Death and Taxes
Footballguy
Planning for next year assuming that we are not rebuilding and here are some ideas (will be a long post and I will add info from time to time):
Front Office and Coaching
1. Take the GM duties from Andy Reid (unlikely to happen but it needs to be done) The players may respond better to Reid if he was not such a company guy. Being a GM and a coach is a conflict of interest at times. The players need their coach to stand up against management at times for team unity sake especially after what happened last year.
2. Marty Morningwig as offensive coordinator? He will just be a puppet for Reid. This is bad. We need someone other than a yes man to second guess Reid when things are not going well.
3. Jim Johnson I do not think there is much of a problem here. This guy certainly deserves another shot and can patch up the weaknesses. He has been the most consistent piece of this team for this regime other than maybe David Akers.
4. Spend the money under the cap or just flat out rebuild. This is our last shot with this group of players. The fans do not care about deferring cap money to the next year. If you defer the money every year to the future then it is never spent all in one year. Sometimes you have to overpay now to win, then fall apart with overpaid players and rebuild after that. Take your shot or scrap this group of players. We want a Super Bowl not a team that will consistently fall short one step short every year.
OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY
Whew this is where I could write endless pages of suggestions. This is where the Eagles have fallen short the most and deserve the most criticism for not winning a SB when it comes down to it.
Football is a game of chess and the most simple way to be successful is to keep the defense guessing what you are gonna do.
Somehow we have taken a big play QB whose strengths are running and throwing the ball deep and whose weakness is accuracy, and have forced him to stay in the pocket and throw timing routes to receivers that drop alot of passes. On top of that we dont and cannot run the ball effectively
So what are defenses gonna do? Well uh, they are gonna defend the short pass and blitz the hell out of us. Bottom line it is easy to game plan against the Eagles offense especially with no T.O.
Most of us can see that McNabb and the West Coast offense are not effective together. Its like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Either get a QB that can run this offense or change the offense. The field needs to be stretched and McNabb needs to run the ball more (not like Vick) and keep the defense honest.
Offensive players and personel
Quarterback:
Donovan McNabb:
I like McNabb and he has many positive qualities but he deserves criticism for some major chokes in the past few years. He is not a team leader and he seems to be a yes man for Reid.
This offense needs to be changed or adapted to fit his strengths. He is the man for now but either he goes or the offensive system goes sometime in the near future.
Backup QB:
At least we found out that we have no backup QB at all and if McNabb goes down the season is most likely over. McMahon stinks and it was a waste of time watching him get the opportunity to finish the season out. Detmer is a highly paid holder. It was ashame that we did not have a young promising QB with potential to finish out the season. There is word that AJ Feeley could be back to the team. This position should be addressed in the offseason.
Running Back
Westbrook is a great fit for the West Coast Offense and he is a game breaker.
Moats is also a gambreaker but does not have the polish that Westbrook has right now. He has alot of potential though.
Gordon( Free agent) or whoever his replacement will be. We should be looking next year to run the ball more effectively inbetween the tackles. This is not necessarily any of the RBs fault but more of an offensive line and play calling issue.
Parry at FB is just a 6th offensive lineman as most FBs are nowadays. I see him as an average player and should take some criticism for the Eagles not being able to run the ball effectively.
Wide Recievers and Tight End
Drops, Drops, Drops and put the whole T.O. disaster behind us. This one of our most glaring needs and will be addressed later in this post.
Alot to say about this position. Is it not a prerequisite to be drafted and play in the NFL that you can catch the football? I dont get it. Is it a combination that McNabb is not accurate and these guys cannot catch? Whatever the problem may be it needs to be corrected. Even when McMahon was in the game there was just too many catchable balls that were dropped.
Reggie Brown:
I like Reggie Brown and hopefully some of the passes he dropped were just because he was a rookie. He made some nice plays and showed some promise. However he cannot be considered a number one WR at this point. Probably a questionable number two receiver also if you want to win a SB.
Greg Lewis and Todd Pinkston (if he comes back):
Number three WRs at best. These players have too many deficiencies to be relied on. Lewis took a step back in 2005 IMO and Pinkston was average when he was healthy.
