***
Reggie Brown was dealt to Tampa for a 6th round pick in 2011. Why make this move? Couple of reasons. First, it has been clear for a while that Reggie isn't part of the plans any longer. He filled in okay when needed, but didn't play so well that you felt obligated to keep him. He did play on STs in 2009, but didn't particularly stand out.
Unfortunately other teams could see the writing on the wall. They had little to no interest in Reggie, or at least giving up anything for him. You can be sure the Eagles worked the phones in hopes of landing a 4th or 5th. If a late rounder in '11 is the best offer we go, so be it.
The move opens up a roster spot. That will likely be filled by Hank Baskett some time in the next 7-10 days. I'm assuming there isn't going to be much competition for Hank. He is a very good backup for us. Hank is a terrific blocker, good STer, and can make big catches from time to time.
If we add Hank, that puts us back to 4 solid receivers. Kevin Curtis is on the roster, but that is a mere formality. The Eagles are shopping him to see if there are any takers. When healthy, KC is still a solid receiver. He's had problems staying healthy the last two years and he also got Wally Pipped. Jeremy Maclin got his job and isn't about to let it go. Curtis has a bonus due in June. There is no need to cut him before then. Keep him around to see if you get any offers. Maybe some Bear wideout will be in an accident and Mike Martz will want his former protege. There is virtually no chance KC returns to Philly.
We need a 5th WR. I'm sure we'll look to the draft for someone. There are some interesting guys available in the mid to late rounds. We'll talk about those guys at a later time. I don't think Jordan Norwood or Dobson Collins is going to seriously challenge for a roster spot. .
TRADER VIC'S
The team is shopping Mike Vick. They want to deal him. There are rumors that the Eagles are asking for a 2nd rounder, but that would just be negotiating. There is no way they really expect that. I think getting a 3rd would be a major coup.
Are the Eagles being greedy? Maybe. SF had serious interest, but then turned to David Carr. I had heard that compensation was worked out between the teams. If true, SF preferred Carr to Vick or backed off of Vick because he wasn't going to be happy as a non-starter. That is the wildcard in this situation. Will Vick accept being a backup / role player? If not, teams are going to be hesitant about acquiring him.
Vick might have his most value in the summer, when some team will lose a starter or backup to injury. I hope we don't wait that long. I'm willing to accept less value to get the situation over with. I'm afraid that Mike will put his foot in his mouth in an interview and turn off all other teams. This is also a deep draft. There are no guarantees about next year. Give me a 4th rounder and I'm happy. Make it a 3rd and I'm ecstatic.
As for the notion of keeping Vick and getting a Comp pick in 2012...junk. The only way you get a pick that high is if the guy signs a mega-deal, plays at a high level, and then we don't sign anyone that would cancel out that loss. Ridiculous notion. Vick isn't getting a mega-deal from anyone until he shows starting potential. 6 of 13 was okay for a guy coming out of a coma, so to speak. 2010 is the year he needs to really sell himself.
DEALIN' DONNIE
Be patient. The lack of QB targets in FA and the draft is a huge problem for many teams. There are all kinds of rumors about McNabb and the Eagles out there. Keep your eyes on Buffalo and Cleveland. Those are the teams with their butts in the breeze. It seems likely that Bradford will be a Ram. Jimmy Clausen's value is sinking like GM stock. Colt McCoy is nice, but is he the answer? Those teams literally have no one to put on the field that makes any sense. At QB you want a young guy to develop or a proven veteran. Both teams come up 0 on both counts.
JUDGING
We can't make a fair appraisal of the offseason until at least May 1st. That's when we'll have an idea of the key moves made by the team. Yeah, we're sitting on our hands so far. Is that wrong? Maybe. The Eagles are hesitant to add mid-level players. I think they should mix that in more.
At the same time, there just aren't players I really want. I'd like to add O.J. Atogwe, but what if the team is targeting Earl Thomas or Nate Allen in the draft? Do you add Atogwe and then pass on those guys? I'd love a DE or CB, but there really aren't good choices. If we get to May 1st and have a bunch of questionable additions I'll gladly join in the bashing of the FO. I can't get too fired up right now because we still could do some exciting things. We do have plenty of picks, plus some guys to deal.
___
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday Thoughts
***
I don't really have any major updates for you guys. Things are still fairly quiet. I was very happy to see Jason Avant get a 5-year extension. I've loved him since his days at Michigan. And considering how much I hated the Wolverines that is really saying something. Avant is a terrific player and might be my favorite guy on offense. He's tougher than a $2 steak and as reliable as you could want a #3 WR to be.
Things are going to stay pretty quiet with FAs. The Eagles just don't like the choices and they feel spending money on these guys is a waste. The Eagles will add a veteran RB and possibly Safety. It doesn't sound like Atogwe will be the Safety.
We've been linked to 3 FAs:
RB Mike Bell - Saints --- Bell is a N-S runner with good size and some pop. He goes 6'0, 225. Got a lot of carries for the Saints this year going 172-654. That's only 3.8 YPC, but he served a valuable purpose for the Saints. Bell was the power runner. He ran for 5 TDs and helped move the chains on plenty of drives. He is a RFA, but no compensation is due. I'm not sure if Bell is thrilled at the prospect of being the backup on a team that doesn't run much.
WR Hank Baskett - Colts --- There isn't much need to discuss Hank. Ideal fit as a #4 or #5 WR. Good blocker and STer. Can start if needed. Good for at least one 80-yd TD every year due to a missed tackle or bad angle by the DB.
DB Marlin Jackson - Colts --- He's cancelling an appearance on M*A*S*H to make a FA visit with the Ravens and us. They might want him as a corner. I think we'd look at him as a FS, but I'm not sure of that. Marlin has started at SS, FS, LCB, and RCB in his career. Sorta versatile. Injuries have plagued him in recent years. Marlin isn't a guy you can count on, but he is intriguing. When healthy, he's a pretty darn good player.
