The Eagles have signed three safeties this offseason. Pair these acquisitions with 2013 5thselection Earl Wolff, and the Eagles arguably have their projected safeties for the 2014 season. Jenkins will be accompanied by the winner of the Wolff/Allen position battle. Jenkins was a full time starter lastseason with the Saints and Allen with the Eagles, while Wolff showed enough when “healthy” to earn the respect of his teammates and coaching staff. With the now “depth” on paper at the safety position, is it best for the Eagles to still invest a first round selection on a safety?
I can’t envision anyone “excited” that Nate Allen has returned. A former second round pick, a forgettable career in Philadelphia, yet to establish a resume that elevates him past the “Donovan McNabb” selection . Not to excuse Nate Allen, but prior to his injury in his sophomore season, he showed potential. After the injury in which he rushed back from with his rehabilitation process, his mental and emotional confidence was all but gone, and so was the consistency with his defensive coaches. Add to that the lack of talent helping him at safety and cornerback, the guy has had little stability around him. Fully healthy, the same defensive coordinator as last season and improved help at the other safety position, maybe the pieces are in place for Allen to improve on a “solid” 2013 campaign.
As far as Early Wolff, he was a fifth round selection, he “moved up” on the depth chart due to injuries with Chung, and how Coleman and Anderson were only for the special team units. When the lack of talent around you is as pitiful as the contribution was minus Allen, anything you do right is going to be recognized as an “upgrade.” Wolff showed he is a sound tackler with good closing speed and willing to put his helmet in the numbers with his run defense. His skill set is different than, providing the coaching staff with some options to compliment what Jenkins does best.
If talent was available in the fifth round last year in Wolff, we know that a potential starter can be found later then the first round. Additionally, most are projecting for both Pryor and Clinton-Dix to be drafted by the time we select at #22. We saw how quickly safeties were signed in free agency, and not all teams that needed safeties landed one. A few of these teams draft prior to the Eagles, which leads me to believe we will have to move up to get one of these “top” safeties.
Is the desperate feeling that we “must” land one of these two safeties as strong as it was prior to our free agency signings? Are you prepared to trade additional draft picks to get yourself into position to take a Pryor or Clinton-Dix?
I believe the Eagles would need to trade up to pick 13 (Rams second pick in the first round) to get one of the two top safeties. The Bears (14th), Steelers (15th), Cowboys (16th), Dolphins (19th), and Packers (21st) are all in the need for upgrades at the safety position. The cost to move up that high will be additional early round draft picks that could fill the void of other defensive needs.
With the talent already on this roster and the salary cap figures for 2015, cornerback, outside and inside linebacker, wide receiver and defensive line are all areas that we could target in round one. Roseman and Kelly will get a great player if they wait until their pick at #22 and it may not be the safety we covet.
Will you be alright with that? Which “non-safety” player(s) name would you want called with the 2014 first round selection of the Philadelphia Eagles?
A solid 2013? Are you serious Jeff? All you saw last year was a player who always showed up AFTER the receiver caught the ball, the guy stinks, plain n simple. He was part of one of the worst secondary’s last year, if you want to blame the players around him that’s fine but if he was any good he would of stood out of the crowd, he didn’t! Nobody wanted him in free agency, not even the coach who drafted him, what does that tell you? He’s second string material only. I’m starting to get the feeling that Chip is turning into Buddy Ryan in reverse, as Buddy thought all he had to do Is build a great D and just have an average O, Chip is doing the same thing with his O. Think about what he did this offseason concerning the O then look what he did so far on D, we were ranked in the top 5 in all O categories and the bottom 5 in a few D categories, common sense says you make D a priority and yet all we end up with is a safety, another safety that stinks and two guys that are special team guys that couldn’t get on the field on D, your dreaming if you think this is going to make us a better team next year, the answer to your question is with Allen not only should we draft a saftey in the first but in second round too n edge rushers n linebackers with the other picks.
Yes to your Headline Question
The Eagles Brain Trust realize as others do
The the Top 2 Safeties (Dix/Pryor) or (Pryor/Dix)
Will be Selected before the #22 Selection
Bills,Rams,Cowboys,Giants,Lions,Ravens,Bears are all in the Market
For a Top Safety Prospect and all Select before the Eagles
So they did the smart thing and resigned their most consistent from last Season
Which was Nate Allen to have sone experience and familiarity of their System since adding new safety’s Jenkins/Maragos to the mix ..
The Eagkes are positioning themselves to Trade down and back from the
#22 Selection to acquire more Picks because that’s what GM
Roseman & Coach Kelly want, to build they the Draft which also means that
D-Jax,B Graham, Curry & B Brown could also be on the Trading Blocjs to acquire additional 2nd thru 4th Round Picks which would be the smart way in rebuilding this Eagle Defense since none of the 4 Players I listed appear to be in the long range Plans of Kelly & Co..
Think you are right on trades to get more picks. Djax is going to be gone soon.
