***
I had a discussion with Matt Alkire on Wednesday evening about what the Eagles could and/or should do in the 1st round. One of the points I brought out was to forget about our needs and focus on the available prospects.
We allowed 27 TDs last year. We have a hole at RCB. The initial thought is to go get the best CB available. That's logical, but not necessarily the right way to think. Joe Haden and Kyle Wilson are the top CB prospects. Both guys are good players. I'm especially fond of Wilson. Still, neither guy is special. Not even close.
Flip over to the Safety position. There are a pair of unique talents in Eric Berry and Earl Thomas. These guys aren't just the highest ranked players at Safety. They are special players. You can refer to them as playmakers, difference makers, weapons...whatever you like. Just know that Earl and Eric are off in their own category.
We've talked quite a bit on here about how much we all covet Berry. I posted some scenarios the other day for how we could get him if he slides toward the 9 or 10 spot. Unfortunately, no matter what scenario you come up with, the notion of us landing Mr. Berry is a major longshot.
Thomas is a bit of a mystery. Mike Mayock likes him more than Berry and would spend a pretty high pick on Earl. I mention that because there could easily be a team that feels the same way.
10. JAX
12. MIA
14. SEA
15. NYG
16. TEN
17. SF
20. HOU
21. CIN
Any of those teams could grab Earl. The Giants did sign Antrel Rolle, but their Safety play last year was dreadful. Kenny Phillips knee is no lock to be good in 2010. Don't rule out FS for them.
Having Earl get through that gauntlet of teams isn't real likely. The question is how much we covet him. I have no idea what the Eagles think of Earl. I haven't heard his name mentioned by anyone in the know. I'm simply making an assumption, one that seems pretty logical.
If the Eagles do in fact like Earl and see him as the kind of playmaker we desperately need in the middle of our defense, then it will be up to Andy Reid and Howie Roseman to decide how badly they want him. You can bet our guys will be working the phones.
I'm not going to get into specifics right here. We've got multiple landing spots to talk about and all kinds of tradeable picks. The point is that we've built up a deep group of picks and that gives us freedom. With multiple picks in rounds 2-4 you feel less stressed by the notion of making a move.
We have holes to fill on the roster so I don't want us putting together some massive ransom to move up. I am willing to use one of the extra picks to help us land a special talent at the FS position. I have no problem with Big Red and Howie being aggressive. I just hate the thought of overpaying with so many good players in the middle of the draft.
I've talked about Thomas quite a bit this year. His tackling against big RBs can be a major issue. That gets pushed aside because of his speed, range, instincts, hands, and athletic ability. Earl has great ball skills and simply makes a ton of plays. Putting him at FS would potentially be a great move. We had a playmaker in the middle of the secondary from 1996-2008. That spoiled us. Having JAGs in 2009 wasn't a lot of fun. I appreciate the need for a playmaker in there. Also having someone that runs well and covers ground is very appealing. Earl takes good angles in pursuit. Think how different the first Dallas game might have been if we'd tackled Miles Austin at the 20 or 10 instead of letting him go for the TD. A good FS can clean up a lot of mistakes.
We're less than a week until the action gets started. Until then we'll just keep talking, guessing, and arguing for our guy.
GINTERESTING
Worst sub-headline ever? The Dolphins traded for Brandon Marshall. That could very well make WR/KOR Ted Ginn expendable (right Rambo?). Ted could be of definite interest if the price is right. Miami doesn't seem real high on Ted. If they shop him and get poor offers, that could put him on the bargain rack. I'd love to get him with a 6th round pick or something like that. We could use a KOR and backup WR. Bobby April game-planned for how to stop Ginn for 3 years while both men were in the AFC East. I'm sure Howie and Louis Riddick will talk to Bobby to get his thoughts on whether Ginn is worth calling about.
QB
Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson visited Philly the other day. He could be a good late round target. Earliest he goes is late 4th. Could be anywhere in rounds 5-7. He can run and throw. Has good size. Solid passer. Didn't have a great year, but a lot of his weapons were hurt or suspended. Kevin Kolb came to Philly back in 2007 for a pre-draft visit. Zac won't be taken early. He's not that good of a prospect. I do like the fact we're really checking him out. He's our type of QB and might be a great value pick.
ANSWERS
RE: what if Dez Bryant falls
Trade the pick to someone who needs a WR. Don't take a headache at a strong position. That's getting too cute with BPA.
RE: loss of Heckert on draft weekend
I think Howie has been preparing for this for a couple of years. Andy wouldn't have let Tom leave if he didn't feel we were prepared. That doesn't mean there won't be any issues. Any time you have change there will be some mistakes. Let's hope that any issues that arise are of the small variety and don't affect the overall class in any significant way.
RE: prediction about a player that is likely to become an Eagle
Tough question. Let me think about that.
___
Friday, April 16, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Links Day
***
You may have already seen them, but I had a few things post on PE.com yesterday.
* Thoughts on the pre-draft poker faces that teams put on
* Thoughts on the Eagles at TE
* Thoughts on CB as the biggest need vs adding a DE
I also did a podcast interview last night with the guys from EaglesFanCast. The interview lasted almost 50 minutes, but it didn't feel that long. When Chuck made that comment I figured we were about half done. We talked about McNabb, the draft, and lots of Eagles stuff. I even managed to rip SalPal before we even really got going. All in all, it was a good night.
Here is a link to their site: http://eaglesfancast.net/blog/
The podcast is at the bottom of the most recent blog entry. You can listen or download.
ANSWERS
RE: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
Good looking prospect. Has size (6'1, 207), speed, and some skill. Could go in the 2nd round. He had a shoulder injury. As long as that checks out he'll go in the 3rd or worst case early 4th. Finding big guys who can run is hard. They don't last long. The knock on him is being a D-2 guy. That is a legit concern. We didn't get to see him in an all star game so we have to project how he'll handle good competition.
Eagles could be interested. He could be a CB or FS target. The problem is that we'll address both spots early because we need starting caliber players. AOA is somewhat of a project. Do we spend a late 2nd or early 3rd on that guy, having already taken a CB and/or FS? Maybe.
