Choose One
Posted: July 12th, 2014 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 99 Comments »I’m getting ready to hop on an airplane so I don’t have time to right out a full post. Instead I’m going to pose an interesting question that popped in my head recently…if you could add a former Eagle to this team, who would it be?
I think most people will boil it down to 1 of 2 players, Reggie or Dawk.
Reggie would be able to play LDE in the 3-4 and he would give the OL someone to fear on run and pass downs. The coaches could move him around the line in sub-packages and find good matchups for him. Reggie is also the kind of high character player that Chip would absolutely love.
Dawk would add a presence to the middle of the defense that has been lacking since he left. He could blitz, cover and fly around the field making plays. And I think Chip would love coaching a guy like Dawk.
This feels like an almost impossible choice. Both are Eagles legends. Both would help the current team in a big way.
I’m going with Reggie because he’s my favorite player of all time and I always go for a DL over a DB.
Who would you choose?
* * * * *
Any other players you’d especially love to see on this team?
If Terrell Owens had his head on straight, he’d be ideal for the Kelly offense. Think Harold Carmichael would be of interest to Chip Kelly?
I’d love to see a guy like Byron Evans roaming the middle. And Seth Joyner might make a darn good 3-4 ILB.
_
Westbrook was my first thought.
Not my no. 1 choices, but would love to McNabb and Westbrook in their prime coached by Kelly.
While McCoy is a good receiving RB, Westbrook was a great one and consider screens and wheel routes are such a big part of it, Westbrook would most likely have posted Marshall Faulk type numbers for Kelly.
McNabb’s size, arm strength and athletisme would also be perfect for this offense imo.
Jevon Kearse (healthy version) as an OLB would also be really fun to see, Kearse would have the perfect frame for an OLB.
I’d rather have foles than mcnabb, I still remember all those passes hitting the turf at the receivers feet
I think McNabb with Kelly would have corrected his footwork, something Reid ignored.
it’s ok west was short and can pick those balls up off the ground
Westbrook is among my favorite players, but i think an argument can be made that McCoy is even better than Westbrook as an overall back. At worst thought the improvement to THIS team would be marginal compared to adding a guy like Reggie or Dawk in my opinion.
As for McNabb, I think he would fit great with Chip Kelly. That being said, Foles has played very well with CK and while I certainly wouldn’t put him at McNabbs level what so ever, I’m excited to see what he can develop into, and becAuse of that, between picking between another Eagles legend at a different position and sticking with Foles, I think I would lean towards the former.
McCoy is a better runner than Westbrook althought Westy wasnt bad, but McCoy cant even sniff Westbrook when it comes to receiving or overall weapon.
Remember how Reid sometimes used Westbrook as a WR so he made a mismatch on the outside against a LB?
For all the mis match Kelly has going, he never put McCoy at WR split out wide.
Westbrook consistently lacked one key ability; availability. From that lame triceps tear vs. Washington in 2003 forward, Westbrook was far too often handicapping this team by missing too many games. Shady hasn’t been sterling in this capacity, but he’s been better than Westbrook.
My brain says Reggie my heart says BDawk.
Good way to answer.
My thoughts exactly.
I think it’d be a lot of fun to see Concrete Charlie teamed up in the middle of the defense with Kendricks but overall Reggie, BDawk or Carmichael would probably have the most impact.
As good as Dawkins was, Reggie was better. He destroyed double teams all the time. He was totally unblockable. He’s the best DE of all time and I’d go so far as to say he should be in the conversation for best NFL player ever if we can get past our QB obsession.
I completely agree with this. If the O doubled Reggie they had a chance to stop him. A chance. Man up with a OT he was going to disrupt the play in some fashion – put only a TE on him and you would probably lose your QB for the season…
Just imagine what Reggie would do in a pass happy league…he got 21 sacks in a RUN first league.
Randall.
I love Reggie, but two-gapping him would be a waste. My vote is for Seth Joyner, who I think fits Billy Davis’ system perfectly. I could see him as both an ILB and OLB.
Follow up question: if we could make teams populated by their best players throughout all their years as a club and throw them in a playoff bracket, who would win?
Are players limited to being on one team or could they play for two? For example would Reggie be an eagle and packer or just one? But my vote would be 49ers followed closely by the steelers. A receiving core with Rice, TO and Vernon Davis thrown to by Montana or Young would be almost impossible to stop. I don’t think the Eagles would have a QB in their history capable of winning it.
