I thought ths was actualy a pretty decent article for Eckel, and he makessome valid observations, IMO. But the throw in on Reid at the end is just cheap:
Walker's only move should be to DE
Sunday, March 25, 2007
BY MARK ECKEL
NFL
Now that the Eagles have another undersized defensive tackle in the fold in the form of Montae Reagor, word is the team will move veteran Darwin Walker.
According to a couple of personnel people around the league, the team is shopping Walker -- Buffalo, Green Bay and Minnesota apparently all have been contacted -- in hopes of adding a draft pick or moving up in a later round of the draft.
Here's a better idea -- instead of moving Walker to another team, move him to defensive end.
Walker, who at times has been one of the team's best linemen and at other times has disappeared, has shown that he can play outside and play it well. And although he often has said he prefers to play inside, he may not have a choice in the matter.
Looking at what the Eagles now have in terms of defensive tackles and defensive ends, it makes sense for the 6-foot-3, 294-pound Walker, who is the team's best all-around run defender (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) , to move to an outside spot on a regular basis, or at least on more than a part-time basis.
No. 1 picks Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley have to be the team's starters inside next season. The team cannot let Bunkley, the 14th overall pick in last year's draft, sit again.
Reagor, at 285 pounds and with decent pass rushing moves, is the ideal No. 3 tackle to come in on passing downs.
Also in reserve is Sam Rayburn, who has yet to duplicate his fine 2004 season, and second-year man LaJuan Ramsey, who made some plays early in the season, had a rough game against Dallas and never was heard from the rest of the season.
The team figures to add another lineman somewhere in the draft, as well.
While the Eagles tell you they are fine at defensive end, remember that they said the same thing about wide receiver before they signed Kevin Curtis. They are kid ding themselves and anyone who listens.
The ends are Jevon Kearse, who has been a major disappointment since signing a $66 million deal, with $20 million guaranteed, before the 2004 season and is coming off a terrible knee injury, and Darren Howard, another poor free agent decision with a long injury history.
If Kearse isn't healthy, or has lost his best attribute -- his speed -- he's useless. Howard did very little of anything last year after the fifth game of the season and will be a year older at 31.
Trent Cole and recently re- signed Juqua Thomas were the team's two best ends last year, but both are on the small side and much more adapt at being speed rushers than every-down players.
Cole is worthy of a starting role, but you can't leave him out there for 50-60 snaps per game, or you get what you got last year -- a worn-out player by the middle of the season.
Consider that he had five sacks the first three games of the season and none in the last six games or in the two playoff games.
The only other end on the ros ter is Jerome McDougle, and you have to ask yourself what he still is doing on the team. Or was he ever really on the team?
Walker going to defensive end on early downs makes sense, more than the signing of another undersized tackle does.
Here's one scouting report on Reagor, the 6-3, 285-pound defensive tackle who will turn 30 in June.
"He has good first-step quick ness and plays fast. He can get to the quarterback. He has decent strength for his size and plays with leverage, but lacks real good instincts and gets fooled on misdirection plays. He's not an every- down player, but he can help you in a rotation."
The Eagles will go into next month's draft with a total of six picks (their fourth-rounder goes to New Orleans in the Donte' Stallworth trade). That is the least amount of picks the team has ever had before the draft.
In 2001, the team finished with six overall picks (that was the Freddie Mitchell/Quinton Caver draft), but traded two picks that day (a third and a sixth) to Miami for a second-round pick in 2002.
Look for some action on this draft day, as well. In Andy Reid's eight previous drafts, the Eagles have made a total of 19 draft-day trades, including six last year alone.
Andy Reid, who generally is awful in press conferences after games or the day after games, was as good as you could expect Friday in his return to work.
Obviously there were questions Reid couldn't answer and some he wouldn't have answered, even if he could.
All in all he handled it pretty well and showed more of his human side than the public generally gets to see.
It's a shame it took something like this for that to happen.
