Dawk is Done

Posted: April 23rd, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 34 Comments »

Weapon X has been deactivated.  The deep middle is now a safe place.  Brian Dawkins has retired.

Many people loved Dawk’s huge hits or his deadly blitzes.  The thing I always appreciated the most was when he chased down a runner or receiver after a big play and tripped the guy up to prevent a TD.  Today, Father Time did the same thing to Dawk.  Nobody outran Dawk.  And nobody outruns Father time.  Not even a living legend.

I hate to see him go, but Dawk made the right decision.  His play was declining.  He had injury issues each of the last two years.  Football is an unforgiving game.  When it’s time, it’s time.

I think Dawk should be a Hall of Famer.  He had 26 sacks, 37 INTs, and 28 FFs.  That is a ton of big plays.  He also had great cover skills and was a good tackler.  His hitting made more than a few guys think twice about crossing the deep middle.  Dawk brought honor to the game, on and off the field.

Dawk was solid in his first 3 years, but his career really took off when Jim Johnson came on the scene.  JJ took a look at the way Ray Rhodes and Emmitt Thomas had used Dawk and saw a waste of special talent.  Dawk wasn’t meant to be a standard FS.  He was a weapon that needed to be unleashed on opposing offenses.  That’s just what JJ did and the results were spectacular.

There were many great moments in Dawk’s career.  Probably the highlight was in the 2003 playoffs when he picked off Brett Favre in overtime and ran the ball back 35 yards to put the Eagles in FG range.  Favre threw him a gimme, but Dawk made sure to catch it and then get everything he could on the return.  Dawk also had an INT in the NFC title game win over the Falcons after the 2004 season.

My personal favorite moment came in a meaningless game vs Carolina in 1999.  RB Fred Lane ( I think) tried to run the ball in for a score inside the 10.  Dawk flew to the outside and destroyed him.  That’s the hardest hit I ever saw Dawk lay on a runner/receiver.  I haven’t seen a good version of it, but you can see the hit at the :35 mark of this video.

The thing that made Dawk such a great hitter is that he exploded through his targets.  The old football maxim is don’t run to the target, run through the target.  And boy did he do that.

Dawk was special because he could do that, but also could cover man-to-man or drop deep and be the centerfielder.  He was a terrific run defender.  Dawk tackled well.  If he saw a pulling OG, Dawk would go low and take the guy out, stopping the RB dead in his tracks and allowing others to close in for the tackle.  He truly was a complete player.

Over the last 30 years Eagles fans have been spoiled by having Wes Hopkins, Andre Waters, Mike Zordich, Greg Jackson, Brian Dawkins, Mike Lewis, and Quintin Mikell as starting Safeties.  That is a heckuva group.  Let’s hope Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman, and/or Jaiquawn Jarrett steps up and keeps the great tradition going.

* * * * *

Asante Samuel update

The reports from Jeff McLane and others in the media are true.  Eagles might only get a late round pick.  Don’t blame this on the Eagles for being greedy.  They had good deals worked out with teams, but Asante/his agent killed the deals with ridiculous contract demands from the new team.  Ugh.

Jason LaCanfora says he hears the Titans and Broncos are still in the mix.  We’ll see.

* * * * *

The draft name du jour (“Sounds good. I’ll have that.”) is DE Chandler Jones.  A few people have listed him to the Eagles at 15.  I like Chandler and have for a while, but that seems early to me.  Do the Eagles like him?  No idea.  He’s not an ideal Jim Washburn fit as a pure DE, but Jones (6-5, 266) could be intriguing because of his ability to slide inside to DT and rush up the middle.  He could be looked at as a better version of Jason Jones.

The thing I like most about Chandler is that he can shed blocks by using his hands/strength/physicality.  Most DL need to beat blockers with the initial move/burst.  Chandler can do that, but can also physically defeat the blocker.  I very much like DL who can do this.

I’m skeptical that Chandler goes at 15, but he is a darn good player.

