If you read our Eagles’ posts, you know that I am not a person who resents the Eagles current management. I appreciate greatly the playoff runs we have had, and I think that for the most part, they do an excellent job of keeping us in contention. But even for an optimist like me, there is no way I can defend what they are doing right now – or more accurately, what they are not doing.
Going into this off-season, I think most fans who followed the Eagles closely knew that the Birds were a worse football team than their record indicated. They didn’t beat a single playoff team all year, and got dominated twice by the Cowboys, who were then dominated themselves by the Vikings, making us look even worse.
We have a laundry list of needs: Safety, Linebacker, Defensive End, Offensive Line, Running Back, Cornerback. Frankly, we could improve at every position except maybe QB, WR and TE.
So what have we done since FA opened? Absolutely nothing. Instead of trying to get all my current gripes into paragraph form, I’m going to bullet-point it.
- Not taking advantage of an uncapped year: Usually, the Eagles can justify some of the moves they make by stating their history of quality cap management. In the past, we’ve trusted them because they were one of the few teams to put a contender on the field year after year. This year? We all know there is no cap. We all know you can front-load the crap out of contracts and not hurt your future. We know that the Eagles could not possibly be making more money unless they raise ticket prices. We all know there were several quality players out there at positions of need (Julius Peppers, Antrel Rolle, Karlos Dansby, Dunta Robinson, Aaron Kampman) and by all reports the Eagles did nothing but make weak attempts at Peppers and Kampman. I’ve always said you can’t call the Eagles cheap when they work in a league with a hard cap, but this year there is no cap, and they are acting like there still is one.
- Not taking advantage of our QB situation: I’ve already stated that I think it’s finally time to trade Donovan while he still has high value. It’s quite simple, there is no point in going into the season with 3 starting QBs. They showed that they have no idea how to use Vick efficiently, and Kevin Kolb showed us enough that he isn’t a huge downgrade from McNabb. Trade McNabb for a 1st round pick, keep Vick and Kolb, and find a way to use Vick better – then trade Vick once he’s shown his value. Reports are that everyone but Andy Reid knows this is a good idea. Obviously there is time to still make a trade, but I just don’t see McNabb going anywhere.
- Releasing Will Witherspoon: How does a team get better at a position of need? By releasing a starter of course! I don’t care if Witherspoon isn’t worth the $5 million he was due. Again, it’s an uncapped year so the salary doesn’t matter and you need depth at that position. Even if he’s a back-up he has value considering how often our LB’s seem to get hurt.
- Playing with fire with Vick: Right now, after picking up Vick’s bonus, it looks like the Eagles are going to keep all 3 QB’s. Vick was very well behaved in his return to the NFL, but this off-season he’s making noise about how he wants to start (he should want to start). If we bring back all 3, he’s going to have the same, non-impact, limited role he had last year, and he’s going to view it as a wasted year (he’s about to turn 30, and he’s not getting any younger) and he might start to cause some discord. I don’t think I’d blame him.
- Overvaluing their own roster: The lack of moves and lack of urgency by the front office shows me that they think they are good as is and can simply improve in the draft. I personally think that this team is a 9-7 level squad right now against a balanced schedule and that if they are keeping McNabb and not rebuilding, they needed someone to help NOW. You can build through the draft (obviously), but draft picks aren’t always impactful, especially defensive ones drafted by us. Who is the last defensive draft pick for us that had an impact in their first year?
Now it’s time for the counter argument…
- It’s Early: Though the big name free agents might be gone, we still have the assets and draft picks to get something done. Also, there is plenty of time to trade McNabb, though I really don’t see it happening.
- The other “Gold Standards” stood pat as well: None of the best franchises in the league (New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis) did anything in Free Agency. Perhaps there is something I am missing with my logic/understanding of the uncapped year.
- Re-signed Weaver and Avant: Both great team guys, and it’s great to see them here long term.
I liked what the Eagles did last year in the off-season, but this year they are moving in the wrong direction.
What I would have done if I were the Eagles?
- Sign Julius Peppers to a very front-loaded contract that doesn’t hurt long term cap space. Also sign Chester Taylor. Essentially do what the Bears did. If Peppers demands were too ridiculous, grab Aaron Kampman.
- Trade McNabb for a 1st and 4th to anyone who will bite – use both of our first round picks to trade up and select Eric Berry, the best safety prospect in a long time.