* Justin Fargas remains my preference at RB. We'll see if the Eagles actually listen to me on this one.
* If Marlin isn't a FS target I'm not sure who will be. I wonder if they would bring in a guy like Mike Brown in a Blaine Bishop type of role. We're looking more and more likely to go FS early in the draft.
QBs
San Fran is a team that had been talking to us pretty closely about Vick. I assume their signing of David Carr cancels out any desire to add Mike. I was disappointed to see that deal happen.
Could the Eagles be overplaying the QB situation? Yes, absolutely. The Eagles put an extreme value on QB. That's why we signed Vick at a time when we were already 3-deep there. They helped Vick re-adjust to the NFL and want good compensation for it. I've heard that other teams think the Eagles are just asking too much for Vick.
This could prove to be a mistake, but let's also look at the other side. We're just a few days into the offseason. You should always start high and work down in negotiations. There isn't much for teams to choose from in FA or the draft at QB. There is some logic to asking for a 3rd for Mike and seeing if anyone bites. We can always come down. Ideally we'll deal Vick prior to this draft so we get a pick this year. This is a deep, talented class. The more picks the better.
The Eagles have to be maddening to negotiate with. Joe Banner and the personnel guys have a very firm sense of value. They will not give players away. Banner and Reid each have great poker faces. You don't know when no means no and when no means "let's tweak the offer a bit". The Eagles are also incredibly patient. They don't panic and make a deal out of fear. Neither Banner nor Reid is afraid to lose the game of chicken that negotiating really is.
All that said, the Eagles have made a ton of deals in the last 8-10 years. I think teams know the Eagles are a good trading partner. We are willing to trade picks and players. We normally have some players that other teams actually want. We have a clear chain of command. Off the top of my head here are the teams we've dealt with since the 2006 offseason: DAL, NYG, MIN, CAR, NO, STL, SEA, BUF, NYJ, NE, CLE, IND.
I'm sure I left a team or two off. I wasn't trying to be exact...just trying to show that we are an active trader and have lots of good connections.
As for McNabb...I'm sticking with what I've said. He is available if another team makes a good enough offer. There is no way Big Red is giving away "his guy". As Col. Trautman might say were he coach..."I scouted him. I drafted him. I coached him for 11 years. I'd say that makes him mine." Some team has to want Donnie enough to make a good offer. There will be no discounts for #5.
RG UPDATE
Adam Schefter tweeted that Stacy Andrews re-did his deal. He lowered his salary for this year, but still got his bonus. I know many fans are skeptical about Andrews, but I'm told the Eagles still think he can be a good OL. This is good news, although not the kind of exciting development we're all looking for.
___
I don't really have any major updates for you guys. Things are still fairly quiet. I was very happy to see Jason Avant get a 5-year extension. I've loved him since his days at Michigan. And considering how much I hated the Wolverines that is really saying something. Avant is a terrific player and might be my favorite guy on offense. He's tougher than a $2 steak and as reliable as you could want a #3 WR to be.
Things are going to stay pretty quiet with FAs. The Eagles just don't like the choices and they feel spending money on these guys is a waste. The Eagles will add a veteran RB and possibly Safety. It doesn't sound like Atogwe will be the Safety.
We've been linked to 3 FAs:
RB Mike Bell - Saints --- Bell is a N-S runner with good size and some pop. He goes 6'0, 225. Got a lot of carries for the Saints this year going 172-654. That's only 3.8 YPC, but he served a valuable purpose for the Saints. Bell was the power runner. He ran for 5 TDs and helped move the chains on plenty of drives. He is a RFA, but no compensation is due. I'm not sure if Bell is thrilled at the prospect of being the backup on a team that doesn't run much.
WR Hank Baskett - Colts --- There isn't much need to discuss Hank. Ideal fit as a #4 or #5 WR. Good blocker and STer. Can start if needed. Good for at least one 80-yd TD every year due to a missed tackle or bad angle by the DB.
DB Marlin Jackson - Colts --- He's cancelling an appearance on M*A*S*H to make a FA visit with the Ravens and us. They might want him as a corner. I think we'd look at him as a FS, but I'm not sure of that. Marlin has started at SS, FS, LCB, and RCB in his career. Sorta versatile. Injuries have plagued him in recent years. Marlin isn't a guy you can count on, but he is intriguing. When healthy, he's a pretty darn good player.
* Justin Fargas remains my preference at RB. We'll see if the Eagles actually listen to me on this one.
* If Marlin isn't a FS target I'm not sure who will be. I wonder if they would bring in a guy like Mike Brown in a Blaine Bishop type of role. We're looking more and more likely to go FS early in the draft.
QBs
San Fran is a team that had been talking to us pretty closely about Vick. I assume their signing of David Carr cancels out any desire to add Mike. I was disappointed to see that deal happen.
Could the Eagles be overplaying the QB situation? Yes, absolutely. The Eagles put an extreme value on QB. That's why we signed Vick at a time when we were already 3-deep there. They helped Vick re-adjust to the NFL and want good compensation for it. I've heard that other teams think the Eagles are just asking too much for Vick.
This could prove to be a mistake, but let's also look at the other side. We're just a few days into the offseason. You should always start high and work down in negotiations. There isn't much for teams to choose from in FA or the draft at QB. There is some logic to asking for a 3rd for Mike and seeing if anyone bites. We can always come down. Ideally we'll deal Vick prior to this draft so we get a pick this year. This is a deep, talented class. The more picks the better.
The Eagles have to be maddening to negotiate with. Joe Banner and the personnel guys have a very firm sense of value. They will not give players away. Banner and Reid each have great poker faces. You don't know when no means no and when no means "let's tweak the offer a bit". The Eagles are also incredibly patient. They don't panic and make a deal out of fear. Neither Banner nor Reid is afraid to lose the game of chicken that negotiating really is.
