Nnamdi Update / Non-Update

Posted: March 6th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 70 Comments »

Welcome to the wild world of the offseason.  Howard Eskin reported that CB Nnamdi Asomugha would be cut today.  A short while later the Eagles refuted that and said he wouldn’t be cut. So what gives?

guaranteed payday loans

This could be simply a logistical issue.  Maybe Chip Kelly or Howie Roseman wanted to talk in person to Nnamdi to let him know.  As odd as that sounds, some organizations like to break news to the players personally and don’t want the story running rampant without the one-on-one conversation.

Maybe the Eagles have a restructured contract offer on the table and have yet to hear back from Nnamdi or his agent.  The feeling could be likely that he’ll say no, but they still want to wait to hear a definitive answer.

If you want a conspiracy theory, maybe the Eagles floated the item to Eskin to get the story out there to scare Nnamdi.  If he thinks he’ll really be cut, maybe that would push him to restructure the deal.  I doubt this is remotely close, but at this time of the year it is fun to think of just how crazy teams can be with rumors/actions.

My preferred idea is that the Eagles are just messing with him to get some joy out of all the money they paid to watch Nnamdi point at Kurt Coleman as receivers ran into the endzone.  Can you picture Jeff Lurie sitting in a dark room, petting a cat, and saying “Vengeance is mine, Mr. Asomugha. How does some humiliation pie taste?  Nobody steals from Jeff Lurie and gets away with it…except for maybe those annoying Andrews brothers.”

The guess is that Asomugha will be cut, sooner rather than later.

* * * * *

The hot topic in the NFL right now is Darrelle Revis.  A few have asked if the Eagles should have any interest.  I don’t think so.

Revis is the most dominant CB in the league when he’s healthy, but he is coming off a torn ACL.  It is easy to see how well Adrian Peterson came back and wonder if Revis will do the same thing, but AP is a freak.  Revis is a great player, but he’s not a physical freak of nature.  He might come back just fine, but there are no guarantees.

I would not pay the steep price to get Revis.  Trading for him and then handing him a huge contract is a risk.  It might turn out great, but it might blow up in your face.  This is the kind of risk a title contender should make.  The Eagles are a year or two removed from that status.  The Eagles need to keep all their early picks and focus on fixing multiple areas.  One potentially great player isn’t going to be the solution.

* * * * *

I did my first Eagles mock draft for PE.com.

Some will love it.  Many will hate it.  The rest will just keep loading their guns as they wait for the Apocalypse to get here.

I did give the Eagles Dion Jordan with the first pick.

One thing I hope you understand with the mock drafts I do is that is not so much “here’s what I want the team to do” as it is simply looking at a possible scenario.  Trust me, I’ve got little pieces of paper I carry around that have all kinds of scenarios scribbled out.  I’m trying to find the one I’m most comfortable with.  Right now I’m not sure what that is.

Free agency will give us some hints of what’s to come.  If we don’t sign a NT, then we’ve got to bring someone in to be competition for Antonio Dixon.  We could possibly use Cedric Thornton at the nose.  Remember, the scheme is supposed to be the 4-3 Under.  If so, the NT plays a “shade”.  That means he doesn’t line up directly across from the Center, but rather on the C’s outside shoulder.

We’ll get some draft hints starting next week.  I can’t wait.

And I will post other mock scenarios where the Eagles go in different directions.  This won’t be Jordan over and over.  I really do like seeing how things change depending on which way you go.

* * * * *

Someone asked about Texans LB Connor Barwin as a target.  I double-checked some tape on him.  As I’m watching the Texans, I notice that their 3-4 is almost exactly the same as Bill Davis 4-3 Under.  The NT is shaded to one side.  There is a 3-tech DT.  There is a 5-tech DE.  There are 2 OLBs and 2 ILBs.

