Vanden Bosch could be the best value for the Birds.


The pickings are going to be slim in the free agent market this season, so there's not going to be that first-day splash like there's been in the past -- with the exception of maybe Julius Peppers.

While I'd love to see the Eagles go after a guy like Peppers, it probably won't happen. They will probably contact him, feel out what exactly he's looking for, but in the end will decide that he's simply asking too much and move in another direction.

So what else is out there? Outside of Aaron Kampman, who is coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2009 season, Kyle Vanden Bosch is the only other guy worthwhile.

Vanden Bosch doesn't have the impressive sack numbers that fans are looking for, but he's also been the right defensive end in Tennessee for the past three years -- the position Trent Cole plays here in Philadelphia.

Even when he was playing on the left side, he never had that marquee pass-rusher. In Philly, he will have Cole on the right side to take the pressure off him, leaving him in several one-on-one battles with right tackles -- guys Vanden Bosch should be able to beat every time.

And even without the great sack numbers over the past couple seasons, he has been consistently able to get to the quarterback and at least hit and knock him down. He's also good playing the run and will take pressure off the linebacker behind him.

I'm not trying to tout Vanden Bosch as the savior. I think he's a very good defensive end who can really help this team, but he's clearly not the talent of Peppers or the pass-rusher that Kampman is, but with Peppers' price tag and Kampman's injury, Vanden Bosch becomes the very best option.

He's got a high-motor and, unlike someone like Peppers, you don't ever have to worry about him taking plays off.

With a rotation of him and Juqua Parker (who actually had a career-high eight sacks), the left side might just be able to pull its weight and give Cole some help for once in his career.

But of course, I'm still rooting for the best option (regardless of the price tag and bad reputation), that the Birds go after Peppers. Trent Cole on one side, Julius Peppers on the other...

Incredible.