place on the DL.
OL and RB are sorta empty.
ANSWERS TO READER COMMENTS
Someone asked why I'm so down on Shawn Andrews playing next year. Let's just say I have heard quite a few things that the general public doesn't know. The Eagles organization isn't sure about his future. I've talked to numerous people about him and no one knows what to expect. You simply cannot count on this guy.
It isn't anything personal I have against him. I've been a big fan of Shawn's since his Sophomore year at Arkansas. I love dominant run blockers. I hope he gets his head right and comes back to the team. That would be huge for us.
Another person wanted to know about replacing Jamaal Jackson. Possibility. Jamaal looked really good in 2006. I thought we had a Pro Bowl type C on our hands. He's flat-lined the last couple of years. Jamaal isn't a bad player by any stretch, but I am worried about him. He's not heading in the right direction career wise. If Jason Brown of the Ravens makes it to the market I would absolutely have interest in bringing him in. He looks like a terrific young OL. I'm not looking to replace Jamaal unless I know it is an upgrade. I have no interest in some veteran like Jeff Saturday. I'd rather spend a mid-round pick on a guy to develop and challenge JJ in the future. Jason Brown is the one guy who absolutely interests me.
____
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Staying with the OL
In the comments section of the last post, Lynch talked about this scenario:
I've been finalizing a plan in my head and you and I are close. I simply don't think you can count on Andrews at RG. Spads hasn't told me anything personally, but his comments on PE.com about whether Andrews is part of the plan should tell you that situation is highly unstable. The Eagles almost always paint the brightest picture for the fans. If Dave has an article questioning whether we can count on him that is not good.
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=17319&spadaro=1
The idea I've been kicking around is very similar (as I mentioned).
* Re-sign Tra for LT. I'm not a huge fan of this, but it is the path of least resistance, so to speak.
* Mike McGlynn battles whoever at LG.
* JJ stays in the middle.
* Nick Cole is the RG.
* Todd moves to RT.
* You then spend either a 1st or 2nd round pick on an OL you feel comfortable being a key backup in 2009. William Beatty of UConn makes a lot of sense. He has plenty of LT experience. He could also play RT or possibly G.
* Mike Gibson and Chris Patrick are possible backups. I'd still like a veteran OL to add to the mix. Scott Young will be a FA, but I don't know if he'd have any interest in coming back here. Max Jean-Gilles remains a question mark because of his injury, but he could factor in. You don't need a guy with a bunch of starting experience, but you want someone who isn't new to the league.
* Shawn has to be thought of as the 10th OL. You better find 9 guys you're comfortable with. If Shawn plays, that's great. You simply cannot count on him. At the same time, you feel some obligation to leave room for him. That's why having Nick Cole at RG makes sense to me. Nick is serviceable, but you wouldn't hesitate to replace him with Shawn. And Nick can go back to being on the bench and being a role player/backup.
* King Dunlap is a mystery. He has LT potential, but still probably needs a lot of work. He'll be active the whole offseason. That will help. Last year he was an interesting project. This year he has to show growth. We've seen plenty of guys look good then let up and get cut. Calvin Armstrong really regressed from year 1 to year 2. Let's hope King stays hungry and has a better summer than he did last year. He's the type of player that needs to develop. That means building on what you did the year before. King was solid in 2008. We need to see improvement this year. You can't count on him in your OL plans, but you hope he comes along to the point where you have to account for him.
OT: Tra, Todd
OG: McGlynn, Cole
OC: JJ
b/u: Patrick, Gibson, rookie T/G , mid-level FA
??: Shawn, King, Max
This isn't an ideal scenario, but also doesn't rely on unlikely events. Obviously Gross hitting the market would change things. If Jason Brown hits the market that could change things.
The biggest downside is that you have a lot of new faces/inexperience as backups.
I completely left Winston Justice out of this. I don't think you can count on him in any significant way.
______
* Tra Thomas is re-signed to a short term deal, effectively one year if not literally. Herremans moves to RT.
* McGlynn, Cole and a first-day rookie compete for the LG job.
