Brown plays with an attitude the Eagles could use.


While I'm not ready to jump on the "cut Ellis Hobbs" bandwagon that so many Eagles fans have boarded, I am reminded -- and once again annoyed by -- the decision that led to Hobbs becoming the starter.

That decision, of course, was to trade Sheldon Brown, along with Chris Gocong, to the Cleveland Browns for a fourth-and fifth-round pick and OLB/DE Alex Hall.

Hall was a complete disaster from day one and off the top of my head I'm not even sure where he's playing. Last I heard it was in New York with the Giants and I don't find it important enough to even look up.

Either way, he was gone early so we're left with the draft picks.

With those picks, the Eagles drafted cornerback Trevard Lindley and OLB/DE Ricky Sapp.

Both guys have unlimited potential and could make huge impacts for this team down the road, but to this point have been disappointing as rookies.

Sapp was placed (or, more accurately, stashed) on Injured Reserve before the season began and Lindley has spent most of his time as a healthy scratch. He does have one interception, but that was a duck that Andy Reid could have gone out and caught.

So with Brown gone, Hobbs stepped into the starting role. The debacle of Week 7 aside, I think he's been serviceable this season. He has shown that more athletic receivers will beat him, but overall he's done a good job in coverage with help from the rookie safety Nate Allen.

But even still, Brown would have been better. In fact, as it stands right now, Brown doubles Hobbs in tackles (16 to 33) and interceptions (one to two). We can also be relatively certain Brown would not have allowed Kenny Britt to run wild simply by being physical and using his football acumen -- a trait Hobbs seems to be short on.

And now that the team has demoted Hobbs and plans to start reserve corner Dimitri Patterson in his place, I can't help but wonder where this defense would be had they just held on to Brown even for one more year until they found a suitable replacement.

Brown knew this system. He knew how to play in it. In fact, I would say he's the only player who actually got better once Sean McDermott took the reigns.

Brown playing across from Asante Samuel with Nate Allen and Quintin Mikell behind them could have the makings of one of the best secondaries in the league. Add in Joselio Hanson in the nickel and Hobbs as the dime corner and it would have been nearly impossible for opponents to pass the ball.

But instead they're going to see how well a reserve journeyman can handle the starting duties because the guys making the decisions did not have the foresight to see that they were still without a replacement for Brown and should have held onto him until they did.

I'm sure Reggie Wayne is licking his chops at the thought.
Continue Reading...

Hall was clearly not the player Reid thought he was.


Only a few hours after second-round pick Nate Allen finally signed on (after missing two days of camp), the Eagles released DE/OLB Alex Hall -- a piece they picked up in the Chris Gocong/Sheldon Brown trade.

So while it's great Allen is finally in camp and can get started learning the defense he'll be helping to run, the fact that Hall was the guy to get the axe is sure to drive those of us who hated the Brown trade to begin with even crazier.

All we heard about was how this kid was so athletic and was gonna be the next piece of the puzzle at SAM linebacker. And then the tune changed, and he was moved to defensive end. For me, that was the beginning of the end.

A position switch usually means the team just doesn't know what to do with the guy. And for Hall, he didn't stay at linebacker very long.

They moved him to a position that is absolutely loaded with competition, including three draft picks, and clearly weren't expecting much out of him.

So, in essence, they traded away two starters for a fourth and fifth-round pick and a guy they didn't even want to keep around as a camp body.

I said when it happened, and I'll say it now: this trade is going to come back to bite them, and it's going to bite them hard. Ellis Hobbs is not the answer as a full-time starter on the right side, and for as maddening as Gocong was, he could have been a very cheap and very effective backup.

They had better hope Brown has nothing left, Gocong continues to be a run-of-the-mill starter, and Trevard Lindley and Ricky Sapp both turn into All-Stars. Otherwise, this is going to be remembered as one of the worst moves of the Andy Reid era.

Speaking of trades, let's hope Allen turns into an All-Star as well, or the same shadow might be cast on the ill-advised Donovan McNabb trade.
Continue Reading...

This relationship appears to be dissolving rapidly.


With all the turnover the Eagles' roster has been seeing this past offseason, it shouldn't be a surprise if anyone over the age of 24 is traded or cut as we move closer to the start of the season.

But there's one name that has been coming up sporadically in trade talks that I would have never expected: Asante Samuel. The All-Pro cornerback doesn't seem to be on the same page as head coach Andy Reid or defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, and could wind up talking his way right out of Philly.

As you'll recall, Reid and Samuel got into a mini war of words recently, and while it doesn't seem like much on the surface, it could be the boiling point of something that's been going on in the locker room since day one.

"I think Asante knows he needs to have a better year than what he had, even though he was a Pro Bowler," Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "As good a player as he is, he can be even better," Reid said. "And I think that's the way he's handling the offseason."

Reid made those remarks after Samuel failed to show up for some voluntary workouts. A couple days later, Samuel had something of his own to say.

"The whole team needs to improve from the front office, to the head coach to the players," Samuel told CSNPhilly.com's Derrick Gunn.

So clearly, as I said earlier, these guys are not on the same page.

Then, on 610WIP on Saturday, Sheldon Brown (now of the Cleveland Browns) had something to say about some unnamed players, or perhaps one specific individual as my colleague Garry Cobb believes.

"I just think, we as a defense in Philadelphia, you just have to believe in what coach [Sean] McDermott preaches and follow the plan," Brown told Howard Eskin and Ike Reese. "You know, sometimes I look back at last year, the season, I feel that we had some players that really was questioning some of the things that were being done."

"And [we] never had that situation since I’ve been there," Brown continued. "And first and foremost, you have to believe in the system, believe in the plan, or you lose before you even go out there. And if the guys can remember to do that, stick together, they’ll be fine."

Apparently, if Cobb is accurate in his assumption, Brown believes that Samuel's presence in the locker room created a distraction and that, for as good as Samuel can be, his unwillingness to play within the scheme consistently hurt the defense.

That, my friends, is something Reid will have none of. Ever since the infamous story about making the lineman push the sled up and down the field, and then cutting him, Reid has had a reputation for dumping players who don't buy into his system.

