Eagles Take QB Matt Barkley

Posted: April 27th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 153 Comments »

Wow. I didn’t see this coming from a mile away. Someone asked about Matt Barkley and I said he wouldn’t be an Eagles target. Didn’t have the athleticism we thought Chip Kelly would want. Only has an average arm.

Oops.

Kelly said the Eagles had a Top 50 grade on Barkley. He was too good to pass up. Kelly said one of Matt’s biggest strengths is “repetitive accuracy”. Never heard that phrase before, but I know exactly what he means. Chip wants a QB that can put the ball to the same spot over and over and over.

Do I like the pick? Impossible to truly answer because I don’t know the offense. I was focused on mobile QBs like Matt Scott, Zac Dysert, and Jeff Tuel.

Do I like Barkley? Yes. Love the kid. I was on 97.5 a couple of weeks back talking about the draft. Phil brought up USC QBs and how he didn’t care for them. I made it a point to defend Barkley. He’s different. Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez are pretty boys that want the GQ lifestyle. Barkley is a gym rat that lives for football. And he’s not there in the golden era, surrounded by elite players. Barkley played through some adversity. He’s got more mental and emotional toughness than Sanchez and Leinart combined.

My big concern with Barkley was arm strength. He throws good deep balls, but they have plenty of arc to them. That can be an issue in the NFL. Some of his intermediate throws had too much arc. There are reports that he had a shoulder injury that affected him. I need to study his 2011 tape to see if there is a noticeable difference.

I do love Senior QBs that have talent and experience. Barkley has plenty of both.  He is ready for the NFL.  We’ll have to see if he’s got the physical ability to play well.

What does this pick mean for the QB situtation? Many on Twitter assumed that it was bad news for Nick Foles. I’m not so sure about that at all. I think the guy who should be worried is Mike Vick. The Eagles had a chance to trade Nick Foles. They didn’t. That means they think he can play. The Eagles then added Barkley. Those guys are the future. Are they the present as well?

Everyone pointed out that Vick and Dixon made Foles look like the oddball QB. Now Foles and Barkley make Vick look like the oddball QB.

Foles has the upper hand on Barkley for now. Foles was a 3rd round pick, Barkley a 4th. Foles has NFL experience, Barkley doesn’t. They are competition for each other. One can become the starter and the other can be the backup. We spent mid-round picks on them. Having a mid-rounder as your backup is good value.

Could Barkley come out of this as the starter in 2013? That is possible. I said Foles has the upper hand for now, but Chip Kelly drafted Barkley. That’s his guy. That can change things. And Barkley is a veteran QB. He threw 1001 passes at USC, playing against good competition and in a system that mixed the spread and the WCO. Barkley won’t be foreign to pro concepts.

Daniel Jeremiah said on NFLN that Howie Roseman was very high on Barkley last year. This is a player the Eagles must have really liked and felt was just too good not to take. QB coach Bill Lazor did have an individual workout with Barkley and the team interviewed him at the Combine so the Eagles have checked him out thoroughly.

I’ve got a ton of tape study and research to do.  This pick came out of left field. I do love the fact that Chip Kelly is full of surprises. It will be a while before we get him figured out.

_


153 Comments on “Eagles Take QB Matt Barkley”

  1. 1 Neill Stark said at 12:56 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I am pretty excited about the Barkley pick in general. I think he has skills that translate well to the NFL.

  2. 2 Tom Watkinson said at 12:56 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Good pts about Vick and foles. They just killed foles trade value if u need to trade him so maybe Vick is in trouble makes more sense.

  3. 3 Arby1 said at 1:29 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think Vick is in his last year here. We’ll keep both Foles and Barkley.

  4. 4 DJ Paleface said at 5:37 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Yep, Vick has a year or 2 to get us through the transition.

  5. 5 GermanEagle said at 12:57 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Foles just threw up in his Ugg boots.

  6. 6 bdbd20 said at 12:59 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    So did Vick, although he overshot and hit the dog.

  7. 7 TommyLawlor said at 1:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Nice reference.

  8. 8 Baloophi said at 12:57 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Gruden’s QB Camp – Matt Barkley

    ESPN U – tomorrow (4/28) – 6am (EST)

    Also available On Demand on DirecTv on 1206 and 1208

  9. 9 zbone95 said at 1:00 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I hope we never figure out Chip. If we can, so can other teams. We don’t want that. I love what he is doing with the team. Props to Howie for sticking true to his draft board.