* * * * *

Q&A

How do Juniors get the draft grades from the NFL?   The draft advisory board is made up of NFL executives.  They give out grades to players who request them.  The board tends to go low with grades.  This is done intentionally to not encourage underclassmen from coming out early.  I’m not sure if they even give out 1st round grades.  The grades are done on casual tape study between early December and early January.

If the Eagles trade up and have a choice of Kuechly or Cox, who do they take?  Cox.  I love Kuechly, but you simply don’t trade up for him.

How smart is trading up, knowing you’ll give up a 2nd round pick?  It is risky and pricey, but you have to appreciate that you only do this if you think Fletcher Cox (or whoever) is a special player.  You don’t trade up for the heck of it.

Jerel Worthy – Eagles target?  No, I doubt it.  He is more of a NT in my mind.  He’s also not a natural pass rusher.  I don’t even know that Worthy will be on the Eagles draft board.

* * * * *

Eagles history lesson for the day

AC Viking earlier today mentioned an old Eagles QB named Rick Arrington.  I had never heard of the name so I looked him up.  He played from 1970-72.  No big deal.

He is a very important man, however.

Rick is the father of Jill Arrington, one of the hottest sideline reporters ever.  Rick is also the grandfather of Dakota and Elle Fanning, two young actresses. Impressive.  Who needs Rooney and Kate Mara?


34 Comments on “Dawk is Done”

  1. 1 Andrew Price said at 10:34 PM on April 23rd, 2012:

    B Dawk is my favorite all time player, its sad to see him go. I’m surprised he didn’t sign a 1 day contract to retire with the eagles.

    To follow up, how long till we see Dawkins as a coach back in Philly?

  2. 2 Kristopher Cebula said at 11:16 PM on April 23rd, 2012:

    there is still time for him to sign the one day contract. it has been offered. he is considering it

  3. 3 goeagles55 said at 1:22 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    He’s holding out for a bigger signing bonus.

  4. 4 Cody Benjamin said at 10:40 PM on April 23rd, 2012:

    Dumb and Dumber reference?!

  5. 5 TommyLawlor said at 12:29 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Oh yeah. Love that movie.

  6. 6 miked718 said at 1:02 PM on April 24th, 2012:

    Classic cinema. Coulda threw out some Mock…yeah…jokes the last few months!

  7. 7 Steve H said at 11:09 PM on April 23rd, 2012:

    Ugh, Asante is such a pain in the butt. Would have been nice to get a 3rd rounder or something in return for him.

  8. 8 iskar36 said at 12:04 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    While I wish trading Asante would be easier, I can’t blame him for this trade not going through. He has leverage with his contract and he has the right to use that leverage to his advantage. He may legitimately want to stay here. I’m sure he also does not like the idea of a pay cut. Why should he have to make sacrifices for a team that doesn’t want him anymore, particularly if it is all but guaranteed that he will no longer be part of the team?

  9. 9 Gary said at 3:10 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Seriously. I just want those whole Asante deal done already. Every morning I wake up expecting/hoping for an Eagles text alert that he’s been traded.

  10. 10 wee2424 said at 9:17 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Lol same

  11. 11 eagleizeit said at 9:14 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Since he’s trying to mess with the Eagles, only going to get a 6th rd pick for him, we should treat him the same by sending him to the worst team that he’d hate being stuck at for a 7th rd pick. We’d only be going back like 20 picks and wouldn’t be getting anyone better really anyway btwn the middle of the 6th rd and the early 7th rd. If he was somewhat fair and cared about his teammates as well as the Eagles he’d be willing to change his contract so he’d get more guaranteed money over a longer time period, just not the crazy money he’d get now.

  12. 12 Ben Hert said at 9:40 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Are there no-trade clauses in the NFL? If so, any notable players that have one?