Barwin played the Predator role for them.  He was primarily a pass rusher.  The Eagles need someone for SAM.  Barwin could fit that role, but it wasn’t what he did in Houston.  He isn’t a dynamic pass rusher, but does a solid job.  Barwin has some potential in coverage.  He’s a former TE and you can see he’s not lost in coverage.  Should the Eagles make a run at him or Paul Kruger, that would take Dion Jordan off the board at pick 4.  Again, this would be a big draft hint.  I do not think the Eagles are likely to pursue either Barwin or Kruger, but that is purely a guess.

* * * * *

Tim McManus put up a good post on Vinny Curry and how he is getting ready for the switch to the 3-4.  Vinny didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do last year, but a lot of that is on Jim Washburn, who simply didn’t want to bench Darryl Tapp.

I still think it is possible that the Eagles consider Vinny as a SAM candidate.  I previously wrote about that here.

* * * * *

Jimmy Bama and I did a podcast last night talking about offensive players the Eagles could have an interest in.  We’re hoping to record a show tonight on defensive players.  Obviously that’s the more important side of the ball in terms of free agency.

_

  • xlGmanlx

    Pass on Revis and all the other “big names.” Kick the tires on Clemons from Miami, otherwise I think money is better spent taking care of your own.

    • Iskar36

      Who on our roster would we be looking at to extend right now? On top of that, is anyone on our roster now “our own” players considering the coaching changes? I’m sure there are a bunch of players that will fit in with what Kelly wants, but they are no more prepared for Kelly’s coaching than a FA would be.

      • GermanEagle

        Exactly! There is no current Eagle that deserves an extension (bye bye Maclin!), that’s why I don’t get it when people think the eagles should not spent money in free agency.

        • xlGmanlx

          Why would you get rid of Maclin? His numbers probably won’t command a high price, if they do good for him. I see him sticking around as a Chip Kelly program suits him well.

      • xlGmanlx

        Stop with the value judgments. Where did I state anyone needed to be taken care of right now? I didn’t did I? You jumped to conclusions? Sounds par for the course.

        • Iskar36

          Wow, I wasn’t attacking you at all. Simply providing a counter argument.

          When you say “money is better spent taking care of your own” who is the “your own” you are talking about? In cases where there are players to take care of, I would agree, but there is no one that is worthy of an extension right now. With the amount of cap space we have, and the number of holes we have on the team, as long as you are not signing bad contracts, something the Eagles have been fairly decent at, there are some benefits to at least dabbling in FA.

          • xlGmanlx

            It isn’t wise to spend big money or chase names in March, who knows what we have come down the pike in July/Aug/Sept. If you have to fill holes in FA it means you aren’t drafting correctly. If you draft well, you need to manage the cap because you have more talent then money to go around. The draft class from last year was a consensus “A”, why not build on that, see what is left over/injuries/cut/UDFA and then if there is something left make a move.

            Besides, Juan proved the personnel could play well, granted there were breakdowns, but it isn’t like we have to scrap the entire defense or secondary. I felt like this offseason was addition by subtraction by changing the regime and bringing in forward thinkers, who knows what kind of production they can get out of the staff on hand.

          • Iskar36

            I’m not recommending going on a spending spree and throwing money at FA everywhere. Building through the draft is definitely the way to go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t supplement that with FA. I absolutely do not want us to repeat the 2011 offseason, but you can fill a few holes and round out the roster through FA. In addition, it allows you to go into the draft with fewer needs which lead to reaches and going against your draft board. We have more than plenty of space to sign a few quality FAs without taking up too much cap room or hurting our future cap room.

    • http://twitter.com/JerryP2375 Jerry Pomroy

      There isn’t anyone in the defensive secondary to take care of. That’s the point. We need to find at least 3 new players (4 hopefully) that can actually contribute and make plays in the secondary. Preferably younger mid-range guys that are coming into their prime and don’t demand top dollar. You’re not gonna be able to replace the entire secondary through one draft.

  • Iskar36

    You’ve mentioned Matt Scott several times. Is he a player you particularly like or do you have a sense/feeling that he is a player the Eagles may particularly like?

