It's been a little while since the Eagles made some noise, but today, they certainly did that. As of 3:00 this afternoon, Brian Westbrook is no longer an Eagle, as he was released by the team today.
Ever since Duce Staley left the Eagles back in 2004, Westbrook was the main weapon on offense, both out of the backfield as a runner, as well as in the open field as a receiving threat. He could make moves on top of moves in his prime, and he actually led the NFL in yards from scrimmage back in 2007. He made the rest of the running game better, and was always a step or two away from breaking a big play.
However, time had not been kind to Westbrook, especially this last season. He never played a full 16 game regular season, as he always missed at least a game or two due to injuries, and this year, the wheels fell off. Westbrook was bothered by ankle and knee injuries, as well as suffering multiple concussions that allowed him to only play in eight games. Though he was only 5'8", Westbrook was also one of the best blocking running backs in the NFL, and he was one of the smartest players on the entire team. I'll never forget him taking a knee at the one yard line against Dallas two years ago.
He was also an explosive punt returner in the early part of his Eagles career, and even when he became the starter, Andy would still put him back there, every once and a while, just to keep opponents on their toes and make the fans think that he could break another big one, just like he did against the Giants back in 2003. The truth is, I could go on for hours about all that Westbrook did, but I'm not going to do that. It would take far too long, and, unfortunately, I think this was the right decision.
Last season, Westbrook clearly didn't have the same speed that he used to have, even before the concussions. When a smaller running back loses his speed, there isn't much left that he can do for a team. Add onto that the fact that he was supposed to make over $7 million next season, and it was a perfect storm for him to be let go. As much as it hurts to see him leave, and more than likely play in another city, it had to be done. He had just 274 rushing yards and a touchdown last season, and while LeSean McCoy could have benefited from another season of learning from Westbrook, I think he'll be fine as the starter coming into next season. As soon as the Eagles drafted McCoy, I thought the writing was on the wall that Westbrook would be gone sooner, rather than later.
For his entire college and professional career, Westbrook has been in Philadelphia. He starred at Villanova, and was probably Andy Reid's best pick ever in the draft, getting nabbed in the third round by the Eagles back in 2002 to do basically what LeSean McCoy is going to have to do now: replace a popular running back. In Westbrook's case, it was Duce Staley. The shoes are a little bigger for McCoy to fill, as Westbrook was, without a doubt, one of the most popular Eagles of this, or any other, era. He never got into trouble, his name was never in the papers unless it was about how he played, and he was one of the most explosive players that I've ever seen in his prime. It's going to hurt not seeing him in the backfield any more, or knowing the Donovan isn't going to have the swing pass to #36 out in the flat as an option, but the time was right to move on.
Best of luck to you for the rest of your career, Brian. I've got your jersey, and I'm going to keep wearing it for a long time to come.
Philly.com: Westbrook era over
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
This might be the most wonderful thing I've seen all year
Yes folks, as of today, pitchers and catchers are officially back at work for your two time NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies, and I've got a picture here of maybe the best thing that I've seen since the Eagles, you know...stopped playing well.
Photo thanks to TheFightins.com via @ToddZolecki
Oh yes, that's Roy Halladay, in a Phillies uniform, throwing off a mound. Needless to say, I can't wait for this season to get started, just by looking at this picture.
Oh, and if you look closely, you'll see Charlie Manuel, with his hands down his pants. It took me a while to notice that, I was too busy staring at Roy.
Photo thanks to TheFightins.com via @ToddZolecki
Oh yes, that's Roy Halladay, in a Phillies uniform, throwing off a mound. Needless to say, I can't wait for this season to get started, just by looking at this picture.
Oh, and if you look closely, you'll see Charlie Manuel, with his hands down his pants. It took me a while to notice that, I was too busy staring at Roy.
Monday, February 8, 2010
So, now what?