RE: bust rate at DT
I think most talented DTs thrive in college because they are simply bigger, strong, quicker, and/or faster than the guys blocking them. In the NFL these DTs face blockers that are big, strong, athletic, and skilled. All of a sudden you can't get by on physical ability. You need effort, positional ability, and a gameplan. Effort is obvious. If you aren't better than the guy across from you, try to outwork him. Positional ability is having a honed skill set. In college a guy doesn't focus on hand placement, footwork, and stuff like that. He's worried about explosion or power. Gameplan is the need to know how to use moves and countermoves. You also need to know when to do certain things. On 3rd/10 you have to be alert to screens and draws. That isn't the time to recklessly fly off the ball. Be quick, but alert.
You may have already seen them, but I had a few things post on PE.com yesterday.
* Thoughts on the pre-draft poker faces that teams put on
* Thoughts on the Eagles at TE
* Thoughts on CB as the biggest need vs adding a DE
I also did a podcast interview last night with the guys from EaglesFanCast. The interview lasted almost 50 minutes, but it didn't feel that long. When Chuck made that comment I figured we were about half done. We talked about McNabb, the draft, and lots of Eagles stuff. I even managed to rip SalPal before we even really got going. All in all, it was a good night.
Here is a link to their site: http://eaglesfancast.net/blog/
The podcast is at the bottom of the most recent blog entry. You can listen or download.
ANSWERS
RE: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
Good looking prospect. Has size (6'1, 207), speed, and some skill. Could go in the 2nd round. He had a shoulder injury. As long as that checks out he'll go in the 3rd or worst case early 4th. Finding big guys who can run is hard. They don't last long. The knock on him is being a D-2 guy. That is a legit concern. We didn't get to see him in an all star game so we have to project how he'll handle good competition.
Eagles could be interested. He could be a CB or FS target. The problem is that we'll address both spots early because we need starting caliber players. AOA is somewhat of a project. Do we spend a late 2nd or early 3rd on that guy, having already taken a CB and/or FS? Maybe.
RE: bust rate at DT
I think most talented DTs thrive in college because they are simply bigger, strong, quicker, and/or faster than the guys blocking them. In the NFL these DTs face blockers that are big, strong, athletic, and skilled. All of a sudden you can't get by on physical ability. You need effort, positional ability, and a gameplan. Effort is obvious. If you aren't better than the guy across from you, try to outwork him. Positional ability is having a honed skill set. In college a guy doesn't focus on hand placement, footwork, and stuff like that. He's worried about explosion or power. Gameplan is the need to know how to use moves and countermoves. You also need to know when to do certain things. On 3rd/10 you have to be alert to screens and draws. That isn't the time to recklessly fly off the ball. Be quick, but alert.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Draft Talk - Random Stuff
***
Someone asked about what the Eagles look for in a prospect. I started on that post, but got sidetracked due to a busy day. I'll get it done in the next week (hopefully day or two).
Let's answer some draft questions.
RE: how much do the Eagles value FS?
Reader mcud77 gave a pretty good answer. We were spoiled for the entire Reid era by the presence of some guy named Brian Dawkins. We could build around him and behind him. Dawk's presence meant we had the luxury of taking Safeties in the middle of the draft to develop for the future. Now that Dawk is gone, we have a hole there. I think that opens us up to aggressively pursuing a FS in the draft. I don't know that we'll break the bank for Eric Berry, but you can bet we'll look into moving up for him. The price will be pretty high and I don't know if we'll bite.
mcud77 is also right in his point that we have to be careful about taking projects. I love Earl Thomas, but he has 2 stinkin' years of college experience. Is that guy ready to run the deep middle of my secondary? I don't know. Chad Jones is Junior, but only has 19 starts. Do I trust him? Nate Allen of USF might be the guy I trust the most. He is a Senior and 3-year starter. He has size, skill, athletic ability, experience, production, and a good postseason showing. He doesn't have the ceiling of Berry or Thomas, but feels pretty safe.
RE: Eric Berry talk a waste of time?
No. Absolutely not. We rarely have a shot to get a great player. Berry feels like he will be a great one. I think the Eagles would be fools not to figure out his worth to us and just how much we're willing to pay. You don't sell out the whole draft to get him. You find a pain threshold you can live with. You make some calls. There are a handful of special players in the NFL. Berry just reeks of a guy who will be special. I won't be mad if we can't get him, but I'd be really upset if we didn't at least look into it aggressively.
RE: Darren Sharper
No thanks. Overrated. PE.com was just reporting a story by someone else. Those guys aren't hyping up Sharper as a future Eagle.
RE: JAX trade
For those who don't have the deal memorized:
The deal didn't pan out for the Jags. So far. Harvey has been a pedestrian player. I don't think this is a lesson not to deal up. Just make sure you find the right guy and have the setting for him to succeed.
RE: trade for Glenn Dorsey?
I would take a flier on Dorsey if the price was right, but I would not give up a valuable resource for him. There is a high bust rate at DT and Glenn isn't setting the world on fire.
RE: using 2011 1st rounder
Interesting idea. Trade our 2011 pick in the 1st to move up. Then trade a 2nd this year to get back a 1st next year. I guess the question is why not just use the 2nd rounder this year to move up and cut out the shuffling around. Future picks are worth less because you have to wait to use them. Creative thinking.
RE: Maclin type sliders
RB C.J. Spiller, maybe. We're not looking for a RB early, but he could be too good to pass up.
RE: Mayock on Thomas/Berry
Mike is great at what he does, but he's having post-concussion syndrome from a hit in Junior High when it comes to this subject. I just don't see any way Earl Thomas is a better prospect than Eric Berry. I understand his love for Thomas, but he's gone a bit overboard. I have yet to hear him acknowledge Earl's performance in the Natl Title game. He was terrible when trying to tackle Mark Ingram.
RE: building the draft board
Long subject. I'll see if I can put something together.
RE: guys who slip
The Eagles have done a good job of picking up guys who slide. I need to study the board and think about this. Good question and it deserves a quality answer.
As for the notion about the new format hurting us...I agree. Unorganized teams will now have 20 some odd hours to re-group and come up with a new plan. I don't like that at all. We went into the draft highly organized and benefited from the chaos. No more.