All that said, the Eagles have made a ton of deals in the last 8-10 years. I think teams know the Eagles are a good trading partner. We are willing to trade picks and players. We normally have some players that other teams actually want. We have a clear chain of command. Off the top of my head here are the teams we've dealt with since the 2006 offseason: DAL, NYG, MIN, CAR, NO, STL, SEA, BUF, NYJ, NE, CLE, IND.
I'm sure I left a team or two off. I wasn't trying to be exact...just trying to show that we are an active trader and have lots of good connections.
As for McNabb...I'm sticking with what I've said. He is available if another team makes a good enough offer. There is no way Big Red is giving away "his guy". As Col. Trautman might say were he coach..."I scouted him. I drafted him. I coached him for 11 years. I'd say that makes him mine." Some team has to want Donnie enough to make a good offer. There will be no discounts for #5.
RG UPDATE
Adam Schefter tweeted that Stacy Andrews re-did his deal. He lowered his salary for this year, but still got his bonus. I know many fans are skeptical about Andrews, but I'm told the Eagles still think he can be a good OL. This is good news, although not the kind of exciting development we're all looking for.
___
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Big Picture
***
We are now on Day 3 of the offseason. The Eagles haven't made a signing yet. Things are pretty quiet. This has us all frustrated. Not getting Julius Peppers was a huge blow. As mad as you might be, Howie Roseman, Joe Banner, and Andy Reid are equally upset. Peppers is a player they coveted and thought they had a great shot to land. Chicago was more desperate for him because they have no 1st or 2nd round pick this year and also had to deal with the Gaines Adams tragedy. This wasn't a matter of the Eagles not wanting him or being cheap.
Where do we go from here?
The goal is still the same...to improve the team. Peppers was the big kahuna, but there are other moves to be made.
SELECTIVE SHOPPERS
The Eagles loved Peppers, but didn't make a play for Aaron Kampman or Kyle Vanden Bosch. Those were the top 3 unrestricted DEs. Why go for one, but not the others? What gives? The Eagles saw Peppers as an elite talent and the kind of player you absolutely pursue. They had little to no interest in the other players.
The Eagles have always been very choosy about who they go after. They don't believe in change for the sake of change. The Eagles find players they like, target them, and then pursue those players. I personally like Kampman. They don't. They see a 30-year old DE coming off an ACL tear. They see a descending player. Vanden Bosch is an older player that hasn't been overly productive in several years. Look at the numbers for the last 2 years:
Juqua Parker --- 32 games ... 63 solo tackles, 13 sacks, 3 FFs, INT
Vanden Bosch - 26 games ... 46 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 5 FFs
Kampman ------ 25 games ... 77 solo tackles, 13 sacks, 1 FF
Each of the other guys has missed some games with injury. That affects their numbers, but also brings durability up as a point to consider. The bottom line is that neither of the other players is as much of a significant upgrade on Parker as you may think. Juqua isn't an ideal starter, but the other two do have some issues. The Eagles and I disagree about Kampman. I do think he's good enough to make it worth making the move. The torn ACL really is the x-factor with him.
As for the teams who signed them...JAX had an NFL low 14 sacks last year. They had to take a chance on a DE. They could not afford to be choosy. Kyle is going to a Detroit team that allowed a shocking 494 points. They gave up 31 points a game. That is just insane. The Lions need all the help they can get.
I'm sure some of you will disagree with the Eagles for being so selective. There are several different ways to approach free agency. The Patriots are aggressive. Belichick loves veteran players and is always open to adding various guys. The Colts are the polar opposite and virtually never add anyone of significance. The Steelers are like us. They pick and choose carefully, but truly prefer to build through the draft. All 4 teams have had a lot of success despite doing things in different ways.
ODD YEAR
Because of the CBA situation this is a weird offseason. There are only a handful of real good UFAs to choose from. Most of the talent is in the RFA class. We have never dealt with this scenario before. We don't know how things will play out. The one thing I will tell you is that RFA moves are much more complicated than normal FA signings and will take more time. You must be patient.
Howie Roseman is the new GM. You can bet he wants to be aggressive and put his stamp on things. Unfortunately his hands are a bit tied. The Eagles are probably only going to go after a veteran S and veteran RB in the UFA market at this point.
That doesn't mean those are the only moves we'll make. Roseman and Reid will talk to the other 31 teams about players who might be available via trade, just as teams are talking to us about our QBs. The NFL isn't normally a trading league, but that may open up this year because of the lack of UFAs targets for all teams.
I know some people have wondered if Roseman is at fault in any way for the Peppers situation. No. Joe Banner is the lead guy on all FA deals. He is the contract guy and negotiator. Roseman and the personnel guys put together lists of targets. Banner and the agents are the ones who talk turkey. We might have gotten lucky with Roseman becoming the GM this year. He seems to be more of a creative, aggressive guy than Heckert. This offseason will require someone who can - get ready for the cliche - think outside the box.
POTENTIAL TARGETS
The thing to do is to look for players the Eagles might want to go after. If we have to give up compensation you can be sure the Eagles will focus on two types of targets: high end talent and ascending players.
DE Ray Edwards is an RFA. The Vikings put a 1st round tender on him. This is a guy the Eagles could still want to go for. He is an ideal LDE. Edwards is 6'5, 270. He just turned 25, so he's just hitting his prime. He had 8.5 sacks this year and really played well in the postseason. There are a couple of things to consider. Do the Eagles like him enough to give up a 1st Rder and big contract to get him? Will the Eagles use a poison-pill clause in the offer to force the Vikings to let him go?
The Raiders were reported to be open to dealing CB Namdi Asomugha. If that is true, you know the Eagles will make some phone calls to Oakland. That is the kind of player they would break the bank for. The report said that his contract could be a problematic for the Raiders and that is why they might consider dealing him. Of course, no one knows what Al Davis and that team is doing.
