Admit it, it's ok. Going into the NFL offseason, you had no idea what was going to happen with the Eagles this coming season. It's alright to say it, because no one did. No one was sure that the season would even start on time, and if it did, what players the Eagles would try and pick up. Luckily for us fans, a deal was made, the NFL only lost the Hall of Fame Game, and tonight, the Eagles start up their preseason with a new look team that no one expected to see on the field even a month ago.
The first step was taken in the NFL Draft, when the Eagles took offensive guard Danny Watkins with their first round pick. There were a lot of issues that arose right away, specifically, the fact that Watkins is 26, and will be 27 in November, making him one of the oldest rookies in NFL history. However, Watkins is also very talented, and should be able to pick up his blocking schemes right away. The Eagles needed an interior lineman badly to help with the running game and protect Michael Vick, so Watkins, if you can look past his age, is a solid choice. They addressed a lack of depth at safety by picking Temple's Jaiquwan Jarrett in the second round. Jarrett's a good safety net to have if either Kurt Coleman or Nate Allen have any injury issues, especially Allen, who is coming off of a nasty knee injury that ended his rookie season.
The next two impact picks came in the fourth round, where the Eagles took Casey Matthews, brother of Clay Matthews. You know who he is. He's the guy that knocked Kevin Kolb out of the first game of last season and allowed Michael Vick to get going. If he's anything like his brother, this was another good pick, and from where he is on the depth chart (more on that later), he's already looking like a steal. The other pick was Alex Henery, a kicker out of Nebraska. He's the highest kicker taken since Stephen Gostkowski by the Patriots, but he certainly could be worth it. First and foremost, Henery's selection spelled the end for David Akers as a member of the Eagles. However. Henery has a great leg, hitting a 57 yard field goal last season for Nebraska, and is the most accurate kicker in NCAA history. It's not a bad start, even for a rookie. The rest of the draft helped the Eagles fill a few more needs, such as a backup running back in Dion Lewis and a solid backup fullback from USC named Stanley Havili.
Then came the lockout, and a long period of waiting. Everyone wanted to see what the Eagles were going to do with Kevin Kolb, how they would address their pass rush and whether or not they could land Nnamdi Asomugha, the biggest free agent to be on the market. Three long months went without any sort of deal, and then it happened. Finally, the players and the owners reached an agreement, and the NFL was back on schedule. Now we don't have to deal with any sort of labor situation for ten years, and that's good enough for me. The salary cap for the season was set at $120 million, and with the Eagles only having about $80 million in contracts on the books, they had room to work. Everyone expected them to come out and make a big splash, considering they pretty much said that they were going to once free agency began.
On July 27, free agency began, and the moves started coming in. Not one involved the Eagles, save for their announcement that they would not be bringing back any of their unrestricted free agents, meaning that players like Stewart Bradley, David Akers, Quintin Mikell and Sav Rocca would be finding new homes. Leonard Weaver was also let go after he could not pass his training camp physical. The NFL year was only one day old, and fans were already getting restless. Why hadn't Kevin Kolb been traded? What was taking so long bringing in a big name free agent? The team has money to spend, why aren't they spending any?
After another day with no big moves, things started to come into focus for the Eagles. Talks were in place for a Kolb trade, and there were rumbles about a few of the bigger free agents possibly coming to Philadelphia. What Eagles fans got instead was a tidal wave of moves that hasn't stopped yet. Let's break them down, one by one.
Jason Babin signs a five year, $28 million deal.
This was a great first move by the Eagles, and was probably one of the ones that a lot of people saw coming. The Eagles had a need for another pass rusher opposite Trent Cole, and Babin had his best success last year with the Titans, where current Eagles D-line coach Jim Washburn was last year. Babin is 31 years old, but the contract only has $5-6 million worth of guarantees, which means it won't cost that much to let him go if he does turn out to be a one year wonder or he starts to slow down in three or four years. Regardless, Babin fills a huge need for this team, and as one of the best pass rushers on the market, the Eagles got him for a great price. Just look at what the Panthers paid to keep Charles Johnson in Carolina.
Eagles trade Kevin Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie & a 2nd round pick.
