Offseason Plan

Posted: July 21st, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 69 Comments »

Kinda lengthy, but there were a lot of issues to discuss and ideas to explain.  Grab a vat of chocolate pudding and you’ll be just fine.  

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Let’s start by talking about the overall situation. The Eagles went 10-6 last year. They played the Packers pretty close in the playoff loss. It was actually Green Bay’s closest margin in the playoffs. The point is that the Eagles were a good team and still are. We don’t need to make drastic moves to get back in the hunt. The Eagles need to plug some holes and improve the overall quality of the team.

I do expect the Eagles to be active and aggressive. I don’t expect them to go nuts and sign every star that they’ve been linked to. It makes for fun speculation, but isn’t all that realistic. I’m optimistic as we head into the offseason because the Eagles have the resources to make moves and there are good targets available. Remember, the key isn’t to make the biggest moves, but to make the right moves.

My ideal offseason would be this:

* Trade Kevin Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round pick
* Sign Jason Babin
* Sign Albert Haynesworth  (after Mike Shanahan shocks us all and cuts him quickly)
* Sign Paul Posluszny
* Sign Cadillac Williams
* Sign Matt Hasselbeck

Here’s what I’m thinking:

Acquiring DRC would give us a fast, talented RCB in the prime of his career. We definitely need a RCB and he’s got the potential to be an outstanding player. The Eagles were high on him prior to the 2008 Draft and I have to believe some of those feelings remain in place. DRC isn’t coming off a great year, but he’s played well in 2 of his 3 NFL seasons and has all the ability in the world.

Lawlor, you’re an idiot. Why no Charles Johnson? I watched some tape to study Charles. Real impressive player. Reminded me a bit of former Eagle LDE William Fuller, who I loved. There are a couple of problems. I don’t see Johnson as an ideal fit for the Wide-Nine. If we kept last year’s system, he’d be a priority target for me. The Wide-Nine makes more use of angles and speed, which Johnson doesn’t need. He’s effective when lining up tight. The other issue is cost. Trent Cole doesn’t say anything publicly, but I’m betting he’d love a raise. If you give a huge deal to someone like Julius Peppers, Cole might be able to wrap his head around that. Julius is a freak. Charles Johnson isn’t. Good player, but hardly anything “special” or rare about him. Give CJ a big deal (which it would take to land him) and you run the risk of pissing off your best defensive player. Not sure how wise that would be.

I had us sign Jason Babin. He will cost less. All 32 teams know he’s coming off a career season. They all know you can’t necessarily expect the same level of production in 2011. The reason I like Babin is that his numbers came playing LDE in the Wide-Nine for Jim Washburn. We need a LDE for our Wide-Nine, coached by Jim Washburn. Perfect fit, and likely at a reasonable cost. Babin won’t be cheap, but he won’t get the same kind of money as Johnson.

One more thing to remember in regard to the Wide-Nine, it is very much a rotational system. Everybody will get regular snaps. It doesn’t make sense to throw huge dollars at any one player unless the guy is the bluest of Blue Chip players. Babin did well in the system last year. Plus, he knows Reid and Philly from the 2009 season.

Big Al isn’t a necessary addition. He is a luxury item. I’ve written about him a few times this spring. He has off-field issues. He is coming off consecutive disappointing seasons. Still, Big Al can be a dominant DT. There are only a handful of DL in the entire league who are true difference makers. Big Al is such a guy. The presence of Jim Washburn, who coached him so well in Tennessee, makes me willing to take a chance on Big Al. Risky? Yes. The payoff could be so big that I think it is worth it. We might have to trade for him. I’d offer a 5th, but no more. I want the freedom to cut Al if he goes nuts without worrying about what we’ve got invested in him.

So what’s with going after Paul Posluszny? I haven’t said a word about him in the past few months. This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about in recent days. I don’t think the Eagles should commit long term to Stewart Bradley. I’m not sure he’ll take a one-year deal here. I go back and forth on what his expectations will be. Stew is coming off a poor year and hasn’t been fully healthy since 2008. Can he really have high expectations? The tricky thing for Stew is that he’ll turn 28 in November. The clock is ticking on him. He needs a long term deal in order to get a decent signing bonus. With his injury history, waiting a year might be risky.

If we take Stew out of the picture, what should we do? I think Jamar Chaney should be the WLB. If we’re going to play more Cover 2, we need a MLB who can cover ground in the passing game, but also has a really good feel for how to cover and who to cover. We could go with Casey Matthews. I thought he had terrific coverage skills in college. Casey is a smart, instinctive LB. That’s also crucial in the new defense. You no longer attack at the snap. Now you need to find the ball, then go.

I watched some tape of Posluszny and came away very impressed. He played in a 3-4 last year, but was in a 4-3 prior to that and was in a Cover 2 scheme. Poz is at his best being off the ball and then running to it. He has good speed and range. He’s a wrap-up tackler and active defender. Good blitzer. Poz has solid cover skills. He’s comfortable in the deep middle. He reminds me of Casey Matthews, but with better athletic ability. Plus, Poz is a proven NFL player. I would not break the bank for him since I don’t think he’s anything special, but adding him would give us a real good set of LBs. You’d have Fokou and Chaney on the outside. You’d have Poz in the middle. Matthews would be the backup MLB. Rashad Jeanty, assuming he stays healthy, is the backup SAM. Keenan Clayton should play in the Nickel and might push Chaney for the WLB spot. Brian Rolle is here to fight for a roster spot. That’s a pretty good LB corps. You have youth, depth, and athleticism.

Now we shift over to offense. We don’t need any starters. I think we stick with what we have at RT. Danny Watkins is going to start at RG, unless he blows it. We’re solid basically everywhere else.

We do need a backup RB. I cannot imagine Jerome Harrison will want to return with as little work as he got last year. I’m not sure if the Eagles have much interest in trying to keep him. I think Andy would love a RB with some size. I’m just not sure he can convince Ronnie Brown or someone like that to come here as a backup. Cadillac Williams maybe. He offers us a player with a bit of everything. He’s got size. Cadillac is an excellent blocker. He is a good pass catcher. He knows his days as a workhorse back are over. He was basically a 3rd down back for Tampa last year. I think he’d be okay with coming here. And I do think with a guy like him Andy would give him more work. Buck used to get 80-100 carries a year. Andy trusted him. I think Andy would trust Cadillac as well.

Finally, I’d love to add Matt Hasselbeck. We will trade Kolb. Mike Kafka isn’t ready to be the backup QB quite yet. Matt would probably love a starting role, but I’m not sure if he’ll find one or not. If we get the chance, adding him would be great. Matt was coached by Andy Reid in 1998 in Green Bay. I assume they have a good relationship. Matt could sign a 2-year deal here and that would give us plenty of time to develop Kafka. Matt’s skills are eroding, but he did win a playoff game last year. He can be a good spot starter/backup. Should Vick go down, we need a veteran who can win a game or two.