I'm sure most of you, as the numbers indicate, were watching Super Bowl XLIV last night as the New Orleans Saints took down the Indianapolis Colts for their first Super Bowl title, leaving the Eagles in the ranks of the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills as teams that have never won a Super Bowl. In fact, it's been 50 years now since the Eagles last won an NFL title. At this point, I'm not expecting a team that can challenge the Saints next season, but I would like to see one that can at least come closer to competing on their level. Let me tell you, watching the Eagles win their first Super Bowl title in Jerryworld next season would be the best memory I think I would ever have. Before the Eagles can get there, though, they have a lot of questions to answer.
Depending on what website you look at, the Eagles either have seven or eight picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and they have positions of need all over the field. I'm going to start on the offense, and this isn't just going to be about draft picks. This is what I think the team needs to do to improve on where they were this year.
Offense:
I might as well start at the top, right? According to some people, the Eagles have three quarterbacks that could start for this team: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Now, I think only two of them are going to be back next year, but it's just a matter of figuring out which two.
Let me get one thing clear right now: I don't think Donovan McNabb is going anywhere. Despite what people want to say about him, he is still a top level quarterback in the NFL. Do I trust him with the game on the line all the time? I can't say that I do, but I also didn't expect Peyton Manning to throw a game clinching interception with three minutes to play in the Super Bowl last night, so I'm going to call that one a wash. For what it's worth, McNabb is easily one of the best quarterbacks that the Eagles have ever had, and he played well this past season, throwing for 22 touchdowns and only ten interceptions. The legs aren't there like they used to be early in his career, but he can still run when he has to. He and Andy Reid are linked together forever in Philadelphia, and that's why I don't think he's going to go anywhere. However, there is a chance that he does get moved, but I can only see him going to two teams. Those two possible spots are either Minnesota, if Brett Favre retires, or Arizona. Both teams would have quarterback vacancies, and both areas are familiar to McNabb. Brad Childress, the former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, is the head coach for the Vikings, and McNabb works out in Arizona during the offseason. I'm not saying that the Eagles should trade McNabb at all, but I could see either of those places being likely if they did.
Then we get to the other two quarterbacks. Kevin Kolb looked good in his two starts this season, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record back to back 300 yard games in his first two starts. With that being said, he put those numbers up against the Chiefs and Saints, and at the time, the Saints weren't exactly known for their passing defense. Even so, Kolb looked worlds better than he did against the Baltimore Ravens the year before, and showed how he can play with actual preparation time. On the other hand, Michael Vick never really got his legs back with the Eagles last season. Yes, he was a good story, and the game against Atlanta even made me smile, but the entire gimmick that he brought just didn't work out in the end. Even though Kolb's contract is up after this coming season, I think the Eagles should try and keep him, and move Vick somewhere. There is no way that Vick is going to make $5 million with the team next season. He's going to end up somewhere like Buffalo or maybe even Oakland, where a team might be willing to take a chance on him for say a fourth round pick.
The Verdict: Keep McNabb and Kolb, send Vick on his way
Now, we move on to the running back position. Unfortunately, I think we've seen the last of Brian Westbrook in an Eagles uniform. Injuries kept him from reaching his previous levels, and with his knee and ankle still in question, I think it's time for the Eagles to move on. LeSean McCoy played well in his rookie season, but there are two things that I think the Eagles need to do to make sure the potental loss of Brian Westbrook doesn't hurt too much.
The first is resign Leonard Weaver to a long term deal. I know that it's going to cost a lot of money to bring Weaver back into the fold, but the Eagles need him. I can't remember the last time I actually saw this team with a fullback that knew what the hell he was doing. Not only could Weaver block, but he became a part of the offense as well, filling in for Westbrook and basically becoming the starting halfback for a few games at the end of the season. He needs to come back for the Eagles for more than one year this time. It just has to happen, because if it doesn't, then the Eagles are right back where they were in 2008, where they have to keep shuffling different players in and out at fullback. I don't want to see that again.
