The First 14, Vol. 2

Posted: April 25th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 96 Comments »

Here we go…

1 – IND – QB Andrew Luck
2 – WAS – QB RG3
3 – MIN – OT Matt Kalil
4 – CLE – RB Trent Richardson
5 – TB – CB Morris Claiborne
6 – STL – DT Fletcher Cox
7 – JAX – WR Justin Blackmon
8 – MIA – QB Ryan Tannehill
9 – CAR – CB Stephon Gilmore
10 – BUF – DE Melvin Ingram
11 – KC – OG David DeCastro
12 – SEA – DE Chandler Jones
13 – ARZ – OT Riley Reiff
14 – DAL – DL Michael Brockers

The key guy falling here is WR Michael Floyd.  He could go at 10 to BUF, but GM Buddy Nix loves players from the South (where he was an area scout for years and years).  The Bills project Mario Williams at LDE and could still use someone at RDE.  Ingram would fill that role nicely.

This scenario also has LB Luke Kuechly falling.  The 2 key hurdles are KC and SEA, from what most people think.  The Chiefs are near impossible to read.  They love SEC players.  Scott Pioli did all kinds of interesting things in NE.  They also could use help in a variety of spots.  They could go OL, Kuechly, DE or any number of ways.

Mark Barron also falls here.  I’m not sure what to make of him.  He’s a hot name in a weak, weak Safety class, but I do wonder if he’s a bit of a smokescreen.  I’ll certainly be pulling for him to go before 15 so that it pushes down another player to the Eagles.

If the Bills did go with Floyd and Ingram fell to 15, you have to wonder if the Eagles like him.  He is built kinda like Darryl Tapp, but is a much, much better athlete.  Ingram is very versatile.  South Carolina played him at LB, DE, DT, and even NT.  He was a great STer for them, running in a fake punt for a long TD.  I was told by one scout that was at a South Carolina practice that Ingram would actually field punts for fun.  This is not a typical DE.

If Ingram does start to fall, the Jets could move up for him.  They have shown a lot of interest. Having them trade up with KC would be ideal.  That would take the Chiefs out of the picture and not hurt us at all.

As for Seattle…they had 33 sacks last year and Chris Clemons was the only player with more than 4.  They might love Kuechly, but he wouldn’t help that pass rush.  Chandler Jones has the kind of build that Pete Carroll loved in his DEs at USC.  They could also go for Courtney Upshaw, Nick Perry, or Whitney Mercilus.  Ingram might be of interest if he’s available.  Carroll has shown that he will draft guys of different sizes and shapes.  He isn’t married to one style of player.  Quinton Coples could also be of interest, but I don’t know that Carroll would want a DL with motor questions at pick 12.

* * * * *

All the talk of Fletcher Cox going to the Rams at 6 has some teams calling Tampa at #5 about a trade up.  I don’t know if the Eagles are among them.

I wonder if Dallas isn’t a team to watch for that.  Jerry Jones talked about how the Giants DL was so huge in them winning the SB.  I think Jones wants to upgrade his DL.  Cox would be an ideal pass rusher for them.

* * * * *

I assume everyone saw this article by Andrew Brandt, but if not…must read material.  Good look into an NFL war room.

Here are some “interesting” draft day stories from Vinny Cerrato.  You can understand why the Skins are such a clusterfudge after reading this.

* * * * *

Sounds like the Asante deal is getting very, very close.  Jeff McLane reports we’re getting a 6th rounder.  That bites, but I do want Asante gone.  Time to move on.

I’ll cover the deal later on after we know it is complete.

* * * * *

Congrats to Sheil Kapadia and his Moving the Chains blog.  The Pennsylvania AP Managing Editors gave him this:

Best Blogging

First: Frank Seravalli, Philadelphia Daily News, “Frequent Flyers”

Second: Sheil Kapadia, The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Moving the Chains”

Clearly Sheil should have been first, but we’ll celebrate 2nd place for now.  I link to his stuff from time to time, but assume you guys read the blog regularly.  If you don’t, change that.  He does a great job.

* * * * *

Make sure you check out NFL Gimpy’s MAQB column.  He talked about Dawk’s retirement and posted a mock draft.  See who that idiot brilliant writer had the Eagles taking.


96 Comments on “The First 14, Vol. 2”

  1. 1 Joe Taylor said at 11:46 AM on April 25th, 2012:

    There’s a report that Nick Collins will be cut.