* Andrews is backed up by the runner up in the LG competition.
* OT is a serious consideration throughout the draft for the Eagles, and if the talent warrants it, then they jump. Depending on who they get, they may move Herremans back to LG, or move the pick to LG for a year.
* If they don't get an OT they like in the draft, they hope that Andrews bounces back this year and hope to have him and Herremans at OT in 2010, with two of the McGlynn/Cole/rookie guard combo at the two guard spots.
I've been finalizing a plan in my head and you and I are close. I simply don't think you can count on Andrews at RG. Spads hasn't told me anything personally, but his comments on PE.com about whether Andrews is part of the plan should tell you that situation is highly unstable. The Eagles almost always paint the brightest picture for the fans. If Dave has an article questioning whether we can count on him that is not good.
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=17319&spadaro=1
The idea I've been kicking around is very similar (as I mentioned).
* Re-sign Tra for LT. I'm not a huge fan of this, but it is the path of least resistance, so to speak.
* Mike McGlynn battles whoever at LG.
* JJ stays in the middle.
* Nick Cole is the RG.
* Todd moves to RT.
* You then spend either a 1st or 2nd round pick on an OL you feel comfortable being a key backup in 2009. William Beatty of UConn makes a lot of sense. He has plenty of LT experience. He could also play RT or possibly G.
* Mike Gibson and Chris Patrick are possible backups. I'd still like a veteran OL to add to the mix. Scott Young will be a FA, but I don't know if he'd have any interest in coming back here. Max Jean-Gilles remains a question mark because of his injury, but he could factor in. You don't need a guy with a bunch of starting experience, but you want someone who isn't new to the league.
* Shawn has to be thought of as the 10th OL. You better find 9 guys you're comfortable with. If Shawn plays, that's great. You simply cannot count on him. At the same time, you feel some obligation to leave room for him. That's why having Nick Cole at RG makes sense to me. Nick is serviceable, but you wouldn't hesitate to replace him with Shawn. And Nick can go back to being on the bench and being a role player/backup.
* King Dunlap is a mystery. He has LT potential, but still probably needs a lot of work. He'll be active the whole offseason. That will help. Last year he was an interesting project. This year he has to show growth. We've seen plenty of guys look good then let up and get cut. Calvin Armstrong really regressed from year 1 to year 2. Let's hope King stays hungry and has a better summer than he did last year. He's the type of player that needs to develop. That means building on what you did the year before. King was solid in 2008. We need to see improvement this year. You can't count on him in your OL plans, but you hope he comes along to the point where you have to account for him.
OT: Tra, Todd
OG: McGlynn, Cole
OC: JJ
b/u: Patrick, Gibson, rookie T/G , mid-level FA
??: Shawn, King, Max
This isn't an ideal scenario, but also doesn't rely on unlikely events. Obviously Gross hitting the market would change things. If Jason Brown hits the market that could change things.
The biggest downside is that you have a lot of new faces/inexperience as backups.
I completely left Winston Justice out of this. I don't think you can count on him in any significant way.
______
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
More OL Talk
I still can't get my head completely wrapped about the line situation. There are so many odd variables that it can drive you crazy.
* What the heck is up with Shawn Andrews?
* Does the team have confidence in Todd at LT?
* Are they interested in re-signing Tra? Or Runyan (gulp)?
* Will Jordan Gross hit the market?
* Does Max Jean-Gilles factor into the equation for '09 even as a backup?
* Can Mike McGlynn win a starting job?
* What does the team think of Chris Patrick?
* Can Mike Gibson be a good backup?
Other than that I have a good handle on things.
One thing I started wondering about is whether Andy and Co. would trade the 2 1st round picks to move up in the draft and grab a LT. According to the trade value chart pick 28 is worth 660. Pick 21 is worth 800. That would give us 1,460 points. The #7 pick is worth 1,500 points. #8 is 1,400.
In our latest mock over at SNB we had Eugene Monroe go 6th, Jason Smith 8th, and Michael Oher 9th. The Eagles have the ammo to move up and get one of those guys. I guess the question is which guy they really like and if he is attainable.