The other thing they need to do is get a big back to bring balance to the running game. Leonard Weaver is a nice option, but you can't always expect him to carry the ball 15-20 times if he needs to. At the same time, LeSean McCoy is a quick player, but he's not a guy you expect to bang inside with the defensive tackles. Look at what the Saints had this year. Reggie Bush was a good speed back, and Pierre Thomas worked the inside of the field. I know Pierre Thomas isn't really the definition of a big back, but he's an inch taller and 17 pounds heavier than McCoy. Trust me, that makes a difference in the end. I think the Eagles need to use one of their mid round draft picks on a big back that can help them hold onto the ball and pick up key third down and short plays. There's a guy like that in this year's draft...he's six foot one, weighs 235 pounds, finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, and would look damn good in Eagles green.
The Verdict: Get Leonard Weaver back at any cost, draft Toby Gerhart in the third round
I'm not going to touch the wide receiver or tight end positions, because those are pretty much set. I do think the Eagles need to address the depth at wideout, but their core, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and hopefully still Jason Avant, is set. Jackson is going to want some big money, but I don't see why the Eagles wouldn't pay him. They pay their young players when they show they can produce, and Jackson has become one of the best young playmakers in the NFL.
Then comes the offensive line. This group never found consistency all season, and when it looked like they finally might get it all together, Jamaal Jackson tore his ACL. There's no timetable on when he's going to be back, but odds are he's not going to be at 100% until the 2011 season. Once he went down, the interior of the line fell apart, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Donovan McNabb was sacked 35 times during the regular season, which was tied for seventh in the NFL. I know he started the Pro Bowl, but Jason Peters was a huge disappointment in his first year with the Eagles. He got killed all season by speed rushers, and never really got a handle on the offensive game plan. He had better get things together next season, because that contract he signed doesn't look so good right now. On the flip side, Winston Justice got a chance to start in light of the Andrews Brothers disaster, and he actually looked decent on the end. He was really the one bright spot on the line last year, and the Eagles rewarded him with an extension that I believe was deserved. As for the rest of the line, I don't think Max Jean-Gilles is the answer at guard, and Nick Cole didn't look great at all in place of Jamaal Jackson. Both of those needs have to be looked at in the coming draft.
The Verdict: Hope Jason Peters gets his act together, look for depth at guard and center in the draft
Defense:
There's only one real spot on the defensive line where the Eagles need to address things, and that's opposite Trent Cole. Cole is a great pass rusher, but he needs a compliment on the other side of the line, and Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri just don't cut it at this point. The Eagles really have a few options here. They can think big, which is what I want them to do, and go after Julius Peppers in free agency, or they can look at an end with their first pick in the draft. Like I just said, I want the Eagles to go after Julius Peppers. The man has only had two seasons in his career with less than ten sacks, and he's still just 30 years old right now. He's a perfect fit in the 4-3 defense, and I don't think there's any way that the Panthers can afford to even make him a franchise offer this offseason. It might not stop them, but I think that he's going to end up a free agent. If that is the case, the Eagles need to do everything in their power to sign him. He would not only compliment Trent Cole, but he would give the Eagles one of the best defensive lines in the NFC.
If the Eagles can't get Julius Peppers, I see them taking a lineman with their first pick in the draft. There should be a couple of decent players still there at pick number 24. I would be happy, but not Julius Peppers happy, with Everson Griffen or Carlos Dunlap. They would contribute right away, and would continue with the youth movement that the Eagles have going right now.
The Verdict: Go hard after Julius Peppers, look into lineman prospects in the draft if that falls through.