Now, this was what every Eagles fan was waiting for. The only questions about this trade were where Kolb was going to end up, and how much would the Eagles get back for him? Arizona was the most likely destination, and the Eagles managed to get not only a second round pick for Kolb, but also Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a Pro Bowler back in 2009 who is only 25 years old. DRC is a tall, fast corner, though he does have some issues with tackling. In that regard, he's more like Asante Samuel, who goes for the pick and the big play rather than the tackle. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does put more pressure on the safeties to make sure that they can make a play if the corners don't. I like Kolb, I really do, but the fact remains that he's still an unproven quarterback. He's struggled at times during his few starts, and he's looked great in others. No one's sure what he's going to be, but he'll figure it out in Arizona. This was a good trade for both sides in my mind.
Vince Young signs a one year deal.
Who better to have back up Michael Vick than Michael Vick, Jr.? Young was released by the Titans at the start of free agency and quickly found a home with the Eagles. The deal is only for a single year, but Young has a chance to learn the West Coast offense, or whatever it is that the Eagles are running now, and mature more as a player. Young has looked great at times, but he can be a bit of a head case as well. Signing him as a backup puts little pressure on him, and allows him to relax more and fit into the system that the Eagles have going. This was a nice, low risk pick up by the Birds.
Just these three moves made fans happy, but the Eagles weren't done yet. The very next day...
Nnamdi Asomugha signs a five year, $60 million deal.
Just when everyone thought that the Eagles were out of the running for Asomugha, they swoop in and steal him away from the Cowboys and Jets. After getting DRC in the Kolb trade, no one thought that the Eagles would make a move for Asomugha, because they didn't think they needed him. The fact of the matter is that Asomugha wanted to come to Philadelphia. He left money on the table to sign with the Eagles for a chance to win right now. Where Samuel and DRC are more big play corners that can shut down opposing receivers, Asomugha is the best shut down corner in the NFL, save for maybe Darrell Revis. He's strong and can bang with bigger receivers, meaning that the Eagles can put him in the slot to face off against the strong tight ends that the NFC East just loves to have. Asomugha does give up big plays from time to time, but other teams just don't even throw at his side of the field in some games. He's that good. When you look at the Eagles' depth at corner, aside from Samuel and DRC, you were looking at players like a Trevard Lindley or Joselio Hanson. They're not bad players, but compared to Samuel, DRC and Asomugha, a lot of corners look weaker. In this more vertically based offense that is running through the NFL right now, there's nothing wrong with having three Pro Bowl cornerbacks.
Cullen Jenkins signs a five year, $25 million deal.
Another day went by, and the Eagles made another huge move in free agency, picking up Cullen Jenkins. Jenkins played on the end in Green Bay's 3-4 defense, but will be moved to DT with the Eagles in the 4-3. Either way, it doesn't really matter. Jenkins is a beast of a player that can get after the quarterback very well. His biggest issue is staying healthy, but even in just 11 games last year, Jenkins had seven sacks, a new career high. Jenkins was also one of the leaders on Green Bay's defense and helped the Packers win the Super Bowl last season. When you stack him up against Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, there's not much to compare, which leads to the next move the Eagles made.
Eagles trade Brodrick Bunkley to Cleveland Denver for a 2013 late round pick.
The original trade for Bunkley was to the Cleveland Browns, but Bunkley refused to report, so the Eagles sent him to Denver for a late pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The plus to this is that the Eagles got anything of value for Bunkley, who had worn out his welcome with the Eagles and never really played up to his potential. He looked like a stud coming out of Florida State, but could never put it all together when he was with the Eagles. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needed. Good trade by the Eagles, just to get anything out of it.
Ronnie Brown signs a one year deal.
After letting Jerome Harrison walk, the Eagles turned around and signed former Miami starter Ronnie Brown to a one year deal. Brown is a good power back, but he's had injury issues in the past, and had his worst season as a pro last year. However, as a backup to LeSean McCoy, there's not many people that you could find out there that would be better. Not getting as many carries should help him stay healthy, and he'll be great down at the goal line and in short situations. He can start in a pinch as well and can be used in the Wildcat formation if need be. This was another out of nowhere signing, but this free agency period was full of them for the Eagles, and they weren't done yet.
Ryan Harris signs a one year deal.