    If he is cut, and he is cleared to play (and wants to play), do you think the Eagles will target him? Or will his neck injury be too much of a red flag?

  2. 2 TommyLawlor said at 11:58 AM on April 25th, 2012:

    Same situation as Marcus McNeill…if he was healthy enough for his current team, he wouldn’t be available. I doubt the Eagles would be interested.

  3. 3 CTIggle said at 11:58 AM on April 25th, 2012:

    #5 is a long way to go for Cox, especially if multiple teams are interested. Tommy- what is the most you would be willing to give up for Cox, especially if Patt is an unkown at the moment? If you had to draw an upside and downside comparison to an existing NFL player(s), who does Cox remind you of in terms of both potential and floor?

  4. 4 TommyLawlor said at 12:08 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I would give up a 2nd Rder to get him, but not more than that. There are other DTs. No need to sell out completely for him.

  5. 5 JRO91 said at 12:08 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    My question is, if the board falls this way is Luke such a cant miss prospect that you take him here? Or do you get on the phone with the Pats or Browns tradr back and get an extra 2nd or 3rd? Is he that much better than say Bobby Wagner? Who could also play SAM and MLB? You could still get a Reyes or McClellan in the 20’s, address the SAM, CB, and WR in the 2nd.

  6. 6 Kristopher Cebula said at 12:27 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    i’d have to say that most people on this blog, including tommy, would definitely take him at 15. whether andy does that or not is a coin flip

  7. 7 deg0ey said at 1:52 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I think the Pats would be my choice for a trade back, and I could see them making a play for a number of defensive guys that are in play in Tommy’s scenario (Coples is the guy that sticks out in my mind – can play pretty much anywhere in any kind of DL that Belichick can imagine; could also see them liking Barron or maybe thinking that Poe could be a Wilfork MkII).

    As for the details of a trade, I’d propose the following:
    To NE: #15, #116 and #172
    To PHI: #31, #48 and #93

    I think this could work because it means the Pats still get 6 picks in the draft whilst still getting the chance to move up for a player they may covet. They’d still be picking in rounds 1,1,2,4,4,6

    It also would give the Eagles 6 picks in the top 100, which (to give an example using some popular names around here) could enable them to get all of Fleener, Curry, Wagner, Boykin, Wolfe, Adams. IMO, that would be a pretty stellar draft for Philly to put together.

    Shame it probably won’t happen, though :p

  8. 8 iskar36 said at 12:11 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I understand the need to trade Asante, but assuming the compensation isn’t significantly different from what is being rumored, we got absolutely robbed. The assumption behind this trade is DRC is a great outside corner and should fill Asante’s spot very well, but considering that he has declined each of the last few seasons, I don’t think it is unfair to be concerned that the assumption is wrong. Hopefully DRC comes in and has a fantastic season.

  9. 9 miked718 said at 1:00 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    We robbed Arizona, these things even out. We still gain more by sending him off.

  10. 10 Eric Weaver said at 3:52 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    The Eagles used a 6th round pick to move up and get Maclin.

  11. 11 Chris Tomlinson said at 12:12 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    How much (if any) do you think Jayron Hosley’s stock will drop after the failed drug test? He seems to have gone the Luis Castillo route of sending an apology to all 32 NFL teams…

  12. 12 TommyLawlor said at 12:23 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I don’t think it will have significant impact. The letter was a nice touch.

  13. 13 YONObama said at 12:41 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    We are giving Asante away…

  14. 14 T_S_O_P said at 12:44 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Could a franchise in the top ten go for Keuch who is regarded as a very SAFE pick? Didn’t AJ Hawk go high because he was considered a safe pick (college tape and measurables aside)? It was a weak draft year.

  15. 15 Arby1 said at 1:42 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Carolina possibly? don’t see him going before that.

  16. 16 fordy88 said at 12:48 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    On NFL Live last night McShay made a comment about how Kuechly could go to the Bucs at 5. He also mentioned Carolina at 9 as a strong possibility.

    I know we have to use caution with everything we hear, but that definitely caught my attention. I don’t know if he was just spouting off for ratings, or if he’s actually heard some rumblings of him going that high. I don’t know how well he’s connected/informed.

    I know Tommy’s already talked a lot about his value and 5 just seems way to high for a MLB in today’s NFL. I just have a hard time believing he would go at 5. Carolina at 9 even seems a little high.

