Eagles Make Minor Trade

Posted: October 18th, 2011 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 62 Comments »

The Eagles made a trade, but nothing major. We sent RB Ronnie Brown to Detroit for Jerome Harrison and a 7th round pick. Neither player was doing much this year.

I had very high hopes for Ronnie Brown. As I wrote after we signed him:

The Eagles added a complete RB in Brown. The coaches have no excuses not to use him. Ronnie has plenty of size at 6’0, 230. He’s strong enough to break tackles and occasionally run over defenders. He’s run for 36 TDs in his career. Brown isn’t a pure power runner. He is excellent in space. He’s elusive and able to make the first defender miss. Brown cuts well and has good burst. He lacks elite speed, but runs well for a big back.

Brown is able to handle all areas of the passing game. He is a very good pass blocker. He can chip DEs or stonewall blitzers. Brown is a capable receiver. He excels on screen passes.

I had doubts about whether Brown would be interested in coming to Philly at all. My doubts were strictly based on the notion that I thought he’d want more touches elsewhere. My hope is that since the team signed Brown they are making a commitment to using the backup RB more.

One way to do that is by letting him be the Wildcat QB. You can pull Mike Vick out of the game and let Brown and Shady McCoy run the option. Ronnie knows what he’s doing. That’s a way to run and be creative. I support anything that will get Marty/Andy to run more.

Boy, was I wrong. Ronnie had 13 carries in 4 games. I didn’t expect him to get 20 a game, but I was hoping for 5 to 6. I know Shady is playing great, but you must use your backup RBs in order for them to work well. Andy Reid has apparently forgotten how to successfully use multiple RBs. You don’t give one guy 18 carries and the other guy 3. That doesn’t work.

Ronnie only once in his career had consecutive games with less than 10 carries. That was as a rookie. And that was 8 carries in one game, 9 in the other. Even 17 carries in 2 games is hugely different than 13 carries in 4 games. To explain being a backup RB for us now…you’re more a pinch hitter than a 6th man. How’s that for mixed metaphors, MLB/NBA style?

Ronnie didn’t help matters with his disastrous play vs SF. He cost us 3 points and possibly the game. That was one of the worst plays in recent memory.

Jerome Harrison has been here before. He knows he’ll get a touch here and there, but that’s it. I’m sure he expected more action in Detroit, but something wasn’t working for him there. Harrison fits in well with our kind of running.

Ronnie gives the Lions the bigger back they’ve wanted since rookie Mikell Leshoure went down to injury. I’m bitter about the SF play, but it’s hard not to have some sympathy for a backup RB who gets to leave the Eagles. It is like taking some animal to the wild and setting it free. “Run, dude, run. You’re free now!”.

And we got a 7th round pick. LB anyone?