RE: Anthony Davis
The Eagles look at a lot of underclassmen. They believe in being super-thorough. I can't see Davis as our kind of target. I bet this is either us doing due diligence or it is a smokescreen. I'll be disappointed if Davis is a pick of ours.
___
Someone asked about what the Eagles look for in a prospect. I started on that post, but got sidetracked due to a busy day. I'll get it done in the next week (hopefully day or two).
Let's answer some draft questions.
RE: how much do the Eagles value FS?
Reader mcud77 gave a pretty good answer. We were spoiled for the entire Reid era by the presence of some guy named Brian Dawkins. We could build around him and behind him. Dawk's presence meant we had the luxury of taking Safeties in the middle of the draft to develop for the future. Now that Dawk is gone, we have a hole there. I think that opens us up to aggressively pursuing a FS in the draft. I don't know that we'll break the bank for Eric Berry, but you can bet we'll look into moving up for him. The price will be pretty high and I don't know if we'll bite.
mcud77 is also right in his point that we have to be careful about taking projects. I love Earl Thomas, but he has 2 stinkin' years of college experience. Is that guy ready to run the deep middle of my secondary? I don't know. Chad Jones is Junior, but only has 19 starts. Do I trust him? Nate Allen of USF might be the guy I trust the most. He is a Senior and 3-year starter. He has size, skill, athletic ability, experience, production, and a good postseason showing. He doesn't have the ceiling of Berry or Thomas, but feels pretty safe.
RE: Eric Berry talk a waste of time?
No. Absolutely not. We rarely have a shot to get a great player. Berry feels like he will be a great one. I think the Eagles would be fools not to figure out his worth to us and just how much we're willing to pay. You don't sell out the whole draft to get him. You find a pain threshold you can live with. You make some calls. There are a handful of special players in the NFL. Berry just reeks of a guy who will be special. I won't be mad if we can't get him, but I'd be really upset if we didn't at least look into it aggressively.
RE: Darren Sharper
No thanks. Overrated. PE.com was just reporting a story by someone else. Those guys aren't hyping up Sharper as a future Eagle.
RE: JAX trade
For those who don't have the deal memorized:
The Jaguars traded their first-round pick (No. 26 overall), two third-round picks and a fourth-round pick with Baltimore for the No. 8 pick, which they used on Florida DE Derrick Harvey.
The deal didn't pan out for the Jags. So far. Harvey has been a pedestrian player. I don't think this is a lesson not to deal up. Just make sure you find the right guy and have the setting for him to succeed.
RE: trade for Glenn Dorsey?
I would take a flier on Dorsey if the price was right, but I would not give up a valuable resource for him. There is a high bust rate at DT and Glenn isn't setting the world on fire.
RE: using 2011 1st rounder
Interesting idea. Trade our 2011 pick in the 1st to move up. Then trade a 2nd this year to get back a 1st next year. I guess the question is why not just use the 2nd rounder this year to move up and cut out the shuffling around. Future picks are worth less because you have to wait to use them. Creative thinking.
RE: Maclin type sliders
RB C.J. Spiller, maybe. We're not looking for a RB early, but he could be too good to pass up.
RE: Mayock on Thomas/Berry
Mike is great at what he does, but he's having post-concussion syndrome from a hit in Junior High when it comes to this subject. I just don't see any way Earl Thomas is a better prospect than Eric Berry. I understand his love for Thomas, but he's gone a bit overboard. I have yet to hear him acknowledge Earl's performance in the Natl Title game. He was terrible when trying to tackle Mark Ingram.
RE: building the draft board
Long subject. I'll see if I can put something together.
RE: guys who slip
The Eagles have done a good job of picking up guys who slide. I need to study the board and think about this. Good question and it deserves a quality answer.
As for the notion about the new format hurting us...I agree. Unorganized teams will now have 20 some odd hours to re-group and come up with a new plan. I don't like that at all. We went into the draft highly organized and benefited from the chaos. No more.
RE: Anthony Davis
The Eagles look at a lot of underclassmen. They believe in being super-thorough. I can't see Davis as our kind of target. I bet this is either us doing due diligence or it is a smokescreen. I'll be disappointed if Davis is a pick of ours.
___
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Trade Up Scenarios
***
Tennessee FS Eric Berry is a player that many Eagles fans covet. Is there any chance that we can get him, considering the fact he's a Top 10 pick? Chances are that this won't happen. But...there is a glimmer of hope.
The first order of business is having Berry fall a couple of spots. Let's look at a potential draft scenario up high:
1 - STL - QB Sam Bradford
2 - DET - DT Ndamukong Suh
3 - TAM - DT Gerald McCoy
4 - WAS - OT Russell Okung
5 - KC --- OT Bryan Bulaga
6 - SEA - OT Trent Williams
7 - CLE - DE Jared Odrick
8 - OAK - someone confusing
9 - BUF -
The Bills have FS Jairus Byrd already in place. He had a great rookie year. The Bills have a lot of holes so I don't see them taking Berry. Trading back is a distinct possibility. I'm sure plenty of other teams would be calling the Bills. How many of them could offer 2 picks in the top 37?
If you go off the updated Draft Value Chart , pick #9 is worth 1350 points. 24 and 37 would combine for 1270 points. We could throw in a 4th round pick or some player to make up the difference. In a fantasy world Max Jean-Gilles would be that player.
There are a lot of moving parts to this scenario. You need KC, SEA, and CLE to pass on Berry. You need all 3 OTs off the board by 9. You also need the Bills willing to drop from 9 to 24. In other words...this isn't likely to happen. It is possible, though.
As for other targets...we could use pick 55 or 70 to move into the mid-teens to get FS Earl Thomas. There has been speculation about dealing up for CB Kyle Wilson. I'm not sure how likely that is. Good player, but I don't know that I deal up for him with a 2nd or 3rd round pick. That's costly. I guess we'll find out how much the Eagles like him soon enough.