I dunno. Future Foles is a pretty serious player.
You could put together a pretty impressive defense for the ‘9ers, too.
Funny thing about the Steelers: I bet over half of the players would be ones that actually played together.
Reggie White is debatably (with LT) the best defensive player of his generation. Hard to pick against that, especially when his pass rush skills would be even more in play today.
The only player we need on this team to win a Superbowl is URLAKERZZ!!! AND HE S A FREE AGINT COMON LURIE STOP BEIN A CHEAP ASS!!
(#MemoriesFromTheEMB)
How awesome would it be to have Reggie and Jerome back as the DEs? Then you could just trade Cox for a good DB and be all set for a Championship D.
Why Jerome as DE over Cox? Never saw Jerome play, but his stats suggest same player type as Cox
Dude, Jerome was an all time great and would be in the Hall of Fame now if he hadn’t died tragically. He was all pro his final two seasons. He was the best defensive tackle in the game. Warren Sapp was a poor man’s Jerome Brown.
I like Cox, but he’s no Jerome Brown.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life/09000d5d8227a7d9/Reggie-White-Jerome-Brown-A-Football-Life-trailer
High motor guy with talent to match.
Jerome was great as an attacking DT, we have no clue on how he would be at two gapping. Cox had 5.5 sacks as a rookie DT and he had 39 pressures as a 2 gap DE both great numbers as well
You missed out. Brown was an absolute destructive force at DT on every snap. The single reason the 92 Eagles didn’t win a title was because Brown murdered his nephew and killed himself in that car accident.
The Eagles D in 91 couldn’t be stopped, in part, due to Brown’s total control of the middle of the field. In 92, with inferior DTs on the field, our entire back 7 had to put more responsibility into covering for that absence; thus making the D significantly easier to plan against.
You take Reggie and switch to a 4-3 under with White and Cole as the DE’s and Cox as the 3 tech.
Only reason I hesitated before taking Reggie was the scheme they play. At a minimum, they’d have to switch to a 1-Gap 3-4, if not the 4-3 under, to take advantage of his superb skills.
I’m not a big Donovan fan, but theres a good argument to be made for him in Kellys offense. After that, I say Reggie, he was so good he could change the dynamic of the game.
Donovan? Come on man,,, how can you take Donovan with Chip over Chip and Randall? I get chills thinking of what Cunningham would look like. Curious to see Westbrook running ZRs..
I’d be willing to bet money that McNabb’s accuracy and decision making would couple better with Kelly than Cunningham’s propensity to roll one way, throw the other, and give up bad INTs.
McNabb’s fitness and footwork would have been improved under Kelly, you can’t fix stupid with Randall.
If you remember Reggie, then your choice is Reggie. 😉
There is only one answer to the question.
Reggie.
And it ain’t even close if you ever watched the man play.
I love me some Dawk, Westbrook, Bednarik, Carmichael, Byron Evans, and Joyner, but Reggie was the most dominant football player – at any position – that I ever saw play.
Re: The Way Back Machine (what did you expect?)
Some pre-Dawkins/White/Joyner types:
In order:
1. Norm Van Brocklin – QB (1958-60)
A HOF QB who delivered the Birds last title. Extremely smart. Great decision maker. Demanding. Scrappy. Best field-general and team leader to ever where the Birds’ colors. Willed a slightly better than mediocre football team to the NFL title . . . and Lombardi’s only post-season defeat.
1A. Sonny Jurgensen – QB (1957-63)
If not Van Brocklin, I’ll take his HOF understudy. Remarkable that the Eagles had two future HOF QBs on their roster at the same time. Jurgensen still holds the Eagles record for most TD passes in a season at 32 in ’61 (14 games). Maybe the best pure passer in NFL history. Smooth as polished marble. Quick release. And not credited enough for his nifty feet — even though he played RB at Duke.
2. Concrete Charlie Bednarik – MLB/C (1948-62)
Huge for his day and still big enough to play today at 6’2″ 235lbs. A great athlete. Fearless . . . and who wouldn’t be after spending 3 years as machine-gunner on a B-17 in WWII. Relished laying out opposing players. Set the tone for everyone else with his on-field performance. Among the first great MLBs in the modern NFL. I think he’d play special teams for Kelly just to get another shot at knocking out someone on the other team.