Value Chart - www.profootballtalk.com/draft/draft-trade-chart
I have been asking all my sources for any OL hints. Nothing. I have come up with 655321 different scenarios and I don't know if I have come close to figuring out what they will do.
The key is solving LT. That can be Todd, Tra, Gross, or some draft pick. I guess the first pieces of the puzzle will fall in the next 10 days when we find out who does and doesn't get the Franchise Tag.
Depending on what we do at OT we may need to add some FA backups for the OL. Shawn is a question. Max might not be healthy. Cole might be a starter. McGlynn might be a starter. Todd might be an OT. Weird.
___
* What the heck is up with Shawn Andrews?
* Does the team have confidence in Todd at LT?
* Are they interested in re-signing Tra? Or Runyan (gulp)?
* Will Jordan Gross hit the market?
* Does Max Jean-Gilles factor into the equation for '09 even as a backup?
* Can Mike McGlynn win a starting job?
* What does the team think of Chris Patrick?
* Can Mike Gibson be a good backup?
Other than that I have a good handle on things.
One thing I started wondering about is whether Andy and Co. would trade the 2 1st round picks to move up in the draft and grab a LT. According to the trade value chart pick 28 is worth 660. Pick 21 is worth 800. That would give us 1,460 points. The #7 pick is worth 1,500 points. #8 is 1,400.
In our latest mock over at SNB we had Eugene Monroe go 6th, Jason Smith 8th, and Michael Oher 9th. The Eagles have the ammo to move up and get one of those guys. I guess the question is which guy they really like and if he is attainable.
Value Chart - www.profootballtalk.com/draft/draft-trade-chart
I have been asking all my sources for any OL hints. Nothing. I have come up with 655321 different scenarios and I don't know if I have come close to figuring out what they will do.
The key is solving LT. That can be Todd, Tra, Gross, or some draft pick. I guess the first pieces of the puzzle will fall in the next 10 days when we find out who does and doesn't get the Franchise Tag.
Depending on what we do at OT we may need to add some FA backups for the OL. Shawn is a question. Max might not be healthy. Cole might be a starter. McGlynn might be a starter. Todd might be an OT. Weird.
___
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Any Cuts?
Teams are starting to cut dead weight off their rosters. Will the Eagles make any such cuts? The only guy I'm totally in favor of dumping now is TE Matt Schobel. I very much look forward to the day he's an ex-Eagle. Far be it from me to hate a guy, but...I hate Matt Schobel. I don't wish ill upon the guy, but I would be happy if he were made the ambassador to the Sun and was sent there to negotiate.
Lito and Reggie are trade bait. I don't think we'll get great value, but something is better than nothing.
I can live with them keeping Winston Justice...just in case.
DRAFT
New mock draft is posted.
http://www.scoutsnotebook.com/modules.php?name=mockdraft0809
I'm finding more and more prospects who could be Eagles targets:
* RB Mike Goodson - Texas A&M -- Versatile guy with speed and elusiveness.
* TE Jared Cook - South Carolina -- Great hands. Good size. Very good speed.
* SS Otis Wiley - Michigan State -- Can cover and tackle. RS ability.
I can't help but think that Oklahoma LT Phil Loadholt has Eagles written all over him. Andy and Juan seem to love massive guys with long arms. He has some athletic ability. Phil isn't my ideal player, but I could see them taking him in the 2nd. No scoops, just a hunch.
___
Lito and Reggie are trade bait. I don't think we'll get great value, but something is better than nothing.
I can live with them keeping Winston Justice...just in case.
DRAFT
New mock draft is posted.
http://www.scoutsnotebook.com/modules.php?name=mockdraft0809
I'm finding more and more prospects who could be Eagles targets:
* RB Mike Goodson - Texas A&M -- Versatile guy with speed and elusiveness.
* TE Jared Cook - South Carolina -- Great hands. Good size. Very good speed.
* SS Otis Wiley - Michigan State -- Can cover and tackle. RS ability.