- Keep Will Witherspoon.
- Use the rest of the draft to add depth to OL and CB.
- Trot out of 2010 defense of…
DE: Trent Cole
DT: Broderick Bunkley
DT: Mike Patterson
DE: Julius Peppers
LB: Will Witherspoon
LB: Stewart Bradley
LB: Akeem Jordan
S: Eric Berry
S: Quintin Mikell
CB: Asante Samuel
CB: Sheldon Brown
Protect Kevin Kolb by running more with McCoy and Taylor, and use the quickness of our WR/TE core to emphasize shorter plays that get our athletes in space. Play Vick more to keep the defense on their toes. Keep the OLine healthy, and win the damn Super Bowl.
Easy as that? Probably not, but I like my way a whole lot better.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Pete, I usually agree with the things you say but not this time. Just because this is an uncapped year doesn’t mean the Eagles are about to become the Yankees, or the Redskins for that matter. Everyone knows in football that free agency is overrated. how often does a FA actually impact their team? The players have to learn a new system, might not fit into the Eagles system and they are usually old. Age is especially big this year considering 4th and 5th year FAs are now restricted rather than unrestricted.
I would love Peppers in midnight green, but $42M guaranteed? For a 30 year old guy who is known not to give 100%? That should look good in the locker room. Why don’t we put him with the $57M cornerback who doesn’t tackle.
While I don’t like that the Eagles have done nothing so far, I don’t see what they could have done. Chester Taylor got way too much money for a 3rd down RB. Aaron Kampman is coming off ACL surgery (or some knee injury). Didn’t we learn anything from Stacy Andrews? What is out there that could have helped? If there is anything for them to do, it is to follow last year’s blueprint and try to trade for players in their prime, not FAs past their prime. If they can trade McNabb for a defensive end, that would be fantastic. I like the idea of trading up for Berry. But there is nothing that could have been done over the weekend that I think they should have done. Peppers was not reasonable.
The one mistake the Eagles made so far was waiving Witherspoon. That makes no sense whatsoever. One day we will have a good LB. I hope.
Pete, I agree with you on Witherspoon. He might not be worth $5 million but it is not an outrageous price for a solid linebacker who did as good of a job of covering tight ends as we had had in the past. I disagree on your free agency thoughts though. While Peppers is talented I would not want to give up that kind of money for a guy who does not go 100% all the time. We could of had another Jevon Kearse situation. I also agree with Adam in that I wouldn’t want to go after a guy with ACL issues after what we went through with Stacey Andrews. Hopefully we can work a trade or get one of the good free agents that are available. Though its unlikely that they’ll sign a LB in free agency after being unwilling to pay Witherspoon I’d like to see them get a LB to go with Bradley, Jordan, and Gaither in free agency. Then I’d like them to do something like this in the draft:
1(24)- DE
2(55)- Saftety
3(70) from Seattle- RB
3(82)-Best available OL regardless of position
Per pe.com, Eagles trade Reggie Brown to Bucs for 2011 6th-round pick
Well there you go, the move that puts them over the edge. Good for Reggie. Hopefully he can become something other than a disappointment in Tampa.
Pete Im a redskins fan thats my number 1 team but i follow the eagles closely and always go for them to win cause my team is never in the playoff picture. I also agree with Adam the free agency period isnt all its cracked up to be. My team always spends the most money on free agency and it never really works out hell we got 100million haynesworth and he could only go 1 or 2 plays b4 needing a break. I personally have to give the eagles management the benefit of the doubt like u said there on point for the most part so lets wait and see what happens.
Adam -
If people agreed with me all the time, it would be boring!
I agree with you that FA is an overrated way to improve your team. You can’t rely on it as the #1 mode of improvement or else you become the Redskins.
However, this year is different, because you could essentially “rent-a-player” for the un-capped year and pay him an inordinate amount of money w/o hurting yourself (read this clip about the Peppers signing and how the Bears might cut him after this season)
It is my belief that the Eagles have this money – they are a total cash cow in this town – and that even if Peppers takes some plays off, he is an elite DE in this league and a 1 or 2 year rental would have worked out just fine. Same with Dansby or Rolle or Taylor (I’ll concede the ACL argument on Kampman).