Billy McMullen:
Should be waived and was a wasted draft pick. Tired of seeing balls bounce off his chest and facemask.
L.J. Smith:
Is a hot topic of debate. The guy is athletic and puts up good numbers but may be a bit overrated. He just drops too many balls, fumbles and has blocking deficiencies to be given a free pass. Hopefully he is young enough to improve these aspects of his game. Not a position of glaring need but should not be ignored.
Offensive Line
As cliche as it sounds but the game is usually won in the trenches and the OL took a step back this year due to injury. It has been a pretty solid unit over the years. Maybe just a little bit overated in run blocking which showed this year. Losing Mayberry and Welbourne did hurt a bit. Our tackles are getting a little aged and at the moment there is nothing but question marks in between them.
I believe this an area of the team which needs some repair.
Jon Runyan:
Probably the only stable player they had in 2005. He had his ups and downs but for the most part is pretty solid. Even took a pay cut when asked and seems to be popular with the fans. I think they should resign him but he is old and has been around for a while. Tackle is a hard position to upgrade through the NFL by free agency and they could do alot worse. Rookie tackles rarely step in and excel immediately and veteran tackles cost alot of money.
Tra Thomas:
For years you did not hear this guys name mentioned during the games other than he is a Pro Bowler which is good if you an offensive lineman. Lately his play has fallen off with some penalties and just getting beat more often. Now throw in an injury on top of that and he seems not to be the player he used to be. I really have not heard much about his injury since it happend so I dont know how serious it is. Hopefully he comes back and is at least 80% because like I said with Runyan, tackle is hard position to fill in the NFL.
Shawn Andrews:
I spent alot of time just focusing on him when the Eagles season was for the most part over. He will be at minimum, a solid NFL offensive lineman with the potential of being a good one. He was for the most part a rookie this year because of his injury last year. His weight condition is a concern though.
Hank Fraley/ Jamaal Jackson:
I would say below average or at best question marks here. Fraley was a undrafted free agent signing and is average at best when he is healthy. Jackson is questionable and probably a backup on a good offensive line.
Artis Hicks:
Has started a good amount of games for the Eagles in the past two years. Not overly impressed with him but he has filled in nicely for injured players when needed. Still questionable and should be a position that can be upgraded.
Todd Herremans:
Nice frame for an NFL tackle and got some good experience when he stepped in for Thomas this year. Not ready yet to be a starting tackle in the NFL on a SB contender but has some potential.
DEFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY
The defense has been the backbone of this team for years now. As much hype as Reid, McNabb and the West Coast offense has gotten, it has choked in big games numerous times where the defense has been somewhat consistent for the most part except for 2005.
We have been lucky to have some of the better defensive coordinators over the past years, Buddy Ryan, Ray Rhodes, Bud Carson and Jim Johnson.
I like the defensive personel philosophy for the most part and Jim Johnson's system has made some average players look good.
The Eagles seem to focus on pressuring the QB which they had done up until 2005. Almost exclusively focusing on the Def line and backfield with major signings and the draft has worked well for a while up until 2005. The constant shuffle of outside linebackers and plugging in average players finally caught up with us this year.
Defensive Line:
The loss of Simon and Burgess did hurt the Eagles no doubt. Simon had conditioning problems and Burgess had injury problems but they were major contributors in 2004. I probably would not have given them the big contracts either but you have to replace them somewhat with other players which did not happen. We could use another DE and DT that are better than just average players that we seem to have.
Jevon Kearse:
The Freak had a below average year, probably because almost every other position was depleted of talent and he faced alot more attention. Kearse came to the Eagles with some injury baggage and a big contract. He needs to produce and there is no excuses. Him pressuring the QB determines the success of the defense. Bottom line is he gets big paycheck he needs to make big plays.
N.D. Kalu/Trent Cole/J. McDougal:
Kalu Free Agent for 2006. Seemed to have a quiet season which is bad when you are a DE. Cole stepped in somewhat admirably and made some noise but not sure what he can do for the whole season. This was McDougal's year to step up and make an impact as a #1 pick. Cant say he was heading in that direction before he was shot but hopefully he will be in the mix for 2006. This position needs to be solidified with a signing or some draft help.
