It’s no secret the Philadelphia Eagles have a lot of holes to fill with the upcoming draft, and I don’t think I’m shocking anyone when I say most of those holes are on defense. But do the Eagles seriously believe they can fill all of these holes with rookies?
Something tells me Andy Reid doesn’t believe that, and neither do any realistic fans. So, in order to make a real push towards the Super Bowl in 2010, the Birds must find other ways of filling these gaping holes.
Enter Darren Sharper. Sharper has always been a ball-hawking free safety, and is exactly what this young, but talented, Eagles team could use.
While I believe the talk of having a “leader” is always overrated and overblown, it wouldn’t hurt to have a veteran like Sharper now that a guy like Sheldon Brown is now in Cleveland.
With Sharper in the mix, the Eagles could draft a safety like Myron Rolle out of Florida State or Rashad Jones out of Georgia in the third round or so, and let the rookie learn behind a guy who has shown he still has what it takes to be one of the best, even at 34 years old.
Then Reid and GM Howie Roseman could focus on drafting a defensive end and linebacker in the first two rounds. Both positions need a significant upgrade, but free safety is the position truly lacking a starter.
Quintin Demps and Macho Harris have shown they’re not starting-caliber free safeties, and Marlin Jackson is a huge unknown who might best be suited as a backup cornerback.
Sharper would be willing to play on a one-year deal, as he did with the Saints last year, and would be a terrific stop-gap at free safety while a rookie is groomed. The Eagles don’t like signing older players, but if he’s playing on a one-year deal, there’s very little risk — especially when we look back at his nine-interception 2009 season.
Not only that, but he’s coming off a knee surgery (although minor), so he’s precisely what the Birds are looking for in a free agent.
Agree 100%. They have a lot of holes which could be filled in the next 2 drafts. Could still take Nate Allen in the 2nd round.
This would be a good signing if they went ahead and did it. Nice jab with the “coming off a knee surgery” comment.
Why?..Why would we sign a 34 year old safety…we already had an old safety we let go.. Mr. Philadelphia Brian Dawkins..Signing an old safety doesn’t make sense in our “youth” movement. We should draft Taylor Mays at 24th overall!!
The Eagles should stay as far away from Mays as humanly possible. He’s a project WLB at this point NOT a FS. He simply doesn’t have the right skill set for the position. Great athlete? Yes without a doubt but he just does not have the skills necessary to be a FS (like the ability to cover).
I’d rather take one of the supposedly highly talented FS from this class than Sharper.
WeaponX – The answer to your “why?” is that we do it if he can play football well. He did that for the Saints last year. And we didn’t ‘leg go’ of Dawkins. He bolted on his own will. Your Taylor Mays vote trashes any credibility – the guy is a fast, hard tackling bad Safety.
Taylor Mays= Roy Williams/Michael Lewis
Taylor Mays sucks WeaponX, and for someone that is such an admirer of B-Dawk to have a SN named after his nickname, you should know that the biggest knock on Mays is his pass coverage skills, something B-Dawk was very good at, so you shouldn’t be pulling for that overrated scrub. He has bust written all over him.
By the way, I always loved Sharper, ever since his early years playing with GB. 2nd favorite FS behind Dawk. Letting go Dawkins was a huge mistake that they can somewhat make up for by signing Sharper, but it won’t happen. Would be nice though.
I like how everyone is Trashing Taylor Mays and he hasnt even played a game in the NFL yet.
Tom Brady sucks thats why he was a 7,999th pick
Brian Westbrook is too small to be a running back in the NFL
Shannon Sharpe cant be a tight end in the NFL
Terell Davis is injury prone out of college
Ive heard it all.
SportsBum are you KIDDING ME since when was Brain Dawkins known as a cover saftety???
He was drafted in 96 and has 36 interceptions. Thats what? 2.5 a years? Ed Reed has 46 picks and has been in the league since 2002!
I mean someone please correct me if im wrong about Brain Dawkins being known for his cover skills? someone please prove me wrong on this.