2A. Bill Bergey – MLB (1974-80)
Best MLB in NFL history not in the HOF. As big as most DLs in his day — and bigger than most present day MLBs. Played side line to side line. Could run with TEs and RBs. But was also like a extra D-lineman Patterned his game after Dick Butkas. Would single-handedly turn this defense into a Top-5 unit.
3. Mike Quick – WR (1981-90)
Only one WR in the NFL was better than Quick in the ’80s — and if Quick had played for Bill Walsh, no one would have topped him. Big, fast, good blocker at 6’2″ 190. And a great locker-room guy.Unstoppable, even though he was the only weapon wearing green most days. Flip on tape of Sammy Watkins at Clemson and that’s Mike Quick as an Eagle. He’s everything Chip Kelly would ever want in a WR. Bad knees kept him from reaching Canton.
4. Bob “Boomer” Brown – ROT (1964-68)
HOFer, spent his first five years with the Eagles. Began lifting weights long before the idea was in vogue. Notorious for his “punch.” Literally. Early in a game, he’d punch the D-lineman across from him in the stomach. He’d do it again if the opposing player didn’t get the message. Brown spent years collapsing opposing D-lines like Jason Peters v. 2011. Lane Johnson may be a great one one day. But he’ll have to move his game up to another zip code get in Bob Brown’s neighborhood.
5. Charlie Young – TE (1973-76)
6th overall pick in the ’73 draft from USC by the Eagles. All Pro his first 3 years in the NFL. Huge target who could run like a WR. Part of the “Fire High Gang” in ’73-’74 (shortest receiver was 6’3″). Could run like a WR. But a great in-line blocker as well. Great downfield target. Made the TE reverse a relative staple in the Birds’ offense. For context . . . imagine a great-blocking Jimmy Graham.
6. Charlie Johnson – NT (1977-81)
3x All Pro. Drafted as a 7th Rd pick in ’77 from Colorado. Former wrestler. He’s the guy whose dominance in the middle triggered the Eagles’ defensive rise in the Vermeil years to the top of the NFL. Unmovable. But a 2-down player. Even then.
7. Roynell Young – CB (1980-88)
At 6’1″ 185lbs, he was a damned good man-zone corner for the first 6 years of so of his career. Not afraid to take on blocker. Pretty close to a shutdown corner most days. Productivity dropped precipitously late in his career.
What about Keith Jackson as a TE for Kelly?
A —
I thought about including a contrasting comment in the Charlie Young summary. Young was a better TE than Jackson in every respect. Blocking was KJ’s achilles heal — not surprising for a Buddy Ryan TE.
I learn something new everyday. I always thought Jackson was the best TE in Eagles history.
I would expect Kelly to select Byers rather than Jackson. He could play more positions.
I think it may be time to take down Sonny’s single season TD passes record this year.
ATG:
When I typed those words, I thought exactly what you’re saying.
A death watch is now on for Sonny’s record.
But considering the 14-game schedule and rules for DBs, it’s a damned impressive feat that’s lasted 50 years.
I really love these posts – always nice to get further insights into the history of the franchise. I usually know a couple of the more well-known players like Van Brocklin and Bednarik, but always come away knowing something new.
AC…Thanks for the great trip down memory lane…I was in 10th grade when we hung that loss on Lombardi and won the championship. my favorite player was Tommy McDonald who caught everything…I agree about your QB choices, but I think it would be fun to see Randall being coached by Chip with the zone read option, (and we could save a position for concrete Charlie cause we wouldn’t need a punter).
Dawk,
The defense isnt the same without him. Yes he had JJ but look at Pitt for the direct current similarity. Lebeau’s d was AWESOME with polamalu healthy, but when he was not they became average at best. That ultimate moving chess piece would complete the 3-4 Defense and give our back end something they havent had in awhile.
I know Kelly does not use FBs, but if I think he might have done an exception with Leonard Weaver.
Or maybe some Keith byars action. Talk about versatility. Byars was like Casey time a million.
Man, that would work out to two million touches per season!
Keith Byars is my all time favorite Eagle. When he played TE one year because they needed it, that ruled. Especially because he was good at it. Also, his termination of that NYC piece of garbage Pepper Johnson, was epic.