Reid doesn't rarely call players out in public, so it shows you how he's feeling about Samuel if he's willing to do so with him. And then the fact that Samuel felt the need to passive-aggressively respond might show a glimpse of the player/person he is.

Samuel's got a big contract, but he's definitely worth it to a team that will allow him to do what he does best. Outside of his unwillingness to tackle (which Deion Sanders would call a "business decision"), Samuel is a very good corner who would certainly garner interest in the open market.

Depending on how far the Eagles want to move up in the first round, we could see Samuel get traded very early on draft day. That will depend on what a team is asking for, if the Eagles want to move up at all, and if they feel like they can replace him.

Who knows, they could be moving up to take his replacement.

Ever since Donovan McNabb was traded, of all places, to the Washington Redskins, nothing will surprise me anymore. Seeing Samuel get moved on draft-day, or perhaps to a team the week after the draft that feels like they still have holes in their secondary, would not even make me blink twice at this point.

It's a youth movement in Philadelphia, but it's more about getting players who will buy into the system, regardless of age.

Reid has shown he's not afraid to make the tough call, so if Samuel doesn't hop on board very quickly he could find himself shipped elsewhere sooner rather than later.
Continue Reading...

What do the Eagles do to fill the void left by Brown?


With the Eagles trading cornerback Sheldon Brown and outside linebacker Chris Gocong to the Cleveland Browns, the list of questions for the Eagles heading into 2010 just got a lot longer.

In return, the Eagles acquired a fourth and fifth round pick, as well as third-year outside linebacker Alex Hall. Hall was a seventh-round pick of the Browns back in '08 and, like Gocong, is a bit of a defensive end-outside linebacker 'tweener.

My immediate reaction is that the Birds got fleeced. Brown hasn't been to any Pro Bowls (although he reportedly turned down an offer last season), but he also hasn't missed a single game in his eight-year career and has always been a staple on this defense.

In Sean McDermott's scheme there has to be guys who can be left out on an island, and Brown was certainly one of those guys. His replacement, Ellis Hobbs, is more of a zone-coverage type of guy and might not be able to handle the same responsibilities Brown handled.

Hobbs, by the way, will become Brown's replacement barring a first-round selection at corner.

Right now, I'm failing to see the Eagles' plan. They continue the exodus of veteran players, but aren't getting a whole lot in return other than some extra cap space and, in this case, a couple draft picks and a guy who may or may not be good enough to start at SAM.

"We're trying to win. We're always trying to win," GM Howie Roseman told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "For us, this is a football decision. We're excited about some of the players on our team and we're excited about the quality of the draft."

Apparently the plan is nothing more than to find some starting talent in what is perceived to be the deepest draft in the last quarter-century. Most drafts are touted as the deepest in however many years, but this year seems to be different as several teams are buying into the notion.

But now instead of just needing a defensive end, linebacker, and free safety, the Eagles also need a cornerback. I'm a fan of Hobbs, but I'm just not sure if McDermott's system will bring his strengths to the forefront. Instead, I'm worried the system could expose the flaws in Hobbs' game.

The word is that the Eagles intend to move Macho Harris back to his natural position of cornerback and stick with Marlin Jackson as the starter and Quintin Demps as his backup, but that has yet to be confirmed or denied by the Eagles.

For now, cornerback is a position low on depth and thin on talent. It will most certainly be addressed in the early rounds, but I'm still a proponent of taking a defensive end. If the draft is really as deep as everyone says it is, the Birds should be able to find a starting-caliber cornerback in the second round.
Continue Reading...

Will Jauron be enough for the secondary to rebound?


Last year, for the first time in a long time, the Eagles' pass defense was in the bottom half of the league. Granted, not by much (at 17th), but it's troubling nonetheless.

As was the case with the rest of the defense, injuries took a toll on the guys in the secondary. Even Sheldon Brown, who has never missed a game, came very close to missing time with a few different injuries at one time, including a pulled hamstring.

Asante Samuel had an awful stinger at one point, Ellis Hobbs was forced to miss the latter portion of the season due to a neck injury, and Joselio Hanson was indisposed due to a four-week suspension for testing positive for a banned substance -- more specifically, a banned diuretic.

Quintin Demps hurt himself during the offseason, opening the door for Macho Harris who was very unimpressive at his new position. Sean Jones also got his shot, but after several unspectacular weeks he was allowed to walk in the offseason and is now in Tampa Bay.

Quintin Mikell was a bit nicked up, but most of his issues came from attempting to play two positions at one time; Trying to make up for the short-comings of the guy next to him significantly hurt his play.

And through all that, the only addition to the secondary was former cornerback/free safety for the Indianapolis Colts, Marlin Jackson. It's not a splash-maker like the Eagles have had in the past, but it's a solid signing of a guy who should be a serviceable starter.

But with no moves at cornerback and no big-name free safety, what exactly do the Eagles think will improve this unit that was so lack-luster in 2009?

Quite obviously, the guys will be more healthy. That should, of course, lead to better play. All of these guys have the talent, so that surely won't be the problem. Also, head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott are looking heavily at improving the pass-rush, which should make the secondary look much better than in '09.

But the biggest thing, I believe, the Eagles are banking on is the addition of new secondary coach Dick Jauron. Jauron is replacing Brian Stewart who jumped ship to become the University of Houston's defensive coordinator.

Jauron was a successful secondary coach and defensive coordinator before a couple of failed stints as a head coach, so Reid is hoping that he is still able to effectively teach these veterans something they don't already know.

Jackson will be Jauron's biggest project as he hasn't played free safety in a couple seasons, but this is why he was brought in. Reid knew that a big-name safety was most likely out of the question, and brought Jauron in to help the transition as smooth as possible and put it all in his hands.

Hopefully said hands are able to work a castle out of a ball of clay.
Continue Reading...

Should the Eagles take Kyle Wilson at 24, if available?


During my usual semi-interested stroll around the mock drafts to see what everyone thought the Eagles were going to do, I noticed a few of them, including some national guys, think the Eagles should select a cornerback with their first round pick.

