http://www.csnphilly.com/05/11/11/bD...501&feedID=692
Didinger's Mailbag: Bloodlines, LBs, sleepers
Didinger's Mailbag: Bloodlines, LBs, sleepers
Q. I think fans need to be somewhat suspicious of the Eagles’ approach to linebackers. They have a group of around the same age, etc. However, the highest draft pick invested is the fourth round. They are all late-round picks. The problem with the defense the last few years, in my opinion, is not that it is bad but that it is too average across the board.
Chris Strings
A. Stewart Bradley was a third-round pick, but I get your point. This isn’t a blue-chip group. Omar Gaither and Ricky Sapp were fifth-rounders, Moise Fokou and Jamar Chaney were seventh-rounders and Akeem Jordan was a free agent. This year the Eagles added Matthews (fourth round), Brian Rolle (sixth round) and Lloyd (seventh).
Fans complain that the Eagles don’t value the linebacker position and don’t invest in it, but that’s not true. They just make bad decisions. Since Andy Reid has been here, they’ve drafted Barry Gardner, Quinton Caver and Matt McCoy all in the second round so they tried to upgrade the linebackers, they just picked the wrong guys. They did the same thing last year trading for Ernie Sims. He came here and bombed. Again, they tried; they just made a mistake.
Give them credit for finding Chaney in the seventh round. He showed promise when he took over in the middle last season. But I agree with your final point: I think the defense has a lot of average players. We all know what Asante Samuel brings (turnovers) and we know what he doesn’t bring (tackling), but otherwise this defense lacks game-changers. The Eagles have game-changers on offense, but not on defense. They have to find some.
Chris Strings
A. Stewart Bradley was a third-round pick, but I get your point. This isn’t a blue-chip group. Omar Gaither and Ricky Sapp were fifth-rounders, Moise Fokou and Jamar Chaney were seventh-rounders and Akeem Jordan was a free agent. This year the Eagles added Matthews (fourth round), Brian Rolle (sixth round) and Lloyd (seventh).
Fans complain that the Eagles don’t value the linebacker position and don’t invest in it, but that’s not true. They just make bad decisions. Since Andy Reid has been here, they’ve drafted Barry Gardner, Quinton Caver and Matt McCoy all in the second round so they tried to upgrade the linebackers, they just picked the wrong guys. They did the same thing last year trading for Ernie Sims. He came here and bombed. Again, they tried; they just made a mistake.
Give them credit for finding Chaney in the seventh round. He showed promise when he took over in the middle last season. But I agree with your final point: I think the defense has a lot of average players. We all know what Asante Samuel brings (turnovers) and we know what he doesn’t bring (tackling), but otherwise this defense lacks game-changers. The Eagles have game-changers on offense, but not on defense. They have to find some.
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