    • ACViking

      Scott’s hands are a hair over 9 inches. Foles, in contrast, has hands that measured 10.125. (EJ Manual’s hands are bigger than Foles.)

      Kelly reputed to be a coach how wants his QBs to have big hands.

      Just saying . . .

      • TommyLawlor

        Very good point, but late in the draft you can take chances. QBs up high are the ones who must meet all the requirements.

      • westy36

        Actually per NFL.com’s draft page, Nick Foles’s hand size is 10 5/8 and E.J.’s is 10 3/8 in.

  • Ark87

    This is like Venezuela denying that Chavez died a few weeks ago, then throwing a temper tantrum accusing the US of being responsible for the infection that-that- did…NOT kill…oh screw it yeah, he’s dead, fine.

    Your days on this roster are numbered NA, mwahahaha. (best of luck elsewhere and thank you for all the work you’ve done to help humanity, atleast we know the money spent wasn’t a total waste)

  • BreakinAnklez

    Oh Morton…where art thou? Perfect time with Tommy posting his first mock for you to offer your brilliant insights only to change your mind after the 2013 season is complete!!!

    • TommyLawlor

      We do need an update from Morton.

      • http://twitter.com/benjabad Ben Hert

        I’ve got two screenshots of Morton calling out Fletcher Cox as a bad pick and Devon Still as the best DL in the draft somewhere. I’ll try and dig that up for the lulz. Maybe it’ll even bring him out of hiding!

        • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

          Oh I have wished several times that I did something like that. To his credit he wanted Cameron Jordan or Muhammad Wilkerson badly in 2011…

  • deg0ey

    “As I’m watching the Texans, I notice that their 3-4 is almost exactly the same as Bill Davis 4-3 Under. The NT is shaded to one side. There is a 3-tech DT. There is a 5-tech DE. There are 2 OLBs and 2 ILBs”

    I’ve been trying to spread the word on that for a little while, because lots of people seem not to have noticed. As far as I can tell, it’s the same D that Wade Phillips has been running for years; wouldn’t be surprised if Davis learned it while he was LB coach in Atlanta and Wade was his DC.

    • TommyLawlor

      Great point about Wade/Davis.

    • ACViking

      The Texans run the same defense that Bum Phillips (Wade’s dad) installed in 1974 as the then-Houston Oilers’ D-coordinator. Bum lined up D/NT Curly Culp in the A gap, too . . . something the ’70s Steelers were doing with DT Joe Greene (though Greene lined up at at an almost 45-degree angle).

      • deg0ey

        Makes sense that Wade picked it up from his dad, then. Seems like if you look closely enough there’s a trail to follow with every scheme.

  • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.mccarthy.1042 Matthew McCarthy

    i like phillip thomas until i saw his oregon tape, so chip may remember. Caused a FF i think but missed a lot of tackles. I like him as FS but not SS. Hoping Elam falls to 2nd.

    • TommyLawlor

      Thomas is a sloppy tackler, but that runs rampant in football. Watched some Dashon Goldson tape yesterday and he missed 2 tackles in the 1st Qtr of a game. Yikes.

      • Mac

        Missed tackles are like elbows. Everybody’s got a couple… ugh

    • Mitchell

      Did you just watch the first half of that game? Cause he was awful… Almost stopped watching. If you watch the second half he is a whole different player. Wouldn’t mind him as a pick.

  • ACViking

    Re: Geno Smith

    T-Law:

    Will the Eagles have any pre-draft mini-camps that would allow Kelly to see Foles up close in Kelly’s scheme, however briefly?

    Vick, by all accounts and his age, is not the Eagles’ long-term solution at QB.

    Is Foles the answer? No one knows . . . but it’d be nice for Kelly to have a better feel prior to the draft.

    I wonder . . . If you’re Kelly/Roseman, aren’t you assuming right now that the Eagles will NOT get a Top 5 pick in 2014. The kind of territory where NFL teams seem to find — with rare exception — the best QBs.

    [If they're not operating on that assumption, then why re-sign Vick? No, they want to win now and validate the Kelly move.]