I really don't want to spend that much time going over the linebacking corps from last season. Simply put, when Stewart Bradley was knocked out for the year in the preseason, it spelled trouble for the entire year. The Eagles finished 19th in the league in points allowed last season, and most of that can come back to their poor play at the linebacking positon. They aquired Will Witherspoon in a trade with the Rams, but even when Bradley comes back, that still leaves them weak at one linebacker position. This is one spot where I think the draft can come in handy in a big way. While the need at defensive end is greater than the problems at linebacker, the Eagles would certainly be wise to pick up a linebacker in the second or third round of the draft. One player that's already caught my eye is Sean Weatherspoon from Missouri. He plays with a high motor and never takes plays off, which is exactly what the Eagles need to bolster up their run defense from last season. Plus, drafting him would really confuse a lot of people, since the Eagles would have Will Witherspoon and Sean Weatherspoon. I would enjoy that.
The Verdict: Ease Stewart Bradley back in, draft Sean Weatherspoon in the 2nd/3rd round
Then, we close things out in the secondary. Not only did the Eagles have issues with their depth at cornerback, but they were horrible at free safety, where the loss of Brian Dawkins hurt so much as Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps looked lost out there for most of the year. Andy, why did you let Dawkins go? I'll never understand that one. Regardless, a free safety is a huge need for this team, and, if they can pick up Julius Peppers in free agency, I know where I want them to start looking.
I have two words for you: Taylor Mays. If the Eagles can address their defensive line needs through free agency, they need to draft Taylor Mays in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mays can hit, cover and is one of the best safety prospects this season. I have him as the second or third best, depending on how my mock draft looks at the time. Either way, he's positioned to come off the board right around pick number 24, which is where the Eagles select. There's no question in my mind that he would fit in just fine with this team, and the fact that he just spend four years playing for USC means that he's ready for the pros. If, and this is a big if, the Eagles can get Julius Peppers, then they would be crazy not to take Mays in the first round. He's not going to be the next Brian Dawkins, but he will be the first Taylor Mays.
The Verdict: Address the depth at corner, draft Taylor Mays in the 1st round if defensive line needs are addressed
Keep in mind, all of these situations are in a perfect world, and even then, I can't tell you that the Eagles are going to be the ones holding the Lombardi Trophy next season. What I can tell you is that if they do move in the direction that I've got outlined here, they'll move in the right direction, and it might not be next year, but maybe the year after that, or the year after that, that they're the ones having the parade. Man, that would be some kind of party, wouldn't it?
Depending on what website you look at, the Eagles either have seven or eight picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and they have positions of need all over the field. I'm going to start on the offense, and this isn't just going to be about draft picks. This is what I think the team needs to do to improve on where they were this year.
Offense:
I might as well start at the top, right? According to some people, the Eagles have three quarterbacks that could start for this team: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Now, I think only two of them are going to be back next year, but it's just a matter of figuring out which two.
Let me get one thing clear right now: I don't think Donovan McNabb is going anywhere. Despite what people want to say about him, he is still a top level quarterback in the NFL. Do I trust him with the game on the line all the time? I can't say that I do, but I also didn't expect Peyton Manning to throw a game clinching interception with three minutes to play in the Super Bowl last night, so I'm going to call that one a wash. For what it's worth, McNabb is easily one of the best quarterbacks that the Eagles have ever had, and he played well this past season, throwing for 22 touchdowns and only ten interceptions. The legs aren't there like they used to be early in his career, but he can still run when he has to. He and Andy Reid are linked together forever in Philadelphia, and that's why I don't think he's going to go anywhere. However, there is a chance that he does get moved, but I can only see him going to two teams. Those two possible spots are either Minnesota, if Brett Favre retires, or Arizona. Both teams would have quarterback vacancies, and both areas are familiar to McNabb. Brad Childress, the former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, is the head coach for the Vikings, and McNabb works out in Arizona during the offseason. I'm not saying that the Eagles should trade McNabb at all, but I could see either of those places being likely if they did.