  10. 10 dislikedisqus said at 1:01 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    How is this guy different from Sanchez & Leinart? US. Guys don’t work out in the pros.

  11. 11 Baloophi said at 1:05 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Different people.
    Different coaches.
    Same helmet.

  12. 12 Dan Koller said at 1:46 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    So the helmet is like those shoes in “Like Mike”?

  13. 13 TommyLawlor said at 1:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Did you read what I wrote above? Very, very different.

  14. 14 Christopher Miller said at 3:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Palmer was pretty good in his prime.

  15. 15 Baloophi said at 1:02 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Matt Barkley

    Tyler Wilson

    Landry Jones

    If someone told you last year that these guys would go in the fourth round, there would be mass-flaming.

  16. 16 GvilleEagleFan said at 1:04 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    With only investing a 4th and a 7th in Barkley, do you think they view him as just competition with the upside of a capable spot-starter or do you think Chip sees him as a long term answer? If he turns out to be starter-quality, we’re going to have some incredible cap space for the next three years with only 3rd and 4th round rookie salaries at the QB spot.

  17. 17 TommyLawlor said at 1:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think the Eagles see him as someone that could be the starter of the future. Remember, Chip loves competition.

  18. 18 DJ Paleface said at 5:19 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I really don’t think you ever draft someone to be a backup. They most certainly think he can start or at least make a damn good run at it. Only thing is if they suddenly went BPA all of the sudden. But was Barkley really the BPA?

  19. 19 Stephen Stempo said at 6:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Depends on how you define bpa. Each position has a weight to it. Each team probably has a different way of doing this too. The best QB available as a general rule is going to be ranked higher than the best center available assuming you have about the same slot for both of them.

  20. 20 JEinOKC said at 1:06 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    It’s interesting to me that the Eagles trade up 3 spots in the 4th round to snag a QB and the consensus seems to be that he’s the QB of the future. The Giants move up 10 spots to pick up a QB and he’s deemed a career backup. Is this more attributable to the bad QB situation in Philly or that we snagged a “name” QB. It seems to me a 4th rounder certainly doesn’t require the other guys at the position to begin packing their bags just yet

  21. 21 TommyLawlor said at 1:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Good perspective. Moves have to be judged in context.

  22. 22 Jerry Pomroy said at 1:58 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I don’t fully agree. Barkley was much more an accomplished player than Nassib. Had Barkley come out last year, he would’ve been taken in 1st round. 2012 didn’t fair well for Barkley as far as draft stock, but I see a leader & a guy that resembles Alex Smith the past few years, that when put in a situation to be successful he’ll deliver.

  23. 23 DJ Paleface said at 5:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    At times Barkley has shown first round talent. At one point he was the consensus #1 overall pick for this year. To get that kid with a 4th round pick is good for the team AND Barkley. Less money, less pressure. 50/50 chance this becomes a huge steal for us. If Barkley wins us a few games as a back up in the next few years than he is well worth a 4th round pick.

    The fact that the Eagles moved up to get him proves that we believe in him and also that they have a place for him on the roster/scheme, merit based of course.

  24. 24 NoDecaf said at 1:07 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Ok, I think I’d like to see inside the war room now. I have this growing fear I’ll find a kid with chocolate all over his face drawing large circles with big crayons.

  25. 25 TommyLawlor said at 1:15 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Leave me out of this.

  26. 26 NoDecaf said at 1:19 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    LOL They channeled you for the first two rounds, I’m afraid they’re now channeling Jurrah.

  27. 27 Arby1 said at 1:26 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Funnier.

  28. 28 Arby1 said at 1:26 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Funny.

  29. 29 ian_no_2 said at 1:08 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    “I think the NFL you’re always going to have to be a passer,” he said.
    “It’s a passing game. And as much as the read option is successful, I
    think the Super Bowl-winning quarterback is similar to how I play. And
    that style and that tradition, I don’t think that will ever fade.” – Matt Barkley, Feb 2013 Combine Press Conference

    Read more here: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2013/02/22/a-few-minutes-with-matt-barkley/#storylink=cpy

  30. 30 DJ Paleface said at 5:04 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I love the confidence.

  31. 31 BobSmith77 said at 1:09 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Hate this pick. Roseman/Kelly have chosen the ‘Country Buffet’ approach at QB this season. Put out as may mediocre options as you can and hopefully you find something that is edible. This team still has a ton of holes yet and the Eagles would have better served grabbing another guy who they think might be a possible starter for them in 2 years.