Positional Breakdown

QB
1. Matt Hasselbeck
2. Jake Delhomme
3. Marc Bulger

If Hasselbeck gets a starting gig, I would target Delhomme. Cleveland has yet to cut him, but that seems likely to happen. He’s struggled as a starter the last couple of years, but so did Jeff Garcia before we signed him in 2006. Jake played at a high level in 2008. He’s a high character guy and his teammates seem to love him. That’s the kind of guy you want as a backup. I’m not in love with Bulger, but he’s got the passing skills to run our offense and is a smart veteran.

I didn’t list Vince Young because I’m just not sure what to make of him. He might be a starter somewhere. I don’t know if he could handle the scrutiny of being an Eagle. Tennessee was nothing. If Matt Leinart has his head on straight, he could be of interest. No idea what his situation is right now. Tarvaris Jackson is intriguing, but I don’t know if he’s got the passing skills to run our offense. He got by at Minnesota with a good defense and strong running game. We need a passer. Donovan McNabb? Too soon for his return.

RB

1. Cadillac Williams
2. Reggie Bush
3. Clinton Portis
4. Jason Snelling

I already covered Williams. Bush would be very intriguing as well. The argument against him is that we don’t use the #2 RB enough to justify spending big money on him. I’m wondering if the addition of a guy like Bush might force Reid/Marty to do more with the RBs. Reggie is an excellent receiver and could be used in a variety of ways. He would help in the Red Zone. Bush isn’t a power runner, but his speed and elusiveness makes him dangerous down there. He would have added value as a PR. He has no KOR experience, but maybe could be worked in there. Portis might seem like an odd name. He hasn’t stayed healthy for the last 2 years. Portis says he’s now healthy. He understands he can’t be a workhorse runner any more. Portis might be the best blocking RB in the NFL. Good receiver. Very high character player on the field. Weird off the field. I have mixed feelings on him because of his off-field personas and the goofy stuff he says and does. Snelling is an under the radar guy. Has played RB and FB. Good size. He’d be a nice complement to Shady McCoy.

I’d have interest in Ronnie Brown, but don’t think he’d want to be part of our offense. Darren Sproles is sorta of interest, but I’m not sure how much of a boost he’d give us. He has 6 career rushing TDs. Big time playmaker, but his KOR ability is negated by the new rules and he isn’t much of a Red Zone threat. What about Brian Westbrook? I’d be open to his return. He showed last year in SF that he is willing to be a backup.

We need a good backup RB. We got lucky that Shady stayed healthy all of last year. I hope that happens again, but we can’t count on it. We need a backup who is capable of starting a game or two and being a functional player. We did draft Dion Lewis, but I see him as somewhat of a project.

As for FB, I think we’ll stick with Owen Schmitt and Stanley Havili. Le’Ron McClain would be nice, but doesn’t seem like a likely target.

WR

The only WR I see us having potential interest in is Plaxico Burress. Reid apparently has always been fascinated by the guy. He’s available and the price will be reasonable. Plax would give us our best Red Zone threat since TO. The problem is carving out a role for him. We’ve already got arguably the best trio of WRs in the league in DJax, Maclin, and Avant. How do we find Plax 40 catches? Does it make sense? I think the Eagles will consider this situation strongly, but I’m not sure if they’ll end up with the answers that lead to his signing.

TE

No need.

OL

I think the Eagles will stand pat with what they’ve got. I know plenty of people want a RT. The Eagles aren’t going after Doug Free or Jared Gaither. That’s just not going to happen. Danny Watkins will be pushed into the RG role. Winston Justice and King Dunlap will battle for the RT spot. Possibly Austin Howard as well.

The one position that could be in a state of flux is Center. Jamaal Jackson is back after missing the end of 2009 and virtually all of 2010. The problem is that he’s not a Howard Mudd type of player. Mike McGlynn was up and down last year. He’s not an ideal fit either. We could be in for a surprise move here, either in terms of FA or promoting someone already on the team. Remember what Dave Spadaro said about C. “Mudd has had success with athletic, quick offensive linemen and it makes me wonder if either Jamaal Jackson or Mike McGlynn is exactly what Mudd is looking for at the center position. The kind of player he is looking for is really, really important here. ”

DE

1. Jason Babin
2. Matthias Kiwanuka
3. Charles Johnson
4. Ray Edwards

Remember, that list is based on fit, not just talent. As to the Eagles and DE, Brandon Graham is a player the Eagles still believe in very much. They know 2011 isn’t going to be his year so the team is absolutely interested in adding someone up front. My money is on Jason Babin. There are plenty of other options. I don’t know who the Eagles like. Babin is a guess on my part based on circumstances.

Kiwanuka could be a real interesting player. He had 4 sacks last year in the first 3 games, but got hurt and missed the rest of the year. I wonder if he would be open to signing a 1-year deal and then going for a big payday next year. Kiwi only has one big year, 2008 when he had 8 sacks. In the other 4 seasons he’s got a total of 15.5 sacks. He’s hardly a sure thing, but is big and talented.

DT

I don’t see the Eagles going for a DT other than Big Al. We have 4 quality players already in place. You add someone if they are an impact player, but I’m not seeing many of those guys available. There are lots of big DTs, but we’re looking more for speed. Al is an exception because he is a big, athletic guy who can get up the field and be disruptive. Juan Castillo genuinely believes that Bunkley and Laws can thrive in the new system. Antonio Dixon might as well. We’re still figuring out just how good he can be. If Mike Patterson reports in good shape, he could surprise some people. He can’t come in the same size as last year.

LB

1. Paul Posluszny
2. Stephen Tulloch
3. Nick Barnett

The Eagles might add an OLB if he was a top shelf player. Chad Greenway got the franchise tag so he’s off the market. I don’t see anyone else who is good enough to fit into that category. The Eagles like Fokou and are high on Chaney. They want those guys on the field.

MLB is the mystery spot. I already covered Stew’s situation and why I like Poz. I know many people love Stephen Tulloch. I think someone will give him a big deal. I don’t think he’s worth big money for us. Tulloch is only a limited playmaker. He is a tackling machine. Ideally, he’s a 2-down LB. His cover skills aren’t great. Also, Tulloch is a pure MLB. The nice thing about Poz is that he could slide out and play WLB. If somehow Chaney got reps in the middle and just blew everyone away, Poz would be fine moving outside. He played MLB and OLB at Penn State. He’s good in space.