I can't help but think that Oklahoma LT Phil Loadholt has Eagles written all over him. Andy and Juan seem to love massive guys with long arms. He has some athletic ability. Phil isn't my ideal player, but I could see them taking him in the 2nd. No scoops, just a hunch.
___
Sunday, February 8, 2009
FA Stuff
I posted some OT notes. They are listed toward the bottom of the page, in the NFL section:
http://www.scoutsnotebook.com
We all know Gross is the #1 target. Who's next? Sadly, there is no clear cut answer.
The player I'm most interested in is Atlanta RT Tyson Clabo. You can see some Runyan in him. The bad news is that he's a RFA. I can't see Atlanta going cheap with his tender. I like Clabo, but not enough to give up a high pick for him.
Khalif Barnes and Max Starks are both risky players with talent. Those could be high-risk, high-reward situations.
Vernon Carey could be a target, but he's ideal for a running offense, not our pass happy attack.
We just found out that Jon Runyan had microfracture surgery on his injured knee. That is actually good news for the Eagles. It will keep him from getting interest from other teams. He won't be ready to play until July/August. The Eagles could look at him as a backup plan should something else not work out.
I still don't have an ideal backup scenario. Let's hope Gross avoids the Franchise Tag and hits the market.
MISC
I watched some tape of FB Leonard Weaver of Seattle. He's not much of a lead blocker from what I saw. He is a gifted runner and receiver. He could be an interesting target for the Eagles. Say you let Buck go and add Weaver. You then add a rookie RB and FB.
Weaver and the rookie could split time at FB. Weaver would be the power back. The rookie tailback should be an early enough pick that he has starting caliber talent. You'd work him into the offense.
This isn't a likely scenario. Just an idea to toss out there.
__
http://www.scoutsnotebook.com
We all know Gross is the #1 target. Who's next? Sadly, there is no clear cut answer.
The player I'm most interested in is Atlanta RT Tyson Clabo. You can see some Runyan in him. The bad news is that he's a RFA. I can't see Atlanta going cheap with his tender. I like Clabo, but not enough to give up a high pick for him.
Khalif Barnes and Max Starks are both risky players with talent. Those could be high-risk, high-reward situations.
Vernon Carey could be a target, but he's ideal for a running offense, not our pass happy attack.
We just found out that Jon Runyan had microfracture surgery on his injured knee. That is actually good news for the Eagles. It will keep him from getting interest from other teams. He won't be ready to play until July/August. The Eagles could look at him as a backup plan should something else not work out.
I still don't have an ideal backup scenario. Let's hope Gross avoids the Franchise Tag and hits the market.
MISC
I watched some tape of FB Leonard Weaver of Seattle. He's not much of a lead blocker from what I saw. He is a gifted runner and receiver. He could be an interesting target for the Eagles. Say you let Buck go and add Weaver. You then add a rookie RB and FB.
Weaver and the rookie could split time at FB. Weaver would be the power back. The rookie tailback should be an early enough pick that he has starting caliber talent. You'd work him into the offense.
This isn't a likely scenario. Just an idea to toss out there.
__
Friday, February 6, 2009
Random Stuff
Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been under the weather a bit and that's kept me off the computer more than I'd like.
So TJ Houshmandzadeh wants to be an Eagle. Great. I'd love to have him. I hope he's coming here to catch 60 passes and play for a reasonable deal. In other words...forget about it. TJ wants to go somewhere and be "the man". That ain't a happenin' in Philly. We don't break the bank for possession receivers and then run the offense through them.
I know fans love the thought of adding a big name, but how many have carefully looked at his numbers. TJ averaged less than 10 ypc this year. Sure, he had Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the ball, but Reggie Brown had better numbers when he was a rookie and Mike McMahon was throwing him the ball. Reggie had 26 catches for 354 yards that year in non-McNabb games.
TJ will be 32 next September. He doesn't have speed. He is a workhorse receiver that hauled in more than 200 catches the last 2 years combined, but still isn't happy. This is a guy that people are excited about?