    Eagles don’t want to say but they are rebuilding this year and are likely to have another pretty cr@ppy record.

  32. 32 TommyLawlor said at 1:14 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Okay…but they had a Top 50 grade on Barkley. They think he’s a 2nd round player. That’s not grabbing a mediocre player in their mind.

  33. 33 BobSmith77 said at 1:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Understand you point but what is Barkley’s ceiling. A Chad Pennington-type guy maybe?

    More and more you get the sense that the Eagles don’t know exactly what scheme they will on run offense or on defense. Flexibility sounds great in theory but they seem all over the board including with the moves they made this offseason besides rebuilding the secondary which needed to be done. Still a bit too early to tell but I get the sense that next season might end up being kind of a ‘hot mess’ as the Eagles go into camp & through camp with a lot of questions in their scheme on both sides of the ball and have a tough time determining which players fit them well.

  34. 34 Neil said at 2:29 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Pennington is an allright comparison. He has some improving to do to become that accurate, but I think their arm situations are similar.

  35. 35 DJ Paleface said at 5:06 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I totally disagree.

    I think it’s obvious that Chip is going to go with what he knows. There is no way he threw out all his old playbooks along with the Eagles old playbooks. He is going to install something similar to what he has developed over the past 4 years. That college offense with morph into something more NFL-looking over the next few years.

  36. 36 BlindChow said at 1:43 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Also, if he shows serious NFL potential, he could be trade bait in the future. Consider the QB’s that will be coming out in next year’s draft. It’s possible in order to trade up to the top of the 1st, Barkley could be a key component in a deal.

  37. 37 Baloophi said at 1:13 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Barkley talking to Spadaro and Reese:

    “I’m going to remember this day and this weekend forever, and they will too. The teams that passed on me.”

    I mean, cliche perhaps, but it’s nice to hear.

  38. 38 TommyLawlor said at 1:15 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    He wrapped up an interview with ESPN by saying “Go Eagles!”. Cheesy, but I love it.

  39. 39 Baloophi said at 1:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I will say he is wrong equating the L.A. media to the Philly media, however. The USC media attention is definitely more Cowboysian than Negadephian.

  40. 40 Neil said at 1:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    True, but I get the feeling that Barkley is still one of the best QBs from this class when it comes to being able to handle this media.

  41. 41 laeagle said at 2:59 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    To paraphrase a line I heard once, the difference between Philly and LA media is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a bullet.

  42. 42 DJ Paleface said at 5:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    No one cares much about anything in LA. It’s me, myself, and I or some celebrity. Philly loves you till you screw up and the batteries start flying.

  43. 43 Alistair Middlemiss said at 1:19 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think Vick should be far far far more worried by this pick than Foles….

    If you were leaning towards Foles as your starter you would prefer to have a QB that has a similar skill set to back him up / compete.

  44. 44 Dan Koller said at 1:44 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Especially because then you have stability in case of injury or a player leaving. A lot easier on the entire offense if the guy coming in off the bench at quarterback can do similar things, rather than reorganizing how you play the game.

  45. 45 D-von said at 1:21 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    This looks bad for Vick. I mean the new TE sets and timed routes that chip wants to go with the skill sets that Foles and Barkley possess.

  46. 46 CalSFro said at 1:23 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I said this in the last thread but I’m a big fan of this pick in terms of value and potential. Maybe he never pans out. Maybe best case scenario is that he becomes a solid #2. But all you’ve got to do is look at the Redskins to see how important two capable QB’s can be.

    Either way, I’m with you, Tommy. I think this bodes poorly for Vick as opposed to Foles. Like you noted, the “repetitive accuracy” line really stood out. And talking about wanting a thrower who can run, not a running back who can throw.

  47. 47 Baloophi said at 1:25 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    McNabb was repetitively accurate… just ask the various critters that live in the turf at Lincoln Financial Field.

  48. 48 Crus57 said at 1:27 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    The QBs who can’t even hit the ground they are standing on don’t make it to the NFL, that’s a Pro Skill.

  49. 49 TommyLawlor said at 1:50 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    “Why does he hate those worms so much?”

  50. 50 Matthew Verhoog said at 9:10 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    still get to use that line

  51. 51 Jerry Pomroy said at 1:53 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    This guy has more leadership in his left pinky than McNabb ever did.

  52. 52 DJ Paleface said at 4:59 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Yeah but we had #20 on the defense back then. Dawkins had enough leadership to lead 5 teams. McNabb didn’t have much to do in the motivational department.