  17. 17 Anders Jensen said at 12:51 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I just saw Eagles live and they had Cosell on and I thought he brought up a very good point regarding the LB position and its value to the Eagles. He said depending on how much nickle and dime the Eagles are going to play, a LB might not be to high on the Eagles draft board

  18. 18 Eric Weaver said at 1:58 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I just think considering how much of a disaster the LBers were last year, how last year’s guys playing on the outside are not much of an upgrade and the health of DeMeco’s injury is still somewhat of an unknown; the safe thing is to take Kuechly and play him at SAM and he’s there if Ryans just can’t get the job done in the middle.

  19. 19 nickross23 said at 1:00 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    The latest buzz I’ve been reading has Caliborne going at 3 and Kuechly at 5 to the Bucs. Tommy is this more oh a smoke screen or legitimate option there for them at 5?

  20. 20 bridgecoach said at 1:03 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I’m looking at the draft through a very similar lens. Buffalo could very well go Ingram, but I still suspect that they will draft Reiff, Martin, or Glenn to restock a very depleted OL. Ingram/Perry/Coples will be very hard for Seattle to pass up. Arizona will go OL unless they bite on Floyd. Dallas will take DL/CB/or Barron. We have a very good chance to see Luke Kuechly in midnight green.

  21. 21 Eric Weaver said at 1:59 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I’ve actually thought Gilmore would go to Buffalo for the past month. I still think that’s very much more possible than Ingram.

  22. 22 Brian McGaughan said at 2:52 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Or we have a chance to watch AR pass on him for a DL or CB.

  23. 23 Thunder_lips said at 1:29 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Tommy,

    Can you post some negatives on Cox and Keek so I’m not as crushed when they go at 6 and 12. My insurance doesn’t cover self-inflicted wounds, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

  24. 24 Joe Taylor said at 1:35 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    He’s gone!!

  25. 25 JRO91 said at 1:38 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Yup….Per SChefter, Asante 3 yrs 18.5 mil to the Falcons!!!

  26. 26 the guy said at 1:43 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I’m sorry Tommy, I know you want Asante Samuel gone, but this deal seems absolutely insane to me.

    Sending a perennial Pro Bowl CB to a team you play *every year* for a 6th round pick? I don’t care how old he is, what his contract is like, or how bad of a fit he is. He’s a playmaker and a top cover corner. That is a terrible deal.

    I would honestly have rather they kept him through the draft, training camp, and preseason hoping for a better trade before finally cutting him and getting nothing. They would have to build a time machine and use that 6th round pick to get Tom Brady in 2000 for this to make any sense.

  27. 27 Zachary Kaplan said at 3:01 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I fully agree – this is a awful move.

  28. 28 Brett Smith said at 3:39 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Better deal than cutting him and taking the cap hit while getting nothing for a freelancer who doesn’t tackle or play inside the scheme at a position of depth.

    I wish we could have got more but he was devalued by his contract demands and the fact that everyone knew he needed to go.

    I would speculate that Asante forced this deal to a team he wanted to go to by giving other teams unreasonable contract demands.

  29. 29 ChaosOnion said at 4:25 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Even better. If we cut him, DAL would be first in line to sign him.

  30. 30 D3Keith said at 5:54 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Yes.

    The choices weren’t great and greater, they were crappy and less crappy. They did the best they could given the situation. Clearly they were starting to doubt whether it could get done at it.

    The important thing is … it’s over. And draft day is here.

  31. 31 Thorin McGee said at 4:40 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Feels like Karma for all our backup QB trades.

  32. 32 mc_bob said at 6:24 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Couldn’t agree more.

    Tommy, I know you weren’t an Asante fan, but…

    I don’t know how you can characterize this as anything other than a terrible blunder by the FO, given the following facts:

    -We were offered a second-round pick for the same player one year ago.
    -The player has a consensus ‘elite skill’ (creating turnovers) for his position – in fact, he may be #1 in that category currently in the NFL.
    -The reasons that he needed to be traded were partially created by the FO – anointing DRC (Doesn’t Really Care) to justify the move, not moving him last year despite being aware of the alleged “bad fit” in the Castillo defense, etc.
    -The player, arguably, played the best at his position on the team last year.
    -The player is being replaced with someone with the same on-field play issues (allergic to tackling) without the elite skill (interceptions) but an alleged “better fit” in a defense that may, very well, be run by a terrible defensive coordinator. Who will be fired by season’s end if the defense does not improve.