  13. 13 eagleizeit said at 9:14 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Since he’s trying to mess with the Eagles, only going to get a 6th rd pick for him, we should treat him the same by sending him to the worst team that he’d hate being stuck at for a 7th rd pick. We’d only be going back like 20 picks and wouldn’t be getting anyone better really anyway btwn the middle of the 6th rd and the early 7th rd. If he was somewhat fair and cared about his teammates as well as the Eagles he’d be willing to change his contract so he’d get more guaranteed money over a longer time period, just not the crazy money he’d get now.

  14. 14 miked718 said at 1:06 PM on April 24th, 2012:

    The best part of the deal is getting his contract, loud mouth and terribly risky non press coverage skills off the team. Extra draft pick is just icing on the cake. I don’t think we should trade him to the worst team, he definitely made our D better pre-Washburn anyway.

  15. 15 eagleizeit said at 4:21 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Tommy – Did you see Mel Kiper JR last week putting Derek Wolfe as his 4th best DT and had him being picked 25th overall. I don’t know if I’m missing something or what. He also had us picking DE Jones from Syracuse at 15. I’m hoping we get LK at 15 and Mel’s a little crazy so we can get Wolfe with our 3rd rd pick. I’d rather keep our picks and get LK hearing that he’s the safest pick in the draft on D, ranked consistently btwn 6-11 by everyone throughout the whole process, would be a perfect SAM or MLB in our system and would probably give us the best starting LB’s(especially since our other D pos coaches are a lot more talented and could produce results while we wouldn’t need superior coaching with this group of LB’s). I really think we need to get an amazing talent and leader for the D in the draft it’s been too long. I think Dawkins 16 yrs ago was the last time, but I think it’s meant to be and could probably happen if we stay at 15; otherwise we could move back if it’s not meant to be and there will be other players to chose. Sometimes when you try to force things, like moveing up in the draft, it doesn’t work out naturally and backfires on the Eagles in some way, shape or form.
    Saw one of your mocks I printed out last yr where we actually got 3 of your picks in Thornton, Mathews and Rolle. Good job!! I think Thornton’s going to surprise people this yr. Remember hearing the end of last yr how Jenkins was really taking him under his wings. Thinks like that seem to really help young players out; wouldn’t be surprised if Jerry Rice working a lot with D-Jax b4 the draft is what got him prepared & ready to jump out of the gates with a great start in his career and learn how to handle the press getting off the line as well as not haveing problems transitioning from college to the Pro’s.

  16. 16 eagleizeit said at 4:40 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Nothing against our WR’s coach, but it would be great if the Eagles could get Jerry Rice to coach the WR’s. He’d probably become the best WR coach in the NFL. Also bringing Dawkins back as a coach if he starts to miss being around the game at some point; he’d be an amazing coach too I think.

  17. 17 Richard Bayes said at 5:07 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Brian Dawkins is by far and away my favourite player, and the reason why I love the Eagles. Actually, scratch that, #20 is the reason that I love Football.
    I remember literally jumping out of my chair when Dawk hit Crumpler in the Championship Game, and that’s the moment when it all clicked for me. I loved football from that moment on.
    I saw Dawk play for the Broncos v 49ers @ Wembley a couple of years ago. Bittersweet, but I’m glad he was the Eagle that I’ve seen play live.

  18. 18 GermanEagle said at 7:32 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Re Chandler Jones:

    Mike Mayock has him ranked #9 in his Top 100, ahead of Cox (#11) and even Blackmon (#10).

    By the way Mayock sees LK as the 6th best draft prospect of all…!

  19. 19 tommy_the_k said at 7:41 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Tommy, the best moment in the Atlanta championship game was Dawk blowing up Algie Crumpler as he tried to catch a long pass from Vick. Algie crumpled to the ground and that play set the tone for the rest of the game.

    My favorite Dawk game was when I drove my young son and daughter to watch the lowly Texans about 9-10 years ago in Philly. Dawk accomplished the double trifecta: a sack, an INT, a FF, and to top it off-he scored a 45 yd TD on a fake punt. AWESOME BABY.