Then we get to the other two quarterbacks. Kevin Kolb looked good in his two starts this season, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record back to back 300 yard games in his first two starts. With that being said, he put those numbers up against the Chiefs and Saints, and at the time, the Saints weren't exactly known for their passing defense. Even so, Kolb looked worlds better than he did against the Baltimore Ravens the year before, and showed how he can play with actual preparation time. On the other hand, Michael Vick never really got his legs back with the Eagles last season. Yes, he was a good story, and the game against Atlanta even made me smile, but the entire gimmick that he brought just didn't work out in the end. Even though Kolb's contract is up after this coming season, I think the Eagles should try and keep him, and move Vick somewhere. There is no way that Vick is going to make $5 million with the team next season. He's going to end up somewhere like Buffalo or maybe even Oakland, where a team might be willing to take a chance on him for say a fourth round pick.
The Verdict: Keep McNabb and Kolb, send Vick on his way
Now, we move on to the running back position. Unfortunately, I think we've seen the last of Brian Westbrook in an Eagles uniform. Injuries kept him from reaching his previous levels, and with his knee and ankle still in question, I think it's time for the Eagles to move on. LeSean McCoy played well in his rookie season, but there are two things that I think the Eagles need to do to make sure the potental loss of Brian Westbrook doesn't hurt too much.
The first is resign Leonard Weaver to a long term deal. I know that it's going to cost a lot of money to bring Weaver back into the fold, but the Eagles need him. I can't remember the last time I actually saw this team with a fullback that knew what the hell he was doing. Not only could Weaver block, but he became a part of the offense as well, filling in for Westbrook and basically becoming the starting halfback for a few games at the end of the season. He needs to come back for the Eagles for more than one year this time. It just has to happen, because if it doesn't, then the Eagles are right back where they were in 2008, where they have to keep shuffling different players in and out at fullback. I don't want to see that again.
The other thing they need to do is get a big back to bring balance to the running game. Leonard Weaver is a nice option, but you can't always expect him to carry the ball 15-20 times if he needs to. At the same time, LeSean McCoy is a quick player, but he's not a guy you expect to bang inside with the defensive tackles. Look at what the Saints had this year. Reggie Bush was a good speed back, and Pierre Thomas worked the inside of the field. I know Pierre Thomas isn't really the definition of a big back, but he's an inch taller and 17 pounds heavier than McCoy. Trust me, that makes a difference in the end. I think the Eagles need to use one of their mid round draft picks on a big back that can help them hold onto the ball and pick up key third down and short plays. There's a guy like that in this year's draft...he's six foot one, weighs 235 pounds, finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, and would look damn good in Eagles green.
The Verdict: Get Leonard Weaver back at any cost, draft Toby Gerhart in the third round
I'm not going to touch the wide receiver or tight end positions, because those are pretty much set. I do think the Eagles need to address the depth at wideout, but their core, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and hopefully still Jason Avant, is set. Jackson is going to want some big money, but I don't see why the Eagles wouldn't pay him. They pay their young players when they show they can produce, and Jackson has become one of the best young playmakers in the NFL.
Then comes the offensive line. This group never found consistency all season, and when it looked like they finally might get it all together, Jamaal Jackson tore his ACL. There's no timetable on when he's going to be back, but odds are he's not going to be at 100% until the 2011 season. Once he went down, the interior of the line fell apart, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Donovan McNabb was sacked 35 times during the regular season, which was tied for seventh in the NFL. I know he started the Pro Bowl, but Jason Peters was a huge disappointment in his first year with the Eagles. He got killed all season by speed rushers, and never really got a handle on the offensive game plan. He had better get things together next season, because that contract he signed doesn't look so good right now. On the flip side, Winston Justice got a chance to start in light of the Andrews Brothers disaster, and he actually looked decent on the end. He was really the one bright spot on the line last year, and the Eagles rewarded him with an extension that I believe was deserved. As for the rest of the line, I don't think Max Jean-Gilles is the answer at guard, and Nick Cole didn't look great at all in place of Jamaal Jackson. Both of those needs have to be looked at in the coming draft.
