All I could think about was the Eagles pass rush when I left the Tuesday night session with the team’s coaches.¬† It was the heart of what new general manager Howie Roseman talked about and it was also the dominant message of Birds defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.
I get the feeling that they’re going to try to keep people fresh and coming off the corner. They also got more than enough, so they could miss on one or two of these guys but be right on two of them and still have plenty enough to get the job done.
If you’re an Eagles defensive end and you’re not getting any pressure on the quarterback, you can expect to get the tap on the shoulder from somebody who is coming into the game for you.
Look at all of the guys the Eagles have added to this team who are supposed to be pass rushers.
It starts with first round pick Brandon Graham, who wears a smile on his face constantly and is supposed to be a can’t miss prospect as far as they are concerned. Graham should cut a check to Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil because their success helped him get drafted 13th in the first round.
He’s built like a fire hydrant like the forementioned guys and I saw some of his quickness during the camp.
Roseman said he’s the pick that excites him the most because of his tremendously high motor.
The Eagles general manager spoke about the Eagles valuing players who are highly productive against tough competition.¬† I think Graham secures his position at the top of the Birds draft board by whupping Green Bay’s first round draft pick offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga’s butt at the Senior Bowl.¬† He beat him all week long at practice, then got two sacks against him in the Senior Bowl game itself.
I wonder how long it will take him to show his stuff.¬† You know the Eagles want to see it right now. You know where Roseman’s eyes will be when they start training camp.
Daniel Te’o Nesheim was drafted for the specific purpose of rushing the passer on 3rd down from the defensive tackle position.¬† Roseman also talked about his motor.¬† He said a number of people compared his temperament to be like that of Pittsburgh’s Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, who is quiet and soft spoken off the field but a madman on it.
We were told that Ricky Sapp was the guy who they couldn’t pass up even though they had already picked a number of guys who are able to make the same type of contribution as a pass rusher, that he is able to make.
Sapp is big, tall and he can run.¬† This kid is very lean now, but he’s going to get bigger as he gets older.¬† If they play him at linebacker, I think he’s going to grow out of the position.
He weighs 255 now, but give him two years and he will have shot up to 265 pounds naturally.¬† I think they’re going to be forced to let him put his hand down and rush the passer.
Sapp is 6’4″ or 6’5″, but the linebacker, Alex Hall, who they got in the trade with the Browns is even bigger and more imposing than Sapp.
Hall is a very,big dude at 6’5″ and 255 pounds.¬† Like Sapp he can run and hopefully rush the passer.
Let’s not forget that they traded away Chris Clemons to Seattle in order to get another pass rusher by the name of Darryl Tapp.¬† He will also be in the mix for the left defensive end position and we’ll see if he can consistently get to the quarterback.
That is ultimately what all of this comes to.  Can any or all of these guys successfully rush the passer in the NFL?
McDermott talked about going through all kinds of changes to force teams to single block Eagles All-Pro defensive end Trent Cole.  He knows they need another guy who can consistently beat a one-on-one block off the corner.
They went to the Super Bowl with Jevon Kearse and Derrick Burgess in 2004.
The million dollar question is simple.  Can one of the guys they just drafted team up with Cole and take them on another Super Bowl ride?
This reminds me of how dominating the Giants D Line was when they beat the Pats in the super bowl. They had Osi, Strahan, Tuck, and the rest of their crew causing all kinds of havoc on the quarterback.
If the Eagles can get that same type of pressure it will definitely help out our questionable secondary.
G:
I’ve got a GOOOOD feeling about Tapp and Graham. Tapp is very underrated, and Graham just strikes me as a star. He’s a pleasure to listen to about playing the game. I have to smile as I listen to him. Go Birds!
I hope we have it figured out. I also hope they can play against the run very well. The pass rush will be negated if they are average or below against the run. They’ll get worn down all game if they are poor. But hopefully these guys can develop as good DEs who can get to the QB and hold their corners as well. We will see.
keep 5, I’m with you. If we can get that kind of pressure from 4 guys then the D will be much better. The things with the Giants that year were all 3 of the guys you mentioned were beasts. Look at their size and Strahan is a future HOF too. So hopefully we can get our guys to play even close to that then we will be better in other areas as well.
I would like to see the following personnel on passing downs..
RE T Cole
DT B Bunkley
DT T Nesheim
LE D Tapp
Then use both OLB’s standing up outside of the DE’s (Graham and Sapp) and run stunts, 2 for 1,
delay blitzes,curls inside,etc,etc… Drop the other 5 back in coverage and watch the DL and both Blitzing OLB’s get to the QB in about 4 seconds and elimanting any time for a deep route or a long pass since the QB will be on his butt
@scorp exactly
I would like to see T. Romo crying in his hand towel on 3rd-and-long twice a year when the Eagles D-Linemen are licking their chops… which of course will require them not stinking and/or getting hurt this year.
Hey G, if Sapp does grow out of the LB spot, is it an easier transition to DE than it has been to go the other way, DE to OLB, like they tried to do with Gocong? Plus, is it unreasonable for them to expect to take advantage of his athletic skills as a linebacker earlier in his career, then as he grows look to get his hand on the ground? Is that too much to expect? Could they really be planning a move like that ahead of time?
Its like the fans took over this draft..All defense..All pass rush oriented..God speed.
If they don’t find a good player out of that group to consistently get to the quarterback then heads should roll.