Back to DE for a minute. The Lions have a DE named Jason Hunter who started 9 games last year and got 5 sacks. He is 6'4, 271. He played LDE for the Lions. If we decide that we're going to target CB, FS, and/or OL in the 1st round of the draft, we could go and sign Hunter to an offer sheet. He has a 2nd round tender. There are some good DEs in the 1st round, but I don't know that there will be anyone of interest that falls to our 2nd round pick. Hunter isn't proven, but he is an ascending player. He'll turn 27 this summer. He's gone from role player to starter. He could be a good starter for 4 or 5 years. I don't know that the Eagles have specific interest in him, but this is the kind of player that fits their M.O.
I'm just throwing some names out there. I don't have time go through every possible move right now. Understand that the Eagles have detailed scouting reports on every player in the NFL. They will have some players on their radar that we may overlook for one reason or another.
TRADES
The Eagles could look at some other types of players in the trade market. You go find a player who has fallen out of favor with a team or maybe someone who doesn't fit a new scheme so well. LB Derrick Johnson only started 3 games for the Chiefs last year. The Eagles could see what KC is looking for in return. We know the Eagles talked about him last year when they ended up dealing for Will Witherspoon.
WLB Rocky McIntosh may not be an ideal fit for the Redskins defense if they do make the complete conversion to the 3-4. He is an RFA, but they might deal him for less than a 2nd if they see he isn't of much value in the new scheme.
CB Richard Marshall only got a 2nd round tender from CAR. He could be a player to look into.
You wonder if the Packers might be open to trading LB A.J. Hawk.
And so on.
We have a good amount of quality draft picks to use.
1
2
3
3
4
4
We also have potential trade material in the form of:
QB Michael Vick
DT Trevor Laws
LB Chris Gocong
Clearly none of those guys is going to land us anything great.
The point is to find a team where these guys might offer value. 3-4 teams might like Gocong. Laws would be a good fit as a 1-gap DT. A 3-4 team could also look at him as a DE, where he played as a Senior in college. Would KC give up Derrick Johnson for Laws and Gocong? I'm sure some people will laugh at that notion, but think about this. While Derrick would start for us he was just a nickel LB for the Chiefs in '09. He only had 3 starts all year.
I'm obviously leaving McNabb off the list. We'll just have to see what happens with him. Frankly, I'm tired of speculating. All we can do is wait.
BE PATIENT
I know it sucks. We see Peppers in Chicago. The Giants landed Rolle. Dansby is off the market. And so on and so on. We're all ready for some action. The Eagles will make some moves this offseason. It is just going to take some time. The goal is to make the right moves, not the most moves or the fastest moves. You don't want to panic because Peppers is gone and throw money into a player that you don't really believe in. Find some players you do like and go get them.
We have a good team and we're coming off a good season. We need to get better and the front office knows that. We didn't win the Super Bowl. We didn't win the division or even a playoff game. No one thinks we're good enough at this point. That ties in to the Eagles thinking. The goal is to get better, not just to make changes. Let's find guys who genuinely make us better.
I know some fans wonder about the "talent gap" between us and the Cowboys. We whipped them to end '08 and they whipped us to end '09. So what did they do to get better? Not what you think.
OUT: DL Chris Canty, WR Terrell Owens, LB Kevin Burnett, CB Anthony Henry, NT Tank Johnson, CB PacMan Jones, DE/LB Greg Ellis, S Roy Williams
IN: ILB Keith Brooking, QB Jon Kitna, DE Igor Olshansky, S Gerald Sensabaugh
You tell me, was there more talent heading out or coming in? Dallas made the right moves, but that offseason sure doesn't look good on paper.
Hopefully we'll have some good rumors to talk about this week. I don't know that anything major is going to happen any time soon, but I am eager to see the guys at least doing some shopping.
___
We are now on Day 3 of the offseason. The Eagles haven't made a signing yet. Things are pretty quiet. This has us all frustrated. Not getting Julius Peppers was a huge blow. As mad as you might be, Howie Roseman, Joe Banner, and Andy Reid are equally upset. Peppers is a player they coveted and thought they had a great shot to land. Chicago was more desperate for him because they have no 1st or 2nd round pick this year and also had to deal with the Gaines Adams tragedy. This wasn't a matter of the Eagles not wanting him or being cheap.
Where do we go from here?
The goal is still the same...to improve the team. Peppers was the big kahuna, but there are other moves to be made.
SELECTIVE SHOPPERS
The Eagles loved Peppers, but didn't make a play for Aaron Kampman or Kyle Vanden Bosch. Those were the top 3 unrestricted DEs. Why go for one, but not the others? What gives? The Eagles saw Peppers as an elite talent and the kind of player you absolutely pursue. They had little to no interest in the other players.
The Eagles have always been very choosy about who they go after. They don't believe in change for the sake of change. The Eagles find players they like, target them, and then pursue those players. I personally like Kampman. They don't. They see a 30-year old DE coming off an ACL tear. They see a descending player. Vanden Bosch is an older player that hasn't been overly productive in several years. Look at the numbers for the last 2 years:
Juqua Parker --- 32 games ... 63 solo tackles, 13 sacks, 3 FFs, INT
Vanden Bosch - 26 games ... 46 solo tackles, 7.5 sacks, 5 FFs
Kampman ------ 25 games ... 77 solo tackles, 13 sacks, 1 FF
Each of the other guys has missed some games with injury. That affects their numbers, but also brings durability up as a point to consider. The bottom line is that neither of the other players is as much of a significant upgrade on Parker as you may think. Juqua isn't an ideal starter, but the other two do have some issues. The Eagles and I disagree about Kampman. I do think he's good enough to make it worth making the move. The torn ACL really is the x-factor with him.
As for the teams who signed them...JAX had an NFL low 14 sacks last year. They had to take a chance on a DE. They could not afford to be choosy. Kyle is going to a Detroit team that allowed a shocking 494 points. They gave up 31 points a game. That is just insane. The Lions need all the help they can get.