Not many people noticed this move, but it might be one of the best ones that the Eagles made in their spending spree. Harris was a starter in Denver and was pretty solid, but had some injury issues and has missed ten games in the past two seasons. However, when he's been healthy, he's looked like one of the best young offensive tackles in the league. This is a one year deal, which means he could just be here for this season, or, if he impresses, he could sign an extension and be in Philadelphia long term. Right now, the Eagles already have him as their number one right tackle, ahead of King Dunlap and the PUP Winston Justice. He's fitting in well with new offensive line coach Howard Mudd's scheme, and looks like a steal already.
Steve Smith signs a one year, $4 million deal.
This move just happened last night, and shocked more Giants fans than Eagles fans. Smith was expected to stay with the Giants, even after having micro fracture knee surgery in the offseason. However, last night the Eagles managed to sign Smith, leaving Giants fans angry and scratching their heads. While Smith probably won't be able to play for six weeks at least, he's another solid pick up, especially if he can come in at even close to what he was with the Giants. Smith is another great slot receiver, and if you pair him up opposite Jason Avant, opposing teams are going to have a hell of a time trying to stop both of them going over the middle. There's two trains of thought on this deal right now. There's people that love it and those that hate it. As you can tell, I love it. Smith is only guaranteed $2 million, so if it doesn't work out, there's no big loss. If he's healthy, the Eagles just stole another Pro Bowl player.
Those were just the biggest moves that the Eagles made, but there were more. Evan Mathis, Donald Lee, Jarrad Page, Akeem Jordan and Johnnie Lee Higgins all signed as well. Mathis is a solid backup guard, Lee is a good backup tight end and can provide insurance for Brent Celek, and the same goes with Page at the safety position. Jordan was the only free agent that the Eagles actually did bring back, and Higgins might be one of the fastest players in the NFL. He's a good kick returner and will help take DeSean Jackson out of those plays. Higgins is certainly an upgrade from Ellis Hobbs last year.
With all of these moves, the Eagles certainly do look like a completely different team. However, there are still some questions that surround them that could throw the entire season off the rails.
Is there enough depth on the defensive line?
Just after the trade that sent Brodrick Bunkley out of town, Mike Patterson had a seizure during a practice. An MRI revealed that he has a tangled cluster of blood vessels in his brain. While there are thoughts that he might be able to come back soon, his health has to be his number one priority. Cullen Jenkins also has had injury issues, leaving third year man Antonio Dixon as the potential last man standing at DT. The depth doesn't get much better after that, with Trevor Laws being pretty much the only name that most people have heard of, and that's not a good thing. Laws hasn't exactly panned out with the Eagles either. Hopefully, Dixon and Jenkins can stay healthy, and Patterson can come back, but if more injuries to happen, the Eagles will need to address that depth.
What is going to happen with the linebackers?
Right now, according to the Eagles depth chart, the starting linebackers are set to be Jamar Chaney, who played well at the end of last season, starting the last three games, including the playoffs. However, that's the start and finish of his starting time with the Eagles. Chaney was a seventh round pick just last season, and still has a lot to prove. On the other end is Moise Fokou, a seventh round pick from 2009 that started 11 games last year and picked up 51 tackles. In the middle is rookie fourth round pick Casey Matthews, who is slower than Chaney and Fokou, but has shown good ability in camp so far. Out of every position on the Eagles, linebacker scares me the most. There's potential in the three starters, but potential doesn't win games or pay the bills. Sometimes, having “potentially” good players out on the field can lead to more problems than anything else.
There's still a few options out on the free agent market, like Lofa Tatupu, who would be the best fit for this team right now. Tatupu would bring more experience and some leadership to the Eagles at linebacker, which is something that they do need. I like Matthews, but I'm never sold on a rookie being the leader on offense, unless it's a Ray Lewis or a Brian Urlacher type of player. These three guys in the middle of the defense are going to be the glue that holds the unit together, so they need to play well. If they don't gel, things could get bad.
Are DeSean Jackson and Asante Samuel going to be happy all year?