  53. 53 D-von said at 1:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    ^ This

  54. 54 LeicesterEaglesAce73 said at 1:25 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think the important question is when will we trade with New England?

  55. 55 Crus57 said at 1:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    we still have two 7ths to mess around with

  56. 56 D-von said at 1:35 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think we have 3

  57. 57 Crus57 said at 1:37 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    We traded one to move up in the 4th round

  58. 58 Dan Koller said at 1:42 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Out of 4. So we still have 3 left

  59. 59 Crus57 said at 2:07 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    My bad, I thought we only had 3 to start with for some reason.

  60. 60 teltschikfakeout88 said at 2:10 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    If all these responses are in relation to trades I don’t think we can trade comp picks.

  61. 61 Baloophi said at 1:29 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Packers take Johnathan Franklin to pair with Eddie Lacy. Lambeau thunder and lightning?

  62. 62 Mac said at 1:30 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    At first i was confused by this pick, but i like that we are rolling the dice on a tough competitive QB. I vould be wrong but i don’t think the wco requires a cannon arm QB. I’m eager to see nick and matt throwing balls oir guys can catch in stride and let our playmakers make plays.

  63. 63 HazletonEagle said at 1:31 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    So who are we looking at for pick 136?

    Im thinking DaRick Rogers, Jordan Poyer, Quessenberry, Devin Taylor, Joe Kruger all solid options here.

  64. 64 TommyLawlor said at 1:35 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Okay, here are some 5th round targets for the Eagles:

    CB Jordan Poyer
    CB Sanders Commings
    LB Michael Buchanan
    LB Quanterus Smith
    FS Bacarri Rambo
    FS Don Jones
    WR Ryan Swope
    DE Joe Kruger

    I’d love a defensive player, but stick to the board. Get the best player.

  65. 65 Baloophi said at 1:39 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Poyer is slow, but ballhawkish?

    I’m pulling for Kruger or Rambo…

  66. 66 qwerty uiop said at 1:51 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Add Quanterus Smith to that list for me.

  67. 67 qwerty uiop said at 1:51 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Add Quanterus Smith to that list for me.

  68. 68 HazletonEagle said at 1:42 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I so badly want to trade down with this pick. I still want OLB, ILB, 5 technique, S, CB, RB OG/C, and WR out of this draft. We only have 4 more picks.
    At this spot though, Poyer seems like they best value. I thought he was a 3rd rounder.
    DaRick Rogers is still there too, but Im getting the feeling he isnt on our board.

  69. 69 SteveH said at 1:54 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I like the whole draft the lesser brother strategy, so I’m pulling for Joe Kruger.

  70. 70 Baloophi said at 1:55 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    There’s probably another Manning out there somewhere…

  71. 71 laeagle said at 3:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    The wrong kid died.

  72. 72 deg0ey said at 1:58 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Any news on why Poyer is still on the board? I thought he’d go in the second; am I just overrating his college tape or does he have other issues that caused him to drop?

  73. 73 Baloophi said at 2:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    4.54 40 scared teams?

  74. 74 DJ Paleface said at 6:01 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    You got your Kruger!

  75. 75 TommyLawlor said at 1:39 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    From Reuben Frank on Twitter:

    “I’m told Barkley pick has no impact on Foles. He won’t be traded. Eagles really do like him and still plan on giving him chance to compete.”

  76. 76 SteveH said at 1:46 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Trade Vick for Ziggy Ansah, strait up!

  77. 77 Baloophi said at 1:48 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    SF having a great draft… again.

    So I guess Tom Gamble wasn’t the special sauce…

  78. 78 Dan Mats said at 2:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    They’ve have had plenty of drafts in the 2000s with high picks, they should be good by now, and being good you should have the ability to move up and down and take BPA a lot easier than teams that have holes to fill. Don’t get me wrong SF’s team is nice, but it wasn’t too long ago they weren’t so much

  79. 79 Arby1 said at 1:53 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Who do people want in the 5th round? Any QB’s left?

  80. 80 Arby1 said at 1:56 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Buchanon?

  81. 81 Baloophi said at 1:58 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I say screw it – let’s take another QB. All aboard the Zac Dysert train!

  82. 82 NoDecaf said at 1:58 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Actually the more I think about it, the more ok I am with Matt in the 4th. 🙂
    I do hope all further focus is on D.

  83. 83 Arby1 said at 2:00 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Reid gets payback.#sanderscommings

  84. 84 Baloophi said at 2:01 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Denard Robinson looks “less than pumped” to go to Jacksonville…

  85. 85 Duracell said at 2:02 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Really wanted Denard.