I have marginal interest in Barnett. He has been a good MLB and ILB in the past. He would be purely a short term solution until Casey Matthews was ready to take over. I’ve gotten a few questions about Barrett Ruud. I watched tape of him and wasn’t impressed at all. I’d rather go with Matthews. Same with Kirk Morrison.

I don’t think we have to sign a MLB. I could live with Matthews starting as a rookie. I’d have definite concerns, but he was a 3-year starter at Oregon and is a smart player. He comes from an NFL family. That should ease his transition to the NFL. Casey won’t have friends and family hitting him up for money. He won’t be shocked at being in a big stadium. He will understand the business-like nature of pro football. It is a job. They pay you to workout, practice, and play. You have to treat football in a serious, professional manner.

A few people have asked about some OLBs. Manny Lawson is a player people bring up. He doesn’t fit us at all. Manny needs to play on the LOS. Our LBs will be back off the ball more often than not. Manny isn’t smooth in space. He’s a former DE and needs to be on the line, mixing it up. He can play in a 4-3, but not our system.

S

Another mystery position. Nate Allen is reportedly on track to report on time. If true, FS is good to go. Kurt Coleman took over for Allen last year and was solid. He could be the starting SS this year. If not, he’s a good #3 Safety. Rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett is the SS of the future, and possibly the present. The team is very high on him so he might be the starter from day one. Yeah, that’s a really young group, but they’re talented. And these guys aren’t projects. Quintin Demps and Macho Harris were S/CB tweeners. Jarrett, Allen, and Coleman were long time starters at Safety. They know the position. Colt Anderson made his presence felt on STs immediately. Now I’m sure he’s hoping to get more snaps on defense.

The x-factor is Marlin Jackson. Can he stay healthy? Do the Eagles risk keeping him around? He could be an excellent tutor for the young guys, but you sure can’t count on Jackson at all. Without him, the position is very young. Would the Eagles bring in a veteran to help the kids out? I’m not so sure they would. Sean Jones was a band-aid player in 2009 and wasn’t much help. Jackson was supposed to have that role last year, but got hurt. If the Eagles do let Quintin Mikell walk, which is a near certainty, I’m betting they go with the young guys.

CB

1. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
2. Ike Taylor
3. Nnamdi Asomugha
4. Josh Wilson
5. Jonathan Joseph

DRC is my preference, but this is one position where the Eagles have a variety of good choices. I think all of us are fascinated at the notion of adding Nnamdi. He is a great CB and those guys aren’t available often. Very intriguing. Ike Taylor isn’t on the same level, but has an excellent track record in terms of being a winner. Big games and pressure situations are normal for him. Wilson is young and talented. JoJo is young and talented, but isn’t an ideal fit style wise and would cost a pretty penny.

I don’t have any interest in Antonio Cromartie. He needs to be in a man-coverage system. He’s a poor tackler. He has off-field issues. He’s also looking for big bucks. No thanks. If Nate Clements is cut and we can’t work anything out with the top five guys, Nate could be of interest. He’s still a good player. He’d be a short term solution while Lindley and Marsh developed.

STs

David Akers is gone, but Alex Henery has his spot filled. I’m pretty sure that Sav Rocca will be re-signed. Dorenbos is set as the snapper.

RS is manned by a bunch of guys right now. Jorrick Calvin, Gerard Lawson, Chad Hall, and Sinorice Moss will be battling for the job. Obviously Maclin and DJax have some return ability. I don’t see us going for a pure RS in free agency. Could add RB, WR, or DB with RS skills.

You’d come out with a 2-deep depth chart of this, based on my plan:

WR – DeSean Jackson … Riley Cooper
WR – Jeremy Maclin …… Jason Avant
TE – Brent Celek ……… Clay Harbor
FB – Owen Schmitt ….. Stanley Havili
RB – LeSean McCoy …. Cadillac Williams
QB – Michael Vick …….. Matt Hasselbeck
LT – Jason Peters …….. Austin Howard
LG – Todd Herremans … Julian Vandervelde
C — A.Q. Shipley …….. Jason Kelce
RG – Danny Watkins ….. Mike McGlynn
RT – Winston Justice …. King Dunlap

RE – Trent Cole ……….. Darryl Tapp
DT – Al Haynesworth …. Brodrick Bunkley
DT – Mike Patterson ….. Antonio Dixon
LE – Jason Babin ………. Juqua Parker
WB – Jamar Chaney …… Keenan Clayton
MB – Paul Posluszny ….. Casey Matthews
SB – Moise Fokou …….. Rashad Jeanty
SS – Jaiquawn Jarrett … Colt Anderson
FS – Nate Allen ……….. Kurt Coleman
CB – DRC ………………. Joselio Hanson
CB – Asante Samuel …. Trevard Lindley

P – Sav Rocca
K – Alex Henery
LS – Jon Dorenbos

Not a shabby group, huh? There could be changes with some veterans who might be dealt (Patt or Juqua maybe), but this is a good guess for now. There is a lot of youth in key positions, but there is enough talent to contend for the Super Bowl. The team could really be outstanding in 2012.  The Packers had plenty of young players last year, including multiple rookie starters.  I seem to recall them doing okay.

Remember this ancient football saying that I’m just now making up:

Youth is okay, as long as it can play

  • http://Website Cafone

    Tommy, can you see about getting a “printable version” button on your site? I usually don’t advocate the killing of trees, but I’d prefer to read the longer articles on the can.

  • http://www.eaglescouch.com Bill

    I like everything except Haynesworth. The guy is not worth the headaches. I know he was “better” under Washburn, but he still stomped another guys head while playing under him.

    I think Tavaris Jackson’s going to be the backup QB they go after. Not my first choice, but he’s got starting experience, and he “knows the system” from playing under Chilly.

    I’m also hoping that Dawkins gets cut in Denver as a cap casualty. If that happens, I think he believe he still bleeds Eagles green, and would sign back here to make one last run.

  • http://Website Mark

    Great article. I agree w most of your decisions save a few minor ones (ray edwards over babin and snelling at rb) but i think this is a legitimate super bowl team right off the bat with a great mix of youth and hungry veterans. Also how do you feel about darren sharper coming in to take some snaps and mentor the young safeties?

  • http://Website CVD

    wasnt it 10-6 not 11-5? i thought the dallas give away dropped us to 10-6

  • http://Website Dewey

    Can the team afford all this and long-term deals with our own?