Darwin Walker:
Walker seemed to be steal a few years back when I believe we signed him as a free agent after he was cut. He does contribute in the rotation of DTs when he is healthy. A solid player but not a star nor does he have the potential to be one.
Mike Patterson:
Played well for a rookie and made some positive contributions. Hopefully he improves his play next year and upgrades this position.
Thomas/Rayburn/Grasmanis:
All are situational players for the most part. Thomas offers no pass rush. Rayburn is a tough player but is average a best. Grasmanis is injured most of the time.
Bottom line is we need another DT that is a full time starter and not just a situational player.
Linebacker
Lets roll down the list: Shawn Barber, Carlos Emmons, Nate Wayne, Ike Reese, and there may be a few more in the past. OLB has been a revolving door. All played relatively well in JJ's system and went elsewhere and have done very little more than contribute as average players. The problem is other than maybe Wayne, I would rather have any one of them over our current OLBs.
Jeremiah Trotter:
This guy has been nothing but great since he came back to the Eagles. Great against the run and can be counted on to make big plays. Not to mention he has stepped up as a leader on the team. Took less money to stay in Phila I beleive in the off season or at least gave the Eagles a chance to match. What more could the guy do?
Keith Adams/Dhani Jones:
The game of musical NFL OLBs was played again and when the music stopped these two guys weren't fast enough to get chairs and we signed and started them. Why would a guy who wears a bow tie think he is gonna fit in in Phila? He needs a red nose, wig and floppy feet to match. Seriously we need a playmaker at one of these positions.
Mark Simoneau:
A solid player if you watch him but not a great starter. I feel comfortable with him as a backup. He can even kick extra points in a pinch.
Matt McCoy:
Wasnt this guy a higher draft choice in 2005? Why wasnt he on the field for almost every down after we knew the season was over so he can get experience and be evaluated? Did I miss something here?
Defensive backs:
The strength of the defense. The good news is that we are not as bad as we played in 2005. Bottom line when the QB is pressured, these guys were making the plays as in 2004. The pressure was just not there this year. We were rushing 8 men and not getting to the QB leaving sparse coverage for too long of a time. We have too many other needs to even think about addressing this position in the off season.
Brian Dawkins:
A true team leader. This guy can just flat out tackle and make big plays. I am waiting for him to lose a step and he may have but he is just a great football player and has compensated for aging with just being a talented player.
Michael Lewis:
Appeared to have take a small step back in 2005 IMO in regards to his pass defense and taking a few really bad penalties. Never the less, this guy can hit and is a monster against the run. I think he will only get better with Dawkins teaching him the finer points of the position. We are set for years here.
Sheldon Brown:
The best cornerback on the team and should be a Pro Bowl player.
Lito Shepard:
The only question mark for 2006. He has the talent and it is just a matter of him rebounding from the injury.
Roderick Hood/ Matt Ware:
Got some valuable experience with Shepard out. I am comfortable with either of these guys being the nickel back for 2006.
Special Teams:
Drop off in production in 2005. You know it is a rough season when your kicker and punter get hurt. We seemed to have lost big play capability with our returners. It was nice having Mitchell, Reid and Westbrook in the past knowing that you could get a gamebreaking return every once in a while. Hood/Wynn and Mahe just did not provide it this year. I wonder if they plan to try Moats at returning kicks? He has the big play potential.
David Akers:
This guy is tough for a kicker. He has just been great over the years and deserved every penny of his contract extension. Even with the injury, he battled back and kicked well. He is a major asset on the team.
Sean Landeta:
I can remember when this guy kicked for the Philadelphia Stars. I guess he is coming back but not really sure.
PLANNING FOR 2006
It should be a busy offseason and there is no exact science to this plan because alot depends on many factors that cannot be predicted at this point. I will start off with an outline of the plan and fill it in later of what I think needs to be done and in what order.
Keep in mind that the first three needs are real close as far as order goes.
1. Offensive Line
Can we coax Steve Hutchinson to come here like we got Runyan to leave Tennesee when they were a championship team? Tough to draft immediate impact OL. It usually take a few years for OL to become a solid player in the NFL. Need a free agent signing for at least one postion on the OL for 2006. Move Andrews to tackle? Runyan and Thomas both back? Fraley injury? Alot that needs to be addressed here.