62 Comments on “Eagles Make Minor Trade”

1 the guy said at 4:35 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Can’t rule out safety with the 7th round pick. One thing is for sure: in 2013 the defense will have a new starter.
I really cannot believe the Eagles have traded their underperforming backup RB for Jerome Harrison twice now.
2 Anonymous said at 4:44 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Deja Vu all over again.
3 Anonymous said at 5:10 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Ha, I love the “LB anyone”. I think we’re all set with our LBs.
4 Mac said at 4:47 PM on October 18th, 2011:
If we sacrifice enough high draft picks we might be able to make ALL of the 7th round picks. #WINNING
5 Mac said at 4:46 PM on October 18th, 2011:
You cannot understate the overwhelming profundity of this maneuver.
6 Anonymous said at 4:53 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Is that a dare?
7 Mac said at 4:56 PM on October 18th, 2011:
It wasn’t but, it is now… and the prize is below.
8 Anonymous said at 6:52 PM on October 18th, 2011:
In a move that can only be described as earth-shaking in its ability to effect marginal change on dynamic and mercurial offensive powerhouses, an age-old NFL franchise, the Philadelphia Eagles have traded Ronnie Brown, the greatest of all medicore 1st Round running back picks, to the Detroit Lions for the stunningly unexceptional RB Jerome Harrison, the 23rd most important player in a 24 player offense, and a draft pick in the most insignificant round in the NFL draft.
9 Mac said at 9:01 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Well done sir. Where do I send the cookie?
10 Michael Abrams said at 9:58 AM on October 19th, 2011:
you forgot “most insignificant round in the NFL draft 2 YEARS FROM NOW”
11 Anonymous said at 4:54 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I’d like to see us flip that seventh rounder and Page for Andy Studebaker and Brandon Gibson, to strengthen our practice squad.
12 Anonymous said at 12:18 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Let’s not open old wounds, even jokingly.
13 Anonymous said at 4:56 PM on October 18th, 2011:
No more big backs, please… It just doesn’t work
Anyway, I wanted to ask this in the DGR. A few guys on twitter said that the LBs played closer to the LOS this week than previous games, did you notice this when rewatching the game? If it was the case, did it help the run D?
14 Mac said at 4:58 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I want to see a new “statue of liberty” play that involves handing the ball to King Dunlap and having him walk to the line of scrimmage while holding the ball high and forward to gain 1/2 a yard.
15 the guy said at 5:02 PM on October 18th, 2011:
That’s silly.
Just having Dunlap hold the ball high and fall on his face ought to be worth at least 3-4 yards.
16 Anonymous said at 5:22 PM on October 18th, 2011:
That’s brilliant, on down and inches instead of Vick sneaking we put in Dunlap and he can sneak it. Now we just need to figure out how he can get low enough to actually receive the snap.
17 Anonymous said at 5:45 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I find this idea highly entertaining.
18 Cliff Hall said at 9:06 PM on October 18th, 2011:
No really, would it work?
19 Cliff Hall said at 9:06 PM on October 18th, 2011:
No really, would it work?
20 Anonymous said at 5:11 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Adam Schefter reports that also included in the trade was the phrase “Dream Team.” Good luck with it, Detroit.
21 Cliff Hall said at 9:06 PM on October 18th, 2011:
This. Is. Awesome.
22 Anonymous said at 5:15 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I’m actually a little pissed the Eagles decided to sure of the 3rd string RB position. I thought for sure they’d make a big move and go talk Dhani out of retirement to come in an be a force at SAM. Oh well, a man can have dreams can’t he?
23 Anonymous said at 5:17 PM on October 18th, 2011:
And Tommy, have we heard your surrogate father, Mike Lombardi, weigh in on the Eagles lately? Wondering if he’s still got the Skins winning the division.
24 Anonymous said at 5:43 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Die.
25 Anonymous said at 9:12 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Ha, the funny thing about Lombardi is when he first came on the scene I didn’t really feel one way or the other about him, but after you voiced your distaste I started listening closely and he’s absolutely horrible. Talks in generalities, but then when he makes specifics points it’s usually dead wrong. One of those national guys who tries to pretend he has a real detailed take on every franchise.