The only thing I really like about him is what he'd do for us in the Red Zone. TJ had 28 TDs catches from 2005-07. That's excellent production. He is a big, physical receiver. That's what we need. Unfortunately I just don't think the overall fit makes sense, especially when he wants a big deal.
Anquan Boldin is back to talking about wanting out of Arizona. I would have interest in him. He'll be 29 this upcoming season. He's no spring chicken, but should still have several good seasons. Boldin is more of a playmaker. He has more career TDs (40 to 37). He averages more yards per catch (12.9 to 11.4). He has more plays of 40+ yards (19 to 6).
The problem with Boldin is that he wants money and you'd have to trade for him. I'd be willing to pony up a 1st round pick for him, but I'm not sure how much more I'd give. I know people will use the Dallas/Roy Williams deal as a reference point, but you have to remember 2 key things. Dallas clearly overpaid. Everyone sees that. Also, Roy is a young guy with huge potential. The best part of his career should be ahead of him. I'm sure Arizona will ask for what Dallas gave up and more, but I don't know that anyone will bite on that (outside of the usual wildcards...OAK, DAL, WAS).
I do believe that our WRs are good enough as is to win a SB. The reason I'd add Boldin is because he could give us a great group. And, like TJ, he is the one thing we don't have...a strong, physical receiver who excels in the Red Zone.
The draft will offer us some guys who fit the same profile. The player who I like the most in that sense is Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina. He lists at 6'1, 215 and looks big, thick, and strong. He's got good hands. He's tough and productive. Hakeem reminds me of a less athletic version of Boldin. There's no guarantee he'll pan out the same way, but they are similar.
We do need to add a WR to the mix, but I don't think we need to make any desperation moves. We're much better right now than many people realize. Adding a guy like Boldin or a high pick could give us one of the top WRs groups in the whole NFL. How crazy would that be?
FA THOUGHTS
I'm gonna watch some pro tape this weekend. I'll check out Leonard Weaver and Ray Willis. I'll look at Vernon Carey. I'll see if anyone looks like help for us.
Someone asked about Jordan Gross. Here's the deal. Jordan is a solid LT. He's athletic enough to handle edge rushers. He isn't a great pass blocker. He's more comfortable as a run blocker. I wouldn't rate him as a true blue chip LT. Those guys don't make it to FA (Orlando Pace, Walter Jones, Jon Ogden, etc.). I think Gross is an outstanding player, though. He has a good combination of size, talent, and experience. The Eagles would be lucky to get him.
MORE DRAFT STUFF
I've gotten some questions about why the team would take a CB high, as I've mentioned as a possiblity.
Lito is gone. He'll either be on another team or another plane of existence. He will not be an Eagle. That leaves us with Sheldon and Asante as the starters. We're good there. MmmBop Hanson is a free agent. I assume we'll re-sign him to be our nickel back. The #4 CB right now is Jack Ikegwounu. He suffered a terrible knee injury last January. No one knows for sure what he'll look like on the field. I've asked my sources and nobody has a strong opinion at this point. Can you count on him? I don't. Hanson is solid in the slot, but lacks the speed to play outside as a starter. If one of the guys goes down we need Ike to take over. If he can't?
We added CFL star Byron Parker. That's good, but he's no lock to make the team. I think you add a CB somewhere in rounds 1-4. We don't need a starter. We need someone who could fill in as a starter if things go wrong. If the right guy is available early on, you take him and consider yourself lucky to be deep at CB.
____
So TJ Houshmandzadeh wants to be an Eagle. Great. I'd love to have him. I hope he's coming here to catch 60 passes and play for a reasonable deal. In other words...forget about it. TJ wants to go somewhere and be "the man". That ain't a happenin' in Philly. We don't break the bank for possession receivers and then run the offense through them.
I know fans love the thought of adding a big name, but how many have carefully looked at his numbers. TJ averaged less than 10 ypc this year. Sure, he had Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the ball, but Reggie Brown had better numbers when he was a rookie and Mike McMahon was throwing him the ball. Reggie had 26 catches for 354 yards that year in non-McNabb games.