2. Wide Receiver
It's obvious that we need help at this position. It's amazing how much better the WCO runs when you have receivers that are talented especially since the Eagles pass 60% of the time. Hopefully the front office is past the point where they believe that we cannot just put any WR out on the field.
Although there may not be that one superstar WR out there that is an absolute gamebreaker as far as free agents goes, there seems to be some help available.
The big name WR out there is Reggie Wayne. Although I think he would improve the Eagles, I do not like his price tag for what he will bring to the table. I would rather them spend big cap money on OL/DL help. Most of us recognize that he may just be a product of the system in Ind. There is other free agent help out there that I like not necessarily in order of preferance:
First tier:
Antonio Bryant: Had a career year with Trent Dilfer as his QB. This guy has some game breaking capability is young and should be on the Eagles radar. Probably my prime choice.
David Givens: See what the market commands. Young player and may be a pricey FA. Is he a product of Tom Brady? Worth taking a shot on depending on the price tag.
Antwan Randle El: Is a gamebreaker that can also return punts with some questionable WR weaknesses. Not my first choice at WR but he is better than what they have except for maybe Reggie Brown.
Brandon Lloyd: A roll of the dice if anything if the Eagles come up short at this postion in free agency. The guy has talent but may some some behavior issues. Wouldnt you have issues if you were a WR for the 49ers for the past two years?
Joe Jurevicius: Not a game breaker but I would be happy just for a veteran who can catch and run routes.
Keenan McCardell: See above explanation.
Other names if the Eagles come up short and want to gamble with a FA signing and a high draft choice:
Arnaz Battle(restricted), Jabar Gaffney: products of struggling offenses
Rod Gardner
Restricted free agents: Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald, Nate Burleson,
And of course there are they veteran WR's that will be cut or looking to be traded like Eric Moulds, who can help the Eagles.
3. Defensive Line
I suggest high draft choice(s) again at these position(s). Hoping that Patterson improves and McDougal comes back and starts to contribute.
Big name available is John Abraham but he seems to be a malcontent and will be high priced and we already have Kearse with the big price tag.
Some second tier DE players available are Marcellus Wiley and Marco Coleman.
DT postion as far as free agency goes is slim.
4. Outside Linebacker
This is one of the harder positions to plan for at the moment and that is why I list it forth. The list of free agents appears to be thin but that does not mean that veteran players will not become available after contracts are evaluated and cuts are made.
What I am saying is that I do not see the Eagles signing a high priced free agent here or drafting an OLB high in the draft.
One question I mentioned earlier is that why did they not play Matt McCoy more when playoff hopes were over for evaluation and experience purposes?
Is it feasible to move Simoneau back to the outside?
5. Backup Quarterback
There are numerous unrestricted free agents out there. More than likely half of them won't come to Phila because they will resign with their current team or they will more than likely want to compete for a starting spot. Here is the list of potential candidates that I like not in any order as of yet:
Jamie Martin
Jeff Garcia
John Kitna
Josh McKnown
Kurt Warner
Other candidates Free agent QBs
6. Punt and Kick Returner
I don't have alot of suggestions here other than upgrades are necessary and try to address the lack of big plays. Maybe they could try and use Moats as a kick returner or sign a free agent. Who will be available?
7. Running Back:
This need is relatively easy to fill. We need a bigger back than BW and RM to run inbetween the tackles and on the goal line. Dont have to spend alot of money here. I would not be upset if they resigned Gordon, or possibly will Duece Staley be available and willing to come back? Please not Buckhalter, he is a piece of glass and unreliable.
8. Full Back
Difficult to evaluate this position. Was it Parry's fault that BW was getting hit in the backfield consistenly or was it the OL. Parry should take some of the blame for the ineffective running game. Not a major need but should be evaluated.
Front Office and Coaching
1. Take the GM duties from Andy Reid (unlikely to happen but it needs to be done) The players may respond better to Reid if he was not such a company guy. Being a GM and a coach is a conflict of interest at times. The players need their coach to stand up against management at times for team unity sake especially after what happened last year.