MORE ON VICK
A few months back I raised the question of whether Mike Vick would be willing to return as a backup, especially if we dealt McNabb. It is one thing to be Donovan's caddy, but sitting behind Kevin Kolb is a whole other story. Things have changed in the last 6 weeks. Vick was interviewed several times and talked about his desire to be a starter. I think that scared off some teams that might have been interested. Mike thought playing the role of the contrite QB for a year would get him back in the good graces of the NFL world. 2010 would be his return to glory.
Not so fast.
What Vick did in 2009 isn't anything special. I hope he understands that the way he behaved is the way you're supposed to. You don't get a starting QB job for doing the right thing and not making waves. On the field he showed us some good glimpses, but hardly anything that made you feel that other teams would absolutely view him as a starter.
I think Vick was surprised to see that there was no market for his services. He got served a huge piece of humble pie. Maybe the whole thing. I think Vick has now wrapped his head around the fact he's not likely to be a starter in 2010. Reality bites.
We can still deal him between now and the season. You don't know what team will fail to land a QB in the draft and may view Vick as a stop-gap target. He could be a backup or challenge for a starting role. Or maybe the Eagles do intend to keep him.
ANSWERS
RE: Sheldon / Asante
Sean McDermott said after the one Dallas loss that Samuel did fail to play press coverage, which was the design of the play. For Sean to say that publicly tells you that he was pretty ticked off. Sheldon's comments would lead you to believe that there could have been even more problems than that. Anything is possible. I didn't catch wind of guys being disrespectful of Sean. Sheldon wasn't happy with the team because of his contract situation. It is certainly possible that his comments have an agenda. I'm sure freelancing was a problem. Part of that had to be due to the injuries and change on defense. MLB is a key position for making adjustments and calls. We had 6 starters there. FS is critical. We had 2 starters, one a rookie and the other a veteran new to our defense. I'm not too worried about Sheldon's comments. I think Sean McDermott is a good young coach who just had some real difficult circumstances to deal with.
RE: Brandon Spikes
Someone asked if we should take him in the 2nd or 3rd. No. If he's on the board in the late 4th I'm open to thinking about him. In the 5th I'm certainly open to taking Spikes. He's big, productive, and a veteran player. We do well with those guys. However, his lack of speed isn't an issue you can just dismiss.
___
Tennessee FS Eric Berry is a player that many Eagles fans covet. Is there any chance that we can get him, considering the fact he's a Top 10 pick? Chances are that this won't happen. But...there is a glimmer of hope.
The first order of business is having Berry fall a couple of spots. Let's look at a potential draft scenario up high:
1 - STL - QB Sam Bradford
2 - DET - DT Ndamukong Suh
3 - TAM - DT Gerald McCoy
4 - WAS - OT Russell Okung
5 - KC --- OT Bryan Bulaga
6 - SEA - OT Trent Williams
7 - CLE - DE Jared Odrick
8 - OAK - someone confusing
9 - BUF -
The Bills have FS Jairus Byrd already in place. He had a great rookie year. The Bills have a lot of holes so I don't see them taking Berry. Trading back is a distinct possibility. I'm sure plenty of other teams would be calling the Bills. How many of them could offer 2 picks in the top 37?
If you go off the updated Draft Value Chart , pick #9 is worth 1350 points. 24 and 37 would combine for 1270 points. We could throw in a 4th round pick or some player to make up the difference. In a fantasy world Max Jean-Gilles would be that player.
There are a lot of moving parts to this scenario. You need KC, SEA, and CLE to pass on Berry. You need all 3 OTs off the board by 9. You also need the Bills willing to drop from 9 to 24. In other words...this isn't likely to happen. It is possible, though.
As for other targets...we could use pick 55 or 70 to move into the mid-teens to get FS Earl Thomas. There has been speculation about dealing up for CB Kyle Wilson. I'm not sure how likely that is. Good player, but I don't know that I deal up for him with a 2nd or 3rd round pick. That's costly. I guess we'll find out how much the Eagles like him soon enough.
MORE ON VICK
A few months back I raised the question of whether Mike Vick would be willing to return as a backup, especially if we dealt McNabb. It is one thing to be Donovan's caddy, but sitting behind Kevin Kolb is a whole other story. Things have changed in the last 6 weeks. Vick was interviewed several times and talked about his desire to be a starter. I think that scared off some teams that might have been interested. Mike thought playing the role of the contrite QB for a year would get him back in the good graces of the NFL world. 2010 would be his return to glory.
Not so fast.
What Vick did in 2009 isn't anything special. I hope he understands that the way he behaved is the way you're supposed to. You don't get a starting QB job for doing the right thing and not making waves. On the field he showed us some good glimpses, but hardly anything that made you feel that other teams would absolutely view him as a starter.
I think Vick was surprised to see that there was no market for his services. He got served a huge piece of humble pie. Maybe the whole thing. I think Vick has now wrapped his head around the fact he's not likely to be a starter in 2010. Reality bites.
We can still deal him between now and the season. You don't know what team will fail to land a QB in the draft and may view Vick as a stop-gap target. He could be a backup or challenge for a starting role. Or maybe the Eagles do intend to keep him.
ANSWERS
RE: Sheldon / Asante
Sean McDermott said after the one Dallas loss that Samuel did fail to play press coverage, which was the design of the play. For Sean to say that publicly tells you that he was pretty ticked off. Sheldon's comments would lead you to believe that there could have been even more problems than that. Anything is possible. I didn't catch wind of guys being disrespectful of Sean. Sheldon wasn't happy with the team because of his contract situation. It is certainly possible that his comments have an agenda. I'm sure freelancing was a problem. Part of that had to be due to the injuries and change on defense. MLB is a key position for making adjustments and calls. We had 6 starters there. FS is critical. We had 2 starters, one a rookie and the other a veteran new to our defense. I'm not too worried about Sheldon's comments. I think Sean McDermott is a good young coach who just had some real difficult circumstances to deal with.
RE: Brandon Spikes
Someone asked if we should take him in the 2nd or 3rd. No. If he's on the board in the late 4th I'm open to thinking about him. In the 5th I'm certainly open to taking Spikes. He's big, productive, and a veteran player. We do well with those guys. However, his lack of speed isn't an issue you can just dismiss.