    Consequently, with the Eagles holding the 4th overall pick this year . . . will Kelly/Roseman be asking: “Is Geno Smith better than any projected franchise QB we can expect to get in the 2014 draft . . . where we’ll be drafting much lower in Rd 1?”

    If you pass on a franchise QB, it may take several years and several coaches to find another. The Dolphins are a good example . . . passing on Matt Ryan for Jake Long in 2008. So last year, Miami selects (reaches for?) Ryan Tannehill.

    Clearly, it’s possible the Eagles could find QB pay-dirt in Foles or a QB taken with a lower choice in 2014.

    That happened with Brady and Brees. They’re HOFers. Russell Wilson and C-Kaepernick look great now — although if they played behind year’s Eagles O-line, who knows if they’d still be alive.

    The Bengal’s grabbed QB Andy Dalton in Rd of 2011 — but his limitations seemed clear in the playoffs the past two years. Maybe he grows beyond them to become a premium QB, like Brady did. But that’s asking a lot.

    And of course Joe Flacco had a great playoff run. But until this post-season, Flacco wasn’t atop anyone’s QB list. And may not be again after next year.

    No doubt, there can be misses at the top with QBs.

    Nevertheless, I’m just wondering if the question I posed about G-Smith is a question that will be — or should be — asked at the NovaCare Complex before the draft.

    And if the question’s asked and answered in Smith’s favor, what impact does it have on the Eagles’ drafting strategy . . . if any.

    • deg0ey

      I’ve been wondering that myself. It’s all well and good saying that Smith would be a ‘reach’ at #4, but is it any worse value than giving up a haul of picks in the realms of what Atlanta gave for Julio Jones (two 1st rounders, a 2nd rounder and two 4th rounders) for a Teddy Bridgewater next year?

      • http://twitter.com/alex_karklins Alex Karklins

        Not to mention that the teams picking first next year will probably need a stud QB anyway, making them much less likely to trade down. As distasteful as over-drafting or “reaching” for Smith might be, it may be the Eagles’ best chance to draft a top prospect in the foreseeable future. I’m torn.

        • Iskar36

          I think what is important to keep in mind is whether Geno Smith is a “top QB prospect” or “the top QB prospect in the draft”. Those two statements are extremely different. In other words, we absolutely have a chance to draft “the top QB prospect in the draft” this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is a good prospect. It could turn out that all the guys Tommy mentioned in the post above are better prospects than Geno Smith, and even though they do not all get picked in the top 10 of next years draft, had they been in the same draft as Geno Smith, they would have been picked ahead of them.

          So to me, it is a matter of finding a prospect you believe in. Even the arguments for him right now seem more based on “he is the best thing available” rather than “he has great potential to be a quality starting QB.” I just think that when you act out of desperation, that is when you are setting yourself up for a major bust. You have to trust your scouting and if that means we miss out on an opportunity to select a QB at the top of the draft, I think you live with that and hope someone emerges next year.

          • T_S_O_P

            This is true. We drafted the highest ranked QB of the class of 1985 and he was the first QB taken that year atop of the second round. He didn’t turn out too bad though and what a commodity he’d be today!!!

          • A_T_G

            Well said.

            Just because she is the prettiest girl at this particular party doesn’t mean she’s pretty. You might just wake up one morning around the time of next year’s draft and wish you had gone home alone.

          • http://twitter.com/alex_karklins Alex Karklins

            Yeah, I totally understand that reasoning, which is exactly why I’m stressed out about it. I’m just terrified of the prospect of being left out in the cold on future blue chip QB prospects. If there was a way to know for sure that the Eagles would land a top QB next year, I’d rest a lot easier. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not an NFL GM. That said, I wouldn’t be disappointed if the Eagles grab Jordan or a stud OT with their top pick.