2. Marty Morningwig as offensive coordinator? He will just be a puppet for Reid. This is bad. We need someone other than a yes man to second guess Reid when things are not going well.
3. Jim Johnson I do not think there is much of a problem here. This guy certainly deserves another shot and can patch up the weaknesses. He has been the most consistent piece of this team for this regime other than maybe David Akers.
4. Spend the money under the cap or just flat out rebuild. This is our last shot with this group of players. The fans do not care about deferring cap money to the next year. If you defer the money every year to the future then it is never spent all in one year. Sometimes you have to overpay now to win, then fall apart with overpaid players and rebuild after that. Take your shot or scrap this group of players. We want a Super Bowl not a team that will consistently fall short one step short every year.
OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY
Whew this is where I could write endless pages of suggestions. This is where the Eagles have fallen short the most and deserve the most criticism for not winning a SB when it comes down to it.
Football is a game of chess and the most simple way to be successful is to keep the defense guessing what you are gonna do.
Somehow we have taken a big play QB whose strengths are running and throwing the ball deep and whose weakness is accuracy, and have forced him to stay in the pocket and throw timing routes to receivers that drop alot of passes. On top of that we dont and cannot run the ball effectively
So what are defenses gonna do? Well uh, they are gonna defend the short pass and blitz the hell out of us. Bottom line it is easy to game plan against the Eagles offense especially with no T.O.
Most of us can see that McNabb and the West Coast offense are not effective together. Its like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Either get a QB that can run this offense or change the offense. The field needs to be stretched and McNabb needs to run the ball more (not like Vick) and keep the defense honest.
Offensive players and personel
Quarterback:
Donovan McNabb:
I like McNabb and he has many positive qualities but he deserves criticism for some major chokes in the past few years. He is not a team leader and he seems to be a yes man for Reid.
This offense needs to be changed or adapted to fit his strengths. He is the man for now but either he goes or the offensive system goes sometime in the near future.
Backup QB:
At least we found out that we have no backup QB at all and if McNabb goes down the season is most likely over. McMahon stinks and it was a waste of time watching him get the opportunity to finish the season out. Detmer is a highly paid holder. It was ashame that we did not have a young promising QB with potential to finish out the season. There is word that AJ Feeley could be back to the team. This position should be addressed in the offseason.
Running Back
Westbrook is a great fit for the West Coast Offense and he is a game breaker.
Moats is also a gambreaker but does not have the polish that Westbrook has right now. He has alot of potential though.
Gordon( Free agent) or whoever his replacement will be. We should be looking next year to run the ball more effectively inbetween the tackles. This is not necessarily any of the RBs fault but more of an offensive line and play calling issue.
Parry at FB is just a 6th offensive lineman as most FBs are nowadays. I see him as an average player and should take some criticism for the Eagles not being able to run the ball effectively.
Wide Recievers and Tight End
Drops, Drops, Drops and put the whole T.O. disaster behind us. This one of our most glaring needs and will be addressed later in this post.
Alot to say about this position. Is it not a prerequisite to be drafted and play in the NFL that you can catch the football? I dont get it. Is it a combination that McNabb is not accurate and these guys cannot catch? Whatever the problem may be it needs to be corrected. Even when McMahon was in the game there was just too many catchable balls that were dropped.
Reggie Brown:
I like Reggie Brown and hopefully some of the passes he dropped were just because he was a rookie. He made some nice plays and showed some promise. However he cannot be considered a number one WR at this point. Probably a questionable number two receiver also if you want to win a SB.
Greg Lewis and Todd Pinkston (if he comes back):
Number three WRs at best. These players have too many deficiencies to be relied on. Lewis took a step back in 2005 IMO and Pinkston was average when he was healthy.
Billy McMullen:
Should be waived and was a wasted draft pick. Tired of seeing balls bounce off his chest and facemask.
L.J. Smith:
Is a hot topic of debate. The guy is athletic and puts up good numbers but may be a bit overrated. He just drops too many balls, fumbles and has blocking deficiencies to be given a free pass. Hopefully he is young enough to improve these aspects of his game. Not a position of glaring need but should not be ignored.
