Eagles Landing

Aug 11, 2011

Eagles Landing with Phillip Holmes

“Going All In”: Philadelphia Eagles Off-Season Recap

After an exciting 2010 season, the Philadelphia Eagles eventually ran out of steam in a 60 minute nail-biting Wild Card game to the 2011 Super Bowl Champions the Green Bay Packers. Further review showed the Eagles were dominated at the line of scrimmage and in the defensive backfield in the disheartening loss. Eagles brass/front office were aware that even with arguably the most electrifying tandem in the NFL (Michael Vick & DeSean Jackson) as well as solid core group of young Eagles on the rise, this team if they were to capture what has been to date the ever so elusive Lombardi Trophy, would have to go out and improve the overall talent on this team. The Philadelphia Eagles quickly set their eyes and hopes on the upcoming offseason. With the current Collective Bargaining Agreement in limbo and an immanent lockout approaching, this offseason would not be like any other in recent history.

Reid’s philosophy in building a winning program has always been that great franchises are not built through free agency but built through the draft. This held true for the 2^nd year in a row as out were popular players such as: 5-time Pro Bowler David Akers, 1-timePro Bowler Quintin Mikell, former starter MLB Stewart Bradley (who once showed a lot of promise prior to back to back season ending injuries), former starter WLB Ernie Sims, former starter RCB Dimitri Patterson, formers starters Nick Cole and Max Jean Gilles, both role players who were thrust into starting roles do to the apparent lack of talent at RG.

With glaring holes now at RCB, RT, RG, LB, K and S many Eagles fans watched in excruciating anticipation of just who would the Eagles pick in the upcoming draft. The Eagles have been infamously known for keeping tight lips on the inner plans and operations of the franchise. With that said it was anybody’s guess on just who the Eagles would nab with the 23^rd pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. Big Red (as some of the locals like to refer to Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid) has always believed that a football game weather it be your kid’s pee wee league games or National Football League games, are one at the line scrimmage.

With Right Guard (much like the Linebacking core for that matter) having been for years much like the spinning merry-go-rounds we all played on as kids and knowing Andy’s infatuation with OL, no shocker that the Eagles selected with the 23^rd overall pick Guard Danny Watkins from Baylor. Solid pick, safe pick, a pick of need but definitely not the “sexy” pick a lot of Eagles fans clamored for with their 1^st rd draft pick.

The Eagles then go with a local product out of Temple University, Jaiquawn Jarrett, SS. I watched him play at Temple and Jarrett jumped out to me as one of those, smart, instinctive, great nose for the ball, power hitter type players however not the most athletic kid on the field.

Round 3 the Eagles went with a shocker and select CB Utah’s State Curtis Marsh. An athletic corner project, with a lot of potential but may or may not pan out in the NFL.

4^th Rd selections Oregon MLB Casey Mathews (brother of Pro Bowler Clay Matthews of the Packers). Strong football ties in family background Eagles hoping that some of those great football traits rub off their new rookie. K Alex Henery Nebraska.

5^th Rd RB Dione Lewis, Pittsburgh a Shady McCoy clone here. OL Julian Vandervelde Iowa,

6^th Rd OL Jason Kelce Cincinnati and Ohio State LB Brian Rolle

7^th Rd Uconn Greg Lloyd, LB and USC FB Stanley Havili

Synopsis: Not bad but not earth shattering as well. Some controversial picks in the 2^nd and 3^rd rd that did however fill needs for the Eagles. Eagles addressed starter at RG, check, a replacement for SS Quintin Mikell, who I might add has had a great here career as an Philadelphia Eagle, check, depth at OL, check, replacement for David Akers, check, speed and cover ability at LB, check. Potential backup for LeSean McCoy, check. Again not bad.

As the draft ended, head coach Andy’s Reid’s, general manger Howie Roseman’s, and president Joe Banner’ss grand plan became a little more evident and clear. For the second year in a row the Eagles have changed looks and have quietly, shhh.. “rebuilt” their roster in less than 2 years all the while still managing to continue their winning ways as NFC East champions and advancing to the playoffs.

