OT: What now? The Eagles...
Just a little running thread I am thinking about doing about each team that loses in the playoffs and what their moves are in the off-season. Hope it catches on. If not well....no use crying over spilled milk.
The Eagles:
QB: It would be seen crazy for them to get rid of McNabb but they have to start thinking if they should start with the Kevin Kolb era (there is a reason they drafted him in the 2nd round, very good QB at Houston) and get what they can from teams desperate for QBs. If he does end up on the trade market, the Browns, Raiders, 49ers, Dolphins, and Bills would probably give up many draft picks and a player or two to get McNabb. Michael Vick will be gone. Teams will be interested in him and the Browns, Redskins, and Dolphins might be looking towards signing Vick given the QB situation of the Browns (but who knows how he might be received in the Dawg Pound!) and the Dolphins because of their use of the wildcat and an average QB to help him out.
Crazy Prediction: McNabb will be gone. The Eagles need to get better defensively (which I will discuss later) and need to re-build that offensive line. What teams will give up for McNabb is intriguing and if the right offer comes along, you can bet he is gone.
RB/FB: They have talent in this spot, but it's wasted by Andy Reid's play calling. I'm not one who screams "RUN THE BALL! WE NEED TO RUN! BE A SMASHMOUTH TEAM!" but I do understand that you need to have runners who consistently get positive yardage running the ball and who are good pass blockers and you need to use them to help keep the defense on it's toes. Also, what do you do with Westbrook who is going to be in his 2nd year of a 5 year $32 million extension?
Slap of Reality: Nothing is going to change with Reid. The Eagles will not run the ball and waste more talent at the RB position. Westbrook might stay.
WR: Talent all around. But again, Reid's play calling and McNabb's play really hurt them against the Cowboys. Always going for the 20+ yard play. They never used Avant in the slot (and when they did they never went to him) and Curtis has been injured for the better part of 2 seasons now and is up there in age. Maclin shows promise but he did not pan out in the slot as some had hoped. They need a slot receiver to help them if they are going to be so pass happy.
Slap of Reality: Kevin Curtis is probably gone and Avant will be put in the slot with Maclin and Jackson on the outside.
TEs and O-line: Celek is a great receiver but as a blocker, he leaves a lot to be desired. The TE's other then Celek also did not do that well against the pass rush. The O-line is hurting. They gave up 38 sacks this season (35 on McNabb) and you have to wonder how many more they would have given up if McNabb didn't have the ability to avoid the rush. Stacy Andrews did not turn out to be the stud they hoped and the injury to Jackson was more severe then they thought given how poor Cole played at center.
Defense: Their defense was average against the run but very good at rushing the QB (44 sacks). They do live and die by the blitz though and when a good rushing team faces them, they get annihilated. Their pass defense is extremely mediocre and like the Saints pass defense, they rely heavily on turnovers, otherwise, they get torched. Their safeties are also atrocious and the loss of Dawkins really hurt this team. How much of the defenses faults are on them or the playcalling though?
Slap of reality: At the end of the day, the Eagles need to get better at covering receivers and not relying so much on the sack or turnover. They have talent with their front 7, but they need a cover corner and will probably get one from the draft (Brandon Ghee or Perrish Cox, Kyle Wilson is interesting but he is just like the CBs they have now) and they need a safety. The play calling needs to stop depending so much on the blitz. Otherwise, Dallas will run them over in the NFC East for a while.
Final Prediction: McNabb will be traded only if the right offer comes along. Gone are the days of "McNabb is our guy" and in are the days of "McNabb is our guy unless you have something better to offer". As I said, given the pressing needs at QB for some teams, they would go all in to get McNabb. Vick will also be gone. He went to Philly to lower his profile and ease back into a starting role in 2010. His talents are attractive enough to teams like the Browns and Dolphins (I will say if Vick goes to either of those teams, they will look like an attractive offense on paper). I would put the Redskins in there but I don't think Vick wants to go to a team with that much pressure and media attention in 2010.
Westbrook will stay as I feel that the Eagles FO won't have the heart to trade him and this was just not his year. Through the draft, the Eagles will look to upgrade their secondary and offensive line. Kevin Curtis will probably be traded as well with his injury plagues the past two seasons and Avant being the younger of the two.
Opinions?
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Last edited by Boots Electric; 01-10-2010 at 02:48 AM..
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