He wrote this column on putting together a team under the salary cap rules, and it was pointless. I got a huge kick out of Jimmy’s breakdown of Mike’s prediction about the Skins.
26 Anonymous said at 11:36 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Last year he said we were dumb for trading McNabb. His advice…keep him, let him leave as FA, and then get 3rd Rd Comp pick.
Slight problem. Players that have 10 yrs in the league don’t bring you Comp picks when they leave via FA. You’d think since he’s an “expert”, he’d know details like that. Oops.
27 Anonymous said at 5:44 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I haven’t heard Mike L. analyze anything recently. I would hope he’ll back off his asinine prediction, but ya never know.
28 marc said at 5:18 PM on October 18th, 2011:
It’s hard to believe the Reid really does want a big back — as I think Tommy has suggested.
Brown — despite his stupidity against the 49ers (he went Auburn, so it shouldn’t have been unexpected) — is still a big, skilled back who could have been used more. But he wasn’t.
So why in hell did the Eagles sign him. Just to collect more skilled offensive players?
The $1 million to Brown and $2 million to Steve Smith equal the $3 million that MLB Steven Tulloch wanted.
Disappointing all the way around.
Navarro Bowman . . . you would have looked good in green.
29 Anonymous said at 5:28 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I still like the Smith signing. At the time, we weren’t even sure he’d play until after this Bye week we’re rolling up on. His minimal impact doesn’t surprise me.
But Avant won’t always be here, and DeSean’s contract looms large. If Smith likes his stay in Philly this year, we get a leg up at the negotiating table for a supremely skilled slot receiver.
30 Anonymous said at 5:49 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Seeing how little he’s been used I can’t help but wonder that he was more of a insurance for Maclin than the front office is willing to admit
31 Anonymous said at 10:44 AM on October 19th, 2011:
i think you are absolutely correct. at the time, i dont think we knew how long mac would be out. so we brought in another guy that could fill in for a while. it was that or riley cooper would have to be promoted (i dont think they’d move avant out of the slot)
32 Anonymous said at 1:33 PM on October 19th, 2011:
I was surprised they didn’t give Cooper more of a shot.
33 Anonymous said at 7:29 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Watch it there, buddy. I once knew a girl with brown hair that went to Auburn, and a girl with auburn hair that went to Brown. Neither one of them showed particular stupidity. I take offense.
Of course, they didn’t give it up freely while being groped after a long drive either, but I digress.
34 marc said at 7:36 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Here in Georgia, my observation about Auburn is considered a universal truth.
35 Cliff Hall said at 9:10 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Outside of Vanderbilt, not a single SEC school holds its own academically.
36 Anonymous said at 1:35 PM on October 19th, 2011:
So you did “know them,” biblically speaking. No wonder you admire their intelligence!
37 Anonymous said at 5:27 PM on October 18th, 2011:
There has always been an air of “not caring” when it comes to the backup RB spot. We’ve clearly got a stud leading the way, and the team clearly has some faith in Dion Lewis and The News seeing as they gave him a goalline carry early in a heated divisional game.
But I’m still disappointed. I thought Ronnie had a chance to be one of the savviest signing made by any team this off-season. Instead, it just never worked. I don’t think this move had anything to do with the SF play, but thats all anyone will ever think of when thinking about Ronnie’s Philly tenure. I wish him luck in Detroit, and wish Jerome Harrison luck in getting the most out of his 2.45 carries per game.
38 Steve H said at 11:37 PM on October 18th, 2011:
2.45 carries per game? You’ve got lofty ambitions for Jerome my friend.
39 Eric Weaver said at 7:06 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I’m going to channel my inner Morton and say, why didn’t they just keep Harrison?
40 Eric Weaver said at 7:10 PM on October 18th, 2011:
By the way, after watching DNL today, I believe I have figured out who Morton is.