Offensive Line
As cliche as it sounds but the game is usually won in the trenches and the OL took a step back this year due to injury. It has been a pretty solid unit over the years. Maybe just a little bit overated in run blocking which showed this year. Losing Mayberry and Welbourne did hurt a bit. Our tackles are getting a little aged and at the moment there is nothing but question marks in between them.
I believe this an area of the team which needs some repair.
Jon Runyan:
Probably the only stable player they had in 2005. He had his ups and downs but for the most part is pretty solid. Even took a pay cut when asked and seems to be popular with the fans. I think they should resign him but he is old and has been around for a while. Tackle is a hard position to upgrade through the NFL by free agency and they could do alot worse. Rookie tackles rarely step in and excel immediately and veteran tackles cost alot of money.
Tra Thomas:
For years you did not hear this guys name mentioned during the games other than he is a Pro Bowler which is good if you an offensive lineman. Lately his play has fallen off with some penalties and just getting beat more often. Now throw in an injury on top of that and he seems not to be the player he used to be. I really have not heard much about his injury since it happend so I dont know how serious it is. Hopefully he comes back and is at least 80% because like I said with Runyan, tackle is hard position to fill in the NFL.
Shawn Andrews:
I spent alot of time just focusing on him when the Eagles season was for the most part over. He will be at minimum, a solid NFL offensive lineman with the potential of being a good one. He was for the most part a rookie this year because of his injury last year. His weight condition is a concern though.
Hank Fraley/ Jamaal Jackson:
I would say below average or at best question marks here. Fraley was a undrafted free agent signing and is average at best when he is healthy. Jackson is questionable and probably a backup on a good offensive line.
Artis Hicks:
Has started a good amount of games for the Eagles in the past two years. Not overly impressed with him but he has filled in nicely for injured players when needed. Still questionable and should be a position that can be upgraded.
Todd Herremans:
Nice frame for an NFL tackle and got some good experience when he stepped in for Thomas this year. Not ready yet to be a starting tackle in the NFL on a SB contender but has some potential.
DEFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY
The defense has been the backbone of this team for years now. As much hype as Reid, McNabb and the West Coast offense has gotten, it has choked in big games numerous times where the defense has been somewhat consistent for the most part except for 2005.
We have been lucky to have some of the better defensive coordinators over the past years, Buddy Ryan, Ray Rhodes, Bud Carson and Jim Johnson.
I like the defensive personel philosophy for the most part and Jim Johnson's system has made some average players look good.
The Eagles seem to focus on pressuring the QB which they had done up until 2005. Almost exclusively focusing on the Def line and backfield with major signings and the draft has worked well for a while up until 2005. The constant shuffle of outside linebackers and plugging in average players finally caught up with us this year.
Defensive Line:
The loss of Simon and Burgess did hurt the Eagles no doubt. Simon had conditioning problems and Burgess had injury problems but they were major contributors in 2004. I probably would not have given them the big contracts either but you have to replace them somewhat with other players which did not happen. We could use another DE and DT that are better than just average players that we seem to have.
Jevon Kearse:
The Freak had a below average year, probably because almost every other position was depleted of talent and he faced alot more attention. Kearse came to the Eagles with some injury baggage and a big contract. He needs to produce and there is no excuses. Him pressuring the QB determines the success of the defense. Bottom line is he gets big paycheck he needs to make big plays.
N.D. Kalu/Trent Cole/J. McDougal:
Kalu Free Agent for 2006. Seemed to have a quiet season which is bad when you are a DE. Cole stepped in somewhat admirably and made some noise but not sure what he can do for the whole season. This was McDougal's year to step up and make an impact as a #1 pick. Cant say he was heading in that direction before he was shot but hopefully he will be in the mix for 2006. This position needs to be solidified with a signing or some draft help.
Darwin Walker:
Walker seemed to be steal a few years back when I believe we signed him as a free agent after he was cut. He does contribute in the rotation of DTs when he is healthy. A solid player but not a star nor does he have the potential to be one.
Mike Patterson:
Played well for a rookie and made some positive contributions. Hopefully he improves his play next year and upgrades this position.
