I have to give the Eagles credit on trading for Jason Peters because they had been working on this move since the end of the season. They did their homework, evaluated the information then made their move.
First of all, they had made the evaluation that it wasn't a wise move to resign veteran Tra Thomas. The Birds evaluate a player by giving them a grade then they move accordingly.
Their next move was identifying the left tackles on the free agent and trading market, then the ones coming out in the draft.
They saw two quality Pro Bowl left tackles who might be obtainable. The first was Jordan Gross of the Panthers who had a chance of becoming a free agent. Of course that opportunity blew up in late February when the Panthers inked him to a long term deal just prior to free agency.
The other guy was Peters who would have to be acquired via a trade. He had made it very clear that he wasn't happy in Buffalo with his contract. Joe Banner and company knew that the cash strapped Bills didn't want to ante up $10 million a year for him.
The Eagles let Buffalo know immediately that they were interested in Peters and immediately started negotiating a trade.
The Birds were also taking a look at the left tackle prospects who were coming out in the draft. They watched videos, met them and sized them up.
With everything finally organized and the free agent period concluded, they sat down and discussed the trade possibilities and draft scenarios. With the draft, there was always the ugly chance that they might draft a guy who couldn't play.
Were that to have happend, they would have been forced to move one of their guards either Shawn Andrews or Todd Herremans out to the left tackle position. They didn't want to have to do that.
In the end, the circumstances made the decision for the Birds because they made the move for Peters so early and decisively. The fact that they were working the Peters deal all along let them come out of it all smelling like roses.
I think they wound up with the safest and best choice.