___
Friday, April 9, 2010
QB Talk
***
Paul Domowitch had a piece up where he reported that the Eagles are still shopping Michael Vick. Domo said that he's heard the team doesn't trust Vick as the backup QB. Andy Reid sees him as a role player. Rather than adding a rookie to the mix with Vick and Kevin Kolb the team will pursue a veteran QB. Domo mentions Marc Bulger as a potential target. That's probably just speculation.
I cannot confirm or deny this report. I haven't heard anything about Vick in the last few weeks. I can only speculate on the situation. Frankly, I'm not sure what to think. Vick absolutely didn't show me enough to be a full-time starter in 2010. That's why teams didn't want to deal for him. The Eagles wanted compensation for a starter and no team in the NFL is ready to turn their offense over to Vick right now.
Vick did get better as the season wore on. I became comfortable with him as a role player and backup. I'd be fine with him as the backup in theory, but I would not feel good with him taking over if Kolb got hurt and was going to miss several games. Mike was 6 of 13 as a passer last year. He'll have a full offseason, but I just don't know if he'll be ready to man the helm of a passing offense.
The Eagles could deal him for a later pick and then take a QB in the draft. Obviously we'd have to add a veteran as well. There are not great options. Jeff Garcia comes to mind. Bulger isn't real appealing to me. We could trade for Tyler Thigpen. He's a player we had interest in a few drafts ago.
As for the draft class...there are no great options. There are several guys I'm interested in, but they each have major flaws. I would not be comfortable relying on any of these players any time soon. There has been talk linking us to Tim Tebow. There are a couple of things to consider. First, there is the real possibility that Big Red likes him. Tebow could replace Vick as the Wildcat QB. He could be an offensive gimmick for us to use (you know, instead of running normal plays like the rest of the NFL world). We could try to develop Tebow to deal him in a couple of years for a king's ransom.
I'm hoping that the Eagles are floating the Tebow stories so that they can convince teams in the late 1st or early 2nd to trade up for him. We may not have great options at 24, depending on how things break. There could be several offensive targets, but limited choices on defense. If so, trading back would be ideal.
BRADFORD...BLOCKED!!!
Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles dealt McNabb to WAS in order to keep the Skins from drafting QB Sam Bradford. I'm calling BS. Bradford is likely going first overall to the Rams. How exactly is McNabb stopping that? My guess is that someone with the Eagles leaked this rumor to ease the backlash from trading a star QB within the division. A for effort and creativity. F for logic.
ANSWERS
RE: Kyle Wilson and Pass Int?
He is an aggressive CB. A lot of college guys develop bad habits regarding contact. In college ball you can do anything you want to a receiver until the ball is in the air. I see lots of DBs that have to learn to play hands off.
RE: Richard Marshall
He would likely be a 2nd round player. I do think he's a solid fit for us. Check out his tackle numbers. Real aggressive run defender. Makes his share of plays. Comfortable in Cover 2 or Man. The Panthers played mostly Cover 2 last year. They may feel like he's expendable because they need front seven guys and can plug in a young corner to their system.
RE: McNabb to Redskins means a loss or 2 for us?
Let's save this discussion for after the draft. We need to talk at length on this. Please bring the question up when I can really get into it. Good subject for debate.
RE: Donovan Warren
Mid to late round guy. I never thought he was great. Underclassmen should only come out when they had a great year or are just ready for the NFL. He doesn't fit either category. I doubt he's on the Eagles draft board.
RE: big backs a decoy?
Very possible. Reid mixes in some wicked curveballs. However, I think the interest is legit. McCoy is 210 or so, but sure doesn't run like a physical back. He's a slasher. We could use a N-S guy who runs behind his pads and packs a wallop.
RE: Taylor Mays - high character?
Mays has never been in trouble. Good, clean kid. However, I don't know that I'd call him a high-character football player. Those guys are willing to do anything to win. Anything. Mays is a showboat type. I"m reminded of an exchange from the underrated Less Than Zero. "You don't look happy." "But do I look good?" I grew up watching punishers like Wes Hopkins, Andre Waters, Ronnie Lott, and Kenny Easley. The last thing I want is a FS that likes to look in the mirror and admire his body. Give me the guy who is eating a bowl of nails while sipping battery acid to make sure he's in a bad mood for the game.
Back to the point of Mays & the Eagles...I haven't heard if they like him or not. They very well could. He's not my cup of tea, but we don't yet know what Sean McDermott is really looking for.
RE: Kolb / offense changing
It will. Post-draft discussion material.
RE: Maurkice Pouncey
He will not be an Eagle. We're going with Cole/McGlynn at C.
RE: RB Toney Baker
He's got an extensive injury history. We'll trade up for him. Joking, of course. Baker is a real good RB when healthy, but I see him as probably a 7th or UDFA. We could easily add him if we do take a smaller RB earlier in the draft. Baker could be a good role player for us.
RE: John Jerry
I like him as an Eagles target. I loved him before we found out his Wonderlic was brutally low. He played RT and RG at Ole Miss. He has the size we like. He's big and strong. He would give us insurance at both spots. John has talked about being able to play LT. I'm not so sure of that. John could be a target with the late 2 or either 3rd round pick.
@ Myron ... dream draft scenario
I like your thinking. DB/Hughes/LB would be terrific in my mind.
RE: Koa Misi / Rennie Curran
Misi is a better prospect than Gocong. Koa has spent more time playing off the ball and in space. He's also used to better competition. He played at the Senior Bowl and stood out. I think he could be a terrific SAM. He probably won't be an Eagle. Koa should go in the 2nd and I think we'll look more for a WLB.
Curran is ideally suited for the Tampa 2. He could play for us. Rennie is small, but physical. He's a much better prospect than Keith Adams, who was a functional starter...at times.
___
Paul Domowitch had a piece up where he reported that the Eagles are still shopping Michael Vick. Domo said that he's heard the team doesn't trust Vick as the backup QB. Andy Reid sees him as a role player. Rather than adding a rookie to the mix with Vick and Kevin Kolb the team will pursue a veteran QB. Domo mentions Marc Bulger as a potential target. That's probably just speculation.