I would do it but the Eagles say he’s to old. If your over 30, Eagles don’t want ya
Good article. I agree they need a saftey but not him. There are better up and comming safteys out there…. key Paulman’s list.
You only sign him if u think you will contend for the super bowl in 2010. Of course no team wants to say they aren’t playing for a super bowl but realstically, this team isn t super bowl caliber this season. At least not as they are now. But since they are getting younger no need to get an old guy and stunt the development of another player. I would have lived sharper if we would have done other things in free agency to make us contenders this year. But right now it’s almost pointless to sign a guy that won’t put you over the top and be here for only one year. I thought everyone wanted the young players to grow together? No need in changing that now.
Why Why Why. Again If you are “retooling” as the eagles say they are why would you take up a roster slot and playing experience by throwing on a guy that is retiring in a year or so. If the eagles had signed Peppers, Dansby, Mawea, and kept Donovan I would say that adding sharper is a good move. The fact that they are purging older players and in pursuit of players in their prime (Tapp,Jackson) or in the draft you don’t sabotage the development of youth by sitting them behind the elderly.
You guys will kill me for this but.
1. Macho Harris did look good last year however- He was being judged as a rookie filling the shoes of one of the most beloved players in team history. It would have been nigh impossible for him to impress. Maybe after reviewing a year of his play IN THIS SYSTEM on tape over this off-season and after the coaches work him through camp MAYBE (I know its a HUGE MAYBE) we as fans will be surprised by his growth- exhibit a- Winston Justice.
2. Given that we draft a safety – nothing says that said player grasps this scheme as a rookie any better than Harris. I bet we go CORNER before safety.
3. Would you deal with Harris 1 more year if we got a stud LDE . I would- It might even make our secondary look better.
@ SportsBum…B-Dawk could cover yes but he is known as a BIG hitter, which is what Taylor Mays is. Have you seen this guy HIT. He can put that swagger back in our defense and make recievers think twice about going over the middle. His cover skills aren’t the best but he a freakish athlete that a coach can teach. His athletic ability alone makes him a better solution right away instead on Macho Harris.
UM The first sentence should read Macho Harris DID NOT look good!
Dawkins was a very good cover style safety that also brought the wood. Mays may or may not develop into a great safety. He is definately an AL DAVIS kind of player which scares the hell out of me.
Watch…all the Taylor Mays haters will be eating their words when he’s wearing Eagle Green blowing up recievers on Sundays. I think vricchini made a great point how everyone judges Mays before he even plays a down in the NFL.
Any chance Mays is used as more of a Strong Safety?????
Now you start talking about him in that sense and I start thinking better thoughts about him.
I agree that Al Davis probably drools over his combine workout…but I feel that we could get the most out of Mays. Imagine a safety with his athleticism coming off the edge on a safety blitz. Could be scary. I rather take a chance on a boom or bust skiil position any day than draft another OL…haha
Weapon would you be willing to move play mays at Strong safety and then draft another guy in round 2 or 3 to play FS?
All I want to know is at his size and speed can he run and catch a good fade route??
Last comment- I really don’t care what their name is I just want players that can TACKLE and put fear in the opposing offense. I want guys going to the sideline sucking wind after every catch. That will lead to turnovers and wins.
The words Fade Route aren’t in the Eagles vocabulary…lol…I think Mikell isn’t a bad SS but he was exposed last year because he was used to B-Dawk picking up for his mistakes in the past. I don’t see us taking 2 safeties. But if we don’t take Mays Earl Thomas is a possiblity and another sleeper pick I like is Morgan Burnett from Georgia Tech
Mikel is 29 that’s the only reason I brought him up. He is likely not an eagle much longer.