I’m confused about the love for Byars. Isn’t this the guy that couldn’t square his shoulders to the LOS? Turning the corner was an impossibility because of his big ole shoulders.
White and Dawkins almost make considering other names pointless, but I bet Eric Allen and Sheldon Brown would be very good in this defense.
Eric was a great playmaker but I don’t know if he was physical enough Billy Davis. I loved Sheldon and he was plenty physical, but fear the Eagles would class him the same way they see Boykin.
Like most of us, I’d take White. Reggie was an absolute freak of nature. I will say that it would have been fascinating to see what Kelly could have done with Donovan in his youth 😀
If not Reggie or Dawk . . . 99 comes to mind
As others have said, Reggie White and it’s not even close.
Perhaps a more interesting question would be who would be #2. I’d go with Jerome Brown. I’d probably go with Dawkins #3, but it would be a difficult decision because Troy Vincent seems like a real Chip Kelly kind of guy and cornerback is more important than safety.
Love Bobby Taylor opposite Cary Williams in December!!
Absolutely agree with this. I love Dawk as much as any Eagles fan, but when it comes to how they would impact the overall game, Brown would probably edge out Dawk. I would take Dawkins over Vincent though.
No player ever got me as excited to watch football as B-Dawk. He made the game as exciting on defense as the offense. He personified what football was about and stayed true to himself, never letting ego or arrogance show up off the field and with the fans. When you watched him play you could say, there’s a man without fear, who gave his heart and soul on every play and led his team the way a leader should, not with rah-rahs, but with action. He will by far always be my favorite Eagle.
Dawkins.
In his prime on that Eagles team would bring the trophy to Philly.
Go Deutschland!!!
Reggie and it’s not even a debate.
Since you left JB (RIP) off the list. it’d s no brainer for Reggie. Please Change it to “Choose Two”. Reggie and JB all day…everyday!!!
If I can take Bednarik, I’ll find a spot for him. Otherwise, Reggie, Jerome, then Dawk (as much as I loved his style of play). Wouldn’t mind having Seth Joyner, either.
I love Dawk and he’ll always be my favorite player, but it’s gotta be Reggie. Dude was a game changer and that holy terror on the line that any team whether or not it’s a 3-4 or a 4-3 wants. Reggie all day, every day.
But if you’re going to take a tackle, you’d be better off with Tra Thomas. I’m sure he could handle the switch to the right side.
Re: TE Charlie Young
I mentioned Young as the best Eagles TE I ever saw. (Anders’d asked abt KJackson.)
Here’re some MNF highlights from 1973 narrated by Howard Cosell, including the Eagles v. Vikings.
The Eagles’ game starts at 10:45. A long, beautiful TD pass from Gabriel to Carmichael’s worth watching (despite the holding penalty). Carmichael’s a man among boys.
At 12:28, you’ll see a TE reverse to Charlie Young. Ran the ball like a battering ram — and also looked like a man among boys.
Also, you’ll an Eagles defense that is not even in some of the frames. Present only by their apparent absence.
Fun stuff . . . from the Way Back Machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_F0q9DW-Mw
Glad we live in a word with HD.
Looking at both Keith Jackson and Charlie Youngs stats and how little they played for the Eagles, I might actually consider Brent Celek the best TE to play for the Eagles because of how long he has played and that he is a complete TE that is maybe the 3rd best overall TE in the NFL after Gronk and Witten (ability to both block and catch)
Interesting:
…
Fletcher Cox 39 hurries were tied for 3rd in the league..
…
Only four 3-4DEs finished with 3 sacks last year (qb hurries in parenthesis):
Fletcher Cox(39)
Z Hood(14)
RJF (8)
j Jenkins (5)
…
22yr old in his first year of a different defense..just watch him dominate this year!!
Glad we didn’t have to hand RJF that huge contract. Although i thought he was a NT. He was probably also helped by the fact that Mathis was a beast last year on the outside.
Malcolm Jenkins led all safeties in PFF pass rushing productivity stat:
9 pressures(3 sacks, 6 hurries) in 35 pass rush attempts
That’s an interesting stat. Remember we tried that safety blitz a lot during the beginning of the season but didn’t really have the personnel.