  86. 86 HazletonEagle said at 2:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    ok we got a safety. I dont really know this one to be honest.

  87. 87 ICDogg said at 2:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Earl Wolff

  88. 88 SteveH said at 2:05 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I was there the day Earl Wolff was drafted…

  89. 89 TommyLawlor said at 2:06 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Safety Earl Wolff. Good pick.

    Love the fact we got such an athletic guy for the back end. Ran 4.44 at the Combine. 38 inch VJ. That shows explosion.Solid size at 5-11, 209.

  90. 90 HazletonEagle said at 2:09 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Does he lay the wood? That is what I loved so much about Reid, Elam, Swearinger, and Shamarko.
    I like the athleticism, but did we finally add some physicality to the position? I think thats what weve been missing most.
    Tell me this guy hits. Please. I know nothing about him.

  91. 91 Baloophi said at 2:15 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    From Chip:

    “Very very tough, physicality.”

    “Gonna come up and hit you.”

  92. 92 Baloophi said at 2:08 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Earl Wolff

    39″ Vertical

    11′ 02″ Broad jump

    So he has the same measurables as me…

  93. 93 TommyLawlor said at 2:44 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    inches vs centimeters

  94. 94 Baloophi said at 3:09 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Yeah, I’m pretty sure I lose height with my vertical jump.

  95. 95 Baloophi said at 2:09 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Here’s his spider web…

    http://mockdraftable.com/player/4310/

  96. 96 deg0ey said at 3:00 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    That’s pretty special. Also, he didn’t run the 3-cone at the combine, but the 6.96 from his pro day would rank him 9th among safeties this year (15th if you include last year as well).

  97. 97 laeagle said at 3:01 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Dear god those things make my brain bleed.

  98. 98 Baloophi said at 3:08 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think my brain is still bleeding from Thursday night.

  99. 99 laeagle said at 3:12 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    No kidding. I did the breakfast croissant from Los Feliz Cafe, which should say everything about where my mind was. Best part, though, is that watching the draft is about the most perfect hangover cure imaginable. Vaguely interesting and completely unchallenging intellectually.

  100. 100 Baloophi said at 3:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    YES! Totally agree! (and eating a croissant from Los Feliz Cafe as we speak/type)

  101. 101 Gregory Post said at 2:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Haha I remember asking you about this a few weeks ago, if Barkley would be drafted if he slipped and you said there was no way you could see it. I’m honestly just as surprised as you are. I think the only thing we’ve figured out is that we can’t figure out Chip Kelly.

  102. 102 Baloophi said at 2:24 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Earl Wolff vs. gym mats

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VinYY1csPSI

  103. 103 Baloophi said at 2:26 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Earl Wolff vs. Clemson

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=L1Q1n4ZGaVk#!

  104. 104 HazletonEagle said at 2:50 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    eh…
    Not as aggressive as Id like.
    Fell for misdirection over and over. Undisciplined like weve suffered through with Nate and Kurt for years now.
    Not nearly the hitter Swearinger is. Not the hitter that Reid, Elam, Shamarko, and Cyprian are either. Doesnt look like a hitter at all really.
    Looks like a backup to me. Maybe a starter down the road.
    I guess thats all you can really expect from a 5th rounder. Not a bad pick. Im just disappointed we didnt end up with one of those other guys. I wanted an intimidator back there. We still lack that.

  105. 105 Baloophi said at 3:08 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Yeah, that would be nice, but they were “following their board.” I think we’ll be in a Dawkins-less world for a long time…

  106. 106 Patrick said at 3:14 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Pat Chung will lay people out, maybe too much. Kenny Phillips definitely can but you have to wonder if his injuries took a little of his physicality, if he actually does play a single down.

  107. 107 Baloophi said at 3:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Yeah… ultimately I take the wild stance that maybe the personnel people with the Eagles know more than I do. Crazy, I know.

  108. 108 Patrick said at 3:19 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Oh i agree with you. Dawk was special man, and i just pointed out that both Chung and Philllips can hit, but Dawk was amazing, Such a physical and secure tackler, which doesnt always mesh well, and i think Dawks could cut through a tree trunk with his shoulders. We wont see that kind of a physical player for some time, I think you’re right.