I'm sure some of you will disagree with the Eagles for being so selective. There are several different ways to approach free agency. The Patriots are aggressive. Belichick loves veteran players and is always open to adding various guys. The Colts are the polar opposite and virtually never add anyone of significance. The Steelers are like us. They pick and choose carefully, but truly prefer to build through the draft. All 4 teams have had a lot of success despite doing things in different ways.
ODD YEAR
Because of the CBA situation this is a weird offseason. There are only a handful of real good UFAs to choose from. Most of the talent is in the RFA class. We have never dealt with this scenario before. We don't know how things will play out. The one thing I will tell you is that RFA moves are much more complicated than normal FA signings and will take more time. You must be patient.
Howie Roseman is the new GM. You can bet he wants to be aggressive and put his stamp on things. Unfortunately his hands are a bit tied. The Eagles are probably only going to go after a veteran S and veteran RB in the UFA market at this point.
That doesn't mean those are the only moves we'll make. Roseman and Reid will talk to the other 31 teams about players who might be available via trade, just as teams are talking to us about our QBs. The NFL isn't normally a trading league, but that may open up this year because of the lack of UFAs targets for all teams.
I know some people have wondered if Roseman is at fault in any way for the Peppers situation. No. Joe Banner is the lead guy on all FA deals. He is the contract guy and negotiator. Roseman and the personnel guys put together lists of targets. Banner and the agents are the ones who talk turkey. We might have gotten lucky with Roseman becoming the GM this year. He seems to be more of a creative, aggressive guy than Heckert. This offseason will require someone who can - get ready for the cliche - think outside the box.
POTENTIAL TARGETS
The thing to do is to look for players the Eagles might want to go after. If we have to give up compensation you can be sure the Eagles will focus on two types of targets: high end talent and ascending players.
DE Ray Edwards is an RFA. The Vikings put a 1st round tender on him. This is a guy the Eagles could still want to go for. He is an ideal LDE. Edwards is 6'5, 270. He just turned 25, so he's just hitting his prime. He had 8.5 sacks this year and really played well in the postseason. There are a couple of things to consider. Do the Eagles like him enough to give up a 1st Rder and big contract to get him? Will the Eagles use a poison-pill clause in the offer to force the Vikings to let him go?
The Raiders were reported to be open to dealing CB Namdi Asomugha. If that is true, you know the Eagles will make some phone calls to Oakland. That is the kind of player they would break the bank for. The report said that his contract could be a problematic for the Raiders and that is why they might consider dealing him. Of course, no one knows what Al Davis and that team is doing.
Back to DE for a minute. The Lions have a DE named Jason Hunter who started 9 games last year and got 5 sacks. He is 6'4, 271. He played LDE for the Lions. If we decide that we're going to target CB, FS, and/or OL in the 1st round of the draft, we could go and sign Hunter to an offer sheet. He has a 2nd round tender. There are some good DEs in the 1st round, but I don't know that there will be anyone of interest that falls to our 2nd round pick. Hunter isn't proven, but he is an ascending player. He'll turn 27 this summer. He's gone from role player to starter. He could be a good starter for 4 or 5 years. I don't know that the Eagles have specific interest in him, but this is the kind of player that fits their M.O.
I'm just throwing some names out there. I don't have time go through every possible move right now. Understand that the Eagles have detailed scouting reports on every player in the NFL. They will have some players on their radar that we may overlook for one reason or another.
TRADES
The Eagles could look at some other types of players in the trade market. You go find a player who has fallen out of favor with a team or maybe someone who doesn't fit a new scheme so well. LB Derrick Johnson only started 3 games for the Chiefs last year. The Eagles could see what KC is looking for in return. We know the Eagles talked about him last year when they ended up dealing for Will Witherspoon.
WLB Rocky McIntosh may not be an ideal fit for the Redskins defense if they do make the complete conversion to the 3-4. He is an RFA, but they might deal him for less than a 2nd if they see he isn't of much value in the new scheme.
CB Richard Marshall only got a 2nd round tender from CAR. He could be a player to look into.
You wonder if the Packers might be open to trading LB A.J. Hawk.
And so on.
We have a good amount of quality draft picks to use.
1
2
3
3
4
4
We also have potential trade material in the form of:
QB Michael Vick
DT Trevor Laws
LB Chris Gocong
Clearly none of those guys is going to land us anything great.
The point is to find a team where these guys might offer value. 3-4 teams might like Gocong. Laws would be a good fit as a 1-gap DT. A 3-4 team could also look at him as a DE, where he played as a Senior in college. Would KC give up Derrick Johnson for Laws and Gocong? I'm sure some people will laugh at that notion, but think about this. While Derrick would start for us he was just a nickel LB for the Chiefs in '09. He only had 3 starts all year.
I'm obviously leaving McNabb off the list. We'll just have to see what happens with him. Frankly, I'm tired of speculating. All we can do is wait.
BE PATIENT
I know it sucks. We see Peppers in Chicago. The Giants landed Rolle. Dansby is off the market. And so on and so on. We're all ready for some action. The Eagles will make some moves this offseason. It is just going to take some time. The goal is to make the right moves, not the most moves or the fastest moves. You don't want to panic because Peppers is gone and throw money into a player that you don't really believe in. Find some players you do like and go get them.
We have a good team and we're coming off a good season. We need to get better and the front office knows that. We didn't win the Super Bowl. We didn't win the division or even a playoff game. No one thinks we're good enough at this point. That ties in to the Eagles thinking. The goal is to get better, not just to make changes. Let's find guys who genuinely make us better.
I know some fans wonder about the "talent gap" between us and the Cowboys. We whipped them to end '08 and they whipped us to end '09. So what did they do to get better? Not what you think.