I cannot confirm or deny this report. I haven't heard anything about Vick in the last few weeks. I can only speculate on the situation. Frankly, I'm not sure what to think. Vick absolutely didn't show me enough to be a full-time starter in 2010. That's why teams didn't want to deal for him. The Eagles wanted compensation for a starter and no team in the NFL is ready to turn their offense over to Vick right now.
Vick did get better as the season wore on. I became comfortable with him as a role player and backup. I'd be fine with him as the backup in theory, but I would not feel good with him taking over if Kolb got hurt and was going to miss several games. Mike was 6 of 13 as a passer last year. He'll have a full offseason, but I just don't know if he'll be ready to man the helm of a passing offense.
The Eagles could deal him for a later pick and then take a QB in the draft. Obviously we'd have to add a veteran as well. There are not great options. Jeff Garcia comes to mind. Bulger isn't real appealing to me. We could trade for Tyler Thigpen. He's a player we had interest in a few drafts ago.
As for the draft class...there are no great options. There are several guys I'm interested in, but they each have major flaws. I would not be comfortable relying on any of these players any time soon. There has been talk linking us to Tim Tebow. There are a couple of things to consider. First, there is the real possibility that Big Red likes him. Tebow could replace Vick as the Wildcat QB. He could be an offensive gimmick for us to use (you know, instead of running normal plays like the rest of the NFL world). We could try to develop Tebow to deal him in a couple of years for a king's ransom.
I'm hoping that the Eagles are floating the Tebow stories so that they can convince teams in the late 1st or early 2nd to trade up for him. We may not have great options at 24, depending on how things break. There could be several offensive targets, but limited choices on defense. If so, trading back would be ideal.
BRADFORD...BLOCKED!!!
Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles dealt McNabb to WAS in order to keep the Skins from drafting QB Sam Bradford. I'm calling BS. Bradford is likely going first overall to the Rams. How exactly is McNabb stopping that? My guess is that someone with the Eagles leaked this rumor to ease the backlash from trading a star QB within the division. A for effort and creativity. F for logic.
ANSWERS
RE: Kyle Wilson and Pass Int?
He is an aggressive CB. A lot of college guys develop bad habits regarding contact. In college ball you can do anything you want to a receiver until the ball is in the air. I see lots of DBs that have to learn to play hands off.
RE: Richard Marshall
He would likely be a 2nd round player. I do think he's a solid fit for us. Check out his tackle numbers. Real aggressive run defender. Makes his share of plays. Comfortable in Cover 2 or Man. The Panthers played mostly Cover 2 last year. They may feel like he's expendable because they need front seven guys and can plug in a young corner to their system.
RE: McNabb to Redskins means a loss or 2 for us?
Let's save this discussion for after the draft. We need to talk at length on this. Please bring the question up when I can really get into it. Good subject for debate.
RE: Donovan Warren
Mid to late round guy. I never thought he was great. Underclassmen should only come out when they had a great year or are just ready for the NFL. He doesn't fit either category. I doubt he's on the Eagles draft board.
RE: big backs a decoy?
Very possible. Reid mixes in some wicked curveballs. However, I think the interest is legit. McCoy is 210 or so, but sure doesn't run like a physical back. He's a slasher. We could use a N-S guy who runs behind his pads and packs a wallop.
RE: Taylor Mays - high character?
Mays has never been in trouble. Good, clean kid. However, I don't know that I'd call him a high-character football player. Those guys are willing to do anything to win. Anything. Mays is a showboat type. I"m reminded of an exchange from the underrated Less Than Zero. "You don't look happy." "But do I look good?" I grew up watching punishers like Wes Hopkins, Andre Waters, Ronnie Lott, and Kenny Easley. The last thing I want is a FS that likes to look in the mirror and admire his body. Give me the guy who is eating a bowl of nails while sipping battery acid to make sure he's in a bad mood for the game.
Back to the point of Mays & the Eagles...I haven't heard if they like him or not. They very well could. He's not my cup of tea, but we don't yet know what Sean McDermott is really looking for.
RE: Kolb / offense changing
It will. Post-draft discussion material.
RE: Maurkice Pouncey
He will not be an Eagle. We're going with Cole/McGlynn at C.
RE: RB Toney Baker
He's got an extensive injury history. We'll trade up for him. Joking, of course. Baker is a real good RB when healthy, but I see him as probably a 7th or UDFA. We could easily add him if we do take a smaller RB earlier in the draft. Baker could be a good role player for us.
RE: John Jerry
I like him as an Eagles target. I loved him before we found out his Wonderlic was brutally low. He played RT and RG at Ole Miss. He has the size we like. He's big and strong. He would give us insurance at both spots. John has talked about being able to play LT. I'm not so sure of that. John could be a target with the late 2 or either 3rd round pick.
@ Myron ... dream draft scenario
I like your thinking. DB/Hughes/LB would be terrific in my mind.
RE: Koa Misi / Rennie Curran
Misi is a better prospect than Gocong. Koa has spent more time playing off the ball and in space. He's also used to better competition. He played at the Senior Bowl and stood out. I think he could be a terrific SAM. He probably won't be an Eagle. Koa should go in the 2nd and I think we'll look more for a WLB.
Curran is ideally suited for the Tampa 2. He could play for us. Rennie is small, but physical. He's a much better prospect than Keith Adams, who was a functional starter...at times.
___
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Marshall, McNabb, and More
***
Matt Alkire has an interesting item for you to check out concerning CB Richard Marshall.
--Link--
DRAFT TALK
I posted some draft thoughts on PE.com.
--Link--
MORE ON DONNIE MAC
I will vote for McNabb to go to the Pro Bowl. I encourage you to do so as well. We need him in there to get the 3rd round pick next year. The conditions are simple, per Adam Schefter:
Matt Alkire has an interesting item for you to check out concerning CB Richard Marshall.
--Link--
DRAFT TALK
I posted some draft thoughts on PE.com.
--Link--
MORE ON DONNIE MAC
I will vote for McNabb to go to the Pro Bowl. I encourage you to do so as well. We need him in there to get the 3rd round pick next year. The conditions are simple, per Adam Schefter:
1. McNabb goes to the Pro Bowl2. McNabb plays 70 percent of the snaps in Washington and the Redskins win at least nine games.