  109. 109 HazletonEagle said at 3:33 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Im not even sure if Chung or Phillips will start. Maybe one or the other will. Maybe neither. Im not one of those people who cries about Dawkins every year since he left, and compares new players to him yearly. In fact it wasnt even me who brought up his name in this conversation. But since it was brought up, I admit, Swearinger really made me think of Dawkins. Thats the only player who ever managed that for me.
    Wolfe looks like a solid pick for a 5th rounder. Its really not fair to compare him to Swearinger of any of those other guys who Ive mentioned that went before him.
    But he does look like a 5th round prospect which is concerning to me that we are going to count on either Allen, Coleman, Phillips, and Chung. Because Wolfe doesnt seem appear to have the talent to start right away. With those 4, its hard to even pencil Wolfe in for a roster spot.

  110. 110 DJ Paleface said at 5:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Totally agree with you but my favorite part about Dawkins by far was his leadership. Just one of those guys that changes the vibe of the whole stadium when he steps on the field. he created that security in our minds that he would make sure the defense handled their business on every play.

  111. 111 DJ Paleface said at 5:32 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Chung has a bad rap for some reason, but so many times in the last few years I have seen someone flying around the ball in the Pats defense. After the play was over I could see it was Chung over and over. I thought to my self time and time again: “who is this guy!? Damn he is good”.

    Not Dawkins good, but yeah Chung can hit hard for how skinny he is.

  112. 112 HazletonEagle said at 3:18 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Swearinger really reminded me of him in style. He is reckless just throwing his body around. If a guy is being tackled, Wolfe will let him fall to the ground in front of him. If a guy is being tackled, Swearinger is flying in with a shoulder as the guy hits the ground letting him know he was nearby.
    I WANT THAT SO BAD!!!!

  113. 113 shah8 said at 2:37 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Oh, gawd, it’s always Vick in trouble and never Foles…

    Dude, Barkley’s a backup in the NFL. Who do you think he’s going to be competing with, man? Foles and Dixon.

    And why do I think Foles is in trouble, specifically? Because he’s not anything like Tom Brady and not anything like a good fit for a NE style offense. Not talking about how *good* he is, but what *kind* he is…

    Barkley has a good chance to be a better fit to run a more NE style spread in the event of a crash and burn…He actually has a fast delivery, and while I’ve never seen him play, he probably has faster and better decision-making…

  114. 114 Miami_Adam said at 2:55 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Stick to twitter, Marcus Vick. 140 characters of WTF is enough at one time.

    Haha sorry, just sounded like a major Vick apologist there.

  115. 115 CalSFro said at 2:55 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I don’t think anyone is suggesting that Vick’s not going to be on the final 53 or something. Just that maybe this pick (and his press conference comments), speaks more to how Chip is looking to run his offense and thus what he’s looking for in a QB and that that might not jibe so well with what everyone expected Chip to want/do. In his press conference some of the attributes he listed as important for his QB lined up much better with the skill sets of Foles and Barkley, and less so with Vick.

  116. 116 shah8 said at 3:10 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    **eyerolls**

    Have you really paid attention to Foles’ on field performance? Or did any sort of comparisons between Foles and other rookies, or Foles versus veteran QBs? Foles did not honestly play that well, and he left a ton of plays on the board. Have you missed Foles’ lack of NFL starter physical attributes? Like arm strength or footspeed? Nobody’s asking him to be Vick, and we shouldn’t ask him to be Vick–but Foles is almost certainly going to have a problem going forward with sacks without very good protection (when he’s expected to stay in the pocket and do full reads). Foles will have to have perfect mechanics to throw a proper deep ball on time, and Foles doesn’t have perfect mechanics. Matt Barkley’s better than Foles at virtually everthing but being bigger (and maybe moxie and maneuvering in the pocket).

  117. 117 D-von said at 3:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Is that why Nick Foles went in the 3rd round in probably the best QB draft in a decade, while Barkley went in the 4th round in one of the worst?

  118. 118 Adam said at 4:15 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    If Matt Barkley declared for the “best QB draft in a decade” he would have went first round. Arguably before Tannehill.

  119. 119 DJ Paleface said at 5:11 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    If he would not have got hurt and USC would not have sucked so bad (yes, mostly Matt’s fault) then he might have been the #1 pick this year. Certainly the first QB.

  120. 120 DJ Paleface said at 5:10 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    My thoughts exactly.

  121. 121 CalSFro said at 3:40 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I’m gonna go ahead and pass on trying to have a “conversation” with you.

  122. 122 Stephen Stempo said at 6:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Actually compared to rookie qbs in the last decade foles measures up incredibly well. I can find you the link if you want. The guy at eagles rewind put together a nice chart too comparing his first 8 games or whatever vs other rookies. So the foles didn’t play that well trope sounds like something you made up.