OUT: DL Chris Canty, WR Terrell Owens, LB Kevin Burnett, CB Anthony Henry, NT Tank Johnson, CB PacMan Jones, DE/LB Greg Ellis, S Roy Williams
IN: ILB Keith Brooking, QB Jon Kitna, DE Igor Olshansky, S Gerald Sensabaugh
You tell me, was there more talent heading out or coming in? Dallas made the right moves, but that offseason sure doesn't look good on paper.
Hopefully we'll have some good rumors to talk about this week. I don't know that anything major is going to happen any time soon, but I am eager to see the guys at least doing some shopping.
___
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Afternoon Update
***
Aaron Kampman is a player that I'm still high on. I heard yesterday that nothing was going to happen between him and the Eagles. I was doing some reading today and stumbled across this nugget from the Florida Times-Union (JAX):
The comments could also mean the Eagles have re-thought the situation and decided that they do have interest in Kampman. Maybe they just want him on a 1-year deal. Maybe they only want him cheap.
The Jags spent most of Saturday talking, but the author of the above article added these Tweets this afternoon:
The Jags want him, but they may be apart on money / terms. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out. I'm going to continue to hope Kampman stays on the market and gets back into our plans, but I won't be holding my breath.
RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HANK?
Aaron Wilson is reporting that the Eagles are one of 3 teams looking at WR Hank Baskett. He is a UFA at this point. Hank would be an ideal addition because he knows the system and can play on STs. That would give us the flexibility to draft a WR if we wanted or rely on Hank and Reggie Brown as the backups. Kevin Curtis will be cut at some point.
ANSWER
RE: LB Nick Roach
Someone asked about Nick as a possible RFA target. I've got Nick on a list of players the Eagles might like at WLB. He played MLB and SLB for Chicago, but would be a good WLB fit for us. He is 6'1, 234. He got on the field last year when Urlacher went down. Roach played pretty well. He had 2 sacks, 7 TFLs, and 3 FFs. He is solid, physical LB. He can hit and tackle well. I can't say a lot about his cover skills, but he was solid in that area coming out of Northwestern. No way we give up a 2nd for him. We'd have to trade a player or get them to take a lesser pick. I don't even know if we'd offer a 3rd. Nick is an interesting potential target.
___
Aaron Kampman is a player that I'm still high on. I heard yesterday that nothing was going to happen between him and the Eagles. I was doing some reading today and stumbled across this nugget from the Florida Times-Union (JAX):
Kampman had been rumored to be drawing interest from Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Seattle. But by coaxing Kampman to take his first free agent visit to Jacksonville, the Jags may have increased their chances of landing him. Kampman’s representatives remain in contact with Philadelphia, but it’s unclear whether he plans to visit the Eagles or any of the other teams that have expressed interest.Let's examine this for a second. That line could work a few ways. If Kampman's agent is calling the Eagles to ask if they are interested that is technically the two sides staying in contact, even if the Eagles continue to say no. The interest from other teams certainly helps Kampman's bargaining power. And he needs that, being 30+ and coming off an ACL tear.
The comments could also mean the Eagles have re-thought the situation and decided that they do have interest in Kampman. Maybe they just want him on a 1-year deal. Maybe they only want him cheap.
The Jags spent most of Saturday talking, but the author of the above article added these Tweets this afternoon:
It doesn't appear that anything is imminent w/Kampman or Osgood. But we shall see.
Jags are trying hard to get something done, according to my sources
The Jags want him, but they may be apart on money / terms. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out. I'm going to continue to hope Kampman stays on the market and gets back into our plans, but I won't be holding my breath.
RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HANK?
Aaron Wilson is reporting that the Eagles are one of 3 teams looking at WR Hank Baskett. He is a UFA at this point. Hank would be an ideal addition because he knows the system and can play on STs. That would give us the flexibility to draft a WR if we wanted or rely on Hank and Reggie Brown as the backups. Kevin Curtis will be cut at some point.
ANSWER
RE: LB Nick Roach
Someone asked about Nick as a possible RFA target. I've got Nick on a list of players the Eagles might like at WLB. He played MLB and SLB for Chicago, but would be a good WLB fit for us. He is 6'1, 234. He got on the field last year when Urlacher went down. Roach played pretty well. He had 2 sacks, 7 TFLs, and 3 FFs. He is solid, physical LB. He can hit and tackle well. I can't say a lot about his cover skills, but he was solid in that area coming out of Northwestern. No way we give up a 2nd for him. We'd have to trade a player or get them to take a lesser pick. I don't even know if we'd offer a 3rd. Nick is an interesting potential target.
___
More on Spoon and LB
***
Last year the Giants signed a pair of high quality DTs, Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty. Star Safety Brian Dawkins signed with the Broncos. The New Orleans Saints, coming off a season where they finished 26th in scoring defense, had needs at DT and S. They signed backup DT Anthony Hargrove and ancient FS Darren Sharper, hardly impact moves...in the offseason.
Those guys did turn out to be impact players during the season. Sharper picked off 9 passes and ran 3 back for TDs. Hargrove had 5 sacks, 3 TFLs, and a FF as a backup. That's pretty darn good impact. The Saints didn't get the big names. They got the right guys. They also got to carry home a hunk of silver that says Lombardi at the end of the year.
We're all frustrated right now (including those inside NovaCare) that the biggest target of the offseason went elsewhere. He was going to be the centerpiece to the offseason. Without him, we have to adjust the plans. This doesn't mean the offseason is a failure. This doesn't mean the world is ending. One player isn't going to make or break an offseason, outside of a QB.
The Eagles have other moves in the works. We just have to be patient to see what happens. I know all of us want to see action. Let's remember, free agency has been open for 36 hours. It isn't like the Eagles have been sitting on their hands for 10 days. Moves will be made.
One of the real complications this year is that there just aren't many good UFAs to choose from. Most of the key targets are RFAs. Those players rarely get looked at this early. When going after an RFA the Eagles would have to negotiate with the agent, talk to the player, and possibly deal with his current team to work out compensation if the player is "available". You can bet the Eagles are thinking about going for an RFA as well as looking at potential trades. Remember that the point isn't just to make moves. Be selective. Find players you genuinely like and go after those players.