Option 2 will not happen. I repeat, it will not happen. The minute they get to 8 wins I call a certain phone number and say "We have tangos in the wire. Go to Emergency Plan Bravo...now." Certain people report to the Redskins training facility and begin making "adjustments". Do not be surprised if the entire offensive line dies in a bizarre gardening accident.
As far as what going to the Pro Bowl means...that is a great question. I'm going to assume it means that he gets voted in. I'm not sure if being an alternate that plays in the game because others dropped out is good enough. I'll look into that.
A couple of people wondered about what Mike Shanahan can do for McNabb. Could this be Elway, part 2? No, I sure don't think so. John Elway carried multiple Broncos teams on his back to the Super Bowl. That group was not littered with elite players. He didn't have gifted runners or receivers. Elway was so special that he willed them to the Super Bowl. The NFC got the better of him, but those were some good teams that Elway lost to. When is the last time that McNabb put the Eagles on his back and led them to a big win in the playoffs? Long time ago. Elway was better prior to his SB wins than McNabb is at this point. Donovan probably has better numbers, but a lot of that is due to the rules changes that have really opened up the passing game.
I think Mike and McNabb will work well together and have some success, but expecting Washington to immediately become a SB contender might be a bit much. Remember that those Broncos teams had multiple HOF type players (Sharpe, Zimmerman, TD, Elway). Some people believe WR Rod Smith to be a HOFer. Does McNabb have a stud LT, RB, TE, and WR in Washington? No. Not yet, anyway. If they make some big moves we'll re-visit the topic.
One anecdotal note...I think this notion of Donovan hatred in Philly gets over-played. I could be wrong, but go to The Linc and tell me how many #5 jerseys you see. Listen to the cheers for McNabb. He absoutely has his share of detractors, but I think a majority of Eagles fans love McNabb for everything he's done for us in the last 11 years. There is a real vocal minority that definitely has it out for him.
Did the Eagles play their cards right? Impossible question. What was the exact goal? To get max value? To get the deal done in early April? To appease Donovan as much as possible? This really was a complex scenario because of who was involved and the circumstances. If Donovan was signed for a few years that would have changed things. If there were more decent teams in need of a QB that would have helped. If this didn't take place under the pressure of the Philly media that would have made life easier. Honestly, I'm just glad it is done. I'm ready to focus on Kolb and the future.
ANSWERS
RE: Macho Harris
I think he has no shot at RCB. I do think he has a legit chance to be the slot corner. MmmBop didn't play well down the stretch. He has to fight for his job. Macho Man was outstanding against Atlanta in the slot and deserves a chance to play there if he's not in the lead at FS. It seems like we'd prefer him to be a backup this year.
RE: Sheldon trade
I said this before. Think of the deal as Sheldon for a 4th & 5th and Gocong for Hall straight up. The compensation isn't ideal, but you have to consider some factors. Gocong was a RFA. He wasn't an ideal fit for us anymore. You can say we traded a starting LB, but he wasn't projected to start in 2010 and that is what made him expendable. Sheldon wanted his deal adjusted. That wasn't going to happen here.
RE: mid-round OL targets
I've been working on this list. I'll save this for another day when I can address it more in-depth. Any surprise draft positions that my be targeted??? RB. I'm not sure how many people that will surprise. McCoy is young. Bell signed a 1-year deal. We love Leonard Part 6, but think of him as a FB first and foremost. DT could be an early target, but I'm not sure if that would surprise anyone.
RE: Morgan Burnett vs Nate Allen
I think Nate is absolutely the better prospect. He is a complete player. Burnett is a ball-hawk, but his tackling is very sloppy. He is not an aggressive run defender and that bugs me. We'll see if the Eagles agree or if they like Morgan for his ball skills.
RE: "do you ever think you've been 'played' by various interests to disseminate a rumor via your site here? "
Highly doubtful. You give me too much credit. I get various bits of info and piece them together, sharing what I can and sitting on other stuff. I only report info that I feel is credible. I have gotten a few things wrong, but I trusted the info that was given to me. Teams use network info guys to leak reports. Agents do the same thing. I'm certainly open to being used. Anyone have a fake report they want passed around?
RE: big backs
Gerhart I like a lot, but he won't last past our early 3rd rounder. Dwyer doesn't seem like an ideal fit. I'm not sure I really want him. Scott is a late round guy that would be good value.
RE: pre-draft visits
I'll post about this subject soon enough. That deserves a whole post.
___
Alex Hall
***
It is finally time to talk about Alex Hall. I was going to post this on Monday, but the Eagles and Redskins conspired against me and let the McNabb trade go down. What jerks.
I popped in a pair of game tapes from 2008. I watched part of a game from 2009, but Hall was nowhere to be found. Apparently he got lost in the shuffle when Rob Ryan became the Defensive Coordinator. Hall's biggest advocate was GM Phil Savage, who wasn't around in '09. More on Phil later.
So let's get to Hall and what I saw. He was the backup SAM. The Browns were high on him so they got him regular playing time. He would get on the field in the late 1st quarter or early 2nd. He would play a few series and then Willie McGinest would come back on the field. The Browns let Hall play no matter the score or situation. They really wanted to develop him as a player.
Hall has a good frame. They list him at 6'5, 250. He looks a little skinny...maybe 240. Solid run defender. Fights to hold the point of attack. Does need to get stronger. Sloppy with his hands. Hall has pretty good feet. He's agile for a tall guy. There was one play that stood out. He dropped back on a pass play and started to the middle of the field, shadowing a receiver. Hall then saw the QB start to go wide. The receiver had continued crossing the field so Hall then went out wide to mirror the QB. The QB had no one open and started to run. Hall stopped, came upfield, and tackled the QB for only a minimal gain. Good play in the open field. It wasn't a great tackle, but was pretty solid. The play looked like the Wave Drill that gets done at the Scouting Combine. Teams want to see a player backpedal, then move laterally, and then finally come back up the field. Hall did all of that and looked good on the move. He's not silky smooth, but didn't look mechanical at all.