Trotter is always welcome on any eagles team!.. Not the best eagle, but my Favorite Eagle…. Just watching him blow up the A gap, drop the SMACKDOWN on Tiki’s candy Ass, get up and drop the AXE was glorious…..he can play Meco’s position on first and second down
And how about all of those times Trotter would run 100 mph to the wrong hole, get cut back on, and give up a 20 to 30 yard gain because of his lack of understand of flow.
I loved Trotter’s energy and leadership, but his game had holes.
I plead the 5th
nnamdi asomugha, for sure.
Have some imagination man… That’s like picking Mike Jordan for the best basketball player ever
the right answer is always the sexiest one.
*isn’t always
Wes Hopkins!!!!! Lol dude would owe money at the end of the year after all the fines he would get today!
Not as much as Andre ‘Dirty’ Waters.
Watter is why I’m excitingly waiting for Dan Dierdorf to die. I want to troll every article about that b!tch because of his non-stop bias against the Eagles, and Andre especially, on MNF broadcasts back in the day.
Imagine Randall at the beginning of his career with a coach that cared about offense. He’d be unstoppable
Problem was Randall didnt care about studying the play book
problem was the defensive minded head coach didn`t care either.
Had CK been in charge,would`ve been a whole different story.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure Buddy’s offensive playbook was off tackle run, and dropback and receivers get open. If nobody’s open in the first second, tuck it and run. Then there’s the called Randall run.
Reggie.
Definitely Jerome Brown. Then as a need pick, I might go with William Thomas. Hopefully, Marcus Smith is another Thomas.
I agree with Alex K. Dawk or Reggie would be awesome, but if we’re sticking with a 3-4 defense, we need impact linebackers and that means Seth Joyner. I think Eric Allen deserves an honorable mention here as well.
Dawkins. Irreplaceable.
Dawk is my fav player ever… But there will never be another Reggie ( shut up JJ).Also you have to value D line over safety .
I’d have to go with Dawk because Reggie’s talents would be wasted in 3-4. Reggie White is simply the greatest defensive player to ever take the field. A coked up stat aided player with lower career totals and NYC media hype (LT) isn’t better than White. With the exception of a poor non-effort in the 1992 Divisional round loss to Dallas, White dominate week in and week out…………..
All of that said, asking him to do nothing but two gap for 3 downs would be a total waste of time. Sure, he’d be in a pass rusher’s position on 3rd down, but that doesn’t do anything to use him correctly on first and second downs.
Dawk, in his prime, would completely and totally shut teams down on 3 downs. His ability to be moved all over the field would totally allow Davis to be more and more creative in formations as we could bring valid pressure from a larger multitude of directions. The shoddy tackling and positioning at safety that has plagued us would be greatly minimized as well.
Simply put, Dawkins >>>>>>> Chung, Allen, Jenkins at safety. Cox and Thorton aren’t killing this team at all.
Hard to choose, but I would take Reggie.
‘Great minds think alike fools seldom differ’ Tommy!!
I put a fanpost on BGN on Friday asking which ex-player fans would have liked to see returning to the team (in the wake on LeBron’s return to Cleveland)
Personally it has to be Reggie – as Tommy has said many times great players find a way to make plays whatever the scheme.
And you can bet that if the Eagles had a player of Reggie’s abilities, they’d find a way to get him into optimal situations (notice I avoided any Reid-isms!!)
For me this is as easy as pie. Reggie White is considered one of the most dominant defensive players ever. Dawkins, although I love his tenacity and ability, isn’t even in the conversation of best safety ever… I’d go with Reggie over Dawk to include on this current team.
Yeah, I don’t care how well he fits with what we’re doing now. If you have Reggie White in his prime, and you can’t make that work, you have no business coaching.
This is awesome
http://jimlightfootball.com/2014/07/12/philadelphia-eagles-pin-pull-zone-run-concept/
Philadelphia Eagles Pin Pull Zone Run Concept
I don’t think it’s close – The Minister of Defense. When you can add arguably the best defensive linemen of all time (and one of the best defensive players of all time) you do it. I love Dawk as much as anybody else, but Reggie is far and away the best defensive player to put on a Eagle uniform…the havoc he would create would be awesome.
I kind of like our young DL. Adding Seth Joyner over Demeco and pairing him with Kendricks would cause offenses huge problems. Great coverage and great blitzing up the middle.
Jerome Brown