But, as is usually the case with outsider Eagles news or opinion, I'm left shaking my head wondering why in the world the Birds would consider such a move.

There's no doubt that the position will be in heavy limbo over the next couple of seasons with Brown getting older and Ellis Hobbs looking for a way out, but is it dire enough to address it in the first round?

Devin McCourty of Rutgers is usually the name I'm seeing. He's the clear-cut third-best cornerback available in this draft after Joe Haden and Kyle Wilson, but is he truly a first-round pick, or is he a bit of a reach?

Until just a few weeks ago most would be saying that's a reach, but now it looks like most expect him to go in the later portion of the first round or, at the latest, early in the second round.

But regardless of whether or not he's actually worthy of the 24th overall selection, I just do not believe that the Eagles need to be focusing on the position just yet and should only consider a cornerback if Haden or Wilson have a dramatic fall.

Both of those guys are expected to go in the top 15, but I suppose one or both could slide.

But other than that, the focus needs to be at defensive end. Asante Samuel, Brown, Joselio Hanson, and Hobbs are a more-than-capable foursome that will allow the Birds to look elsewhere to fortify their defense.

They must first looks defensive end, then linebacker, then free safety. Everything starts at the line of scrimmage, and if they don't get a pass-rusher opposite Trent Cole, it won't matter if they're able to draft all three of those corners.

No matter how good they are, something tells me they can't cover all day.

With that said, however, no one really expected Andy Reid to draft two cornerbacks and a safety in the same draft back in 2002, but that landed the Birds Brown, Lito Sheppard, and Michael Lewis. That trio, in their prime, could very well have been the best the Eagles have ever seen.

So there's really no way to know what Reid will do, but cornerback simply does not make sense at this point. I believe in taking the best player available, and the only way that player is a corner is if the aforementioned Haden or Wilson slip.

Outside of that, however, the Eagles will not be taking a cornerback in the first round.
Continue Reading...

Trading Sheldon Brown would be an awful mistake.


Seemingly lost in all of the Donovan McNabb trade talks was the fact that Reid told reporters at the owner's meeting that he has been receiving offers for cornerback Sheldon Brown. Brown is currently unhappy with his contract, but the Eagles don't seem likely to budge.

He was a good sport all throughout the 2009 campaign, but it was clear from the start of the season that Brown was not happy with the situation. He clearly believes he's underpaid and would seemingly welcome a change of scenery if it also meant a raise.

Andy Reid is listening to offers for the disgruntled cornerback, but it's unclear what teams are actually offering at this point. Most believe that due to Brown's age he would command nothing more than a third-round pick, but he's only going to be 31 and has never missed a game in his eight-year career.

Reid and the Eagles would like to keep Brown around if at all possible, but a player can only hide his unhappiness and animosity toward his team for so long. Eventually, it will start affecting his play and could have a negative effect on the guys around him.

If they see that beginning to happen, or anticipate that as a problem, Reid and company could use Brown as draft-day bait to either move up in the early rounds, or to simply acquire picks if there are guys still on the board they really like.

There would certainly be a team out there willing to trade for a cornerback who has never missed a game and plays like a linebacker.

Personally, I believe Brown deserves a raise after his performance last season and the way he battled through injuries all year long, but the Eagles don't seem willing to give him anything more than what he's already making.

They believe he's gotten a fair deal and have said they won't even discuss a new one until at least 2011 -- the second-to-last year on a six-year extension signed back in 2004.

Brown is scheduled to make $2.75 million in 2010, which is far below the average for a starting cornerback. However, that's the risk that goes along with signing such a long-term extension.

Hopefully the Eagles will wise up and pay the man what he's worth before something has to be done in terms of shipping him elsewhere. He's the best all-around player on the defensive side of the ball outside of Trent Cole and his absence would be noticed almost immediately.

He brings a toughness that cornerbacks just don't have anymore, and losing a guy like Brown could completely suck the life out of a defense already struggling to find an on-field leader.

Brown is currently worth more to the Eagles than he is to anyone else, so anything they acquire for him in a trade won't seem to be worth it. Not only that, but it doesn't seem like the guys behind him would be capable of filling his shoes.

Joselio Hanson is a very good nickel corner, but he's shown that's where he belongs. Ellis Hobbs is a more-than-serviceable corner, but he's not on the level of Brown and the secondary would experience a drop-off with him as the right cornerback instead of Brown.

It's a messy situation that could come to a boiling point very soon, but hopefully the Eagles can avoid it by simply paying a guy who has done everything the right way and absolutely deserves to finally be paid what he's worth.

If Sheldon Brown isn't a guy who deserves a nice raise as a result of his play and simply doing things the right way, then I'm not quite sure who is.
Continue Reading...

Signing Jackson could solve two very big problems.


In an effort to bolster a weak passing defense, the Eagles have set up a visit with former Colts' defensive back Marlin Jackson. It's unknown whether the Birds are looking to him to make the move to free safety, or if they want to keep him at cornerback.

Jackson is scheduled to be in Philadelphia on Tuesday, but will meet with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. If the Ravens don't sign him on the spot, he'll make the trip north to Philadelphia.

The Eagles definitely need some help in the secondary as Ellis Hobbs in the only real backup on the outside if Sheldon Brown or Asante Samuel were to go down. Joselio Hanson is best suited for the nickel and has shown he's not all the reliable playing the close to the sidelines.

Jackson has, however, started six games for the Colts at free safety and has even played a little strong safety. He's 6'0 and just under 200 pounds, so he's a bit undersized as a free safety, but the Birds are looking for someone who can play center field, and that might be Jackson.

Personally, I'd like them to use the opportunity of bringing in a starting-caliber cornerback to move Brown to free safety. He's exactly what any team would want in a safety in that he can not only cover receivers, but he can pop them if they come across the middle and has shown that he can play the ball.

Whether or not he'd go for it or whether or not the Eagles are interested in asking him to make the move is a different story, but it simply makes too much sense to ignore.

Bringing in a guy like Jackson, or perhaps Leigh Bodden, gives the Birds a guy in Brown who I believe would immediately become an All-Pro. He's exactly what they want for Sean McDermott's defense, and he's beginning to slow down a little on the outside.