After a solid draft where the Eagles filled holes at many key positions, it was now time to make a splash into free agency. All during the off season members of the Eagles front office( Howie Roseman and Andy Reid in particular) pleaded to fans to be patient and to rest assure that the Eagles front office had a definite plan and would be very aggressive in this FA period.

Saaay wait a min..somebody asks well what about the starting RCB position, you know, the position that was heavily targeted and repeatedly abused last season? Well prior to the NFL lockout Eagles brass planned on trading their back up QB Kevin Kolb for a high 1^st round lottery pick and possibly a 2^nd or 3^rd pick. Well once the CBA crumbled so to did the Eagles plan A for a replacement for a starting RCB through the draft. The opening of the new NFL season came and went. Many fans assumed that once the lockout was over the Eagles would immediately trade Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and a 1^st/2^nd rd pick. Days passed and after giving other teams an opportunity to best the current offer on the table, the Eagles traded Kolb to Arizona for CB DRC and a whopping 2^nd rd pick. Ladies and gentleman the Eagles may just have publicly gotten away with the steal of the decade. A starting former Pro Bowler and a 2^nd pick for an unproven QB(3-4 winning record as a starter) that is equipped with what many would call a suspect arm at best.

Anyone that has followed the Eagles knows that they’ve been looking for a consistent pass rusher opposite of Pro Bowler Trent Cole and an interior pass rusher from up the middle, for the last few years now… In comes DL help in premier free agent DE Jason Babin( 12 ½ sacks 2010) and DT/DE Cullen Jenkins 7 sacks 2010.

In what has to be one of the greatest signings in franchise history, the Eagles steal a page out of Ali’s book in a “shook up the world” type of signing by acquiring the highly touted CB Nnamdi Asomugha(say that 3x fast) formerly of the Oakland Raiders.

One of the questions coming into the FA period was just who will be the backup QB once the Eagles deal Kevin Kolb? Vince Young come on down. Eagles announce that they have signed the former Tennessee Titan who in 47 games as a starter finished with a 30-17 record.

Still not satisfied with their roster Eagles then add to their OL former Denver Broncos RT Ryan Harris to compete with the incumbent Winston Justice at the RT spot and Evan Mathis formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals to compete for a backup RG/LG spot.

The Eagles also announce they’ve signed Ronnie Brown the former Wildcat specialist in Miami and former Auburn tailback to a 1yr deal.

During a practice session in training camp, former 1^st Rd pick Mike Patterson and starter at DT, collapsed from what Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder diagnosed as an AVM (Arteriovenous malformation), a condition that is a result of blood vessels being tangled outside of the brain. Patterson was rushed to hospital where he later recovered and is doing well but at this time has not announced an immediate return to football.

Eagles then go out and sign DT Anthony Hargrove who was a key component(5 sacks) of the 2009 Super Bowl winning New Orleans Saints and DT Derek Landri 16 game starter of last year’s Carolina Panthers Team.

It’s been quite the thrill watching the Eagles front office strategically piece together what could be the makings of a 53 man Super Bowl champion roster, but make no mistakes about it, this roster is far from a finished product. Questions still remain as to how will starting rookie LB Casey Matthews handle the arduous task of leading the Eagles front seven from the MLB position after a much shorter off season for rookies due to the lockout. Will the Eagles go and sign a veteran MLB? How will the rookie K Alex Henery fair in the preseason games? Is there a need to sign a veteran there? Will the Eagles keep all three Pro Bowl CB’s they now have on their roster or is a trade currently in the works for possibly a Pro Bowl OL or DL? Questions, questions, question. This much is sure the Eagles have kept their word in being aggressive big players during this frenzy of an off season and will continue to scan the waiver wires and work the phones for trades to continue to improve what already is an impressive roster on paper. Stay tuned.