          • Iskar36

            I guess my point is you shouldn’t worry about whether or not you can get one next year. Focus on Geno Smith. Make a decision of whether or not he is worth the 4th pick or not. If he isn’t and you don’t believe he can become a franchise QB, the conversation should end there. When you add the other variables of “will we get a QB next year” you cloud your judgement and act out of desperation, which will lead to drafting busts. Let’s put it this way, if you don’t believe in Smith but draft him because you are not sure you will find a QB next year, what happens next? You work with Geno Smith and do everything you can to make him a franchise QB. If your scouting department knows what they are talking about though, after a few years of struggling with a QB that will not be successful, you end up being forced to give up on him and search for another QB, hoping you can find one in another draft. It makes way more sense to risk trying to find a guy you believe in next year than trying to make something out of a guy you don’t believe in.

          • http://twitter.com/alex_karklins Alex Karklins

            You’re totally right about that, and I’d hate to have the Eagles act out of desperation with their QB. However, with the rookie pay scale, drafting a first round bust is not nearly as punishing a it used to be, and you can take more risks. In an ideal scenario, I’d have the Eagles address other areas with this draft, and still have a realistic shot at Boyd, Bridgewater, or Mariota next year.

    • TommyLawlor

      There will be one pre-draft mini-camp. No word on if Kelly will sign me to be the 6th QB.

      Next year there could be a slew of good QB prospects:

      Teddy Bridgewater – Louisville
      Tahj Boyd – Clemson
      AJ McCarron – Alabama
      ***
      David Fales – SJSU
      Aaron Murray – Georgia
      ***
      Bryn Renner – UNC
      Keith Price – Washington
      Derek Carr – Fresno St
      Logan Thomas – Va Tech

      We might also have Marcus Mariota and Johnny Football in the mix as RS-Sophs. Mariota would be a high pick and maybe Johnny as well.

      You could have 5 or 6 legit franchise QB prospects next year. You can argue that this year there are none. Don’t waste resources on a QB that you don’t believe in. You’re better off improving the team as a whole. You do have to acknowledge that you must be aggressive in going after a QB next year.

      There is logic in going after Smith this year since there is a solid chance he’ll be sitting there at #4. You don’t have to worry about moving for him. Still, I think you only take a QB high if you believe in him. I doubt the Eagles will.

      The ATL example is awkward. Matt Ryan had some physical limitations, but was an overachiever. He got everything he could out of himself and his BC teammates. You knew he could carry a team on his back. Matt’s RB was Andre Callender. His WRs were Rich Gunnell and Brandon Robinson. There was no Steadman Bailey or Tavon Austin for him. And WV suffered through a 5-game losing streak this year. That petrifies me. If Smith can’t stop a losing streak in college, can he do that in the NFL? Ryan lost 5 games in his final 2 seasons combined.

      Plus, Thomas Dimitroff, the Falcons GM who chose Ryan, had just come from working for the Pats. He didn’t live in Boston, but spent enough time there to follow Ryan very closely. This was a player he believed in as a QB and person. He trusted handing his franchise to Ryan. I don’t think Chip Kelly or Howie Roseman is going to feel that way about Geno Smith.

      • shah8

        McCarron, and Murray are not truly eligible talents. Logan Thomas doesn’t have on field common sense… Lessee…My general feeling is that by the end of the next season, the list of good qbs will be different. I certainly was not expecting Geno Smith to be the top QB prospect this draft. Last year, I thought of him as an mid-late first round pick. Manziel is a non-factor as far as I’m concerned, artifact of the quality of the team relative to others, much like Tebow. Mariota is interesting.

        • GvilleEagleFan

          I find it hard to disqualify Manziel’s achievements offhand by dismissing his competition when A&M played in the SEC this year, against players like Milliner, Floyd, Mingo, Richardson, etc. all of whom are first round picks. Granted, he does have a great pair of OTs protecting him, so his production after Joeckel’s graduation will be telling. Equating him to Tebow is lazy analysis; as a Gator myself I can tell you their games are as different as night and day.

        • xeynon

          Not saying Manziel isn’t flawed as an NFL prospect – he clearly is – or that I want him for the Eagles. But comparing him to Tebow? C’mon. At least he can actually throw the ball properly.