Move him inside, play to his strengths, and hide some of his weaknesses.

Jackson is only 26 years old, is in the prime of his career, and is more than capable or playing across from Samuel, especially with a guy like Brown behind him to make up for any mistakes he may make.

Hopefully the Eagles, and Brown, are open to the move because it would allow them to fill two needs with one signing and also let them focus on more pressing issues -- like figuring out who is going to provide a pass-rush opposite Trent Cole.
Continue Reading...

Julius Peppers' next visit will be to Philadelphia.


Julius Peppers is in Chicago right now, but that apparently doesn't mean he won't be hopping the first flight to Philadelphia in a couple hours.

It was thought that the Bears would not allow Peppers to leave Chicago and would have him signed today, but with every passing hour it's looking less and less like that's the case. His agent is even going so far as to name-drop and say that if a deal isn't done, Philly is their next stop.

The Birds apparently placed their bid and are now just waiting for Peppers to either accept or decline. There's probably a little wiggle room in the offer, but not much. It's got to be a good one, however, if Peppers and his agent are willing to make the trip should things break down in Chicago.

Jason La Canfora is reporting that the Patriots also have an offer on the table for Peppers and are simply playing the same wait-and-see game as the Eagles.

Most of us are completely in the dark as far as what Peppers is looking to command. I've heard numbers that would put Albert Haynesworth to shame, and I've also heard that he's willing to take about $10-12 million per season in order to play for a contender.

It's going to be very interesting to see where he signs, and I hope it's with the Eagles, but I also hope that they don't break the bank on a 30-year old defensive end who has a reputation of not playing as hard as he should.

It's not really something we have to seriously worry about with the Birds, but something tells me his contract will be far from reasonable and could create some unhappy people in the Eagles' locker room.

How will Sheldon Brown react if he's sees big money tossed at a guy like Peppers? Brown constantly does and says the right things, but he's left in the dark while a guy known for taking plays off is getting paid?

Or what about Trent Cole? He's not making nearly the money Peppers would be, but he's certainly worth about as much and has proven so.

That's really my only concern. Players try to keep themselves apart from what other players are making, but in today's NFL is tough not to take it personally when you're playing next to the guy and get to see all his new toys first-hand.

He most likely won't become an Eagle if he's got an outrageous asking price, but if he doesn't like what Chicago has to offer and the Patriots -- the only franchise more frugal than Philly -- are the only other team with a bid in place, the Birds might just get him at a discount.
Continue Reading...

Would Rolle be a good fit in McDermott's defense?


Due to his large cap number, no one expects Antrel Rolle to be in Arizona next season. In fact, due to a $4 million roster bonus he's due to receive next week, he probably won't be there for that long.

Now I don't want to start a trend where we talk about the Birds pursuing every free safety who hits the market, but in this case they need to take a close look at Rolle. He's been a very good free safety since coming into the league, even on the poor defenses the Cardinals have had.

His size (6'0, 202) allows him to play around the box the same way Brian Dawkins used to, or drop back and play coverage like a traditional safety. He's very good at doing both, coming down with interceptions and wrapping up 70-80 solo tackles in each of the past two seasons.

Well-established 28-year old free safeties aren't hitting the market on a consistent basis, and with that being the case the Eagles have to at least reach out to Rolle and see what kind of numbers he'll want.

And there is where we run into a possible problem.

Rolle is going to be cut because of an $8 million base salary and $4 million roster bonus due next week. He knows this as well as the guys making the decision, but still has refused to take a pay cut.

It doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to be asking that much on the market, but it wouldn't be shocking for him to ask far more than what the Eagles -- or any other team -- is willing to pay. He might not understand that safeties just don't get the big money that corners get, and he could sit in free agency for a while before he drops his asking price.

As far as base salary goes, Adrian Wilson, Rolle's partner in the secondary, was the highest paid safety in the league with a base salary of $5.5 million (other than OJ Atogwe who was playing on the franchise tag).

That could be the reason Rolle is refusing to take a pay-cut, but either way, $5 million seems to be the ceiling for safeties.

With that in mind, a multi-year deal for Rolle at about $3.5-4 million per season with a decent amount of guaranteed money could bring him to Philly.

It would be a pleasant change of pace to once again have a free safety who can hit, and actually will hit somebody. The physical play from Quintin Demps, Sean Jones, or Macho Harris was nonexistent and it gave teams a sense of comfort when going over the middle.

With Rolle and Quintin Mikell back there, they will instantly make each other, and the entire defense, better.

The Birds could also keep Sheldon Brown at corner and turn their attention to more pressing issues on defense such as a pass-rushing left end and some linebackers.

Players who are cut before March 5th are fair game (as far as I know), so the Birds could get a jump-start and sign him before free agency kicks off, allowing themselves to target someone like Julius Peppers with all their resources on hand.
Continue Reading...

Sheldon Brown can certainly hit like a free safety.


I was on G. Cobb in the House Friday night over on VoiceAmericaSports.com with Garry Cobb and Micah Warren, and the topic of Sheldon Brown and the issue at free safety became a topic of discussion.

Everyone had their own opinions, but personally, I'm in favor of the switch for Sheldon. Speaking purely on where Sheldon would produce best, it makes sense.

As a corner he's very strong in zone coverage, but seems to lack the ability to stick with the more elite receivers he faces. Plaxico Burress, for instance, always seemed to torch Sheldon at the most inopportune times. As a safety, he would not have to face those elite receivers and would be free to roam the field like Brian Dawkins in his prime.

He doesn't hit quite as hard, but Reggie Bush will tell you he gets the job done.

The switch to free safety would not only put a spotlight on his strengths and downplay his weaknesses, but would fix the problem that the Eagles have had at free safety for the past two seasons.

The next logical step then, of course, would be to figure out who will start opposite Asante Samuel. Joselio Hanson is probably more suited as a nickel corner, so moving him to the starting spot would probably not work.