LB SITUATION
The key to our LB corps is Stewart Bradley. The Eagles love him. They don't just see him as a good MLB. The coaches think he is a perfect fit for our scheme, a perfect fit for our team (character/personality), and a damn good MLB. Barring some crazy development, he isn't moving to SAM. You find a key player and build around him. Disco Stew is that key player.
Cutting Spoon did catch us off guard. That move doesn't exist in a vacuum. We need to see what else happens to decide if the move makes sense or not. I wasn't happy when the team cut Takeo Spikes after the '07 season. He's still playing good football and we're still juggling LBs. I don't have a strong feeling with Spoon because I'm just not sure what the move means.
As for the Spoon trade...we had to make that move. Remember, we had lost our top 2 MLBs for the year at that point. Joe Mays clearly wasn't the answer. We felt that we had a potential SB team and had to go get a quality veteran LB. Without Spoon the defense would have really bottomed out. To get Spoon we gave up a 5th round pick and WR Brandon Gibson. Forget the pick. Let's talk about Gibson. He is a good young player. He got a lot of PT for the Rams and went 34-348-1. I watched tape of him recently. I'm still not sold that he has the speed to be a good full time starter. I do think he can be a good role player. Let's just temper the notion that Brandon Gibson was some great player or big time loss. He was (and is ) a nice player, but nothing more. When it comes to trades, you have to give something to get something. Sure, we ended up just renting Spoon, but the move made complete sense at the time.
What is the future at LB? I'm thinking about that. There isn't a clear course of action for those of us on the outside. I'm sure the Eagles have a player or players that they are targeting. Cutting Spoon opens a starting spot and frees up salary. I have to think the Eagles have a plan based on this move. We just have to wait and see what happens. And waiting is the hardest part.
MCNABB
No one outside of NovaCare really knows what the plans are. Do not listen to what Reid says. His words could be the truth, a smokescreen, or complete lies. You are just wasting your time trying to read into what he says. The Eagles know that McNabb and Vick are tradeable commodities. They will explore various options and do what they feel is best. Again, just be patient. The Eagles know every angle of this situation. I know what I want them to do, but we all have to sit and wait to see what actually unfolds.
___
Last year the Giants signed a pair of high quality DTs, Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty. Star Safety Brian Dawkins signed with the Broncos. The New Orleans Saints, coming off a season where they finished 26th in scoring defense, had needs at DT and S. They signed backup DT Anthony Hargrove and ancient FS Darren Sharper, hardly impact moves...in the offseason.
Those guys did turn out to be impact players during the season. Sharper picked off 9 passes and ran 3 back for TDs. Hargrove had 5 sacks, 3 TFLs, and a FF as a backup. That's pretty darn good impact. The Saints didn't get the big names. They got the right guys. They also got to carry home a hunk of silver that says Lombardi at the end of the year.
We're all frustrated right now (including those inside NovaCare) that the biggest target of the offseason went elsewhere. He was going to be the centerpiece to the offseason. Without him, we have to adjust the plans. This doesn't mean the offseason is a failure. This doesn't mean the world is ending. One player isn't going to make or break an offseason, outside of a QB.
The Eagles have other moves in the works. We just have to be patient to see what happens. I know all of us want to see action. Let's remember, free agency has been open for 36 hours. It isn't like the Eagles have been sitting on their hands for 10 days. Moves will be made.
One of the real complications this year is that there just aren't many good UFAs to choose from. Most of the key targets are RFAs. Those players rarely get looked at this early. When going after an RFA the Eagles would have to negotiate with the agent, talk to the player, and possibly deal with his current team to work out compensation if the player is "available". You can bet the Eagles are thinking about going for an RFA as well as looking at potential trades. Remember that the point isn't just to make moves. Be selective. Find players you genuinely like and go after those players.
LB SITUATION
The key to our LB corps is Stewart Bradley. The Eagles love him. They don't just see him as a good MLB. The coaches think he is a perfect fit for our scheme, a perfect fit for our team (character/personality), and a damn good MLB. Barring some crazy development, he isn't moving to SAM. You find a key player and build around him. Disco Stew is that key player.
Cutting Spoon did catch us off guard. That move doesn't exist in a vacuum. We need to see what else happens to decide if the move makes sense or not. I wasn't happy when the team cut Takeo Spikes after the '07 season. He's still playing good football and we're still juggling LBs. I don't have a strong feeling with Spoon because I'm just not sure what the move means.
As for the Spoon trade...we had to make that move. Remember, we had lost our top 2 MLBs for the year at that point. Joe Mays clearly wasn't the answer. We felt that we had a potential SB team and had to go get a quality veteran LB. Without Spoon the defense would have really bottomed out. To get Spoon we gave up a 5th round pick and WR Brandon Gibson. Forget the pick. Let's talk about Gibson. He is a good young player. He got a lot of PT for the Rams and went 34-348-1. I watched tape of him recently. I'm still not sold that he has the speed to be a good full time starter. I do think he can be a good role player. Let's just temper the notion that Brandon Gibson was some great player or big time loss. He was (and is ) a nice player, but nothing more. When it comes to trades, you have to give something to get something. Sure, we ended up just renting Spoon, but the move made complete sense at the time.
What is the future at LB? I'm thinking about that. There isn't a clear course of action for those of us on the outside. I'm sure the Eagles have a player or players that they are targeting. Cutting Spoon opens a starting spot and frees up salary. I have to think the Eagles have a plan based on this move. We just have to wait and see what happens. And waiting is the hardest part.