    Any sort of defense of Roseman would have to be based on some pretty shaky arguments, like the following:

    1. “Well, an untenable situation was created due to the player’s public comments and actions. The relationship just soured.”
    To which I respond with the following quote from Asante in an April 16th article titled “Asante Samuel Says He Wants to Stay in Philadelphia” :

    ‘Of course, I love it here. This is my home. I’ve never been to a place I love more than Philadelphia,’ Samuel said. ‘It’s up to management. I want to be here. I’ve always voiced that opinion. It’s up to them.’

    2. “He was old and owed a lot of money. This was a cap move, and they needed to shift DRC outside anyway.”
    What confidence do you have in a guy who so clearly didn’t give a rat’s ass out there when playing the slot? I’ve never seen more give-up in a player on an NFL field than in DRC.

    3. “Everybody knew we wanted to trade him, so his market value went down.”
    …and who’s fault is that?

    A 7th round pick, Tommy. This is a prospect that may very well be cut in training camp. For Asante Samuel. This isn’t just a bad move – this is an epic Matt Millen trade.

    I’m starting to think Roseman should’ve been fired before McDermott.

  33. 33 the guy said at 7:23 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I mostly agree with your post, except this:

    “I’ve never seen more give-up in a player on an NFL field than in DRC.”

    Someone has clearly forgotten about this:
    http://i.imgur.com/wufNU.gif

  34. 34 JRO91 said at 2:01 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Guess this pretty much means the Eagles are locked into a corner in the first three rounds….still think that Howie Speech about character concerns was all about Janoris Jenkins. He could be a steal in the 2nd….1st round talent.

  35. 35 DamonL86 said at 2:04 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    First trade in awhile the Eagles have gotten burned.

  36. 36 deg0ey said at 2:19 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Lets wait and see what we actually got first, shall we?

  37. 37 Eric Weaver said at 3:54 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Also, let’s wait and see how Asante performs. I mean, I get that right now his projected value is far more than say, a 6th rounder, but his contributions going further could be only at a 6th round value anyway.

  38. 38 DamonL86 said at 4:52 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Even worse then reported its a 7th round pick . Awful

  39. 39 Anders Jensen said at 6:50 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    How can you get burned when the other alternative is worse? The Eagles had 3 choices, either play one of NA, DRC and Samuel out of position (not a choice), cut him (and take a huge cap hit and any team include NFCE teams could have picked him up) or trade him for a 6th/7th rounder (no cap hit, they get to choice the target team and they get alittle compensation again)

  40. 40 Toby_yboT said at 2:14 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    On the Asante trade: this is the first time I can think of that a player got “the better” of the Eagles. I don’t like Asante for it, but I also think he must be more clever than the average bear. He ends up on a good team, gets a good salary, and most of all was able to control himself in a situation where he wasn’t getting his way (unlike so many other football players).

    My other thought: the fact that the Eagles traded him within the conference, at such a low price, speaks volumes to what they think his abilities are. IMO the step back he took last year was visible to the untrained, naked eye… but must be even worse than any of us estimated.

    Lastly, I’ve never seen Tommy act so sure as he was this offseason that Asante WOULD be traded. Turns out you were right Tommy.

  41. 41 mheil said at 2:58 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    “this is the first time I can think of that a player got “the better” of the Eagles.”
    they got nothing for Corey Simon and he got a boatload from Indy before he ate himself out of the league

  42. 42 Aaron Yang said at 3:25 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    uhhh i think EVERYONE knew it was inevitable that asante got traded. and how did he get the better of the eagles? he basically had to agree to take a whole year’s salary plus some, less to play an extra year. he is losing out on a lot of money compared to if we kept him. although the eagles definitely are the idiots on this half of the deal…although at least we got something out of it even if its just a low round pick…i guess its still better than cutting him and him getting mad and signing with lets say….the cowboys who have been drooling over him. and i really dont believe asante lost a step or got worst…i think the scheme changes and all the changes made on the defense with personnel and everything made his stats go down. the db’s were just confused 90% of the time…

  43. 43 D3Keith said at 5:30 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    “compared to if we kept him.”

    That’s not even a valid comparison. It was either work out a trade with someone or be cut.

    The 7th round pick and minor cap savings apparently was just enough to be preferable to letting him walk outright.