  • http://Website Netherman

    Been looking forward to this post…great read. A lot of folks making a big deal over Tulloch’s exp behind wide 9. Is that overplayed? How much different would it be from other 1 gap fronts for MLB? Like the plan…not sure how comfortable i would feel with aq as center, but i trust mudd to do whatever is best. No interest in Clabo? I know OL is not biggest need, but keeping Vick upright is my top priority. If he has time we can roll with anybody.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Sam

    If, in fact, Mudd does not want Jackson or McGlynn at center because of their “type”, I hope they look very closely at the free agent market. I shudder to think that the best possible player of his “type” is already on the roster in the form of a 7th round pick or a two-time practice squad player. Given the huge number of free agents that should hit the street, I hope there is someone else out there, maybe a backup who is good enough to play on a team that doesn’t use Mudd types and would excel for the new coach. I just can’t believe the two best possible options available will be Shipley and Kelce.

  • http://Website CVD

    Man I would be happy if it went down like this. I still like johnson over babin, but if babin really wont be that much then I love babin. I like Paul P a lot but I hear the gmen could go after him and he played well when Fewell was his HC.

    The one thing I don’t c happening is Hasslebeck. Wouldn’t one of these teams that drafted a rookie QB want to pick him up to start for a year? There aren’t many good options out there for QB, he is probably the best if you are looking for one year.

  • http://Website McG

    Spuds is blogging live from Atlanta today on PE.com if ya’ll are interested, and the comments section is almost fully functional.

  • http://Website CVD

    I want Haynesworth more than all these guys. If we just got Cromartie and Hayneswrth, I would be really happy. Fat AL could transform this D all by himself, if he decides he wants to. AL wasn’t that bad the year b4 last. PFF ranks him 3rd of 43 DT’s from 2008-2010, imagine if he didn’t have such a horrible 2010.

    3. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins
    Fair to say things haven’t gone exactly to plan in Washington for the former Titan. Staggeringly though, when he’s been on the field he continues to be as good a DT as there is out there (even though he may be as scrutinized a defensive player as there is). Despite the pretty low sack totals in Washington, in his first year there, he was a top five defensive tackle and not that far off his best year. Even last year he generated pressure in the sub package defense. If you can get him playing his best then he’s a bargain whatever the price.

  • http://Website Phil

    First off, I think Leonard Weaver will be back to his FB duties.
    I dont want big Al, he was out of shape last year and will be even worse this year.
    I love the idea of Babin being back, I thought he adds that intensity to the DL rotation.
    I am not sold on Paul at MLB. I would rather see Stephen Tulloch or David Harris.

  • http://Website Mac

    Minor point but, I don’t see Hasselback as taking a backup job. Why should he, he can probably find a starting gig somewhere like the Titans.

  • http://Bleed-Green.com Cody Benjamin

    Great article. One note, though. Eagles went 10-6 last year, not 11-5.

  • http://Website ian no 2

    The Eagles have a thing for not going for return specialists, even when they have a slew of picks. Jorrick Calvin and Chad Hall gave out warning signs to look elsewhere for a return specialist when given the job, like bringing Greg Lewis and Jeremy Bloom back. Lawson is a use of a roster space on a mediocre but dependable KOR-only guy who can’t contribute at CB, where the team will have to make a tough cut. Sproles may be helpful especially if he is worked into the offense.

    I don’t think Bradley’s a good use of cap space if he gets a decent salary, because I think they’d be better off putting Chaney in the middle and letting him run the D. I think it would be good for Chaney and the team to trust his leadership ability. Paul Posluszny is also a good idea if he can be signed.

  • http://Website ian no 2

    the one returner they have w/ potential is Moss.. he could also be a ‘third’ deep threat that gives teams fits. + Plaxico, then you’ve got some playmakers..

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: 11-5 record

    Fixed that. Should have been 10-6. My soul still feels we should have beaten Dallas in the season finale.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: Leonard Weaver

    I think this is the third day in a row I’ve written about him.

    Leonard suffered nerve damage when was injured in the opener. Doctors can’t rehab that. Weaver is likely done in the NFL. I hope he’s able to find some miracle cure. Loved having him at FB. Just think the odds are heavily against him.

  • http://Website Iowa Eagle

    I don’t want to be Mr. Negative here, but has anyone thought about the possibility we fall flat on our face..? We’re all discussing how close we are to a Super Bowl, but what if the season starts and we end finishing below .500? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate let down… There is not much reason to think that we will fail, but just how good will our new DC be this year? If I remember last year correctly, Dallas was the favorite to win it all until their defense imploded and the offense just seemed to follow suit… It’s been a LONG S L O W day, and I’ve had a lot of time to ponder.. LOL

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: Center

    We’ll see what happens. Maybe the shortened offseason will force Mudd to stick with McGlynn.

    Or maybe there is a veteran they’re very quietly targeting. Center is going to be an interesting position.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: Hasselbeck

    I’m not counting on him coming to Philly. That’s why I listed some other QBs.

    Matt might get an offer to start elsewhere, but he might not want to go babysit a rookie on a losing team for a year and then have to face uncertainty again. He could come here to a coach he knows and be close to home (he’s from Boston). He’s got a good chance to start a game or two. He’d also have a chance to be on a winner. Will be interesting to see what his choices are and what he decides.

  • http://Website Iowa Eagle

    P.S. : Tommy, love your views on all your pieces I’ve read… but the chances of Hasselbeck taking a 2nd string gig are about as likely as my fiance consenting to a 3-way.. I’m sure he still wants to be a starter, and by all rights he probably does still have 2-3 years of starting potential in him. (IMO)

  • http://Website Mr. Hand

    Tommy what would be your thoughts on this idea? Maybe Reid plays the same card he used with Mudd?

    http://gcobb.com/2011/07/07/eagles-signing-brett-favre-to-backup-vick-makes-sense/

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: Matt H.

    He’s turning 36 this year.

    He just threw for 3,000+ yards in each of the past 2 years, but had 29 TDs vs 34 INTs. He missed 2 games in each year. QB ratings have been in the 70s. His last truly good season was 2007.

    Matt isn’t going to be in high demand as a starter. Seattle doesn’t have a good replacement for him and they don’t seem all that worried about him going.

    Speculation is that TEN will want him for a year to help groom Locker. My question is will Matt want to start on a Titans team that looks to be mediocre? They aren’t loaded with great offensive weapons. There’s no draw to playing in Nashville. Sure, he’d be the starter, but is 10 to 16 starts guaranteed with the Titans better than taking a chance he could get on the field with a team like us?

    I’m not saying Matt is likely to come here. It would be my preference, but I fully expect him to look for a starting gig. I’m just pointing out that Matt isn’t a young guy that will have tons of great options. He’s not in high demand. I think he’ll take a long look at the Eagles #2 job even up against any starting offers he has.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    RE: Brett Favre

    No interest. Call him if Vick goes down for the season in Week 3, but Brett isn’t made to be a backup. He’d go nuts. Him and the Philly media would be odd combo.

  • http://Website Eg89

    Great post, and nice timing. I really needed a distraction from CBA vote or die day.