The Verdict: Hope Jason Peters gets his act together, look for depth at guard and center in the draft
Defense:
There's only one real spot on the defensive line where the Eagles need to address things, and that's opposite Trent Cole. Cole is a great pass rusher, but he needs a compliment on the other side of the line, and Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri just don't cut it at this point. The Eagles really have a few options here. They can think big, which is what I want them to do, and go after Julius Peppers in free agency, or they can look at an end with their first pick in the draft. Like I just said, I want the Eagles to go after Julius Peppers. The man has only had two seasons in his career with less than ten sacks, and he's still just 30 years old right now. He's a perfect fit in the 4-3 defense, and I don't think there's any way that the Panthers can afford to even make him a franchise offer this offseason. It might not stop them, but I think that he's going to end up a free agent. If that is the case, the Eagles need to do everything in their power to sign him. He would not only compliment Trent Cole, but he would give the Eagles one of the best defensive lines in the NFC.
If the Eagles can't get Julius Peppers, I see them taking a lineman with their first pick in the draft. There should be a couple of decent players still there at pick number 24. I would be happy, but not Julius Peppers happy, with Everson Griffen or Carlos Dunlap. They would contribute right away, and would continue with the youth movement that the Eagles have going right now.
The Verdict: Go hard after Julius Peppers, look into lineman prospects in the draft if that falls through.
I really don't want to spend that much time going over the linebacking corps from last season. Simply put, when Stewart Bradley was knocked out for the year in the preseason, it spelled trouble for the entire year. The Eagles finished 19th in the league in points allowed last season, and most of that can come back to their poor play at the linebacking positon. They aquired Will Witherspoon in a trade with the Rams, but even when Bradley comes back, that still leaves them weak at one linebacker position. This is one spot where I think the draft can come in handy in a big way. While the need at defensive end is greater than the problems at linebacker, the Eagles would certainly be wise to pick up a linebacker in the second or third round of the draft. One player that's already caught my eye is Sean Weatherspoon from Missouri. He plays with a high motor and never takes plays off, which is exactly what the Eagles need to bolster up their run defense from last season. Plus, drafting him would really confuse a lot of people, since the Eagles would have Will Witherspoon and Sean Weatherspoon. I would enjoy that.
The Verdict: Ease Stewart Bradley back in, draft Sean Weatherspoon in the 2nd/3rd round
Then, we close things out in the secondary. Not only did the Eagles have issues with their depth at cornerback, but they were horrible at free safety, where the loss of Brian Dawkins hurt so much as Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps looked lost out there for most of the year. Andy, why did you let Dawkins go? I'll never understand that one. Regardless, a free safety is a huge need for this team, and, if they can pick up Julius Peppers in free agency, I know where I want them to start looking.
I have two words for you: Taylor Mays. If the Eagles can address their defensive line needs through free agency, they need to draft Taylor Mays in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mays can hit, cover and is one of the best safety prospects this season. I have him as the second or third best, depending on how my mock draft looks at the time. Either way, he's positioned to come off the board right around pick number 24, which is where the Eagles select. There's no question in my mind that he would fit in just fine with this team, and the fact that he just spend four years playing for USC means that he's ready for the pros. If, and this is a big if, the Eagles can get Julius Peppers, then they would be crazy not to take Mays in the first round. He's not going to be the next Brian Dawkins, but he will be the first Taylor Mays.
The Verdict: Address the depth at corner, draft Taylor Mays in the 1st round if defensive line needs are addressed
Keep in mind, all of these situations are in a perfect world, and even then, I can't tell you that the Eagles are going to be the ones holding the Lombardi Trophy next season. What I can tell you is that if they do move in the direction that I've got outlined here, they'll move in the right direction, and it might not be next year, but maybe the year after that, or the year after that, that they're the ones having the parade. Man, that would be some kind of party, wouldn't it?
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