    • GvilleEagleFan

      Great, well thought-out post. It’s precisely this logic that has me thinking that Chip might have approached this season with the same philosophy Shanahan did the 2011 season: I’m not going to be able to find a “QB-of-the-future” this season and there are some college guys that could pan out next year, so let’s just roll with what we’ve got and see what happens.

      Granted, Vick+Foles>>>>>>>>>>>Beck+Grossman, so there is legitimate worry about having to move up much farther than the Skins did, but I don’t think whoever will be available will be seen as quite a HOF-potential prospect like RGIII so hopefully the price isn’t quite as steep. We should also pray that a team with a solid QB has an unfortunate year for some reason and lands at 2 or 3 so we could grab one of Bridgewater, Manziel (if he comes out), etc.

      The other option is that Chip/Howie like the depth of the 2014 QB class better and aren’t worried about having to move up a few spots in the middle of the first to get an A.J. McCarron, or hope Taj Boyd or Logan Thomas slides.

      The take-home point of this comment is a point Tommy has made many times: Chip is here to stay. Regardless of the Eagles’ record in 2013, he’ll be our coach in 2014 and most likely 2015. We’re paying him until 2017, and I think the last thing Lurie wants to do after firing Reid is develop a reputation for being quick to fire a new coach.

    • Neil

      Resigning Vick and trying to win isn’t about validation. It’s not about seeking approval from external sources. The kind of person who coaches in the NFL is psychologically incapable of not wanting to win every single game he coaches. If he could turn that off, he wouldn’t have what it takes to work in this league.

  • T_S_O_P

    I like the mock. I’m not a Jordanite, so it would look better with Ansah atop for me.

    You mentioned that you were looking at an offseason plan. That is where at least one NT will be coming from or do you see the big fella from Michigan providing the main comp for Dixon?

    • TommyLawlor

      I think we’ll add DL depth in FA.

  • Skeptic_Eagle

    I like your Mock draft, for the most part. Not crazy about Armstead, haven’t seen him, and he’s a small school guy that tested really well at the combine–strikes me as a boom or bust type. Can’t get on board without having seen him in games, myself. I would have taken a Safety there, instead like Rambo or Swearinger.

    I’m impressed that all your picks seemed to fit the presumed offensive/defensive philosophy the Birds are transitioning to. Campbell could definitely play a Red Bryant role for the defense, and Simon’s length is very similar to what they’ve got going on out in Seattle–although he’ll need to become better in press-man coverage. I might have swapped out the CB from App. State with Iowa’s Micah Hyde, but truthfully, I haven’t watched any App. State games to know if the CB is any good, myself. I know that Hyde can play a variety of coverages, has good height & length, and even played some safety.

    Overall, nice work!

    • http://twitter.com/JackfinBauer Jack Bauer

      Armstead had a great week of practice and shined enough in the EW Shrine game to get a late invite to the Senior Bowl. Played pretty well in the Senior Bowl, Datone Jones gave him some trouble with the bull rush, Sio Moore got by him for a sack on a blitz, but he all but shut out Margus Hunt

  • Iskar36

    Great H2H podcast on offensive players in FA. The one thing I’m not sure I agree with you is on the idea of not targeting players in FA that could be expensive because you worry about trying to implement your own system. In particular, you and Jimmy were talking about TEs. To me, I absolutely agree that the Eagles should not go on a spending spree in FA and sign every player out there. But I think that’s because the vast majority of “quality” FA are guys that are in the middle or end of the their prime that you end up having to pay for their past accomplishments rather than what they will provide the team in the future. The vast majority of the rest of the FA are guys with significant flaws, hence why they are free agents.

