There are a myriad of opinions floating around Philadelphia about what the Eagles need to do to be better in 2008. Those opinions range from what to do with McNabb….
and Kolb to finding depth in the secondary. Here are some things I’d like to see happen before the start of 2008:
-Find a true #1 wide receiver. I’m not usually big on a true #1 if you are in a situation where two or three guys are getting it done. I think for the Eagles wideout situation, a high-end guy is needed. And I know just who is on my Christmas list. Here is a link to an interview that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis gave to the Columbus Dispatch:
IT'S TIME TO BLOW THE WHOLE THING UP
Here is a particularly interesting excerpt:
Q: Five years as coach probably puts you in the top half of the league in terms of longevity. Are you as energized as ever?
A: Oh yeah, I am. Every year is a new year and provides new challenges. They all become the history of the last one. You've got to use it and move forward and move on. It's time for us to blow the whole thing up and start from scratch. We need to empty these shelves, empty these offices and start from scratch.
Q: Really?
A: Yeah, because we haven't been good enough. We're not going to sit here and be complacent with it, and guys have to understand that. It hasn't been good enough.
Q: When you say blow it up…
A: We've got to start from scratch. We have to blow it up and empty everything. Just like new people walking in this door and go from there. That's the only way we're going to shake away from the cobwebs. We've established a certain plateau or work ethic and we've got to move beyond that.
Who could he possible have in mind when he’s saying this? I’ve been hearing bad reports out of Cincy for a while now. Chad Johnson is doing this or that. He’s on the radio sounding very much like a guy who is gone after this year. I’ve heard all types of stuff.
So let’s think what the Eagles offense would look like with Johnson lining up. In Johnson, you have your true #1. He commands attention. That opens things up for Reggie Brown on the other side, which makes him automatically better. Now, Kevin Curtis returns to his natural slot position where he can do even more damage. Oh, and there is still Brian Westbrook to worry about. And a healthy Donovan McNabb. Is anyone following me?
I’m not one to make up trade scenarios because they are so rare in the NFL. But because there is so much talk about of Cincinnati of all this trouble, it seems like Marvin Lewis can’t wait to ship him out. Would you trade a second rounder for Johnson? I would in a heartbeat. A first rounder I don’t know if I can do. My cousin Rob says that makes me an idiot, but a mid-first rounder seems high for a guy who is, shall we say, obnoxious at times?
But Micah, they already had Terrell Owens and look how that turned out. Chad Johnson is not T.O., let’s get that straight. He’s not a team wrecker, he can just pop off at the mouth once in a while. He wants to win. Johnson can be a problem when you put him in a locker room full of behavioral misfits with no character. Somewhere, you know…..like…..Cincinnati? The Eagles place emphasis on character and I think that’s the type of environment he needs to thrive. According to me anyway.
-Add a tight end: If that means bringing L.J. Smith back, then that’s fine. He’ll probably never reach his full potential, but you could do a lot worse. Antonio Gates’s don’t fall off of trees. But they need to add that threat up the seam. As I said in my Bills game review, I like Celek, but would rather see him in a #2 role.
-Secondary help, please!: Lito Sheppard gets hurt a lot, so depth at the corners is imperative. Will James isn’t my cup of tea. In other words, he’s bad. Joselio Hanson isn’t bad as the fourth guy, but the Eagles need another solid cornerback to add to the roster.
The same goes for the safety position. Quinton Mikell is a nice player, but he’s so valuable as a backup that plays on special teams. Brian Dawkins is banged up and nearing the end, so bringing in safeties via the draft or free agency should be near the top of the priority list. Don’t get me started on Sean Considine. The Eagles coaches are much smarter than me, so they must see something in him. I just see terrible tackling and abysmal cover skills.
-Cut the overpaid underachievers: I’m sure Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard are nice guys, but they can go be nice guys on someone else’s defensive line. Look at how much money was on the bench this year. The Eagles gave them all that dough and they got beat out by Juqua Thomas and a former fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati. My only hope is that Kearse wasn’t fully healed from his 2006 injury and that he could regain his form. Boy, that’s thinking optimistically.
-Spend a first day pick on someone to return punts and kicks: This was a huge problem for the Eagles in 2007. There was never a threat of a home run. If J.R. Reed or Correll Buckhalter got out to the 30-yard line on a kick off, there was cause for celebration. Reno Mahe is there to catch. That’s it. Don’t drop punts. That’s your job. Unbelievable oversight on the part of management to enter the season with the personnel they had in this area.
Take a gander at Joshua Cribbs in Cleveland, or Buffalo’s Roscoe Parris, or Chicago’s Devin Hester. Great returners aren’t easy to find, I understand that. But there has to be someone somewhere that can do better than what they’ve got.
-Add a playmaker or two to the defense: I don’t care who or where. They need someone that can step in front of a pass for an INT. They need someone to force a fumble. They need a disruptive force. Let’s look at some of the possible free agents out there:
Kansas City free agent defensive end Jared Allen is intriguing, but he’ll most likely get the franchise tag. A 25-year old with 15.5 sacks to pair with Trent Cole? Too bad this will never happen. I’d scoop him up as long as he’s done drinking alcohol behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
Do not sign Albert Haynesworth from Tennessee. I repeat: Do not sign Albert Haynesworth. This guy is a world beater right now. Anyone know why? Because he’s in a contract year, and this is what bums like him do. They are average players until it’s time to get paid. I would never sign this guy. He had character issues coming out of college in 2002. He will be overpaid and then relax. Trust me.
I like Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, but I can’t see him getting free from Arizona. They aren’t close to a long-term deal, but not only are they willing to franchise tag him, he thinks “it would be an honor.”
I don’t see anything I’d want in the way of secondary free agents. Asante Samuel will not be an Eagle, nor should the Eagles spend that kind of dough there. I like Marcus Trufant out of Seattle and I think he’d round out a nice trio, but someone will overspend on him.
As always, these are just my thoughts.
micahw@feverpitchmedia.com