Absent a new CBA, Ellis Hobbs will become a restricted free agent and the Eagles will have him on board for at least one more season. It's possible that someone offers him a deal that the Eagles will not match, but it's unlikely considering he's coming off a season-ending neck injury.

Many no longer see Hobbs as a viable starter, but that wouldn't seem to make much sense considering the Patriots defense was one of the best in the league during their 16-0 season -- a season in which Samuel and Hobbs were the starting corners.

With a more consistent pass rush, the move would absolutely work out. Even if the Eagles don't believe Hobbs is a starter, there are guys like Leigh Bodden, Dunta Robinson, and Dre' Bly hitting the free agent market regardless of the status of the CBA.

Bly might be a bit past him prime, but he could be a good one-year option until the Eagles can go out and find someone else. Bodden and Robinson, however, are certainly above average and, in Robinson's case, have shown to be borderline elite in seasons past.

I've been a fan of this move for a long time and believe that it would solve a lot of problems in the secondary. Quintin Mikell would be more free to do his job and not worry about picking up the slack for the guy next to him, Sheldon would be an All-Pro at safety, and both corners could play with the security of knowing they have two Pro Bowl-caliber safeties behind them.

And if Samuel has faith in the safety behind him to make a play, it could result in a lot more gambles resulting in many more big plays.

It's something that the Eagles should seriously consider heading into 2010 and, if they're smart about it, will at least try during offseason practices, training camp, and the preseason.
Continue Reading...

Another year, another Pro Bowl snub for Sheldon.


When the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, I was looking to see how many Eagles were on the roster. Six made it onto the All-Star roster, but it was the two who did not make it that really stuck out to me.

Trent Cole, Asante Samuel, Jason Peters, Leonard Weaver, DeSean Jackson, and David Akers were all voted onto the team (with Jackson actually making it twice -- something never done before), and all were deserving.

However, the absence of Sheldon Brown and Brent Celek continues to show that the Pro Bowl is nothing more than name-recognition and not actually looking at the numbers.

For instance, the two guys who made it ahead of Celek at tight end were Vernon Davis and Jason Witten. Davis deserves the Pro Bowl nod as he's put up some gaudy numbers this year even with inconsistencies at quarterback.

Witten, on the other hand, is currently sitting with a highly-unimpressive one touchdown. Not in just the last three weeks or in the latter portion of the season, but in the entire season Witten has accounted for exactly one touchdown.

His 88 receptions for 954 yards is certainly impressive, but this game is about getting into the endzone and it's something that Witten simply has not done this season.

It is, however, not without precedent. Back in 2o06, Witten was selected to his third straight Pro Bowl off of 64 receptions for 754 yards and one touchdown. If that is a Pro Bowl year then there are some backup tight ends who are being snubbed.

It proves that this is nothing more than name-recognition, but year after year we'll continue to point out who got snubbed in the hopes that the voting process will someday be refined. It won't, but we push forth anyway.

But back to Celek.

His 69 receptions and 875 yards aren't quite up to par with Witten, but his eight touchdowns dwarf Witten's one and should have gotten him a Pro Bowl nod. Not only is he putting up great numbers, but he's doing it in an offense with a lot of distribution and it's his first full year as a starter.

The kid got robbed in favor of a much more recognizable name; So is the Pro Bowl process.

Sheldon Brown will be joining Celek in the corner with the rest of the snubs, but Brown getting snubbed was expected. He's not a flashy guy who does a dance every time he makes a tackle or intercepts a pass, but he's a guy who gets it done better than most.

He's a shutdown corner in this league when very few of them exist. He's never had a lot of interceptions, but that was because quarterbacks did not want to throw his way, and receivers did not want to get in his path.

He's one of the few complete corners and the fact that he gets snubbed year in and year out is a travesty. Players will say that they don't care about the Pro Bowl and all of those other things, but when you're up for an honor that you feel you deserve and you never get it, it will begin to wear on your psyche -- at least a little.

Brown, outside of London Fletcher, may be the most underrated player in the league. The fact that neither of these guys have ever earned a Pro Bowl nod is a testament to the several flaws that occur in the process.

But hey, there's always next year, right?
Continue Reading...

Jackson's two touchdowns were the difference in NY.


Beating the Giants wasn't quite as easy this time around as it took six touchdowns to put away Eli Manning and company in the final Eagles-Giants bout to be played in Giants Stadium.

Donovan McNabb threw two scores (one to DeSean Jackson and one to Brent Celek), Leonard Weaver and Michael Vick each ran for a score, and the defense and special teams even chipped in with one score each via a Sheldon Brown fumble recovery and a Jackson punt return.

With a score sheet like that, you'd think this game would have been an absolute blowout. But, unfortunately, the Eagles' defense was absolutely atrocious and gave up a box score to the Giants nearly as impressive.

Over 500 yards of offense and five touchdowns simply will not get it done when the playoffs roll around. Giving up those kind of numbers to any team will result in an early exit. There isn't a playoff team with safeties as poor as the Giants', so McNabb and Jackson won't be able to play pitch-and-catch over the deep middle en route to a victory.

The front four was especially disappointing. Darren Howard had two sacks, one of them the strip-sack to officially end the game, and Juqua Parker had half a sack along with Joselio Hanson.

Three sacks isn't bad, but when you take into account that one sack only came as a result of a zero blitz, and the other was the result of Eli moving around and trying to make a play at the end of the game, you've got one legitimate sack on a great spin move by Howard.

Sacks aside, the amount of times Eli was hurried in the pocket was...well, it was nearly non-existent. Even blitzing didn't get the job done as the sixth, seventh, and even eighth man sent couldn't seem to penetrate a five-man line. It's a huge issue that will plague this team in January.

Outside of the fumble caused by Trent Cole and returned by Brown, the defense didn't do a whole lot to help this offense, but they did just enough. It's a good feeling to come out with a win like this, but the Eagles understand that the defense must be better if they want to capture that elusive Lombardi Trophy.
Continue Reading...

Memo to the Eagles' front office: Pay this man -- now.


Sheldon Brown raised a bit of a fuss during the offseason when he came out and said that he wanted a new contract. He believes he's one of the best corners in the league, and thought that should translate into some more money.