Thomas/Rayburn/Grasmanis:
All are situational players for the most part. Thomas offers no pass rush. Rayburn is a tough player but is average a best. Grasmanis is injured most of the time.
Bottom line is we need another DT that is a full time starter and not just a situational player.
Linebacker
Lets roll down the list: Shawn Barber, Carlos Emmons, Nate Wayne, Ike Reese, and there may be a few more in the past. OLB has been a revolving door. All played relatively well in JJ's system and went elsewhere and have done very little more than contribute as average players. The problem is other than maybe Wayne, I would rather have any one of them over our current OLBs.
Jeremiah Trotter:
This guy has been nothing but great since he came back to the Eagles. Great against the run and can be counted on to make big plays. Not to mention he has stepped up as a leader on the team. Took less money to stay in Phila I beleive in the off season or at least gave the Eagles a chance to match. What more could the guy do?
Keith Adams/Dhani Jones:
The game of musical NFL OLBs was played again and when the music stopped these two guys weren't fast enough to get chairs and we signed and started them. Why would a guy who wears a bow tie think he is gonna fit in in Phila? He needs a red nose, wig and floppy feet to match. Seriously we need a playmaker at one of these positions.
Mark Simoneau:
A solid player if you watch him but not a great starter. I feel comfortable with him as a backup. He can even kick extra points in a pinch.
Matt McCoy:
Wasnt this guy a higher draft choice in 2005? Why wasnt he on the field for almost every down after we knew the season was over so he can get experience and be evaluated? Did I miss something here?
Defensive backs:
The strength of the defense. The good news is that we are not as bad as we played in 2005. Bottom line when the QB is pressured, these guys were making the plays as in 2004. The pressure was just not there this year. We were rushing 8 men and not getting to the QB leaving sparse coverage for too long of a time. We have too many other needs to even think about addressing this position in the off season.
Brian Dawkins:
A true team leader. This guy can just flat out tackle and make big plays. I am waiting for him to lose a step and he may have but he is just a great football player and has compensated for aging with just being a talented player.
Michael Lewis:
Appeared to have take a small step back in 2005 IMO in regards to his pass defense and taking a few really bad penalties. Never the less, this guy can hit and is a monster against the run. I think he will only get better with Dawkins teaching him the finer points of the position. We are set for years here.
Sheldon Brown:
The best cornerback on the team and should be a Pro Bowl player.
Lito Shepard:
The only question mark for 2006. He has the talent and it is just a matter of him rebounding from the injury.
Roderick Hood/ Matt Ware:
Got some valuable experience with Shepard out. I am comfortable with either of these guys being the nickel back for 2006.
Special Teams:
Drop off in production in 2005. You know it is a rough season when your kicker and punter get hurt. We seemed to have lost big play capability with our returners. It was nice having Mitchell, Reid and Westbrook in the past knowing that you could get a gamebreaking return every once in a while. Hood/Wynn and Mahe just did not provide it this year. I wonder if they plan to try Moats at returning kicks? He has the big play potential.
David Akers:
This guy is tough for a kicker. He has just been great over the years and deserved every penny of his contract extension. Even with the injury, he battled back and kicked well. He is a major asset on the team.
Sean Landeta:
I can remember when this guy kicked for the Philadelphia Stars. I guess he is coming back but not really sure.
PLANNING FOR 2006
It should be a busy offseason and there is no exact science to this plan because alot depends on many factors that cannot be predicted at this point. I will start off with an outline of the plan and fill it in later of what I think needs to be done and in what order.
Keep in mind that the first three needs are real close as far as order goes.
1. Offensive Line
Can we coax Steve Hutchinson to come here like we got Runyan to leave Tennesee when they were a championship team? Tough to draft immediate impact OL. It usually take a few years for OL to become a solid player in the NFL. Need a free agent signing for at least one postion on the OL for 2006. Move Andrews to tackle? Runyan and Thomas both back? Fraley injury? Alot that needs to be addressed here.
2. Wide Receiver
It's obvious that we need help at this position. It's amazing how much better the WCO runs when you have receivers that are talented especially since the Eagles pass 60% of the time. Hopefully the front office is past the point where they believe that we cannot just put any WR out on the field.