    That being said, to me, if you find a relatively young guy such as Jared Cook and you determine he is a guy that you like and think he can be a valuable part of your offense and still has most of his prime ahead of him, as long as you are not forced to pay beyond market value, I think it makes sense to target him, even if that means giving him a big contract (again, the big contract shouldn’t be beyond market value though). If Kelly is truly a good coach and the team makes the right evaluations, the fact that they paid the player a big contract should not undermine Kelly’s ability to implement his system on the team. It’s not as if any of the current players on the team are any more or less likely to be adaptable to Kelly’s system than any FA would. So to me, it all comes down to evaluations. The FO needs to make sure they evaluate the player well and determine how valuable they think that player is to the team. If they can get that player for that price, regardless of if that price is big or small, I think you go after them, especially considering the cap space we have.

    • xlGmanlx

      I like Clemons and cook as cheap incentive deal FA’s. Unless the TE from SDSU falls to 3-4 round

  • http://twitter.com/benjabad Ben Hert

    Re: Sloppy Tackling

    Tommy,

    You mentioned earlier on how sloppy tackling is an epidemic in the NFL these days. What do you think this stems from? Could it be that tackling might have dropped off a little, but the elusiveness of ball-carriers these days is much greater than it used to be? Could it be a product of the passing game shift in the NFL and teams steering away from big power rushers? Just curious as to your thoughts on this. Thanks.

    • xlGmanlx

      Fundamentals doesn’t make the highlights.

      • A_T_G

        That seems too simplistic. Scouts and GMs don’t make decisions and write checks based on ESPN’s Top Ten. Those are the holders of the purse strings.

        Kids go for the big hit instead of wrapping up because they see it on ESPN, but the pros and draftees must realize that the sure wrap up tackle every time is going to get them paid, not the feast or famine kill shot. So why do they chose the big hit? Is it bragging rights? Locker room pecking order? Is it just more fun?

        • xlGmanlx

          I disagree, people forget sports is also entertainment. Nobody pays money to see hit and wrap and driving through the tackle. They want points, hits and highlights, just part of the culture. Similar to folks yelling for Burfict to be drafted by the igg’s, it wasn’t because of his coverage and fundamentals. Those same people buy tickets, apparel, Sunday ticket etc.

      • TommyLawlor

        Sadly, this is a big part of it.

  • RAVS

    Do the Texans use a SAM similar to how we project Billy Davis to use a SAM as in rushing only 70 percent of the time or do both Houston OLB’s rush around 90 percent of the time?

    • TommyLawlor

      Don’t know. The SAM in 2011 was Mario Williams to start the year so probably not. I’ll see if I can find out any info.

  • http://twitter.com/sjampendk Patrick

    Can we just get it over with and cut Nnamdi by now? This is not a player i want, not even on a veteran minimum. He lost his speed, he will never get that back and you cant have a corner who can only cover a short zone, but cant tackle. At least DRC had a chance to become a good corner, Nnamdi is done. Is DRC really looking for THAT big a contract?
    I really hope we can bring in either Sean Smith or Keenan Lewis. I dont think either guy would get a huge contract, and I’m perfectly happy settling for the one who doesnt get the big deal. I would also like Derek Cox, but with his injuries i would only take him on a 1 year deal, and i doubt he takes that. Im also liking the rumors we heard about Pat Chung and Philly. To me he is a pretty good player, and i look forward to the next H2H show, where i assume he will be mentioned.
    I really would love if we got Jared Cook, but i have a feeling that some team will break the bank for his playmaking talents, and it would be absolutely foolish to call that when we have Celek. If Cook is available at a contract around Celeks, then go for it, especially if he fits what Chip wants and Celek can be cut without dead money in 2014(According to Eaglescap).

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

    I have made a FA board, and these are the defensive players that I hope we make a move for. They are all young players, that can help this team through our rebuilding. None of them is “stars” and should all be hungry to play for us. If the FO can get us two or three of these I’ll be very happy.

    NT Roy Miller, 6-2, 310, 26 years old
    DE Ricky Jean-Francois, 6-3, 295, 26 years old
    DE Desmond Bryant, 6-6, 310, 27 years old
    OLB Quentin Groves, 6-3, 265, 28 years old
    SS Patrick Chung, 5-11, 215, 26 years old
    CB Derek Cox, 6-1, 195, 26 years old
    CB Bradley Fletcher, 6-0, 200, 27 years old

    Tell me which players you agree with, and which you don’t

    • A_T_G

      Wait, you want our CBs to be Fletcher and Cox? I’m on board just to hear the commentary during the games.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

        Ha, hadn’t thought of them together like that – but it would be an epic duo.