TJ will be 32 next September. He doesn't have speed. He is a workhorse receiver that hauled in more than 200 catches the last 2 years combined, but still isn't happy. This is a guy that people are excited about?
The only thing I really like about him is what he'd do for us in the Red Zone. TJ had 28 TDs catches from 2005-07. That's excellent production. He is a big, physical receiver. That's what we need. Unfortunately I just don't think the overall fit makes sense, especially when he wants a big deal.
Anquan Boldin is back to talking about wanting out of Arizona. I would have interest in him. He'll be 29 this upcoming season. He's no spring chicken, but should still have several good seasons. Boldin is more of a playmaker. He has more career TDs (40 to 37). He averages more yards per catch (12.9 to 11.4). He has more plays of 40+ yards (19 to 6).
The problem with Boldin is that he wants money and you'd have to trade for him. I'd be willing to pony up a 1st round pick for him, but I'm not sure how much more I'd give. I know people will use the Dallas/Roy Williams deal as a reference point, but you have to remember 2 key things. Dallas clearly overpaid. Everyone sees that. Also, Roy is a young guy with huge potential. The best part of his career should be ahead of him. I'm sure Arizona will ask for what Dallas gave up and more, but I don't know that anyone will bite on that (outside of the usual wildcards...OAK, DAL, WAS).
I do believe that our WRs are good enough as is to win a SB. The reason I'd add Boldin is because he could give us a great group. And, like TJ, he is the one thing we don't have...a strong, physical receiver who excels in the Red Zone.
The draft will offer us some guys who fit the same profile. The player who I like the most in that sense is Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina. He lists at 6'1, 215 and looks big, thick, and strong. He's got good hands. He's tough and productive. Hakeem reminds me of a less athletic version of Boldin. There's no guarantee he'll pan out the same way, but they are similar.
We do need to add a WR to the mix, but I don't think we need to make any desperation moves. We're much better right now than many people realize. Adding a guy like Boldin or a high pick could give us one of the top WRs groups in the whole NFL. How crazy would that be?
FA THOUGHTS
I'm gonna watch some pro tape this weekend. I'll check out Leonard Weaver and Ray Willis. I'll look at Vernon Carey. I'll see if anyone looks like help for us.
Someone asked about Jordan Gross. Here's the deal. Jordan is a solid LT. He's athletic enough to handle edge rushers. He isn't a great pass blocker. He's more comfortable as a run blocker. I wouldn't rate him as a true blue chip LT. Those guys don't make it to FA (Orlando Pace, Walter Jones, Jon Ogden, etc.). I think Gross is an outstanding player, though. He has a good combination of size, talent, and experience. The Eagles would be lucky to get him.
MORE DRAFT STUFF
I've gotten some questions about why the team would take a CB high, as I've mentioned as a possiblity.
Lito is gone. He'll either be on another team or another plane of existence. He will not be an Eagle. That leaves us with Sheldon and Asante as the starters. We're good there. MmmBop Hanson is a free agent. I assume we'll re-sign him to be our nickel back. The #4 CB right now is Jack Ikegwounu. He suffered a terrible knee injury last January. No one knows for sure what he'll look like on the field. I've asked my sources and nobody has a strong opinion at this point. Can you count on him? I don't. Hanson is solid in the slot, but lacks the speed to play outside as a starter. If one of the guys goes down we need Ike to take over. If he can't?
We added CFL star Byron Parker. That's good, but he's no lock to make the team. I think you add a CB somewhere in rounds 1-4. We don't need a starter. We need someone who could fill in as a starter if things go wrong. If the right guy is available early on, you take him and consider yourself lucky to be deep at CB.
____
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
2008 is Officially Done
That season is in the books. We're on to 2009. I guarantee the Eagles will possibly win the Super Bowl. Bet on it.
Everyone is trying to make some kind of post-Super Bowl analysis to figure out what the Eagles need to do. What did we learn from the game? What do we need?
I personally didn't get a lot out of watching the SB. I thought the Eagles were better than those teams. We beat both in the regular season. The problem is that the NFL postseason is no longer about who the best team is. NFL playoffs have become the NCAA Tournament.