    I found it interesting that you didn’t have jam-jax on the roster? It got me thinking that we could really clear a lot of cap if we moved him and juqua Parker…around 6 million? That’d be a nice chunk of change.

    I’d like to know how kelce and Shipley stack up against Jeff Saturday, who I believe went undrafted, and ended up being a pretty solid player for mudd.

    Also, great call on Poz, I hadn’t even considered him with my Tulloch-vision. The only thing that scares me is keeping Casey Mathews on the bench for an extended period….it seems like we either have to force a talented player to the bench or risk a hole in the middle of our defense…can’t think of any stop gap mikes we could sign to a one year deal?

    Again, awesome post

  • http://Website nzflyer

    Good good read when I get into work at 8 in the morning.
    (Not sure it should be called work if I spend most of my time reading on here)

    None the less, I agree with Tommy all the way. Not trying to sound like a yes man, but the players mentioned are ones I would show interest in also. I’ve already put forward my vote for DRC in previous posts. Big Al would be high risk/high reward which is largely offset by Mr Washburn. I’ve never mentioned Poz cause I wasn’t sure how he would fit, but I’ve always liked his style of play and his sureness in the tackle department would be a welcome addition. QB, not so sure about, the argument for MH sounds compelling, he may want a ring and see this as the best opportunity. Jake sounds like a real possibility, he sat on the browns bench, why not sit on ours? at least we have a real shot at something.

    Everything else I’m not too fussed about, our team is not in need of huge personell changes to have more success than last year. Things will fall how they will, and this lockout wait is killin me.

    P.S Babin over Johnson. Babins price and fit vs Johnsons ability is a no brainer. Bring in Babin and he’s already got a headstart over everyone else, bring in Johnson, he’ll cost more and might potentially flop. I’ll take Babin thanks.

  • http://Website mc_bob

    Tommy:

    Andy Reid made Jon Runyan the highest-paid RT ever. Why? Because, according to his formidable football brain, it’s the 3rd most important position on offense. And now, suddenly, it doesn’t matter because we committed money and years to Winston Justice? And we have a left-handed quarterback now, by the way.

    We looked like crap the last few games of the year for a few reasons (beyond our laughable RCB play), but most visible was a porous O-line. Yet a starting line with A.Q Shipley and a guy who got benched for King Dunlap in the playoffs is “Not a shabby group, huh?”

    I just don’t understand why we’re pretending that it’s ok our RT was benched in the playoffs after a few weeks of poor play. Since when do we not build a team around two lines and a quarterback?

    We are a team with, arguably, the best skill players in the NFL. Acquiring an offensive line that can block more than a few children would be prudent. Yet we are to, as you say, “stand pat.” If it wasn’t the players, it must’ve been the coach, right?

    Oh wait, we promoted him.

  • http://Website Thunderlips

    @MC-Bob

    Feel free to check some of Tommy’s old posts, but I believe his response is: Justice was fighting a knee injury and when healthy he played well enough. Also, he had a revolving door at RG which affected his play. Having Watkins should really improve both RG and RT.

  • http://twitter.com/cliphord Cliff

    Love reading these off-season plans every year and, as usual, I would love to see any of this happen. Haha.

  • http://Website CVD

    mc bob

    our right guard play had to be the worst in football last year. cole is absolutley horrible and will be off the team this year. i hated watching him play. i was so mad when jean gilles got hurt in the final game of the year. jean gilles isnt good but he is better than cole

    this is why i love the watkins pick more than most do. if he can solidify that right guard spot, then i am ok with justice. i am not a big fan of justice but i think if right gaurd and center get much better then we can be ok with justice.

    but i would like to take a look at upgrading if there was a definite upgrade. i dont think andy is in love w justice either. he said it could be dunlap or justice, that tells u he is not in love w justice.

    justice might be one of those talented guys u just need to find a way to get it out of him and maybe mudd can do that

  • http://Website 3five7

    As always Tommy, good work. Long read, but well worth the time. I will respond a little before I have to go to bed. Its 1:24am now here in Germany and I’ve got a wonderful Troop run tommorrow morning for PT!

    Looking at your two deep depth chart, this would be an absolutely amazing team to have. and the great part is its all very possible.
    I like the additions of DRC, Haynesworth and Caddy. I had these pegged on my wish list as well, Poz is a nice choice. I remember really hoping the Green Birds would pluck him from the draft a few years back and was disappointed when Buffalo snatched him. Your logic about Stew’s contract situation sounds about right. His recent injuries will force him to look for the highest payday/longest term possible, so when you look at it that way the chance of us resigning him does decrease significantly…. unfortunate, but Poz is the best option outside of retaining Stew. Now I had Charles Johnson on my wish list, but Babin was my second choice and not by far either. I was actually disappointed when he left. I saw a player that seemed to find himself at the end of his season with us. and was looking forward to seeing his progression the next year… but yeah …didn’t happen that way. Now looking at your point about Cole’s contract and given the past experience/success Babin has had in our new DL formation, you have convinced me. I disagree with you on Hasselbeck though. He is looking for a starting gig and may end up back in Seattle. We will probably end up with Tavaris, which could actually end up nicely for us. I found it odd that you didn’t have Jamal Jackson on the depth chart, do you expect us to trade him? Could fetch us a decent pick, probably conditional 4th up to 3rd… right about where we make our money on draft day anyways… if not do you see us just cutting him? And in closing, I think we pick up Plaxico on one year (let me see it) contract with an option for a second.
    Gentlemen, I’m off to bed, have a good day today. GOD PLEASE let it be a good day!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!

  • http://Website mcud

    @Tommy

    Ok. Here is mine:

    Kolb to Arizona for a 2012 1st and a 2013 2nd rounder.
    Trade a 5th for Haynesworth
    If you get Albert, trade Mike Patterson

    FA Signings:

    SAM – Bradley
    P – Rocca

    QB – Matt Hasselbeck
    RB – Reggie Bush
    C – Lyle Sendlein
    DE – Mathias Kiwanuka
    CB – Johnathan Joseph

    I’d make a call to both Plax and Randy Moss, and see what kind of role/contract they’d require.

    One inquiry I would make is to Green Bay re: JerMichael Finley. They just won a Super Bowl without him, and he’d go a long way to solving some of our RZ problems, as he is a matchup nightmare. Personally, I’m worried about Celek going forward as our only proven TE. He didn’t exactly have the best year after his extension, looks out of shape, and his best friend is about to be traded.

    I didn’t include Nnamdi because some team is probably going to throw stupid money at him. If he can be had for 12 million per, then I’ll pick him up at the airport myself, if he’ll let me.

  • http://none will

    shipley? you been drinkin’ ?