He’s our own Hall of Fame writer, Ray Diddy! He was miffed the team skipped on Lee and Bowman too.
Also, Tommy, great stat from Ray. He believes the Eagles have never drafted a Penn St. defensive player. Which, to my knowledge, would be pretty accurate.
41 Morton said at 9:47 AM on October 19th, 2011:
See? Great minds think alike. I was onto the huge mistake of not drafting Lee or Bowman before Didinger ever brought it to light.
This is one of the #1 reasons the Eagles won’t make the playoffs this year. If they draft either one of Lee or Bowman in 2010, I dare say they are better than 2-4 at this point in the season.
42 Mike Roman said at 7:43 PM on October 18th, 2011:
This move must be about the KR position. Dion Lewis has been underwhelming. Our #2 back isn’t going to touch the ball on offense anyway, so why not upgrade the return game?
I am a little bit saddened by this move for one reason….after watching Kafka and VY in spot duty, I got the strong sense that Ronnie Brown and a full on Wildcat offense would be our best bet should Vick go down with another injury.
43 Alex Karklins said at 11:28 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Harrison is NOT a good return man. 12.4 yard career average.
44 Anonymous said at 8:44 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Loved the trivia by Ray-Diddy on the Eagles and Penn State.
Not only have the Eagles never drafted a defensive player from Penn State, the Eagles’ best draftee from Penn State was — with the 4th overall selection — 1984 first-rounder Kenny Jackson. And Jackson was, at best, a James Thrash-type, though a great club-house guy.
The rest of the Eagles’ Penn State draftees have been:
Tony Hunt – RB (2007 / 3rd round)
Tony Stewart – TE (2001 /5th rd)
Vyto Kab – TE (1982 / 3rd rd)
Scott Fitzkee – WR (1979 / 5th rd)
Chuck Correal – C (1979 / 8th rd)
Jeff Bleamer – T (1975 / 8th rd — the Eagles SECOND pick that year)
Leon Angevine – WR (1969 / 15th rd)
Don Jonas – HB (1961 / 13th rd)
John Patrick – OB (1941 / 10th rd)
NOT ONE OF THEM had any real success w/ the Eagles — although Fitzkee caught a long TD in 1980 in a blowout of the Vikings on the Eagles’ march to New Orleans and a heartbreaking SB performance against the Raiders.
Tony Stewart found a place as the #2 TE for the Bengals.
But that’s it.
_________________
So many of Penn State’s 1st-rounders in the 90s and 00s have seemed to struggle in the NFL for any number of reasons. Going back to 1992 . . . .
Aaron Maybin — All Pro workout warrior at DE/OLB. (The Bills passed on Orakpo, Rbt Ayers, and Clay Matthews)
Larry Johnson — superstar RB who was, even at PSU, a head case. But he did have a couple of dominant NFL seasons (3500 yards and 37 TDs in 2 years)
Jimmy Kennedy DT . . . Michael Haynes DE . . . Bryant Johnson WR — all in 2003’s first round.
Curtis Enis HB — A TOTAL HEAD CASE. Among the absolute worst picks in NFL history (5th pick, Rd 1, Bears) . . . right there with Ryan Leaf, who went #2 in that year.
Courtney Brown DE / LeVar Arrington OLB — disappointments after being drafted 1 and 2 in 2000.
Andre Johnson — an OT with feet of stone. And a gut bigger than ARs.
Ki-Jana Carter HB — no one ever had worse luck when it came to injuries than KJ. Look it up.
Blair Thomas HB — Jets’ 1st-rd pick, and 2nd overall, in 1992. He started the hex on Penn State players.
_________________
But there have been some good ones:
Sean Lee – MLB (Morton . . . are you there?)
Navarro Bowman – OLB (Morton . . . are you there?)
Andrew Quarless – TE (Morton . . . are you there?)
Dan Connors – LB
Levi Brown – OT
Paul Posluszny – MLB
Tamba Hali – DE (1st rounder who, until last season’s dominance, was teetering on bust)
Anthony Adams – DT
Kareem McKenzie – OT
JOE JUREVICIUS – WR . . . who’s still running down the sideline w/ Barry Gardner chasing.
Jeff Hartings OT – 1st rounder / Detroit. Still there and finally on a good team.
Bobby Engram WR – all he did was get open.
Kerry Collins QB – 1st round
OJ McDuffie – 1st round
45 Eric Weaver said at 9:03 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I wouldn’t call Hali a bust. He was the 20th pick and had 8 sacks his rookie year.
Dan Connor is nothing more than a backup.
The guys I think of are people like Franco Harris, Curt Warner, Mike Munchak, Lenny Moore, Shane Conlan, etc.
46 Anonymous said at 10:06 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Two things.
First, I didn’t say Hali WAS a bust. I said he was “teetering” in that direction.
Second, I limited the review to the 1990s-present.