Many of us scoffed at Brown, wondering why in the world he'd ask for a new contract when he's only two years into an extension. It's not that Philly didn't believe he deserved it, but the timing was all wrong. He had a contract, and that's the contract he would play out.

Well, now may be the time to change up that thinking a little bit.

The problem with Brown, and guys like him, is that interceptions are what lead to Pro Bowl nods and it's a stat in which he's never excelled. But the question is: why has he never had a lot of interceptions? Well, it could be because he's thrown at a lot less than most corners. In fact, I would go so far to say that he's one of the few shutdown corners in the league.

That, and the man has stones for hands. They're great for knocking the ball away, but he couldn't catch a cold.

But so far in 2009 (12 games), he's already bested his season-high total of interceptions with five, has more than doubled his return yardage was 152, and for the third season of his career, has returned one for a score. He's also got 13 passes defended -- one more than last season and one less than in all of 2007.

The case is there to be made that Brown has done more than enough to deserve a contract that would put him in the upper-echelon of the cornerbacks in this league, but what he's asking may not be something the Eagles are willing to pay.

They understand that there's already a lot of money tied up in Asante Samuel and Joselio Hanson, and the Birds will have some young kids, and veterans, to pay soon. DeSean Jackson, Jason Avant, Leonard Weaver, Sean Jones, and Akeem Jordan, just to name a handful, are all going to want paid around the same time.

Then there's also the franchise quarterback who will need paid either this offseason or the next, so the Eagles' front office has to be careful about shelling out money.

That said, Sheldon isn't a selfish guy. He's not going to ask for Samuel-type money in the $10 million per year area, but he will want about $8 million per season. Which, honestly, is a number he's worth.

The only problem is that he is at that magic number -- 30 years old. However, he's having his best season as a pro, so perhaps it's a sign that what the Eagles consider "old age" isn't going to slow him down.

I'm a big fan of Brown and think his skill and durability are reason enough to resign him for big money.

And really, who doesn't think that when Sheldon slows down too much to be a corner that he won't just turn into an All-Pro free safety?
Continue Reading...

Sheldon already has two picks, and will be looking for more.


Usually when talking about a game, people talk about what happened in the first half, and the second half. In this game, people will be talking about what happened in the first quarter, and the second quarter.

In the first quarter, the Eagles looked completely incompetent on both sides of the ball. The receivers were dropping balls, the offensive line wasn't run-blocking, and the defense was missing tackles left and right.

In the second quarter, however, the Eagles picked it up after a pep-talk from Brian Westbrook. Since then everything has worked perfectly for the Eagles. They're stuffing the run, they're catching the difficult throws, the line is run-blocking, and even the special teams is getting into it as DeSean Jackson already has a punt return for a touchdown.

Sean McDermott has been absolutely incredible and has outsmarted the Panthers at every team. The forced fumble on Jake Delhomme was all because of his designed blitz up the middle from Trent Cole playing that Joker position.

Anyone who was worried about how McDermott would respond need not be worried any longer.

If the Eagles can keep the running game going in the second half, this game should come out as an absolute blowout. The Panthers must continue to attempt to pass the ball, which has not worked at all up to this point.

Sheldon Brown already has two picks, and the defense has a total of three turnovers right now. They'll be looking to get some more off Delhomme here in the second half.

Tune in to FOX to see if the Eagles can keep this going. Keep your fingers crossed.

Continue Reading...

For a fan, there's nothing better than opening week. That first game ends months of frustration and hanging on to any kind of football fix he/she can get (i.e. the draft).

For a player, there's nothing better than being in a battle. A battle with a person you see every day, a person wearing the same colors as you. Going in every day knowing that if you're not at the top of your game on that practice field, you'll never see that playing field.

No player cares to know how that bench feels.

The stress is incredible, the mental toughness must be at its highest level, and your body must be at its peak.

It's that time from a couple weeks after the draft right up until the Saturday before that first game. It's that time that will make or break a season, a career.

Every season there are a few key battles during camps (mini-camp, training camp, etc.) that will shape the team for the coming year, and this year is no different for the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles.

In fact, there may be more for the Eagles this year than any prior year.

Old faces are gone, new faces are ready to step in, but how will it break down?

Free Safety - Sean Jones vs. Quintin Demps

Jones is the veteran, Demps is the young guy. However Demps has a year on Jones as far as seniority with the Eagles is concerned.

Jones has been highly underrated during his time in the league with Cleveland. If you've been an Eagles fan for more than five minutes, you've seen the stat that he's third in the league over the past three years in interceptions by a safety with 14 (behind Ed Reed and O.J. Atogwe).

Jones is a ballhawk. He's a guy who can change a game with that key interception or deflection. He played well on a bad Cleveland defense, so what might he be able to do surrounded by the third-best defense in the league?

Demps is coming into his second year after being drafted in the fourth round out of UTEP (Texas El-Paso). His key role with the team in his rookie year was in the return game, and he did a decent job. He had one return for a touchdown, but unfortunately it came in a game that will only be remembered for the benching of Donovan McNabb.

In some spot duty last season, Demps looked lost at times. He also made some dumb rookie mistakes.

For examples of both, just look at the NFC Championship game vs. the Arizona Cardinals. His late hit on Kurt Warner was wrong, stupid, costly, and if I were Reid he wouldn't have seen the field again.

Then there was the triple pass from Warner to Edge to Warner to Fitzgerald 60 yards down the field. Demps falls over himself and Fitz walks into the endzone. Can Demps be trusted this early in his career?

I don't believe so.

Starter: Sean Jones - Demps will be a starter at some point, but now is not that time. I think the Eagles keep him as a returner and maybe give him some time in the defensive backfield.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Rashad Baker, Victor Harris

Cornerback - Sheldon Brown vs. Ellis Hobbs vs. Joselio Hanson

Brown is the incumbent starter, but due to his recent contract squabbles may find himself out of favor with Reid & Co. That's not to say that he would be sat simply because he's complaining about his status on the team, but it could cause some mental lapses for him (like Lito Sheppard last year).

