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After letting this sink in some I put together my pre combine, pre free agency offseason thoughts. Sign a few free agents, resign a few players and have a solid draft. Nothing earth shaddering here, just some solid football moves.
1. Offensive Line - There are so many senarios here, the Eagles have depth at tackle and guard, have competition and that is before they decide to resign Thomas or Runyan. I would resign Tra Thomas to a multiyear deal at far dollars for a 34 year old tackle. The guy had a good season (except for the Zona game) The fall back is Heremens who in the times he has played there has aquitted himself well and beyond that is intriquing prospect King Dunlap. LG will be Heremens, with Gillies, Or McGlynn, or Gibson as the fallback. Jackson gets competition through the draft (see my mock) Andrews is healthy physically, they need to make sure he stays healthy mentally if he is he moves out to RT with Nick Cole and the guards mentioned above battling it out for the RG spot, beyond that we have Winston Justice still on the roster . I don't think our Oline situation is that bad. I don't think it warrants spending our first round picks on.
2. Running Back - I think the fact that Westbrook was hurt most of the year was more our problem than anything in the run game. He didn't have the burst he once had, he couldn't hit the creases quick enough and that caused alot of negative to small gains that normally would have been 4-5 yards. I am not big on signing free agent running backs, I equivilat that to buying used tires for your car. I am going to draft a back high in this years draft. Its about time we use a high pick to address a critical position on this team. We can not count on Westbrook giving us a 1200 yard on the ground 800 yard in the air year again at his age. The more we spot Westbrook the more dangerous he will be, the trick is to get another back that is Dangerous in his own right
3. Tight End - Brent Celek really showed what he could do in the playoffs. I like him as a pass catcher, he really is not good as a blocker though. Desmond Clark is somebody we should look at because he is a good blocker and coudl really help in short yardage situations. I am going to use a high pick on the other tight end. Tight End is a really important part of this offense, we can't go into next year with Celek as the only one. Schobel and LJ are gone.
4. Fullback - I really like Eckle and think he could develop into a really good fullback. However I think we need to protect ourselves there. I like Leonard Weaver alot at the Fullback position and believe since Eckle is versitile enough to play both Fullback and halfback we could carry both he and Weaver on the roster. Klecko goes back to DT.
5. Safety - Resign Dawk for 2 more years and let Considine go. Use a pick in this years draft for a backup player. Demps showed me enough (championship game excluded) that he could start if Dawk gets hurt, also there is the possibly of eventually moving Brown to safety. Q Mike is a pro bowler in my mind and a budding star.
6. Corner -Hanson is gone via free agency, somebody will offer him the chance to start. Lito will be shopped and probably traded. That leaves a hurt Jack Iwegeno and an unknown Trae Williams so I think that we will probably sign a young free agent type like Hanson was or Rod Hood (and maybe Williams was that guy) and most likely will use a draft pick on a corner at some point (3rd or 4th round ?)
Rest of the team, depth is important, I wouldn't turn down the chance to draft another QB in round 3 down, same with a big reciever to replace G Lew or Reggie Brown. I wouldn't stray away from taking a top flight strong side backer if an opportunity presents itself. I probably wouldn't go DE at all in this draft. DT same thing. I would bring in another kicker to compete with Akers. He really rebounded after a bad start but the guy is 35 years old.
My Draft Thoughts as of today.
21. Knowshown Moreno or LeSean McCoy are my picks here, I like Moreno slightly more than McCoy but would be thrilled with Either. They both are playmakers, they both can run with the rock and can catch it also. They would keep defenses honest when you split out Westbrook, they could carry the load if Westbrook gets hurt. Its time we spend a high pick on a RB.Think about the picks we have wasted over the past three years on backs, Moats and Hunt a 3rd and Booger a 4th. That within itself should tell Andy its time to take guy higher in the draft. .
28. I would look to trade back with this pick. from 25-40 there are a bunch of players who are about the same in my opinion. This draft has 3 top level centers in it, they all should go in that 25-40 range. I would take either Alex Mack, Max Unger or Jonathan Luigs they are all upgrades over Jackson maybe not year one but by year two. If you can't trade I would take the best one at 28 (who I think is Mack but they are all pretty close) if we can trade back and add an extra pick or two and still get one of them I woudl do that.
53. Chase Coffman TE Missouri - Solid pass catching tight end, soft hands, pretty darn good atheletic. He also a decent blocker. Could be gone by 53 if so I would go with Patrick Chung S Oregon and look to get Ryan Purvis from Notre Dame later in the draft.
Some players I would look at Round 3 and beyond
Patrick Turner WR USC - 6ft 5 220 pound - big possesion reciever who is a red zone threat. (4th,5th round area)
Rhett Bomar QB Sam Houston State - I think this kid has a chance to be a good QB in this league. At the very least he should be a solid backup. Give Kolb some competition. No need to have Feeley around (3-5 round)
Clay Mathews JR USC - Strong side backer who can also be a rush end. Smart player, looking at a 3rd rounder.