Contact Times staff columnist Mark Eckel at [email protected]
Walker's only move should be to DE
Sunday, March 25, 2007
BY MARK ECKEL
NFL
Now that the Eagles have another undersized defensive tackle in the fold in the form of Montae Reagor, word is the team will move veteran Darwin Walker.
According to a couple of personnel people around the league, the team is shopping Walker -- Buffalo, Green Bay and Minnesota apparently all have been contacted -- in hopes of adding a draft pick or moving up in a later round of the draft.
Here's a better idea -- instead of moving Walker to another team, move him to defensive end.
Walker, who at times has been one of the team's best linemen and at other times has disappeared, has shown that he can play outside and play it well. And although he often has said he prefers to play inside, he may not have a choice in the matter.
Looking at what the Eagles now have in terms of defensive tackles and defensive ends, it makes sense for the 6-foot-3, 294-pound Walker, who is the team's best all-around run defender (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) , to move to an outside spot on a regular basis, or at least on more than a part-time basis.
No. 1 picks Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley have to be the team's starters inside next season. The team cannot let Bunkley, the 14th overall pick in last year's draft, sit again.
Reagor, at 285 pounds and with decent pass rushing moves, is the ideal No. 3 tackle to come in on passing downs.
Also in reserve is Sam Rayburn, who has yet to duplicate his fine 2004 season, and second-year man LaJuan Ramsey, who made some plays early in the season, had a rough game against Dallas and never was heard from the rest of the season.
The team figures to add another lineman somewhere in the draft, as well.
While the Eagles tell you they are fine at defensive end, remember that they said the same thing about wide receiver before they signed Kevin Curtis. They are kid ding themselves and anyone who listens.
The ends are Jevon Kearse, who has been a major disappointment since signing a $66 million deal, with $20 million guaranteed, before the 2004 season and is coming off a terrible knee injury, and Darren Howard, another poor free agent decision with a long injury history.
If Kearse isn't healthy, or has lost his best attribute -- his speed -- he's useless. Howard did very little of anything last year after the fifth game of the season and will be a year older at 31.
Trent Cole and recently re- signed Juqua Thomas were the team's two best ends last year, but both are on the small side and much more adapt at being speed rushers than every-down players.
Cole is worthy of a starting role, but you can't leave him out there for 50-60 snaps per game, or you get what you got last year -- a worn-out player by the middle of the season.
Consider that he had five sacks the first three games of the season and none in the last six games or in the two playoff games.
The only other end on the ros ter is Jerome McDougle, and you have to ask yourself what he still is doing on the team. Or was he ever really on the team?
Walker going to defensive end on early downs makes sense, more than the signing of another undersized tackle does.
Here's one scouting report on Reagor, the 6-3, 285-pound defensive tackle who will turn 30 in June.
"He has good first-step quick ness and plays fast. He can get to the quarterback. He has decent strength for his size and plays with leverage, but lacks real good instincts and gets fooled on misdirection plays. He's not an every- down player, but he can help you in a rotation."
The Eagles will go into next month's draft with a total of six picks (their fourth-rounder goes to New Orleans in the Donte' Stallworth trade). That is the least amount of picks the team has ever had before the draft.
In 2001, the team finished with six overall picks (that was the Freddie Mitchell/Quinton Caver draft), but traded two picks that day (a third and a sixth) to Miami for a second-round pick in 2002.
Look for some action on this draft day, as well. In Andy Reid's eight previous drafts, the Eagles have made a total of 19 draft-day trades, including six last year alone.
Andy Reid, who generally is awful in press conferences after games or the day after games, was as good as you could expect Friday in his return to work.
Obviously there were questions Reid couldn't answer and some he wouldn't have answered, even if he could.
All in all he handled it pretty well and showed more of his human side than the public generally gets to see.
It's a shame it took something like this for that to happen.
Contact Times staff columnist Mark Eckel at [email protected]
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