  123. 123 D-von said at 3:32 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    SMH

  124. 124 DJ Paleface said at 5:09 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    The Eagles offense is going to look VERY similar to what the Patrots run with one big wrinkle: an actual running game with one of the best RB’s in the game. 2, 3 tight ends, lots of play action, spreading the defense out so they show their cards pre-snap.

    I think Foles and Barkley will be fighting over the next few years and may the best man win. Once Vick gets beat up in the next couple years we will cut/trade him or he retires as an Eagle.

  125. 125 shah8 said at 2:44 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Count me in as liking this pick, actually. Barkley is not chopped liver–he just doesn’t have the arm strength, and compared to later round QBs I can think of from the recent past, he’s vastly better than the Stanzis and the Pikes of the world, and liable to be a great upgrade at the backup spot. He ought to be better than Cousins, which says good things to me.

  126. 126 shah8 said at 3:12 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I don’t like the Ertz pick. He seems to be a poor man’s Kyle Rudolph, and Rudolph is of limited utility precisely because of his lack of seam speed. Is Ertz faster than Rudolph? I can guess from reports he has more wiggle than Rudolph.

  127. 127 shah8 said at 3:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    went and looked up 40 times, slightly faster than Rudoph…hmmm…

  128. 128 Baloophi said at 3:30 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    So where do you stand now on the self debate?

  129. 129 shah8 said at 4:31 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    dunno. I’ve never watched Ertz, so can’t really say much.

  130. 130 DJ Paleface said at 5:27 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Everything I have heard is that Ertz does one thing well and that is create separation in his routes. That equals mismatch nightmare.

    So as it is right now you have a BUNCH of guys that you MUST account for on EVERY play: Vick, McCoy, Ertz, and Jackson. A lot of teams you can just have your best CB take out their best WR then maybe spy 1 guy at most.

    Going to be like the Pats when they had Gronk, Hernandez, and Welker all out on routes, but WE have a running back, and Jackson to really draw the defense off.

    Can’t wait to see the ballet begin.

  131. 131 Telmert said at 2:53 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Two observations:

    1) Eags haven’t touched anyone with character questions (so far, anyway). Makes sense – building a new program and culture.

    2) Maybe they weren’t spinning about Howie and the ’10 & ’11 drafts. Check out what KC has done (esp figuring in Phila stealing Barkley). Even if you think Barkley is a bad fit, you can’t argue that he’s not great value at #98. Seems like the 2nd year in a row that every pick has been good value. Knile Davis in the 3rd? Meanwhile, Cleve has mostly traded out. Those are the kinds of drafts we used to live thru here.

  132. 132 TommyLawlor said at 3:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Point #1 is outstanding. I need to write about that.

  133. 133 DJ Paleface said at 5:25 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    You are right on the money with both points. With Andy i was NEVER afraid to get guys with those questions (T.O., Vick) because we knew everyone loved Andy like a dad and would never cause a problem in the locker room. Personally I like a little fire and personality – we lack that in recent years (I guess Vick brings enough reporters).

    Like you said – new regime so it makes sense to have all clean kids, Barkley being a poster child as far as I can tell.

  134. 134 Jack Waggoner said at 5:36 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    yep and yep

  135. 135 Telmert said at 7:16 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    So they did end up taking a guy with a character flag (Poyer), although as a 7th, if he doesn’t act like a boy scout going forward they can just cut him.

    The other interesting thing I noticed, though, is that they didn’t take anyone with any real injury history. Chip was quick to point out that Barkley had a sprain and there was no surgery. Could be a coincidence, they did talk to some medical question guys, or it could be one of Chip’s new requirements.

  136. 136 Christopher Miller said at 3:02 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I do find it interesting that everyone has tried to apply labels to Kelly, his offense, etc. All along he has maintained that athleticism was not a requirement, he is an equal opportunity scorer, etc. Could it be he was serious? I cannot wait to see this offense. How long has it been since I thought that?

  137. 137 Jack Waggoner said at 5:35 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I do think we’ll have some red zone efficiency, finally.

  138. 138 HazletonEagle said at 3:21 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Watch out for Chris Thompson in Washington. Just after youre getting beat up on and worn down by Morris, Thompson is going to come in and run right by you before you know it. Yikes.
    Yet another player off the board that I really wanted us to come away with.