  • http://Website Ted Thompson

    @mcud
    Are you serious about Jermichael Finley? The guy is a potential game changing force at TE. It would take alot to pry him away.

  • http://Website nzflyer

    Jermichael Finley is a long shot. Im talking worlds best sniper long shot. The type of impact he has, they will keep to increase their chances of going back to back. If he has another injury this year, he could be had next year but still at a pretty steep cost.

    My FA :

    Kolb for DRC and a 3rd(conditional to 2nd)
    Jake Delhomme(think he would be more willing than Hasslebeck)
    Cadillac or Portis(not fussed)
    Fat Al or Plax (one or the other, two might be a stretch for our locker room)
    Babin(no way we splash for Johnson)

    That’s in no particular order.

  • http://Website ATG

    My post-pudding reactions:

    Kolb for 1st and 3rd ( I couldn’t see trading our 1st rounder for DRC with the guys available on the market, why would I want to give up a 1st that could be ours for him?)

    Nnamdi – I know he will be expensive. I want to see the historical CB pairing. Also, being named Aaron, I want another guy to add to our collection of guys whose name start with a double letter (Lloyd). Beyond Nnamdi, I don’t have strong opinions on most of the other guys, but someone solid would be good enough.

    Bush – I don’t get our obsession with a big running back to “compliment” Shady. To me, that guy is the full back. I want a back-up that can actually back up Shady. If he misses a couple of games, I want the back-up to be able to run the same plays. Bush gives us a lot of that, plus all the extra weapon options.

    I am not big on Babin. Didn’t he get shown the door because he was one of the locker room attitude problem guys – only worried about personal stats or something? When you make a statement by weeding those guys out, you don’t bring them back after they do well somewhere else.

    Haynesworth I am okay with giving a low-risk shot. Plax too, although I wouldn’t call it giving him a shot…

    I had hoped the Eagles would have gotten Poz out of the draft, and I am not a big college football fan. I’d be pleased if we got him now.

    I am not all that concerned with who holds the clipboard. They will NOT see the field…ever…period…at all…

    Tommy – no hopes for Teo or Sapp in the new wide-9?

    Sam – Mudd did okay with a center that wasn’t highly touted before. I have nothing against an upgrade, but if Mudd really likes Shipley, when there are two guys on the team who have started, maybe he thinks he already found his upgrade. How is that for speculating on the speculation? Boy, do we need some actual moves to discuss.

  • http://Website mcud

    @Ted Thompson

    Coming off a knee injury. Didn’t make the team happy with his comments re: team picture for Super Bowl. FA after next season. Thompson loves draft picks, and has shown a willingness to let guys walk. Quarless played well in Finley’s absence. Finley is going to want best TE in the league $.

    It will come down to what they decide to do with Donald Lee, but if they let him walk, its worth a phone call.

  • http://Website nzflyer

    @ATG

    The reason want a big RB to compliment shady is because there will be defenses who will be able to minimize his ability. We had problems on short yardage 3rd down situations. And i’d like someone who can get 2 the hard way. I’m not against getting Bush, but I’m sure we can find a cheaper alternative to do what Shady does, and post draft reports have that the RB we drafted from Pitt is in the same mould as Shady, so serving as a back up I think would be fine.

  • http://Website ATG

    @nzflyer
    I understand the desire to be able to line up when the defense knows you are running right at them and succeed. I just don’t believe our system is going to find a guy that we can run off the sidelines to be Peyton Hillis 6 times a game.

    I don’t see the big back idea working in spot duties. A big back is successful on 3rd and 2 because he wears down the defense throughout the game.

    We keep trying to find that big back and keep failing. I don’t think we need a different back to get two yards, just a hole and a different mindset. How many times did we actually run on 3rd and 2 and fail? How many times was Shady the reason?

  • http://Website McG

    +1000 pts for ATG for his comment about Plax

  • http://Website nzflyer

    @ATG

    Good point. I think we haven’t run up the middle on those 3rd and 2s largely due to our inability personnel wise to do so. I mean look at that 4th and 1 play against the giants, yeah Shady took it to the house, but for teams who have a hillis, or a Michael Turner, they wouldve ran that strait up the middle. My point is that come game time I want to be able to show something different, runs to the inside, runs off the edge. And as much as Shady is willing and able, I’d prefer on a short yardage situation that we have a big back who can not only scrape the yards, but take the damage aswell. Shady running up the middle when everyone is zeroing in on him isn’t my ideal situation.

    And I’m not even saying we go for a one dimensional big back, a guy like portis(who I personally like) who can gring but also has the ability to break off a big run is my preference. I don’t even know if what I’m saying makes sense or if you consider it a valid argument. I’m not against what your saying, I just feel Lewis can do that job your wanting, and we can get someone who brings something a lil different to the table through FA.

  • http://Website Finn-Eagle

    http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Higher-Education-The-best-third-down-running-ba?urn=nfl-wp2558

    If we sign Cadillac, we`d be unstoppable on third down.

    I like Tommy`s plan alot. I want reinforcements on D-line. It is time to get Trent some help.

  • http://Website McG

    Ok so maybe I’m willing to reconsider the Charles Johnson mantra… a bit…

    Obv. I’m ok with Babin if Washburn green lights him.

    But…

    What do you think about Dave Ball (Ten)? I would assume the only way we would bother to grab him would be as a band aid waiting for Graham to recover, but if Washburn likes him and thinks he can produce approx 7 sacks again, he could be worth signing to challenge for a spot.

  • http://Website McG

    If we traded Mike Patterson (assuming a signing of Albert H.) what kind of compensation would we get? I’m thinking he is worth at least a 4th rounder…

    Compensation for Kolb should be at least “schaub” worthy… 1st and 4th… I would be o.k. with DRC plus a 3rd or a 4th or… gasp as some have suggested Vontae Davis plus a 4th.

    We could end up with some real firepower in the middle rounds of the 2012 draft.

  • http://Website McG

    It’s late, and I’m having weird ideas now…

    Did I just read that the transition tags will still hold up? If so do we hold David Akers for ransom? By my count there are at least 5 teams who could benefit from a Pro Bowl kicker… I would hate to see us toy with Akers like that, but we do have a 90 man roster at the moment.

  • http://Website bubqr

    Ike Taylor:
    How can any CB in a team with the best pass rushing duo and the best DCoordinator in the league can be underrated ?
    Honestly, I’m shocked by the love shown for him, who is a 31 years old CB who used to play for a team that could generate a ton of pressure.
    Some reasoning I read is “we’re going to play a ton of zone, and he excels in that area” – If so, why thinking of getting DRC, who is a lot closer to Antonio Cromartie than Ronde Barber ? Or Nnamdi ?