    Asante can still play … for a team that lets him be him. We are no longer that team.

  44. 44 Anders Jensen said at 6:51 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    7.5 mill aint a small cap saving

  45. 45 ICDogg said at 2:49 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    1. You can’t keep everyone
    2. You can’t keep everyone happy

  46. 46 the guy said at 2:54 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    3. You can’t keep finding starters in the 6th round of the draft.

  47. 47 TommyLawlor said at 2:58 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Guys,

    I’m busy working on the Eagles Draft Preview. I’ll comment on Asante when I get a chance. Doing as much writing and digging (for info) as I can. So far I can tell you the Eagles are targeting a male between the ages of 20-28, preferably with some football talent and lots of something called “upside”. Where else can you get inside info like that???

  48. 48 Aaron Yang said at 3:29 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    you also forgot high motor…but i get the point….your the best haha

  49. 49 TheRogerPodacter said at 4:25 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    are the mormon jokes played out? no? well then. don’t forget the token player from BYU.

  50. 50 Arby1 said at 6:17 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    plays well in space AND on the field

  51. 51 Anders Jensen said at 6:51 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    No torn ACLs?

  52. 52 Zachary Kaplan said at 3:00 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    You want Asante gone so much you’re willing to make a solid team in the coference better and pick up nothing in the deal? This seems like a mistake. Cut him, let some team overpay him rather than shipping him to a team that’s has a similar talent level to our own.

  53. 53 aerochrome2 said at 3:24 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Is that worth 2M in cap space? Also guarantees hes out of NFC east for now.

  54. 54 Ben Etter said at 3:25 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Tommy,

    Are you going to make your list of 12-15 guys that you hope eagles come away with 5-6 of them, like you do every year???

  55. 55 TheRogerPodacter said at 4:26 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    man i really hope so. that was a great read. made me feel well educated on draft day(s) when i knew some of the names! lol
    i think that will be part of the ‘draft preview’ that he said he’s working on.

  56. 56 Eric Weaver said at 3:56 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    A good regular season team. He’s now going to a defense that is mediocre to terrible on the defensive line and probably even worse at the linebacker position.

    Not to mention Matty “Ice” has been about as cold as anyone come playoff time.

  57. 57 D3Keith said at 5:28 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I think they did want Asante gone that much.

    The alternative was keeping him here, paying him a ton and having an awkward situation on our hands.

    This is not ideal by any means. But the good news is the Eagles should probably still beat the Falcons h2h … just like last year ohwait.

  58. 58 Gregory Post said at 3:26 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    ““When we were picking early, like in the top 10, my marching orders were I don’t care what position you get, get a Pro Bowl player. That’s all I care: Get a Pro Bowl player. Get a quality guy. I don’t care where it is. Need, whatever, make sure it’s a Pro Bowl player.” ”

    That would explain a lot. Drafting talent is a must, but getting a less talented player that also fills an area of need is much more important. Doesn’t matter how good your linebackers are if your corners are terrible. You could draft Larry Fitzgerald, but still end up going 3-13 if the rest of your team sucks. I like how Cleveland was smart in trading back last year, passing on Julio Jones to get an impact player in Phil Taylor and having picks this year to get at least two more impact players in the first round.

  59. 59 Aaron Yang said at 3:27 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    oops

  60. 60 ACViking said at 3:46 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Re: Coby Fleener

    T-LAW:

    Ray Didinger wrote in one of his “Ray’s Replies” that Fleener suffered a back injury in college which has continued to hamper his ability to workout with weights and to block.

    http://www.csnphilly.com/football-philadelphia-eagles/eagles-talk/Rays-Replies-Any-interest-in-Stanfords-F?blockID=686792

    Have you heard anything along those lines?

  61. 61 ACViking said at 4:04 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    If the Eagles don’t take a CB in this draft who projects as a starter in 2013 — unless the team seems both Marsh and Hughes as starting material right now — then the Eagles just bought themselves DRC . . . and, like Samuel, DRC has all the leverage at the moment. And he’ll keep that leverage for as long as he plays pretty well.

    Should DRC — and the kids — all tank in 2012, they’re gonna have some serious problems at the corners in 2013, with Nnamdi turning 32 before training camp.

    The ripple effect of Nnamdi’s signing has been remarkable to watch.
    __________________

    Regarding trade-up scenarios, the one position we’ve heard nothing about (or maybe a whisper) is CB.

