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From the secret treasures of ESPN:
Eagles on the right track
posted: Saturday, March 17, 2007
filed under: Philadelphia Eagles
As of this writing, Philadelphia is the best team in the NFC East -- assuming Donovan McNabb comes back strong. The NFC is there for the taking and Philadelphia very well could be the team to take advantage of the conference's mediocrity in 2007. The Eagles finished the 2006 season strongly, until losing a tight game in New Orleans in the second round of the playoffs. The Eagles should be back next year in a big way.
Although they started slowly in free agency, the Eagles recently landed WR Kevin Curtis, a major addition to their offense and a replacement for Donte' Stallworth. Curtis is a great fit. He is very smart and will adjust to the offense quickly.
He has underrated speed and is good with the ball in his hands. Philadelphia could probably use another wide receiver, but Reggie Brown is primed to take another step forward in his development and the coaches are also high on their younger guys. They also brought back RB Correll Buckhalter to take some pressure off star RB Brian Westbrook. Philadelphia also boasts a strong offensive line.
This combination, along with exceptional coaching and play calling makes the entire unit efficient and dangerous. Usually a pass-happy offense, only seven teams had more passing attempts per game than Philadelphia did in 2006. The Eagles also averaged 4.8 yards per carry and got excellent offensive production late in games. This shows their improved offensive balance and great timing calling run plays. The Eagles were outstanding on first downs and also in third-and-long situations.
As long as McNabb comes back and isn't hindered by his injury, the Eagles will be in great shape on offense, but there are a few areas they could still look to strengthen on draft day. The Eagles could use a developmental quarterback in the middle rounds to groom as McNabb's backup. Drafting a big, strong runner to compete with the injury-prone Buckhalter also makes a lot of sense. Someone like Tony Hunt, Brian Leonard or Chris Henry could catch their eye in the second round.
Also, if the right receiver is there, the Eagles still could pull the trigger on a player like Robert Meachem, Anthony Gonzalez, Craig Davis, Sidney Rice, Steve Smith or Jason Hill with their top two picks. Meachem in particular could be too enticing to pass up with the 26th pick in round one. As far as their offensive needs go, they are in an enviable position now where they will not have to reach for any specific area and can just pounce on a player who presents excellent value.
The outlook on defense isn't as rosy, but the unit should be improved from last season. The Eagles simply must do a better job against the run and surely will address this issue in the draft. They allowed 136.4 yards per game on the ground, and 4.5 yards per carry in 2006.
The loss of DE Jevon Kearse forced Philadelphia's other defensive ends to play too many snaps and also hurt from a pure pass-rushing standpoint. MLB Jeremiah Trotter is aging and isn't the player he once was. He has less range and overall playmaking ability than ever.
Philadelphia's 2006 first-round pick, DT Brodrick Bunkley, struggled to get playing time and contributed very little. He is a very talented player who the Eagles absolutely must get more from in 2007. If he develops as they hoped he would when they drafted him, Bunkley and Mike Patterson could be a very disruptive interior duo.
Bunkley's development also would lighten Patterson's load, and keep the smaller defensive tackle fresh. This defense needs more playmakers overall, as FS Brian Dawkins might be the only guy who consistently makes the big play.
The Eagles need at least one linebacker, depth in their secondary, and if the right guy is available, another pass rushing defensive end to use in their rotation. Anthony Spencer or Jarvis Moss might be right up their alley and would fit right in without having to play a ton of snaps in their rookie season.
Philadelphia should have plenty of options at linebacker. They are not pigeonholed into taking an outside or inside guy, and they could probably use one of each. In the top rounds of the draft, expect them to pursue guys such as MLB Patrick Willis, who should already be gone, Brandon Siler and David Harris.
Outside linebackers who might spark some interest include Lawrence Timmons, Paul Posluszny, John Beason and Rufus Alexander. The Eagles always put a premium on the cornerback position and could snatch up someone like Aaron Ross or Darrelle Revis in round one, even though they don't necessarily need a starting corner. A bigger safety like Sabby Piscitelli or Aaron Rouse would be a nice addition to use near the line of scrimmage, provide depth and contribute immediately on special teams.
The Eagles might also look for a stout run-plugging defensive tackle in the middle rounds. With the exception of needing a playmaking linebacker, the Eagles will be patient and take the player highest on their board, instead of reaching for need.
Overall, this is an excellent organization with bright, proven decision makers and a strong talent base. They are in very good shape for this time of the year and have an opportunity to improve upon their impressive 2006 season. Of course, if McNabb is watching from the sidelines, all of this could be for not. But, as it stands, Philadelphia looks like a playoff team and maybe much more.
Let me get this straight:
The Birds need their DT's to live up to their potential, may need 2 LB's in the "early" rounds, need another top 5 CB prospect, a top 5 WR prospect, need a good DE and a middle round QB, but are poised to be great?
That many ifs that have to fall into place are akin to Reid giving up bacon double cheeseburgers, Spuds being critical of the organization, McNabb forgiving the people who boo'ed him at the draft, etc.
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