    Babin makes a lot of sense, for the reasons you state. However, T.Cole is/will be pushing for a new deal. He’s really underpaid – so I wouldn’t take that “contract side” much into consideration, he will be negotiating anyway.
    Also, we have to wonder when he’ll start to break down (considering his overuse/style of play). I do think B.Graham is our future at RE, and that means C.Johnson/R.Edwards could still be legit LDE targets.
    Poz will be really expensive, I think too expensive for a MLB.

    Special Teams:
    If we sign Plax, and Cadillac, they might both take up the spots of Riley Cooper and E.Buckley, who are both regular ST players, who will replace them ?
    I don’t see Caddy or Plax covering kicks…

  • http://Website Davesbeard

    I’m pretty sure there was an article on running backs effectiveness on either PFF or FO that showed Leseans 3rd and short effectiveness as right up there with the top 10 in the League. I definitely don’t remember it being anywhere near the problem last year it was the years before.

    I agree with whoever it was who said earlier that with the way we use Shady our number two needs to be able to replace him in the offence, the third back can be a good special teamer and compliment. Shady is so key to our offence we have to someone similar to slot in. I guess Dion Lewis isn’t far from that (potentially)

  • http://Website GermanEagle

    Great write-up Tommy (as always).

    However I am afraid that your ideal scenario of getting DRC AND a 2nd rounder is a bit far-fetched. In fact we’ll be lucky if we get a conditional 4th round pick along with DRC for Kolb.

    I’d rather have Bush instead of the Cadillac, but I might be biased as Cadillac Williams was a total nightmare for my FF team last year.

    Also I don’t know if I could sleep well with those three young guys at Safety. I know re-signing Q is as likely as getting bit twice by a shark in your lifetime, but the Eagles need veteran insurance at SS in my honest and humble opinion.

    Speaking of Favre: I’d only be interested if we can get the sexy girl he was stalking in the package.

  • http://Website nzflyer

    @bubqr

    As effective as Shady may be in short yardage situations, doesn’t mean I want him doing it full time. Just the same as desean with Punt returns. Alot(probably most) teams now no longer have one feature back, they have as they say a RB ‘commitee’. Now I want Shady to get the bulk of our carries, heck, I want him to get more carries. But not those short yardage up the middle yards where he has D Linemen and LBs diving in at him. I keep having flashes of Westbrook getting knees to his helmet and I don’t want Lesean subject to that. And as you mentioned(I did earlier as well), If we want a backup to do what Shady can, look no further than Lewis. That’s why I want a bigger back, to add another dimension to it.

  • http://guitarlogistics.blogspot.com B

    Tommy –

    Great article as always but you need to take of the beer goggles when it comes to Babin and Big Al.

    No way I want either of them on the new team. The only drama on the new team is Djax (and he wants to win so I am good with it).

    Babin wants to get paid like a star. He didn’t fit in the locker room when he was here cause he is worried about stats. And he said “If the price is right I would come back to Phili” Please Mr. Babin don’t waste my time with your lack of talent and self inflated worth….

    Big Al would be fine if he comes to work (And I mean Titans type work). BUT I don’t trust Shannananigans as far as I can throw him. He will find a way to stick it to us to get Big Al. Shanannagins is a cheater and a wormy little dude… he is not going to let us have Big Al.

    Lastly I am not sold on Winston Justice as RT. I miss mean old Runyan… and I would love to see someone with attitude at RT. I know Watkins projects as a Gaurd but it would be nice to have him or Herremans man that RT. Just saying.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Sam

    @mcud

    When Mudd found Jeff Saturday, did he bring him off the street to be a starter? Or did he bring him to camp and have Saturday exceed his expectations? My guess is the latter. That’s hitting the lottery more than being smart. We’ll see, but I think it is highly unlikely that Mudd just happened to land on a team with the best possible center candidate for his system on the practice squad.

  • http://Website McG

    @bubqr

    Special teams are not as vital as they used to be… Punt return coverage is critical, but with a good punter, it’s not an enormous concern. Kick off return coverage is basically a non-issue at this point (for this year at least). We have a large number of young line backers who will form the bulk of our special teams, and we will again be carrying “fast ball” type DEs and extra DBs so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It may be a concern if we have no one from the offense contributing… But even that’s not totally realistic since we have at least one back up TE and Jason Avant is willing to mix it up. I doubt that Dion Lewis would be a special teams deamon, but you never know… the kid has probably never even had a chance to play special teams.

  • http://Website McG

    @ Sam

    It may have been winning the lottery with Saturday… but don’t rule out the fact that Mudd retired and voluntarily came back to coach with a team and knew exactly what he was going to have available… Not to mention the fact that I’m sure he had some level of input on the new draft picks.

  • http://Website izzylangfan

    Great Article.

    I hope the Eagles are thinking like you. If we are able to add Haynesworth plus another good pass rusher, then Washburn gets a little more production out of the other guys, we get a quality middle linebacker to anchor the athletic youthful LB core and a quality CB; then we are going to mess up a lot of QBs. That would make for a crushing defense, one that would allow less than JJs goal of 17 pts per game.

  • http://Website McG

    Oh and while we’re talking retired QBs… why not just bring back Randall Cunningham? Or I remember Troy Aikman saying during an Eagles game last season that if he had the rules and blocking schemes of today’s game that he could still be playing… :p

  • http://Website mcud

    @Sam

    I didn’t mention Saturday or Shipley. I think Sendlein would be a good fit for us at C, but I admit I payed more attention to him in college than I have since he’s been at Arizona.

    Maybe i’m not understanding your post…

  • http://Website Eric

    I’m kind of surprised more people are not high on AQ. I’m a Penn State fan, so I am a little bias, but AQ always reminded me of Jeff Saturday. They are similar in size. One commenter said he doesn’t want a 7th rounder starting. Well, Saturday was undrafted, didn’t even get an invite to the Combine.

    The other thing is Mike Mayock loved him. When the Steelers drafted him he said something along the lines of this guy will be starting for the Steelers for the next 10 years. Obviously he was wrong, but maybe he got the wrong PA city.

  • http://Website will

    shipley is shorter then saturday and no quicker or stronger than jackson or mcglynn. he was a practice squad guy on two different teams for a reason. highly unlikely he’s an eagle this season. i can see kelce taking his spot on the practice squad.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Sam

    @mcud
    Sorry, I meant to write that to ATG.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Sam

    @McG

    He came back to the Eagles because he was so hyped up about AQ Shipley? That’s the guy Tommy is projecting as the starter. And I’m sorry, Mudd doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. If you can’t work with the guys who have proven to be good NFL players, you don’t settle for long shots if you have the opportunity to find other good NFL players that you can work with. If he’s settling for Shipley and Kelce, he’s failing to put the team in the best possible situation to be successful.