    Could the rumor of the Eagles wanting Cleveland’s #4 pick be legit . . . to get Claiborne? (Whom the Vikings may now be taking anyway.)

    Maybe the Birds have targeted the next best CB — without 4 kids and a lb. of weed in his trunk — who, I’d assume is Gilmore. Or maybe Kirkpatrick.

    I just can’t see Janoris Jenkins going in Rd 1 to any team. Way too risky. Although, Antonio Cromartie has some similar, um, family and personal traits as Jenkins. And AC’s been fairly productive — though not without a few problems when he was in SD.
    ___________________

    So are we looking at CB in Rd 1?

  62. 62 Kevin_aka_RC said at 4:22 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    If we extend Shady, we can franchise DRC…I don’t see “huge” leverage for him.
    I’ve said this before though: if we trade up for any player in the draft I hope it’s Claiborne if he falls to #6 or #7. He can play the slot immediately, be our RCB of the future AND be our PR. Wins all-around.

  63. 63 TheRogerPodacter said at 4:29 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    i never thought of that. seems like a definite possibility!! (wait, what did i just say? lol)

  64. 64 Anders Jensen said at 6:53 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I think the Eagles see Marsh as a starter in 13/14 and its almost 100% the Eagles will use a high draft pick on a CB.

  65. 65 hotcakes33 said at 4:30 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Let’s say the draft shakes out and we get Kuechly. In the second round if he’s there, do you grab Stephen Hill or take DT/DE/CB and sign Plax?

  66. 66 Baloophi said at 4:43 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Is it just me or are there significantly more mock drafts from the media this year? I’ve seen us take everything but a steaming dump at #15. Domowitch has us taking Reiff at 15… I’d probably trade the pick to the Falcons for another 6th before taking that dude.

    Also, according to the mocks Chandler Jones has suddenly gotten really good at football in the last week. Good for him.

  67. 67 nopain23 said at 6:36 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Love that last bit about Jones.LMAO!

  68. 68 GermanEagle said at 4:52 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Hahaha, a 7th round pick?! Are u kidding me?! Biggest rip off ever!

  69. 69 Kevin_aka_RC said at 4:54 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Asante for a 7th rounder. In.Sane.

  70. 70 D3Keith said at 5:25 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    And he stays in the NFC. To a contender.

    Only two silver linings: 1) Our defense is probably going to be much better with everyone on the same page, playing the style they’re suited to. 2) The 7th rounder will probably turn into a starting LB for us. (No just kidding. My real point is that they must have been fearful that they were going to end up not getting a deal done at all and had to move him just to move him).

  71. 71 the guy said at 5:57 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    A NFC playoff contender that the Eagles play in week 8.

  72. 72 deg0ey said at 6:10 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    At least they’ve still got Ryan to make sure they don’t actually win any games if they make it to the post season

  73. 73 aerochrome2 said at 7:33 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Saves 2M in cap and stops him going to NFC east and we can draft a punter to compete with henry (e or no e?). Tommy, how are the punters this year?

  74. 74 iskar36 said at 5:37 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Regardless of how you look at this, the FO screwed this one up. Whether it was in signing Nnamdi in the first place (or trading for DRC), not trading Asante last year, or using a scheme that didn’t best utilize the talent we have on the team, a 7th round pick for a pro bowl caliber CB that took a pay cut is horrendous compensation. I know we had to move Asante with the direction we are headed, but people trying to argue this is addition by subtraction are completely over simplifying the situation.

  75. 75 deg0ey said at 6:15 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Agreed; It should never have got to the point where this was the only option, but at least they managed to keep him out of the division (Gotta think Dallas would’ve paid him if he’d been cut).

    Having said all of that, I do think there’s a chance we’re better off without the unrest caused by having 3 starting CBs for 2 positions. I also think we can trust DRC and Aso not to leave JaiJar 1-on-1 with Larry Fitzgerald, so that’s a bonus too.

  76. 76 iskar36 said at 6:23 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I’m not sure I find much silver lining in the fact that he is out of the division when he went to a conference rival that is likely to be in the playoff hunt with us. As for focusing on the Larry Fitzgerald play, sure, maybe you gain there, but you hard to argue we will not miss Asante’s playmaking ability over those two. DRC played most of the season out of position, but was there any real indication really at any point in his career even that he is the better CB? He provides long term stability (assuming he is worth extending beyond this season), but to me, Asante has proven to be the better corner.