The key here will be if Brown can separate football from business and just shut up and play. If he can, he should be fine, but if not he'll be in trouble.

Hobbs is a guy who the Eagles just traded for over this draft weekend. Two fifth-round picks is a steal for a guy who has started for a team like the New England Patriots over the past few years.

The knock on Hobbs is his size. At 5'9" it will be difficult for him to cover some of the taller receivers. He, like Brown, also has issues with his contract and may or may not throw a fit as well. His contract was a main reason for his trade in the first place. Hopefully he doesn't bring it up until after the season.

Hanson is really a dark horse in all of this, but is a guy who cannot be overlooked either by the media or Brown and Hobbs. Since they both have contract issues and are looking to get paid, Hanson may be able to beat them out by simply focusing on only football and overplaying them in camp.

Hanson got his payday, so there's nothing to worry about on that front. He stepped up big time last year while taking advantage of Sheppard's situation. He got paid, and now looks to fight off new competition and keep his spot.

Starter: Sheldon Brown - I don't believe that Brown will allow his contract situation to distract him. I think he keeps his job for this year and probably gets unloaded next year. Look for Hobbs and Hanson to battle it out, but probably wind up splitting time in the nickel anyway.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Jack Ickegwuonu, Victor Harris

Linebacker - Omar Gaither vs. Akeem Jordan

Gaither has been a starter since halfway through his rookie season. He's taken over for a Philly icon in Jeremiah Trotter, and also was the reason Takeo Spikes was sent packing after only one season.

After being a fifth round selection out of Tennessee, Gaither has far outperformed his expectations. He's football-savvy, and a blue-collar, hard-working player. However after the debacle vs. Baltimore last season, Gaither was inexplicably deemed the scapegoat and benched in favor of Akeem Jordan.

Jordan was an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007 out of D-1AA James Madison in Virginia. Jordan is somewhat undersized at 6'1" and 226 lbs, but he makes up for it with his speed off the edge and his vision to get through to the ball-carrier.

After replacing Gaither in 2008, Jordan impressed by coming on quickly. A huge thing for a new starter is not having that one bad play that sticks out, and I can't recall any for Jordan. All that means is that he did his job. He wasn't spectacular, but he did his job and that's really all that can be expected of a young player.

Starter: Omar Gaither - While I liked the way Jordan played last year, I think that Gaither is just a much more polished linebacker who's not finished getting better. I do not believe he has hit his ceiling quite yet, and the trade talk surrounding him is ridiculous. Look for Gaither on the weakside in '09.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Charleston Hughes, Moise Fukou, Tank Daniels

Left Defensive End - Juqua Parker vs. Darren Howard vs. Victor Abiamiri

Parker, formerly known as Juqua Thomas, has been the starter for the past couple of years, and has done an admirable job in his role. He is a big guy who plays well against the run and can get some pressure on the quarterback.

His weakness is the latter portion of the season. His production drops off significantly after Week 8 or so, and can cause problems for the defense trying to push for a playoff spot in a tough division.

Howard was a big free agent acquisition a few years back after becoming a big name in New Orleans, however his time with the Eagles has been average at best. Howard had bulked up to around 290 in order to be able to play both end and tackle in Jim Johnson's defense.

In 2008, he dropped about 20 pounds and played around 270. The drop really showed and paid off as he led the team with 10 sacks and played like the elite player he was in New Orleans. The problem with Howard is that he will turn 33 during the season, and is a little old to be a starting end.

Abiamiri was a second round pick in 2007 and has a lot of high expectations from the Eagles' coaching staff. He was having a promising training camp last year before a wrist injury sidelined him for a few weeks. He didn't seem to ever fully recover from injury, playing in only 10 games and was only able to muster two sacks.

He's still a young guy, but a guy that the Eagles want to see develop into the player they thought was worthy of a second round pick just a couple of years ago.

Starter: Juqua Parker - I think Parker will get the nod again this year because he's really the best option. Abiamiri is untapped potential at this point, and Howard really is in the back-end of his career. Parker will start, but the rotation will probably be heavier than ever, with all three of these guys seeing time.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Bryan Smith, Chris Clemons

Center - Jamaal Jackson vs. Nick Cole

Jackson has been the starter at center ever since 2006 when he beat out Hank Fraley for the spot and even having the competition showing up on the cover of SI magazine (pictured above).

After two sub-par seasons from Jackson, who played like a Pro Bowl guy in 2006, the Eagles coaching staff and fans have put him on notice. At this rate, Jackson may find him on the SI cover again. However this time he may not like the outcome.

Cole impressed the staff (and the fans) last year by filling in for Max Jean-Gilles who was filling in for Shawn Andrews at right guard. Cole played extremely well and really surpassed expectations by playing well in the run and pass.

He really helped to calm the nerves of an anxious city after seeing a Pro Bowl right guard and his backup both go down with season-ending injuries. Cole is a good player and certainly deserves his shot.

Starter: Jamaal Jackson - This may be a surprise, but overall I believe Jackson is the best player here. Granted, he hasn't played well over the past couple of years, but that could have been because of the lack of competition. Yes he should have been able to perform regardless, but competition pushes players to play better. He knows he's on a short leash.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Mike McGlynn

Battles Not Determining A Starter:

Wide Receiver - Jeremy Maclin vs. Reggie Brown vs. Hank Baskett

This is assuming that Curtis and D-Jack have the one and two spots locked up, with Avant having time guaranteed somewhere.

Maclin, this year's first round pick, is a guy who may take a couple years to develop, or he'll be an instant sensation. The reason he may take a couple years is because of the offense he ran at Mizzou. I don't think the kid ran a single intermediate route, something a receiver must do a lot in the west coast offense.

He will be a good receiver, whether that is '09 or as late as '11, we'll just have to wait and see. His success will be contingent upon learning the playbook. From there, it's all on his talent, and there's no shortage of that.

Brown may be as good as gone in the minds of Philly fans, but I'm not so sure that Reid & Co. feel the same way. There's a reason they made him a second round pick, and he's shown flashes of that throughout his short time here in Philly.