Although there may not be that one superstar WR out there that is an absolute gamebreaker as far as free agents goes, there seems to be some help available.
The big name WR out there is Reggie Wayne. Although I think he would improve the Eagles, I do not like his price tag for what he will bring to the table. I would rather them spend big cap money on OL/DL help. Most of us recognize that he may just be a product of the system in Ind. There is other free agent help out there that I like not necessarily in order of preferance:
First tier:
Antonio Bryant: Had a career year with Trent Dilfer as his QB. This guy has some game breaking capability is young and should be on the Eagles radar. Probably my prime choice.
David Givens: See what the market commands. Young player and may be a pricey FA. Is he a product of Tom Brady? Worth taking a shot on depending on the price tag.
Antwan Randle El: Is a gamebreaker that can also return punts with some questionable WR weaknesses. Not my first choice at WR but he is better than what they have except for maybe Reggie Brown.
Brandon Lloyd: A roll of the dice if anything if the Eagles come up short at this postion in free agency. The guy has talent but may some some behavior issues. Wouldnt you have issues if you were a WR for the 49ers for the past two years?
Joe Jurevicius: Not a game breaker but I would be happy just for a veteran who can catch and run routes.
Keenan McCardell: See above explanation.
Other names if the Eagles come up short and want to gamble with a FA signing and a high draft choice:
Arnaz Battle(restricted), Jabar Gaffney: products of struggling offenses
Rod Gardner
Restricted free agents: Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald, Nate Burleson,
And of course there are they veteran WR's that will be cut or looking to be traded like Eric Moulds, who can help the Eagles.
3. Defensive Line
I suggest high draft choice(s) again at these position(s). Hoping that Patterson improves and McDougal comes back and starts to contribute.
Big name available is John Abraham but he seems to be a malcontent and will be high priced and we already have Kearse with the big price tag.
Some second tier DE players available are Marcellus Wiley and Marco Coleman.
DT postion as far as free agency goes is slim.
4. Outside Linebacker
This is one of the harder positions to plan for at the moment and that is why I list it forth. The list of free agents appears to be thin but that does not mean that veteran players will not become available after contracts are evaluated and cuts are made.
What I am saying is that I do not see the Eagles signing a high priced free agent here or drafting an OLB high in the draft.
One question I mentioned earlier is that why did they not play Matt McCoy more when playoff hopes were over for evaluation and experience purposes?
Is it feasible to move Simoneau back to the outside?
5. Backup Quarterback
There are numerous unrestricted free agents out there. More than likely half of them won't come to Phila because they will resign with their current team or they will more than likely want to compete for a starting spot. Here is the list of potential candidates that I like not in any order as of yet:
Jamie Martin
Jeff Garcia
John Kitna
Josh McKnown
Kurt Warner
Other candidates Free agent QBs
6. Punt and Kick Returner
I don't have alot of suggestions here other than upgrades are necessary and try to address the lack of big plays. Maybe they could try and use Moats as a kick returner or sign a free agent. Who will be available?
7. Running Back:
This need is relatively easy to fill. We need a bigger back than BW and RM to run inbetween the tackles and on the goal line. Dont have to spend alot of money here. I would not be upset if they resigned Gordon, or possibly will Duece Staley be available and willing to come back? Please not Buckhalter, he is a piece of glass and unreliable.
8. Full Back
Difficult to evaluate this position. Was it Parry's fault that BW was getting hit in the backfield consistenly or was it the OL. Parry should take some of the blame for the ineffective running game. Not a major need but should be evaluated.
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Andy Reid, even with this 6-10 season, is one of the winningest coaches in the league. He went to 4 NFC championship games and had five seasons were they went 11-5, 11-5, 12-4, 12-4 and 13-3 with a trip to the Super Bowl. Now one debacle of a year and Eagles fans [myself excluded] want the guy burned in effigy?
11-5
emote Andy ReidSpend all their cap moneyGet rid of McNabb or start over with an entirely new offensive schemeMagically produce a top flight Defensive TackleAdd a playmaking outside linebackerand then draft every position except QB, TE and the secondary.As a Giants fan, I think this is excellent advice and should be followed to the letter.