I thought Hall showed real potential as a cover guy. He's not instinctive out there, but never looked lost. He got good depth on his pass drops. With more experience he could develop solid coverage skills. He has the physical ability.
The Browns were somewhat creative with him. There were times when he lined up on the slot receiver. He was a stand-up SAM most of the time. He did play DE in the Nickel and Dime units on some plays. I didn't think he stood out as a pass rusher. Hall has some quickness off the ball, but didn't show explosion. He did have 3 sacks and 2 FFs as a rookie. Unfortunately I didn't get to see those games. Hall played on STs. He's got the length and speed to be good on coverage units. Word around the NFL campfire is that one of the concerns the Browns had is that he hadn't become a better STs player. Bobby April is the best STs coach in the league. If anyone can get him going it will be Bobby.
Let's talk about Hall vs Gocong. We drafted Chris in 2006 and wanted to convert him from DE to LB. Gocong developed into an effective 4-3 SAM, but never showed us the potential that we'd seen prior to the draft. He went from raw project to effective starter. He's now 27 years old. I'm not sure that he can change much more. I think that is why we dealt him to a 3-4 team. Hall is about to turn 25. We're getting him with some built in LB experience. With work he can easily get to the "effective starter" level. We don't know what his ceiling is. Hall looks like a more natural LB than Gocong. That's something you have or you don't. There is a definite possibility that Hall could become a good 4-3 SAM. He'll likely be a role player this year, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't give Moise Fokou a good challenge up at Lehigh.
KING ON HALL
Peter King had some interesting stuff on Alex. He wrote this prior to the 2008 Draft.
It is finally time to talk about Alex Hall. I was going to post this on Monday, but the Eagles and Redskins conspired against me and let the McNabb trade go down. What jerks.
I popped in a pair of game tapes from 2008. I watched part of a game from 2009, but Hall was nowhere to be found. Apparently he got lost in the shuffle when Rob Ryan became the Defensive Coordinator. Hall's biggest advocate was GM Phil Savage, who wasn't around in '09. More on Phil later.
So let's get to Hall and what I saw. He was the backup SAM. The Browns were high on him so they got him regular playing time. He would get on the field in the late 1st quarter or early 2nd. He would play a few series and then Willie McGinest would come back on the field. The Browns let Hall play no matter the score or situation. They really wanted to develop him as a player.
Hall has a good frame. They list him at 6'5, 250. He looks a little skinny...maybe 240. Solid run defender. Fights to hold the point of attack. Does need to get stronger. Sloppy with his hands. Hall has pretty good feet. He's agile for a tall guy. There was one play that stood out. He dropped back on a pass play and started to the middle of the field, shadowing a receiver. Hall then saw the QB start to go wide. The receiver had continued crossing the field so Hall then went out wide to mirror the QB. The QB had no one open and started to run. Hall stopped, came upfield, and tackled the QB for only a minimal gain. Good play in the open field. It wasn't a great tackle, but was pretty solid. The play looked like the Wave Drill that gets done at the Scouting Combine. Teams want to see a player backpedal, then move laterally, and then finally come back up the field. Hall did all of that and looked good on the move. He's not silky smooth, but didn't look mechanical at all.
I thought Hall showed real potential as a cover guy. He's not instinctive out there, but never looked lost. He got good depth on his pass drops. With more experience he could develop solid coverage skills. He has the physical ability.
The Browns were somewhat creative with him. There were times when he lined up on the slot receiver. He was a stand-up SAM most of the time. He did play DE in the Nickel and Dime units on some plays. I didn't think he stood out as a pass rusher. Hall has some quickness off the ball, but didn't show explosion. He did have 3 sacks and 2 FFs as a rookie. Unfortunately I didn't get to see those games. Hall played on STs. He's got the length and speed to be good on coverage units. Word around the NFL campfire is that one of the concerns the Browns had is that he hadn't become a better STs player. Bobby April is the best STs coach in the league. If anyone can get him going it will be Bobby.
Let's talk about Hall vs Gocong. We drafted Chris in 2006 and wanted to convert him from DE to LB. Gocong developed into an effective 4-3 SAM, but never showed us the potential that we'd seen prior to the draft. He went from raw project to effective starter. He's now 27 years old. I'm not sure that he can change much more. I think that is why we dealt him to a 3-4 team. Hall is about to turn 25. We're getting him with some built in LB experience. With work he can easily get to the "effective starter" level. We don't know what his ceiling is. Hall looks like a more natural LB than Gocong. That's something you have or you don't. There is a definite possibility that Hall could become a good 4-3 SAM. He'll likely be a role player this year, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't give Moise Fokou a good challenge up at Lehigh.
KING ON HALL
Peter King had some interesting stuff on Alex. He wrote this prior to the 2008 Draft.
This was crazy. Instead of huddling with his gathered scouts in Berea and massaging the draft board, Savage hopped a 10 a.m. flight to Baltimore, rented a car, drove 24 miles to Prince George's Community College, set up four orange cones on a chewed-up open field, and shook hands with one of the most marginal prospects in the 2008 draft: St. Augustine (N.C.) College outside linebacker Alex Hall.
The draft was three days away, and here was Savage, looking at a player he might take in the seventh round, or try to sign as a longshot free-agent. Why? Because Savage trusts his scouts, and one of his pups on the staff, 25-year-old scout Bobby Vega, told him this was the one second-day guy of the linebackers he scouted who could make an impact this year and eventually -- possibly -- be the bookend pass-rusher to Kamerion Wimbley the Browns needed.
Savage had watched some tape and seen production and good speed (26 sacks in three small-college seasons), but now, before committing a precious pick to Hall, needed to see him. Savage placed a football at the end of the line of cones and asked Hall to run in S-curves through the cones and back. Hall ran through the cones, and without being told scooped up the ball in full stride and ran back. The athleticism stunned Savage. He didn't need to see anything else. Vega was right. Hall had a chance to fill a Cleveland void, and he might last 'til the seventh round.
MISC
I have some follow-up thoughts on the McNabb saga, but they'll have to wait for tonight or tomorrow.
___
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