MCNABB
No one outside of NovaCare really knows what the plans are. Do not listen to what Reid says. His words could be the truth, a smokescreen, or complete lies. You are just wasting your time trying to read into what he says. The Eagles know that McNabb and Vick are tradeable commodities. They will explore various options and do what they feel is best. Again, just be patient. The Eagles know every angle of this situation. I know what I want them to do, but we all have to sit and wait to see what actually unfolds.
___
Friday, March 5, 2010
Eagles Make 2 Moves
***
The Eagles caught me off guard by cutting WLB Will Witherspoon. Talk about a move that really came out of left field.
I was happy to see the deal with FB Leonard Weaver get finalized. Leonard Part 6 was great for us last year and I'm ecstatic that we got that situation right. He's too good a fit to let him hit the open market.
What do we make of dumping Spoon? Hard to say really. You do wonder if this move was made to open up the WLB spot for another player. The Eagles were counting on getting Julius Peppers. Maybe now they are looking elsewhere for an impact player (and they have the money to spend on him).
The first thought is Karlos Dansby, but I'm not sure we'll get into the bidding for a guy like him. Most good LBs are RFAs. I just glanced at the list of UFAs again and it isn't real compelling. Keith Bulluck tore an ACL in late December. Danny Clark is a good role player / spot starter. If the Eagles did go after an RFA they could like Derrick Johnson, Nick Roach, Rocky McIntosh, or Thomas Howard.
Spoon was solid in his time as an Eagle. He looked like a playmaker in the WAS game, but never got back to that level the rest of the season. Akeem Jordan now is the leader at WLB. That could be a temporary promotion or long term. He did play well at times last year, but also made some mistakes that really bothered the coaching staff and led to diminished playing time even before his injury.
There are some good LBs in the draft that could take the spot, but we have holes at CB, DE, and FS that must be filled. WLB falls in line after those spots on the offseason priority list.
___
The Eagles caught me off guard by cutting WLB Will Witherspoon. Talk about a move that really came out of left field.
I was happy to see the deal with FB Leonard Weaver get finalized. Leonard Part 6 was great for us last year and I'm ecstatic that we got that situation right. He's too good a fit to let him hit the open market.
What do we make of dumping Spoon? Hard to say really. You do wonder if this move was made to open up the WLB spot for another player. The Eagles were counting on getting Julius Peppers. Maybe now they are looking elsewhere for an impact player (and they have the money to spend on him).
The first thought is Karlos Dansby, but I'm not sure we'll get into the bidding for a guy like him. Most good LBs are RFAs. I just glanced at the list of UFAs again and it isn't real compelling. Keith Bulluck tore an ACL in late December. Danny Clark is a good role player / spot starter. If the Eagles did go after an RFA they could like Derrick Johnson, Nick Roach, Rocky McIntosh, or Thomas Howard.
Spoon was solid in his time as an Eagle. He looked like a playmaker in the WAS game, but never got back to that level the rest of the season. Akeem Jordan now is the leader at WLB. That could be a temporary promotion or long term. He did play well at times last year, but also made some mistakes that really bothered the coaching staff and led to diminished playing time even before his injury.
There are some good LBs in the draft that could take the spot, but we have holes at CB, DE, and FS that must be filled. WLB falls in line after those spots on the offseason priority list.
___
Crickets Chirping
***
Bring me the head of the man who said that silence is golden. Or Alfredo Garcia. The silence is killing me. I've waited months for this day and my reward is a big fat plate of nothing and a cup of empty promises to wash it down with.
End rant.
Julius Peppers wasn't my first choice. Still, I would not have been upset to see him sign. Now he's all but locked up in Chicago. I just hope he's ready for the Windy City Heat (best unknown comedy ever).
Jay Glazer got us all excited when he announced that Aaron Kampman was headed here. Then he backtracked. I'm sad to say that I'm hearing Kampman will not be an Eagle. I'm not sure of the details, but you can bet his ACL injury is a major issue.
And then, depression set in.
It doesn't sound like we're going to be able to make an impact move in free agency. Part of it is due to circumstances. A lot of good targets are RFAs this year. That limits the pool of choices. We can sign an RFA or obviously make trades. I'm sure Joe Banner, Howie Roseman, and Andy Reid will exhaust every possibility prior to the draft so that we can address needs in Pro Personnel and then be free to draft for talent.
Possible RFA targets:
DE Ray Edwards - would MIN take a 2nd rounder for him?
FS OJ Atogwe --- is he a player the Eagles have interest in?
CB Richard Marshall --- only got a 2nd round tender.
The Eagles really wanted Peppers. Now that Plan A is out the window we'll see how the boys regroup and where they go from here. Get ready for a quiet weekend.
___
Bring me the head of the man who said that silence is golden. Or Alfredo Garcia. The silence is killing me. I've waited months for this day and my reward is a big fat plate of nothing and a cup of empty promises to wash it down with.
End rant.
Julius Peppers wasn't my first choice. Still, I would not have been upset to see him sign. Now he's all but locked up in Chicago. I just hope he's ready for the Windy City Heat (best unknown comedy ever).
Jay Glazer got us all excited when he announced that Aaron Kampman was headed here. Then he backtracked. I'm sad to say that I'm hearing Kampman will not be an Eagle. I'm not sure of the details, but you can bet his ACL injury is a major issue.
And then, depression set in.
It doesn't sound like we're going to be able to make an impact move in free agency. Part of it is due to circumstances. A lot of good targets are RFAs this year. That limits the pool of choices. We can sign an RFA or obviously make trades. I'm sure Joe Banner, Howie Roseman, and Andy Reid will exhaust every possibility prior to the draft so that we can address needs in Pro Personnel and then be free to draft for talent.
Possible RFA targets:
DE Ray Edwards - would MIN take a 2nd rounder for him?
FS OJ Atogwe --- is he a player the Eagles have interest in?
CB Richard Marshall --- only got a 2nd round tender.
The Eagles really wanted Peppers. Now that Plan A is out the window we'll see how the boys regroup and where they go from here. Get ready for a quiet weekend.
___
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