Sometimes the best team is crowned champion. The 2003 Pats were the best team in the league and won the SB. Since then you can argue the best team didn't win. Other teams were crowned champion and that's what we remember. Tennessee was the best team from early on through the end of the regular season. They got out to a quick start in their playoff game, but then RB Chris Johnson got hurt and things came apart. They didn't even win a postseason game. The dominant regular season went out the window.
The Eagles have been on both sides of the situation, upsetting teams as well as getting upset, so I don't say this with any sense of bitterness or anything like that. Just an observation.
What did the Eagles learn? Get hot at the right time. Don't play away games in domes in the playoffs if at all possible.
I know a lot of fans are going crazy for Larry Fitzgerald. He's the best WR in the NFC. He was the best receiver in the playoffs. Great player. Santonio Holmes actually had more impact in the SB. He played great. There's nothing Holmes can do that DeSean Jackson can't. Eagles fans should focus on that.
DRAFT STUFF
I saw a couple of FB prospects this weekened. Frank Summers played RB at UNLV, but moved to FB in an all star game and looked good. He's basically a bowling ball with legs. I watched some tape of Marcus Mailei of Weber State. He is 6'1, 245 and looks like a solid prospect. Solid blocker.
Cal TE Cameron Morrah is probably not on my list for us. Very talented kid, but he came out early. Didn't show good hands in the game I watched.
OT Eben Britton could be a 1st round target for the Eagles. He'd play RT for us. I'm not sure he's worth a 1st value wise, but if you need someone to play OT you better grab them early. He isn't a project like Justice. Britton has started for 3 years, 2 at RT and this season at LT. He did come out early, but had a RS year. He'll be 22 when the season begins.
If the Eagles can't sign Jordan Gross, then Britton might be our best option. I'm really not into bringing back Tra or Jon.
______
Everyone is trying to make some kind of post-Super Bowl analysis to figure out what the Eagles need to do. What did we learn from the game? What do we need?
I personally didn't get a lot out of watching the SB. I thought the Eagles were better than those teams. We beat both in the regular season. The problem is that the NFL postseason is no longer about who the best team is. NFL playoffs have become the NCAA Tournament.
Sometimes the best team is crowned champion. The 2003 Pats were the best team in the league and won the SB. Since then you can argue the best team didn't win. Other teams were crowned champion and that's what we remember. Tennessee was the best team from early on through the end of the regular season. They got out to a quick start in their playoff game, but then RB Chris Johnson got hurt and things came apart. They didn't even win a postseason game. The dominant regular season went out the window.
The Eagles have been on both sides of the situation, upsetting teams as well as getting upset, so I don't say this with any sense of bitterness or anything like that. Just an observation.
What did the Eagles learn? Get hot at the right time. Don't play away games in domes in the playoffs if at all possible.
I know a lot of fans are going crazy for Larry Fitzgerald. He's the best WR in the NFC. He was the best receiver in the playoffs. Great player. Santonio Holmes actually had more impact in the SB. He played great. There's nothing Holmes can do that DeSean Jackson can't. Eagles fans should focus on that.
DRAFT STUFF
I saw a couple of FB prospects this weekened. Frank Summers played RB at UNLV, but moved to FB in an all star game and looked good. He's basically a bowling ball with legs. I watched some tape of Marcus Mailei of Weber State. He is 6'1, 245 and looks like a solid prospect. Solid blocker.
Cal TE Cameron Morrah is probably not on my list for us. Very talented kid, but he came out early. Didn't show good hands in the game I watched.
OT Eben Britton could be a 1st round target for the Eagles. He'd play RT for us. I'm not sure he's worth a 1st value wise, but if you need someone to play OT you better grab them early. He isn't a project like Justice. Britton has started for 3 years, 2 at RT and this season at LT. He did come out early, but had a RS year. He'll be 22 when the season begins.
If the Eagles can't sign Jordan Gross, then Britton might be our best option. I'm really not into bringing back Tra or Jon.
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