In his first two years, he accumulated 89 receptions, 1,387 yards, 12 TD's, and one rushing touchown for 13 total. That's not bad for your first two years in the league.

2006 was by far his best season with 46 receptions for 816 yards and nine total touchdowns, including one rushing. He looked to have the speed, the burst, the hands, and the football intelligence to be a successful receiver in the league.

Even in 2007 he had a pretty good year, with a career-high 61 receptions for 780 yards and four touchdowns.

The point being that I do not believe Reggie should be cut or traded or whatever else because he comes out and has one bad year, the first really bad year of his career. He was banged up last year, and should be given another shot to compete.

When healthy, I believe Reggie has a very high ceiling. He may never become more than a two or three, but he certainly warrants a spot on this roster and another chance to prove himself.

Baskett is a guy who I feel is extremely underutilized. They have not used him in positions where he would be a fantastic asset, such as the redzone. The guy is 6'4" and a huge target. They thought enough of him to trade for him as an undrafted rookie free agent before he had even gone to mini-camp, so they must have had a plan for him.

He's a good combination of size and speed, as evidenced by the fact that he's only one of six players in NFL history to have two or more touchdown receptions of 90+ yards.

Battle Winner: Jeremy Maclin - DeSean Jackson's success last year has hopefully opened Reid's eyes to the fact that receivers can contribute right away. As I said, Maclin may be a bit raw in the route-running department for the first year, but that's something that can be coached up. He's got too much talent to sit on the bench.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Brandon Gibson (after talking to some people from WSU, it would appear that Gibson may be a steal in the sixth), Shaheer McBride

Running Back - Lorenzo Booker vs. Kyle Eckel

Booker was not given a large role in the backfield last year, and therefore was not able to do much, only getting on the field during garbage time of a huge win. Booker was brought in because of his similarities to Brian Westbrook with the thought being that he could spell Westbrook.

That never came to fruition, and now Booker's place on this team is being questioned, especially with the addition of second round pick LeSean "Shady" McCoy. However, having sunk a fourth round pick into him, Booker will get every chance to succeed before being let go.

Eckel was a mid-season signing, and like Booker, did not get many opportunities. However, unlike Booker, Eckel made the best of his opportunities. He was brought in as a fullback, but used more as a big running back for short-yardage situations.

While he did a good job on offense and special teams, Eckel may not have a place on the roster because of the signing of Leonard Weaver from Seattle. Reid does not like to usually have the same kind of player at the same position, but both of these players fit into that category.

Battle Winner: Kyle Eckel - This is a close call, but I believe Eckel edges Booker here because of his ability to also play special teams. Eckel is a blue-collar guy who Reid will fall in love with because he'll stick his nose into any pile, and player, and will run fearless on the field.

Eckel may be similar to Weaver, but it boils down to contribution, and he will contribute more between offense and special teams, whereas Booker would only play offense. Reid already has a Westbrook-clone in McCoy.

I believe Booker can be a good player, and will be a good pickup for another team after being released in a numbers game.

Dark Horse Candidate(s): Eldra Buckley, Walter Mendenhall

All of these battles warrant some attention, as they will shape the team not only for next year, but years to come. This is the most important time of the year for teams around the NFL to find out what they have on their roster.

The Eagles are no different. Stay tuned, it promises to be an exciting time.

Continue Reading...

Sheldon Brown has asked for a new contract. If he doesn't get a new contract, he'll ask to be traded.
Continue Reading...

Jim Johnson has been in the driver’s seat of this defense for the past 10 years, and hopefully he won’t be going anywhere soon. Another leader on defense, Brian Dawkins, is gone for Denver.

Other than that, the defense remains 100 percent intact and looks to continue their dominating 2008 performance into the 2009 season behind a good mix of young talent and veteran leadership.

First up, the secondary.

With the departure of long-time leader and Philadelphia main-stay Brian Dawkins, the Eagles would appear to have a need at safety. However, with the signing of Sean Jones they may have found a starter for years to come.

Jones is a young guy, and a former second round pick. He had some good years in Cleveland, ranking third among safeties in interceptions with 14 behind only Ed Reed and O.J. Atogwe. All of this done on a defense ranked consistently in the bottom half of the league.

Rashad Baker was another guy brought it, seemingly only for depth purposes. He’s a young guy with some upside but really got overshadowed in the black hole of Oakland. For those who don’t know, Baker was actually the guy who picked off Jeff Garcia in Week 17 to vault the Eagles into the playoffs. That interception was one of three on the year.

Quintin Demps, return specialist for most of the year, will also get a chance to compete with Jones. However in only his second year, Demps will probably be best served as a backup while focusing on his return skills, something the Eagles have lacked for a few years.

Quintin Mikell has been fantastic at the strong safety position over the past couple of years and looks to only get better. Many believe Mikell’s strong play should have earned him a Pro Bowl nod last year (led the team with 169 tackles, second with four forced fumbles and three interceptions), but that was not the case. Instead, he was selected as a second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

The cornerback position has always been good under Andy Reid, and 2009 should be no different. From Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, to Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, and now Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel.

Samuel is a superstar and proved that last season by coming up with six total interceptions, four in the regular season and two in the playoffs. Sheldon Brown has been an extremely steady and solid contributor, seemingly ready to take the next step into “elite.” He had his first interception in 19 games last season against the Dallas Cowboys, but has not missed a single game in his entire seven year career.

Joselio Hanson is a guy who was picked up off the scrap-heap to add some depth to the cornerback position, but has emerged as a solid nickel corner. He came up with his first interception in 2008 on Thanksgiving night against Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals.

With the trade of the disgruntled Lito Sheppard, the Eagles will now look to the unproven second-year man Jack Ikegwuonu, who spent his rookie year on I.R. nursing a torn ACL he suffered only weeks before the combine.

Look for the Eagles to add some depth to the corner position in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft to push Ikegwuonu, or at the very least a late-round or undrafted camp body.

Either way, the secondary seems to be in great position to build on a solid 2008 to a possible great 2009. I look for more turnovers, less big plays, and overall more respect for a squad entering its second full year together as a unit.
Continue Reading...