  139. 139 TommyLawlor said at 3:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    If he’s healthy…

  140. 140 HazletonEagle said at 3:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    word

  141. 141 HazletonEagle said at 3:25 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I have a problem where I end up valuing guys in the 2nd round and beyond so much that Im more concerned with coming away from the draft with a few of those guys than I am with our first round pick. I figure, 4th overall, we are getting a good player regardless. The make or break pick is going to be…insert name.
    Last year my guy was Boykin. Had to have him.
    This year I had a couple- Swearinger, Hunt or Devin Taylor, Chris Thompson, and Schwenke.
    We got none of them, but I have 2 more.
    Mauti and Okpalaugo. Please land me at least one of these guys and make my draft. Right now, Im a little bit underwhelmed.

  142. 142 DJ Paleface said at 5:22 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    We have this huge gap in the 5th and 6th, but then we have what 4 or 5 picks in the 7th? Like a little shopping spree.

  143. 143 Jack Waggoner said at 5:34 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    3 picks. We traded one of them to move up to get Barkley.

  144. 144 disqus_xhSe6MyQH9 said at 3:35 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I don’t think Pete Carroll gets enough credit for his strategy of finding a starting QB– instead of accepting the traditional psychological melodrama of a QB (Pete’s future is tied to Charlie Whitehurst; after committing this much to Matt Flynn you have to let it play out, etc.), he kept spending picks and money to get QBs until one stuck.

    I think this is what Chip and Howie are doing. I don’t think they want to get rid of Vick or Foles so long as either have a shot to be a quality starter, but neither are they willing to give either a lot of time to figure it out. Chip’s said all along he wants competition: I think he’ll keep acquiring QBs to compete for the job until someone definitively earns the job. Keep buying lottery tickets until you win.

  145. 145 DJ Paleface said at 5:21 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    It’s really the only way unless you trade for a vet.

  146. 146 Jack Waggoner said at 5:33 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    that strategy sounds reasonable

  147. 147 HazletonEagle said at 3:41 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Quessenbery, Poyer, Reddick… whats wrong with these guys that they are still on the board?

  148. 148 ACViking said at 3:45 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Re: Bill Walsh on what to look for in a young QB

    About 200 words. Worth a read.

    Here’s the link:
    http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/walsh2qb.htm

  149. 149 DJ Paleface said at 4:55 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I posed this to reddit a few minutes before I read this article, but looks like I am on the right track.

    I think Chip is basically porting over his college offense with Vick and let that run for a year. Then next year add maybe 10% to 20% of a more conventional West Coast or pro-style offense. Then the next year add another 20%.

    I think/hope he will eventually end up similar to what the Patriots run (NOT like what the Redskins run) except we have a top 5 RB in one Lesean McCoy. Just imagine if the Pats had a great running back. #25 and #7 are going to run roughshod over everyone next year.

    Now in my meta scheme you would over the years forsake the RGIII style college offense for something more along the lines of what Foles or Barkley can excel in. Keep Foles. Keep Barkley. Those guys will be the 1 and 2 and it depends on them battling over the next 3 years. Vick/Dixon for years 1,2 or 3 and Barkley/Foles after that. You keep those 4 QB’s and just consider Vick and Dixon QB/HB. You can’t keep Foles on the practice squad but Dixon you probably can.

    Just spit balling here. Thoughts?

  150. 150 Jack Waggoner said at 5:32 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I think they have lots of good parts and will figure out good ways to use them without constraining themselves to what they have done in the past.

  151. 151 Stephen Stempo said at 6:39 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I don’t think Kelly goes with Vick if he thinks foles or Barkley are better. The only way vick starts this year is if he proves he can lead the team and be the QB for more than a year. No way Kelly runs vick out there as a 1 year lame duck QB just so he can spend this season getting his feet wet in the nfl. Kelly I believe is way too competitive to throw a year away on Vick unless he really thinks Vick can do it for more than 1 year.

  152. 152 DJ Paleface said at 6:49 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    No I don’t mean that the job is Vicks no matter what, I mean more of the scheme going forward. Of course if one of the youngsters (even Dixon) shines in pre season then they get a shot.

    Talking more about skill set and fit, not merit or effort.

  153. 153 CTAZPA said at 5:36 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    ESPN’s Matt Stats
    (from the PAC)

    Scott 4.85 40 yd. dash, 9″ Hand

    Barkley 4.90, 10 1/8″

    Anyone who was hoping for Arizona’s Matt Scott for running reasons need not be too upset. The Chip Kelly hand size is a bonus.