Londen Fryar CB Western Michigan - Irvings son, I like this kid, he is probably a 4th round but I think he could develop into a solid nickel back.
1. Offensive Line - There are so many senarios here, the Eagles have depth at tackle and guard, have competition and that is before they decide to resign Thomas or Runyan. I would resign Tra Thomas to a multiyear deal at far dollars for a 34 year old tackle. The guy had a good season (except for the Zona game) The fall back is Heremens who in the times he has played there has aquitted himself well and beyond that is intriquing prospect King Dunlap. LG will be Heremens, with Gillies, Or McGlynn, or Gibson as the fallback. Jackson gets competition through the draft (see my mock) Andrews is healthy physically, they need to make sure he stays healthy mentally if he is he moves out to RT with Nick Cole and the guards mentioned above battling it out for the RG spot, beyond that we have Winston Justice still on the roster . I don't think our Oline situation is that bad. I don't think it warrants spending our first round picks on.
2. Running Back - I think the fact that Westbrook was hurt most of the year was more our problem than anything in the run game. He didn't have the burst he once had, he couldn't hit the creases quick enough and that caused alot of negative to small gains that normally would have been 4-5 yards. I am not big on signing free agent running backs, I equivilat that to buying used tires for your car. I am going to draft a back high in this years draft. Its about time we use a high pick to address a critical position on this team. We can not count on Westbrook giving us a 1200 yard on the ground 800 yard in the air year again at his age. The more we spot Westbrook the more dangerous he will be, the trick is to get another back that is Dangerous in his own right
3. Tight End - Brent Celek really showed what he could do in the playoffs. I like him as a pass catcher, he really is not good as a blocker though. Desmond Clark is somebody we should look at because he is a good blocker and coudl really help in short yardage situations. I am going to use a high pick on the other tight end. Tight End is a really important part of this offense, we can't go into next year with Celek as the only one. Schobel and LJ are gone.
4. Fullback - I really like Eckle and think he could develop into a really good fullback. However I think we need to protect ourselves there. I like Leonard Weaver alot at the Fullback position and believe since Eckle is versitile enough to play both Fullback and halfback we could carry both he and Weaver on the roster. Klecko goes back to DT.
5. Safety - Resign Dawk for 2 more years and let Considine go. Use a pick in this years draft for a backup player. Demps showed me enough (championship game excluded) that he could start if Dawk gets hurt, also there is the possibly of eventually moving Brown to safety. Q Mike is a pro bowler in my mind and a budding star.
6. Corner -Hanson is gone via free agency, somebody will offer him the chance to start. Lito will be shopped and probably traded. That leaves a hurt Jack Iwegeno and an unknown Trae Williams so I think that we will probably sign a young free agent type like Hanson was or Rod Hood (and maybe Williams was that guy) and most likely will use a draft pick on a corner at some point (3rd or 4th round ?)
Rest of the team, depth is important, I wouldn't turn down the chance to draft another QB in round 3 down, same with a big reciever to replace G Lew or Reggie Brown. I wouldn't stray away from taking a top flight strong side backer if an opportunity presents itself. I probably wouldn't go DE at all in this draft. DT same thing. I would bring in another kicker to compete with Akers. He really rebounded after a bad start but the guy is 35 years old.
My Draft Thoughts as of today.
21. Knowshown Moreno or LeSean McCoy are my picks here, I like Moreno slightly more than McCoy but would be thrilled with Either. They both are playmakers, they both can run with the rock and can catch it also. They would keep defenses honest when you split out Westbrook, they could carry the load if Westbrook gets hurt. Its time we spend a high pick on a RB.Think about the picks we have wasted over the past three years on backs, Moats and Hunt a 3rd and Booger a 4th. That within itself should tell Andy its time to take guy higher in the draft. .
28. I would look to trade back with this pick. from 25-40 there are a bunch of players who are about the same in my opinion. This draft has 3 top level centers in it, they all should go in that 25-40 range. I would take either Alex Mack, Max Unger or Jonathan Luigs they are all upgrades over Jackson maybe not year one but by year two. If you can't trade I would take the best one at 28 (who I think is Mack but they are all pretty close) if we can trade back and add an extra pick or two and still get one of them I woudl do that.
53. Chase Coffman TE Missouri - Solid pass catching tight end, soft hands, pretty darn good atheletic. He also a decent blocker. Could be gone by 53 if so I would go with Patrick Chung S Oregon and look to get Ryan Purvis from Notre Dame later in the draft.
Some players I would look at Round 3 and beyond
Patrick Turner WR USC - 6ft 5 220 pound - big possesion reciever who is a red zone threat. (4th,5th round area)
Rhett Bomar QB Sam Houston State - I think this kid has a chance to be a good QB in this league. At the very least he should be a solid backup. Give Kolb some competition. No need to have Feeley around (3-5 round)
Clay Mathews JR USC - Strong side backer who can also be a rush end. Smart player, looking at a 3rd rounder.
Londen Fryar CB Western Michigan - Irvings son, I like this kid, he is probably a 4th round but I think he could develop into a solid nickel back.
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