  77. 77 deg0ey said at 6:31 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    You do have a valid point, and I don’t think there’s any question that Asante is a better corner than DRC. But when the latter is younger, cheaper and a better fit for our system then I still think it’s a decision that they had to make.

  78. 78 iskar36 said at 6:37 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I fully agree with that part of it. This was a necessary move, and frankly is the reason we got such terrible compensation. I’m just pointing out the process of getting to this point that was unnecessary/unwise.

  79. 79 ceteris_paribus1776 said at 4:55 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I posted in the first 14 thread that I thought Gilmore is a distinct possibility at this point. If Cox, Keuchly, Tanne, are all gone I think Gilmore could be their guy. If he’s gone they could be trading back Kirkpatrick since the DT talent is deep into the 2nd.

  80. 80 Peter Kozicky said at 5:17 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Tommy-

    If Gilmore drops to 15, do we take him? I know you prefer Kirkpatrick, so keep him in mind if you want- its virtually the same question: do you take a CB in the 1st round? On the surface, the possibility seems remote, but it gets more plausible, even likely, when you start looking years down the road.

    Nnamdi makes $15.5 million as a 32 year old in 2013. Since that money isn’t guaranteed, he needs to be a top 5 defensive player of the year candidate in 2012 to have any hope of seeing that money in 2013. He could agree to play for less in 2013, but might rather take his chances as a UFA, because we certainly couldn’t trade that contract. Regardless, he’ll be 33 in 2014(and still make 12.3 million). If we’re dumping Samuel for a 7th rounder rather than pay him 9.5 million at age 31, why would we keep Nnamdi beyond the guaranteed years of his deal?

    Don’t answer by explaining how Nnamdi’s a better “fit” than Asante, because we’ve been over that a thousand times. Even if Nnamdi has a career year in 2012, he’s already demonstrated a lack of versatility and will never be a playmaker who excels in all aspects of the game. Although Aso very played well for stretches, he wasn’t even the dominant 1-on-1 shutdown corner we expected him to be when we signed him to a $60 million dollar deal.

    We aren’t even sure what we have in DRC, who is coming off two bad years and will be an UFA, and haven’t a clue about Marsh and Hughes. When we took Lito, Sheldon and Micheal Lewis in the first two rounds, we had a much better secondary than we do today. We certainly didn’t expect them to use a 3rd rounder on a CB last year, when we thought we had three pro-bowlers. Historically speaking, the Eagles have repeatedly invested high picks and tons of money in the CB position, even with quality starters in place, draft according to a long-term plan, largely determined by allocation of cap dollars, which they don’t like spending on older players. Even in a best case scenario, Nnamdi is an aging, extremely expensive short-term solution at a position the Eagles are always thinking long-term.

    So Gilmore or Kirkpatrick? Gilmore fits perfectly as a press corner, while Kirkpatrick is better playing zone. Gilmore is 20 pounds heavier, more athletic, changes directions better, was higher rated coming out of high school and comes without off-field baggage.

    I predict we’ll pull another “Brandon Graham” – trading up in the draft to take Gilmore, when everyone expects us to take Fletcher Cox.

  81. 81 ceteris_paribus1776 said at 5:44 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    And, to my knowledge, Gilmore is a very good tackler.

  82. 82 Eagles1991 said at 6:06 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    I have been pushing for Gilmore for quite some time….yet I was also pissed when we took shady McCoy over Donald brown. So my talent eval skills aren’t exactly stellar

  83. 83 Brian Winings said at 7:01 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Donald Brown went in the 1st round. Shady was the 53rd pick.

  84. 84 Eagles1991 said at 9:10 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Im keenly aware of that. Im simply making a point about my lack of talent eval

  85. 85 bebin abraham said at 7:57 AM on April 26th, 2012:

    gilmore is not a man guy more of a zone..he struggles with press coverage….the best man cover guy is jenkins

  86. 86 Peter Kozicky said at 5:51 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Lurie might be sick of investing so many resources in CBs, but Gilmore represents a cheaper solution than Nnamdi or DRC in 2013. Gilmore could sit and learn(red shirt) in 2012, while the front office evaluates the two starters and decides which of them to retain. The front office will try to get Asomugha to renegotiate his salary for 2013, then resign DRC long-term, and the cheaper option will start across from Gilmore. If Marsh shows anything, both DRC and Asomugha could be gone next year…crazy to think.