U guys crack me up on this Taylor Mays thing..for one..when the hell did everyone of u become college player anylists?..and u act as if the kid cant get coached up to become an NFL Safety..he would be better than any safety we have…Quitin mikell suck a$$..So does quintn demps..heres something for u..the year demps was drafted he lead all DBs..in Picks with 17..wow it stranslated real well into the NFL..whose to say the scheme they ran hampered his ability..i actually want Mays..He reminds me of every bit of Sean Taylor…(RIP)..when he was playn for the skins receivers feared the middle of the field..so before all u stupid mayock, mcshay, and kiper fans keep listening to them..because if they were never to say what they say, most of u guys would be clueless about college prospects..
Dawk was n awesome cover Safety..just not a ball hawking one…hit would knock ur lights out and still be able to play good zone coverage…hes was never able to man coverage..he didnt have real fluid hips…i Think we need Sharper…and mays…macho harris is Earl Thomas…there the same type of player..i like harris alot, and believe that hes guna be our free safety and i wouild like mays to be our SS..I do believe McDermott is to blame for alot of the defensive players struggles…JJ would have left a player in even if he made a few mistakes…mcdermott pulld guys which is an awful strategy…instead of allowing a player to learn by his mistakes , he punished them and took there job..and all t he LB shuffling he did was retarded…Gocong at middle really??…
captain obvious
Bob Cunningham, you don’t have a clue. They’re not trying to win this year, they’re trying to cut payroll in anticipation of the new labor deal/lockout.
All they’ve done this year is cut people on long contracts and get rid of veterans.
The best thing about the photo with the story is you see Kolb attempting to chase down Sharper after throwing and INT. I love the eagles, but I see this as a sign of things to come. Mcnabb protected the ball better than any quarterback in the history of the game. To throw the number of TD’s he has, while still protecting the ball the way he does is amazing. I understand he has had some accuracy issues, but Andy Reid never changed his offense to suit his strengths. Play action short dump offs, and passes down field. I wish him the best. Shanahan will run the ball to set up those play actions. Kolb will be another Garcia in SF and Philly. He’ll get us through the first round of the playoffs, then we’ll be looking forward to the Pro Bowl. Hope I’m Wrong.
First off I think Sharper can play ball, but I don’t think signing him is the answer to the safety position. We need a guy that is going to be back there for a while. We can’t be signing 34 year old verterns year in and year out to take over this position. We gotta get someone young and let him hold down that position for years to come.
Second, all this bad talk about Taylor Mays and his in ability to cover. Someone who keeps saying this please show me some tape of this kid covering a receiver or TE 1-on-1? The fact of the matter is that he never had to do this at USC because they never asked him to do it. He was a centerfielder for the Trojans. Sideline to sideline. He never lined up 1-on-1, so to say his pass covering skills are terrible, where is the evidence?
vricchini: The difference between me and you, obviously, I know my football, and don’t have to ask others if I am right, which others have stated that he was a good cover safety. Could he be a good safety? Sure, but I highly doubt it.
RegalEagle: I agree that Mays has the abilities more suited to be a SS, not FS, but honestly, he might be a better fit a LB if he adds a little more weight.
WeaponX: Freakish abilities doesn’t always translate to success. You must be a fan of Al Davis.
Eagle Believer: You answered your own question. Why would you trust someone to handle man coverage situations in the NFL that never did it in College? Besides, he did play man coverage at the Senior Bowl and did horrible, in fact, he was horrible in the Centerfielder role too.
Hey, he could turn out to be good, but I know that I definitely wouldn’t waste a 1st rounder on him. Maybe if he fell to the Eagles latter 2nd round pick, then grab him, otherwise it is too risky. There are many more players that I would rather get with the 1st or 2nd pick.
Listen Everyone, Darren Sharper is a RINK. The FO loved getting rid of Dawkins, Mcnabb, and Trotter. They brought Trotter back and he didn’t do squat. if the Eagles were to ever sign Darren Sharper, it be like taking tylenol. It relieves the problem but it always comes back. PICK UP A GOOD YOUNG SAFETY IN THE DRAFT!!!! PLEASE PEOPLE
LOVE,
MerkWahlberg