      • TommyLawlor

        Brilliant.

      • RC5000

        yeah we need to put a stop to that…howie could take DT Kawann Short in the 1st and OLB Travis Long in the 6th round. Would only be the Eagles that would find another way to be a laughingstock.

        • A_T_G

          We could also draft Swearinger and cut the deadwood.

      • RC5000

        We could also sign E.J. Biggers

  • http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman

    What year were the Barwin games you watched? Whatever the linebacker nomenclature is in Houston, I read that he switched sides with Whitney Mercilus and started playing a new spot at some point in 2012. Perhaps that means he has experience at both the HOU equivalents of SAM and LEO. I haven’t gotten around to the Game Rewind yet.

    • TommyLawlor

      Watched a couple of 2012 games.

  • xeynon

    Interesting mock draft Tommy. I’m surprised you have them taking an OT in round 2. I’m fine with drafting one, but not that high if we take Jordan at #4 – I think we need too much help in the secondary to wait until round 3 to take a corner or safety.

    Truth be told I’m not crazy about Jordan at 4th. He is a very good prospect but while OLB/Sam are important roles in the 3-4 and 4-3 under respectively, they are among the easier positions at which to find impact players later in the draft. Every year there are lots of undersized pass rushers in the draft pool and in recent seasons plenty of good players at these positions have entered the league as mid-to-late round picks or UDFAs (James Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Joey Porter, Shaun Phillips, Elvis Dumervil, Adalius Thomas, Carlos Emmons, etc.). I’d be fine with Jordan if we trade back to the 8-10 range but I don’t think we need to spend the fourth overall pick on that spot when we have glaring needs at positions where it is harder to unearth top players later in the draft and at which elite prospects will be available in this draft (namely DE, CB and OT). I’d much rather have Joeckel, Fisher, Milliner, or Floyd if we stay at #4.

    • RC5000

      Elite is very debatable…Ansah, Jordan, and Lane Johnson are elite athletes, those 4 are very good players. Also do you think Milliner has elite footwork, an elite backpedal, elite return skills? Joeckel is very solid, polished, and effortless but he isn’t as able as Johnson to get out and block to the second level, he just doesn’t have that kind of athleticism. Fisher doesn’t either although he probably has a little more ability than Joeckel to do that.

      • xeynon

        I suppose it depends on what one means by “elite”. If it means “once-a-decade level prospect”, then no, none of those guys are elite. Joeckel isn’t Orlando Pace and Milliner isn’t Charles Woodson. But if you mean “likely 10 year starter and multiple-time Pro Bowler”, then yeah, I think they’re elite. Besides, Jordan isn’t a once-a-decade level prospect either. If the choice was between the next Lawrence Taylor and a likely very good or excellent corner, offensive tackle, or defensive lineman, I’d take the next Taylor. But it’s not. Give that Jordan is not head-and-shoulders above the others I still say go for a player at position that is harder to fill via means other than a very high draft pick, regardless of the semantics.

  • xlGmanlx

    Any chatter on the igg’s bringing in Cook for a look? A team friendly incentive deal for 3 years with little up front money would be worth a look in my book. Nobody has looked good in a Titans uniform on O and CJMOK has continued the trend of elite 40 times doesn’t translate into sustained success.

  • bubqr

    Quality comment of your mock draft:

    moblack029
    Posted
    Today, 01:57 PM
    All these players will be BUST! A typical Eagles Draft! Milliner, Warmack, Star, or Reid! These are the players you should be looking at drafting! Go Eagles Go!

    • Mac

      Saw that too… Pretty sure moblack029 is mocking Star to us in the 3rd round. Maybe he drops because of his medical condition (snicker).