    I wonder if the press-man technique requires less skill than off-man. We blitz far less in our new scheme, so the corners aren’t left “on an island” nearly as often as they once were. Maybe bigger, stronger, better tackling CBs can be acquired for less than the shutdown guys who can cover receivers without help. If so, maybe someone like Trumaine Johnson could be an option in the second round.

  87. 87 deg0ey said at 6:28 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    “Maybe bigger, stronger, better tackling CBs can be acquired for less than the shutdown guys who can cover receivers without help. If so, maybe someone like Trumaine Johnson could be an option in the second round.”

    Agree with this, although I don’t think I’d take one that high. I think my choice would be either Denard or Minnifield in the 4th. We can always go for a CB early in the draft next season if they don’t work out.

    I’d also be tempted by Boykin in the 2nd as a replacement to Hanson.

  88. 88 bebin abraham said at 7:58 AM on April 26th, 2012:

    gilmore is not a man press guy…he’s a zone guy

  89. 89 fordy88 said at 6:28 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    In his mock today Kiper has us trading up to 7 and selecting Fletcher Cox….interesting because, as he mentions, he doesn’t normally include trades unless they are official so for him to do this is pretty confusing.

    As with some of you I think the Eagles will trade up, but I don’t know if they will draft Fletcher seeing as how everyone is predicting that. Part of me feels like this a smokescreen and they really want someone else.

  90. 90 ACViking said at 6:31 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    If the Wharton MBA program has a class on “Sports Management,” the Eagles’ signing of Nnamdi, trade for DRC, and unloading of Samuel would be a great *case study* in how successful organizations need to be on the same page — from the blueprints, to the guys executing them, to management, to ownership.

    Also, may we please have no more “Howie Roseman is a great GM when it comes to free agency and trades” talk. Let’s ease off the peddle for a while.

  91. 91 Peter Kozicky said at 8:54 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Howie Roseman has been hosed on most of his deals…Kevin Kolb sucking doesn’t make him a good GM.

    Roseman’s assumption that DRC could play nickel back was a move straight out of Madden. Asante was right- he did play fantasy football with Lurie’s money last off-season…basically made us the laughing stock of the league.

  92. 92 Kammich said at 6:48 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    This is going to be a wild draft. It would’ve been already, but I’ve failed to do my normal due diligence of draft mania(I usually do a 7-round mock, rank the top-265, value charts, etc). In a case of unfortunate but sublime timing, that little prick Cupid struck me with his arrow and she is literally all I’ve been focused on for the last 4 weeks. argh, women!

    So tomorrow is going to be a total wild card for me. Which should be fun. I haven’t been this ill-equipped to deal with the mayhem of the draft since, like… 2003 or 2004, when I was just too young to get into it all that much.

  93. 93 nopain23 said at 6:59 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Iggles’ fans relax.this was not a trade….it was a salary dump.now we have the cap space to sign our BEST player..shady!!!!!
    That’s a good thing.remember the draft is a funny thing…at worst you draft a project in the 7th and groom him for example…get vontaze and let him learn behind Ryans..and hopefully Luke..(fingers Crossed)….don’t forget if DRC breaks out a probowl season he’s gonna want to get paid too!

  94. 94 JRO91 said at 7:48 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    15 – chandler jones trade 46 and a 6th or 5th to New England for 31. 31 – Janoris Jenkins. 57- Bobby Wagner. 3rd – Derek Wolfe

  95. 95 Eagles1991 said at 9:12 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    Knowshon Moreno and Donald Brown were the top RB that yr. after denver took Moreno, I wanted DB….so glad they cant listen to me on draft day

  96. 96 Jason said at 10:04 PM on April 25th, 2012:

    You know I would take Floyd in a heartbeat at #15. I know, I know, it’s not the trade back for Fleener option, sue me. But Floyd is better than Fleener – simple. He’s a better receiver and tellingly, probably a better blocker than Fleener…Fleener’s blocking sucks. Picking either one would disrupt the team just as much ie. you’ve got DeSean, Maclin, Shady, Floyd/Fleener, Avant/Celek as your 5 man set. So Avant or Celek’s gonna miss some snaps whoever gets picked. I’ve got no problem with that. Add the more talented guy – FLOYD!