Jackson just reported to camp this week, and the Eagles are hopefully going to get negotiations going on a new deal with him. Honestly, Jackson has outplayed his current contract, which is paying him the veteran minimum without incentives this year. He's worth more than that, just as a returner. While having him back in camp is a good thing, you have to wonder how much he's bothered by the Eagles spending all this money on other players. He knows he's worth more than what he's making, and to see the Eagles, who have never spent like this before in free agency, break the bank for a lot of players could be seen as disrespect. I'm not saying that anything bad will happen, and hopefully a deal gets done, but we've all seen what happens when a wide receiver makes a stink about a contract. I don't want to go down that road again.
As for Asante, the additions of DRC and Asomugha have started rumors that he might be traded for a linebacker or draft picks. To say that he wasn't happy about the rumors might be a bit of an understatement, but for the moment, things seems to have died down on that end. The Eagles haven't made a deal to send him out, and they seem happy to keep all three Pro Bowl corners on the roster. On the depth chart, Samuel is positioned as a number one, opposite Asomugha. That's just amazing to look at, so I wanted to point it out. DRC is on the second team, but he'll see plenty of time on the field. Managing these egos at that position will be tough, but if all three can stay happy all season, then opposing defenses are going to have a rough time.
What's going on with Jeremy Maclin?
Maclin was late to camp because he's battling an undisclosed illness. Today, he left camp again to get more tests done to see what can be done to make him better. When you combine that with DeSean Jackson just getting into camp, the wide receiving corps looks a little thin. Steve Smith can't play yet, and there's talk that he was brought in as insurance in case Maclin's issues are worse than expected. Hopefully, he can get back on the field at 100% this season, because he was the best receiver that the Eagles had last year. Plus, if he can't, and Jackson goes down with another injury, the depth chart suddenly turns to Jason Avant and Riley Cooper as the starters if Smith isn't healthy yet. I like Avant and Cooper, but not as the two starting wideouts. At this point, I just want Maclin to get healthy and fix whatever's going on with himself.
How do the Eagles do this season?
That is the biggest question on everyone's mind right now. After adding all of these pieces and hoping they fit, all anyone has been hearing about is the Super Bowl. Honestly, it should be what people are talking about. The front office, after years of hearing about how they don't spend money, went all in at the table this year and brought in free agent after free agent after free agent. The offensive line looks a lot different than last year, and Howard Mudd was brought in to help fix that unit, while the defense is completely overhauled. The talent is there, that's for sure, but now it's up to the team to come together and win games. Chemistry usually isn't an issue with the Eagles, but this year, they might have some problems. There's just so many new players, none of us have ever seen this kind of movement with this team before. Can they all gel right away? Of course, but there could be issues along the way as well.
Then there's the regular season. Signing all of these players is one thing, but you don't win a Super Bowl in the offseason. If you did, the Redskins would have five in the past decade. The real test comes in September, when the games count and everyone plays four quarters. Looking at the Eagles schedule, it does seem pretty favorable. Before all of these moves, I would have pegged the Eagles as a 9-7 or 10-6 team this year. They'd probably have gotten into the playoffs through the backdoor and then gotten knocked out in the first round, like last season. Now, after all the moves, I see something different.
The biggest challenges on the schedule should be Week 2 in Atlanta against the Falcons, Week 12 at home against New England, Week 15 at home against the Jets and Week 16 in Dallas against the Cowboys. Of course, that doesn't mean that the Eagles can't win all of those games and lose others. The week after the New England game, the team travels on a short week to Seattle to play the Seahawks. That could be a trap game right there. Then, there's the fact that they play in the NFC East, one of the toughest divisions in the NFL where any team can take out one of their rivals any time. The Giants have more motivation now that the Eagles signed Steve Smith, Rex Ryan is already flapping his gums down in Dallas and Washington has Rex Grossman...who thinks the Redskins can win the division. He's so cute when he's delusional. The schedule does benefit the Eagles as well, as they only go out west one time for the Seahawks. The 49ers and Cardinals both come to Philadelphia, as do the Patriots and Jets, the two toughest AFC opponents the Eagles have this season.
So, how will the Eagles do this year? I have them at 12-4, with 13-3 not out of the picture. If everyone can stay healthy enough, and the linebackers find their way, this is going to be a good season. I'm not going to tell you all to expect a parade in February, but it's certainly in the back of my mind. One thing is certain, though. It's going to be a hell of a ride, and it starts tonight.
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