  20. 20 Tyler Phillips said at 7:54 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    quadrifecta

  21. 21 wee2424 said at 11:03 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    I remember saying to myself, damn how did he hold onto that lol.

  22. 22 JRO91 said at 7:50 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Tommy – What are your thoughts on Kendall Reyes as a possible 2nd round target if they can’t get cox in one? He played both End and DT in college….

  23. 23 wee2424 said at 9:15 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Jones’s play at the line sounds a lot like Cole’s. Able to be very physical and use speed, high motor, and good against the run. That being said I agree that 15 is just to early considering his production.

    Is it possible that he slips to our early 2nd?

  24. 24 wee2424 said at 9:15 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Jones’s play at the line sounds a lot like Cole’s. Able to be very physical and use speed, high motor, and good against the run. That being said I agree that 15 is just to early considering his production.

    Is it possible that he slips to our early 2nd?

  25. 25 Mac said at 10:05 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Or that we squeak back into the first on a trade from NE to get him…

  26. 26 wee2424 said at 11:00 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    I would be a fan of trading back more then trading back into the first. I very much like our 2 second round picks. That is of course if Cox and Kuechly are gone by the time 15 rolls around.

  27. 27 Mac said at 1:11 PM on April 24th, 2012:

    I definitely agree, I have the 2nd round pegged as the “sweet spot” for the Eagles in this draft. I would be excited if Cox and LK40 are off the board for the Birds to trade out of the first round to get another 2nd round pick and a 2013 1st rounder. I believe there will be some nice talent still on the board…

  28. 28 wee2424 said at 5:50 PM on April 24th, 2012:

    I don’t mind that at all, but what I meant was for them to trade back later in the first and still possibly grab him while also getting either a third or possibly another second. Sorry should have been more specific.

  29. 29 wee2424 said at 9:19 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Heard from my co-worker that Dawk can’t decide if he wants to retire as an Eagle or Bronco. Is that really true? I mean really Dawk?

  30. 30 dislikedisqus said at 9:33 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    First ballot. We’ll never see the likes of him again.

    I’ve ssen 49+ years of Eagles football, They’ve never been a SB champion, but they sure have fielded some of the greatest players ever. BDawk is one of the best to ever play the game. One of my top 5 all time favorite NFL players.

  31. 31 P_P_K said at 11:36 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Dawk was one of those Philly athletes that was almost universally admired and respected. A very rare phenomenon in our fair City.

  32. 32 dislikedisqus said at 9:41 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    “How smart is trading up,”

    There has been work done by academics that shows that trading up is bad on average. The main reasons are (a) the salary difference for the earlier pick is so much greater and it’s completely certain you have to pay more, (b) the less picks you have, the more risk each one has (e.g. injury to a guy who cost three draft picks is equal to three draft picks all getting injured) and (c) personnel judgments are not accurate enough to justify the extra cost.

    Try this poker analogy. You are playing Texas hold em. Your hole cards are a J – 9. Before the flop, would you trade them for one Q? I think you’d be crazy to do so.

  33. 33 Eric Weaver said at 9:55 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    The first memory that comes to mind of Dawk will always be the way I saw how he commanded the defense during training camps. He always had guys lining up in the correct spots. Which is exactly why this team needs DeMeco and even Kuechly, as well.

    I still remember the image of him giving a huge gator chop to one of the linebackers because they were lined up incorrectly (not surprising).

  34. 34 Jeffrey S said at 10:05 AM on April 24th, 2012:

    Thanks for the memory of that hit on Lane of the Panthers Tommy! I was actually at that game and that was by far the only highlight we had in the game. Man, we stunk that year. However, I have “exercised those demons” by also being present when we crushed the Panthers in week 1 of the 2009 season! Ahh, such good memories. All those picks, sacks, Victor’s defensive TD, and the icing on the cake…Desean’s punt return TD!