I was trying hard not to comment because I said I will not pay them any attention anymore, but they really sucked me back in with the Reggie Brown trade. Did anyone else feel like that was a swift backhand from Big Red? I did. It was almost like he said, “oh you want us to make some moves because we haven’t done anything, here you go!” The only way I am okay with what they are doing is if they trade McNabb and Vick and draft like maniacs and use this year as transition. I am really okay with blowing it up. As long as Joe Banner gets caught on fire in the process…Literally.
they used the frontloading strategy on Avant. he signed for 5 years, $18 million – but is getting $7 million in 2010.
Pete-
interesting article about the bears situation…great job on their part for negotiating a deal like that. It’s funny I haven’t heard anything about the escape clause in year 2 from the Chicago media…
Please refer to this: http://footballoutsiders.com/stats/teameff
Phi: #3 in DVOA for the year
#10 in Offensive, #6 in Defensive
11 wins, 10.9 est wins
McNabb with 3,372 yards, 22Tds against only 9 INTs.
With all due respect, everyone everywhere is overreacting to the last 2 games of the season. Truly, those were terrible games, but I’m inclined to look at the entire season as a great success.
Next year, we will have Bradley back, along with year 3 for DJax, year 2 for Maclin, and a healthy McNabb. We will have a more experienced safety crew, more experienced DC, and the same core reinforced with whatever we get in the draft and FA. We are likely to trade Vick or Kolb for productive players or draft picks.
All in all, there is so little cause for the alarm and criticism I am hearing. We didn’t overpay for Peppers in an uncapped year. We didn’t trade any of our QBs for pennies on the dollar. We didn’t overpay an OK LB.
Note I am not picking on you, as your post is reasonable and moderate. But it must be repeated THE EAGLES HAD A GOOD TO GREAT SEASON LAST YEAR!!!!!!!! Remember that as the bases on which all criticism should start.
Thanks.
“THE EAGLES HAD A GOOD TO GREAT SEASON LAST YEAR!!!!!!!!”
Um, no. As Pete pointed out, the Eagles failed to defeat a single playoff team from either conference. How do you classify/justify this as a good to great season last year (all in CAPS)? Cool, we beat the Giants twice. Once where we gave up almost 50 points to them. The Giants missed the playoffs. We also lost to the Raiders, an abysmal team, and got crushed two weeks in a row at the end of the season by the Cowboys. Sure, FA is overrated, but you can’t actually believe that this team was good last year.
Dan -
Interesting link.
I’m not sure how you can be 19th in points allowed, and 12th in yards allowed and be considered the 6th best defense in the league.
Agree completely on Bradley – I wrote when he got hurt that on the “players we can’t afford to lose” list, he was #1.
To be clear on my point on Peppers et al. You can’t overpay in an uncapped year. There is no budget. There is no future cap implications. The question is whether or not you have the money. I assume they do/did – I could be wrong.
I agree that the Eagles had a good season last year, but I don’t think they were as good as their record, I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that.
Also, this article agrees that Samuel is by far the worst tackler in the NFL:
http://profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=132
Dan I don’t understand how you can call last year a good to great year? You dismiss the last two games like they were preseason games. They were the most meaningful games of the year. Both must wins to our biggest rival and they didn’t just lose. They were outplayed at all facets of the game and embarrassed. They showed me no reason why we should think they can compete with a team that got blown off the field the following week by a team that wound up losing themselves. So not only are they considered the 6th best team by all accounts from last year, but they aren’t even close to moving up at all.
Pete,
1) we played some pretty good offenses.
2) You can overpay if it causes your team to lose money even in an uncapped year, why didn’t the Phillies sign Lee and Halladay, and heck sign Bay while we were at it? It was an uncapped year for them, too.
Richie, I agree the Birds laid an egg the final 2 games of the year, but don’t forget they were close to unbeatable earlier in the year. IMHO, it was a case of peaking too early. Remember there was a team which lost rather badly in a must win game the final game of the ‘08 season to their hated rival. They managed to bounce back and beat said hated rival 3 times the next year, so maybe, just maybe, their fans overreacted to their final loss too, doing thing like calling for their HC head on a silver platter and claiming they would never win with their QB.
Ah well. I just look at the season as a whole, and can’t see anything but a very high quality team which matched up very poorly against a team which was very good. I think we’re looking at more of a recalibration than a retooling.
Eagles sign Marlin Jackson to compete at FS.