Otherwise, I agree about Penn State players from the 50’s to the 80s.
47 Deshawn Bentley said at 8:45 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Championship. Hire more cops for the riot in Philadelphia come February.
48 Derek Campbell said at 9:13 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I dunno, 7th round seems a bit high for the Eagles to draft an LB.
49 Anonymous said at 11:38 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Don’t rain on my parade, mister!!!
50 Anonymous said at 10:53 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Does Harrison play LB?
51 Anonymous said at 12:02 AM on October 19th, 2011:
James? Yes, yes he does. The guy we got, no. He should fit right in.
52 Anonymous said at 12:05 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Yeah, that’s the guy. We just traded for Tyreo Harrison. Spadaro was on Eagles Live talking about how the Eagles have not had an impact LB like Tyreo since……the last time Tyreo was here.
53 Anonymous said at 10:59 PM on October 18th, 2011:
I am not an unrealistic person, I just wish like all of us that we upgraded our LB’s. If trading price was to high, or if their were simply none on the trading block, then i understand.
What i dont understand is what Tommy, and a thousand of us are thinking. Why pick up Brown, and then just simply not use him.
In years past i have strongly supported Reid. But now i am just seeing so many boneheaded moves that I really dont understand the thinking behind all of this.
54 Anonymous said at 11:03 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Tommy,
Alot of what we have seen so far this year is un-Andyish (new word). Specifically the free agent pickups. Do you believe that there is a clash in beliefs between Roseman(cant stand), and Reid?
Or, do you think that we wouldn’t hire/promote a GM that clashes his style with Reids?
55 Anonymous said at 11:47 PM on October 18th, 2011:
Back when free agency first began and it looked like Ahmad Bradshaw was going to leave NYG for the ‘Phins, the Giants were reportedly ready to set their sights on Ronnie Brown. So, for a moment, I thought maybe the Eagles signed Brown with a heavy inclination of throwing a wrench into the Giants’ plans.
Then I read that we signed Brown 2 days after Bradshaw returned to NYG. So, nope. Maybe Howie was just on a complete free agency bender at that point and couldn’t stop himself.
56 Anonymous said at 12:26 AM on October 19th, 2011:
the Bengals got a 1st this year and a 2nd next year from Oakland for Carson Palmer! I was wondering if we would put Vince Young’s name out there but didn’t hear any rumors. Would have loved to get something, anything like that for him. Palmer is 31 for christsakes!
AL DAVIS LIVES!
57 Anonymous said at 12:40 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Mort reported that Vince Young was Oakland’s “plan B” if they failed to acquire Palmer. But he wasn’t sure if the Eagles and Raiders ever got to a point of trade discussions.
58 Steve H said at 2:05 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Looking ahead at our schedule, most of the rest of the way there are a lot of very winnable looking games. The only game that I feel confident we’re going to lose is vs. New England (does anyone actually think Juan Castillo has a prayer trying to gameplan against Bill Bellicheck?)
We have Miami, Seattle and Arizona which if this was a normal year I’d say were gimme’s but this year even the gimme games are probably problematic. The NYJ and the Bears aren’t gimme’s but niether of those teams are juggarnaughts, very winnable games.
Then of course theres the division games, and with none of the teams looking like dominant forces we can definitely win some there.
I figure if we take 4 out of 5 of the divison games and drop a game to the Pats, that will put us at 10-6, and playoffs are a possibility at that record.
This next one at Dallas is super crucial, I hope we can rise to the occassion.
59 Chris said at 9:25 AM on October 19th, 2011:
I’m pretty sure the Eagles will use this 7th rounder to draft Rich Eisen at LB. After all his forty time has been getting continuously better over the years
60 Anonymous said at 10:17 AM on October 19th, 2011:
I’m pretty disappointed we didn’t trade Asante. I wanted some some compensation before we cut him in the off-season.
61 Eric Weaver said at 10:48 AM on October 19th, 2011:
Why wouldn’t they just trade him in the offseason?
62 arminioun said at 9:35 AM on October 31st, 2011:
Superb website…
[…]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[…]……