If both safeties are gone Ha Ha and Pryor that is, then the answer is simply yes. However, if one of them is there, the answer is no. I can see the Eagles trading back to acquire more picks, but taking Bucannon in the early second as I think they really like him. Additional picks could garner Marcus Smith and Attachou in the second round and Christian Jones in the third. Grahm and Curry can then be traded.
there is a dearth of DL on this team, they can’t trade Vinny Curry they have no one to replace him. The Birds still haven’t replaced Clifton Geathers and I’m not sure Damion Square is an NFL player yet.
LDE Fletcher Cox, Vacant
NT – Bennie Logen, Damian Square
RDE- Cedric Thornton, Vinny Curry
Which is why I have Eagles Trading back from #22
To obtain an additional 2nd & 4th Round Pick
And using the 2nd around to Draft 2 DL from the Following Group
DE – Kareem Martin (UNC 6-6″ 272lbs)
DE – Marcus Smith (Louisville 6-4 265lbs)
DE – Scott Critchcon (Oregon St 6-5 265lbs)
DT – Kelsey Quarters (South Carolina 6-2 305lbs)
DT – Da’Quan Jones (Penn State 6-4 325lbs)
I believe the Eagles Draft 2 of these 5 Players listed from above
With their 2 2nd Round Picks..
But will these guys you have listed be impact players? We all know the Eagles haven’t exactly hit it big with their 2nd rd picks..
There are 3-4 Defensive Impact Players,
(Clowney,Mack & Barr) and that’s about it
And the Eagles aren’t getting any of these
Players at #22 so drop back and get additional Players
They’re are a lot of good quality Players in the Draft
But only the 3 I listed above will step in right away
And make an impact on Defense..
For god sakes FORGET THE SAFETY POSITION RIGHT NOW!!. We need Pass Rushers and Tackles on this damn team. We won’t be getting anywhere with the pass rush we were generating last season especially with this scheduel coming up. If your front 7 is great, then its only going to make the DBS look that much better only because there jobs are soo much easier. Take the best OLB/NT available in the first round. Then draft with our 2nd round pick we are about to get when we trade Deseans pussy ass.
draft the best available reciever and oline to provide depth on our Oline when somone goes down. Cause believe me chances of going 5/5 are not going to be high on back to back seasons
U can read between the lines eagles gettin ready to make a move they going after a safety and they look like they r doing a deal to move up that might include djax oor curry or gramhan they know what they have in nate allen I think they go that route young player they can groom someone that fits kelly liking.They would like to do deal for dion jordan from miami too they probably gonna get safety, dt,olb,wr in that order like ss dionne bucannon
If Deone Bucannon is there at 54….he’s an Eagle….I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved up in the second for him. I saw one mock with the Eagles taking him at 22.
They will not reach for need like that mock but if he is there in the third they may move up to get him.
It is RARE that a safety is worth a 1st round pick. You can get solid NFL safety play from 2nd and 3rd rounders (if you hit). We now can take the time to bring along a guy that needs half a season or a season to get his big boy pants.
1st round picks must either SCORE TD’s (QB,WR not RB unless $pecial..see Adrian Peterson), Protect QB’s or Sack QB’s. PERIOD. unless they are the greatest punter of all time then Punter is acceptable (……..)
I would agree Eagle but the game has changed and Safety’s are much more important than in the past
Look at the Top Safety’s the last Few Years
Earl Thomas,Eric Berry and now the Young Guns like Eric Reid,
Kenny Vacarro & Matt Elam.. These guys were all
1st Round Picks.. With bigger Receivers, more Athletic TE’s
Today’s Safety’s have to be both physical and Athletic enough to cover these dynamic Receivers in today’s NFL
There is always an exception for a very special athlete (Earl Thomas) however there are not that many of guys like that and so 2nd and 3rd rounders are about the same as a late 1st.
I think you will Safety’s like Eric Reid,Ken Vacarro,
Be good Safeties for a long time in the NFL also ..
Maybe not an Earl Thomas, but game changers
And well worth their first round Selection
Maybe if the eagles were to trade back sf would be perfect
If they could get a 2,3,4 from the 49ers for #22 that would be great.
Trade curry for a 3rd
Graham for a 4th
Bryce brown for a 4th
And maybe desean for 2&3
There not trading back troll man. This isn’t Andy n heckert!! No football knowledge whatsoever..
Nate Allen will improve this year and I suspect the Eagles will nab a corner with their first round pick. My sense is that either Justin Gilbert or Darqueze Dennard will be available and either will be the best “Impact Player” on the board when the birds draft.
I love Justin Gilbert’s upside as a very good CB in the NFL
He’s a dangerous punt returner too
I am not high on Dennard at the NFL Level
And I believe more of a product of Mich States
solid Defensive Scheme..
I do like Strong Safety
Isiah Lewis from Mich State and think he would be a real find in
The mid-Rounds..
I also like CB Marcus Roberson from Florida
And CB Gaines from Rice as later Picks