    This situation just seems like it is the classic Eagles “ignore it” strategy, like FB in 2008, backup TE in 2006, et al.

    If a guy didn’t make any team for two years, it is not a good idea to project him as a starter. Jamaal was put as a starter at center only because Hank Fraley got hurt. He worked out, fortunately. Fraley started for the same reason — the guy in front of him got hurt, so they had to try somebody.

    This isn’t about saying Shipley can’t possibly be good. It is about saying he probably isn’t good. Why are you playing long odds? Get guys more likely to succeed and let Shipley prove he is better. So far, he hasn’t beaten anyone out in his first two years in the league. It seems pretty optimistic to be expecting him to win a backup job this year, let alone be the top guy.

    Jeff Saturday was a backup for a year before starting. Nice story, but it wasn’t like he walked in off the street to man the middle of the line. He developed and earned the job over time.

    Look, I can’t think of anyone who has had as much success making a low-pedigree guy into a legit NFL center as Juan Castillo. But he didn’t exactly have AQ Shipley high on his depth chart last year.

    I can’t believe anyone is high on AQ Shipley. Nice college player. But there is nothing special about him. Hopefully I am wrong, and Mudd knows what he’s doing (or I’m right and they are planning to bring in a center that is more likely to be successful for Mudd than Shipley) but if it looks like he’s planning to walk away from Jamaal and McGlynn, as Tommy suggests, there had better damned well be someone else walking in that door.

  • http://Website B

    @ Sam

    Agreed…

    Frankly I am not sold on the OL from Center to the right. The only piece that seems like it makes any sense is Watkins.

    In my book C, RG, RT are all up for grabs. Watkins should win one of those positions.

  • http://Website Name

    From ProFootballWeekly.com – Thoughts?

    “Texans DT Amobi Okoye

    People tend to forget that he is only 24 years old. That’s where you start with Okoye, who has started all but six games in his four years in the NFL but has yet to break out the way some people expected him to.

    Really, the expectations were unreal to begin with when he entered the league at age 20 and had a two-sack game as a rookie in Week Two at Carolina, his second NFL contest, and sacks in each of the next two games.

    What could hold him back this season is the team’s switch to a 3-4 scheme, which either makes him a nose tackle, a five-technique or a bench player. If the Texans move on and don’t get anything for Okoye, be sure to keep an eye on where he lands.

    One personnel evaluator suggested, “what he needs is a DL line coach to whip his (tail) and light a fire under it, a real old-school guy.” Then that talent could come out — and thrive.
    “

  • http://Website McG

    I’m not making the case that Mudd came out of retirement because he was peeing his pants with excitement over Shipley. That is a gross overstatement on your part.

    What I am stating is the FACT that Mudd knew the situation. If Mudd didn’t like Jam Jax or McGlyn I would be willing to bet my entire savings account that it came up during conversation at some point (obviously).

    I know that I am not going to convince you that Kelce is the long term solution but here are some actual facts for you and others to consider. To sum for those who don’t want to take the time to look… (spoiler alert!) Kelce ranks in or around the top 10 for O-line in: 40 yrd dash, verticle jump, long jump, 20 yd shuttle, and 3 cone drill. He earned the fastest 40 and 3 cone times.

    http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011-nfl-combine-results-offensive-linemen/

    Some of that is obviously attributable to the other fact that he is 20-30 lbs lighter than the other guys.

    So to do a “control” for the weight variable you can compare his stats to those of D-linemen (who seem to have a tendency to have more raw athletic ability). He ranks 21st in 40 yd dash and vertical jump. 26th in long jump, and 2nd in 20 yd shuttle. (I was unable to get the website to display the d-line’s 3 cone times).

    The D-line athlete that he “matches” athletically seems to be Adrian Clayborn (whom you may recall was drafted 20th overall).

    Again, I am not trying to convince you that he is the savior of the offensive line, but rather making an attempt to increase general awareness that Eagles fans don’t need to start jumping off buildings due to the fact that we may have an open competition at the Center position of our o-line during the short training camp.

  • http://none will

    with each passing day of this labor nonsense the chances any rookie making a significant contribution diminishes.

  • http://none will

    despite all those impressive statistics kelce was a very late round pick. lots of guys look good on paper but can they play ?

  • http://igglesblitz.com Sam

    @McG

    Nobody is jumping off of buildings if there is an open competition. It’s if the players competing are not good enough that is worrisome.

    Kelce went in the 7th. You can cry “steal” all you want, the reality is that 7th rounders to not typically ever become full time starters, no matter what their measurables.

    From 1999-2009, Howard Mudd’s tenure with the Colts, an outstanding drafting team, here is a list of players taken in the 5th or later and how many career starts they had:

    Year Round Player (NFL Starts)
    1998 7 Aaron Taylor (0)
    2000 5 Matt Johnson (0)
    2001 7 Rick DeMulling (53)
    2003 6 Makoa Freitas (6)
    2004 5 Jake Scott (105)
    2005 5 Robert Hunt (0)
    2006 5 Michael Toudouze (1)
    2006 6 Charlie Johnson (54)
    2008 6 Steven Justice (1)
    2008 7 Jamey Richard (11)
    2009 7 Jaimie Thomas (0)

    It’s pretty impressive that three of those guys have become full time starters in the NFL. But that’s still just 3/11, or 27%. And of those three, only Scott became a starter in his rookie year.

    The expectations have to be realisitic. If Jason Kelce starts in the NFL, it will be impressive. If he starts successfully as a 7th round rookie for the Eagles, it will be the most impressive draft pick/performance for Howard Mudd since at least 1999. I have no problem having him in place to learn and hope for the future. But counting on him to do jack in 2011 is crazy, no matter how bright you hope his future is.

  • http://Website D3Keith

    Old thread, nobody may even check my reply, but:

    Kelce went in the 6th.

    Haynesworth can’t slack; if he does, Washburn will play Laws/Bunk/Dixon/Patt instead.

    I like both Tarvaris and a healthy Winston Justice.

    Would LOVE Jermichael. Almost as much as Nnamdi.

    Nobody was talking up Charles Johnson a month ago. A lot of new names in the mix (Poz, Portis, Cadillac) so at least these threads are fun.

  • http://igglesblitz.com Tommy Lawlor

    I read everything Keith. And a few others are on a staggered pace as well as you. Your comments don’t fall on deaf ears.

  • http://Website Tracer Bullet

    I know I’m late, but damn, Tommy. Delhomme?! He didn’t struggle, he was abysmal. He was so bad the Panthers decided Clausen and Matt Moore were better options. He lost his job to the less-than-spectacular Colt McCoy. No, no, no.